cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Transcutaneous Computed Tomography-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy in Patients With Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Probable Failed Radiation Therapy, and Negative Transmucosal Biopsies†‡

For patients with suspected recurrent/persistent laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) after external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), routine transmucosal biopsies obtained during direct laryngoscopy may fail to reveal active carcinoma. We evaluated transcutaneous computed tomography-guided fine needle aspiration (CTGFNA) in three consecutive patients who had a persistently fixed true vocal fold after EBRT that had been administered for laryngeal SCC and who had multiple negative transmucosal laryngeal biopsies. All three CTGFNA biopsies were positive, but final pathology confirmed invasive SCC in only one of the three patients. Despite its theoretical advantages, CTGFNA in its present form requires further assessment and/or modification.
Use of transvaginal ultrasound-guided puncture for elimination of equine pregnancies during days 50 to 65

Summary Techniques for reduction of twins during the fetal stage (>40 days) are quite limited. Single pregnancies were used as a model to evaluate the efficacy of elimination of a single equine fetus using a transvaginal ultrasound probe and needle. Fourteen mares at 50 to 65 days of gestation were assigned groups: 1) aspiration of allantoic fluid; and 2) injection of potassium penicillin into the allantoic fluid. A 5 MHz transvaginal probe attached to an Aloka 500 console was introduced into the mare's vagina. A 60-mm double lumen 16-g needle was placed into the probe and inserted through the vaginal wall and into the allantoic cavity and all allantoic fluid was aspirated (Group 1) or 2.5 x 106 units of potassium penicillin suspended in 10 ml of saline injected into the allantoic cavity (Group 2). Jugular blood samples were obtained and mares examined per rectum and by ultrasonography every other day for 2 wk after treatment. Death of the fetus occurred in 7 of 7 mares (Group 1) and 6 of 7 mares (Group 2). Concentration of progesterone decreased for 2 to 4 days in 10 of 14 mares and cervical and uterine tone diminished in over one-half of the mares. In addition, fluid accumulations occurred in the uterine body or uterine horns of 12 of 14 mares during the 2 weeks after treatment. Although these techniques successfully eliminated pregnancies, further studies are needed to determine if the elimination of one pregnancy would alter the viability of the remaining fetus in mares with twins.
CFD Predictions and Experimental Comparisons of Pressure Drop Effects of Turning Vanes in 90° Duct Elbows

This paper presents new results for numerical predictions of air flow and pressure distribution in two commonly used elbows: (1) 90° mitered duct elbows with turning vanes having 0.05 m radius, 0.038 m vane spacing and (2) 90° mitered duct elbows without turning vanes, in 0.2×0.2 m ( 8 in.×8 in. ) duct cross section using the STAR-CD computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. A k-e turbulence model for high Reynolds number and k-e Chen model were used for that purpose for comparative purposes. The simulation used 13 different Reynolds numbers chosen between the range of 1× 105 and 2× 106 . To validate the CFD results, the results of two experimental papers using guided vanes were compared with simulated vane runs under the same condition. The first experimental study used a 0.6×0.6 m ( 24 in.×24 in. ) square elbow with 0.05 m radius, 0.038 m vane spacing and air velocities at 2.54 m/s (500 fpm) and 25.4 m/s (5,000 fpm), the second experiment used a 0.81×0.2 m ( 32 in.×8 in. ) rectangular elbow geometry with...
Cell type-dependent variations in the subcellular distribution of alpha-mannosidase I and II

alpha-mannosidases I and II (Man I and II) are resident enzymes of the Golgi complex involved in oligosaccharide processing during N-linked glycoprotein biosynthesis that are widely considered to be markers of the cis- and medial-Golgi compartments, respectively. We have investigated the distribution of these enzymes in several cell types by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. Man II was most commonly found in medial- and/or trans- cisternae but showed cell type-dependent variations in intra-Golgi distribution. It was variously localized to either medial (NRK and CHO cells), both medial and trans (pancreatic acinar cells, enterocytes), or trans- (goblet cells) cisternae, or distributed across the entire Golgi stack (hepatocytes and some enterocytes). The distribution of Man I largely coincided with that of Man II in that it was detected primarily in medial- and trans-cisternae. It also showed cell type dependent variations in its intra-Golgi distribution. Man I and Man II were also detected within secretory granules and at the cell surface of some cell types (enterocytes, pancreatic acinar cells, goblet cells). In the case of Man II, cell surface staining was shown not to be due to antibody cross-reactivity with oligosaccharide epitopes. These results indicate that the distribution of Man I and Man II within the Golgi stack of a given cell type overlaps considerably, and their distribution from one cell type to another is more variable and less compartmentalized than previously assumed.
Whole-body ring-shaped confocal photoacoustic computed tomography of small animals in vivo

We report a novel small-animal whole-body imaging system called ring-shaped confocal photoacoustic computed tomography (RC-PACT). RC-PACT is based on a confocal design of free-space ring-shaped light illumination and 512-element full-ring ultrasonic array signal detection. The free-space light illumination maximizes the light delivery efficiency, and the full-ring signal detection ensures a full two-dimensional view aperture for accurate image reconstruction. Using cylindrically focused array elements, RC-PACT can image a thin cross section with 0.10 to 0.25 mm in-plane resolutions and 1.6 s/frame acquisition time. By translating the mouse along the elevational direction, RC-PACT provides a series of cross-sectional images of the brain, liver, kidneys, and bladder.
Sensor Fusion in Computer Vision

Sensor fusion has been an active area of research in the field of computer vision for over two decades. Early approaches to sensor fusion were focused on the recovery of the three-dimensional scene structure from two short baseline cameras which was considered to be similar to the human vision system. Recently with the availability of sensors of various modalities, computer vision researchers have started looking into these new sensory data for the solution of automated understanding of the scene content. In this paper, an outline of some of the most common sensor fusion techniques is provided. Although no priority is given to one technique over the others, we selected only a handful techniques that are related to sensor fusion in the context of urban city modeling.
How soon to start: aspirin resumption after upper gastrointestinal bleed?

Background It is uncertain whether aspirin therapy should be continued after endoscopic hemostatic therapy in patients who develop peptic ulcer bleeding while receiving lowdose aspirin. Objective To test that continuing aspirin therapy with protonpump inhibitors after endoscopic control of ulcer bleeding was not inferior to stopping aspirin therapy, in terms of recurrent ulcer bleeding in adults with cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases. Design A parallel randomized, placebo-controlled noninferiority trial, in which both patients and clinicians were blinded to treatment assignment, was conducted from 2003 to 2006 by using computer-generated numbers in concealed envelopes. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00153725) Setting A tertiary endoscopy center. Patients Low-dose aspirin recipients with peptic ulcer bleeding. Intervention 78 patients received aspirin, 80 mg/d, and 78 received placebo for 8 weeks immediately after endoscopic therapy. All patients received a 72-hour infusion of pantoprazole followed by oral pantoprazole. All patients completed follow-up. Measurements The primary end point was recurrent ulcer bleeding within 30 days confirmed by endoscopy. Secondary end points were all-cause and cause-specific mortality in 8 weeks. Results 156 patients were included in an intention-to-treat analysis. Three patients withdrew from the trial before finishing follow-up. Recurrent ulcer bleeding within 30 days was 10.3% in the aspirin group and 5.4% in the placebo group (difference, 4.9 percentage points [95% CI, -3.6 to 13.4 percentage points]). Patients who received aspirin had lower all-cause mortality rates than patients who received placebo (1.3% vs. 12.9%; difference, 11.6 percentage points [CI, 3.7 to 19.5 percentage points]). Patients in the aspirin group had lower mortality rates attributable to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, or gastrointestinal complications than patients in the placebo group (1.3% vs. 10.3%; difference, 9 percentage points [CI, 1.7 to 16.3 percentage points]). Limitations The sample size is relatively small, and only low-dose aspirin, 80 mg, was used. Two patients with recurrent bleeding in the placebo group did not have further endoscopy. Conclusion Among low-dose aspirin recipients who had peptic ulcer bleeding, continuous aspirin therapy may increase the risk for recurrent bleeding but potentially reduces mortality rates. Larger trials are needed to confirm these findings.
Exchange Rate Effects on Agricultural Trade

With sustained appreciation of the U.S. dollar over the past 4 yc;lrs, the exchange satc has again taken on importance for agriculture. This overview paper revisits the analysis of exchange rate impacts, reviewin2 the relcvant concept~~al argunlents, hu~nmariiing the evidence economi5ts and ;tpricullural econon~ists have ~narshaled from the 1970s and the 1980s and from se\;eral more recent papers, presenting some illustrative recent empirical analysis of exchange rate effccts, and briefly exatmining the detrimental consequences that s~~staincd appreciation of the clollar is having on U.S. Sarm policy. Krx Cl'ord~: agricultural policy. agricultural trucle, exchange rate
The relation between moderate alcohol consumption and cognitive function in older women with type 2 diabetes

Abstract Aims To examine the association between moderate drinking, cognitive function, and cognitive decline in women with type 2 diabetes. Methods From 1995 to 2001, we assessed cognitive function in 1698 women aged 71–80 years with type 2 diabetes in the Nurses’ Health Study. Assessments were repeated twice at 2-year intervals. We used linear regression to estimate multivariable-adjusted mean differences in initial cognitive function and longitudinal models to estimate cognitive decline over 4 years, according to average alcohol intake between diagnosis with diabetes and the initial cognitive measurement. Results At the initial assessment, the mean score on our test of general cognition was 0.31 (95% CI 0.02, 0.60) points higher in women who were moderate alcohol drinkers (those consuming 1.0–9.9 g of alcohol, or about 1 drink, per day) compared with abstainers. However, moderate alcohol was not associated with cognitive decline. Higher alcohol consumption (10.0–30.0 g of alcohol per day) was not associated with initial cognition or cognitive decline, although there was no apparent harm either. Conclusions Among women with type 2 diabetes, moderate alcohol was associated with better initial cognition, but not reduced rates of cognitive decline. Thus, we found no clear and consistent cognitive benefits of moderate alcohol in diabetes.
The role of death qualification in venirepersons’ susceptibility to victim impact statements

Abstract Two hundred venirepersons (prospective Jurors) from the 12th Judicial Circuit in Sarasota, Florida completed the following booklet of stimulus materials: (1) one question that measured their attitudes toward the death penalty; (2) one question that categorized their death-qualification status; (3) a summary of the guilt phase and penalty phases of a capital case in which victim impact statements were either absent or present; (4) 26 questions that measured their susceptibility to victim impact statements (VIS); and (5) standard demographic questions. Both death-qualification status and the presence of victim impact statements were significantly related to attitudes toward the victim, the victim's survivors, and the defendant. Legal implications are discussed.
Post-transcriptional regulation of GABAB receptor and GIRK1 channels by Nogo receptor 1

Type B GABA receptors (GABA Rs) play a critical role in synaptic transmission. We carried out studies to determine whether neuronal cell surface expression of GABAB-Rs might be regulated by the Nogo receptor 1 (NgR1). siRNA knock-down of NgR1 resulted in a selective increase of GABAB R1 and GABAB R2 protein without altering the expression of GABAA receptor or GAD65. The increase in GABAB receptor subunits was unaccompanied by a change in mRNA, but inhibition of mTOR by rapamycin blocked the increase in GABAB protein. NgR1 siRNA also caused an increase in G protein coupled inwardly rectifying potassium channel (GIRK1). The increase in GABAB receptor and GIRK1 channel proteins was in the plasma membrane, determined by cell surface biotinylation. In NgR1 knockout mice, the amount of GABAB R2 and GIRK1 in hippocampus-derived synaptosomes was increased. Together these findings suggest that NgR1 mediated modulation of synaptic transmission may be accomplished, at least in part, through modulation of G protein coupled receptors and channels.
Vulnerability of the cysteine-less proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT-SLC46A1) to mutational stress associated with the substituted cysteine accessibility method

Abstract The proton-coupled transporter (PCFT) mediates intestinal folate absorption and folate transport from blood across the choroid plexus. The membrane topology of PCFT has been defined using the substituted cysteine accessibility method; an intramolecular disulfide bond between the Cys 66 and 298 residues, in the first and fourth extracellular loops, respectively, is present but not essential for function. The current report describes Lys 422 mutations (K422C, K422E) that have no effect on transport activity when introduced into wild-type PCFT but result in a marked loss of activity when introduced into a Cys-less PCFT which is otherwise near-fully functional. The loss of activity of both mutant PCFTs was shown to be due to impaired protein stability and expression. Additional studies were conducted with the K422C mutation in Cys-less PCFT. The impact of re-introduction of one, two, three or five, Cys residues was assessed. While there were some differences in the impact of the different Cys residues re-introduced, restoration was attributed more to a cumulative effect rather than the specific role of individual Cys residues. Preservation of the Cys66–Cys298 intramolecular disulfide bond was not required for stability of the K422C protein. These observations are relevant to studies with Cys-less transporters utilized for the characterization of proteins with the substituted cysteine accessibility method and indicate that functional defects detected in a Cys-less protein, when the tertiary structure of the molecule is stressed, are not necessarily relevant to the wild-type protein.
IMMUNOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON BLOOD GROUPS : VIII. THE METHYLPENTOSE CONTENTS OF HOG AND HUMAN BLOOD GROUP A AND O SUBSTANCES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO CROSS-REACTIVITY WITH TYPE XIV ANTIPNEUMOCOCCUS HORSE SERUM

It has been possible, by employing a new color reaction for methylpentoses, to determine the fucose content of individual hog and human blood group A, B, and O substances. The data indicate an inverse correlation between fucose content of the hog A and O substances and ability to cross-react with Type XIV antipneumococcus serum. The human A, B, and O substances display no correlation between their fucose content and ability to cross-react with Type XIV antipneumococcus serum.
Tissue Prothrombin Universal Distribution in Smooth Muscle

Immunohistochemical analysis of surgically obtained porcine tissue samples reveals ubiquitous staining for prothrombin in organs rich in smooth muscle content and universal staining of smooth muscle in tissue vasculature. The native character of tissue prothrombin is verified first by chromogenic substrate hydrolysis and hirudin inhibition after incubation of tissue extracts with taipan snake venom and phospholipid. Western analysis of tissue extracts confirms the native zymogen molecular weight. In addition, prothrombin purified in good yield from porcine uterus is activated by Echis carinatus venom which, like taipan venom, is 4-carboxyglutamic acid-sensitive. After correction for blood (gross heme) and interstitial fluid (albumin), excess functional prothrombin is observed in extracts of tissues having abundant smooth muscle. In contrast with factor X, the yield of prothrombin purified from porcine uterus greatly exceeds that attributable to contamination by whole blood. Northern blot analysis from selected bovine tissues extracted for polyadenylated messenger RNA is equivocal for prothrombin mRNA with the exception of liver, which is positive. It is concluded that functionally intact prothrombin is widely distributed among tissues owing to smooth muscle content, although the mechanism of emplacement and physiologic significance of prothrombin in these tissues remains unclear.
Earth contamination free sample acquisition from an Earth contaminated spacecraft

The paper describes the first step in the feasibility demonstration of a novel low cost Mars Sample Return Sample Transfer Sequence (STS) that does not require cleaning and sterilization of the entire spacecraft. The proposed STS relies on ability to collect (and in the future deliver to Earth) Earth-contamination-free samples from a spacecraft that was cleaned only to the levels achieved on Pathfinder. The latter satisfied Planetary Protection Category IVa (PP IVa) requirements, typical for a landed spacecraft. Ability to sterilize or clean to sterility the entire spacecraft is a risky and poorly developed technology. The proposed sample collection approach relies on mechanical removal of the contaminated surface layer and collection of a clean sample from the cleared area. Verification procedures for this approach require probabilistic assessments of the sample contamination levels for a given level of surface contamination.
Pseudomonas Survival Strategies in Cystic Fibrosis

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a versatile species exhibiting variable colony morphologies, multiple ecological niches, and diverse disease consequences. Several laboratories have observed this adaptability at the molecular level, especially when the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung is a reservoir for chronic
Federal Radionavigation Plan-pie in the sky for civil aviation?

The Federal Radionavigation Plan states that all present navigation and landing guidance facilities will be retired starting in 2005, and full dependence for these functions will be placed on augmented GPS. Once this is implemented, civil aviation will be totally vulnerable to terrorist jammimg of the GPS signals over wide Earth areas with widespread disruption of air traffic and potential disasters. It has also become apparent that the use of GPS/GNSS is complex and expensive for the required civil aviation functions. It is clear that a different system form is needed for civil aviation. A redundant satellite/ground based system that will prevent it from being a jamming target while providing ATC surveillance, navigation, collision warning/avoidance, high-speed data link and Cat.I landing guidance globally, plus precision Cat.III guidance in the terminal areas as needed. Such a system, the Integrated Global Surveillance and Guidance System (IGSAGS), is described.
Post-clearcut dynamics of carbon, water and energy exchanges in a midlatitude temperate, deciduous broadleaf forest environment.

Clearcutting and other forest disturbances perturb carbon, water, and energy balances in significant ways, with corresponding influences on Earth’s climate system through biogeochemical and biogeophysical effects. Observations are needed to quantify the precise changes in these balances as they vary across diverse disturbances of different types, severities, and in various climate and ecosystem type settings. This study combines eddy covariance and micrometeorological measurements of surface-atmosphere exchanges with vegetation inventories and chamber-based estimates of soil respiration to quantify how carbon, water, and energy fluxes changed during the first 3 years following forest clearing in a temperate forest environment of the northeastern US. We observed rapid recovery with sustained increases in gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) over the first three growing seasons post-clearing, coincident with large and relatively stable net emission of CO2 because of overwhelmingly large ecosystem respiration. The rise in GEP was attributed to vegetation changes not environmental conditions (e.g., weather), but attribution to the expansion of leaf area vs. changes in vegetation composition remains unclear. Soil respiration was estimated to contribute 44% of total ecosystem respiration during summer months and coarse woody debris accounted for another 18%. Evapotranspiration also recovered rapidly and continued to rise across years with a corresponding decrease in sensible heat flux. Gross short-wave and long-wave radiative fluxes were stable across years except for strong wintertime dependence on snow covered conditions and corresponding variation in albedo. Overall, these findings underscore the highly dynamic nature of carbon and water exchanges and vegetation composition during the regrowth following a severe forest disturbance, and sheds light on both the magnitude of such changes and the underlying mechanisms with a unique example from a temperate, deciduous broadleaf forest.
A perceptually significant block-edge impairment metric for digital video coding

A new perceptually significant block-edge impairment metric (PS-BIM) is presented in this paper as a quantitative distortion measure to evaluate blocking artifacts in block-based video coding. This distortion measure does not require the original video sequence as a comparative reference and is found to be consistent with subjective evaluation.
Identification and Quantification of Diethylene Glycol in Pharmaceuticals Implicated in Poisoning Epidemics: An Historical Laboratory Perspective

Over the last several decades, mass poisonings of diethylene glycol (DEG), usually ingested as an unintended component of pharmaceutical preparations, have occurred. In order to promptly halt the rise in deaths due to ingestion of these pharmaceuticals, laboratory analysis has often been employed to identify and quantify the etiologic agent after the medications have been tentatively implicated. Over the past 15 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been involved in identifying DEG in implicated pharmaceutical products during three poisoning epidemics that occurred in Nigeria (1990), Haiti (1995), and, most recently, in Panama (2006). In each case, the timeliness of the identification was paramount in reducing the mortality involved in these mass poisonings. Using state-of-the-art analytical technology, we were able to provide initial identification of DEG within 24 h of receiving samples for each epidemic, allowing a timely public health response. However, over the past 15 years, the analytical instrumentation available and the laboratory responses undertaken have changed. In addition, the type of information and the degree of confirmation of results requested during each epidemic varied based upon the number of individuals involved and the political tenor involved with the outbreak. We describe our historical approach to identifying and quantifying DEG during each of these outbreaks. Furthermore, the reoccurrence of outbreaks has prompted us to establish standard technology to use in potential future outbreaks to allow an even more timely response. This methodology includes the development of biomarkers of DEG exposure, which would be extremely useful in instances where pharmaceuticals are not clearly implicated.
Modeling performance of interdependent power and water networks during urban fire events

During the last decade, basic infrastructure systems have become more complex and interdependent, both in terms of physical components and in terms of management tools. As a result, the potential for possible failures with a significant effect on society has drastically increased. Numerous past and recent events have shown that failures of an infrastructure component can propagate to other components resulting in an extensive damage and cascading failures. In this paper we study the interdependencies between the water and the electrical infrastructure components of a small city during the occurrence of a fire. We present an integrated simulation model that links the water system (hydraulic) model with the power system model. To verify the feasibility and efficiency of our model we have conducted extensive simulations using a (synthetic) virtual city Micropolis as a testbed. Our results show that the developed model is computationally efficient and can be used for evaluating the behavior of complex systems during natural disasters.
Preemptive Scheduling of Multi-criticality Systems with Varying Degrees of Execution Time Assurance

This paper is based on a conjecture that the more confidence one needs in a task execution time bound (the less tolerant one is of missed deadlines), the larger and more conservative that bound tends to become in practice. We assume different tasks perform functions having different criticalities and requiring different levels of assurance. We assume a task may have a set of alternative worst-case execution times, each assured to a different level of confidence. This paper presents ways to use this information to obtain more precise schedulability analysis and more efficient preemptive fixed priority scheduling. These methods are evaluated using workloads abstracted from production avionics systems.
Bilateral Teleoperation of Mobile Robot over Delayed Communication Network: Implementation.

In a previous paper we proposed a bilateral teleoperation framework of a wheeled mobile robot over communication channel with constant time delay. In this paper we present experimental results Our goal is to illustrate and validate the properties of the proposed scheme as well as to present practical implementation issues and the adopted solutions. In particular, the bilaterally teleoperated system is passive and the system is stable in the presence of time delay. Internet has been used as the communication channel and a buffer has been implemented to maintain a constant time delay and to handle packet order.
Maternal and transplacental pharmacokinetics of cefazolin.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the intrapartum pharmacokinetics of cefazolin, including delivery to amniotic fluid (AF) and fetal compartments, and to ascertain that adequate cefazolin concentrations are attained to exceed the mean concentration inhibiting 90% (MIC90) of group B streptococcus strains. METHODS: Cefazolin (1 g) was administered intravenously at five separate time intervals (0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 6 hours) before elective cesarean at term to 26 women with intact membranes and with no significant infections or cardiovascular, liver, or renal disease. Samples of maternal blood, cord blood, and AF were obtained at the time of delivery. Exact collection times relative to cefazolin infusion were noted. Amniotic fluid contaminated with blood or meconium was excluded. Cefazolin concentration was measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography. RESULTS: All maternal and cord plasma cefazolin levels, except one, were above the MIC90 for Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus). For AF, all cefazolin levels, except two, were above the MIC90. CONCLUSIONS: Cefazolin concentrations greater than or equal to the MIC90 for group B streptococcus were attained in nearly all maternal, fetal, and AF samples. This information, together with the knowledge that there is rare resistance of group B streptococcus to cefazolin, supports the use of cefazolin as a better alternative than clindamycin or erythromycin for group B streptococcus prophylaxis in patients with a nonanaphylactic penicillin allergy.
Patients with epilepsy and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: an inpatient video-EEG monitoring study.

Seizure and EEG characteristics of patients with epilepsy and concomitant psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) were compared to age and sex matched controls with epilepsy alone in a retrospective case control study. 39 patients with clearly documented epileptic and non-epileptic events were compared to 78 age and sex matched controls, sequentially admitted for video-EEG monitoring with documentation of epilepsy alone. Frontal seizures were higher in prevalence in patients with PNES who had concomitant epilepsy (P < 0.001), while temporal seizures were higher in prevalence in patients with epilepsy alone (P < 0.04). On regression analysis, the odds of having a frontal seizure was found to be significantly lower in the epilepsy alone group compared to the epilepsy + PNES group (odds ratio 0.13, 95% CI, 0.033–0.51). This significant association between frontal lobe epilepsy and PNES may be related to misattribution of frontal seizures for PNES events, or may reflect frontal lobe cortical dysfunction in this subgroup.
Behavioral evidence for within-eyelet resolution in twisted-winged insects (Strepsiptera).

SUMMARY Compound eyes are typically composed of hundreds to thousands of ommatidia, each containing 8–10 receptors. The maximal spatial frequency at which a compound eye can sample the environment is determined by the inter-ommatidial angle. Males of the insect order Strepsiptera are different: their eyes are composed of a smaller number of relatively large units (eyelets), each with an extended retina. Building on a study of Xenos vesparum , we use a behavioral paradigm based on the optomotor response to investigate the possibility that the eyelets of the Strepsiptera Xenos peckii are image-forming units. From anatomical evidence, we hypothesize that spatial sampling in the strepsipteran eye is determined not only by the interactions of widely spaced photoreceptors in different eyelets, but also by the angular separation between groups of closely spaced photoreceptors within eyelets. We compared X. peckii 9s optomotor response with the predictions of an elementary motion detector (EMD) model consisting of two distinctly different sampling bases. The best match between our empirical results and the model shows that the optomotor response in X. peckii males is determined by both the small (intra-eyelet) and large (possibly inter-eyelet) separations. Our results indicate that the X. peckii eye has sampling bases around 10° and 20°, and that each eyelet could be composed of up to 13 sampling points, which is consistent with previous anatomical findings. This study is the first to use the EMD model explicitly to investigate the possibility that strepsipteran eyes combine motion detection features from both camera and compound eyes.
Tree-width and planar minors

Robertson and the second author 7] proved in 1986 that for all h there exists f ( h ) such that for every h-vertex simple planar graph H, every graph with no H-minor has tree-width at most f ( h ) ; but how small can we make f ( h ) ? The original bound was an iterated exponential tower, but in 1994 with Thomas 9] it was improved to 2 O ( h 5 ) ; and in 1999 Diestel, Gorbunov, Jensen, and Thomassen 3] proved a similar bound, with a much simpler proof. Here we show that f ( h ) = 2 O ( h log ? ( h ) ) works. Since this paper was submitted for publication, Chekuri and Chuzhoy 2] have announced a proof that in fact f ( h ) can be taken to be O ( h 100 ) .
A new structural coverage criterion for dynamic detection of program invariants

Dynamic detection of program invariants is emerging as an important research area with many challenging problems. Generating suitable test cases that support accurate detection of program invariants is crucial to the dynamic approach of program invariant detection. In this paper, we propose a new structural coverage criterion called invariant-coverage criterion for dynamic detection of program invariants. We also show how the invariant-coverage criterion can be used to improve the accuracy of dynamically detected invariants. We first used the Daikon tool to report likely program invariants using the branch coverage and all definition-use pair coverage test suites for several programs. We then generated invariant-coverage suites for these likely invariants. When Daikon was run with the invariant-coverage suites, several spurious invariants reported earlier by the branch coverage and definition-use pair coverage test suites were removed from the reported invariants. Our approach also produced more meaningful invariants than randomly generated test suites.
The LANSCE RICE control system upgrade

The LANSCE (Los Alamos Neutron Science Center) control system upgrade program continues with the impending replacement of the RICE (Remote Instrumentation and Control Equipment) subsystem. The RICE subsystem upgrade is a challenge because of its technology (late 1960's), number of channels (>10,000), and unique characteristics (all-modules data takes, timed/flavored data takes). The plan is to replace at least the nontimed data and the command portions of the subsystem with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). We discuss motivations, technological challenges, proof-of-principle, and planning. The boundary condition, as usual, is that we must implement these major changes on a running accelerator.
Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria attached to particles in turbid waters of the Delaware and Chesapeake estuaries.

Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic (AAP) bacteria are photoheterotrophs that, if abundant, may be biogeochemically important in the oceans. We used epifluorescence microscopy and quantitative PCR (qPCR) to examine the abundance of these bacteria by enumerating cells with bacteriochlorophyll a (bChl a) and the light-reaction center gene pufM, respectively. In the surface waters of the Delaware estuary, AAP bacteria were abundant, comprising up to 34% of prokaryotes, although the percentage varied greatly with location and season. On average, AAP bacteria made up 12% of the community as measured by microscopy and 17% by qPCR. In the surface waters of the Chesapeake, AAP bacteria were less abundant, averaging 6% of prokaryotes. AAP bacterial abundance was significantly correlated with light attenuation (r = 0.50) and ammonium (r = 0.42) and nitrate (r = 0.71) concentrations. Often, bChl a-containing bacteria were mostly attached to particles (31 to 94% of total AAP bacteria), while usually 20% or less of total prokaryotes were associated with particles. Of the cells containing pufM, up to 87% were associated with particles, but the overall average of particle-attached cells was 15%. These data suggest that AAP bacteria are particularly competitive in these two estuaries, in part due to attachment to particles.
Multiple Isotropic Linear Elastic Moduli

From the experimental research of Coulomb in 1784 who measured isotropic shear moduli in torsion, and the extensional experiments of Young in 1807 who determined an E modulus in iron, to the present, a vast experimental literature has been written which has provided numerical values of elastic constants in nearly every crystalline solid. Measurements of isotropic polycrystalline moduli or of anisotropic single crystal constants in specified directions are reproducible from one experimentalist to another. The widely quoted measurements of E moduli and shear moduli of G. Wertheim obtained 125 years ago are numerically not too different from newly measured experimental values appearing in current journals and handbooks, despite the differences in experimental techniques and methods of specimen preparation.
To instill fear or love: Terrorist groups and the strategy of building reputation:

Why does one terrorist group employ actions that win the hearts and minds of its constituency while another resorts to tactics that alienate their support? The paper investigates terrorist groups’ ...
Effects of oropharyngeal surgery on velopharyngeal competence.

Purpose of review This article addresses the question of whether it is safe to perform pharyngeal surgery on children who are at risk for speech disorders. Patients with orofacial clefts or craniofacial disorders often have speech and resonance disorders that affect their understandability. They are also prone to develop sleep apnea or other diseases that affect Waldeyer's ring. Recent findings There is increasing recognition of sleep disordered breathing and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in the group of children who have, or are at risk of developing, speech disorders. Often, these children have a dysfunctional velopharyngeal valve which results in velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) and unintelligible speech. There are also children, otherwise thought to be normal, who develop VPI after adenoidectomy or tonsillectomy. Greater knowledge of the causes for VPI has led to the strategies limiting the risk of speech disorders after tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy. Summary Children at risk for VPI who have OSAS may not experience deterioration of their speech understandability when a careful tonsillectomy with or without partial adenoidectomy is done. Coordination between the treating providers is paramount for successful outcomes for both the problems.
Reclaiming 'The Real Subject' of Administrative Law: A Critical Introduction to Bruce Wyman's 'The Principles of the Administrative Law Governing the Relations of Public Officers' (1903)

This introductory essay, included in a republication of Bruce Wyman’s treatise on administrative law, "The Principles of the Administrative Law Governing the Relations of Public Officers" (1903, republished with new introduction, 2014), describes Wyman’s vision of administrative law and examines the treatise’s uneasy relationship with the dominant intellectual currents of his day. Wyman’s treatise provides the first development in American legal thought of the idea that the primary grounds of administrative legality are the internal practices and procedures that agencies adopt to structure their own exercise of discretion, "the internal administrative law," as opposed to the standards and types of judicial review, "the external law of administration." Wyman’s treatise thus serves as a fount for the rekindled project of understanding the forms and roles of internal administrative law. The treatise contains many other insights that resonate in current debates; we can read Wyman, writing a mere three years after his graduation from and subsequent appointment to the faculty of Harvard Law School, as prescient in his understanding of the grounds and role of delegation to agencies and judicial deference to their decisions. Wyman’s treatise also covers topics falling within the law of enforcement, such as police investigations and foreign affairs, prompting contemporary readers to consider what has been lost from the isolation of these areas from the cognizance of administrative law.
Reversible strain-induced magnetization switching in FeGa nanomagnets: Pathway to a rewritable, non-volatile, non-toggle, extremely low energy straintronic memory.

We report reversible strain-induced magnetization switching between two stable/metastable states in ~300 nm sized FeGa nanomagnets delineated on a piezoelectric PMN-PT substrate. Voltage of one polarity applied across the substrate generates compressive strain in a nanomagnet and switches its magnetization to one state, while voltage of the opposite polarity generates tensile strain and switches the magnetization back to the original state. The two states can encode the two binary bits, and, using the right voltage polarity, one can write either bit deterministically. This portends an ultra-energy-efficient non-volatile “non-toggle” memory.
The electronic health record audit file: the patient is waiting.

Objective We describe how electronic health record (EHR) audit files can be used to understand how time is spent in primary care (PC). Materials/methods We used audit file data from the Geisinger Clinic to quantify elements of the clinical workflow and to determine how these times vary by patient and encounter factors. We randomly selected audit file records representing 36 437 PC encounters across 26 clinic locations. Audit file data were used to estimate duration and variance of: (1) time in the waiting room, (2) nurse time with the patient, (3) time in the exam room without a nurse or physician, and (4) physician time with the patient. Multivariate modeling was used to test for differences by patient and by encounter features. Results On average, a PC encounter took 54.6 minutes, with 5 minutes of nurse time, 15.5 minutes of physician time, and the remaining 62% of the time spent waiting to see a clinician or check out. Older age, female sex, and chronic disease were associated with longer wait times and longer time with clinicians. Level of service and numbers of medications, procedures, and lab orders were associated with longer time with clinicians. Late check-in and same-day visits were associated with shorter wait time and clinician time. Conclusions This study provides insights on uses of audit file data for workflow analysis during PC encounters. Discussion Scalable ways to quantify clinical encounter workflow elements may provide the means to develop more efficient approaches to care and improve the patient experience.
Suction-controlled dynamic simple shear apparatus for measurement of dynamic properties of unsaturated soils

State variables such as confining pressures and the degree of saturation can have a profound effect on the dynamic properties of a soil. These dynamic properties are essential when performing seismic response analysis of geotechnical systems in the phreatic zone. In order to accurately obtain these properties, laboratory testing using a Dynamic Simple Shear system is often implemented. This paper concentrates on the advancements and modifications of a custom-built dynamic simple shear system at the University of New Hampshire to accommodate soils with unsaturated conditions by employing axis translation technique. Tests could be performed under drained (constant suction) or undrained (constant water content) conditions. The procedure for preparing an unsaturated soil sample and testing is discussed, followed by the methods for interpreting the data and the challenges involved. Preliminary data confirms the ability of the system to control and track suction during the cyclic simple shear test. Suction in unsaturated soil increased the shear modulus and decreased the damping ratio comparing with those in dry and saturated conditions.
Using Volt-sec. sensing to extend the low speed range and the disturbance rejection capability of back-EMF-based self-sensing

This paper introduces usage of Volt-sec. sensing in back-EMF-based self-sensing (sensorless) induction machine drives. In practice, both inverter nonlinearity and dc bus voltage affect back-EMF estimation accuracy, and therefore self-sensing performance. A real-time Volt-sec. sensing scheme to measure the terminal Volt-sec. vector for each switching period is introduced in the paper. The measured Volt-sec. information can be used in the back-EMF state filter such that the effects from inverter nonlinearity and dc bus voltage measurement errors are mitigated. The resulting extended low speed range and enhanced disturbance rejection capability are quantified via experimental evaluation.
The Periodically Oscillating Plasma Sphere

A new method of operating an inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) device is proposed, and its performance is evaluated. The scheme involves an oscillating thermal cloud of ions immersed in a ba...
113th Congress as News Commentators on Twitter

Congress members commentate on newsworthy events selectively based on their political agenda, not only on broadcast media but also on social media outlets. In this study, I introduce a method to measure this selectivity (for agenda setting) using curated tweets of Congress members. I showed that political groups of the monitored members of 113th Congress can be predicted with more than 95% accuracy just by looking at the topics they talk (and do not talk) about. In order to do this, I first created a co-commentation network where the vertices are congress people and the edge weights are the number of common newsworthy events (headlines) that they have commentated on between January 2013 and January 2015 (i.e. during 113th Congress). Then, I detected the communities in this network by employing a weighted modularity clustering algorithm. Using this method, two groups are detected when the highest modularity achieved, as a result, 62 of the 65 monitored Congress members are found to be in the same group as their co-party members. In this study, I also showed the newsworthy tweet activity of congresspeople and political groups and introduce methods to measure the politicization and political polarity of events. Our entire dataset consists of 7,376 news published between January 2013 and January 2015 on theplazz.com news site, as well as 156,480 commentary tweets of 1442 newsmakers on these news events. All the tweets are curated manually by theplazz.com editors. This study uses a unique dataset collected by the author, and effectively uses network analysis to measure politicians' agenda similarity. It contributes to the field by shedding light on the online agenda building efforts of politicians.
Synthetic moth antennae fabricated as preconcentrator for odor collection

Moths do not employ any of the techniques modern preconcentrators use to extract odors from the air yet they are able to sense pheromone particles in concentrations of parts per billion. Their odor grabbing abilities originate from the complex structure of their antennae; however, this unique anatomical structure has never been replicated to scale. We analyze natural moth olfaction systems to find commonalities in the antennae across species. We create 1:1 scale antennae mimics that contains these commonalities and overcome the unique fabrication challenges of the small scale and hierarchical nature of the antennae using nanoscale 3D printing. The comparative biology and fabrication techniques from this study may inspire ideas for fabricating improved filters and chemical sensors.
Tracing stakeholder terminology then and now: Convergence and new pathways

Over the past four decades, stakeholder research has united a chorus of voices from different disciplines using different terminology for different audiences all related to a seemingly similar topic: those that affect and are affected by business. By juxtaposing a comprehensive review of the early years of stakeholder research against more recent stakeholder research, we identify areas of common convergence (a focus on relationships and Freeman's definition of a stakeholder) as well as emergent scholarship (mechanisms underlying stakeholder relationships and solutions-oriented impacts). We develop an organizing framework consisting of three stakeholder-related themes: who or what is a stakeholder; mechanisms underlying stakeholder relationships; and outcomes-oriented stakeholder research. Future research opportunities include: simultaneously examining multiple stakeholders at multiple levels; multiplier effects along the value chain and across geographies; and net impacts (examining whether net positive benefits inclusive of negative outcomes exist). We conclude by identifying how stakeholder research can “move the needle” on important business issues such as: income inequality and CEO pay; human rights and building community inclusion; disease alleviation; and food security in firms’ continuous quest to create value.