cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Septate uterus associated with cervical duplication and vaginal septum.

A woman had an unusual mullerian anomaly with a septate uterus, cervical duplication, and longitudinal vaginal septum. Gynecologists should be aware of the possibility of cervical duplication associated with uterine septum and not didelphic uterus, as this disorder in a patient with infertility or recurrent miscarriages can be treated surgically by resection of the uterine and vaginal septum. Embryologic explanations may account for the occurrence of the anomaly.
Diffusion in β2 Fe-Ni-Al alloys

Diffusion in the β(bcc) phase field of the Fe-Ni-Al system was investigated at 1004°C with solid-solid diffusion couples assembled with β2 alloys of selected composition. Experimental diffusion paths were determined for all couples and interdiffusion coefficients calculated at composition points corresponding to intersections of diffusion paths and maxima and minima of concentration profiles. The dependence of interdiffusion coefficients on composition was most clearly presented in terms of the parameter Fe/(Fe + Ni). The diffusive interactions between aluminum and nickel as represented by the cross coefficients were either positive or negative depending on the ternary composition. The Fe/(Fe + Ni) ratio appeared to be a significant parameter since iron and nickel atoms behave differently in affecting the degree of ordering in nonstoichiometric (Fe, Ni)Al alloys with less than 50 at. pct aluminum.
Deleting the phosphorylated tail domain of the neurofilament heavy subunit does not alter neurofilament transport rate in vivo.

Abstract Phosphorylation of the carboxyl tail domains of the neurofilament heavy (NF-H) and middle molecular weight (NF-M) subunits has been proposed to regulate the axonal transport of neurofilaments. To test this hypothesis, we recently constructed mice lacking the extensively phosphorylated NF-H tail domain (NF-HtailΔ) and showed that the transport rate of neurofilaments in optic axons is unaltered in the absence of this domain [M.V. Rao, M.L. Garcia, Y. Miyazaki, T. Gotow, A. Yuan, S. Mattina, C.M. Ward, N.A. Calcutt, Y. Uchiyama, R.A. Nixon, D.W. Cleveland, Gene replacement in mice reveals that the heavily phosphorylated tail of neurofilament heavy subunit does not affect axonal caliber or the transit of cargoes in slow axonal transport, J. Cell Biol. 158 (2002) 681–693]. However, Shea et al. proposed that deletion of NF-H carboxyl-terminal region accelerates the transport of a subpopulation of neurofilaments based on minor differences between tail-deleted and control mice in our axonal transport analysis. Here, we present additional evidence that neurofilament transport rate is unchanged after deleting the phosphorylated NF-H tail domain, establishing unequivocally that the NF-H tail domain alone does not regulate the rate of neurofilament transport in optic axons in vivo. Possible roles for tail domains as cross-bridges between a neurofilament and its neighbors or other cytoskeletal elements is discussed.
A theory and architecture for automating performance diagnosis

Abstract This prospectus describes research to simplify programing of parallel computers. It focuses specifically on performance diagnosis, the process of finding and explaining sources of inefficiency in parallel programs. Considerable research already has been done to simplify performance diagnosis, but with mixed success. Two elements are missing from existing research: 1. There is no general theory of how expert programers do performance diagnosis. As a result, it is difficult for researchers to compare existing work or fit their work to programers. It is difficult for programers to locate products of existing research that meet their needs. 2. There is no automated, adaptable software to help programers do performance diagnosis. Existing software is either automated but limited to very specific circumstances, or in general, not automated for most tasks. The research described here addresses both of these issues. The research will develop and validate a theory of performance diagnosis, based on general models on diagnostic problem-solving. It will design and evaluate a computer program (called Poirot) that employs the theory to automatically, adaptably support performance diagnosis.
Mapping facies distributions on modern carbonate platforms through integration of multispectral Landsat data, statistics-based unsupervised classifications, and surface sediment data

Benthic sediment facies maps were constructed for a series of large, isolated carbonate platforms, including (1) Great and Little Bahamas Banks; (2) Caicos Platform, British West Indies; (3) Chinchorro Bank, Mexico; (4) Glovers Reef, Belize; (5) south Cocos (Keeling) atoll, Indian Ocean; and (6) Bu Tini shoal, Persian Gulf. Facies maps were generated by applying statistics-based image analysis algorithms, called unsupervised classifications, to Landsat 7 multispectral satellite data. Classification results were subsequently validated with sediment data to create geologic facies maps. Landsat-derived facies maps demonstrate 82–85% agreement when compared to sediment data. At the platform scale, Landsat-derived facies maps accurately capture the principal depositional facies observed on each platform and are in general agreement with published maps generated through conventional mapping techniques. Examination at more detailed scales reveals that Landsat-derived maps differ from conventional maps with respect to the spatial dimensions and shapes of facies bodies. Landsat-derived maps show a level of complexity and heterogeneity that is more realistic than shown in previously published maps, which are characterized by broad, homogeneous facies belts. These results suggest that application of statistical algorithms to Landsat data, coupled with sediment data, provides a cost- and time-efficient method for quantitatively mapping spatial variability of depositional facies in modern carbonate environments. Landsat-derived facies maps, like the ones presented here, provide depositional analogs for subsurface carbonate reservoirs as well as a global data set for extracting predictive relationships between the occurrence and distribution of carbonate sediments that can aid in global hydrocarbon exploration and production.
GENDER, CLASS, AND SOCIAL MOVEMENT OUTCOMES Identity and Effectiveness in Two Animal Rights Campaigns

Animal rights organizations in the United States are predominantly female and middle class. What are the implications of the composition of these groups for animal rights activists' abilities to achieve their goals? In this article, the author examines the role of class and gender in the outcomes of an anti-hunting campaign and an anti-circus campaign waged by one animal rights organization in the Seattle area. The article shows that hunters make classed and gendered attributions about the activists, whereas circus patrons do not view activists in terms of these statuses and end up taking their demands more seriously. It is suggested that an “identity interaction” between the activists' class and gender identity and that of their targets helps to explain these different reactions. The analysis also highlights the role of emotion in social movements, especially the ways in which targets perceive and react to activists' emotional displays.
Organizational Ethical Culture: Real or Imagined?

Can companies be identified by how ethical they are? The concept of organizational culture suggests that organizations have identifiable cultures of which ethics are a part. By definition culture is the shared beliefs of an organization's members, hence the ethical culture of an organization would be reflected in the beliefs about the ethics of an organization which are shared by its members. Thus, it is logical to conceptualize the ethics of different organizations as existing on a continuum bounded at one end by unethical companies and at the other, highly ethical companies. This research assesses the efficacy of the existing measure of organizational ethical culture for identifying the ethical status of organizations on a this continuum. Results suggest that the Ethical Culture Questionnaire designed by Trevino, Butterfield and McCabe (1995) measures individual perceptions regarding organizational ethics but does not identify shared beliefs about an organizationOs ethical culture.
Hedging with Options under Variance Uncertainty: An Illustration of Pricing New-Crop Soybeans

The behavior of a commodity's price-return variance over time is critical to both the theory and practice of commodity option valuation. In this paper three models are used to forecast soybean price variance for the period during which a seasonal increase in variance has been found in previous studies. A time-series model outperforms the ordinary least squares and naive models. The significance of the forecast error levels is then examined in terms of expected deviations above and below a price target for a put hedge. The resulting trade-off between risk and return is shown by strike price and variance expectation.
Beyond Standard Mammographic Screening: Mammography at Age Extremes, Ultrasound, and MR Imaging

This article describes the principles and performance of screening mammography and discusses indications for screening before the age of 40 years and after the age of 69 years. Specific definitions of high risk are provided, and the rationale and performance characteristics to dare of supplemental screening with ultrasound or MR imaging are reviewed.
Effect of Alendronate on Bone Mineral Density and Biochemical Markers of Bone Turnover in Type 2 Diabetic Women The Fracture Intervention Trial

OBJECTIVE —Alendronate sodium (ALN) increases bone mineral density (BMD) in heterogeneous populations of postmenopausal women, but its effect is unknown in women with type 2 diabetes. The objective of this project was to compare changes in BMD during 3 years of ALN treatment versus placebo in diabetic women. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —We used data from the Fracture Intervention Trial, a randomized blinded placebo-controlled trial conducted at 11 centers in which 6,458 women aged 54–81 years with a femoral neck BMD of ≤0.68 g/cm 2 were randomly assigned to either placebo or 5 mg/day ALN for 2 years, followed by 10 mg/day for the remainder of the trial. BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Type 2 diabetes ( n = 297) was defined by self-report, use of insulin or other hypoglycemic agents, or a random nonfasting glucose value ≥200 mg/dl. RESULTS —In diabetic women, 3 years of ALN treatment was associated with increased BMD at all sites studied, including 6.6% at the lumbar spine and 2.4% at the hip, whereas women in the placebo group experienced a decrease in BMD at all sites except the lumbar spine. The safety/tolerability of ALN was similar to placebo, except for abdominal pain, which was more likely in the ALN group. CONCLUSIONS —ALN increased BMD relative to placebo in older women with type 2 diabetes and was generally well tolerated as a treatment for osteoporosis. Increases in BMD with ALN therapy compared with placebo were similar between women with and without diabetes.
Operating Characteristics of an Ammonia Beam Maser

This paper describes the operating characteristics of an ammonia beam maser. The simple theory for the operation is expanded to predict the angular distribution of the molecules coming from the beam collimator and the effect of the focuser on the velocity distribution of the molecules entering the cavity. Experimental results for the operation of the cavity in the TM001 and TM012 mode show the effects of the variation in beam current and cavity tuning on the frequency and amplitude of oscillation. Relating these results to the theory with the help of measurements of the beam flux density demonstrates the importance of molecular collisions and the beam divergence. Three methods of locating line center are examined, and it is shown that the line centers obtained in each case may be varied over a range of at least 5 parts in l08 by changing the operating parameters.
The interplay of optimality and combinatorics in experimental design

The design of statistical experiments, as developed by R. A. Fisher and his followers, often used combinatorial structures that yielded simple calculation of estimates and/or symmetric variances and covariances. Examples are block designs with balance, regression experiments with equally spaced observations, etc. More recently, considerations of optimality (choosing a design that achieves most accurate inference in some sense) have sometimes justified the traditional designs, but have sometimes led to new combinatorial investigations. Illustrations are given.
Consumo de alcohol y riesgo de hipertensión: ¿tiene importancia el tipo de bebida o el patrón de consumo?

aDivision of Aging. Department of Medicine. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Boston. Massachusetts. Estados Unidos. bHarvard Medical School. Boston. Massachusetts. Estados Unidos. cMassachusetts Veterans Epidemiology and Research Information Center (MAVERIC) y Geriatric Research (GRECC). Boston Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. Boston. Massachusetts. Estados Unidos. dDivision of General Medicine and Primary Care. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Boston. Massachusetts. Estados Unidos. Editorial
Beyond Babel: prospects for a universal patient safety taxonomy.

In the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel, God foiled man’s attempt to build a tower reaching to the heavens. And the Lord said, ‘Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do ... Come, let us go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech’. Genesis 11: 6–7 Those familiar with the field of patient safety will recognize that confusing language does not, in fact, require divine intervention. In the space of a few years, a bewildering language of medical error and iatrogenic injury has evolved, bedeviling efforts to catalogue and understand this phenomenon. The terminology of safety is perplexing on a good day, and near impossible on a bad one. Consider a few examples of patient safety terms in common use. An ‘adverse reaction’ usually connotes an anticipated side effect of a medication or treatment. It is similar to a ‘complication’ of care. An ‘adverse event’, in contrast, signifies the presence of a medical care-related injury (anticipated or not). However, different users require different levels of harm in order to qualify an incident as an adverse event. A ‘preventable adverse event’ is an error by definition, but it is often difficult to ascertain preventability. A ‘near miss’, also called a ‘close call’, …
Properties of Tropical and Midlatitude Ice Cloud Particle Ensembles. Part I: Median Mass Diameters and Terminal Velocities

Abstract This is Part I of a study that characterizes several bulk properties of ice particle populations sampled in midlatitude and tropical cirrus and deep stratiform ice clouds, for the purpose of developing an understanding of how particles evolve in ice clouds and to derive empirical and analytical relationships that describe microphysical properties for use in cloud and climate models. The effort focuses on describing the microphysical properties of ice cloud layers in the vertical. The size distribution data and particle imagery were obtained during Lagrangian spiral descents and balloon-borne ascents through cloud layers that formed in association with synoptic-scale lifting (midlatitude) and deep convection (Tropics). Temperatures ranged between −20° and −63°C for the midlatitude clouds and between 0° and −50°C for the tropical clouds. Optical depths spanned the range 0.4–7 for the midlatitude clouds and 20–30 for the tropical clouds. This part of the study characterizes median mass diameter (Dm)...
Multiresolution image restoration in the wavelet domain

This paper proposes an image restoration approach in the wavelet domain that directly associates multiresolution with multichannel image processing. We express the formation of the multiresolution image as an operator on the image domain that transforms block-circulant structures into partially-block-circulant structures. We prove that the stationarity assumption in the image domain leads to the suppression of cross-band correlation in the multiresolution domain. Moreover, the space invariance assumption leads to the loss of cross-band interference and interaction. In addition to the rigorous explanation of these effects, our formulation reveals new correlation schemes for the multiresolution signal in the wavelet domain. In essence, the proposed implementation relaxes the stationarity and space-invariance assumptions in the image domain and introduces new operator structures for the implementation of single-channel algorithms that take advantage of the correlation structure in the wavelet domain. We provide a rigorous study of these effects for both the equal-rate subband decomposition and the multiresolution pyramid decomposition. Several image restoration examples on the Wiener-filtering approach show significant improvement achieved by the proposed approach over the conventional discrete Fourier transform (DFT) implementation. >
RETICULATE NONMELANOCYTIC HYPERPIGMENTATION ANOMALY : A PROBABLE VARIANT OF DOWLING-DEGOS DISEASE

A 26-year-old white woman had reticulate nonmelanocytic hyperpigmentation anomaly characterized by partially blanching red-brown papules and macules and a histologic picture of digitate epithelial budding proliferation with lightly pigmented rete ridges. Except for the classically described hyperpigmentation at the rete ridge tips, the patient has Dowling-Degos disease. This case of a reticulate nonmelanocytic hyperpigmentation anomaly is probably a variant of Dowling-Degos disease.
Brain image registration based on curve mapping

A new two-stage approach for brain image registration is proposed. In the first stage, an active contour algorithm is used to establish a length-preserving, one-to-one mapping between the cortical and the ventricular boundaries in the two images to be registered. This mapping is used in the second step by a two-dimensional transformation which is based on an elastic body deformation. This method was tested by registering magnetic resonance images to both photographic pathology images and atlas images. >
Run Boris Run: Strategic Voting in Sequential Elections

Following the 1995 Russian parliamentary election, it was suggested that Russian voters may have used their votes to send a message to the then current Russian president, Boris Yeltsin, who was scheduled to run for reelection six months later. Building on this observation, we consider the incentives for information transmission through strategic voting in systems with sequential elections. We find that when an election for a sufficiently weak institution (e.g., a parliament) precedes an election for a strong institution (e.g., a president), in any equilibrium some voters vote against their preferred party in the first election to send a message to candidates in the second election. Following a brief discussion of the intuition underlying this argument, we present a model that allows us to isolate institutional features that affect the prevalence of this type of strategic voting: the relative importance of institutions to voters, the timing of sequential elections, and the relative cost of responsiveness b...
The Impact of New Demands for Assistance on Caregiver Depression: Tests Using an Inception Cohort

Family caregivers of patients facing high numbers of new demands for assistance following hospital discharge were more likely to experience increased levels of depression in the following six months compared with caregivers facing similar overall demands but few new demands for assistance following hospital discharge. New demands for assistance had a significant independent effect upon the levels of depression and were independent of family relationship (spouse vs nonspouse) and caregiver gender. These findings provide insight into theories of caregiver stress, begin to specify the interaction of time following the onset of a stressful event and caregivers' subsequent reactions, and suggest which caregivers may require some assistance following discharge of their patients.
Novel Actions of the Antitumor Drugs Vinflunine and Vinorelbine on Microtubules

Vinflunine is a novel Vinca alkaloid presently in Phase I clinical trials. In preclinical studies, it exhibited superior antitumor activity to that of other Vinca alkaloids, including vinorelbine from which it was synthetically derived. Vinca alkaloids appear to inhibit cell proliferation by affecting the dynamics of spindle microtubules. Here we have analyzed the effects of vinflunine and vinorelbine on microtubule dynamic instability and treadmilling and found that these newer drugs exert effects on microtubule dynamics that differ significantly from those of the classic Vinca alkaloid, vinblastine. The major effects of vinflunine and vinorelbine on dynamic instability were a slowing of the microtubule growth rate, an increase in growth duration, and a reduction in shortening duration. In marked contrast to the action of vinblastine, they neither reduced the rate of shortening nor increased the percentage of time the microtubules spent in an attenuated state, neither growing nor shortening detectably. In addition, vinflunine and vinorelbine suppressed treadmilling, but less strongly than vinblastine. The diverse actions of these drugs on microtubules are likely to produce different effects on mitotic spindle function, leading to different effects on cell cycle progression and cell killing. Nontumor cells with normal checkpoint proteins may tolerate the relatively less powerful inhibitory effects of vinflunine and vinorelbine on microtubule dynamics better than the more powerful effects of vinblastine. Thus the unique constellation of effects of vinflunine and vinorelbine on dynamic instability and treadmilling may contribute to their superior antitumor efficacies.
An Inhibitor of Endopeptidase‐24.15 Blocks the Degradation of Intraventricularly Administered Dynorphins

Conversion of the octapeptide dynorphin (Dyn) A-(1-8) to Leu5-enkephalin (LE) by endopeptidase EC 3.4.24.15 (EP-24.15) in vivo was examined using the technique of ventriculocisternal perfusion. Peptides were administered intracerebroventricularly in the presence or absence of the EP-24.15 inhibitor N-[1-(R,S)-carboxy-3-phenylpropyl]-Ala-Ala-Phe-p-aminobenzoate (cFPAAF-pAB) via cannulae placed into the lateral ventricle of urethane-anesthetized rats. The concentration of Dyn-like peptides and LE within the CSF was monitored by radioimmunoassay in samples of CSF taken from a second cannula placed in the cisterna magna. In the absence of inhibitor, less than 5% of the Dyn A-(1-8) administered was recovered in CSF. Immunoreactive LE, which is normally not found in CSF, increased rapidly in content following Dyn A-(1-8) infusion, an observation suggesting that the larger peptide is converted to LE. When the inhibitor cFPAAF-pAB was coadministered with Dyn A-(1-8), the concentration of immunoreactive Dyn A-(1-8) after 5 min was 40 times higher than that found in the absence of inhibitor. The angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor captopril reduced the degradation of Dyn A-(1-8) to a much lesser degree. The inhibitor of EP-24.15 also afforded some protection of other Dyn-like peptides. No EP-24.15 activity was found in rat CSF, whereas high activity was found in the choroid plexus. Taken together, these data clearly indicate that an ectoenzyme form of EP-24.15 rapidly converts intracerebroventricularly administered Dyn-like peptides to LE.
Hydrothermal synthesis as a route to mineralogically-inspired structures

The use of high temperature hydrothermal reactions to prepare crystals having mineralogically-related structures is described. Complex naturally occurring minerals can have fascinating structures and exhibit important features like low dimensionality, noncentrosymmetry, or ion channels that can provide excellent guideposts for the designed synthesis of new materials. Actual minerals, even though they may have intriguing physical properties, are often unsuitable for study because of the persistent impurities inevitably present in natural samples. Hydrothermal fluids at relatively high temperatures provide access to large, high quality single crystals of structures with mineral-like structures. This enables the study of physical properties like ionic conduction, magnetic spin frustration and non-linear optical behavior. Some fundamental considerations of the hydrothermal technique are discussed in the context of synthesizing mineralogically-inspired materials. The metal vanadates provide a surprisingly rich and diversified range of compounds and are selected to illustrate many of the concepts described here. A series of low dimensional mineral analogs featuring isolated units, chains, and layers have been prepared in the laboratory as large single crystals using a high temperature hydrothermal synthetic methods, and their physical properties are under investigation. The metal silicates are also highlighted as another promising field of exploration, since their hydrothermal synthesis surprisingly lags behind the enormous literature of the natural silicate minerals. The introduction of heteroelements, such as boron to make borosilicates, appears to also open the door to additional new materials. Many of these new materials have direct equivalents in the mineral kingdom, while others have no known analogs but are reminiscent of minerals and can be classified in the same ways. From these initial results there appears to be a very rich vein of synthetic minerals waiting to be unearthed in the laboratory using the high temperature hydrothermal method.
Nonparametric Algorithms for Joint Pricing and Inventory Control with Lost-Sales and Censored Demand

We consider the classical joint pricing and inventory control problem with lost-sales and censored demand in which the customer's response to selling price and the demand distribution are not known a priori, and the only available information for decision-making is the past sales data. Conventional approaches, such as stochastic approximation, online convex optimization, and continuum-armed bandit algorithms, cannot be employed since neither the realized values of the pro t function nor its derivatives are known. A major difficulty of this problem lies in the fact that the estimated pro t function from observed sales data is multimodal even when the expected pro t function is concave. We develop a nonparametric data-driven algorithm that actively integrates exploration and exploitation through carefully designed cycles. The algorithm searches the decision space through a sparse discretization scheme to jointly learn and optimize a multimodal (sampled) pro t function, and corrects the estimation biases caused by demand censoring. We show that the algorithm converges to the optimal policy as the planning horizon increases, and obtain the convergence rate of regret. Numerical experiments show that the proposed algorithm performs very well.
CORR Insights(®): Does Brachial Plexus Blockade Result in Improved Pain Scores After Distal Radius Fracture Fixation? A Randomized Trial.

R egional anesthesia provides multiple benefits in terms of perioperative pain management [3, 4]. In upper extremity surgery, brachial plexus blocks result in reduced systemic anesthetic requirements, lower perioperative opioid consumption, less nausea, and shorter postoperative stays [1, 3, 4]. Beyond the hospital, however, the benefits in regard to pain management are less clear, and surgeons may find it difficult to counsel patients about what to expect in the hours and days after the regional anesthetic wears off. Galos and colleagues have performed a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the pain experience for patients undergoing operative repair of distal radius fractures, and their findings supports the concept of ‘‘rebound pain’’ after discharge. Although patients with brachial plexus block may have little if any pain during and immediately after the procedure, 12 hours to 24 hours later the block wears off and their pain is greater than that for the general anesthetic group. The pain at this point is similar to the immediate postoperative pain for patients who underwent general anesthesia. Pain scores are documented at 2, 4, 6, 24, 48, and 72 hours, as well as at 2 weeks postoperatively, providing valuable information to providers counseling patients prior to distal radius fracture surgery.
Thermoelectric properties of undoped high purity higher manganese silicides grown by chemical vapor transport

Semiconducting higher manganese silicides (HMS), with a nominal composition of MnSi1.73, are particularly promising thermoelectric materials because of their elemental abundance, nontoxicity, and reported ZT of around 0.4 at 800 K for undoped samples. However, embedded MnSi impurities naturally form during the melt growth of HMS materials. The influences of such naturally occurring MnSi impurities within bulk HMS have yet to be carefully studied. Herein, we report the synthesis of high-purity MnSi-free single crystals of HMS by chemical vapor transport and the thermoelectric properties of consolidated HMS samples prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The high purity of the HMS crystals is verified by scanning and transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction, and synchrotron high-resolution X-ray diffraction. Despite successfully growing high purity HMS single crystals, we find that MnSi will nevertheless precipitate from HMS after SPS processing. In-situ sychrotron high-resolution X-ray diff...
Comparative pharmacological characterization of D1-like dopamine receptors from Anopheles gambiae, Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus suggests pleiotropic signaling in mosquito vector lineages.

Background Small molecule antagonists of mosquito dopamine receptors (DARs) are under investigation as a new class of vector-selective insecticides. Antagonists that inhibit the D1-like DARs AaDOP2 and CqDOP2 from the mosquitoes Aedes aegypti L. and Culex quinquefasciatus Say, respectively, also cause larval mortality in bioassays. Here, we report on the orthologous DAR, AgDOP2, from the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae Giles that was cloned and pharmacologically characterized in HEK293 cells. Larval bioassays were then conducted to examine the potential of DAR antagonist insecticides against Anopheles vectors.
Optimal Configuration of Standalone Microgrid Based on Multistate Modeling

Focusing on the influence caused by the uncertainties of wind speed,light intensity and load on optimal configuration of standalone microgrid,this paper uses the probability density functions of these factors to construct the typical day for each month,and its multistate modeling for wind power,photovoltaic power and load at every moment is obtained using the multistate system theory.A multi-objective optimal configuration model of standalone microgrid considering the economy and environment protection is established,the improved non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm(NAGA-Ⅱ)is used to solve the problem.The proposed method and the method based on the historical scenario are studied in a case respectively,the comparison of the results validates the proposed model and method.
Effects of trimethoprim on folate metabolism in man.

Recent studies have demonstrated a synergistic effect of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibitors and sulfonamides in the therapy of chronic urinary tract infections and malaria. Trimethoprim (TMP) (Ro-56846, Hoffmann-LaRoche) has 10,000 times more inhibitory effect on bacterial DHFR than on mammalian DHFR. Folate metabolism was evaluated in 10 normal patients treated with TMP alone for 4 weeks and 14 patients with chronic genitourinary infections treated with TMP and sulfonamides for periods up to 2 years. Parameters under study were complete blood count, bone marrow examination, serum and red blood cell folate levels, formiminoglutamic acid (FiGlu) excretion, and lobe counts of circulating neutrophiles. In order to measure folate activity a mutant strain of L. casei resistant to TMP was developed (Hitchings and Burchall, Burroughs Wellcome & Co. [U.S.A.] Inc.). In the short-term group 1 patient developed thrombocytopenia and another anemia associated with transitional megaloblastosis, while 5 patients excreted FiGlu and all had significant elevation of lobe counts. When the drug was stopped these abnormalities disappeared in 2 weeks. One patient ingesting the combination of drugs demonstrated thrombocytopenia and leukopenia which disappeared when citrovorum factor was given despite continued administration of drugs. The dose of citrovorum factor needed to ensure hematologic normalcy was 400 µg. It is concluded that TMP has mild inhibitory effects On folate metabolism in man at the tissue level which can be overcome by administration of reduced folates.
Does Lowering Serum Cholesterol Levels Lower Coronary Heart Disease Risk

Many lines of evidence converge toward the conclusion that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) is indeed a causal factor in the genesis of CHD. These range from animal studies, pathology studies, inborn errors of metabolism, clinical observations, and the existence of plausible biologic mechanisms, to the vast body of epidemiologic evidence. Observations of the association of LDLC with CHD hold between different populations, in the same population at different times, and to studies of individuals within populations. Finally, the clinical trials of cholesterol lowering, together with regression studies in animals and angiographic studies in humans, provide compelling evidence that the progress of atherosclerosis can be halted and the clinical sequelae can be reduced. The newly available results from more recent intervention studies have reinforced the validity of this conclusion. The intervention studies reduced the CHD incidence rate by approximately 2% for every 1% reduction in total cholesterol (TC) even though the studies were of relatively short duration (typically 5 years). More prolonged exposure to lower TC levels can be expected to yield even greater ultimate benefit. The benefit is most clearcut for men at highest risk. The combined data indicate that both fatal and nonfatal CHD can be reduced. More data on the extremes of age, on subjects with moderate elevations of TC, and on women would be valuable, but it is reasonable to proceed with advice to the general population aimed at reducing average cholesterol levels, and also to identify and treat those at high risk. There is good reason to expect that these measures will further reduce MI events and in all likelihood also MI deaths. Whether they will also reduce overall mortality is at present a moot point; however, a reduction in the burden of nonfatal MI would in itself be a very desirable objective.
A comparison of three educational robots: conference workshop

This tutorial/workshop will demonstrate three programmable robots used in educational settings to teach computer science concepts. The platforms include: • an older model LEGO robot kit using RoboLab software (price unavailable) • the Paralax Scribbler as modified by the Institute for Personal Robotics Education at Georgia Robotics (cost around $200) • the new LEGO Mindstorms NXT robot (cost is around $350) The LEGO robots have been used at Northwest Missouri State at the middle school level and at Drury University at the college level. The Scribbler was used in the fall of 2008 at Southwest Baptist University at both the high school and college level. The tutorial will consist of the presenters showing how the programming interface works for each of the robots. If time permits, the Scribblers will be used by up to 12 attendees (there will be 12 robots available) to gain hands-on experience.
Expectedness in Human-Robot Collaboration: (Extended Abstract)

We have investigated the mutual influences of affective and collaborative processes in a cognitive theory to support interaction between humans and robots or virtual agents. We build primarily on the cognitive appraisal theory of emotions and the SharedPlans theory of collaboration to investigate the structure, fundamental processes and functions of emotions in a collaboration. We have developed the expectedness appraisal algorithm as part of a new overall computational model. We have evaluated our implemented algorithm by conducting an online user study.
Robust composite adaptive transfemoral prosthesis control with non-scalar boundary layer trajectories

We propose a robust composite adaptive impedance controller with bounded-gain forgetting (BGF) for a three degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) active prosthetic leg for transfemoral amputees. We design a robust adaptive controller so the error trajectories converge to a boundary layer and the controller shows robustness to ground reaction forces (GRFs) and parameter uncertainties. The boundary layer not only compromises between control signal chattering and tracking performance, but also stops tracking-error-based (TEB) adaptation in the boundary layer to prevent unfavorable parameter drift. We then design a tracking-error-based / prediction-error-based (TEB/PEB) adaptation law, which drives parameter adaptation using both tracking error and prediction error on the joint torques to estimate the uncertain parameters of the system. We prove the stability of the closed-loop system for the prosthesis robot model using a non-scalar boundary layer trajectory. We design the prosthesis controller to imitate the biomechanical properties of able-bodied walking and to provide smooth gait. We finally present simulation results to confirm the effectiveness of the controller for both nominal and perturbed values of the system parameters. When the unknown system parameters deviate by 30% from their nominal values, we achieve more accurate parameter estimation and 6% improvement in tracking performance compared with the robust TEB adaptive controller.
Growing up – or not – with Gun Violence

Firearm injury is a leading cause of death and injury for children and adolescents, able to cause disability and interfere with normal development. Child developmental stages, variance of behavior, and mental health may all put children at risk for firearm injury or lead to increased morbidity after experiencing firearm violence. Family, community, and contextual factors can accentuate the risk of violence. Adults and social structures have the responsibility to protect children and adolescents from firearm violence.
Lost in Fees: An Analysis of Financial Planning Compensation

It is often difficult for clients to assess how much compensation they pay to financial advisors. Different forms of compensation within the financial advice industry may contribute to this complexity. This article investigates whether clients are able to estimate accurately how much compensation they pay to their primary financial advisor. Clients were asked to estimate the amount of fees they paid to their advisors in the previous 12 months. The data show that around 17% of clients do not know how their primary financial advisors charge for their services and that 32% of clients do not know how much they have paid in the last 12 months. Of the two-thirds of respondents who think they know how much they paid, 80% gave an estimate well below the industry standard. The probability that a client is unaware of the exact fees they pay becomes even higher when compensation is a blend of fees and commissions. The results suggest that many clients underestimate how much they pay in fees for financial advice.
Clinical applications of high-speed blood flow measurements with diffuse correlation spectroscopy

Diffuse Correlation Spectroscopy (DCS) is an increasingly popular non-invasive optical technique to clinically measure deep tissue blood flow, albeit at slow measurement rates of 0.5-1 Hz. We recently reported the development of a new ‘fast’ DCS instrument that continuously measures blood flow at 50-100 Hz (simultaneously from 8 channels), using conventional DCS sources/detectors, and optimized software computations. A particularly interesting result was our ability to optically record pulsatile micro-vascular blood flow waveforms, and therein readily identify high frequency features such as the dicrotic notch. Here, we showcase the utility and potential of high-speed measurements of blood flow (and arterial blood pressure) in a few clinical applications. First, we employ the fast-DCS instrumentation to measure cerebral autoregulation (CVAR) dynamics. Cerebral autoregulation refers to the mechanism by which cerebral blood flow (CBF) is maintained during fluctuations in blood pressure; CVAR is impaired in the injured brain. We derive an index of autoregulation by measuring the rates of decrease (and recovery) of blood flow and blood pressure following a sudden, induced change in systemic blood pressure (e.g., bilateral thigh cuff deflation). Our pilot experiments in healthy volunteers show that DCS measured rates of micro-vascular regulation are comparable to conventional large vessel regulatory metrics ( e.g., measured with transcranial Doppler ultrasound). Second, we utilized pulsatile blood flow oscillations in cerebral arteries to estimate the critical closing pressure (CrCP), i.e., the arterial blood pressure at which CBF approaches zero. Pilot experiments in healthy subjects show good agreement between CrCP measured with DCS and transcranial Doppler ultrasound.
Disordered Topological Insulators: A Brief Introduction

Our main goal for this Chapter is to introduce the periodic table of topological insulators and superconductors (see Table 1.1). Since the physical principles behind this table involve the robustness of certain physical properties against disorder, we will take a short detour and introduce first the class of homogeneous materials and then the sub-class of homogeneous disordered crystals. Our brief exposition introduces the main physical characteristics of these materials and puts forward a possible physical definition of the class of homogeneous materials. In parallel, it introduces general concepts from the mathematical program pioneered by Jean Bellissard and his collaborators (Bellissard, Lect. Notes Phys. 257, 99–156, 1986, [4], Bellissard, Geometric and Topological Methods for Quantum Field Theory, 2003, [7], Bellissard et al., Directions in Mathematical Quasicrystals, 2000, [5]), which will become central to our exposition.
Abstract 181: Brain Angiotensin II Elevates Bone Marrow Sympathetic Drive

Introduction: Bone marrow (BM)-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) contribute to the repair of vasculature, whereas the inflammatory cells (ICs) contribute to the vascular damage. Recently, dysfunctional brain-BM communication has been associated with an impaired BM activity, reflecting a decrease in EPCs and increase in ICs. We hypothesized that an overactive brain RAS leads to elevated sympathetic drive to the BM, which precedes the increase in blood pressure (BP), initiates the EPC/IC imbalance, and contributes to the development of vascular pathophysiology. Methods: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were infused with 15ng/kg/min Ang II ICV for 7 days. Following this, indirect BP measurements were taken, and the in situ decerebrated artificially-perfused preparation (DAPR) was used to compare thoracic (tSNA) and femoral BM sympathetic nerve activity (fSNA) between control and Ang II rats. In order to characterize tSNA and fSNA, we monitored the effects of elevated CO 2 (9%) on the phrenic nerve activity (PNA), tSNA and fSNA. PNA-triggered averaging of integrated tSNA and fSNA signals was performed across 100 phrenic cycles, allowing for quantification of averaged tSNA and fSNA during discrete phases of the respiratory cycle: inspiration (I), post-inspiration (P-I), mid-expiration (M-E) and late expiration (L-E). Thus, the peak levels of tSNA and fSNA during each respiratory phase could be compared across preparations. Results: We observed no differences in the BPs of control (95±5 mm Hg) and Ang II rats (96±2 mm Hg). Electrophysiology revealed a characteristic PNA pattern, and peak activity of tSNA and fSNA during the P-I phase, typical of the respiratory-sympathetic coupling. Exposure to 9% CO 2 elevated both the tSNA and fSNA in the control and Ang II rats. However, a 75% increase in the tSNA peak firing, and a 20% increase in the fSNA peak firing were observed in the Ang II rats when compared to the control. Conclusion: These observations demonstrate, for the first time, that elevated brain Ang II, at sub-pressor conditions, results in an increased sympathetic drive to the BM. This may initiate early impaired BM activity, reflecting in an imbalance in BM EPCs and ICs, which may contribute to the development of hypertension-related pathophysiology.
The Academic Preparedness of Latino Students in Dual Language and Transitional Bilingual Education Programs.

ABSTRACTThis causal-comparative study analyzed the college readiness of Latino ELLs educated in two different bilingual education programs, Transitional Bilingual (TB) and Dual Language (DL), by ex...
Classic Ulcerative Pyoderma Gangrenosum Is a T Cell-Mediated Disease Targeting Follicular Adnexal Structures: A Hypothesis Based on Molecular and Clinicopathologic Studies

Background: Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a debilitating ulcerative skin disease that is one of the most common associated diseases seen in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Although PG is classified as a neutrophilic dermatosis, its pathophysiology is poorly understood. Objective: Use data obtained from patient reported histories, immunohistochemistry, and gene expression analysis to formulate a hypothesis on PG pathophysiology. Methods: Ten PG patients participated and answered questions about new ulcer formation. Skin biopsies of healed prior ulcers and adjacent normal skin were obtained from four patients for immunohistochemistry. Scars from healthy patients and patients with discoid lupus were used as additional controls. New onset PG papules were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and gene expression analysis via qRT-PCR. Results: All PG patients reported that healed sites of previous ulceration are refractory to re-ulceration. Simultaneous biopsies of healed and uninvolved skin triggered ulceration only in the latter. On immunohistochemistry, healed PG scars showed complete loss of pilosebaceous units, which were present in normal skin, and to a lesser extent in control scars, and discoid scars. Early PG papules showed perivascular and peripilosebacceous T cell infiltrates, rather than neutrophils. These early inflammatory events were dominated by increased gene expression of CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, IL-8, IL-17, IFNG, and IL-36G; and transcription factors consistent with Th1 phenotype. Limitations: Small sample size was the main limitation. Conclusion: We put forth the hypothesis that PG is a T cell response resulting in the destruction of pilosebaceous units.