cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Timing responses of children with spina bifida having varying ambulatory abilities.

The authors investigated the timing responses of upper extremities to light and sound stimuli of 24 ambulatory, household-only ambulatory, and nonambulatory children with spina bifida. Using a Lafayette reaction and movement timer, each subject performed four timing tasks: (a) simple reaction time, (b) choice reaction time, (c) simple movement time, and (d) choice movement time. A 2 × 3 × 4 analysis of variance with repeated measures indicated that the ambulatory spina bifida children performed all timing tasks faster and more accurately than the household-only ambulatory and nonambulatory children. In addition, the household-only ambulatory group performed the timing tasks faster and more accurately than the nonambulatory group. Therefore, different perceptual-motor processing abilities are inferred for children with spina bifida who ambulate with different ability. For maximum benefit, an individualized educational approach should be used to improve psychomotor abilities of spina bifida children who hav...
Effects of purified poloxamer 407 gel on vascular occlusion and the coronary endothelium.

Objective: Vascular occlusion during off-pump coronarysurgery often results in sub-optimal visualization and endothelial damage of the target vessel. We have previously reported the safety of purified poloxamer 407, a gel with reverse thermosensitive properties, in a model of off-pump coronary occlusion. The aim of this study was to evaluate different gel concentrations and their effects on coronary occlusion time, myocardial contractility, endothelial function, and markers of myocardial injury and apoptosis. Methods: Yorkshire swine (30—35 kg) underwent sternotomy and mid-LAD occlusion using either microvascular clamps (n = 6) or varying quantities of three different concentrations (20%; n = 6, 22.5%; n =3 , and 25%; n = 3) of purified poloxamer 407 gel. Distal LAD flow, left ventricular pressure, and in vitro microvascular reactivity were assessed. Molecular markersof myocardialinjury and apoptosis were assessedusing Westernblotting.Results:Durationof ischemia correlated significantly with the amount of injected gel for the 20% and 22.5% formulations (Spearman r = 0.64, p = 0.02 and r = 0.85, p = 0.03, respectively) but not for the 25% gel (r = 0.22, p = 0.66). There were no significant differences in LV contractility (maximum + dp/dt )( p = 0.86) as well as LAD flow (p = 0.25) during reperfusion in the four groups. Microvessel relaxation to adenosine diphosphate in the ischemic territory was impaired with higher concentrations of the gel, 22.5% (14.8 7.5% vs control at 10 5 mol/L, p < 0.05) and 25% gel (24.0 7.6% vs control at 10 5 mol/L, p < 0.001) but not with the 20% gel. Endothelium-independent relaxation to sodium nitroprusside was preserved in all groups. Cleaved poly(ADPribose)polymerase, amarkerof myocardialinjuryandapoptosis,waselevatedintheischemicmyocardiumin allgroups(p = 0.02vsnon-ischemic myocardium) with no significant differences between the groups (p = 0.70). Phosphorylation of Bad, an anti-apoptotic protein, was significantly reduced in the ischemic territory (p = 0.04). No changes were observed in other markers of myocardial apoptosis. Conclusions: Purified poloxamer 407 gel is effective for temporary coronary vascular occlusion. Coronary artery occlusion time is related to gel concentration and the quantity of gel injected. The higher gel concentrations may cause endothelial dysfunction of the distal vasculature and therefore should be avoided.
One-way-linkable blind signature security architecture for VANET

Security attributes of a Vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) include confidentiality, integrity, authentication, non-repudiation (liability), revocation and privacy. Privacy, having characteristics opposing to the rest of the attributes, makes design of a security architecture quite difficult. A commonly used solution is to have a large number of temporary certificates (i.e., pseudonyms) to achieve these security attributes. To guard against their malicious use, these pseudonyms are stored in expensive tamper-proof-devices (TPDs). Further, a large number of valid pseudonyms, at any given time, make non-repudiation and revocation quite complex and difficult to achieve. Another solution is to get pseudonyms blindly signed from a certificate server, thus eliminating the need of TPDs (given the pseudonyms are not generated in bulk). However, blind signatures provide unconditional privacy and thus require complex/multi-transaction procedures to ensure non-repudiation/revocation. We present a security architecture by revising the original Blind signature scheme. Our proposed architecture provides “one-way-link-ability” that helps to achieve all the security attributes without introducing complex/multi-transaction procedures. It does not require expensive TPDs or complex pseudonym issuance/revocation procedures and is especially suited to VANET during initial deployment phase which is characterized with intermittent connectivity. Further, non-repudiation/revocation requires cooperation between multiple entities thus ensuring privacy without a single point of failure.
The World Trade Center attack. Is critical care prepared for terrorism

This commentary on the World Trade Center attack is written from the perspective of a New York City critical care service, with a long history of activity in disaster management, which is located at the Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The paper describes some of the local concerns of the service in the first hours, the reality of dispersal of victims throughout the New York City hospital system, and some of the resources made available and their utilization. In general, the US Critical Care Medicine System receives massive resources in terms of gross national product expenditure when compared with other developed countries. A large capacity is subsequently in place to provide care to critically ill patients resulting from manmade as well as natural disasters. It was the nature of the World Trade Center attack in terms of the ratio of injured survivors to dead victims that did not allow the full capacity and capability of the system to engage.
Victims of international terrorism.

Terrorism is becoming an increasing concern. A recent trip to Israel during a time of political unrest and hijacking incidents made the problem of terrorism a more personal one for the author. In this paper the author focuses on the definitions of terrorism, types of terrorism, influences on the development of terrorism, the magnitude of the problem, types of hostage takers, stages of a hostage situation, victim reactions, implications for treating hostages and their families, prevention measures, and implications for nurses.
It’s good to be good: 2011 fifth annual scientific report on health, happiness and helping others

This literature review presents an extensive set of scientific and medical studies regarding the benefits experienced by individuals who act sincerely for the benefit of others. Happiness, health and even longevity are benefits that have been reported in more than fifty investigations using a variety of methodologies. This convergence includes studies on recovery from alcoholism, addiction, and depression; on coping with severe diagnoses and with dying; longevity in older adults and in youth followed over the course of their lifetimes; in neurology, endocrinology, and immunology; and on self-reported happiness as well as the “helper’s high” in relation to thresholds of volunteerism. The conclusion of this review is that when we help others, we help ourselves, with the caveat that we need balance in our lives and should not be overwhelmed. The evidence for the benefits of giving is now extremely powerful, and suggests that healthcare professionals might wish to recommend such activities to patients. A number of studies covered also highlight that public health implications of encouraging prosocial and generous behaviors. In particular, the benefits of contributing to the lives of others are especially clear under conditions of stress or hardship, and constitute the essential component of post-traumatic growth. A Darwinian model for these benefits is suggested, as well as a philosophical recognition of the convergence between science and spiritual-moral wisdom with respect to the benefits of doing “unto others”.
SK channels and NMDA receptors form a Ca2+-mediated feedback loop in dendritic spines.

Small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (SK channels) influence the induction of synaptic plasticity at hippocampal CA3–CA1 synapses. We find that in mice, SK channels are localized to dendritic spines, and their activity reduces the amplitude of evoked synaptic potentials in an NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-dependent manner. Using combined two-photon laser scanning microscopy and two-photon laser uncaging of glutamate, we show that SK channels regulate NMDAR-dependent Ca2+ influx within individual spines. SK channels are tightly coupled to synaptically activated Ca2+ sources, and their activity reduces the amplitude of NMDAR-dependent Ca2+ transients. These effects are mediated by a feedback loop within the spine head; during an excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP), Ca2+ influx opens SK channels that provide a local shunting current to reduce the EPSP and promote rapid Mg2+ block of the NMDAR. Thus, blocking SK channels facilitates the induction of long-term potentiation by enhancing NMDAR-dependent Ca2+ signals within dendritic spines.
Regulation of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Expression in Dorsal Root Ganglia of Rats by Female Sex Steroid Hormones

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a potent vasodilator primarily synthesized in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons, has been shown to decrease vascular resistance and thus regulate blood flow to a variety of organs in rats. Serum CGRP levels in the human have been reported to increase with pregnancy and decrease postpartum. It has been suggested that female sex steroid hormones play a role in cardiovascular function, but the mechanisms are unknown. In this study, we examined the effects of estradiol-17beta (E(2)) and progesterone (P(4)) on the expression of CGRP in DRG in adult rats both in vivo and in vitro. Ovariectomized (ovx) animals were injected s.c. with 5 microg E(2), 4 mg P(4), or 5.0 microg E(2) + 4 mg P(4) in 0.5 ml sesame oil or with oil only, and groups of 4 rats were killed at 0, 24, or 48 h. DRGs were then removed and analyzed for CGRP mRNA and immunoreactive (i-)CGRP content by Northern blotting and RIA, respectively. Primary cultures of DRG neurons from adult female rats were used to assess the effects of varying doses of E(2) (1, 10, 100 nM), P(4) (10, 100, 1000 nM), or E(2) (10 nM) + P(4) (100 nM) in the absence or presence of nerve growth factor (NGF; 20 ng/ml); and CGRP mRNA content in the cells and i-CGRP in the medium were quantitated at 24 or 48 h after incubation. Results of in vivo studies showed that E(2) caused a significant increase in CGRP mRNA at 24 h (1.8-fold) and in i-CGRP levels both at 24 h (2. 8-fold) and at 48 h (3.4-fold) in DRG of ovx rats. P(4) also stimulated expression of both CGRP mRNA and i-CGRP. In the in vitro studies, either E(2) or P(4) alone or the two in combination were without effect on CGRP expression in cultured DRG neurons at all the doses tested. However, in the presence of NGF, both CGRP mRNA and peptide levels were significantly enhanced by E(2), P(4), and E(2)+P(4) in a time-dependent (2.0- to 2.8-fold at 24 h, 3.0- to 5. 0-fold at 48 h) and dose-dependent manner, with maximal effects achieved at 1.0 nM (E(2)) and 100 nM (P(4)) at 24 h of incubation. In summary, both E(2) and P(4), either alone or in combination, stimulate CGRP peptide synthesis in DRG neurons through increasing CGRP mRNA. The effects of these steroid hormones are mediated through amplifying the NGF-induced synthesis of CGRP in these neurons. Thus, we propose that the cardiovascular functions of female sex steroid hormones may be mediated, at least in part, by the up-regulation of neuronal CGRP synthesis, via NGF-mediated mechanisms.
Augmenting spatial information processing for 3-D visualization

Computer-aided design (CAD) is a challenging domain of end-user programming because it involves complex spatial transformations of 3-dimensional (3-D) objects. Here we provide evidence that shows that the ability to perform spatial transformations of novel abstract 3-D objects can be augmented when additional information is presented in an external display.
INFERRING LOGIT MODELS FROM EMPIRICAL MARGINS USING PROXY DATA

We examine several approaches for inferring logit models from empirical margins of predictor covariates and conditional margins containing the means of a binary response for each covariate margin. One method is to fit proxy data to the conditional response using the beta distribution, a process we call “margin analysis.” Proxy data can obtained using three approaches: (1) implementing the iterative proportional fitting (IPF) procedure on the margin totals, (2) sampling from a larger relevant data source such as the census, and (3) enumerating, or sampling from, the combinatoric space of all possible tables constrained by the margins. The first procedure is a well-studied approach for estimating contingency tables from margins, but it does not necessarily maintain the associations between the covariates unless seeded with an initial table containing those associations. In the second approach, which is appropriate for analyzing sociodemographic covariates, we can use a large census sample adjusting for sampling biases observed in the empirical margins. However, the appropriateness of using a census proxy depends substantially on how similar the sampling pools are. Our third approach entails exploring the combinatoric space of all contingency tables constrained by the margins while considering the associations among the covariates. We aggregate the logit models estimated from each table in that space into a single model. This approach is more robust than the first two as it considers multiple proxies. While the estimated logit models from each approach are generally similar to one another, for the low-dimensional tables we explore in this paper, the combinatoric approach incurs wider standard errors, which renders potentially significant coefficients insignificant. Finally, we suggest weighting the combinatoric models with evidence-relevant probabilities obtained using the multivariate Polya distribution.
The value function for the Linear-Quadratic Regulator with conical control constraints

The infinite-horizon continuous-time linear-quadratic regulator problem with conical control constraints is considered. Properties of the optimal value function are studied and illustrated: characterization as a solution to a stationary Hamilton-Jacobi equation; convex conjugacy with a dual value function; approximation via smooth value functions for perturbed problems; differentiability; and utility for stabilizing feedback design.
Broadcast in MIMO Systems Based on a Generalized QR Decomposition: Signaling and Performance Analysis

A simple signaling method for broadcast channels with multiple-transmit multiple-receive antennas is proposed. In this method, for each user, the direction in which the user has the maximum gain is determined. The best user in terms of the largest gain is selected. The corresponding direction is used as the modulation vector (MV) for the data stream transmitted to the selected user. The algorithm proceeds in a recursive manner where in each step, the search for the best direction is performed in the null space of the previously selected MVs. It is demonstrated that with the proposed method, each selected MV has no interference on the previously selected MVs. Dirty-paper coding is used to cancel the remaining interference. For the case that each receiver has one antenna, the presented scheme coincides with the known scheme based on Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization (QR decomposition). To analyze the performance of the scheme, an upper bound on the cumulative distribution function (CDF) of each subchannel is derived which is used to establish the diversity order and the asymptotic sum-rate of the scheme. It is shown that using fixed rate codebooks, the diversity order of the jth data stream, 1 les j les M, is equal to N(M - j + 1)(K - j + 1), where M, N, and K indicate the number of transmit antennas, the number of receive antennas, and the number of users, respectively. Furthermore, it is proven that the throughput of this scheme scales as M log log(K) and asymptotically (K rarr infin) tends to the sum-capacity of the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) broadcast channel. The simulation results indicate that the achieved sum-rate is close to the sum-capacity of the underlying broadcast channel.
Efficacy of Intraperitoneal Administration of PEGylated NELL-1 for Bone Formation

Abstract Systemically delivered NEL-like molecule-1 (NELL-1), a potent pro-osteogenic protein, promotes bone formation in healthy and osteoporotic mouse models. PEGylation of NELL-1 (NELL-PEG) increases the half-life of the protein in a mouse model without compromising its osteogenic potential, thereby improving its pharmacokinetics upon systemic delivery. This study consists of a twofold approach: a biodistribution test and an in vivo osteogenic potential test. The biodistribution test compared two commonly used administration methods for drug delivery other than intravenous—intraperitoneal (IP) and subcutaneous (SC)—to examine NELL-PEG biodistribution in mice. Compared to a single-dose SC injection (1.25 mg/kg), a single-dose IP administration yielded a higher protein uptake in the targeted bone sites. When the IP injection dose was doubled to 2.5 mg/kg, the protein remained in the femurs, tibias, and vertebrae for up to 72 h. Next, based on the results of the biodistribution study, IP administration wa...
How does neighborhood design affect life satisfaction? Evidence from Twin Cities

Planning for quality of life is generally conceptual because empirical studies are limited. Most of them focus on environmental amenities and have yet to consider other dimensions of neighborhood design. More importantly, previous studies are not based on theoretical frameworks and hence have a limited capacity to reveal the mechanisms underlying neighborhood design and life satisfaction. This study adapts Campbell’s model to connect neighborhood characteristics and life satisfaction through perceptions and residential satisfaction. It applies structural equations models to the data from the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. Land use mix simultaneously imposes positive and negative impacts on life satisfaction although its total effect is insignificant. Both high density and poor street connectivity are detrimental to life satisfaction, but street connectivity is much more influential than density. To enhance life satisfaction, planners should limit poor-connectivity neighborhoods and implement strategies to promote positive responses of land use mix.
Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator reduces adhesion formation in a rabbit uterine horn model.

To evaluate the potential benefit of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA) as an agent for reducing postoperative adhesions, a rabbit uterine horn model was studied. Fifty-five rabbits underwent laparotomy, at which time the uterus was abraded with scalpel and a thermal injury was induced with electrocautery. Before abdominal closure, rt-PA was applied topically in various dosages. Adhesions were evaluated at a second laparotomy performed 2 weeks later. Treatment significantly reduced both adhesion quantity ( P P P
Learning to Recognize Affective Polarity in Similes

A simile is a comparison between two essentially unlike things, such as “Jane swims like a dolphin”. Similes often express a positive or negative sentiment toward something, but recognizing the polarity of a simile can depend heavily on world knowledge. For example, “memory like an elephant” is positive, but “memory like a sieve” is negative. Our research explores methods to recognize the polarity of similes on Twitter. We train classifiers using lexical, semantic, and sentiment features, and experiment with both manually and automatically generated training data. Our approach yields good performance at identifying positive and negative similes, and substantially outperforms existing sentiment resources.
Effect of Oxygen on Bacterium necrophorum in the Isolated Colon Segment of a Dog

SummaryBacterium necrophorum introduced in large numbers into the isolated colon of a dog were recovered in appreciable numbers after a period of 12 hours. When oxygen was admitted into the bowel containing the culture for a period of 90 minutes no Bact. necrophorum organisms were recovered at the end of that time. Nitrogen similarly injected into the bowel was without effect.
The Classification of the Ephemeroptera I. Ephemeroidea: Behningiidae

The two previously known Old-World species of Behningia are reviewed. B. ulmeri Lestage is known from 2 nymphs from the Volga River of Russia, B. lestagei Motas and Becesco from 1 nymph from the Dniester River in Moldavian S.S.R. and 3 from the Warta River in Poland. The 2 adult males, 1 nymph, and 4 nymphal exuviae from the lower Amur River of Eastern Siberia, which Tshernova earlier referred doubtfully to B. ulmeri, are placed in B. tshernovae , n. sp. The first American representative of the family, Dolania americana , is described from four nymphs from the Savannah River and its tributaries in South Carolina. All these nymphs have remarkable adaptive features for burrowing in sand. The Behningiidae seem derived from potamanthid-like ancestors, and pertain to the superfamily Ephemeroidea. A new subfamily, Anepeorinae, is erected for the heptageniid genus Anepeorus whose nymphs, like those of Behningiidae, have truly ventral gills.
Backlash, Consensus, Legitimacy, or Polarization: The Effect of Same-Sex Marriage Policy on Mass Attitudes

What are the effects of judicial action and policy implementation on attitude change? The previous literature indicates that attitudes may change, but there is some debate about its direction. Acco...
A three-step kinetic model for electrochemical charge transfer in the hopping regime.

Single-step nonadiabatic electron tunneling models are widely used to analyze electrochemical rates through self-assembled monolayer films (SAMs). For some systems, such as nucleic acids, long-range charge transfer can occur in a “hopping” regime that involves multiple charge transfer events and intermediate states. This report describes a three-step kinetic scheme to model charge transfer in this regime. Some of the features of the three-step model are probed experimentally by changing the chemical composition of the SAM. This work uses the three-step model and a temperature dependence of the charge transfer rate to extract the charge injection barrier for a SAM composed of a 10-mer peptide nucleic acid that operates in the hopping regime.
Kepone® bioconcentration, accumulation, loss, and transfer through estuarine food chains

Accumulation, transfer, and loss of Kepone in estuarine organisms were studied in laboratory bioassays. Kepone was bioconcentrated by oysters (Crassostrea virginica), mysids (Mysidopsis bahia), grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio), sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus), and spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), from concentrations as low as 0.023 μg/l seawater. Bioconcentration factors ranged from 10 to 340 in static exposures and 900 to 13,500 in flow-through bioassays, and were dependent on species and exposure duration. Depuration of Kepone from oysters in Kepone-free water was rapid (35% loss in 24 hours); however, depuration of Kepone was slow in crustaceans and fish, with tissue concentrations decreasing 30–50% in 24–28 days. Oysters, fedChlorococcum containing approximately 34 μg Kepone/g wet weight, attained 0.21 μg Kepone/g (wet tissue) in 14 days, but when fed Kepone-free plankton, depurated Kepone to below detectable concentrations ( 85%) quantities of Kepone transferred from prey to predatory fish.
The Effects of Expectation on Trunk Loading

The literature has reported that there is a link between sudden unexpected load handling and the risk of a low back injury. It was hypothesized that sudden unexpected loads would create excessive forces upon the trunk due to the overcompensation of the trunk muscles. An experiment was performed to test this theory and quantify the degree of overcompensation. Subjects were asked to hold a box in a static lift position while weights ranging from 5 to 20 pounds were dropped into the box from a constant height. Under some conditions (expected) the subjects were permitted to observe the weight drop while under other conditions (unexpected) the subjects were deprived of visual and auditory cues during the weight drop. Generally, it was found that during sudden unexpected loading the trunk response resembled an expected loading of twice the weight value. These findings may provide guidelines for work situations where unexpected loading conditions are common.
Iliac screw fixation using computer-assisted computer tomographic image guidance: technical note

Background Iliac screw fixation is a powerful tool used by spine surgeons to achieve fusion across the lumbosacral junction for a number of indications, including deformity, tumor, and pseudarthrosis. Complications associated with screw placement are related to blind trajectory selection and excessive soft tissue dissection. Objective To describe the technique of iliac screw fixation using computed tomographic (CT)-based image guidance. Methods Intraoperative registration and verification of anatomic landmarks are performed with the use of a preoperatively acquired CT of the lumbosacral spine. With the navigation probe, the ideal starting point for screw placement is selected while visualizing the intended trajectory and target on a computer screen. Once the starting point is selected and marked with a burr, a drill guide is docked within this point and the navigation probe re-inserted, confirming the trajectory. The probe is then removed and the high-speed drill reinserted within the drill guide. Drilling is performed to a depth measured on the computer screen and a screw is placed. Results Confirmation of accurate placement of iliac screws can be performed with standard radiographs. Conclusion CT-guided navigation allows for 3-dimensional visualization of the pelvis and minimizes complications associated with soft-tissue dissection and breach of the ilium during screw placement.
O Relato Ético das Mensurações de Desempenho Não Consideradas no GAAP

Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) provide for a standardized method of calculating va-rious performance measures, such as net income, in-come from continuing operations, and cash flow from operations. There are two primary sources of GAAP – the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), as developed by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), and the U.S. GAAP, as developed by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). Howe-ver, non-GAAP performance measures have been repor -ted by companies for several decades, as an alternative to these GAAP measures. Managers argue that these non-GAAP measures improve the information about the core earnings of their companies. Company mana-gers have discretion in determining what is included and what is not included in the calculation of these non-GA -AP performance measures. In this essay, I review non--GAAP reporting, make a call for the ethical reporting of non-GAAP performance measures, and make recom-mendations for ways to improve non-GAAP reporting.
INUIT DRAWINGS–MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

(1987). INUIT DRAWINGS–MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE. American Review of Canadian Studies: Vol. 17, No. 1, pp. 31-40.
Transfusions with young erythrocytes (neocytes) in sickle cell anemia

Transfusion-induced hemochromatosis is a potential therapeutic complication of the management of sickle cell anemia. Selective transfusion with young erythrocytes (neocytes), which theoretically have a longer life-span than do regular donor red cells, could decrease transfusion frequency and reduce iron deposition in the sickle cell patient. Using blood cell separators, a method has been devised to prepare neocyte units for transfusion. Neocyte enrichment was evaluated by reticulocyte count and mean red cell age was estimated from erythrocyte pyruvate kinase, an age-dependent enzyme. These neocyte units have an average estimated men cell age of 30 days compared to 60 days for unfractionated units. Radiochromium studies in seven splenectomized thalassemia major patients revealed an average half-life of 47.4 days for neocytes stored in the frozen state compared to an average half-life of 29.5 days for standard frozen red cells. Neocyte aliquots collected from three normal, eusplenic donors had an average estimated mean cell age of 6.5 days and an average half-life of 57.2 days when reinfused. Neocyte units cost +300 to collect and process compared to $92 for frozen red cells, but use of neocyte units could reduce by one-half the transfusion requirement in transfusion-dependent patients.
Work, Heat, and Irreversibility

A reversible transformation is one which is carried out in such a way that the substance is always nearly in equilibrium—for example, when a gas expands against a movable piston which is itself backed by nearly the same pressure, or when heat flows from a warm body into another one which is at nearly the same temperature. A cyclic process is a process comprised of a set of transformations which eventually return the substance back to its initial state (i.e. the same temperature, the same pressure, and most importantly, the same internal energy). Consequently, during a cyclic processes any mechanical work done on the substance must be either (i) expended as work done by the substance, or (ii) expelled from the substance in the form of heat. This follows form the first law of thermodynamics. For a non-cyclic process, on the other hand, the internal energy of a substance may change. This is the topic to which Clausius now turns in Art. 5 of his sixth memoir. Then, in Art. 11, he broadens the discussion to examine irreversible transformations, such as the conduction of heat between bodies at significantly different temperatures.
De Gustibus: Arguing about Taste and Why We Do It, by Peter Kivy

The subtitle of this feisty and polemical book on aesthetic disputation is grammatically conjunctive, but not logically so. Peter Kivy's focus is not on the distinctive character of arguments conce...
Backgating-the next major barrier to VLSI

The problem of backgating has existed since the beginning of the GaAs IC industry. As levels of integration continue to advance, the resulting reduction in design rules creates new problems for those trying to eliminate the deleterious effects of backgating on LSI circuits. A panel discussion is reported in which a variety of perspectives was presented on the backgating problem, including a discussion of its physical origins, processing techniques for its elimination, and its importance in limiting the evolution to VLSI. >
Evaluation of recombinant monoclonal antibody SVmab1 binding to Na V 1.7 target sequences and block of human Na V 1.7 currents

Identification of small and large molecule pain therapeutics that target the genetically validated voltage-gated sodium channel Na V1.7 is a challenging endeavor under vigorous pursuit. The monoclonal antibody SVmab1 was recently published to bind the Na V1.7 DII voltage sensor domain and block human Na V1.7 sodium currents in heterologous cells. We produced purified SVmab1 protein based on publically available sequence information, and evaluated its activity in a battery of binding and functional assays. Herein, we report that our recombinant SVmAb1 does not bind peptide immunogen or purified Na V1.7 DII voltage sensor domain via ELISA, and does not bind Na V1.7 in live HEK293, U-2 OS, and CHO-K1 cells via FACS. Whole cell manual patch clamp electrophysiology protocols interrogating diverse Na V1.7 gating states in HEK293 cells, revealed that recombinant SVmab1 does not block Na V1.7 currents to an extent greater than observed with an isotype matched control antibody. Collectively, our results show that recombinant SVmab1 monoclonal antibody does not bind Na V1.7 target sequences or specifically inhibit Na V1.7 current.
What Are Normal Metal Ion Levels After Total Hip Arthroplasty? A Serologic Analysis of Four Bearing Surfaces

Abstract Background The recent experiences with adverse local tissue reactions have highlighted the need to establish what are normal serum levels of cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), and titanium (Ti) after hip arthroplasty. Methods Serum Co, Cr, and Ti levels were measured in 80 nonconsecutive patients with well-functioning unilateral total hip arthroplasty and compared among 4 bearing surfaces: ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC); ceramic-on-polyethylene (CoP); metal-on-polyethylene (MoP), and dual mobility (DM). The preoperative and most recent University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) scores were compared among the different bearing surfaces. Results No significant difference was found among serum Co and Cr levels between the 4 bearing surface groups ( P = .0609 and P = .1577). Secondary analysis comparing metal and ceramic femoral heads demonstrated that the metal group (MoP, modular dual mobility (Stryker Orthopedics, Mahwah, NJ) [metal]) had significant higher serum Co levels compared with the ceramic group (CoC, CoP, MDM [ceramic]) (1.05 mg/L ± 1.25 vs 0.59 mg/L ± 0.24; P = .0411). Spearman coefficient identified no correlation between metal ion levels and patient-reported outcome scores. Conclusion No serum metal ion level differences were found among well-functioning total hip arthroplasty with modern bearing couples. Significantly higher serum Co levels were seen when comparing metal vs ceramic femoral heads in this study and warrants further investigation. Metal ion levels did not correlate with patient-reported outcome measures.
Relationship between kernel density function estimates of gait time series and clinical data

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disorder which interrupts the communication between the brain and other parts of the body resulting in neurologic and physical and functional limitations. Gait deterioration is one of the most common problems and hence assessments of walking quality is a crucial part of MS diagnosis. In-clinic evaluations use physical examinations and an expanded disability status scale (EDSS) to label MS subjects into various disability groups such as mild, moderate, etc. Current research in MS focuses on leveraging the inertial data for accurate gait assessments to overcome the shortcomings of qualitative methods and enhancing the separability performance between MS and control subjects. However, MS symptoms vary among individuals. In [1], we showed that the inertial gait density estimates can be used to identify the multiple types of walk within each disability group. In this work, we show that the peak value of the inertial gait density estimate correlates significantly to distance covered in six minutes (r = −0.8028, p < 0.0001), making it clinically meaningful. The peak values also correlate with other related subjective data discussed in the paper. Thus the gait density of an MS subject can be evaluated to objectively assess the impact of MS on his/her functional capacities. We believe that we are supplementing existing information with a new, high-precision objective anchor to help reduce dependence on subjective and burdensome questionnaires.
Internal structure of the San Jacinto fault zone at Blackburn Saddle from seismic data of a linear array

Local and teleseismic earthquake waveforms recorded by a 180-m-long linear array (BB) with seven seismometers crossing the Clark fault of the San Jacinto fault zone northwest of Anza are used to image a deep bimaterial interface and core damage structure of the fault. Delay times of P waves across the array indicate an increase in slowness from the southwest most (BB01) to the northeast most (BB07) station. Automatic algorithms combined with visual inspection and additional analyses are used to identify local events generating fault zone head and trapped waves. The observed fault zone head waves imply that the Clark fault in the area is a sharp bimaterial interface, with lower seismic velocity on the southwest side. The moveout between the head and direct P arrivals for events within ∼40 km epicentral distance indicates an average velocity contrast across the fault over that section and the top 20 km of 3.2 per cent. A constant moveout for events beyond ∼40 km to the southeast is due to off-fault locations of these events or because the imaged deep bimaterial interface is discontinuous or ends at that distance. The lack of head waves from events beyond ∼20 km to the northwest is associated with structural complexity near the Hemet stepover. Events located in a broad region generate fault zone trapped waves at stations BB04–BB07. Waveform inversions indicate that the most likely parameters of the trapping structure are width of ∼200 m, S velocity reduction of 30–40 per cent with respect to the bounding blocks, Q value of 10–20 and depth of ∼3.5 km. The trapping structure and zone with largest slowness are on the northeast side of the fault. The observed sense of velocity contrast and asymmetric damage across the fault suggest preferred rupture direction of earthquakes to the northwest. This inference is consistent with results of other geological and seismological studies.
What can we learn about the racial gap in the presence of sample selection

Abstract We examine the distance and relations between the distributions of wages for two exogenously identified groups (black and white women here). The literature commonly employs decomposition methods for the conditional means, to propose explanations for observed wage differentials, as “structural” components, attributable to difference in market structures, and the “composition” components, attributable to difference in characteristics and skills. Estimation of these components is often hampered by restrictive wage structure assumptions, and sample selection issues (wages are only observed for those working). We address these issues by first utilizing modern strategies in the treatment effects literature to identify the entire distributions of wages and counterfactual wages among working women, which afford a separation of composition and market effects. We avoid restrictive wage structure modeling by nonparametric inverse probability weighting methods. This approach allows for decomposition beyond the gap at the mean, and can deliver distributional statistics of interest, such as inequalities and target quantiles. Accounting for selection, we extend the basic framework to provide a computationally convenient way to identify bounds on the decomposed components for the whole population. We employ these methods to understand the sources and dynamics of the racial gap in the U.S. Our analysis reveals that what may be learned about the racial gap is impacted by labor force participation, and is also sensitive to the choice of population of interest. Our results question what may be gleaned from the commonly reported point estimates when sample selection is neglected.
Tax and Expenditure Limitations and Special District Formation

This paper empirically examines the formation of special districts in the United States. It investigates, in particular, the adoption of tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) on local governments to determine how the have motivated special district formation. The paper extends the research agenda by reporting a longitudinal analysis for TELs and special district formation through the post-Proposition 13 tax revolt in the states. Theory from the literatures on special-purpose governments and, on TELs, guides the research – literatures interested in the impact of fiscal institutions on local government reorganization. Main findings are that adoption of one type of TEL – general limitations – is encouraging formation of special districts with taxing powers. Substantively, adoption of general limitations raises the number of taxing districts by approximately 13 percent. A flexible model for panel data, inclusive of fixed effects and time trends, turns out to be crucial for identifying estimates for the impact of TELs in special district formation.
Begründung der Replikationstheorie

Wie in der Einleitung bereits erwahnt, haben bereits Beutner u. a. (2013), Pelsser u. Schweizer (2016), Beutner u. a. (2015) und Cambou u. Filipovic (2016) zeitgleich mit Natolski u. Werner (2016a) zum Thema dieses Kapitels beigetragen. Trotzdem sind einige Lucken offen geblieben.
Improving Mechanical Properties of Molded Silicone Rubber for Soft Robotics Through Fabric Compositing

Molded silicone rubbers are common in manufacturing of soft robotic parts, but they are often prone to tears, punctures, and tensile failures when strained. In this article, we present a fabric compositing method for improving the mechanical properties of soft robotic parts by creating a fabric/rubber composite that increases the strength and durability of the molded rubber. Comprehensive ASTM material tests evaluating the strength, tear resistance, and puncture resistance are conducted on multiple composites embedded with different fabrics, including polyester, nylon, silk, cotton, rayon, and several blended fabrics. Results show that strong fabrics increase the strength and durability of the composite, valuable in pneumatic soft robotic applications, while elastic fabrics maintain elasticity and enhance tear strength, suitable for robotic skins or soft strain sensors. Two case studies then validate the proposed benefits of the fabric compositing for soft robotic pressure vessel applications and soft strain sensor applications. Evaluations of the fabric/rubber composite samples and devices indicate that such methods are effective for improving mechanical properties of soft robotic parts, resulting in parts that can have customized stiffness, strength, and vastly improved durability.
Phenotype Instance Verification and Evaluation Tool (PIVET): A Scaled Phenotype Evidence Generation Framework Using Web-Based Medical Literature.

Background: Researchers are developing methods to automatically extract clinically relevant and useful patient characteristics from raw healthcare datasets. These characteristics, often capturing essential properties of patients with common medical conditions, are called computational phenotypes. Being generated by automated or semiautomated, data-driven methods, such potential phenotypes need to be validated as clinically meaningful (or not) before they are acceptable for use in decision making. Objective: The objective of this study was to present Phenotype Instance Verification and Evaluation Tool (PIVET), a framework that uses co-occurrence analysis on an online corpus of publically available medical journal articles to build clinical relevance evidence sets for user-supplied phenotypes. PIVET adopts a conceptual framework similar to the pioneering prototype tool PheKnow-Cloud that was developed for the phenotype validation task. PIVET completely refactors each part of the PheKnow-Cloud pipeline to deliver vast improvements in speed without sacrificing the quality of the insights PheKnow-Cloud achieved. Methods: PIVET leverages indexing in NoSQL databases to efficiently generate evidence sets. Specifically, PIVET uses a succinct representation of the phenotypes that corresponds to the index on the corpus database and an optimized co-occurrence algorithm inspired by the Aho-Corasick algorithm. We compare PIVET’s phenotype representation with PheKnow-Cloud’s by using PheKnow-Cloud’s experimental setup. In PIVET’s framework, we also introduce a statistical model trained on domain expert–verified phenotypes to automatically classify phenotypes as clinically relevant or not. Additionally, we show how the classification model can be used to examine user-supplied phenotypes in an online, rather than batch, manner. Results: PIVET maintains the discriminative power of PheKnow-Cloud in terms of identifying clinically relevant phenotypes for the same corpus with which PheKnow-Cloud was originally developed, but PIVET’s analysis is an order of magnitude faster than that of PheKnow-Cloud. Not only is PIVET much faster, it can be scaled to a larger corpus and still retain speed. We evaluated multiple classification models on top of the PIVET framework and found ridge regression to perform best, realizing an average F1 score of 0.91 when predicting clinically relevant phenotypes. Conclusions: Our study shows that PIVET improves on the most notable existing computational tool for phenotype validation in terms of speed and automation and is comparable in terms of accuracy.
Blended Conditional Gradients: the unconditioning of conditional gradients.

We present a blended conditional gradient approach for minimizing a smooth convex function over a polytope P, combining the Frank--Wolfe algorithm (also called conditional gradient) with gradient-based steps, different from away steps and pairwise steps, but still achieving linear convergence for strongly convex functions, along with good practical performance. Our approach retains all favorable properties of conditional gradient algorithms, notably avoidance of projections onto P and maintenance of iterates as sparse convex combinations of a limited number of extreme points of P. The algorithm is lazy, making use of inexpensive inexact solutions of the linear programming subproblem that characterizes the conditional gradient approach. It decreases measures of optimality (primal and dual gaps) rapidly, both in the number of iterations and in wall-clock time, outperforming even the lazy conditional gradient algorithms of [arXiv:1410.8816]. We also present a streamlined version of the algorithm for the probability simplex.
Standardization of 64Cu activity.

Abstract The complex decay scheme that makes 64Cu promising as both an imaging and therapeutic agent in medicine also makes the absolute measurement of its activity challenging. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has completed a primary activity standardization of a 64CuCl2 solution using the 4πβ(LS)-γ(NaI) live-timed anticoincidence (LTAC) counting method with a combined standard uncertainty of 0.51 %. Two liquid scintillation (LS) counting methods were employed for confirmatory measurements. Secondary measurements were made by high-purity germanium detectors, pressurized ionization chambers (IC), and a well-type NaI(Tl) counter. Agreement between the LTAC-based standard and standards from other laboratories was established via IC calibration factors. Poor agreement between methods and with theoretical IC responses may indicate a need for improved β+/- branching probabilities and a better treatment of β+/- spectra.
Introducing the Pump Equation

The heart may be conceived as a pump that receives blood from a low pressure system and raises it to a high pressure system. Although the responsible mechanism has been recognized as alternate shortening and lengthening of the muscle fibers of the wall, a comprehensive analytical formulation of the “uses of the heart” (Harvey, 1628) remains a baffling issue. Many of the features which, together, form a complex mosaic were identified during the era of quantitative studies ushered in by Roy a century ago (Roy, 1879).