cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The importance of intraoperative detection of residual flow abnormalities after carotid artery endarterectomy

Abstract Purpose: The efficacy of carotid endarterectomy in the prevention of strokes mandates low perioperative morbidity, as well as a low incidence of late ipsilateral stroke. This prospective study involving 430 patients (461 carotid endarterectomies) correlated the results of intraoperative assessment with end points of stroke and residual/recurrent internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. Methods: Adequacy of the repair was assessed by ultrasound studies (duplex scan and pulsed Doppler spectral analysis) alone ( n = 142), ultrasound studies and arteriography ( n = 268), or clinical inspection ( n = 51). After operation, duplex ultrasonography was used to confirm patency and categorize severity of ICA stenosis. At operation 26 carotid endarterectomy sites (5.6%), were revised based on intraoperative studies. Results: Perioperative (30-day) morbidity rates were similar in patients with normal, mildly abnormal, or no ultrasound completion studies. There were six permanent (1.3%) and 12 temporary (2.6%) neurologic deficits and six deaths, including four fatal strokes and two fatal myocardial infarctions. By life-table analysis, the incidence of greater than 50% diameter-reducing ICA stenosis or occlusion was increased ( p p = 0.04, log-rank test). During the mean 30-month follow-up interval, the incidence of late stroke was increased ( p = 0.00016) in patients with ICA restenosis or occlusion (3/35) compared with patients without recurrent stenosis (3/426). Conclusion: Confirmation of a normal repair at operation affords the best opportunity to minimize ischemic neurologic events and anatomic restenosis after carotid endarterectomy. (J VASC SURG 1993;17:912-23.)
Approximations of the NARMA model of non-affine plants

When the NARMA model is used in adaptive control using neural networks, it often requires heavy computation due to its nonlinear dependence on the control input. To overcome this, two classes of approximate models to the NARMA model, which are linear in the control input were introduced. They are known as NARMA-L1 and NARMA-L2. Though these approximations are useful in practical implementation of the controllers, their use is restricted to systems with small input magnitude. In this paper, we introduce two new classes of approximated models, referred as NARMA-L1B and NARMA-L2B that relax the small input magnitude restriction. The proposed models are also linear in the control input and therefore suitable for control design. A simulation example is provided for illustration.
Planar bilayer lipid memebranes

Abstract The planar bilayer lipid membrane, also known as lipid bilayer membrane, black lipid membrane or simply BLM(s), for short, has been investigated since its inception in 1960, the details of which have been described in a monograph published in 1974. This review is a report on the advances in the BLM research since that time. After a brief introduction, the first five sections consider various aspects of experimental methods, optical properties, thermodynamics of lipid bilayers, permeability, and electrical properties of BLMs. Section 7 deals with the use of BLM as energy transducer, particularly the transduction of light into electrical energy. Section 8, the longest portion of the paper, is devoted to modelling of biomembranes, such as the plasma membrane of cells, the thylakoid membrane of chloroplasts, the cristae membrane of mitochondria, the visual receptor membrane of the eye, and the nerve membrane. The concluding section points out that studies of BLMs facilitate the initial testing of working hypothses and may lead to a better choice of appropriate in vivo and reconstituted membrane experiments.
A modest glucokinase overexpression in the liver promotes fed expression levels of glycolytic and lipogenic enzyme genes in the fasted state without altering SREBP-1c expression

Hepatic genes crucial for carbohydrate and lipid homeostasis are regulated by insulin and glucose metabolism. However, the relative contributions of insulin and glucose to the regulation of metabolic gene expression are poorly defined in vivo. To address this issue, adenovirus-mediated hepatic overexpression of glucokinase was used to determine the effects of increased hepatic glucose metabolism on gene expression in fasted or ad libitum fed rats. In the fasted state, a 3 fold glucokinase overexpression was sufficient to mimic feeding-induced increases in pyruvate kinase and acetyl CoA carboxylase mRNA levels, demonstrating a primary role for glucose metabolism in the regulation of these genes in vivo. Conversely, glucokinase overexpression was unable to mimic feeding-induced alterations of fatty acid synthase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, carnitine palmitoyl transferase I or PEPCK mRNAs, indicating insulin as the primary regulator of these genes. Interestingly, glucose-6-phosphatase mRNA was increased by glucokinase overexpression in both the fasted and fed states, providing evidence, under these conditions, for the dominance of glucose over insulin signaling for this gene in vivo. Importantly, glucokinase overexpression did not alter sterol regulatory element binding protein 1-c mRNA levels in vivo and glucose signaling did not alter the expression of this gene in primary hepatocytes. We conclude that a modest hepatic overexpression of glucokinase is sufficient to alter expression of metabolic genes without changing the expression of SREBP-1c.
Muon (g 2): Renormalization at Work, All the Way Down to the Weak Scale

The anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, aµ, which is related to the spin g-factor by aµ =( gµ � 2)/2, has played a special role in the development of the standard model of particle physics. Because the anomaly of a point lepton results solely from radiative corrections, it has been at the center of the development of quantum electrodynamics, and of the standard model since the first observation of muon spin rotation and parity violation in muon decay. In the standard model, aµ has contributions from radiative corrections: from quantum electrodynamics; from strongly interacting particles in vacuum polarization loops with quantum numbers that couple to the photon; and from the electroweak gauge bosons. In principle, non-standard model particles could contribute as well, for example the supersymmetric partners of the electroweak bosons, if they exist. The history and the present status of both the theoretical and experimental values of the muon’s anomalous magnetic moment are reviewed.
Two Bezier curves with (n+1) control points each (having one common control point)

The author considers the case of two Bezier curves with (n+1) control points each, having one control point in common such that the two curves are smooth at that point. He derives matrices for this case and considers their complexity in comparison with previous results. >
Tracking Large Particle Movement with Passive Radio Transponders in Ephemeral, Alluvial Channels

In the semi-arid southwest, channel runoff associated with intense summer thunderstorms reaches high velocities with sufficient energy to move large gravel and cobbles. Thunderstorm generated runoff hydrographs are characterized by short durations and rapidly rising peaks. Highly variable flow conditions and alluvial channel beds make tracking and relocating individual particles difficult. Previously reported methods for tracking particles include painted rocks, magnetic tracers, and active radio methods. The use of these methods can be limited by difficulty in relocating and identifying individual particles, as well as by expense. This paper presents a description of the use of a commercially available radio frequency identification system for tracking the movement of individual particles. The tracking system consists of transponders, an antenna, a reader, and software. The passive transponder system offers the advantages of low cost, consistent results under harsh environmental conditions, and no need for a power supply in the particle. The radio frequency identification system offers the potential to efficiently collect data for developing sediment transport equations and improving mathematical models for simulating sediment transport under natural runoff conditions.
Cell-Free and Erythrocytic S-Nitrosohemoglobin Inhibits Human Platelet Aggregation

Background—Nitric oxide (NO) and related molecules are thought to inhibit human platelet aggregation by raising levels of cGMP. Methods and Results—Both oxidative stress (reactive oxygen species) and hemoglobin (Hb) seem to oppose NO effects. A major fraction of NO in the blood is bound to thiols of Hb, forming S-nitrosohemoglobin (SNO-Hb), which releases the NO group on deoxygenation in the microcirculation. Here we show that (1) both cell-free and intraerythrocytic SNO-Hb (SNO-RBC) inhibit platelet aggregation, (2) the oxidation state of the hemes in Hb influences the response—SNO-metHb (which is functionally similar to SNO-deoxyHb) has greater platelet inhibitory effects than SNO-oxyHb, and (3) the mechanism of platelet inhibition by SNO-Hb is cGMP independent. Conclusions—We suggest that the RBC has evolved a means to counteract platelet activation in small vessels and the proaggregatory effects of oxidative stress by forming SNO-Hb.
Design of a PZT-actuated proportional drum brake

Presents the design of a piezoelectric-ceramic (PZT)-stack-actuated brake that is similar to a magnetic particle brake in dynamic range, size, weight, and cost, while providing a significantly larger bandwidth and requiring significantly less electrical power for a given continuous torque output. The device is essentially a single-pad drum brake that is actuated with a PZT-stack actuator. A significant component of the design is the compliant-mechanism-based transmission utilized to transmit the PZT-stack actuation into brake pad motion. Following the device description, experimental data is presented to characterize the performance of the brake. The performance characteristics are subsequently compared to those of a commercially available magnetic particle brake of comparable size and weight.
SPECIES-SPECIFIC RESPONSE IN ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE ACTIVITY OF FRESHWATER PHYTOPLANKTON IN A NUTRIENT ENRICHMENT EXPERIMENT

A new method was utilized to study species-specific responses of phytoplankton to phosphorus limitation in a nutrient enrichment experiment. A substrate, ELF, produces a fluorescent precipitate at the sites of alkaline phosphatase (AP), which makes it possible to visually detect phosphorus (P) limitation in individual cells of multiple species. Lake water was incubated in the laboratory to induce nitrogen (N) or P limitation. Initially, little or no ELF labeling was observed for any of the phytoplankton species, indicating a general lack of P limitation. This observation was supported by low bulk AP activity in the initial field samples. During the experiment, several chlorophyte taxa (Coelastrum, Eudorina, a solitary spiny coccoid) were driven to P limitation, as evidenced by a high percentage of cells displaying ELF labeling when inorganic N was added. Taxa such as Actinastrum and Dictyosphaerium, on the contrary, were never P limited. Little or no ELF was observed in cyanobacterial species, suggesting that P limitation was not achieved in these organisms. Using traditional bulk AP activity, significantly higher levels of AP activity were observed in treatments with inorganic N additions, compared to those with phosphate additions. ELF labeling generally followed the trend of bulk AP, except in species that did not dominate the biomass. Finally, we noted that all species observed were ELF labeled at least on one occasion, except for fragile flagellates which did not withstand the labeling procedure.
Validity and reliability of nerve and muscle ultrasound.

Introduction: Nerve and muscle ultrasound has been studied in several conditions, but validity and reliability have not been assessed systematically. Methods: Nerve cross-sectional area and muscle thickness were measured ultrasonographically at several sites in 4 cadavers, which were then dissected, and actual measurements were obtained. To assess intrarater and interrater reliability, between 3 and 5 ultrasonographers, with varying experience levels, made repeated measurements on healthy volunteers. Results: Correlation coefficients for nerve and muscle validity were >0.968 (P 0.901 (P < 0.001) for still and real-time images. Correlation coefficients for interrater reliability were more varied, but for still images they were all significant at the P < 0.001 (0.542–0.998) level, and for real-time images they were significant at the P < 0.05 level for half the sites (0.243–0.981). Conclusion: Overall, nerve and muscle ultrasound is a valid and reliable diagnostic imaging technique. Muscle Nerve, 2013
Who Was Walking on the Beach? Anaphora Resolution in Spanish Heritage Speakers and Adult Second Language Learners.

The position of antecedent strategy (Carminati, 2002) claims that speakers of null-subject languages prefer to resolve intrasentential anaphora by linking pro to an antecedent in the specifier of the inflection phrase and the overt pronoun to an antecedent lower in the clause. The present study has two aims: (a) to determine whether adult early Spanish-English bilinguals (Spanish heritage speakers) and late English-Spanish bilinguals (adult second language [L2] learners of Spanish) utilize the same antecedent assignment strategies as monolingually raised Spanish speakers, and (b) to determine whether early exposure to and use of Spanish confers advantages to Spanish heritage speakers relative to L2 learners. Spanish speakers raised without English contact (n = 19), Spanish heritage speakers (n = 25), and L2 learners of Spanish (n = 19) completed an offline questionnaire that comprised complex sentences such as Juan vio a Carlos mientras pro/el caminaba en la playa “John saw Charles while he was walking on the beach.” Comprehension questions probed participants’ preferences regarding the antecedent of null and overt pronouns. The results indicate that the monolingually raised Spanish speakers showed an antecedent bias, but the heritage speakers and the L2 learners did not. Furthermore, the two groups of bilinguals differed from the controls in different ways: The heritage speakers displayed a stronger subject bias for the overt pronoun, whereas the L2 learners did not exhibit any clear antecedent biases.
Relative humidity measurement using capacitive sensors

This paper presents a method that has been employed to measure on line relative humidity of paper sheets during manufacturing process. Two parallel plate capacitive sensors measure the relative humidity. This method provides on line contact less humidity measurement and control. The sensor is linear up to 24% RH and has 0.2% sensitivity within the range of measurement.
Natural genetic variation in yeast longevity

The genetics of aging in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has involved the manipulation of individual genes in laboratory strains. We have instituted a quantitative genetic analysis of the yeast replicative lifespan by sampling the natural genetic variation in a wild yeast isolate. Haploid segregants from a cross between a common laboratory strain (S288c) and a clinically derived strain (YJM145) were subjected to quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis, using 3048 molecular markers across the genome. Five significant, replicative lifespan QTL were identified. Among them, QTL 1 on chromosome IV has the largest effect and contains SIR2, whose product differs by five amino acids in the parental strains. Reciprocal gene swap experiments showed that this gene is responsible for the majority of the effect of this QTL on lifespan. The QTL with the second-largest effect on longevity was QTL 5 on chromosome XII, and the bulk of the underlying genomic sequence contains multiple copies (100–150) of the rDNA. Substitution of the rDNA clusters of the parental strains indicated that they play a predominant role in the effect of this QTL on longevity. This effect does not appear to simply be a function of extrachromosomal ribosomal DNA circle production. The results support an interaction between SIR2 and the rDNA locus, which does not completely explain the effect of these loci on longevity. This study provides a glimpse of the complex genetic architecture of replicative lifespan in yeast and of the potential role of genetic variation hitherto unsampled in the laboratory.
Solar Photothermal Power Generation

Solar energy could be a major resource for the semiarid regions of the United States and the world. This source of energy is a popular topic in the media at this time, but is it really the option which many would like to see or is it more likely to remain the illusion it has been up to now? Many ways of using solar energy have been proposed, and each appears to have a good technological basis. The additional factors that will see many solar schemes fall by the wayside are the hard facts of economics and the realities of social assimilation of technological advances.The major options of house-heating and cooling and electrical power production need to be examined. Home uses depend upon the degree to which people are willing to put up with the inconveniences associated with bulky roof-top units. It is more likely that solar energy will subsequently find wider acceptance when it can be converted into power and transportable fuels at remote solar power-farms located in the arid regions of the United States and other lands that are fortunate enough to have these sunny regions. The savings to the environment could be very considerable.
Expert systems for automated maintenance of a Mars oxygen production system

Application of expert system concepts to a breadboard Mars oxygen processor unit have been studied and tested. The research was directed toward developing the methodology required to enable autonomous operation and control of these simple chemical processors at Mars. Failure detection and isolation was the key area of concern, and schemes using forward chaining, backward chaining, knowledge-based expert systems, and rule-based expert systems were examined. Tests and simulations were conducted that investigated self-health checkout, emergency shutdown, and fault detection, in addition to normal control activities. A dynamic system model was developed using the Bond-Graph technique. The dynamic model agreed well with tests involving sudden reductions in throughput. However, nonlinear effects were observed during tests that incorporated step function increases in flow variables. Computer simulations and experiments have demonstrated the feasibility of expert systems utilizing rule-based diagnosis and decision-making algorithms.
Plato's Criticism of the ``Democratic Man'' in the Republic

The article discusses two puzzles about Plato's account of the democratic person: (1) unlike his account of the democratic city, his characterization of a democratic person is markedly incorrect. (2) His criticism of a person so characterized is criticism of a straw man. The article argues that the first puzzle is resolved if we see it as a result of Plato's assumption that a democratic person is a person whose soul is isomorphic to a democratic constitution. Such a person has a desire satisfaction theory of good and adopts liberty and equality of desires as a basis for action. The article then argues that Plato's criticism brings up two problems endemic to desire satisfaction theories of good, the problem of bad desires and the problem of conflicts of desires. The criticism is that the democratic person's way of dealing with these problems, by applying the social principles of liberty and equality to his desires, is irrational.
PROVIDING RELIABLE AND ACCURATE GENETIC CAPTURE–MARK–RECAPTURE ESTIMATES IN A COST-EFFECTIVE WAY

Abstract Capture–mark–recapture (CMR) estimates assume no misidentification of individuals captured and are extremely sensitive to identification errors. A large body of published literature has demonstrated that non-invasively derived genetic tags are error-prone, and the potential biases associated with these errors are large. We provided methods to reduce and evaluate these errors. Paetkau (2004, this issue), in his comments concerning our paper, argues that no formal, statistical error testing is necessary and that good laboratory practices are sufficient to remove all error. However, he provides only anecdotal evidence that this is the case. Given the presence of a variety of errors in genetic tags and the potential for large biases associated with these errors, we argue that scientific norms require formal tests to demonstrate the absence of errors. The primary purpose of our study was to provide such tests in a manner that is not cost-prohibitive.
Approaching Grammar Instruction with a Form-Meaning-Function Perspective

Why should second and foreign language teachers tune into instructed second language acquisition (ISLA)? There are many reasons, several of which have already been addressed in this forum. This paper examines one important benefit of keeping abreast of the field, namely, the opportunity for classroom instructors to extract pedagogical insights from ISLA research and apply them in a meaningful way to their teaching.
Teaching and Cultural Domination: Re-Examining Trajectories of Traditional African Sculpture through Critique

This article examines the process by which early twentieth-century European modernists and African American artists of the Harlem Renaissance negotiated the influence of traditional African sculpture. With a focus on African American painter Aaron Douglas, the author investigates how and to what end his generation of African American artists incorporated these influences. The author additionally discusses how their methods, and the conditions surrounding them, compare to the aforementioned modernists. In examining the roots of these respective trajectories, the author discovered that various people and factors –including critics, cultural and political leaders, patrons, philanthropists, artistic/aesthetic movements, colonization, commercialization, racism, and social responsibility – impacted the abilities of modernists and African American artists to embrace or reject the influence of traditional African sculpture. The author urges art teachers and studio art professors to be mindful of the power structu...
Field Tests of a Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus in a Bait Formulation for Control of Pink Bollworms and Heliothis Spp. in Cotton in Arizona

Field tests were conducted in 1974 and 1975 to determine the effectiveness of the nuclear polyhedrosis virus isolated from the alfalfa looper, Autagrapha californica (Speyer), in controlling pink bollworms, Pechtinophora gossypielia (Saunders), and Heliothis spp. in Arizona cotton. Weekly applications of virus in water suspensions (2.97×1012 polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIB)/ha) did not have a significant effect on pink bollworms. However, 1.48×1012 PIB/ha in water caused 59% fewer bolls to be damaged by Heliothis spp., and boll damage due to Heliothis spp. was reduced further by incorporating the virus into a bait formulation. When cotton was treated with 2.97×1012 PIB in 935 liters of bait/ha, the number of pink boll worm larvae in bolls was reduced 69%, and boll damage was reduced 62% compared with untreated cotton. When cotton was treated with 935 liters of bait only (without virus) /ha, the number of larvae was reduced 42%, and boll damage was reduced 36% compared with untreated cotton. The effect of the bait alone on pink boll worms in cotton seemed to result in part from altered feeding behavior of 1st-instars; the newly-hatched larvae were observed feeding on cotton leaves when the bait was present.
Animal models for the development of human sexuality: a critical evaluation

Biological explanations of human homosexuality build upon a theoretical framework developed from the study of animals, especially that of rodents. Researchers have constructed a physiological model to explain the origin and development of "masculine" and "feminine" behavior. According to this model hormones acting at critical stages in early development organize cells in key areas of the brain. After puberty these hormonally organized brain regions are purportedly capable of activation by post-pubertally produced circulating hormones. This model of sexual development, called the organizational-activational (O/A) model, has framed research on sexual behavior in animals and animal-based accounts of human behavior for more than 30 years. However, evidence from a variety of sources has slowly accumulated requiring modification of the original premise. Continuing to use the organizational-activational model now interferes with the acquisition of new knowledge. I sketch the outlines of an alternative bio-social...
Correlation to estimate emission rates for soil-applied fumigants.

The emission rates [ER (μg m -2 s 1 )] for subsurface injections and surface chemigations for 15 fumigant applications were combined with the physicochemical properties of the fumigants [vapor pressure, VP (Pa); water solubility, S w (mg L 1 ); soil adsorption coefficient, K oc (mL g 1 )] and with application conditions [application rate, AR (kg ha -1 ); depth of application, d (cm)]. This resulted in the regression Ln ER = 3.598 - 0.9400 Ln R [R = VP × AR)/(S w × K oc × d)], which can be used to estimate emissions for new applications. Emission rates derived from the linear correlation were used as input to an atmospheric dispersion model to estimate concentrations of fumigants in air at various downwind distances, and the results were compared with concentration values measured in the field near sources. The fumigant correlation along with an atmospheric dispersion model can be used as a rapid screening method by regulatory and enforcement agencies for exposure and risk assessment.
Donnan Failure of Ion-Selective Electrodes with Hydrophilic High- Capacity Ion-Exchanger Membranes

Hydrophilic ion-exchanger membranes with a high ion-exchange capacity not only find numerous applications in ion separations, but also have interesting properties when used as sensing membranes of ion-selective electrodes (ISEs). As pointed out in the literature, the hydrophilic nature of these membranes may reduce biofouling of ISE sensing membranes as caused by electrically neutral, hydrophobic interferents. This work shows that hydrophilic high-capacity ion-exchanger membranes are more resistant to Donnan failure (i.e., the limitation of the upper detection limit by co-ion transfer into the sensing membrane) than both hydrophobic ionophore-doped and hydrophobic ionophore-free ion-exchanger membranes. Nernstian responses of hydrophilic anion-exchanger membranes were found for anions as large as 2.0 nm, in spite of the cross-linked nature of the anion exchanger that was used. This shows that the high resistance of hydrophilic anion-exchangers to Donnan failure caused by cations such as tetrabutylammonium...
Rate of deoxygenation and rheologic behavior of blood in sickle cell anemia

To understand the relationship between deoxygenation rate, rheologic behavior, and red blood cell (RBC) morphologic characteristics of blood in sickle (SS) cell anemia, washed oxy SS RBC suspensions (hematocrit, 40%) were subjected to relatively fast and gradual deoxygenation procedures. Relatively fast deoxygenation resulted in 50% decline in percent hemoglobin oxygen saturation (%HbO2) within 1 minute. The SS suspensions following relatively fast deoxygenation showed two distinct phases in viscosity profiles. First, there was a sharp increase in individual viscosities to a peak value at 7 minutes of deoxygenation. Second, prolonged deoxygenation resulted in a 27% to 37% decrease in individual viscosities at 30 minutes as compared with the respective peak values at 7 minutes. Most of the viscosity increase (ie, about fourfold) occurred within the first 3 minutes of relatively fast deoxygenation. Scanning electron microscopy and differential morphologic analysis of deoxy cells showed that at 7 minutes a majority of cells had a granular appearance that was characterized by a bumpy irregular surface and the presence of small spicule-like projections. Prolonged deoxygenation resulted in the appearance of a large percentage of elongated cells that were unlike typical sickle cells. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the elongated shape resulted from the alignment of HbS polymers into long projections. In contrast, gradual deoxygenation over a period of 30 minutes resulted in a progressive increase in viscosity and in the formation of typical sickle shapes and holly leaf cells. The results show that at matching %HbO2, the SS suspensions containing mainly granular shaped cells after 7 minutes of relatively fast deoxygenation are as viscous as the gradually deoxygenated suspensions that contain classic sickle shapes and holly leaf forms, while the suspensions having a large percentage of elongated cells (30 minutes after relatively fast deoxygenation) are the least viscous. The two distinct time-dependent viscosity phases observed after relatively fast deoxygenation probably result from differences in the RBC shape characteristics reflecting physical attributes of the polymer, which could affect cell orientation in the viscometric flow.
America's Dirty Wars: Post-9/11 COIN in the Philippines

The attacks of September 11, 2001, pushed President George W. Bush to actively combat terrorist networks around the globe, most visibly in Afghanistan where the fight against the Taliban and Al Qaeda captured the world’s attention. At the same time the American military was searching for Osama bin Laden and hunting Taliban insurgents in their isolated mountain strongholds of Afghanistan, the U.S. military initiated a number of smaller-scale operations in a variety of disparate locations that took a more indirect approach toward defeating terrorist groups. The Philippines – a recurring counterinsurgency battleground ever since the colonial wars at the turn of the twentieth century and the Magsaysay years of the 1950s – would become one example of America’s post-9/11 attempts to target the world’s murky and lawless areas that nurtured and fueled the spread of global terrorism and insurgency. While the indirect U.S. military effort in the Philippines would receive scant media coverage, it stands as an important but overlooked case of light-footprint counterinsurgency that, in the shadow of the full-scale invasion of Afghanistan, demonstrates the diversity of the American experience with counterinsurgency warfare in the heady moments of the post-9/11 era.
Exploring the safety and efficacy of targeted temperature management amongst infants with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to apparent life threatening events

Abstract Objective To explore the safety and efficacy of targeted temperature management amongst infants with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to an apparent life threatening event (ALTE) recruited to the Therapeutic Hypothermia after Paediatric Cardiac Arrest Out-of-Hospital trial. Methods Fifty-four infants (48h to Results Amongst infants with pre-arrest VABS-II ≥70 (n=52), there was no difference in 12-month survival with VABS-II ≥70 between therapeutic hypothermia and therapeutic normothermia groups (2/25 (8.0%) vs. 1/27 (3.7%); relative risk 2.16; 95% confidence interval 0.21–22.38, p=0.60). Amongst all evaluable infants (n=53), the change in VABS-II score from pre-arrest to 12 months post-arrest did not differ (p=0.078) between therapeutic hypothermia and therapeutic normothermia groups, nor did 12-month survival (5/26 (19.2%) vs. 1/27 (3.7%); relative risk 5.19; 95% confidence interval 0.65–41.50, p=0.10). Conclusions Mortality was high amongst infants that were comatose after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to ALTE in both therapeutic hypothermia and therapeutic normothermia treated groups. Functional status was markedly reduced among survivors. (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00878644)
Persuasive Ethopoeia in Dionysius's Lysias

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from doi:10.1525/rh.2013.31.1.34
Dehydration tolerance in relation to short day length in nonfed Amblyomma maculatum Koch, 1844 ticks (Acari: Ixodidae)

ABSTRACTTicks utilize a variety of strategies to mitigate water loss and enhance their off-host survival. This is the first report of a primarily tropical zone tick, the Gulf Coast tick Amblyomma maculatum, vector of Rickettsia parkeri, to regulate water loss by photoperiodic induction. Under short-day conditions (10 h:14 h L:D), water loss rates are decreased. This has a positive effect on survival by extending the time it takes to reach the dehydration tolerance limit. When cycled between long- and short-day conditions, the water loss rate drops and then returns to a faster rate after re-entering long-day conditions; this can occur quickly (within a day), multiple times, and in more than one life history stage. The decrease in water loss is more pronounced in immatures than adults. The percentage body water content, dehydration tolerance limit and critical equilibrium humidity are independent of photoperiodic changes. We conclude that any nonfed stage is adapted for survival by enhanced water conservati...
The Role of Multiresolution in Mining Massive Image Datasets

Scientists are collecting data from observations and simulations at an ever increasing pace. In order to extract useful information from these massive datasets, they are turning to data mining techniques as an attractive solution approach. Data mining is an iterative and interactive process that consists of data pre-processing and pattern recognition. Pre-processing the raw data in order to transform it into a form suitable for pattern recognition is an important and timeconsuming first step. In this paper, we discuss the crucial role multiresolution techniques can play in the pre-processing of massive datasets. Using both simulated and real images, we describe our work in de-noising image data using wavelet-based multiresolution techniques. Our initial experiences show that a judicious choice of wavelet transforms, threshold selection methods, and threshold application schemes can effectively reduce the noise in the data without a significant loss of the signal.
III. LIPOLYTIC ACTIVITY1

The following lactic acid bacteria, when tested with the agar-well method, were able to hydrolyze tributyrin and triolein, but not soybean oil: Streptococcus lactis, Streptococcus cremoris, Streptococcus diacetilactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Pediococcus cerevisiae, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus pentosus, and Lactobacillus brevis. Tributyrin only was hydrolyzed by Lactobacillus helveticus. Some free fatty acids were liberated by L. casei, L. delbrueckii, and S. thermophilus in soymilk (1.9% soybean lipids) and in MRS broth fortified with 2.0% soybean oil during a 14-day period of incubation. Although L. casei and L. delbrueckii were more active in soymilk than was S. thermophilus, they released about 10% of the amount of free fatty acids liberated by Candida lipolytica during a similar incubation period.
A new species of Deltaspis Audinet-Serville (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae: Cerambycinae) from Mexico

As currently defined, the genus Deltaspis Audinet-Serville, 1834, contains 16 species ranging in distribution from the southwestern United States to eastern Mexico. However, the generic distinction between Deltaspis and its closely allied genera, such as Crossidius LeConte, 1851 and Muscidora Thomson, 1864, is in need of clarification. According to Audinet-Serville, Deltaspis is so named due to its distinctive triangular scutellum (i.e., Δeτα, delta, ασπιζ ecusson), which is actually a commonly shared character of all these genera. Members of the tribe Trachyderini Dupont (1836), which includes the above genera, also have mandibles with an emarginate-truncate apex with the edge chisel-like or bifid. This modification of mouthpart appears to be for consumption of pollen and/or petals from composite flowers visited by the adult beetles (Krenn et al ., 2005; Beierl & Barchet-Beierl, 1999). Other genera from this tribe with this modification of mandibles from North America, and mostly from Mexico, include: Chemsakiella Monne, 2006, Giesbertia Chemsak & Linsley, 1984, Hoegea Bates, 1885, Neocrossidius Chemsak, 1959, Paroxoplus Chemsak, 1959, Plionoma Casey , 1912, Schizax LeConte , 1873, and Tylosis LeConte, 1850. The remainder of Trachyderini genera have unmodified or simple mandibles with apex acute.
Co-delivery of a growth factor and a tissue-protective molecule using elastin biopolymers accelerates wound healing in diabetic mice.

Growth factor therapy is a promising approach for chronic diabetic wounds, but strategies to efficiently and cost-effectively deliver active molecules to the highly proteolytic wound environment remain as major obstacles. Here, we re-engineered keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and the cellular protective peptide ARA290 into a protein polymer suspension with the purpose of increasing their proteolytic resistance, thus their activity in vivo. KGF and ARA290 were fused with elastin-like peptide (ELP), a protein polymer derived from tropoelastin, that confers the ability to separate into a colloidal suspension of liquid-like coacervates. ELP fusion did not diminish peptides activities as demonstrated by ability of KGF-ELP to accelerate keratinocyte proliferation and migration, and ARA290-ELP to protect cells from apoptosis. We examined the healing effect of ARA290-ELP and KGF-ELP alone or in combination, in a full-thickness diabetic wound model. In this model, ARA290-ELP was found to accelerate healing, notably by increasing angiogenesis in the wound bed. We further showed that co-delivery of ARA290 and KGF, with the 1:4 KGF-ELP to ARA290-ELP ratio, was the most effective wound treatment with the fastest healing rate, the thicker granulation tissue and regenerated epidermis after 28 days. Overall, this study shows that ARA290-ELP and KGF-ELP constitute promising new therapeutics for treatment of chronic wounds.
Thyratron stability improvements of SNS extraction kicker system

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) extraction kicker system is a high power 60Hz pulsed system used to eject a proton beam from the accumulator ring and transfer it to the mercury target. The system consists of 14 Blumlein pulse forming network (PFN) modulators that require precise timing synchronization and fast rise times. Timing jitter can result in a modulator potentially firing outside of the ideal extraction time and causing excessive beam loss. A commercial thyratron is used as the high voltage switching element in the PFN. Adjustments to the reservoir and filament heater power are used to stabilize firing times as the thyratron ages but this can reduce the lifetime of the thyratrons that are used to switch the PFN. This paper discusses the thyratron system itself, focusing on the control of the filaments and reservoir heater power sources to eliminate line sync issues and further stabilize the grid to extend lifetime in new and aging thyratrons and the results of the improvements made.
Assessing dose variance from immobilization devices in VMAT head and neck treatment planning: A retrospective case study analysis.

Abstract Immobilization devices serve several purposes in radiation oncology including improved positional reproducibility and decreased patient movement. If immobilization device beam attenuation is unaccounted for in the treatment planning process, planning target volume (PTV) coverage can be compromised. A retrospective case study was performed to evaluate beam attenuation from head and neck (HN) immobilization devices in volumetric-modulated arc therapy using the Eclipse treatment planning system and the Anisotropic Analytical Algorithm. Three facilities retrospectively evaluated 15 patients with various HN carcinomas. A test plan was created from each patient's existing plan in Eclipse to include immobilization devices in the dose calculation. Plan comparisons were performed using dose-volume histograms, which assessed the maximum dose, percentage of the PTV that received 95% of the prescription dose (V95), and dose covering 100% of the PTV (D100). The test plan normalization values were then adjusted to match the original PTV coverage. The maximum dose difference calculated ranged from 0.3% to 4.1%. The absolute difference in V95 coverage between the HN and the test plans ranged from 0.4% to 2.3%. The difference in the D100 was more statistically significant, reporting a range of 1.2% to 71.4%. Finally, to achieve the same PTV coverage as observed in the HN plan, an adjustment to the normalization value was needed, which required a change ranging from 0.1 to 7.7. Attenuation from immobilization devices, when unaccounted for, can cause a misrepresentation of the dose delivered to the PTV. It is not a standardized practice among institutions to include immobilization devices within the body contour for dose calculations. However, with the increasing use of volumetric-modulated arc therapy for treatment of the HN region, precision is of the utmost importance, and inclusion of immobilization devices should be standardized.
A Collaborative Model for Organizational Transformation

The purpose of this study was to develop a collaborative learning and communication model for higher education. On a university campus there are various psycho-social and organizational barriers to collaboration inside and outside of the classrooms. Scholars have stated that teachers rarely talk with each other about their teaching, there is little multi-disciplinary research and studies have shown that there is little or no collaboration in meetings and forums outside of university classrooms. So, what are the barriers to collaborative communication and learning and how can these barriers be removed through collaborative strategies? These are the questions that this study explored. Through the understanding of the psycho-social and organizational barriers to collaboration, strategies began to unfold and a new model for collaborative learning and communication was developed. This model reflects a high synergy, totally integrated social and cognitive system for individual and organizational transformation.
Propagule risk in a marine foundation species: Seascape effects on Zostera marina seed predation

Both biotic and abiotic factors can affect whether seagrass meadows establish as large, continuous features or as a mosaic of smaller patches, and these processes act across multiple spatial scales. Of these processes, sexual recruitment is considered vital for the recovery and resilience of seagrass meadows. Because numerous estuarine fauna can impact sexual recruitment by consuming seeds, it is important to understand variation in seed consumption throughout the seascape. We sought to determine how cross‐scale processes affected seed consumption of Zostera marina, a widely distributed seagrass species. We deployed seed predation units (SPU) within patches ranging in size from 0.28 to 28.48 m², and on unvegetated, sandy bottom. Seed consumption was analysed across patch sizes, at patch centres and edges and within the context of total seagrass cover within buffer zones surrounding SPU locations. Using structural equation modelling, we found that measured seascape parameters explained 34% of the observed variation in seed consumption. Specifically, we found that seagrass presence had the strongest effect on seed predation followed by a negative effect of patch size on seed consumption. Although there was no direct effect of percent seagrass cover (within a 4‐m buffer of the SPU) on seed predation, percent seagrass cover had a negative indirect effect through its positive correlation with patch size. However, we found that once variation due to patch size and areal cover were accounted for, seeds placed at patch interiors actually experienced greater consumption rates. We did not find similar relationships with our potential seed consumers, although our snapshot sampling likely obscured transient effects. We argue that seagrass recruitment could be affected by seed predation, which is influenced by multiple processes, including predator dispersal, behaviour and aggregation. Since seed‐based restoration is becoming more common, and the role of sexual recruitment in meadow maintenance appears to be increasingly important for seagrass resilience, our results demonstrate that for current management strategies to be successful, there is a need to better understand seed predation in seagrass‐dominated seascapes. Synthesis. Factors that influence propagule supply and recruitment success of seagrass operate and interact across multiple spatial scales, which can have implications for management.
The utility of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) for diagnosing sepsis in the immediate postpartum period.

BACKGROUND The systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis definitions were developed to improve the ability for early detection of infection and sepsis. We studied the incidence of immediate postpartum SIRS and sepsis. We further studied immediate postpartum SIRS as a potential predictor for immediate postpartum sepsis. METHODS This was a retrospective study of 638 immediate postpartum women who delivered either vaginally or by cesarean section. Multivariate logistic regression was used for statistical analysis. Predictor variables included demographic, labor and delivery, and SIRS variables to determine their association with acute immediate postpartum sepsis. RESULTS We found that 72.10% of vital signs of immediate postpartum women met SIRS criteria while only 1.25% had sepsis. Both preterm gestational age of <37 weeks (OR:19.09, 95% CI:4.13, 88.36, p < 0.001) and only one of the four SIRS criteria of abnormal temperature (OR:25.90, 95% CI: 3.17, 211.52, p = 0.002) were each significantly associated with increased odds for sepsis. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that immediate postpartum SIRS is not useful for the identification of immediate postpartum sepsis. Furthermore, SIRS does not appear to be a useful screening tool for infection and sepsis in the immediate postpartum period.
Distributed Spatial and Spatio-Temporal Join on Apache Spark

Effective processing of extremely large volumes of spatial data has led to many organizations employing distributed processing frameworks. Apache Spark is one such open source framework that is enjoying widespread adoption. Within this data space, it is important to note that most of the observational data (i.e., data collected by sensors, either moving or stationary) has a temporal component or timestamp. To perform advanced analytics and gain insights, the temporal component becomes equally important as the spatial and attribute components. In this article, we detail several variants of a spatial join operation that addresses both spatial, temporal, and attribute-based joins. Our spatial join technique differs from other approaches in that it combines spatial, temporal, and attribute predicates in the join operator. In addition, our spatio-temporal join algorithm and implementation differs from others in that it runs in commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) application. The users of this functionality are assumed to be GIS analysts with little if any knowledge of the implementation details of spatio-temporal joins or distributed processing. They are comfortable using simple tools that do not provide the ability to tweak the configuration of the algorithm or processing environment. The spatio-temporal join algorithm behind the tool must always succeed, regardless of input data parameters (e.g., it can be highly irregularly distributed, contain large numbers of coincident points, it can be extremely large, etc.). These factors combine to place additional requirements on the algorithm that are uncommonly found in the traditional research environment. Our spatio-temporal join algorithm was shipped as part of the GeoAnalytics Server [12], part of the ArcGIS Enterprise platform from version 10.5 onward.