cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antenna location effects on the capacity of MIMO DSRC channels

Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) [1], an automotive communication protocol, is popular for its potential application like Lane Changing Warning (LCW), Forward Collision Warning (FCW) in ensuring traffic safety and reducing traffic accidents. The major challenge in developing such application to provide a 360 degrees view of traffic status is to overcome the hurdle provided by the obstacles in form of buildings (in intersection), heavy vehicles (in case of overtaking), generally categorized as Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) scenarios [2]. In this work, we have used a vehicle as an obstacle between two other vehicles (at the transmitting and receiving ends). Antennas were placed at various locations on the vehicles' bodies. A total of 15 transmitters and receivers were spread out on the rear, center and front of two vehicles. The two vehicles were separated by two different distances: 10 meters and 15 meters, and the obstacle vehicle was positioned at the center, between these vehicles. This multiple antenna system was studied at two different locations. One location was in the area of College of Engineering and Mines, University of North Dakota, and the other was in the area around Walmart in Grand Forks, ND. Commercial simulation software, Wireless InSite® from Remcom Inc. [3], was utilized. Initially, the response of each receiver with respect to each transmitter was analyzed depending on the received power. By adopting the concept of Multiple Input and Multiple Output (MIMO) [4–5], different combination of transmitters and receivers were used to evaluate the channel capacity of a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication system in respect to antenna position [6]. These NLOS cases were compared to Line-of-Sight (LOS) cases (studied previously in [6]) when the obstacle vehicle was removed from the transmitting and receiving vehicle. The obtained capacities values were then compared with the capacity for a MIMO Rayleigh fading channel [7]. Furthermore, the impact of inclusion of phase of the received signal on channel capacity equation was studied.
Notes from the field: teachers using reflection to transform classroom practice and themselves as practitioners

The use of reflection to improve teachers’ classroom practice is an intense process of self‐examination as well as an in‐depth, honest confrontation of longstanding perceptions and attitudes toward student achievement and its connection to the teaching and learning process. This article is a study of a group of teachers in an urban New Jersey school district in the US engaged in the improvement of their strategies and skills in the teaching of writing to at‐risk students. Finding and communicating a values‐based, moral purpose for this improvement requires a deliberate shift from placing blame for poor student achievement on the myriad of existing external factors to seeking internal solutions through collaboration, cooperation and a self‐assessment of the teacher as well as the learner. The project demonstrates how dialogue, journaling and reflection can challenge the status‐quo and ultimately transform classrooms into centers of discovery and inquiry. (Names of participants and schools were changed to p...
Mealtime problems predict outcome in clinical trial to improve nutrition in children with CF

Better growth and nutritional status is strongly associated with better pulmonary function and survival in children with CF. Behavioral intervention is an efficacious treatment approach for improving calorie intake and weight gain in children with CF; and recently has been shown to facilitate maintenance of daily energy intake at 120% of the healthy population over a 2-year period. However, no study to date has examined factors that predict outcome with behavior intervention to promote weight gain in CF. The objectives of this study were to examine the influence of nutritional status, mealtime behavior problems, and maternal depressive symptoms on calorie intake and weight gain following participation in a randomized trial to improve nutritional status in cystic fibrosis. Sixty-seven children, aged 4-12 years with cystic fibrosis participated in a clinical trial targeting calorie and weight increases. Participants completed baseline measures of mealtime behavior problems, maternal depression, and fat absorption, and baseline and post-treatment caloric intake and weight. Assignment to behavioral group (R(2) change = 0.17), lower frequency of mealtime behavior problems (R(2) change = 0.11), and higher maternal depression (R(2) change = 0.06) predicted greater calorie increase baseline to post-treatment. Assignment to behavioral group (R(2) change = 0.09), higher baseline weight (R(2) change = 0.10), fat absorption (R(2) change = 0.02), and lower frequency of mealtime behavior problems (R(2) change = 0.06) predicted greater weight gain baseline to post-treatment. Less frequent mealtime behavior problems led to better calorie intake and weight gain in a 9-week clinical trial of behavior intervention and nutrition education to improve nutritional status in cystic fibrosis. The key implication from these findings is that early referral to behavioral intervention as soon as growth deficits become a concern will likely yield the best nutritional outcomes.
Attachment of cobalt picket fence porphyrin to the surface of gold electrodes coated with 1-(10-mercaptodecyl)imidazole

Self-assembled monolayers of 1-(10-mercaptodecyl)imidazole on Au electrodes were used to bind cobalt “picket fence” porphyrin (cobalt 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(α,α,α,α-2-pivalamidophenyl)porphyrin) to the electrode surface. The binding involved coordination of the cobalt center of the porphyrin to the pendant imidazole groups in the monolayer coating. Attempts to coordinate the Co(II) oxidation state of the porphyrin to the coatings were not successful. However, with the Co(III) oxidation state, substantial binding was achieved which persisted even when the Co(III) was reduced to Co(II). Absorption spectra of the attached porphyrin were obtained for both oxidation states of the cobalt center. The remaining axial coordination site on the attached cobalt porphyrin is accessible to ligands, for example, imidazole, in aqueous solution.
Iconic images of wounded soldiers by Henry Tonks

AbstractDuring World War I, British painter Henry Tonks created 72 pastels of soldiers showing the pre-operative status of facial wounds.Working for surgeon Harold Delf Gillies at the Cambridge Military Hospital and Queen Mary's Hospital, Tonks not only depicted the physical condition of the men but also offered a sense of their humanity and suffering. Not widely displayed to the public until recent interest in the full graphic record of the war reasserted their value, Tonks' images of wounded servicemen are now iconic because they allow audiences to see what was kept hidden: the horrific consequences of mechanized warfare on the human body. Drawing from modern rhetorical theory, this article examines the portraits of Pte. William Fry and Pte. Walter Ashworth. The article posits viewing as a transaction between the properties of the image and the situation of the viewer, in which the spectator is an active creator of meaning.
Small bowel erosion after aortic replacement by synthetic graft.

Abstract Massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage after erosion by prosthetic grafts has been reported as one of the most serious complications of aortic surgery. Clinically, however, it is difficult to differentiate bleeding from simple erosion by the graft from aortoenteric fistula. A case is presented in which bowel wall erosion, graft contamination, and aortic suture line disruption occurred in that order. Erosion is probably an important and early link in the chain of events leading to aortoenteric fistulization and in all such cases the contaminated graft must be removed. Several important preventive measures to be carried out during the initial procedure are mentioned.
Effect of poststrike disturbance on strike-induced chemosensory searching in the prairie rattlesnake (Crotalus v. viridis).

Striking prey induces a sustained, high rate of tongue flicking in various species of rattlesnakes. Called strike-induced chemosensory searching (SICS), this phenomenon facilitates location of an envenomated rodent which might wander several meters from the snake after the strike. In the present experiment, prairie rattlesnakes ( Crotalus viridis ) were exposed to disturbing stimulation immediately after striking mice ( Mus musculus ). This stimulation caused the snake to emit various defensive behaviors, and SICS was suppressed during and for several minutes following the disturbance. However, after defensive behaviors disappeared, SICS emerged at full intensity, indicating that snakes retain the chemosensory consequences of striking over the retention interval created by the disturbance. Implications of this finding for the mediation of SICS are discussed; probable mechanisms include chemical aftereffects of the strike and/or a central nervous system representation of prey created or retrieved from memory as a consequence of the predatory strike.
Cohomology of λ-rings

Abstract A cohomology theory for λ-rings is developed. This is then applied to study deformations of λ-rings.
The “Zhanguoce” school's effort of wartime cultural reconstruction, 1940–1942

This article examines the Zhanguoce school's unique cultural, historical, and political thinking in the context of cultural transformation and a search for meaning during the Anti-Japanese War (1937–1945). The group was mainly composed of scholars who were born in the 1900s and educated in America and Europe. Keenly concerned for China's survival and influenced by the theories of Oswald Spengler, Arnold Toynbee and Chinese Legalism, the group challenged the May Fourth intellectual legacy of positivism and evidential research, presenting in its place an amoral, militarist worldview, a culture-based global historical theory, and a state-centered political philosophy. The school attempted moreover to interpret world history in the light of the Chinese historical pattern. Their radical outlook was quite different from the contemporaneous trends of positivism and historical materialism, but they did attempt to provide an alternative ideology to guide China's wartime cultural reconstruction.
Tolerances for cerebral concussion from head impact and whiplash in primates

Abstract Experimental head impact and whiplash injury experiments have been conducted in 3 sub-human primate species in order to define tolerance thresholds for onset of cerebral concussion. Preliminary analysis of our data support a hypothesis that approximately half of the potential for brain injury during impact to the unprotected movable head is related to head rotation, the remaining brain injury potential of the blow is related to the contact phenomena of the impact. Data derived in these experiments is compared with values predicted from some scaling considerations previously developed. Predictions are made that the levels of head rotation during whiplash, in excess of 1800 rad./sec 2 , will probably result in cerebral concussion in man.
Temperature variation of the absorption edge of CVD amorphous and polycrystalline silicon

Abstract Amorphous silicon films were prepared by the pyrolytic decomposition of silane (CVD). Their optical reflectance and transmittance in the near-infrared and in the visible regions werem measured at temperatures between -25 and 500°C. Optical absorption profiles and refractive indices of the films were calculated, and the thermal red shift of the absorption profile was determined. These measurements were repeated following crystallization of the silicon films. The significance of the results for thermal conversion of solar energy with CVD silicon as the absorbing material is discussed.
Gas chromatographic mass spectrometric indication of double bond position in monounsaturated primary acetates and alcohols without derivatization

Electron impact mass spectra of straight chain, monounsaturated C12 to C18 acetates and alcohols have been shown to be useful in the indication of the double bond position on an empirical basis. The ratio of intensities of the m/z 55 and m/z 54 ions increases proportionately as the double bond is moved away from the acetate or alcohol functional group. The intensity of the m/z 61 ion also can be correlated with the double bond position. Results are generally accurate to ±1 carbon atom.
An evaluation of procedures to estimate monthly precipitation probabilities

Abstract Many frequency distributions have been used to evaluate monthly precipitation probabilities. Eight of these distributions (including Pearson type III, extreme value, and transform normal probability density functions) are comparatively examined to determine their ability to represent accurately variations in monthly precipitation totals for global hydroclimatological analyses. Results indicate that a modified version of the Box-Cox transform-normal distribution more adequately describes the ‘true’ precipitation distribution than does any of the other methods. This assessment was made using a cross-validation procedure for a global network of 253 stations for which at least 100 years of monthly precipitation totals were available.
Cardiac function and hematocrit level

Patients on dialysis have an age-adjusted death rate 3.5 times that of the general population. The most common cause of death in patients on dialysis is cardiovascular disease. We prospectively followed a cohort of 433 patients in three centers for a mean of 41 months. Mean hemoglobin level at the beginning of dialysis was 8.39 (+/- 1.7) g/dL, and the mean hemoglobin level during follow-up was 8.84 (+/- 1.5) g/dL. Using Cox's regression model, we found that anemia predicted mortality independently of age, diabetes mellitus, cardiac failure, hypoalbuminemia, serum creatinine, mean arterial pressure, or echocardiographic heart disease. The independent relative risk (RR) of mortality was 1.18 per 1.0 g/dL decrease in hemoglobin level. Anemia also independently predicted the de novo occurrence of congestive heart failure when the same covariates were controlled for (RR, 1.49 per 1.0 g/dL decrease). Anemia was also independently predictive of heart failure at the start of dialysis (RR, 1.14 per 1.0 g/dL decrease) and heart failure recurrence (RR, 1.25 per 1.0 g/dL decrease). Left ventricular hypertrophy is present in 75% of patients on dialysis at the start of therapy for end-stage renal disease. It independently predicts mortality. Our prospective cohort study identified increasing age, hypertension, and anemia as risk factors for its development. One controlled study and several uncontrolled studies demonstrated improvement (but not complete regression) of elevated left ventricular mass in patients on dialysis treated with recombinant human erythropoietin (epoetin).
The law of mass action.

If clinical research is viewed through the lens of the classic 1962 movie Two for the Seesaw, then there must be a fulcrum around which tilt factors act to push the balance down in favor of one or ...
Spillovers And Vulnerability: The Case Of Community Uninsurance

This paper studies the uninsured as a vulnerable population. We contend that reducing the size of the uninsured population yields important spillover benefits to the insured population, benefits that go beyond a lower charity care burden. Evidence presented in this paper reinforces studies in the literature that show that problems of health services quality and access facing insured people increase when the proportion of uninsured people in their local communities is greater. The size of such spillover benefits is reduced if the local market is large enough to be segmented based on insurance status.
Chelate Extractions Involving Three Liquid Phases: Role of Water

Abstract An experimental technique has been developed to determine the effect of solvent polarity on the removal of associated water molecules from metal chelates during extraction. It was found that tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline)iron(II) perchlorate had two spheres of water associated with it—one that could be displaced by organic solvent and one that could not.
Are Pediatric Practice Settings Adolescent Friendly? An Exploration of Attitudes and Preferences

This study describes adolescent preferences about offices and waiting. Fifty-four adolescents participated in 12 discussion groups, which were audiotaped and transcribed. The transcripts were analyzed qualitatively. Two themes emerged about the health care environment: (1) making the interior design less childish, more teen-oriented, and more home-like; and (2) decreasing waiting time and enhancing waiting experience by providing teen diversions (e.g., magazines, tv, games). Teens preferred that artwork portray realistic images, that medical paraphernalia be hidden, and that colors be neutral. Modifying interior decor, constructing smaller subwaiting areas, and incorporating diversions that are teen-oriented may help promote positive health care experiences and utilization by adolescents.
Body Mass Index and Renal Cell Cancer: The Influence of Race and Sex

Cancers of the kidney and renal pelvis account for 3 to 4 percent of all new cancers diagnosed in the United States, with an estimated 58,000 cases diagnosed in 2010.1 Renal cell cancer is the predominant form, accounting for approximately 90% of kidney cancers diagnosed, mostly adenocarcinomas originating in the renal parenchyma.2 The incidence of renal cell (or renal) cancer has increased over the past several decades in the U.S.2;3 and continues to rise, although the increasing incidence appears confined to patients diagnosed with early-stage disease.3 The epidemic increases in the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. may contribute to the observed trends in renal cancer incidence, as obesity is an established risk factor.4 The risk of renal cancer associated with body mass index (BMI) increases in a dose-response manner, with a 2-fold increase in risk observed among the obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and a nearly 3-fold increase among the severely obese (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2).5 It has been estimated that approximately 25% of renal cancer diagnosed in the U.S. is attributed to excess body weight.6 Body size in early adulthood, abdominal obesity and weight fluctuation have all been linked to renal cancer; however, these measures have been less thoroughly investigated and the totality of reported findings is inconclusive.5;7–9 Height has also been shown to be positively related to renal cancer in some studies5;10–13 but not all.14;15 Other established risk factors for renal cancer include hypertension and cigarette smoking.2 According to Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data, both the incidence of renal cancer and subsequent mortality are approximately two times higher among men than women.1 The racial differences in incidence and mortality are less pronounced, with Asians experiencing the lowest rates of renal cancer. The incidence is higher among blacks than whites with comparable mortality rates.7 The prevalence of known risk factors, most notably obesity and hypertension, vary by both race and sex and may have a differential influence on risk of renal cancer in these groups. The Kidney Cancer Study, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), is one of the largest studies of epidemiologic risk factors for renal cancer in the United States. The aims of the current analysis are to investigate the race- and sex-specific associations of renal cancer with BMI (both in early adulthood and closer to time of diagnosis) change in BMI, and adult height.
Change detection in rainfall and temperature patterns over India

The changes in rainfall and temperature patterns over India were detected using Mann-Kendall trend test, Bayesian change point analysis, and a hidden Markov model. A regionalization method was developed to identify homogeneous regions that experience similar weather states. The regionalization helped in finding contiguous regions with strong change signals. The data were investigated at different temporal and spatial resolution to explore the nature of changes. The study found that all India summer monsoon is stable, but the winter or the north-east monsoon is gradually intensifying. It also detected an abrupt drop in the winter and spring temperature over north-central India and a gradual increase in the summer temperature over the peninsular India. Robustness of the detected changes were evaluated using recent reanalysis datasets.
On naming new subclasses of meteorites

It is proposed that any subclass of meteorite that may in future be required be named for the fall that proves to be the archetype of the subclass; e.g., if the Norton County, Kansas-Furnas County, Nebraska (1000,400), fall of 1948 February 18 be found to represent a new subclass, this would well be termed nortonite, with the symbol A2no.
Fat/water separation using a concentric rings trajectory.

The concentric rings two-dimensional (2D) k-space trajectory enables flexible trade-offs between image contrast, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), spatial resolution, and scan time. However, to realize these benefits for in vivo imaging applications, a robust method is desired to deal with fat signal in the acquired data. Multipoint Dixon techniques have been shown to achieve uniform fat suppression with high SNR-efficiency for Cartesian imaging, but application of these methods for non-Cartesian imaging is complicated by the fact that fat off-resonance creates significant blurring artifacts in the reconstruction. In this work, two fat–water separation algorithms are developed for the concentric rings. A retracing design is used to sample rings near the center of k-space through multiple revolutions to characterize the fat–water phase evolution difference at multiple time points. This acquisition design is first used for multipoint Dixon reconstruction, and then extended to a spectroscopic approach to account for the trajectory's full evolution through 3D k-t space. As the trajectory is resolved in time, off-resonance effects cause shifts in frequency instead of spatial blurring in 2D k-space. The spectral information can be used to assess field variation and perform robust fat–water separation. In vivo experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of both algorithms. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
From the Stalk to Down Under about Brain Glucocorticoid Receptors, Stress and Development

George Fink witnessed the birth of modern neuroendocrinology while examining with Geoffrey Harris the secrets of the pituitary stalk secretagogs. From thereon neuroendocrine systems were identified that linked experience and behavior with hormone secretion and action. A prime example of this integration of body and mind with the environment is provided by the corticosteroid hormones released from the adrenals in one hour pulses and after stress. Corticosteroids coordinate cell and organ function with membrane properties and gene transcription over time spans from milliseconds to hours, days, weeks and even a life time. Here we report that also the receptors display a remarkable plasticity in determining the fate of an organism.
Characterization of substance P effects on sphincter of Oddi myoelectric activity

Abstract We examined the effects of substance P (SP) on the myoelectric activity of the opossum sphincter of Oddi (SO). Myoelectric data from the SO in five adult opossums were recorded using thin stainless steel electrodes and computer-assisted analog-to-digital conversion. In fully awake and conscious animals, baseline spikeburst activity during phase I of the MMC occurred at a frequency of 28.6 ± 3.1 spikebursts (SB) per 20-min period. Intravenous infusion of graded doses of substance P (from 0.5 to 8.0 μg/kg) stimulated SO myoelectric activity in a dose-related manner (from 80 ± 8 to 235 ± 11 SB/20 min, respectively, P 2 -blocker, cimetidine (92.0 ± 6.1 vs 48.2 ± 7.0, n = 5, P P > 0.05). We conclude that SP stimulated the SO spikeburst frequency in a dose-dependent fashion. Cimetidine markedly inhibited the response of the SO to SP but atropine did not. The excitatory effect of substance P on the opossum SO is mediated at least in part by a histaminergic, noncholinergic pathway.
Finite linearly ordered fuzzy sets with applications to decisions

We introduce S-fuzzy sets as fuzzy sets whose membership grades lie in a finite linearly ordered set. We extend the basic operations from fuzzy sets to these sets. We introduce the shift operation on S fuzzy sets. We then use this new operation to present a method for multiple objective decision making with ordinal information on both membership grades and importances of the objectives.
Apolipoprotein A-IV-2 allele: association of its worldwide distribution with adult persistence of lactase and speculation on its function and origin.

Apolipoprotein A-IV (apo A-IV) is a 46-Kd plasma glycoprotein that may play a major role in intestinal lipid absorption. A genetic polymorphism in the apo A-IV gene, apo A-IV-2, encodes a His-->Gln substitution at codon 360 that alters the biological function of this apolipoprotein. As the worldwide distribution of the apo A-IV-2 allele appeared similar to the frequency of a genetic polymorphism that determines the persistence of lactase into adulthood, we examined the relationship between the apo A-IV-2 and lactase persistence polymorphisms by compiling the prevalence of adult lactase persistence in all populations in which the frequency of the apo A-IV-2 allele has been determined. Across 29 groups, there was an extremely strong correlation (4 = 0.937, P < 0.000001) between apo A-IV-2 allele frequency and the prevalence of adult lactase persistence. Apo A-IV-2 allele frequency was highest in Iceland, an ancient Viking colony, and decreased across Europe in a north-to-south and west-to-east gradient, generally following hypothetical isoclines for the lactase persistence gene. There were no correlations between the population frequencies of the apo E2, E3, or E4 alleles and either the prevalence of lactase persistence or the frequency of the apo A-IV-2 allele. In light of the effects of the apo A-IV-2 polymorphism on lipid metabolism, we speculate that the apo A-IV-2 allele may have originated in ancient Scandinavia, spread by conferring a nutritional advantage in the setting of a lifelong high milkfat intake, and was later carried southwards by the Viking incursions into Europe.
Model based fuzzy control

Fuzzy controllers can be made to adapt to changing process and environment dynamics. This paper presents one methodology to adapt the initial knowledge base to changing operating conditions. The membership functions associated with the process controller output are adjusted in response to future or past performance of the feedback control system. A linearized process model is identified on line and is used to predict the future performance to the controller. This performance index is used to adapt the controller as long as the identified process model is statistically reliable. If the process model is considered unreliable, then an index related to the past performance of the controller is used to make the adjustments.
A few parts in 10 8 geodetic baseline repeatability in the Gulf of California using the Global Positioning System

GPS geodetic measurements of 350-650 km baselines across the Pacific-North America plate boundary in the Gulf of California are presented. The analysis employs a four-station U.S. fiducial network and combined carrier phase and pseudorange data. Water vapor radiometer data at the Gulf sites are used to calibrate the GPS signal for wet tropospheric path delays. Residual tropospheric delays are modeled as first-order exponentially correlated stochastic processes. The measurement precision for horizontal components is a few parts in 10 to the 8th or better.
Perioperative blood contact and exposures: A comparison of incident reports and focused studies☆

Abstract Background: Occupational blood exposures among operating room personnel have been substantially underreported in incident reports. Recent research has indicated several common factors influencing exposure rates: surgical service (thoracic, neurosurgery, orthopedic), length of operation, and emergency status. Methods: This report examines further data from a study of 8502 surgical cases in nine hospitals, in which a site coordinator and circulating nurses reported consecutive case information, including blood contacts that occurred during the procedures. For three of the participating hospitals, incident reports of blood exposures among operating room personnel that occurred during a 12-month period before the study were also tabulated. Results: Incident reports underreported parenteral exposures (punctures, mucous membrane and nonintact skin contact with patient blood) by as much as a factor of 25. Individual hospital rates of occupational surgical blood exposure varied considerably. Conclusions: To ensure that resources to prevent occupational blood exposure are allocated appropriately, on the basis of actual risk, among all personnel, hospitals must actively monitor blood exposures in their operating rooms.
Femtomole detection of amino acids and dipeptides by gas chromatography—negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry following alkylation with pentafluorobenzyl bromide

Amino acids and di- and tripeptides were derivatized by extractive alkylation using pentafluorobenzyl bromide (PFBBr) followed by reaction with heptafluorobutyric anhydride (HFBA) and N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA). Good chromatographic separation and the formation of intense diagnostic ions were observed for the derivative when examined using gas chromatography—negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry (GC—NICI-MS). Of the 20 amino acids investigated, only Arg and Glu could not be detected by this method. Also, dipeptides which included neutral amino acid residues were derivatized with more success than those containing either acidic or basic residues. Each of the amino acids or dipeptides formed one major derivative with the exception of Asn which formed two derivatives with either one or two HFB groups. This derivatization method was optimized with respect to the reaction temperature, reaction time, and choice of derivatizing reagents. Recoveries of derivatized [3H]-labeled Phe, Lys, and Thr were 76, 55, and 34%, respectively. Linearity was observed from 10 to 2000 pg of Ala per vial; selected-ion monitoring provided a detection limit of less than 150 fg with a signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 80 to 1. This method has proven to work well with urine samples and shows great promise for the detection of small peptides at low levels.
Local Immunity to Influenza Virus in Chicken Tracheal Organ Cultures

Immunity to influenza A virus was demonstrated in tracheal organ cultures by parallel titration of challenge virus in replicate cultures prepared from control and virus-inoculated chickens. Five to 10 times more virus was required to infect 50% of cultures from chickens inoculated intranasally and intratracheally with active virus than from control chickens or from chickens with serum antibody induced by intramuscular and intraperitoneal inoculation of inactivated virus. Viral yield from resistant cultures was reduced. Cultures from chickens immunized with either of two antigenically distinct influenza A viruses were resistant to homotypic virus but susceptible to the heterotypic strain. Medium from such cultures contained virus-specific HAI and neutralizing activity. Cultures from some chickens inoculated up to 31 days previously were resistant. The immune state became undetectable between the first and fourth days of culturing. Results suggest that a secretory immunologic system was at least partially responsible for the immunity of the organ cultures.
LEFT‐WING LIBERTARIANISM, AN ACADEMIC DISORDER: A RESPONSE TO DAVID SIBLEY

(1981). LEFT-WING LIBERTARIANISM, AN ACADEMIC DISORDER: A RESPONSE TO DAVID SIBLEY. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 33, No. 1, pp. 5-9.
Constrained nonlinear restoration of JPEG compressed low-resolution text from gray scale images using a Gibbs-Markov random field prior

In this paper, we present a new technique for the restoration of low-resolution grayscale text from JPEG- compressed images. An initial evaluation of the JPEG image is performed, using the histogram and co-occurrence matrix, to estimate the distribution of the uncompressed pixels. The results of this estimation are used to create a 2D Gibbs- Markov random field (GMRF) to model the text. Cliques and energy potentials are formed to properly represent text-like images. The sum of clique energy potentials is calculated to measure how well each given JPEG 8 X 8 block of data matches the prior Gibbs-Markov model. The given quantized JPEG discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients, combined with the known JPEG quantization matrix, provide a constrained range for the DCT coefficients of the restored image. Using nonlinear optimization techniques, the image is found which is the best combination of the prior GMRF model and the given DCT coefficients.
Complications of CO2 laser procedures in oral and maxillofacial surgery

Lasers are now the preferred surgical modality for many procedures in oral and maxillofacial surgery due to the increased efficiency and reduced morbidity associated with their appropriate use [1]. Despite the benefits of these procedures, significant complications can and do occur. Although misuse of the laser during the surgical procedure may certainly result in intraoperative complications for the patient or increased risks for the staff, the most common complications associated with laser surgery involve the postoperative course and healing of the treated tissues. Studies and documentation of the broadening scope and increasing frequency of application of lasers in surgery have provided a useful body of knowledge for avoiding, diagnosing, and treating these complications. To minimize the occurrence of these complications, the surgeon must have a thorough understanding of the physics of laser surgery, the appropriate technique, and the effects of laser radiation on treated tissues. This knowledge must be implemented throughout the course of patient care, beginning with the initial preoperative consultation and continuing with attentive postoperative care and follow-up. After careful patient selection, an appropriate preoperative regimen of topical or systemic medications should be determined. Proper technique and safety measures should be observed intraoperatively to minimize risk to the patient and staff. Postoperatively, effective wound care and indicated medications are necessary for timely healing with the desired effects. Although the type and complexity of these perioperative and intraoperative guidelines will vary according to the procedure performed and the needs of the individual patient, adherence to the basic concepts of safe and effective laser surgery can ensure a low rate of morbidity and a relatively predictable outcome. General complications of carbon dioxide laser surgery of the head and neck The principles, applications, and basic techniques of laser surgery are essentially the same for cutaneous and intraoral procedures. Accordingly, extraoral laser surgery and intraoral laser surgery have many similar associated complications. Due to the fundamental differences in histology, cosmetic concerns, and anatomic location of skin versus mucosa, however, there are some variances in these complications. Morbidities unique to extraoral and intraoral procedures are discussed in separate, subsequent sections of this article.
Transplanted suprachiasmatic nucleus determines circadian period

The pacemaker role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in a mammalian circadian system was tested by neural transplantation by using a mutant strain of hamster that shows a short circadian period. Small neural grafts from the suprachiasmatic region restored circadian rhythms to arrhythmic animals whose own nucleus had been ablated. The restored rhythms always exhibited the period of the donor genotype regardless of the direction of the transplant or genotype of the host. The basic period of the overt circadian rhythm therefore is determined by cells of the suprachiasmatic region.
Esterification process development

Abstract This paper presents the development of several alternate processes for the manufacture of isopropyl acetate by the esterification of isopropanol and acetic acid. The isopropyl acetate ester was chosen for this study because it is representative of esters which form ternary azeotropes with water and the component alcohol, and which boil at a temperature below the component acid. Five processes for the manufacture of isopropyl acetate, free from alcohol, acid, and water were proposed and investigated experimentally. A method for analyzing samples containing acetic acid, water, isopropyl alcohol, isopropyl acetate, and isopropyl ether is presented.
Dynamic collision-induced dissociation (DCID) in a quadrupole ion trap using a two-frequency excitation waveform: I. Effects of excitation frequency and phase angle

This study describes the application of a two-frequency excitation waveform to the end-cap electrodes of a quadrupole ion trap (QIT) during the mass acquisition period to deliberately fragment selected precursor ions. This approach obviates the need for a discrete excitation period and guarantees on-resonant excitation conditions without any requirement for resonant tuning; it is therefore faster than the conventional approach to collision-induced dissociation (CID) in QITs. The molecular ion of n-butylbenzene is used as thermometer molecule to determine the energetics of the new excitation procedure. The excitation waveform, consisting of two closely spaced sinusoidal frequencies, has an interference pattern that displays nodes and crests in the time domain. The energetics (determined by the product ion ratios of 91/92 Th) and CID efficiencies are highly dependent on the excitation amplitude, the relative position of the excitation frequencies in the Mathieu stability diagram, and whether the ions come into resonance during a node or crest of the excitation waveform. Under highly energetic conditions, ratios of 91/92 as large as 15 can be obtained at concomitant CID efficiencies of 10%, indicating internal energies in excess of 10 eV at the time of fragmentation. These extremely high internal energies far exceed the energetics achievable using conventional on-resonance excitation in QITs, indicating that the collisional heating rate is very fast in the new approach. Under less energetic conditions CID efficiencies as high as 70% are possible, which compares favorably with results obtained by conventional on-resonance excitation. Correlation analyses are used to determine the conditions that simultaneously optimize energetic and efficient fragmentation conditions.
Sidney's Purposeful Humor: Astrophil and Stella 59 and 83

Sidney's words, as Rosalie has remarked,"can at once triumph, assert and deny the truth of what they say."1 They give to Astrophil a verbal dexterity or ambidexterity that is one of his many attractions. Few characters in the literature of the English Renaissance are as engaging as the protean Astrophil who speaks to us from the sonnets and songs of Sidney's sequence. Comments Reprinted from English Literary History, Volume 49, Issue 4, 1982, pages 751-784. Publisher URL: http://www.jstor.org/journals/00138304.html This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/library_papers/9
Photonic doppler velocimetry for study of rapid penetration into sand

Quantitative description of the interaction of high-speed projectiles with soils is important for many engineering applications, and provides insights into high strain rate constitutive behavior. In this paper, a novel method known as photonic Doppler velocimetry (PDV), capable of producing time resolved velocity measurements, is adapted for the study of objects penetrating rapidly into sand. Fundamentals of PDV are described, and the applicability of the method is demonstrated by producing time-resolved velocity measurements of spherical projectiles penetrating Ottawa sand models at high velocities in the range of 300 m/s. Penetration tests demonstrate that PDV is capable of producing velocity measurements even after the penetrator has reached a depth well below the soil surface. Results of the tests confirmed that resistance to penetration increases as relative density of the sand deposit increases. Moreover, there appears to be a threshold penetration velocity in dense dry sand, below which resistance to penetration reduces considerably. A quantitative description of deceleration of penetrators in soils can be adequately provided for most of the penetration using a simple drag force model.
Advances in kidney transplant immunosuppression: Emerging biologics

There remains a need in solid-organ transplantation for an immunosuppressive agent with a novel mechanism of action and fewer adverse consequences to replace current immunosuppressive drugs and improve long-term patient and graft survival. There are several agents on the horizon, both small molecules and biologics, offering this promise along with ease and consistency of long-term administration. We discuss three biologic agents currently in advanced stages of clinical trials in kidney transplantation.
Twin–twin transfusion syndrome treated with laser surgery: postnatal prevalence of congenital heart disease in surviving recipients and donors

Objective To assess postnatal prevalence of congenital heart disease (CHD) in surviving twins treated for twin–twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) with laser surgery. Methods Patients who underwent laser surgery for TTTS at a single institution were prospectively enrolled between January 2009 and May 2010. Preoperative fetal echocardiography was performed. Perinatal outcomes were obtained via postnatal echocardiograms and review of medical records. CHD was defined as unequivocal structural cardiac pathology; patent foramen ovale and patent ductus arteriosus were excluded. Results Fifty pregnancies with TTTS were enrolled, with the following Quintero stage distribution: stage I, 10%; stage II, 22%; stage III, 50%; and stage IV, 18%. Of the 88 fetuses born alive, 84 patients (95.5%) completed postnatal cardiac evaluation. Overall postnatal prevalence of CHD was 15.5% (13 of 84): 15.6% of recipient twins and 15.4% of donor twins. Three patients required cardiac intervention during infancy. Among liveborn twins with CHD, the overall prenatal detection rate was 30.8% (4/13), comprising 16.7% (1/6) of donors compared with 42.9% (3/7) of recipients. Conclusion Following successful laser surgery for TTTS, an increased and comparable postnatal prevalence of CHD occurs among both former recipients and donors. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reappraisal of lymphatic mapping for midgut neuroendocrine patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery

Background We previously reported that midgut neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) often develop alternative lymphatic drainage owing to lymphatic obstructions from extensive mesenteric lymphadenopathy, making intraoperative lymphatic mapping mandatory. We hypothesize that this innovative approach needs a longer term validation. Methods We updated our results by reviewing 303 patients who underwent cytoreduction from November 2006 to October 2011. Of these patients, 112 had lymphatic mappings and 98 were for midgut NET primaries. Among them, 77 mappings were for the initial cytoreduction and 35 were for reexploration and further cytoreduction. The operative findings, pathology reports, and long-term surgical outcomes were reviewed. Results Lymphatic mapping changed traditional resection margins in 92% of patients. Of the 35 patients who underwent reexploration without initial mapping, 19 (54%) showed a recurrence at or near the anastomotic sites. In contrast, none of the 112 mapped patients had shown signs of recurrence in a 1- to 5-year follow-up. Additionally, 20 of 45 ileocecal valves (44.4%) were spared in patients whose tumors were at the terminal ileum that, traditionally, would call for a right hemicolectomy. Conclusion With a longer follow-up, lymphatic mapping has proven to be a safe and effective way to prevent local recurrences and preserve the ileocecal valve for selected patients.
Multilevel Coalition Formation Strategy for Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses Missions

This paper investigates the problem of how to form coalitions in teams of heterogeneous vehicles. In particular, a coordination strategy is designed for unmanned vehicles to autonomously carry out the suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) mission, which would benefit from a heterogeneous network of unmanned vehicles to search and destroy threats in an unexplored area. Inspiration for this work is drawn from natural systems, and we consider the alliance-forming behavior of bottlenose dolphins as a guiding example. A two-phased approach is taken to develop the bioinspired strategy. First, in the context of multi-agent systems, a mathematical model is produced that expressively captures the alliance-forming behavior. Next, this model is tailored to the suppression of enemy air defenses mission: the target application. Advantages of using this bioinspired approach are discussed and simulations are provided to demonstrate its operation.
Hypermethylation, but not LOH, is associated with the low expression of MT1G and CRABP1 in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

We previously obtained gene expression profiles of 8 matched papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and normal tissues using DNA microarrays. To identify novel tumor suppressor genes involved in thyroid carcinogenesis, we here analyze genes showing lower expression in PTC tumors than in normal thyroid tissues. A search for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in 49 regions that harbor consistently down-regulated genes revealed LOH in only 4 regions and in just a very small number of tumors. To determine whether the underexpression might be due to promoter methylation, we used combined bisulfite restriction analysis and bisulfite sequencing to study 7 underexpressed genes. Loss of expression of MT1G and CRABP1 is accompanied by hypermethylation in the 5' regions of these genes, but methylation was not seen in other genes tested. Combined treatment with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-dC) and the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA) resulted in demethylation and re-expression of the MT1G gene in the cell line K2. Treatment with 5-Aza-dC alone restored CRABP1 expression in a colorectal cancer cell line, SW48. In conclusion, LOH is a remarkably rare mechanism of loss of gene function in PTC. In contrast, hypermethylation of promoter CpG islands seems to occur at higher frequency. MT1G and CRABP1 are novel genes that are likely involved in the pathogenesis of sporadic PTC.