cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of belly board device in the age of intensity modulated radiotherapy for pelvic irradiation

Small bowel dose often represents a limiting factor for radiation treatment of pelvic malignancies. To reduce small bowel toxicity, a belly board device (BBD) with a prone position is often recommended. Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) could reduce dose to small bowel based on the desired dose-volume constraints. We investigated the efficacy of BBD in conjunction with IMRT. A total of 11 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of rectal cancer, who were candidates for definitive therapy, were selected. Patients were immobilized with BBD in prone position for simulation and treatment. Supine position computed tomography (CT) data were either acquired at the same time or during a diagnostic scan, and if existed was used. Target volumes (TV) as well as organs at risk (OAR) were delineated in both studies. Three-dimensional conformal treatment (3DCRT) and IMRT plans were made for both scans. Thus for each patient, 4 plans were generated. Statistical analysis was conducted for maximum, minimum, and mean dose to each structure. When comparing the normalized mean Gross TV dose for the different plans, there was no statistical difference found between the planning types. There was a significant difference in small bowel sparing when using prone position on BBD comparing 3DCRT and IMRT plans, favoring IMRT with a 29.6% reduction in dose (p = 0.007). There was also a statistically significant difference in small bowel sparing when comparing supine position IMRT to prone-BBD IMRT favoring prone-BBD IMRT with a reduction of 30.3% (p = 0.002). For rectal cancer when small bowel could be a limiting factor, prone position using BBD along with IMRT provides the best sparing. We conclude that whenever a dose escalation in rectal cancer is desired where small bowel could be limiting factor, IMRT in conjunction with BBD should be selected.
Parallel lossless compression of color-mapped images

The pseudo-distance technique (PDT) in lossless compression of color-mapped images has proved to be effective. We showed previously that by utilizing the PDT along with the Burrows-Wheeler transformation and an entropy coder, we obtained better compression gain than other well-known generic image compressors e.g. Portable Network Graphics (PNG). Most of these techniques have been designed as sequential image compression algorithms. In this paper, we propose a method for the PDT which allows to the parallelization of the PDT and reduces the compression time significantly.
Is Pulse Pressure Variation More Accurate Than Central Venous Pressure (CVP) or Pulmonary Artery Pressure (PAP) for Volume Resuscitation

A 48-year-old man on postoperative day 2 is recovering in the surgical intensive care unit from an extensive retroperitoneal sarcoma resection. The case was complicated by transfusion of 12 U of packed red blood cells, 6 U of fresh frozen plasma, and two packs of platelets. Due to the nature of his operation and the likely stormy postoperative course, it is decided to keep the patient sedated, intubated, and mechanically ventilated.
A new era for drinking? Epidemiological evidence on adolescent male–female differences in drinking incidence in the United States and Europe

We seek answers to three questions about adolescent risk of starting to drink alcoholic beverages: (1) in new United States (US) data, can we reproduce a recently discovered female excess risk? (2) has a female excess risk emerged in European countries? and (3) might the size of country-level female–male differences (FMD) be influenced by macro-level gender equality and development processes? Estimates are from US and European surveys of adolescents, 2010–2014. For US estimates, newly incident drinking refers to consuming the first full drink during the 12-month interval just prior to assessment. For all countries, lifetime cumulative incidence of drinking refers to any drinking before assessment of the sampled 15–16 years. Cumulative meta-analysis summary estimates from the US show a highly reproducible female excess in newly incident drinking among 12–17 years (final estimated female–male difference in risk, FMD = 2.1%; 95% confidence interval = 1.5%, 2.7%). Several European countries show female excess risk, estimated as lifetime cumulative incidence of drinking onsets before age 17 years. At the country level, the observed magnitude of FMD in risk is positively associated with the Gender Development Index (especially facets related to education and life expectancy of females relative to males), and with residence in a higher income European country. New FMD estimates support reproducibility of a female excess risk in the US. In Europe, evidence of a female excess is modest. Educational attainment, life expectancies, and income merit attention in future FMD research on suspected macro-level processes that influence drinking onsets.
When César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Came to Napa

This story is seemingly about Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta, and an event in the Napa Valley. The event involved the unveiling of two statues commemorating the historic presence of these Chicana/o freedom fighters in the valley. Yet as Michel-Rolph Trouillot argues, in historical accounts, there is always a story within a story. This essay aims to examine the layered narratives that surrounded this event and the purposes served by this particular commemoration. It offers a broader critique of how historical commemorations can compartmentalize the past and constrict the present, and how selective celebration of a sanitized version of historical social justice struggles can protect and perpetuate injustice in the present.
Laparoscopic common bile duct exploration versus endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for choledocholithiasis found at time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Analysis of a large integrated health care system database

Abstract Background We compared endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) for managing choledocholithiasis found at time of cholecystectomy. Methods One hundred and five LCBDE (2005–2015) were compared to 195 LC/ERCP (2014–2015) from the Southern California Kaiser Permanente database. Results LC/ERCP was more effective at clearing the CBD (98% vs. 88.6%, p = 0.01); but required more procedures per patient (mean ± standard deviation, 1.1 ± 0.4 vs. 2.0 ± 0.12, p 0.05). Four patients failed ERCP, while 12 patients failed LCBDE and had subsequent ERCP (10) or CBD exploration (2). All patients with RYGB had successful LCBDE. Conclusion LC/ERCP is better than LCBDE in clearing CBD stones, but has similar morbidity and is an effective alternative for patients with RYGB.
Plastic Indentation of Metal Blocks by Flat Punch

Limit analysis is utilized to obtain upper and lower bounds of the punch pressure during indentation of a square punch on a square block and a circular punch on a circular cylinder. Reasonably close upper and lower bounds for the average pressure over the square circular punches are obtained and expressed as functions of the ratio of block width to punch width.
Maximal clique enumeration with data-parallel primitives

The enumeration of all maximal cliques in an undirected graph is a fundamental problem arising in several research areas. We consider maximal clique enumeration on shared-memory, multi-core architectures and introduce an approach consisting entirely of data-parallel operations, in an effort to achieve efficient and portable performance across different architectures. We study the performance of the algorithm via experiments varying over benchmark graphs and architectures. Overall, we observe that our algorithm achieves up to a 33-time speedup and 9-time speedup over state-of-the-art distributed and serial algorithms, respectively, for graphs with higher ratios of maximal cliques to total cliques. Further, we attain additional speedups on a GPU architecture, demonstrating the portable performance of our data-parallel design.
Abstract WMP71: Multimodal Imaging Yields Low Number of Stroke Mimics Treated With Thrombolytic Therapy Without Sacrificing Door-to-Needle Times

Introduction: Speed is critical in fibrinolytic therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS), but rapid decision-making may increase tPA use in stroke mimics. Complications from lytics in mimic patients...
The Effects of Artificial Selection for Rapid Cycling in Brassica rapa on Herbivore Preference and Performance

Premise of research. The assumption of a trade-off between growth and defense is a major tenet of plant defense theory, though not all prior research has supported this trade-off. If this trade-off...
Support Networks for Adolescent Mothers

A comparative study of Hispanic and white adolescent mothers in California indicates that the persons most supportive of them were their mothers and their husbands or boy friends. It also shows dif...
Diagnostic angiography techniques and complication avoidance

Abstract Diagnostic cerebral angiography is integral to the diagnosis and management of brain aneurysms. There has been a dramatic evolution of cerebral angiography from its origins to the improvements in safety and imaging capability of the modern cerebral angiogram. Safe technique and complication avoidance for diagnostic cerebral angiography involves pre-procedural preparation as well as intra-procedural requirements. Patient selection, preparation, planning, and evaluation of necessary equipment are necessary prior to starting an angiogram. Vascular access, clot and air embolism avoidance, safe vessel selection, and proper imaging parameters are key to safety during the angiogram.
Shared Gaze in Situated Referential Grounding: An Empirical Study

In situated dialogue, although an artificial agent and its human partner are co-present in a shared environment, they have significantly mismatched capabilities in perceiving the environment. When a shared perceptual basis is broken, referential grounding between partners becomes more challenging. Our hypothesis is that in such a situation, non-verbal modalities such as eye gaze play an important role in coordinating the referential process. To validate this hypothesis, we developed a system to simulate mismatched visual perceptions of the shared environment between human partners. Using this system, we further designed experiments to examine how partners with mismatched visual perceptual capabilities collaborate to accomplish joint tasks. Our studies have shown that, partners with mismatched perceptions make more effort to collaborate. When one partner pays attention to the other partner’s naturally occurred eye gaze during interaction, referential grounding becomes more efficient. This paper describes our empirical findings and discusses their potential implications.
Skilled Immigration Policy in the United States: Does Policy Admit “Enough” Skilled Workers?

Immigration to the United States has been and remains largely for the purpose of reuniting families, however, it is increasingly being thought of a means of meeting employment demand. Immigrants’ role in the U.S. labor force increased since the 1970s only to gain further momentum in the 1990s. Changes in the Immigration Act of 1990 increased both permanent numbers for foreign-born workers and diversified and eased admission for temporary skilled workers. Still, many observers argue that there is a need for more skilled foreign workers to meet perceived shortages of skilled labor.
Introduction and Historical Overview

The study of fibronectins has been characterized by the confluence of disparate areas of research that initially proceeded quite separately. We know now that fibronectins comprise a class of high-molecular-weight glycoproteins present both in extracellular matrices and in soluble form in body fluids but, as the field developed, the various forms and functions of fibronectins were originally studied independently.
Abstract 19140: Targeted Disruption of Endothelial Specific Molecule (ESM)-1 Results in Atrioventricular Valve Malformations Leading to Cardiac Dysfunction

Background: Endothelial cell specific molecule-1 (ESM-1) or Endocan is a circulating dermatan sulphate proteoglycan secreted primarily by the vascular endothelium. Elevated levels of ESM-1 are observed in the plasma of patients during tumor progression and in inflammatory disorders like sepsis suggesting that it could be potential biomarker for endothelial activation or dysfunction. To date there have been no in vivo studies of ESM-1. In this study we investigated the in vivo functional role of ESM-1 by the targeted deletion of the gene in mice. Methods and Results: To determine the critical functions of ESM-1 in vivo, we generated a global ESM-1 knockout mouse by deletion of exon1 of the ESM-1 mouse gene. ESM-1 knockout mice were born at the normal Mendelian ratio but showed 50% perinatal mortality by postnatal day 3 (P3). Pathological analysis of mice that died at P2 revealed dilated atria engorged with blood and thrombi indicative of possible defect in cardiac contractility. Pulmonary and liver congestion were also observed in ESM-1 knockout mice. Furthermore, histopathological studies revealed structural abnormalities in atrioventricular valves (AV) with an ebstenoid tricuspid malformation and parachute mitral valve abnormality suggesting AV valve regurgitation in ESM-1 knockout mice. In contrast, the semilunar valves appeared normal. Fetal genes associated with cardiac stress response including atrial natriuretic peptide (Nppa), brain natriuretic pepetide (Nppb) and beta-myosin heavy chain (Myh7) were significantly up regulated in ESM1 knockout P2 hearts compared to controls. Conclusion: In conclusion, our findings demonstrate for the first time that targeted disruption of ESM-1 results in atrioventricular valve anomalies leading to cardiac dysfuction. Understanding the mechanisms and signaling networks through which ESM-1 regulates valve formation has implications in the field of congenital heart disease research
How slow can you go

Use of graphene in a transistor configuration offers an alternative to metal electrodes for the recording of ultraslow neural potentials that occur in neurologic diseases.
High sensitivity Photoconductive for ZnO:MgO Nanoparticles

Abstract ZnO:MgO thin films were deposited on glass and Si substrates by thermal pyrolysis deposition. Polycrystalline nature of the Wurtzite (hexagonal) structure with the preferred orientation of (101) and the Crystallite size for it located within nanoscale range are proved by X-ray diffraction measurement. The results showed that the prepared membranes were thick (92) nm. The root mean square (RMS), surface roughness exponentially increases with the dopant concentration of the prepared films are revealed by AFM measurement. Undoped Zinc oxide and doped with different concentration of MgO films have direct allowed transition band gap with (2.3±0.3) eV which is confirmed by UV-Visible measurements. ZnO:MgO thin films have been used in photoconductive applications, many wavelengths have been used; (277, 457, 522, 592, 632, 835) nm. Sensitivity, rise and fall times have been calculated for these wavelengths. In general the results revealed fast rise and fall times which is~ ms with more than 1300% sensitivity for 457 nm.
The Development of Drug Metabolism Research as Expressed in the Publications of ASPET: Part 1, 1909–1958

This is the first of three articles covering the development of drug metabolism research in the United States during the first 100 years of the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET). Before 1909, the majority of drug metabolism research was performed in Europe. The period from 1909 to 1958 saw extensive development of the methods required for modern metabolism studies. Examples of trends and specific discoveries are drawn from the archives of ASPET publications.
Introduction: Analog Versus Digital

We often hear that we live in a digital age. This refers to the massive adoption of computer systems within every aspect of our lives from smartphones to automobiles to household appliances. This statement also refers to the transformation that has occurred to our telecommunications infrastructure that now transmits voice, video, and data using 1’s and 0’s. There are a variety of reasons that digital systems have become so prevalent in our lives. In order to understand these reasons, it is good to start with an understanding of what a digital system is and how it compares to its counterpart, the analog system. The goal of this chapter is to provide an understanding of the basic principles of analog and digital systems.
INTERNET OF ENERGY

Internet of Things (IoT) technology is being developed along with the smart power grid to make our daily life smarter. The visions of smart grids and IoT have been lately combined into the Internet of Energy (IoE). The IoE is an Internet-based smart grid that integrates technologies of energies and Internet. IoE is network where power sources are interfaced to smart grid. This paper presents a brief introduction to the Internet of energy.
Estimating the Health Status of Privately Insured Gender Minority Children and Adults.

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to characterize the health status of privately insured gender minority individuals. Methods: We created a diagnosis-based algorithm to identify gende...
Functional Broadside Tests Under Broadcast Scan

Under broadcast scan, scan chains are partitioned into groups that receive the same scan-in values. This article considers, for the first time, the application of functional broadside tests under broadcast scan. This article provides a definition of a close-to-functional broadside test that is applicable under a broadcast scan configuration. The test is referred to as a group-functional broadside test. This article describes how a subset of group-functional broadside tests is obtained from a functional broadside test and discusses the proximity to functional operation conditions that a group-functional broadside test maintains. It also describes the generation of a group-functional broadside test set. The experimental results for transition faults in benchmark circuits explore the tradeoff between the level of test data compression, the proximity to functional operation conditions, and the transition fault coverage, by considering scan configurations with different numbers of scan chains.
A Review of Psychiatric Comorbidity in Myasthenia Gravis.

This study aimed to review studies focused on the affective comorbidities associated with myasthenia gravis and to determine the extent to which neuromuscular treatment modalities address non-somatic aspects of autoimmune myasthenia gravis. Depression, anxiety, and emotional hyperactivity can aggravate myasthenia gravis, hinder accurate diagnoses, and presumably influence overall health-related quality of life. Studies were identified using PubMed Medline and Web of Science to assess the effects of psychological factors on myasthenia gravis, encompassing 49 years of research worldwide. After analysis, approximately 6,060 patients from 32 studies worldwide between 1971 and 2020 were included. Standard-of-care approaches to diagnosis and treatment continue to under-appreciate the prevalence or impact of mood disorders in myasthenia gravis. The majority of studies evaluated demonstrated an association between myasthenia gravis and mood disorders. However, the initiative to detect and treat affective comorbidities probably remains suboptimal. Although treatments for the somatic effects of myasthenia gravis have evolved over the past century, the paradigm of clinical practice has yet to adequately address the management of psychological impacts on the disease. This review is hoped to raise the necessary awareness in this regard.
Investigating the impact of regionality on the sensorial and chemical aging characteristics of Pinot noir grown throughout the U.S. West coast.

Abstract The sensorial and chemical differences among Pinot noir wines from different vineyard locations were investigated. Grapes of a single Pinot noir clone were grown on twelve different vineyard sites along the U.S. West Coast. Wines from a single vintage (2015) were made using a standardized protocol and equipment. Sensorial (i.e. aroma, taste, and mouthfeel) and chemical (i.e. polyphenolic and volatile) differences were observed among these wines at two aging time points (8- and 20- months). Vineyard location (i.e. latitude and longitude) was one of the main factors describing the major differences between the wines, while other details (i.e. soil type (60 cm), rootstock age, soil pH, rootstock type, and vines/acres) were possibly important for defining unique aging characteristics of certain vineyards. Overall, single clone Pinot noir grapes grown in different regions but made under standardized winemaking produced wines with unique chemical and sensorial profiles, which generally persisted throughout aging.
TSA-BRAG: A Twisted String Actuator-powered Biomimetic Robotic Assistive Glove

It is highly desirable but challenging to create assistive robot systems and devices that are inherently safe, compact, and can produce sufficient power and force. Twisted string actuators (TSAs) are appealing for assistive robotic applications because they are compliant, energy-efficient, capable of producing large translational force, and exhibit high power density. This paper presents the first performance comparison of motor-spool and TSA configurations, and shows that TSAs generate 5 times more force output than that of the motor-spool configuration. TSAs are then employed to power a biomimetic robotic assistive glove (BRAG). The design and control of the developed TSA-BRAG are detailed. Preliminary experiments show that the TSA-BRAG can be used to effectively pick up everyday objects using an unpowered three-dimensionally printed robotic hand and an able-bodied human hand. Being compliant, compact, and powerful, the proposed TSA-BRAG shows strong potential in human augmentation and rehabilitation.
Cerebrospinal Fluid-Venous Fistulas: A Systematic Review and Examination of Individual Patient Data.

Background Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is usually caused by a spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. CSF-venous fistula is an underdiagnosed cause of spinal CSF leak, as it is challenging to identify on myelography. Objective To review existing literature to summarize common presentations, diagnostic imaging modalities, and current treatment strategies for CSF-venous fistulas. Methods We conducted a systematic review using PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to identify studies discussing CSF-venous fistulas. Titles and abstracts were screened. Studies meeting prespecified inclusion criteria were reviewed in full. Results Of 180 articles identified, 16 articles met inclusion criteria. Individual patient data was acquired from 7 studies reporting on 18 patients. CSF-venous fistula most frequently presented as positional headache. Digital subtraction myelography provided greatest detection of CSF-venous fistula in the lateral decubitus position and detected CSF-venous fistula in all individual patient cases. Dynamic computed tomography (CT) myelogram enabled detection and differentiation of CSF-venous fistulas from low-flow epidural leaks. The majority of fistulas were in the thoracic spine and slightly more common on the right. Epidural blood patch (EBP) provided temporary or no relief in all individual patients. Resolution or improvement of clinical symptoms and radiologic normalization were observed in all surgically treated patients. Conclusion Although rare, CSF-venous fistula is an important cause of spinal CSF leak contributing to SIH. Dynamic CT myelogram and digital subtraction myelography, particularly in the lateral decubitus position, are the most accurate and effective diagnostic imaging modalities. EBPs often provide only transient relief, while surgical management is preferred.
Reforming Privacy Law in America: A Comparative Analysis on Digital Contact Tracing Data and Its Implications in the Age of COVID-19

The novel coronavirus was a public health emergency that impacted the world throughout 2020. Governments and health officials faced monumental problems that often demanded monumental solutions to help curb the spread of the virus and save lives. State and local governments followed other nations and pursued technological solutions to conduct contact tracing more efficiently and attempt to outpace the spread. Some pursued digital contact tracing apps, including centralized and decentralized, to track the spread via Bluetooth or GPS and alert possible contacts. Others conducted manual contact tracing and directly telephoned the possible contacts. Each of these methods has its own variety of applicable laws that affect how the data is stored and gathered. While these tools may have provided large utility for governments and the public, these tools brought into the light the deficiencies of sector-based privacy laws in the United States. This Article evaluates the privacy issues in human and digital contact tracing in the United States through several bodies of laws, including international laws, federal laws and regulations, federal agency guidelines, Supreme Court privacy cases, and state laws. Understanding that there exists holes in the current United States privacy framework, this Article calls for legislation to reform current privacy laws that were designed for a world of paper records . This Article proposes Congress and the Executive Branch to emulate its existing laws and regulation to the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, which can prospectively increase privacy protections for new and upcoming technologies like digital contact tracing apps.
Dove, Michael R. Plants, Politics, and the Imagination Over the Past 500 Years in the Indo-Malay Region.

This is an analysis of the way that the colonial-era model of plantation production in Southeast Asia disciplined plants and people and, of most importance, the way that production relations between plants and people were conceived. This discipline was challenged during historic moments of crisis that stimulated the imagination of alternative modes of production. The analysis will focus on the histories of three plants in particular: black pepper (Piper nigrum), Para rubber (Hevea brasiliensis), and a sword grass (Imperata cylindrica). Notable events in their histories include the proscription of pepper cultivation in the sixteenth century Hikayat Banjar in southeastern Borneo; the tribal dream of rice-eating rubber in the 1930s in western Borneo and the contemporaneous international effort to restrict smallholder rubber cultivation; and the lengthy history of productive native management of Imperata and disbelief in such management by plantation managers and government officials. Each case represents conflict between alternative and competing systems of crop management, which consists in part in transcendent exercises to imagine, or deny, alternative systems of production. These leaps of the imagination are nourished by a focus on the human-nonhuman divide, especially during historic moments of crisis.
Critical Need for Inclusion of Under-Served Minorities in the Emerging Clinical Landscape for Alzheimer’s Disease

McKeown et al. (2021) correctly recognize the development of a new blood-based diagnostic for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as signaling an imminent watershed in Alzheimer’s research. Diagnostics and th...
The Jewish Tetragrammaton: Secrecy, Community, and Prestige among Greek-Writing Jews of the Early Roman Empire

In his retelling of Exod 3:14-16, Josephus (A.J. 2.275-276) frames the Tetragrammaton as a name that only Jews knew, and he indicates that Jews were not to intone it or disclose it to foreigners. His account illuminates a practice that certain Jews cultivated regarding their non-disclosure of the divine name. The disposition of Jews not to utter their divinity’s name preserved its sanctity and expressed acknowledgement of its ineffable character. But certain Jews, such as Josephus and Philo, also promoted among themselves and outsiders the premise that knowledge of the divine name was a characteristic feature of Jews, a feature of which non-Jews were unaware. Moreover, they framed knowledge of it as being restricted to a subgroup of privileged Jews, who safeguarded its sanctity. In this way, such Jews circulated and bolstered the Tetragrammaton’s reputation for secrecy. Intriguingly, Greek and Latin authors of the Roman Empire appear to corroborate this premise. Even as the divine name underwent increased circulation among non-Jews, such authors still conceived of the Jewish divinity as having a name that Jews did not disclose. Such was the Tetragrammaton’s reputation for secrecy, one which certain Jews actively cultivated and amplified.
Agent-based collaborative project management system for distributed manufacturing

In order to address the dynamic requirements of project-based productions, this paper proposes a collaborative project scheduling and management system framework using a distributed multi-agent approach. This framework consists of three types of agents: L-Agents to enable integration with MRP/ERP and other legacy systems; P-Agents to schedule and manage the projects; and D-Agents to schedule, monitor and coordinate actual productions. These generic agents are dynamically deployed and customized at each location where a portion of the project is executed. An overall coordination is achieved through the communication and negotiation among these distributed agents. The proposed system enables project managers and others to effectively accommodate frequent engineering changes and other uncertainties while making an effective use of available distributed resources and fulfilling the customer requirements. A company manufacturing tools for sheet metal fabrications is used as an example to test and validate our prototype system. The prototyped system architecture is well suited for distributed problem solving applications and is adaptable to other application domains.
Images of Gender

This study is a content analysis of photographs in 22 introductory criminology and criminal justice textbooks published between 1988 and 1991. The purpose of the study is to explore the extent to which women have been given a visual presence and to determine whether texts provide a socially constructed image of gender commensurate with the various roles women play in criminology and the criminal justice system. Analyses of 1,373 photographs depicting 4,503 individuals revealed that women are rendered invisible and that images of women reflect the androcentric nature of criminology and criminal justice.
Evaluación de los límites de la democracia radical

Resumen en: En este articulo, abordamos el tema de lo que se ha definido como democracia radical y evaluamos sus limites. En lo particular, quitamos el centro de at...
A multichannel look at the available partial-wave analyses of the K̄N system in the region 0–1400 MeV/c☆

Abstract The available partial-wave analyses on the K N scattering data, the majority of which are single-channel analyses over limited momentum ranges, are studied with a view to facilitate a multichannel partial wave analysis over an extended momentum range (0–1400 MeV/c). The high-energy behaviour of the K N scattering amplitudes is examined by making energy-dependent multichannel M - matrix fits to the best sets of partial-wave scattering amplitudes over the entire momentum range under consideration. Finally, the same fits are repeated on the low-momentum (0–500 MeV/c) scattering amplitudes, and the parameters obtained can be used as starting points in a multichannel partial-wave analysis on the K N scattering data.
An independent survey of monochrome and color low light level TV cameras

Using the latest models from the U.S. Army Night Vision Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD), a survey of monochrome and color imaging systems at daylight and low light levels is conducted. Each camera system is evaluated and compared under several different assumptions, such as equivalent field of view with equal and variable f/# , common lens focal length and aperture, with high dynamic range comparisons and over several light levels. The modeling is done by use of the Targeting Task Performance (TTP) metric using the latest version of the Night Vision Integrated Performance Model (NV⁸IPM). The comparison is performed over the V parameter, the main output of the TTP metric. Probability of identification (PID) versus range predictions are a direct non-linear mapping of the V parameter as a function of range. Finally, a comparison between the performance of a Bayer-filtered color camera, the Bayer-filtered color camera with the IR block filter removed, and a monochrome version of the same camera is also conducted.
Central Nervous System Infections in the Compromised Host

Meningitis and other types of central nervous system (CNS) infection in the immunocompromised patient are usually caused by different organisms than in the general population.1–3 For instance, Streptococcus pneumoniae or Neisseria meningitidis may produce meningitis in an immunocompromised patient, but it is more common to find Listeria monocytogenes or Pseudomonas aeruginosa as the cause. The latter organisms may cause meningitis in the general population, but much less commonly as compared with the Pneumococcus or the Meningococcus.4–6 Similarly, the most common type of brain abscess seen in the general population is caused by mixed aerobic and anaerobic bacterial flora7–8 by a process that generally extends from the nasopharynx. In contrast, Aspergillus fumigatus 9–10 or Nocardia asteroides 11, 12 more frequently cause brain abscess in the immunocompromised patient,1,2 and the apparent route of access is hematogenous.
Pre-eclampsia as a manifestation of antiphospholipid syndrome: assessing the current status

The presence of antiphospholipid antibodies is considered a risk factor for pre-eclampsia. Two meta-analyses and a number of case-control and cohort studies have found associations between pre-eclampsia and lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin, and/or anti-β2 glycoprotein I. However, existing literature is inconsistent, with varying severity of pre-eclampsia phenotype examined, differing aPL titer cutoffs used to define positive status, and an overwhelming lack of repeat confirmatory aPL testing. This calls into question the link between aPLs and pre-eclampsia, or at least makes it less well defined. There is evidence for a mechanistic pathway between aPLs and adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) including pre-eclampsia via the complement pathway. Complement appears to be overactive in pregnancies affected by APOs. A mouse model has show that the fetal wastage caused by treatment with human aPLs can be salvaged by either creating genetic knockouts along the complement, TNF-alpha, and tissue factor pathways or be treating mice with monoclonal antibodies blocking key complement factors. Thus, this is worth further investigation to clarify the likely association of aPLs and pre-eclampsia in humans, as well is to further evaluate the interaction with complement in human pregnancies.
Contact Aided Compliant Mechanisms: Concept and Preliminaries

Compliant mechanisms (CMs) are the focus of active research because of the scalability, robustness and ease of manufacture endowed by their unitized construction. However, despite significant advances in development of systematic design techniques for these mechanisms, currently CMs are not capable of performing certain kinematic tasks that rigid body mechanisms can readily perform. This paper explores the use of contact interactions to enhance the functionality of CMs and thus widen their scope of application. Unlike CM designs without contact interactions, contact aided compliant mechanisms (CCMs) can be designed to generate non-smooth output port trajectories with a single continuous input. CCMs can also be designed to generate non-smooth force-deflection characteristics within the small deformation bounds imposed by linear elasticity. A wide variety of contact interactions, from the simple case involving a single point contact of a CM with a rigid external body to the more complex case of multiple contacts between different parts of the CM itself, can be used creatively to bridge the gap between the capabilities of CMs and conventional rigid body mechanisms. Several novel CCM designs that demonstrate useful non-smooth output trajectories are fabricated and tested. This paper also explores the use of optimization as a tool for systematic synthesis of CCMs. A simple one dimensional example is used to illustrate the use of topology optimization for systematic synthesis of a CCM for non-smooth force-deflection characteristics.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Femtosecond spin dynamics in magnetically tunable heterostructures

Abstract Ultrafast spin dynamics in diluted magnetic semiconductor heterostructures are probed to observe the effects of dimensionally and quantum confinement on spin scattering. Two novel structures, the spin superlattice and the magnetically-coupled double quantum well, exhibit unusual spin behavior. These experiments resolve energy-dependent electronic and magnetic interactions on a femtosecond time scale in quantum geometries.
Morphing as a means of generating variation in visual medical teaching materials

In computer-based medical education, there is frequently a need to present students with pictorial data representative of the natural variation associated with disease presentations as well as the progression of disease within an individual. Because of the difficulty in acquiring such data, image acquisition is often the most resource-intensive phase of multimedia courseware development. In light of the resource demands associated with image content, many courseware designers do not make opportune use of image data, but rely instead upon text descriptions to provide variation in content. The resulting lack of adequate pictorial content often lessens the overall impact of the courseware. To overcome constraints imposed by the difficulty in acquiring pictorial content of sufficient richness, a methodology of generating variation in visual teaching materials has been developed through the use of morphing. These techniques have general applicability in creating variation in pictorial teaching materials in a variety of image-intensive domains.
A MEMS fabricated flexible electrode array for recording surface field potentials

We developed a method to microfabricate flexible electrode arrays on a thin Kapton substrate, which was engineered to minimize trauma when inserted between the dura and skull to obtain surface EEG recordings. The array consisted of 64 gold electrodes, each 150microm in diameter on a 750microm spaced 8x8 grid. Using photolithographic procedures, any arrangement of electrodes can be implemented. We used the electrode array to record evoked response signals to create topographical maps of the whisker barrels on the cortical surface with excellent signal stability over a period of 8h. The materials used for this fabrication are potentially biologically inert and, with some additional modifications to the design, can be chronically implanted with minimal side effects. Retinal prosthesis, human neurosurgery, and neurological research are all limited to some degree by the resolution and biological compatibility of the implants used. This type of array could greatly enhance the spatial resolution, signal quality, and stability of implantable surface electrode arrays.
Intelligent coordinated adaptive distance relaying

Abstract Malfunctioning of distance relay third zone has been identified as one of the leading factors of power system blackouts in several nations. This inconsistency in operation happens when heavy loads start encroaching the zone 3 settings. In this paper, a novel multi-agent system based methodology for power system protection coordination is proposed. Various system agents are designed to collaborate and adaptively modify the setting of distance relay zone 3 via communication with neighboring substations. The proposed coordination scheme aids in preventing fault misjudgment and possible network breakdown because of load encroachment. Furthermore, it enhances the relay selectivity and loadability. It has been tested using MATLAB ® /Simulink™ with the agent programming in Java Agent DEvelopment Framework (JADE) platform. Analysis and test results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively mitigates distance relay malfunction under load encroachment.
Mating Competition of Gamma-Irradiated and Nonirradiated Male Trogoderma glabrum Herbst

A preliminary study was conducted to evaluate the mating competition offered by gamma-irradiated male Trogoderma glabrum Herbst. Virgin males were irradiated with 25,000 rad of gamma irradiation from a CO60 source. when an irradiated male and a nonirradiated male were placed with a virgin female, 56% of the females produced viable eggs, as compared with 97% for the females with a non-irradiated male only.
God-Mediated Control and Optimism: Exploring Variations by Denominational Affiliation

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between feelings of God-mediated control and optimism in Conservative Protestants and individuals affiliated with all other denominations. God-mediated control is defined as the belief that problems in life can be overcome and important goals can be reached by working together with God. Findings from a nationwide survey of older people reveal that Conservative Protestants are more optimistic than people who affiliate with other denominations. Moreover, the results indicate that differences in optimism across the two groups can be explained to a significant extent by a stronger relationship between God-mediated control and optimism in the Conservative Protestant group.
Cold three-body collisions in hydrogen-hydrogen-alkali-metal atomic systems

We have studied hydrogen-hydrogen-alkali three-body systems in the adiabatic hyperspherical representation. For the spin-stretched case, there exists a single $X$H molecular state when $X$ is one of the bosonic alkali atoms: $^{7}\mathrm{Li}$, $^{23}\mathrm{Na}$, $^{39}\mathrm{K}$, $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$, or $^{133}\mathrm{Cs}$. As a result, the only recombination process is the one that leads to formation of $X$H molecules, $\text{H}+\text{H}+X\ensuremath{\rightarrow}X\text{H}+\text{H}$, and such molecules will be stable against vibrational relaxation. We have calculated the collision rates for recombination and collision-induced dissociation as well as the elastic cross sections for $\text{H}+X\text{H}$ collisions up to a temperature of 0.5 K, including the partial wave contributions from ${J}^{\ensuremath{\Pi}}={0}^{+}$ to ${5}^{\ensuremath{-}}$. We have also found that there is just one three-body bound state for such systems for ${J}^{\ensuremath{\Pi}}={0}^{+}$ and no bound states for higher angular momenta.
A method of controlling asteroid collision with the Earth

The planet Earth has endured unwelcome “visitations” of space rocks many times. NASA and agencies of other nations have proposed concepts on how asteroids, in possible collision with planet Earth, can be diverted. These methods range from impulsive techniques using explosives, conventional and nuclear, to the slow nudging action of a spacecraft with powerful thrust. A methods not described elsewhere in any research, as far as the author knows, is presented in this paper. The methods of electrostatics will be employed to show how the new deflection concept can be developed to avoid asteroid collision with Earth.
Security applications of virtual reality GIS

Geographic information systems (GISs) represent a technology that is being used by many disciplines throughout the world. GIS is currently being used in many security related applications for route planning, location of key facilities, and as an index into higher detail data sets such as building plans. The coming of the Olympic Games to the Atlanta area in 1996 gives us a chance to show the practical uses of GIS in security applications. This paper investigates the potential for GIS and visualization techniques to be used in a hostage rescue situation and in planning for the placement of surveillance cameras within the Georgia Tech campus, the 10996 Olympic Village.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Dynamics of the Earth-Moon system

Abstract Lunar laser ranging (LLR) has been used to determine the precise orientation of the Earth since the early-1970's. Two observatories currently range with 2.5 centimeter accuracy to a constellation of four retroreflector targets. The quality and the 23 year span of the lunar data permit the determination of the constant of precession to an accuracy of 0.5 mas yr−1. The 18.6 year and 9 year nutation terms can be well separated from the precession constant and determined at the milliarcsecond level. The extreme altitude of the Moon, as an Earth satellite, prevents the stochastic effects of atmospheric drag. This allows estimation of the local components of Earth rotation (UTO, Df) to an accuracy of 2.5 milliarcseconds from as little as 1.5 hours of lunar data, with higher accuracies for longer spans of data. This near real time capability makes LLR a strong technique for the investigation of diurnal, and even sub-diurnal, variations in Earth rotation. The secular increase in the mean distance between the Earth and Moon is observed with an accuracy of 0.15 cm yr−1. LLR observations permit the determination of the obliquity of the ecliptic and the equinox with an accuracy of a few milliseconds of arc. The mass of the Earth-Moon system has been estimated from the lunar ranges to one part in 100 million.
Neuropeptide Y and nitrite levels in preeclamptic and normotensive gravid women

Abstract Objectives: Vascular tone is controlled largely by the sympathetic nervous system and is modulated by neuropeptide Y. Preeclampsia is linked to sympathetic overactivity. Nitric oxide can cause vasorelaxation of vessels or decrease sympathetic outflow by activating the baroreceptor reflex. Our purpose in this study was to compare serum levels of neuropeptide Y and nitrite levels in normotensive and preeclamptic gravid women. Study Design: Twelve preeclamptic and 12 normotensive women matched for race, body mass index, parity, and gestational age were studied. Neuropeptide Y was measured by using a commercial radioimmunoassay. Nitric oxide was converted to nitrite by using metallic cadmium, and nitrite levels were determined spectrophotometrically by using a colorimetric assay. Data are presented as mean ± SEM and were compared by using a t test. Results: Neuropeptide Y levels were similar among preeclamptic and normotensive gravid women (33.8 ± 3.0 and 32.2 ± 3 pg/mL, respectively). Similarly, there were no differences in nitrite concentrations between preeclamptic and normotensive patients (11.6 ± 0.8 vs 11.2 ± 0.4 μmol/L, respectively). We also examined the ratios of neuropeptide Y and nitrite and found no correlation between preeclamptic and normotensive women. Conclusion: Peripheral levels of neuropeptide Y or nitrite do not correlate with preeclampsia. Assessment of sympathetic overactivity in preeclampsia requires an alternate model. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;181:921-3.)