cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Durable complete response in a patient with metastatic melanoma following adoptive transfer of autologous T cells recognizing 10 mutated tumor antigens

Durable complete response rates of 20% have been observed in clinical trials of patients with metastatic melanoma employing adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of patient derived tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). Here we provide a detailed analysis of the response of TIL administered to a patient with metastatic melanoma who exhibited a complete response ongoing greater than 3 years. Using whole exome and RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis of the patient's matched tumor and normal gDNA we identified over 4,000 non-synonymous somatic mutation variants. We screened 745 somatically mutated genes using tandem minigene constructs expressing transcripts expressed in autologous tumor cells whose expression levels were greater than 0.1% of the levels of β- actin. These tandem minigenes were then transfected into autologous B cells and then analyzed for their ability to stimulate the administered T cells. Our results indicated that the autologous TIL distinctly recognized 10 somatically mutated gene products, each of which was recognized in the context of three different HLA class I restriction elements expressed by the patient's tumor. Detailed T cell clonal analysis revealed that 9 of the top 20 most prevalent clones present in the infused TIL, comprised over ¼ of total infused cells and recognized mutated antigens. These results further supported our efforts to identify and enrich mutation-reactive T cells for the treatment of patients with metastatic cancer.
Cellular delivery for vascularization of engineered tissues: Reduction of contraction by mural cells

Early perfusion is essential for survival and function of engineered tissues. A promising solution to this problem is the development of stable microvessels within an engineered construct. Transplantation of human endothelial cells within protein gels has been shown to form functional vascular networks both in vitro and after implantation into immunodeficient mice. Co-transplantation of human pericytes, a supporting cell in microvessels, can significantly improve the maturation and stability of vessels formed compared to endothelial cells alone. We hypothesize that the optimization of a system for simultaneous delivery of endothelial cells and pericytes will improve vascularization and vascular stability in engineered tissues. Pericytes are contractile, which can interfere with the formation of vascular structures in protein gels. Here we evaluate strategies to prevent gel contraction.
Despite Transcriptional and Functional Coordination, Cyclooxygenase-2 and Microsomal Prostaglandin E Synthase-1 Largely Reside in Distinct Lipid Microdomains in WISH Epithelial Cells

SUMMARY Cytokine-induced prostaglandin (PG)E 2 synthesis requires increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in human WISH epithelial cells. Recently, an inducible downstream PGE synthase (microsomal PGE synthase-1, mPGES-1) has been implicated in this inflammatory pathway. We evaluated cooperation between COX-2 and mPGES-1 as a potential mechanism for induced PGE 2 production in WISH cells. Cytokine stimulation led to increased expression of both enzymes. Selective pharmacological inhibition of these enzymes demonstrated that induced PGE 2 release occurred through a dominant COX-2/ mPGES-1 pathway. Unexpectedly, immunofluorescent microscopy revealed that the expression of these enzymes was not tightly coordinated among cells after cytokine challenge. Within cells expressing high levels of both mPGES-1 and COX-2, immunolabeling of highresolution semithin cryosections revealed that COX-2 and mPGES-1 were largely segregated to distinct regions within continuous intracellular membranes. Using biochemical means, it was further revealed that the majority of mPGES-1 resided within detergent-insoluble membrane fractions, whereas COX-2 was found only in detergent-soluble fractions. We conclude that although mPGES-1 and COX-2 show transcriptional and functional coordination in cytokine-induced PGE 2 synthesis, complementary morphological and biochemical data suggest that a majority of intracellular mPGES-1 and COX-2 are segregated to discrete lipid microdomains in WISH epithelial cells. (J Histochem Cytochem 53:1391‐1401, 2005)
Behavioral System Feedback Measurement Failure: Sweeping Quality Under the Rug

Behavioral Systems rely on valid measurement systems to manage processes and feedback and to deliver contingencies. An examination of measurement system components designed to track customer service quality of furniture delivery drivers revealed the measurement system failed to capture information it was designed to measure. A reason for this failure was an inadequate design, which resulted in sabotage of the measurement system by agents in the organization. The failure of this measurement system led to the ineffective operation of business processes and related systems. For example, a bonus pay system and a disincentive system were disabled due to the faulty measurement system. Suggestions for the development of a valid measurement system are offered.
Rule-driven coordination agents: a self-configurable agent architecture for distributed control

The need for coordination among autonomous entities is common in dynamically changing domains. One such domain is the coordination of components in distributed component architectures. In these architectures, asynchronous communication is used to ensure autonomy. Management systems that control such architectures must respect this autonomy by decentralizing interaction policies and control. Middle agents (Decker et al., 1997) have been introduced as brokers or mediators in such dynamic settings. Rule-driven coordination (RDC) agents are middle agents that act as brokers to the individual components in component architectures. These RDC agents encapsulate the interaction policy definition (rules) and the aspects of communication, data management, and policy execution. This paper defines each of these aforementioned aspects of the RDC agents. Furthermore, there is the use of RDC agents to manage a workflow of Java-based components in a typical electronic commerce domain.
Dynamic interaction of synchronous generators and induction motor loads

The dynamic interaction of synchronous generators with large-slip and low-slip induction motors is investigated using a hybrid multimachine representation. After developing a practical model, the aggregation of both types of machines is illustrated with a six-machine system composed of three synchronous generators and three induction motor loads. The interaction of synchronous generators with either large-slip and low-slip induction machines is investigated by means of dynamic equivalencing, and eigenvalue and sensitivity analyses. >
Drosophila Pod-1 Crosslinks Both Actin and Microtubules and Controls the Targeting of Axons

Actin and microtubules (MTs) are tightly coordinated during neuronal growth cone navigation and are dynamically regulated in response to guidance cues; however, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Here, we characterize Drosophila pod-1 (dpod1) and show that purified Dpod1 can crosslink both actin and MTs. In cultured S2 cells, Dpod1 colocalizes with lamellar actin and MTs, and overexpression remodels the cytoskeleton to promote dynamic neurite-like actin-dependent projections. Consistent with these observations, Dpod1 localizes to the tips of growing axons, regions where actin and MTs interact, and is especially abundant at navigational choice points. In either the absence or overabundance of Dpod1, growth cone targeting but not outgrowth is disrupted. Taken together, these results reveal novel activities for pod-1 and show that proper levels of Dpod1, an actin/MT crosslinker, must be maintained in the growth cone for correct axon guidance.
Producing Song: The Vocal Apparatus

In order to achieve the goal of understanding the neurobiology of birdsong, it is necessary to understand the peripheral mechanisms by which song is produced. This paper reviews recent advances in the understanding of syringeal and respiratory motor control and how birds utilize these systems to create their species-typical sounds. Songbirds have a relatively homogeneous duplex vocal organ in which sound is generated by oscillation of a pair of thickened labia on either side of the syrinx. Multiple pairs of syringeal muscles provide flexible, independent control of sound frequency and amplitude, and each side of the syrinx exhibits a degree of acoustic specialization. This is in contrast to many non-songbirds, including vocal learners such as parrots, which have fewer syringeal muscles and use syringeal membranes to generate sound. In doves, at least, these membranes generate a harmonic signal in which the fundamental frequency is regulated by respiratory pressure in the air sac surrounding the syrinx and the overtones are filtered out by the vocal tract. The songs of adult songbirds are generally accompanied by precisely coordinated respiratory and syringeal motor patterns that, despite their relative stereotypy, are modulated in real time by somatosensory feedback. Comparative studies indicate songbirds have evolved species-specific motor patterns that utilize the two sides of the syrinx in specific ways and enhance the particular acoustic effects characterizing the species song. A vocal mimic tutored with heterospecific song uses the same motor pattern as the tutor species when he accurately copies the song, suggesting that physical or physiological constraints on sound production have had a prominent role in the evolution of species-specific motor patterns. An understanding of the relationship between the central processing and peripheral performance of song motor programs is essential for an understanding of the development, function, and evolution of these complex vocal signals.
Phase 1 Study of AMG 386, a Selective Angiopoietin 1/2-Neutralizing Peptibody, in Combination with Chemotherapy in Adults with Advanced Solid Tumors

Purpose: To evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity of AMG 386, an investigational selective angiopoietin 1/2-neutralizing peptibody, in combination with FOLFOX-4 (F), carboplatin/paclitaxel (C/P), or docetaxel (D), in adult patients with advanced solid tumors. Experimental Design: Three cohorts of patients (F, n = 6; C/P, n = 8; D, n = 12) received one full cycle of chemotherapy alone during the pretreatment phase, followed by administration of AMG 386 10 mg/kg i.v. weekly in combination with chemotherapy until disease progression or intolerance. Safety and tolerability, tumor response, pharmacokinetic profiles, and biomarkers were assessed. Results: Twenty-six patients were enrolled; 22 received treatment with AMG 386. No dose-limiting toxicities or grade 3 or 4 adverse events related to AMG 386 were reported. The most common adverse events were diarrhea and hypomagnesemia ( n = 3 each). One patient developed grade 2 hypertension and one had grade 1 subconjunctival eye hemorrhage. No neutralizing antibodies to AMG 386 were detected. There were no pharmacokinetic interactions between AMG 386 and F, C/P, or D. One patient receiving AMG 386 plus C/P for bladder cancer refractory to gemcitabine/cisplatin had a complete response at week 8. The remaining best tumor responses were partial response ( n = 3, one from each cohort), stable disease ≥8 weeks ( n = 13), and progressive disease ( n = 1). Conclusions: Weekly administration of AMG 386 in combination with three common chemotherapy regimens was well tolerated in patients with advanced solid tumors. No pharmacokinetic interactions between AMG 386 and any of the tested chemotherapy regimens were noted. Promising antitumor activity was observed with all three treatment combinations. Clin Cancer Res; 16(11); 3044–56. ©2010 AACR.
A multivariate, attractor-based approach to structural health monitoring

Abstract In this work, recent advances in the use of nonlinear time-series analysis for structural health monitoring are extended to incorporate multivariate data. Structural response data recorded at multiple locations are combined using a multivariate time delay embedding in order to reconstruct the structure's dynamical attractor. Using this approach, a global phase-space representation of the dynamics may be realized for spatially extended systems. A new attractor-based metric, chaotic amplification of attractor distortion (CAAD), is then introduced as a damage sensitive feature. The approach is implemented using data acquired from a composite beam, bolted at either end to steel plates. Degradation to the system is introduced as a loosening of the bolts at one end of the structure. Results based on multivariate attractor reconstruction show a clear ability to detect both the presence and magnitude of damage to the connection. Comparisons are then drawn between this approach and one where the same feature is extracted from attractors reconstructed using data acquired from the individual sensor locations. These features are combined “post-extraction” using a linear discriminant coordinant analysis. Performing the analysis separately at the individual sensor locations results in a significant reduction in discriminating power.
Headstrong: A Pilot Study of a CD-ROM Intervention for Recurrent Pediatric Headache

Objectives To empirically evaluate a minimal therapist contact CD-ROM pain management program for recurrent pediatric headache developed as part of this study. Methods Participants were 37 children aged 7–12 attending a pediatric neurology clinic for evaluation of recurrent headache. Children who were randomly assigned to the treatment group worked through the CD-ROM program on home computers for 4 weeks following baseline assessment, whereas those assigned to the wait-list group continued following the prescriptions of their neurologist. Data on daily headache activity and headache-related disability were collected at baseline and up to 3 months after treatment. Results Children who received the adjunctive CD-ROM program had significant improvements in headache activity above and beyond those in the control group. Results provide initial support for the utility of adding an adjunctive CD-ROM psychological intervention to standard medical care for recurrent pediatric headache and potentially other chronic pain conditions in children.
miRvestigator: Web Application to Identify miRNAs Responsible for Co-Regulated Gene Expression Patterns Discovered Through Transcriptome Profiling

Transcriptome profiling studies have produced staggering numbers of gene co-expression signatures for a variety of biological systems. A significant fraction of these signatures will be partially or fully explained by miRNA-mediated targeted transcript degradation. miRvestigator takes as input lists of co-expressed genes from Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, G. gallus, Homo sapiens, Mus musculus or Rattus norvegicus and identifies the specific miRNAs that are likely to bind to 3 0 un-translated region (UTR) sequences to mediate the observed co-regulation. The novelty of our approach is the miRvestigator hidden Markov model (HMM) algorithm which systematically computes a similarity P-value for each unique miRNA seed sequence from the miRNA database miRBase to an overrepresented sequence motif identified within the 3 0 -UTR of the query genes. We have made this miRNA discovery tool accessible to the community by integrating our HMM algorithm with a proven algorithm for de novo discovery of miRNA seed sequences and wrapping these algorithms into a userfriendly interface. Additionally, the miRvestigator web server also produces a list of putative miRNA binding sites within 3 0 -UTRs of the query transcripts to facilitate the design of validation experiments. The miRvestigator is freely available at http:// mirvestigator.systemsbiology.net.
Daily Deal Fatigue or Unabated Enthusiasm? A Study of Consumer Perceptions of Daily Deal Promotions

We examined consumer perceptions of daily deal promotions. In a survey-based study conducted with a diverse sample of 973 respondents (655 daily deal users and 318 non-users), we find no evidence of daily deal fatigue. Instead, the heaviest daily deal users (those who have purchased 11 or more deals) are the most enthusiastic about them. They indicate the greatest interest in checking their email for deal offers every day, have little trouble in using the deals before they expire, believe that daily deals help them save money on things they would have purchased anyway, and say they have integrated these deals into their usual shopping behavior. As another positive sign, all users indicate high levels of intentions to purchase a daily deal again within the next month. Non-users indicate not using daily deals primarily because of awareness and access issues, and given that only 16.7% of our panel’s population has used daily deals before, there is significant opportunity for growth of daily deals on the consumer side. In assessing different sites, Groupon has the highest levels of awareness, use, and heart share among daily deal users, whereas LivingSocial, eversave, Travelzoo, and OpenTable score significantly lower on these metrics. We also find daily deal usage decreases with the consumer’s age, increases with the household income, and is the highest for those who live in urban areas. Psychologically, heavier daily deal users are less interested in being seen as different or 'fringe' in their shopping patterns, are less careful with their personal finances, are more interested in trying new things so as to have experiences to talk about and influence others, and are attracted to a deal because it is a deal rather than because of its magnitude. Our findings suggest that consumers may be less sensitive to the depth of daily deal discount than is conventionally believed and may be appealed to via creative and subtle offers offering lower discounts.
CoPt and FePt nanoparticles for high density recording media

Highly anisotropic CoPt and FePt nanoparticles have been prepared and embedded in a C and BN matrices using the tandem deposition mode. The as-made multilayer CoPt(FePt)/C(BN) films show a disordered face centered cubic (fcc) structure, which is magnetically soft and have low coercivity ( 10/sup 7/ erg/cm/sup 3/. The coercivities obtained are much below those expected for noninteracting single-domain particles and the difference is attributed mainly to a smaller anisotropy in the nanoparticles associated with a lower degree of atomic ordering of the L1/sub 0/ phase.
Denominator Doesn’t Matter: Standardizing Healthcare-Associated Infection Rates by Bed Days or Device Days

OBJECTIVE To examine the impact on infection rates and hospital rank for catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) using device days and bed days as the denominator DESIGN Retrospective survey from October 2010 to July 2013 SETTING Veterans Health Administration medical centers providing acute medical and surgical care PATIENTS Patients admitted to 120 Veterans Health Administration medical centers reporting healthcare-associated infections METHODS We examined the importance of using device days and bed days as the denominator between infection rates and hospital rank for CAUTI, CLABSI, and VAP for each medical center. The relationship between device days and bed days as the denominator was assessed using a Pearson correlation, and changes in infection rates and device utilization were evaluated by an analysis of variance. RESULTS A total of 7.9 million bed days were included. From 2011 to 2013, CAUTI decreased whether measured by device days (2.32 to 1.64, P=.001) or bed days (4.21 to 3.02, P=.006). CLABSI decreased when measured by bed days (1.67 to 1.19, P=.04). VAP rates and device utilization ratios for CAUTI, CLABSI, and VAP were not statistically different across time. Infection rates calculated with device days were strongly correlated with infection rates calculated with bed days (r=0.79–0.94, P<.001). Hospital relative performance measured by ordered rank was also strongly correlated for both denominators (r=0.82–0.96, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that device days and bed days are equally effective adjustment metrics for comparing healthcare-associated infection rates between hospitals in the setting of stable device utilization. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;00(0): 1–7
The Impact of Agricultural Best Management Practices on Downstream Systems: Soil Loss and Nutrient Chemistry and Flux to Conesus Lake, New York, USA

ABSTRACT Six small, predominantly agricultural (>70%) watersheds in the Conesus Lake catchment of New York State, USA, were selected to test the impact of Best Management Practices (BMPs) on mitigation of nonpoint nutrient sources and soil loss from farms to downstream aquatic systems. Over a 5-year period, intensive stream water monitoring and analysis of covariance provided estimates of marginal means of concentration and loading for each year weighted by covariate discharge. Significant reductions in total phosphorus, soluble reactive phosphorus, nitrate, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and total suspended solids concentration and flux occurred by the second year and third year of implementation. At Graywood Gully, where Whole Farm Planning was practiced and a myriad of structural and cultural BMPs were introduced, we observed the greatest percent reduction (average = 55.8%) and the largest number of significant reductions in analytes (4 out of 5). Both structural and cultural BMPs were observed to have profo...
Renal Mechanoreceptor Dysfunction: An Intermediate Phenotype in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Abstract —This study tested the hypothesis that decreased responsiveness of renal mechanosensitive neurons constitutes an intermediate phenotype in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Decreased responsiveness of these sensory neurons would contribute to increased renal sympathetic nerve activity and sodium retention, characteristic findings in hypertension. A backcross population, developed by mating borderline hypertensive rats with Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) (the F 1 of a cross between an SHR and a normotensive WKY), was fed 8% NaCl food for 12 weeks from age 4 to 16 weeks. Responses to increases in ureteral pressure to 20 and 40 mm Hg in 80 backcross rats instrumented for measurement of mean arterial pressure and afferent renal nerve activity were determined. Mean arterial pressure ranged from 110 to 212 mm Hg and was inversely correlated with the magnitude of the increase in afferent renal nerve activity during increased ureteral pressure. Thus, decreased responsiveness of renal mechanosensitive neurons cosegregated with hypertension in this backcross population. This aspect of the complex quantitative trait of altered renal sympathetic neural control of renal function, ie, decreased renal mechanoreceptor responsiveness, is part of an intermediate phenotype in SHR.
NS-398 inhibits tumor growth and liver metastasis of colon cancer through induction of apoptosis and suppression of the plasminogen activation system in a mouse model.

Abstract Background Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is overexpressed in colon cancers. The plasminogen activation (PA) system relates to cancer invasion and metastasis through the degradation of the extracellular matrix. COX-2 also relates to degradation of the extracellular matrix, but the relationship between COX-2 and the plasminogen activator system is unclear. Study design In vivo: Colon 38 (G0) primary and (G5) metastatic cell lines were implanted in C57BL/6 mice treated with or without COX-2 inhibitor (NS-398). Animal survival and tumor growth were measured. On day 19, tumors were excised and tumor cell apoptosis measured. For metastasis, G5 cells were injected into the spleen, and, after 23 days, liver metastasis was determined. In vitro: G0 or G5 cells were treated with NS-398. Supernatant prostaglandin E 2 and mRNA expressions of COX-2, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA), u-PA receptor, plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1), and PAI-2 were measured. Tumor cell proliferation was also determined. Results In vivo: Mean survival of NS-398-treated animals was higher than controls for both G5 and G0 (G5: p 2 production was higher in G5 than G0 cells (p 2 levels in G5 cells (p Conclusions COX-2 inhibition significantly decreases tumor growth in this model by inducing apoptosis and blocking u-PA production in G5 colon cancer cells, which is associated with significant inhibition of liver metastases.
Stochastic magnetic field driven charge transport and zonal flow during magnetic reconnection

Magnetic fluctuation-induced charge transport, resulting from particle transport that is not intrinsically ambipolar, has been measured in the high-temperature interior of a reversed-field pinch plasma. It is found that global resistive tearing modes and their nonlinear interactions lead to significant charge transport, equivalent to the perpendicular Maxwell stress, in the vicinity of the resonant surface for the dominant core resonant mode during magnetic reconnection. Finite charge transport can result in a zonal flow associated with locally strong radial electric field and electric field shear. In the presence of stochastic magnetic field, radial electric field is expected to be balanced by radial electron pressure gradient. Direct measurement of local density gradient is consistent with the formation of radial electric field and the zonal flow.
Utilizing Action Research During Student Teaching: Should Every Teacher Preparation Program Be Doing This?

Action research has been shown to be effective in a variety of ways for teachers in the classroom setting. While the focus of the action research project has primarily been at the graduate level or tailored to the needs of working professionals, we propose that it is possible to do much more for the student teacher as he or she completes the program requirements through the student teaching experience. Through the incorporation of training in methods of data collection and analysis, student teachers will stand to gain a much greater degree of insight into areas of their professional pedagogical disposition through active reflection. This will develop a reflective habit of mind that is crucial for teachers to be effective in their classrooms and adaptive to the changing needs of their students, and allow for a greater degree of professional self-efficacy and satisfaction on the part of the teachers themselves.
Trends in the use of mastectomy in women with small node-negative breast cancer treated at US academic centers

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) provides equivalent survival outcomes to unilateral mastectomy. There is no survival advantage to bilateral mastectomy in average risk breast cancer. Among a cohort of breast cancer patients expected to be candidates for BCS, we examined choice of surgery and factors associated with it. A prospective cohort study of unilateral clinical Stage I breast cancer patients treated at National Comprehensive Cancer Network centers from 2000 to 2009 was performed. The proportion of patients who initially underwent mastectomy versus BCS and time to definitive surgery and chemotherapy were examined. Of 10,249 patients, 23 % underwent mastectomy as an initial surgery. No decline in the use of mastectomy as initial surgery was found. There was significant institutional variation, with rates of initial mastectomy ranging from 14 to 30 % (adjusted odds ratio: 0.42-1.38). Tumor characteristics were associated with surgical option, but with small absolute differences. Of those who received initial mastectomy, 22 % had bilateral mastectomy, with an increase over time (2000:13 % vs. 2009:30 %) and substantial institutional variation (11-34 %). Women treated with initial mastectomy had longer median times from diagnosis to complete definitive surgery (6 vs. 4 weeks) and to start of adjuvant chemotherapy (12 vs. 11 weeks). Among Stage I breast cancer, the overall use of mastectomy did not change significantly over 10 years; however, an increasing proportion of women with unilateral cancer had bilateral mastectomy, and there was wide variation in type of surgery by institution. Further studies to assess reasons for the observed wide variation are warranted.
A Mathematical Systems Model of Nitrate Contamination

Control of nitrate contamination in drinking water is examined from a system-design perspective. The relationship between the contamination of the water supply, the exposure of the population, and the risk of cancer is investigated; and a structured framework for the evaluation of alternative control system designs is presented. Each of the component systems is discussed as an individual system, and the coupling between the components is rigorously defined. The system-theoretic framework presented here will help other investigators who specialize in either the geophysical, human or control systems to identify information that is necessary for the evaluation of alternative control system designs.
Biological Dehalogenation of Kraft Mill Wastewaters

A single-stage aerobic biological treatment system was developed specifically to convert organically bound chlorine to inorganic chloride. In initial laboratory tests, greater than 90% reduction of AOX was achieved in synthetic dichlorophenol, commercial pentachlorophenol, and combined kraft wastewaters, and less than a week was required for startup/acclimation. A six-month field test of the process on a pentachlorophenol wastewater was very successful under highly variable influent conditions. No chlorinated byproducts were detected, and measurements strongly indicated that dehalogenation had occurred. Recent experiments found Cl/El wastewater to be most easily treatable by the aerobic process, followed by combined lagoon influent, El wastewater, and finally lagoon effluent. However, results have indicated that application of the treatment process to kraft AOX reduction can become feasible only if further process improvements can be defined.
Instabilities in the viscous flow past airfoil leading edges

AIAA, Fluid Dynamics Conference, 27th, New Orleans, LA, June 17-20, 1996 We show using Navier-Stokes simulations that small perturbations in the flow can generate eddies in the boundary layer before flow reversal occurs in the base flow. Perturbations in the angle of attack, as well as in the free stream, were considered, and the flow response was similar in both cases. Oscillations appear in the skin friction, which grow in amplitude and convect downstream with time. Above a certain amplitude, the skin friction becomes negative locally, giving rise to small recirculating eddies. This type of eddy creation prior to flow reversal in the base flow is in general agreement with the theory of Rayleigh instabilities. The wavelength of these instabilities scales as Re exp -0.43, which is in reasonable agreement with the theoretical value of Re exp -0.5. (Author)
Mechanism of Phosphorescence Appropriate for the Long-Lasting Phosphors Eu2+-Doped SrAl2O4 with Codopants Dy3+ and B3+

The existing mechanisms proposed to explain the phosphorescence of SrAl2O4:Eu2+,Dy3+ and related phosphors were found to be inconsistent with a number of important experimental and theoretical observations. We formulated a new mechanism of phosphorescence on the basis of the facts that the d orbitals of Eu2+ are located near the conduction band bottom of SrAl2O4, that the Eu2+ concentration decreases during UV excitation, and that trace amounts of Eu3+ are always present in these phosphors. In our mechanism, some Eu2+ ions are oxidized to Eu3+ under UV, and the released electrons are trapped at the oxygen vacancy levels located in the vicinity of the photogenerated Eu3+ cations. The phosphorescence arises from the recombination of these trapped electrons around the photogenerated Eu3+ sites with emission at 520 nm. The codopant Dy3+ enhances the phosphorescence by increasing the number and the depth of electron traps, and the codopant B3+ enhances the phosphorescence by increasing the depth of electron tr...
Embedded Links, Embedded Meanings: Social media commentary and news sharing as mundane media criticism

Social media transform the consumption environment of news by allowing users to separate individual stories from their original context within a bounded news product and recirculate them in new contexts. If, as this essay argues, the meaning of a news story stems from the interplay of textual and contextual elements, then this shift has interpretive consequences that require further conceptualization. An initial foray is made by developing a concept of mundane media criticism to account for the prevalence of social media commentary that accompanies the circulation of news stories through social media, including directly through news sharing. In this environment, to consume a news story is to simultaneously consume criticism of that story.
Analysis of Measles Infections and Control Measures in Xiqing District of Tianjin City during 2006—2007

[Objective]To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of measles in Xiqing District of Tianjin City,and analyze the causes for the control strategy.[Methods]Descriptive epidemiology method was adopted to analyze the incidence of measles of Xiqing District during 2006—2007,so as to reveal the epidemiological characteristics.[Results]The measles incidences were high in 2006(22.1431/100 000) and 2007(34.6634/100 000).74.64% of the cases occurred between April to June.The age groups with high incidence were 8 months old and ≥15 years old,which accounted for 25.84 % and 47.19% respectively.The cases of floating population occupied 58.43 % of all cases.[Conclusion]Control of nosocomial infection,high-quality immunization MV in the floating population are the effective means to control and eliminate measles.
Fast Classification Method for H.264/AVC Inter-frame Prediction Mode

H.264/AVC emploies RDO technique in inter-frame mode selection to enhance coding efficiency,but it increases computational complexity drastically.The proposed fast algorithm exploits rate distortion characteristic and spatio-temporal correlation among neighboring macroblocks to reduce the range of candidate modes,which can efficiently save the inter prediction complexity.Experimental results show that the approach reduces the coding time by 25%~46% with similar visual quality and bit rate of H.264/AVC.
Clinical analysis of 43 cases of Kawasaki disease of young infants aged under 6 months

Objective:To summarize clinical characteristics of Kawasaki disease(KD) in infants younger than 6 months and explore indices for early diagnosis.Methods: Retrospective data from 43 cases of KD in infants younger than 6 months were collected in Nanjing Children's Hospital from March 2005 to February 2009,and compared with 238 cases of KD in children older than 6 months in the same period.Results: Among 43 cases of KD in infants younger than 6 months,male-female ratio was 2.31∶1.Compared with 238 cases of KD in children older than 6 months,the incidence of some clinical features,such as BCG vaccination erythema,symptoms in digestive system and nervous system at acute period were increased significantly(P 0.05),while cervical lymphadenopathy was absent in 43 cases of KD in infants younger than 6 months.The levels of neutrophils(N%),platelet(PLT),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR) and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) in infants were higher(P 0.05) and the level of Hb was lower(P 0.05) than children.The incidence of incomplete KD cases and coronary artery aneurysm in infants increased statistically(P 0.05).Conclusion: Incomplete KD cases and coronary artery aneurysm are more common in infants younger than 6 months.Examination of coronary artery abnormalities,BCG vaccination erythema,symptoms in digestive system and nervous system and the levels of N%,PLT,ESR,LDH and Hb in time would be helpful for early diagnosis.
An update on the management of bleeding disorders during pregnancy.

Purpose of review The morbidity and mortality of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) in women with an underlying bleeding disorder requires vigilance by the hematologist. Recent findings Recent studies suggest that women with underlying bleeding disorders may be 'undertreated' at the time of delivery in aiming for too low a target elevation that historically per numerous society guidelines has aimed for VWF/FVIII:C levels to be 'only' greater than 50% when in actuality the levels should be akin to what is achieved in a normal pregnancy. The result appears to be an increase in the rate and degree of PPH. In this context, although recent studies imply DDAVP is well tolerated, DDAVP may not be appropriate because it may not raise the levels into the normal supraphysiological range nor maintain it for several days. Particularly in women with rare bleeding disorders, i.e., non- Fviii C or VWF deficient, adjunctive antifibrinolytic therapy, e.g., tranexamic acid, appears to be in order as a prophylactic measure. Summary Women with an underlying bleeding disorder appear to be at a heightened risk for PPH if the respective coagulation factor level is not appropriately replaced to the level that is physiologically achieved in a normal pregnancy. Furthermore, there appears to be underuse of tranexamic acid for prophylaxis of PPH in this population.
Perspectives on the Teaching Career

When one of the authors (MH) was beginning his career in Geneva in the early 1970s, he had the privilege of working with the celebrated psychologist Jean Piaget on a study of the human life cycle. ‘Tell you what,’ Piaget said, ‘I’ll take the period from neonatal development to 14 years, and you take the rest. But don’t be disappointed. There won’t be much going on after 14.’
Photocatalysts Based on Cobalt-Chelating Conjugated Polymers for Hydrogen Evolution from Water

Developing photocatalytic systems for water splitting to generate oxygen and hydrogen is one of the biggest chemical challenges in solar energy utilization. In this work, we report the first example of heterogeneous photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution based on in-chain cobalt-chelating conjugated polymers. Two conjugated polymers chelated with earth-abundant cobalt ions were synthesized and found to evolve hydrogen photocatalytically from water. These polymers are designed to combine functions of the conjugated backbone as a light-harvesting antenna and electron-transfer conduit with the in-chain bipyridyl-chelated transition metal centers as catalytic active sites. In addition, these polymers are soluble in organic solvents, enabling effective interactions with the substrates as well as detailed characterization. We also found a polymer-dependent optimal cobalt chelating concentration at which the highest photocatalytic hydrogen production (PHP) activity can be achieved.
The Firm, Conflict and the Labour Process

Marx’s notion of the circuits of capital throws light on the way in which markets process information. This analysis allows us to go beyond Pigou’s critique of market calculation, which was limited to the tendency of business to use an excessive discount rate.
Recurrent Temporal Deep Field for Semantic Video Labeling

This paper specifies a new deep architecture, called Recurrent Temporal Deep Field (RTDF), for semantic video labeling. RTDF is a conditional random field (CRF) that combines a deconvolution neural network (DeconvNet) and a recurrent temporal restricted Boltzmann machine (RTRBM). DeconvNet is grounded onto pixels of a new frame for estimating the unary potential of the CRF. RTRBM estimates a high-order potential of the CRF by capturing long-term spatiotemporal dependencies of pixel labels that RTDF has already predicted in previous frames. We derive a mean-field inference algorithm to jointly predict all latent variables in both RTRBM and CRF. We also conduct end-to-end joint training of all DeconvNet, RTRBM, and CRF parameters. The joint learning and inference integrate the three components into a unified deep model – RTDF. Our evaluation on the benchmark Youtube Face Database (YFDB) and Cambridge-driving Labeled Video Database (Camvid) demonstrates that RTDF outperforms the state of the art both qualitatively and quantitatively.
Performance Metrics for The Interventional Treatment Of Acute Ischemic Stroke; Results from A Comprehensive Stroke Center (P4.245)

BACKGROUND: Despite ongoing controversy regarding the utility of intraarterial (IA) treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS), it remains in widespread clinical practice. A recent international multisociety consensus statement identified “quality benchmark” metrics related to IA treatment of AIS. Our objective was to retrospectively analyze a cohort of AIS patients treated at our hospital with IA therapy and assess how successful we were at meeting the metrics set forth in these guidelines prior to their publication. DESIGN/METHODS: The cohort consisted of AIS patients treated with IA therapy between September 2008 and December 2010. Eight of eleven metrics were selected based on the availability of data. All patients were evaluated for: indications for IA treatment, door to imaging time, use of CT/MR as first step imaging, door to puncture time, postprocedure CT/MR, symptomatic ICH (SICH), and death within 72 hours. Data were collected from the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). Imaging time was verified on the radiographs. All patients were screened for documentation of a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days. RESULTS: The cohort included 45 patients; mean age 62 years, 40% women. Overall, performance on 5 of 8 measures was met, and the other performance measures (indications for IA treatment, door to imaging, and door to puncture) missed the benchmarks by an average of 11%. Three other categories were not routinely recorded, preventing retrospective analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our study applies recent IA treatment performance measures to a cohort of AIS patients. The findings highlight that most aspects of our IA AIS care had already met these new measures. The most prominent deficiencies included that 23% of patients did not meet the institutional guidelines for IA treatment, and that we lacked data on timing and grading of revascularization. Our findings may be of relevance to other tertiary stroke centers that offer IA therapy. Disclosure: Dr. Sultan-Qurraie has nothing to disclose. Dr. de Havenon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Becker has received research support from the National Institutes of Health, and the American Heart Association. Dr. Sharma has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hallam has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ghodke has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kim has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tirschwell has received personal compensation for activities with Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Sanofi-Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Boehringer Inbelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. as a speaker, and with Axio Research as a consultant. Dr. Tirschwell has received research support from Amplatzer Corp. and Novo Nordisk.
An infrastructureless and self-deployable indoor navigation approach using semantic signatures: poster

Semantic localization refers to the process of finding one's location with respect to visible or identifiable objects in the scene instead of finding position coordinates. In this research, we use textual signs and their geographical relationships inside a building as semantic signatures to design an infrastructureless indoor navigation system without a site survey. We propose a computer vision-based approach, which takes as an input a floor plan image and automatically infers the floor graph. The constructed graph is then used to estimate the shortest path, which is a sequence of store names, that the user needs to pass to reach her destination.
Is asexual reproduction an evolutionary dead end in lichens

Classical hypotheses in lichenology predict pairs of species in which sexual lineages are ancestral and long-lived evolutionarily and that these give rise to derived, evolutionarily transient asexual lineages. Extensive phylogenetic information generated over the last 20 years regarding relationships within and among various groups of lichens makes possible an investigation of polarity and lability in reproductive mode across diverse clades. To test the long-held hypothesis of asexual reproduction as an evolutionary dead end in lichens, existing phylogenetic data from 23 studies were utilized to reconstruct gains and losses of sexual and asexual reproduction in a model-based statistical framework. Summed across all studies, between 26–44 origins of asexual reproduction from sexual ancestors (forward transitions) and 14–25 origins of sexual reproduction from asexual ancestors (reverse transitions) were identified. However, the higher number of gains of asexual reproduction was concentrated in a relatively low number of clades (e.g. Dirina). The greater number of forward compared to reverse transitions is consistent with dogma in both lichenology and evolutionary biology, but nonetheless this study documents numerous reverse transitions, suggesting that asexual lineages represent a source for evolutionary innovation.
Thinking Across Cultures: Western Hermeneutics and Chinese Exegesis

All the rich and insightful hermeneutic theories we have had in our possession so far are attempts to apply some local knowledge stemming from some native culture to circumstances and situations everywhere, as theories, with their universalist pretensions and aspirations, are wont to do. But to date, insofar as the “local” is mainly the West, the Euro-American world, it begs the question of how empirically tenable is a locally incubated theory when it is applied to extra-local conditions. In fact, even within the local, as it were, differences and tensions abound. And if we introduce into this welter another local world, say, the Chinese one, the picture gets, needless to say, messier. But then we have no choice but to muddle up the picture, if we are already inescapable denizens of a global city, a cosmopolis which is our current multicultural, intertwined world. Consequently, place and space, that is, varied and varying locality, must intervene in any effort of theory-building in the realm of hermeneutics that purports to explain some general modes of operation in the process of reading and understanding. To more effectively shed light on the other worlds of reading and understanding requires some re-situation of place and space, such that new and broad perspectives may be developed. By redirecting the theoretical gaze from the Euro-American site to the Chinese (specifically, the Confucian) locale, I argue that we should grant the self-explanation and self-identity of thinking agents other than those in the Western world their rightful place in theoretical inquiries into what I call the hermeneutic dictum of human existence, namely, that human living inevitably involves thinking that is interpretation, which is relative to contingent culture-historical dynamics molding the interpreter’s preunderstanding. In other words, if the imperative of interpretation and understanding is what ultimately constitutes human authenticity in the sense of apprehending the meanings of life, how the Confucians read may serve as inspiration, option, and even in some cases, alternative for a more general, more nimble, and interculturally more sensitive inquiry into the ways we read and conceive the self and the world. In short, to take seriously place and space in any hermeneutic project is to argue on behalf on intercultural hermeneutics, of which comparative thinking is integrally a part.