cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Approximating pre-emptive priority dispatching in a multiprogramming model

The formulation of the closed queuing network model of a multiprogramming computer system is generalized to allow each task to have its own set of facility service rates and I/O device selection probability distribution. In the model, processor sharing is assumed for different types of customers. It is shown through a series of investigations that the model reasonably approximates preemptive priority dispatching.
Adult behavior and adrenocortical function following neonatal morphine treatment in rats

Adult behavioral and endocrine effects of neonatal administration of morphine (M) were studied in female rats injected s.c. with M on either days 3–12 (M1) or days 12–21 (M2). The dose given twice daily was increased to 8 mg/kg in group M1 and to 16 mg/kg in group M2. Compared to saline-treated controls, growth rates were temporarily suppressed (P<0.05) and body weights were reduced (P<0.05) util day 20 in M1 and until day 64 in M2 rats. The open-field test performed on days 29–31 failed to differentiate between neonatal treatment groups. On days 90–95 M1 but not M2 animals showed impaired learning of a conditioned emotional responses (CER). On day 40 all groups showed similar increased levels of plasma corticosterone 30 min following injection of naloxone (5 mg/kg). Compared to controls on day 156, both M1 and M2 rats showed diminished (P<0.05) analgesic responses (hot-plate test) to M (10 mg/kg). In response to M challenge (40 mg/kg) on day 170, all groups showed comparable acute increases in plasma corticosterone levels. These findings provide further evidence that early exposure to M results in growth retardation and protracted tolerance and that, depending on dose and time of exposure, neonatal M may result in impaired learning of CER in adulthood. These effects suggest that early morphine can produce long-lasting alterations of learned behavior without lasting impairment of pituitary-adrenal function.
Ependymomas of the posterior cranial fossa: CT and MRI findings

We studied nine children with posterior cranial fossa ependymomas to identify specific neuroradiological features. Patients were studied preoperatively with CT and MRI; T1-, T2- and proton-density (PD)-weighted images were obtained. All children underwent surgery and a definite histopathological diagnosis was made. All the tumours grew into the fourth ventricle and caused dilatation of its upper part, which resembled a cap. All but one were separated from the vermis by a cleavage plane. In eight cases there was desmoplastic development through the foramina of the fourth ventricle, and five were heterogeneous due to necrosis and cystic change; one had a haemorrhagic area. In most cases the solid portion was isointense with grey matter on T1-weighted images, hyperintense on PD weighting, and isointense on T2-weighted images. On CT the tumour was isodense in six cases and calcification was detected in four. The presence of both desmoplastic development and a tumour/vermis cleavage plane in a posterior cranial fossa tumour isodense on CT is highly suggestive of ependymoma.
Certain solutions of the equations of the planar motion of a second grade fluid for steady and unsteady cases

Solutions for the equations of motion of an incompressible second grade fluid are derived by assuming certain conditions on the stream function. Exact solutions are obtained for a planar motion for both steady and unsteady cases.
From the guest editor: it's more than tech-talk

The goal for this volume is to provide a "portable library" of leadership concepts and resources for those who have not had the opportunity to take such a course. The issue is divided into three basic sections: individual leadership; corporate leadership; and team leadership.
Angiogenesis of the endometrium.

Abstract Objective: To present current data pertaining to angiogenesis of the endometrium throughout the normal menstrual cycle and in benign and neoplastic diseases of the endometrium. Sources: We conducted a computerized search of MEDLINE, Current Contents, and Index Medicus for relevant studies in the English literature published between January 1966 and October 1998. Study selection: We reviewed all studies that included human and animal models of angiogenesis of normal cyclic endometrium and benign and neoplastic endometrial diseases. Tabulation, Integration, and Results: Angiogenesis is important to cyclic, regenerating endometria and disease processes including dysfunctional uterine bleeding, response to exogenous hormonal treatment, bleeding associated with intrauterine contraceptive devices, uterine leiomyomata, endometriosis, complex endometrial hyperplasia, and endometrial carcinoma. Conclusion: In the future, knowledge of specific angiogenic patterns of various disease processes might improve application of antiangiogenic medications in therapies for benign and neoplastic diseases of the endometrium.
Effects of inotropic agents on contraction and relaxation of papillary muscle.

The effects of epinephrine and caffeine on isometric rabbit papillary muscle preparations were observed after maximum peak tension was produced by adjustment of initial length and Ca++ concentration. Without change in peak tension, epinephrine caused increased positive dP/dt (p < .005), increased negative dP/dt (p < .001) and decreased time to peak tension (TP) (p < .001), while caffeine resulted in decreased positive dP/dt (p < .02), decreased negative dP/dt (p < .005) and prolonged TP (p < .001). Caffeine added to muscles being perfused with epinephrine reversed the epinephrine effects. The data suggest that epinephrine increases the influx of Ca++ into the cell and the uptake of Ca++ by the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and that caffeine exerts opposite effects on Ca++ exchange. However, an additional mechanism not dependent on changes in Ca++ flux is suggested. Epinephrine and caffeine may directly effect the rates of actin-myosin interaction, the former agent increasing, the latter decreasing the rates of attachment and detachment of actin-myosin bridges.
Generic substitution for immunosuppressive drugs

The advent of generic alternatives for transplant immunosuppressant drugs has engendered concern and discussion. The process by which the food and drug administration (FDA) approves generic substitutes is reviewed. A category of medicines deﬁned as narrow therapeutic index (NTI) drugs is deﬁned with evidence that many (but not all) of the commonly used transplant medications fall into this category. It is demonstrated that the current FDA standards are inadequate to vet NTI agents. Outcomes data are presented that show generic switching for NTI drugs can be successfully accomplished with careful blood level monitoring, but clinical and ﬁnancial negative consequences can ﬂow from unregulated switching. Recommendations are made for provider use of generic immunsuppressants, for recipient education and response to switching, and for pharmacy shandling of generic alternatives.
Association Between Bone Mineral Density and the Use of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs and Aspirin: Impact of Cyclooxygenase Selectivity†

BMD was examined in users of NSAIDs (by COX selectivity) and aspirin in the Health ABC cohort (n = 2853). Significantly higher BMD was found in users of relative COX-2 selective NSAIDs with aspirin (COX-2/ASA) compared with nonusers. This suggests a role for COX-2/ASA in osteoporosis. Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, by cyclo-oxygenase selectivity (COX), and aspirin use on bone mineral density (BMD) in participants from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) population-based cohort. It is known that NSAIDs inhibit the COX enzyme and decrease production of prostaglandins, which are involved in regulation of bone turnover. COX has two isoforms, COX-1 and COX-2. Production of prostaglandins associated with bone loss is primarily mediated through the COX-2 pathway. In addition, aspirin may have effects on bone independent of the prostaglandin pathway. Materials and Methods: NSAID (by COX selectivity) and aspirin use and BMD were assessed in 2853 adults (49.5% women, 50.5% men; 43.1% black, 56.9% white; mean age: 73.6 years) from the Health ABC cohort. For the purposes of this analysis, relative COX-1 selective NSAIDs were defined as having a ratio of COX-1 IC50 to COX-2 IC50 of >1 in whole blood, and relative COX-2 selective NSAIDs were defined as having a ratio of COX-1 IC50 to COX-2 IC50 of <1 in whole blood. Analysis of covariance was used to compare BMD across each NSAID use and aspirin use category adjusting for age, race, gender, weight, height, study site, calcium and vitamin D supplementation, Womac score, history of rheumatoid arthritis, history of arthritis other than rheumatoid, and smoking status. Results: After adjustment for possible confounders, current use of relative COX-2 selective NSAIDs with aspirin was associated with higher BMD at the whole body (4.2%, 1.2–7.3 CI) and total hip (4.6%, 0.5–8.8 CI) by DXA and at both trabecular (34.1%, 15.4–52.7 CI) and cortical spine (12.8%, 2.3–23.3 CI) by quantitative computed tomography. Conclusions: Our data suggest that the combination of relative COX-2 selective NSAIDs and aspirin is associated with higher BMD at multiple skeletal sites in men and women.
THE WIDAL TEST AS CARRIED OUT IN PUBLIC HEALTH LABORATORIES.

ice cream control. There is no question but what such are needed but it is certainly unseemly, to say the least, to purport to control the final product when the quality of the raw material is ignored. Effective control of cream quality must be the foundation from which satisfactory ice cream control may be instituted. We follow the procedure and apply the lessons which the sanitary control of our milk supply has taught us to be necessary.
The trade-offs of emotional reactivity for youths' social information processing in the context of maternal depression

Although research demonstrates that emotional experiences can influence cognitive processing, little is known about individual differences in this association, particularly in youth. The present study examined how the emotional backdrop of the caregiving environment, as reflected in exposure to maternal depression and anxiety, was linked to biases in youths’ cognitive processing of mother-referent information. Further, we investigated whether this association differed according to variation in youths’ emotional reactivity to stress. Youth (50 boys, 46 girls; M age = 12.36, SD = 1.05) completed a behavioral task assessing cognitive bias. Semi-structured interviews were administered to assess (a) youths’ emotional reactivity to naturally occurring stressors, and (b) maternal depression and anxiety. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that emotional reactivity to interpersonal stressors moderated the linkage between maternal depression and cognitive bias such that maternal depression predicted a greater negative bias in youth exhibiting high and average, but not low, levels of emotional reactivity. At low levels of maternal depression, youth with heightened interpersonal emotional reactivity showed a greater positive cognitive bias. This pattern of effects was specific to interpersonal (but not noninterpersonal) emotional reactivity and to maternal depression (but not anxiety). These findings illuminate one personal characteristic of youth that moderates emotion-cognition linkages, and reveal that emotional reactivity both enhances and impairs youths’ cognitive processing as a function of socialization context.
Interaction of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 Vpx and Invariant Chain

Vpx is a virion-associated protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) and simian immunodeficiency viruses. The yeast two-hybrid system was used to identify invariant chain (Ii) as a cellular protein that interacts with HIV-2 Vpx. Vpx-Ii interaction was confirmed in cell-free reactions using bacterially expressed glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins and by coimmunoprecipitation in transfected and infected cells. In chronically infected cells expressing Vpx, Ii levels were markedly decreased, presumably due to enhanced degradation. These findings suggest that Vpx may disrupt major histocompatibility complex class II antigen presentation.
Revisiting the performance impact of branch predictor latencies

Branch predictors play a critical role in the performance of modern processors, and the prediction accuracy is known to be the most important attribute of such predictors. However, the latency of the predictor can also have a profound impact on performance as well. In past studies that have considered branch prediction latency, most only consider the latency required to make a prediction. However, in deeply pipelined processors, the latency between prediction and update can also greatly affect performance. In this study, we revisit the performance impact of both of these latencies and demonstrate that update latency can also have a significant impact on performance. We then describe two techniques, multi-overriding and hierarchical updates, to address both latencies which provide 4.4% and 5.7% IPC improvements on moderately (20-stage) and deeply (40-stage) pipelined processors, respectively, for minimal hardware complexity.
Influence of Cloud–Radiative Forcing on Tropical Cyclone Structure

AbstractThe authors demonstrate how and why cloud–radiative forcing (CRF), the interaction of hydrometeors with longwave and shortwave radiation, can influence tropical cyclone structure through “semi idealized” integrations of the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting model (HWRF) and an axisymmetric cloud model. Averaged through a diurnal cycle, CRF consists of pronounced cooling along the anvil top and weak warming through the cloudy air, which locally reverses the large net cooling that occurs in the troposphere under clear-sky conditions. CRF itself depends on the microphysics parameterization and represents one of the major reasons why simulations can be sensitive to microphysical assumptions.By itself, CRF enhances convective activity in the tropical cyclone’s outer core, leading to a wider eye, a broader tangential wind field, and a stronger secondary circulation. This forcing also functions as a positive feedback, assisting in the development of a thicker and more radially extensive anvil th...
Occupational exposure to HIV and the use of post-exposure prophylaxis

The use of antiretroviral therapy as post-exposure prophylaxis against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is now routine following high-risk exposure to the HIV virus. This article summarizes the management of health care workers and others exposed to HIV in an occupational setting, and the evidence behind it.
Monotonic penalized-likelihood image reconstruction for X-ray fluorescence computed tomography

In this paper, we derive a monotonic penalized-likelihood algorithm for image reconstruction in X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT) when the attenuation maps at the energies of the fluorescence X-rays are unknown. In XFCT, a sample is irradiated with pencil beams of monochromatic synchrotron radiation that stimulate the emission of fluorescence X-rays from atoms of elements whose K- or L-edges lie below the energy of the stimulating beam. Scanning and rotating the object through the beam allows for acquisition of a tomographic dataset that can be used to reconstruct images of the distribution of the elements in question. XFCT is a stimulated emission tomography modality, and it is thus necessary to correct for attenuation of the incident and fluorescence photons. The attenuation map is, however, generally known only at the stimulating beam energy and not at the energies of the various fluorescence X-rays of interest. We have developed a penalized-likelihood image reconstruction strategy for this problem. The approach alternates between updating the distribution of a given element and updating the attenuation map for that element's fluorescence X-rays. The approach is guaranteed to increase the penalized likelihood at each iteration. Because the joint objective function is not necessarily concave, the approach may drive the solution to a local maximum. To encourage the algorithm to seek out a reasonable local maximum, we include in the objective function a prior that encourages a relationship, based on physical considerations, between the fluorescence attenuation map and the distribution of the element being reconstructed
A New DSP-Based Measure for CPG Islands Detection

Identification of DNA regions that are rich in the CpG Pattern is important because such segments are resistant to methylation and are typically associated with genes that are frequently switched on. In this paper, we propose a DSP based approach to detect such regions. In specific, we first derive two new Markov chain models for CpG and non-CpG regions respectively and then design a number of Fir filters to generate a filtered Likelihood Ratio Test (LRT) measure. Our simulations show that the joint design of the probabilistic models and the digital filter produces significantly better results than previous work.
INTRANUCLEAR AGGREGATES OF FERRITIN IN LIVER CELLS OF MICE TREATED WITH SACCHARATED IRON OXIDE Their Possible Relation to Nuclear Protein Synthesis

Several months following parenteral injections of saccharated iron oxide into DBA/2J mice, granules rich in iron were found in nuclei of scattered parenchymal liver cells as well as in the cytoplasm. As seen in the light microscope, the intranuclear granules were brown; most of them measured between 0.5 µ and 1 µ in cross-section. They gave positive Prussian blue tests, and were not selectively stainable with pyronine. Electron micrographs of the granules showed closely packed aggregates of ferritin molecules, occasionally in paracrystalline order. The intranuclear collections were often surrounded by bands of material of moderate opacity. Scattered ferritin molecules and collections of such molecules were also present in the cytoplasm of many liver cells, but there seemed to be no quantitative relationship between intranuclear and cytoplasmic ferritin. Liver cells from untreated control mice failed to reveal intranuclear deposits of ferritin. Although the site of origin of the intranuclear aggregates of ferritin is unknown, the findings suggest the possibility that under suitable circumstances ferritin synthesis may take place within nuclei of liver cells—perhaps induced by the presence of colloidal iron.
Expert system-based robot technology: a systems management approach

A framework for the integration of expert systems into various activities performed by robots is outlined. Basic robot concepts are presented, the importance of robots is discussed, and their limitations are indicated. The integrated of expert systems into robotics is examined both in the areas of planning and design and in the area of operations. Improvements in speed, capabilities, quality, maintainability, and safety are the major targets of the integration. The state of the art of such an integration is presented. Practical applications in assembly lines, material handling, and welding are described. >
Reexpansion pulmonary edema.

Sir.—Reexpansion pulmonary edema (REPE) is an uncommon problem that afflicts the reexpanded lung after evacuation of a large pneumothorax or pleural effusion. There are many accounts of REPE occurring in adults, but to my knowledge, this problem has not been reported in the pediatric population. A boy is described in whom severe unilateral pulmonary edema occurred after evacuation of a large pleural effusion. Patient Report.—An 8-year-old boy weighing 40 kg was admitted for treatment of steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. He had no previous neurologic abnormality. The patient's medical history was remarkable for multiple bouts of infection, including a right-sided pneumococcal pneumonia 3 months before admission. One month after the pneumonia, he underwent a right pleural decortication because of recurrent pleural effusion. Two weeks before admission, a chest roentgenogram showed moderate right- and left-sided pleural effusions. During these 2 weeks, he experienced worsening shortness of breath. On admission, the patient
Evolutionary Design of Electromagnetic and Electromechanical Devices

Evolutionary design refers to the use of evolutionary computing methods in the design process. Normally, this entails the formulization of the design problem as an optimization problem, which is solved using evolutionary techniques such as a genetic algorithm or particle swarm optimization. This paper provides three examples in the use of this highly effective method to the design of electromagnetic and electromechanical devices.
Central vasopressin administration regulates the onset of facultative paternal behavior in microtus pennsylvanicus (meadow voles).

Abstract Pharmacological experiments have implicated a role for central arginine vasopressin (AVP) in regulating paternal behavior in monogamous prairie voles. Although nonmonogamous meadow voles exhibit appreciable paternal care when housed under winter, short day lengths (SD), no research has examined whether the same neurobiological systems are involved in regulating paternal behavior in a nonmonogamous species when it behaves paternally. The goal of these experiments was to determine whether central administration of AVP, but not cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), affected the suppression of pup-directed aggression and/or the onset of paternal behavior in meadow voles. Data from experiment 1 implicated a role for AVP in facilitating changes in male behavior: central administration of 1 ng of AVP (but not 3 ng or CSF) inhibited pup-directed aggression in previously pup-aggressive males, and 3 ng of AVP (but not 1 ng or CSF) induced paternal behavior in previously nonpaternal males. In contrast, AVP (1 and 3 ng) did not enhance paternal behavior in already paternal males. Experiment 2 tested the specificity of AVP. Previous research indicated that 24 h of unmated cohabitation with a female reliably induced paternal behavior in SD males. Hence, experiment 2 examined whether administration of a V1a AVP antagonist (AVPA), but not CSF, prior to 24 h of unmated cohabitation would block the onset of paternal behavior. Males that received CSF displayed paternal behavior faster and engaged in more investigatory and paternal behaviors than males that received AVPA. Thus, pharmacological experiments support the hypothesis that AVP likely regulates paternal behavior in both facultatively and consistently paternal vole species.
Biogeography of spiders on remote oceanic islands of the Pacific: archipelagoes as stepping stones?

Aim The composition of species in any given island community may directly reflect the processes of immigration such that species on a more remote island comprise a nested subset of those on the nearest less remote land mass. Alternatively, new species can arise on islands by less frequent colonization but subsequent evolutionary differentiation. In the current study the species composition of spiders is examined in native communities on three remote oceanic archipelagoes to test hypotheses concerning the relative importance for species accumulation of (i) immigration from the nearest land mass, vs. (ii) in situ speciation. Location The study focuses on three volcanic hot-spot archipelagoes in the Pacific: the Hawaiian, Marquesas and Society Islands. Methods Tetragnatha spiders were collected from the three remote Pacific archipelagoes as well as Australasia and America. Sequences of mitochondrial DNA (Cytochrome Oxidase I and 16S ribosomal DNA) were obtained from the spiders and a phylogenetic approach was used to examine relatedness among island endemic lineages of spiders, as well as associations between species on different archipelagoes with continental congeners. Results Within archipelagoes, species groups are largely monophyletic. When species groups are compared between archipelagoes, those on one archipelago are never the sister group to those on another archipelago. Rather, each archipelago has a mainland congener as its closest sister group. Main conclusions First, colonization of the Hawaiian, Marquesas and Society archipelagoes by Tetragnatha spiders appears to have occurred independently, most likely in each case from a continental source, but not from the nearest archipelago. Secondly, in situ speciation has occurred in the Marquesas and Society Islands in a similar manner to that in Hawaii, although apparently on a smaller scale.
Trading in risk: using markets to improve access control

With the increasing need to securely share information, current access control systems are proving too in flexible and difficult to adapt. Recent work on risk-based access control systems has shown promise at resolving the inadequacies of traditional access control systems, and promise to increase information sharing and security. We consider some of the core open problems in risk-based access control systems, namely where and how much risk to take. We propose the use of market mechanisms to determine an organization's risk tolerance and allocation. We show that with the correct incentives, an employee will make optimal choices for the organization. We also comment on how the market can be used to ensure employees behave honestly and detect those who are malicious. Through simulations, we empirically show the advantage of risk-based access control systems and market mechanisms at increasing information sharing and security.
As the raven flies: using genetic data to infer the history of invasive common raven (Corvus corax) populations in the Mojave Desert

E.G.G. was sponsored by a predoctoral fellowship of the Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia from Spain.
Mesoscale Updraft Magnitude and Cloud-Ice Content Deduced from the Ice Budget of the Stratiform Region of a Tropical Cloud Cluster

Abstract Radar observations obtained during Winter MONEX describe the three-dimensional structure and development of the mesoscale stratiform region of a tropical cloud cluster. The magnitudes of the mesoscale updraft and cloud-ice mass content within an upper tropospheric stratiform cloud deck are deduced from a formulation of the ice budget of the stratiform region. Measurements of radar reflectivity at upper levels serve as the primary input data. Aircraft observations of ice particles are also used to guide the calculations. The mesoscale updraft magnitude and cloud-ice mass content are determined hourly over a period of 12 h. The updraft velocities were 10-23 cm s−1, and the cloud-ice contents were 0.1-0.3 g m−3. The vertical velocity estimates agree well with estimates obtained for the same cloud cluster by Johnson (1982) using the kinematic method.
Motor learning and retention: influence of practice and remoteness on individual differences.

Abstract One hundred high school girls (N = 20 per group) were initially given 10 trials on the Bachman ladder-climb task; each group was given a different length of lay-off (10 min., or 1 day, or 1 week, or 4 weeks, or 13 weeks) before being retested with another 10 trials. Correlations between individual differences across the lay-off decreased as the length of the lay-off period increased (from r = .89 to r = .69). Correlations between adjacent trials remained relatively constant at r =.90 as practice progressed. As remoteness increased, the relation decreased regularly, from r =.92 to r =.68. Individuals became increasingly different from each other as a result of motor learning; intraindividual variance did not change appreciably.
Taxonomy of Toumeyella lomagundiae Hall and T. obunca De Lotto, and their transfer to Hallicoccus gen. nov. (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Coccidae)

Two African soft scale insects, Toumeyella lomagundiae Hall and T. obunca De Lotto, are transferred to Hallicoccus gen. nov. The adult females of both species are redescribed, and the first-instar nymph of T. lomagundiae is described. A revised taxonomic key to separate the adult females is provided. The affinity of Hallicoccus gen. nov. with the genus Toumeyella Cockerell is briefly discussed.
Supporting human interpretation and analysis of activity captured through overhead video

Many disciplines spend considerable resources studying behavior. Tools range from pen-and-paper observation to biometric sensing. A tool’s appropriateness depends on the goal and justification of the study, the observable context and feature set of target behaviors, the observers’ resources, and the subjects’ tolerance to intrusiveness. We present two systems: Viz-A-Vis and Tableau Machine. Viz-A-Vis is an analytical tool appropriate for onsite, continuous, wide-coverage and long-term capture, and for objective, contextual, and detailed analysis of the physical actions of subjects who consent to overhead video observation. Tableau Machine is a creative artifact for the home. It is a long-lasting, continuous, interactive, and abstract Art installation that captures overhead video and visualizes activity to open opportunities for creative interpretation. We focus on overhead video observation because it affords a near one-to-one correspondence between pixels and floor plan locations, naturally framing the activity in its spatial context. Viz-A-Vis, or VIsuali Zation of Activity through VISion, is an information visualization interface that renders and manipulates computer vision abstractions. It visualizes the hidden structure of behavior in its spatiotemporal context. We demonstrate the practicality of this approach through two user studies. In the first user study, we show an important search performance boost when compared against standard video playback and against the video cube, an advanced technique from the video visualization literature. Furthermore, we determine a unanimous user choice for overviewing and searching with Viz-A-Vis. In the second study, a domain expert evaluation, we validate a number of real discoveries of insightful environmental behavior patterns by a group of senior architects using Viz-A-Vis. Furthermore, we determine clear influences of Viz-A-Vis over the resulting architectural designs in the study. Tableau Machine is a sensing, interpreting, and painting artificial intelligence. It is an Art installation with a model of perception and personality that continuously and enduringly engages its co-occupants in the home, creating an aura of presence. It perceives the environment through overhead cameras, interprets its perceptions with computational models of behavior, maps its interpretations to generative abstract visual compositions, and renders its compositions through paintings on a television screen and a printer. We validate the goal of opening a space for creative interpretation, playful experimentation, reflection, contemplation, and conversation through a study that included three long-term deployments in real family homes.
Slots in Dielectrically Loaded Waveguide

Simple modifications of formulas presented by A. A. Oliner are found to allow the determination of the impedance and resonant length of a slot in rectangular waveguide when the guide is filled with dielectric material. The modifications are justified by reference to earlier work by Oliner and others, and are verified by experimental results. (It has been recently learned that B. R. Cheo of New York University and H. Jones have collabo­ rated on a very similar study. Their work is in agreement and will be reported in the near future.)
Evaluating Permeability Surface-Area Product as a Measure of Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability in a Murine Model

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Permeability surface-area product has been suggested as a marker for BBB permeability with potential applications in clinical care and research. However, few studies have demonstrated its correlation with actual quantitative measurements of BBB permeability. Our aim was to demonstrate the correlation of quantitative permeability surface-area product and BBB permeability in a murine model by histologic confirmation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Coronal MR imaging was performed on mice treated with mannitol ( n = 6) for disruption of the BBB and controls treated with saline ( n = 5). Permeability surface-area product was determined by ROI placement and was compared between saline- and mannitol-treated mice. Correlation was made with contrast-enhancement measurements and immunohistologic-stained sections of tripeptidyl peptidase-1 distribution in mice treated with mannitol and saline followed by injection of a viral vector containing the CLN2 gene, which directs production of tripeptidyl peptidase-1. RESULTS: Significantly increased permeability surface-area product was seen in mannitol- compared with saline-treated mice in the whole brain ( P = .008), MCA territory ( P = .014), and mixed vascular territories ( P = .008). These findings were compared with contrast-enhancement measurements of BBB permeability and were correlated with immunohistologic-stained sections demonstrating BBB permeability to a large vector. CONCLUSIONS: Permeability surface-area product is increased in situations with known disruptions of the BBB, as evidenced by immunologic staining of large-vector passage through the BBB and concordance with contrast-enhancement measurements in a murine model. Quantitative permeability surface-area product has potential as an imaging marker of BBB permeability.
166. Resorbable Anterior Cervical Plates for Single Level Degenerative Disc Disease

OBJECTIVE: Resorbable spinal implants have generated increasing interest. There are minimal data in the literature on the use of resorbable anterior cervical plates. The purpose of this study is twofold. First, we present clinical outcomes of anterior cervical decompression and fusion (ACDF) for single-level degenerative disease using the first commercially available resorbable cervical plate. Second, we compare x-ray outcomes, including pseudarthrosis rates and angulation of healing, between patients receiving resorbable plates and a control group of patients receiving titanium plates. METHODS: Twenty-four consecutive patients treated with single-level ACDF using a resorbable anterior cervical plate were prospectively evaluated with minimum 12-month follow-up (mean, 15 mo). As a control group, 93 consecutive patients treated with single-level ACDF using a titanium plate with minimum 1-year followup were assessed. RESULTS: Overall outcomes were good in the resorbable plate group at a mean 15 months follow-up. Neck Disability Index scores decreased from a mean of 64.0 to 20.1% at follow-up (P 0.001). Numerical Rating Scale pain scores decreased from a mean of 8.0 preoperatively to 2.9 at follow-up (P 0.001). Three cases of pseudarthrosis [three of 24 (12.5%)] were identified in the resorbable plate group compared with two cases in the control group [two of 93 (2.2%)]. This difference was significant (P 0.047). Angulation was measured on final x-rays using Cobb angles. Patients in the resorbable plate group healed with a mean 4.52-degree kyphosis, whereas patients in the titanium plate group healed with a mean 2.41-degree lordosis (P 0.001). CONCLUSION: This report describes, to our knowledge, the first series of patients to undergo ACDF with the first commercially available resorbable cervical plate. Healing in kyphosis and pseudarthrosis was significantly more likely with resorbable implants as compared with the use of titanium plating. Although ultimate clinical outcomes were good, x-ray outcomes may be better with the use of titanium plating.
Long-term therapy with Bendavia (MTP-131), a novel mitochondria-targeting peptide, normalizes skeletal muscle fiber type composition in dogs with chronic heart failure

Background: Chronic heart failure (HF) is associated with a shift in skeletal muscle (SM) fiber type composition manifested by a decline in the number of aerobic, slow-twitch, fatigue-resistant type-1 fibers and an increase in the number of glycolytic, fast-twitch type-2 fibers. This fiber type shift is responsible, in part, for exercise intolerance in HF. Bendavia (MTP-131), a novel, first in class, MITO-targeting peptide, improves LV systolic function in dogs with chronic HF and restores ATP synthesis in multiple organs including heart, kidney and SM in other animal models of disease. We tested the hypothesis that long-term therapy with Bendavia can reverse the maladaptive SM fiber type shift in dogs with chronic HF possibly through restored MITO oxidative capacity. Methods: Studies were performed in triceps SM samples of 14 HF dogs produced by intracoronary microembolizations (LV ejection fraction ∼30%) and from 9 normal dogs. HF dogs were randomized to 3 months therapy with subcutaneous injections of Bendavia (0.5 mg/kg once daily, n=7) or saline (Control, n=7). SM type-1 and -2 fibers were differentiated histologically by myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase staining. The proportion of Type-1 and -2 fibers and the average cross-sectional area (CSA) of each fiber type was assessed in 5 randomly selected SM fields/dog each containing ∼100 fibers. Results: The proportion of SM type-1 fibers was lower and type-2 fibers higher in HF-Control compared to normal (table) leading to a significantly lower fiber type ratio. Treatment with Bendavia restored a near normal fiber type composition. There were no differences in SM CSA among study groups (table). View this table: Skeletal Muscle Fiber Type Composition Conclusions: Therapy with Bendavia reverses abnormalities of SM fiber type without influencing SM CSA. Reversal of this SM maladaptation following therapy with Bendavia can lead to improved exercise tolerance in HF.
The PPB Approach to Research Evaluation

OUR assignment, and constraints for this paper, inadvertently or otherwise, lead to a presentation that is more like an umbrella than an arrow moving swiftly and accurately to its target. Our subject matter includes an explanation of the Planning, Programming, and Budgeting system and PPB's relationship to the Research Program Development and Evaluation Staff (RPDES) and the Current Research Information System (CRIS)-all in the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If we can get you through this complexity of alphabet systems, the latter part of our paper will bear down on the main concern of this sectional meeting on evaluation of agricultural research productivity. First, what is the PPB system? The President, in his most recent budget message to Congress,1 put it this way:
Precise pattern replication of polymer blends into nonuniform geometries via reducing interfacial tension between two polymers.

Patterned polymer structures with different functionalities have many potential applications. Directed assembly of polymer blends using chemically functionalized patterns during spin-coating has been used to fabricate the patterned polymer structures. For bridging the gap between laboratorial experiments and manufacturing of nanodevices, the polymer blends structures are required to be precisely patterned into nonuniform geometries in a high-rate process, which still is a challenge. In this Article, we demonstrated for the first time that by decreasing the interfacial tension between two polymers polystyrene and poly(acrylic acid) via adding a compatibilizer (polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid) ), a polystyrene/poly(acrylic acid) blend was precisely patterned into nonuniform geometries in a high-rate fashion. The patterned nonuniform geometries included angled lines with angles varied from 30° to 150°, T-junctions, square arrays, circle arrays, and arbitrary letter-shaped geometries. The reduction in the int...
Fast Power-Efficient Techniques for Collision Detection in Wireless Sensor Networks

Recently a lot of research effort has been focused on Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) due to its various applications. Over the last few years, several techniques have been proposed for investigating the power consumption which represents one of the most challenges and main concerns in designing WSNs. Power consumption of nodes in WSNs has a great effect on the lifetime of network nodes which are difficult to replace or recharge their batteries. In this context, this paper represents a receiver approach for alleviating power consumption of WSNs. Unlike other power consumption techniques, instead of decoding every received signal at the receiver which consume too much power our approach studies the histograms of sensors’ transmitted signals to detect collisions, so the receiver can determine when the transmitted signals can be decoded without wasting precious power decoding transmitted signals suffering from collisions. We also present a complexity and power-saving comparison between our novel approach and a conventional full-decoding algorithm in order to demonstrate the significant power and complexity saving advantage of our approach.
Surgical Education in the Middle Ages

The new surgical texts of the thirteenth century suggest that their authors wished their subject to appear as a learned discipline, yet it was still communicated by individual practitioners privately to one or two disciples, not in a university setting. But by 1300, surgery was beginning to be taught formally as part of medicine in many Italian studia, for example, by Dino del Garbo at Siena, though Henri de Mondeville's programme to accomplish the same at Paris (1306-16) was unsuccessful. Surgery continued to be taught in Italian schools in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, though it was of much lower status than medicine, as is revealed at Bologna and Padua; during the same period, surgeons in Paris eventually achieved a limited association with the faculty of medicine there. Dissections and models were perhaps used in university teaching of surgery, which nevertheless appears to have been primarily text-based.
Enhanced production of oxygen radicals in asthma.

Oxygen radicals have been implicated in a variety of disease processes including asthma. In this study we investigated the production of superoxide by airspace cells in 56 patients with asthma as compared with 49 normal controls. We found that with patients with asthma with a forced expiratory vital capacity in the 1st second (FEV1) of less than 80% (n = 13) had higher spontaneous superoxide (SO) production when compared with normal subjects (3.6 +/- 1.0 versus 1.9 +/- 0.2 nmol/5 x 10(5) cells/hour, p 80% (n = 40) were similar to normal subjects in superoxide generation (2.1 +/- 0.3 nmol/5 x 10(5) cells/hour). Airspace cells from patients with mild asthma and those with moderate asthma had higher phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-stimulated SO production when compared with those from normal subjects (8.9 +/- 0.7, 11.1 +/- 2.4, and 6.5 +/- 0.4 nmol/5 x 10(5) cells/hour respectively, p < 0.005, r = -0.35, both comparisons). However, PMA-stimulated SO production was similar in both asthmatic subgroups. Finally, spontaneous generation of SO inversely correlated with FEV1% prediction (r = 0.35, p < 0.01) in the asthma group. We conclude that worsening of airway obstruction in asthma is associated with increased spontaneous generation of SO by airspace leukocytes.
Capsule endoscopy was superior to push enteroscopy for identifying sources of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding.

Source Citation de Leusse A, Vahedi K, Edery J, et al. Capsule endoscopy or push enteroscopy for first-line exploration of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding? Gastroenterology. 2007;132:855-62. 17324401
The Continuing Challenge of Colorectal Carcinoma

Since surgical ablation, the only definitive therapy, has apparently reached its limit in reducing the toll from this increasingly prevalent neoplasm, the search for antecedent factors has become a major focus of research. A small percentage of cases appears to have a hereditary basis but most do not; rather, the evidence increasingly suggests, a significant role is played by environmental factors such as diet.
Mouse Model of Ascending Urinary Tract Infection

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a mouse model of ascending urinary tract infection (UTI). Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI) caused predominantly by Escherichia coli are a significant urologic disease for adult women. Female mice are typically used to study ascending UTIs as the clinical problem of recurrent infections occurs predominantly in women. Male mice can also be used if a specific question relevant to UTIs in males is investigated. A small aliquot of stock of bacterial strains is used to inoculate a bacteriological medium that promotes the development of virulence factors present in the bacteria being studied. The inoculum is prepared by harvesting cells either from liquid culture or from a suspension prepared by washing bacteria from solid medium. Urinary tract infections can be induced in mice by an intraurethral or intravesical inoculation of viable bacteria and, when performed correctly, either method avoids the problem of direct infection of the kidneys. The intensity of inflammatory responses in the bladder and kidneys of infected animals correlates with the number of bacteria in these organs. The scores for animals in experimental and control groups can then be statistically analyzed to determine the significance of a particular bacterial virulence factor or host characteristic in the pathophysiology of the infection.
The South Australian Continental Margin and the Australian-Antarctic Sector of the Southern Ocean

The Australian-Antarctic sector of the Southern Ocean has been formed by asymmetric sea-floor spreading along an east-west trending ridge (Fig. 1). This ridge (the Southeast Indian Ridge) separates two major deep-water basins, the South Australian and South Indian Basins. Vigorous bottom-water circulation and regional productivity patterns have been important variables influencing sedimentation throughout the region.
Process Monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit: Assessing Patient Mobility Through Activity Analysis with a Non-Invasive Mobility Sensor.

Throughout a patient’s stay in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), accurate measurement of patient mobility, as part of routine care, is helpful in understanding the harmful effects of bedrest [1]. However, mobility is typically measured through observation by a trained and dedicated observer, which is extremely limiting. In this work, we present a video-based automated mobility measurement system called NIMS: Non-Invasive Mobility Sensor. Our main contributions are: (1) a novel multi-person tracking methodology designed for complex environments with occlusion and pose variations, and (2) an application of human-activity attributes in a clinical setting. We demonstrate NIMS on data collected from an active patient room in an adult ICU and show a high inter-rater reliability using a weighted Kappa statistic of 0.86 for automatic prediction of the highest level of patient mobility as compared to clinical experts.
Anomalies of Intestinal Rotation

Bilious vomiting in the newborn is a surgical emergency until proven otherwise, and requires immediate evaluation for malrotation with midgut volvulus. In a stable infant with suspicion of malrotation, an upper gastrointestinal series is the diagnostic study of choice; however, surgical exploration should not be delayed in the symptomatic or unstable patient. A delay in diagnosis and treatment of malrotation with midgut volvulus can lead to substantial bowel ischemia, necrosis, and short bowel syndrome. A Ladd procedure is recommended for all patients with symptomatic malrotation due to the risk of midgut volvulus associated with a narrow mesenteric pedicle. The goals of the Ladd procedure are to relieve partial duodenal obstruction by dividing Ladd’s bands, to widen the base of the mesentery to prevent volvulus, to place the bowel in a safer configuration with the small bowel on the right and the large bowel on the left, and to remove the appendix to avoid diagnostic difficulty created by an abnormally positioned cecum.