cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biocompatibility of Engineering Materials

After 30 years of human implantation of various commodity materials, backed up by in vitro and animal studies along the way, a secure knowledge base now exists regarding the critical bioadhesive phenomena encountered by biomedical devices that must resist or develop secure biological attachments. Well-healed “osseointegrated” implants in human jaws signaled the significant—and, in many ways, surprising—advances that attention to surface properties and, especially, to surface cleanliness and surface energy of biomedical materials could foster for related systems. Two of the many active, successful areas of current patient benefits from biocompatible engineering materials are dental restoratives and prosthetic implants. Others include the continuing development of surgical adhesives, extracorporeal circuits, cardiovascular devices, fixed-film processors, bioreactors, and even improved coatings for the prevention of marine fouling on commercial ships. A short review of the fundamental issues in some of these areas follows to illustrate the branches of medicine that are being addressed and how the technology of biocompatibility control assists in each of them. It is emphasized that principles of adhesion science and technology, respected at the earliest stages of these efforts, were and remain the key principles allowing safe and effective interfacing of engineering materials with biological systems. One major difficulty that had to be overcome in many early studies of biomedical implants for any use, be it in the dental, orthopedic, or cardiovascular environment, had been the tendency of the investigators to focus mainly on either the mid-term (hours to days) and the longer term behavior of the materials—from weeks to months to years post-implantation. There are numerous active research programs to provide proper characterization and detailed knowledge of the original surface states of these implants at their time of placement and of the early bioadhesive sequela (over minutes, hours, and days) converting the initial surface properties to others that promote or inhibit adhesion of formed biological elements (such as tissue cells or bacteria). Keywords: biocompatibility; bioadhesion; blood implants; surfaces
Psychology of Risk Perception

Risk perceptions refer to subjective judgments of risk and are often found to deviate from numerical risk estimates. Although the probability and severity of risks do influence risk perceptions, risk perceptions are also influenced by many psychological factors. According to the psychometric model of risk, risk perceptions are characterized by two main dimensions: the degree to which a risk is dreaded and unknown. Dread risks are uncontrollable, catastrophic, involuntary, inequitable, fatal, new, global, and not easily reduced. Unknown risks are not understood by science, unobservable, new, and delayed in their effects. The psychometric model provides a framework for thinking about individual differences in risk perceptions, such as differences by gender, race, and level of expertise. Differences in risk perception can also be influenced by the degree to which people trust various sources of risk information, including the government, industry, and scientists. Finally, factors like uncertainty, fairness of risk distribution in society, and emotional reactions to risks also contribute to risk perceptions. Many of the psychological factors that influence risk perceptions cannot be easily quantified in numerical risk assessments; therefore, risk perceptions can be regarded as providing information that supplements numerical risk assessments in policy decisions. Keywords: optimism bias; dread risk; white male effect; psychometric model; affect heuristic; fairness; trust
Interferon alpha induces rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of the vav proto-oncogene product in hematopoietic cells

The vav proto-oncogene product (p95vav) is specifically expressed in cells of the hematopoietic system, contains one Src homology 2 and two Src homology 3 domains, and is a substrate for receptor and non-receptor tyrosine kinases. Immunoblotting experiments using an anti-phosphotyrosine monoclonal antibody showed that interferon alpha (IFN alpha) induces rapid tyrosine phosphorylation of p95vav after binding to its cell surface receptor in the U-266 human myeloma cell line. The IFN alpha-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of p95vav was time- and dose-dependent, confirming the specificity of the process. IFN alpha-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of p95vav was also observed in other hematopoietic cell lines of B-cell origin (Daudi), T-cell origin (MOLT-4), and promyelocytic origin (HL-60). Immunoprecipitation experiments performed with 32P-labeled U-266 cells and phosphoaminoacid analysis of the bands corresponding to p95vav showed that p95vav is phosphorylated on serine residues prior to IFN alpha stimulation of the cells. After IFN alpha stimulation significant amounts of phosphorylation of p95vav on tyrosine residues were detectable. Tyrosine phosphorylation of p95vav in U-266 and HL-60 cells was also induced by two other Type I IFNs, IFN beta and IFN omega. Altogether these data suggest that the vav proto-oncogene product is a substrate for a Type I IFN-regulated tyrosine kinase(s) and may be involved in the signal transduction pathway of Type I IFNs in hematopoietic cells.
Clinical conference; cystinosis.

Dr. Kretchmer: For many years pediatricians have known a group of inherited diseases associated with specific biochemical defects. Actually, these diseases were first compiled and demonstrated by Sir Archibald Garrod approximately 50 years ago. The case we would like to present, one of cystinosis or cystine storage disease, is an example of one of the so-called inborn errors of metabolism. Patient B.F. was admitted to the New York Hospital with a chief complaint of growth retardation. She was the product of a normal, full-term, spontaneous delivery, and developed well until 2 years of age when growth retardation was noted. The child has photophobia and has always demonstrated polyuria. There has been no history of convulsions. The patient has been followed by a private physician for the past 2 years. The members of the family are indicated in Figure 1. There were three deaths, the maternal father who died of diabetes mellitus complicated with arteriosclerosis; and two siblings of the father, one who died of poliomyelitis and the other of pneumonia. The father and mother of the present patient are living and well, one sibling died last year at the age of 7 years of cystine storage disease, and an elder male sibling of 11 years is alive and well. The physical examination indicated a temperature of 37.7°C, a pulse of 100, respirations of 20, and a normal blood pressure. The patient is 92 cm tall and weighs 13.2 kg, and is a small, doll-like, pale, co-operative, bright girl. Also noted were the diminutive stature, haziness of the corneas, photophobia and polyuria.
A preliminary study to determine if a muscle pain protocol can produce long-term relief in chronic back pain patients.

Objective To assess the effectiveness of a muscle protocol to treat patients diagnosed with neuraxial low back pain (LBP) before and after invasive treatments. Design Patients with chronic (>6 months) LBP—postinvasive treatment and pre-spine surgery—were assessed and treated. An electrical device rather than palpation was used to determine muscle(s) as possible sources of pain. Patients testing positive for muscle pain were treated with a comprehensive protocol and were followed for >3 months to determine the effect of treatment on pain severity and interference in function. Results Study 1: In 56 (postinvasive treatment) patients who had failed back surgery, epidural steroid injections, facet blocks, and/or trigger point injections, mean Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) pain severity dropped from 5.54 at baseline to 3.96 (P < 0.001) at a median follow-up of 77 weeks; mean BPI interference dropped from 6.09 to 3.4 (P < 0.001). Fifty-two percent of respondents reported over 50% relief. Study 2: Three of seven patients originally scheduled for spine surgery completed a substantial part of the muscle protocol, canceled their surgeries, and obtained significant relief at the 16–19 month follow-up point. Conclusion In patients thought to have neuraxial pain, identification and treatment of painful muscles had statistically significant long-lasting and clinically meaningful reductions in pain and improvement in function. Muscle and tendon attachments may be an important and treatable source of pain in patients diagnosed with pre and postsurgical neuraxial pain.
RCAN1 Suppresses Mitochondrial Fission, Protecting the Heart from Calpain-mediated Damage

Altered calcium handling and mitochondrial function are hallmarks of heart disease and both influence heart susceptibility to ischemia reperfusion (I/R). Regulator of Calcineurin 1 (RCAN1) is a feedback inhibitor of calcineurin, a calcium-activated phosphatase involved in cardiac remodeling. We used advanced imaging techniques and an in vitro model of I/R (sim-I/R) to dissect RCAN1's role in mitochondrial dynamics and cell survival. SiRNA was used to deplete RCAN1 from neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs). Confocal imaging showed an increase in the number of mitochondria per cell and a decreased individual mitochondrial size, indicative of increased fission in the absence of RCAN1 (See Figure). There was a corresponding decrease in the phosphorylation of the fission protein DRP1, a calcineurin substrate. Consistent with increased fission, the siRCAN1-depleted NRVMs showed decreases in ATP production, mitochondrial membrane potential, oxygen consumption, and mitochondrial calcium uptake. Death followi...
Shadowing Modernity: The Art of Providing Mexican Healthcare for Americans

The cost of health services within the USA has increased in recent years, limiting access for many Americans. In response, a growing number of Americans are traveling to medical border towns in Mexico to meet their needs. However, many US patients feel uncomfortable traveling to Mexico for healthcare because they are unsure how the system works and believe that Mexico is dangerous, unregulated, unsanitary, and premodern. To reconcile these beliefs with the need for quality medical care, Mexican medical providers appropriate aspects of the US medical system to encourage patronage and alleviate the concerns of patients. This paper examines how some Mexican dentists, pharmacists and physicians in the Mexican border town of Nuevo Progreso have broadened their appeal to American patients by (a) associating their procedures with US biomedical standards, (b) building facilities that shadow US counterparts, and (c) facilitating access to the Mexican medical system.
Electronic energy levels of point defects at the GaSb (110) surface

Abstract Deep energy levels are predicted for substitutional sp 3 -bonded defects at the (110) surface of GaSb.
Stabilized jellium: Structureless pseudopotential model for the cohesive and surface properties of metals

The ions in a simple metal act on the valence electrons via a pseudopotential. The long-range part is represented by the electrostatic potential from the positive background of the jellium model. The short-range part can be simulated by a constant (over the interior of the metal), chosen to stabilize the metal at its observed bulk valence-electron density. In this structureless pseudopotential model, the bulk properties of a metal depend only upon valence z and bulk density parameter ${\mathit{r}}_{\mathit{s}}$, while the surface properties depend upon ${\mathit{r}}_{\mathit{s}}$ alone (an experimental trend heretofore not understood). These properties are calculated in closed analytic form, and the anomalies of the jellium model (negative surface energy for ${\mathit{r}}_{\mathit{s}}$\ensuremath{\approxeq}2; negative bulk modulus for ${\mathit{r}}_{\mathit{s}}$\ensuremath{\approxeq}6) are found to be rectified. The new model, perhaps the simplest one viable for all ${\mathit{r}}_{\mathit{s}}$, may also be used to study interfaces, metallic clusters, vacancies, electromagnetic response, etc. A variant of the model, which simulates the effects of atomic corrugation, predicts the crystal face dependence of surface properties. This dependence is strong for the electron-density profile, but not for the surface energy, work function, and distance from the centroid of excess charge to the first lattice plane. Results are presented for metallic hydrogen as well as for Al, Pb, Zn, Mg, Ca, Li, Sr, Ba, Na, K, Rb, and Cs.
Dynamically adaptive MRI with encoding by singular value decomposition

A new MRI spatial encoding method based upon the singular value decomposition (SVD) and using spatially selective RF excitation is described. This encoding technique is particularly applicable to dynamic adaptive MRI, because it provides a near minimal set of spatial encoding profiles computed using an image estimate that is determined from a previously obtained image. Experimental results are presented for two cases, which exemplify its potential use in different dynamic imaging tasks. SVD-encoded MRI has demonstrated to be a highly efficient encoding scheme.
Applied Tests of Design Skills: Divergent Thinking Data Analysis and Reliability Studies

A number of cognitive skills relevant to conceptual design were identified. They include Divergent Thinking, Visual Thinking, Spatial Reasoning, Qualitative Reasoning and Problem Formulation. A battery of standardized tests have been developed for these skills. We have previously reported on the contents and rationale for divergent thinking and visual thinking tests. This paper focuses on data collection and detailed statistical analysis of one test, namely the divergent thinking test. This particular test has been given to over 500 engineering students and a smaller number of practicing engineers. It is designed to evaluate four direct measures (fluency, flexibility, originality, quality) and four indirect measures (abstractability, afixability, detailability, decomplexability). The eight questions on the test overlap in some measures and the responses can be used to evaluate several measures independently (e.g., fluency and originality can be evaluated separately from the same idea set). The data on the 23 measured variables were factor analyzed using both exploratory and confirmatory procedures. Two variables were dropped from these exploratory analyses for reasons explained in the paper. For the remaining 21 variables, a four-factor solution with correlated (oblique) factors was deemed the best available solution after examining solutions with more factors. Five of the 21 variables did not load meaningfully on any of the four factors. These indirect measures did not appear to correlate strongly either among themselves, or with the other direct measures. The remaining 16 variables loaded on four factors as follows: The four factors correspond to the different measures belonging to each of the four questions. In other words, the different fluency, flexibility, or originality variables did not form factors limited to these forms of creative thinking. Instead the analyses showed factors associated with the questions themselves (with the exception of questions corresponding to indirect measures). The above four-factor structure was then taken into a confirmatory factor analytic procedure that adjusted for the missing data. After making some adjustments, the above four-factor solution was found to provide a reasonable fit to the data. Estimated correlations among the four factors (F) ranged from a high of .32 for F1 and F2 to a low of .06 for F3 and F4. All factor loadings were statistically significant.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Compromised late-stage motion processing in schizophrenia.

Abstract Background Visual motion processing is compromised in schizophrenia, as shown in deficient velocity discrimination. Processing of motion signals comprises progressive stages along the geniculate-striate-extrastriate-cortex pathway. Based on neurophysiologic and brain lesion studies, a velocity discrimination deficit can implicate early-stage motion processing if it is contrast-dependent or late-stage motion processing if it is contrast-independent. Methods To determine which stage underlies the deficient velocity discrimination in schizophrenia, we examined the effects of visual contrast on velocity discrimination. We measured velocity discrimination thresholds in schizophrenia patients ( n = 34) and normal control subjects ( n = 17) at both low and high contrasts, using each subject's contrast detection threshold to equate contrast levels. Results Schizophrenia patients showed poor velocity discrimination that improved little with high contrast, whereas normal control subjects showed enhanced velocity discrimination with increased contrast. Conclusions The finding that the velocity discrimination deficit in schizophrenia is independent of contrast modulation implicates the later, rather than the earlier, stages of motion processing, which is mediated in the extrastriate cortex.
Spatial ability at two scales of representation: A meta-analysis

article i nfo Article history: The primary objective of this meta-analysis is to examine the relationship between small-scale and large-scale spatial abilities. The secondary objective is to investigate whether gender and age moderates this relationship. Peer-reviewed journal articles published between 1985 and 2014 were retrieved through an extensive literature search using different combinations of the keywords navigation, mental rotation, small-scale space, large-scale space, spatial ability, and way-finding. Twenty-seven studies were initially identified. Fifteen studies were in- cluded in the final analysis. Both Q statistic and I 2 suggest that the reported effect sizes, i.e., the associations be- tween small-scale and large-scale spatial abilities, are heterogeneous. Therefore, a random effects model was fit. The multiple regression model explains a significant amount of the variance of the effect sizes. Overall, results from thismeta-analysissuggestthatsmall-scaleandlarge-scalespatialabilitiesarebestcharacterizedasseparate abilities. Regarding the moderators, whereas age effect is statistically significant, gender effect is not.
The Use of Porcine Small Intestinal Submucosa as a Biomaterial for Perineal Herniorrhaphy in the Dog

Objectives— To develop an in vivo perineal hernia model, to develop a technique for using small intestinal submucosa (SIS) in perineal hernia repair, to further elucidate the biological behavior of SIS, and to compare SIS herniorrhaphy with the internal obturator muscle transposition (IOT) technique. Study design— Prospective evaluation comparing SIS herniorrhaphy with IOT. Animals— Twelve adult castrated male, large-breed dogs. Methods— All dogs had bilateral pelvic diaphragm defects created by complete excision of the levator ani muscle. Each dog had one side repaired using SIS and the other by IOT. Pain and inflammation were subjectively scored. Dogs were killed 2 weeks (n =4), 12 weeks (n =4), or 16 weeks (n =4) after surgery. Each pelvic diaphragm was biomechanically tested to failure. The pelvic diaphragms from 2 normal dogs (n =4 sides) were also biomechanically tested. Failure site, maximum pressure, displacement at failure, and initial linear stiffness values were determined. Histologic assessment was performed. Statistical analysis was performed with significance set at P < .05 Results— No significant postoperative complications were noted. There were no significant differences in maximum pressure to failure, displacement, or stiffness when comparing normal, SIS, and IOT at any time point. The SIS group had significantly less displacement (P=.004) at 2 weeks than at weeks 12 or 16. For all herniorrhaphy techniques, the failure site was central (n =22) or at the suture line (n =2). At 2 weeks, histologic evaluation of tissues from the IOT group showed inflammation, mineralization, and necrosis, which were not present in tissues from the SIS group. Histologic examination at 12 and 16 weeks showed no microscopic differences in cell population or tissue characteristics between the IOT and SIS groups. Conclusions— SIS herniorrhaphy was successfully performed in this in vivo model of perineal hernia in the dog. Clinical relevance— This study suggests that SIS can be used as a primary means of repair, as augmentation when the internal obturator muscle is thin and friable, or as a salvage procedure in cases of recurrence in dogs with perineal hernia.
Concurrent Validity of the WISC-IV and DAS-II in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Cognitive assessments are used for a variety of research and clinical purposes in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study establishes concurrent validity of the Wechsler Intelligen...
IL-1α and Complement Cooperate in Triggering Local Neutrophilic Inflammation in Response to Adenovirus and Eliminating Virus-Containing Cells

Inflammation is a highly coordinated host response to infection, injury, or cell stress. In most instances, the inflammatory response is pro-survival and is aimed at restoring physiological tissue homeostasis and eliminating invading pathogens, although exuberant inflammation can lead to tissue damage and death. Intravascular injection of adenovirus (Ad) results in virus accumulation in resident tissue macrophages that trigger activation of CXCL1 and CXCL2 chemokines via the IL-1α-IL-1RI signaling pathway. However, the mechanistic role and functional significance of this pathway in orchestrating cellular inflammatory responses to the virus in vivo remain unclear. Resident metallophilic macrophages expressing macrophage receptor with collagenous structure (MARCO+) in the splenic marginal zone (MZ) play the principal role in trapping Ad from the blood. Here we show that intravascular Ad administration leads to the rapid recruitment of Ly-6G+7/4+ polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in the splenic MZ, the anatomical compartment that remains free of PMNs when these cells are purged from the bone marrow via a non-inflammatory stimulus. Furthermore, PMN recruitment in the splenic MZ resulted in elimination of virus-containing cells. IL-1α-IL-1RI signaling is only partially responsible for PMN recruitment in the MZ and requires CXCR2, but not CXCR1 signaling. We further found reduced recruitment of PMNs in the splenic MZ in complement C3-deficient mice, and that pre-treatment of IL-1α-deficient, but not wild-type mice, with complement inhibitor CR2-Crry (inhibits all complement pathways at C3 activation) or CR2-fH (inhibits only the alternative complement activation pathway) prior to Ad infection, abrogates PMN recruitment to the MZ and prevents elimination of MARCO+ macrophages from the spleen. Collectively, our study reveals a non-redundant role of the molecular factors of innate immunity – the chemokine-activating IL-1α-IL-1RI-CXCR2 axis and complement – in orchestrating local inflammation and functional cooperation of PMNs and resident macrophages in the splenic MZ, which collectively contribute to limiting disseminated pathogen spread via elimination of virus-containing cells.
Electrodeposition of platinum on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite. Part I: electrochemical characterization.

The electrochemical deposition of Pt on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) from H2PtCl6 solutions was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The effects of deposition overpotential, H2PtCl6 concentration, supporting electrolyte, and anion additions on the deposition process were evaluated. Addition of chloride inhibits Pt deposition due to adsorption on the substrate and blocking of reduction sites, while SO42- and ClO4- slightly promote Pt reduction. By comparing potentiostatic current−time transients with the Scharifker-Hills model, a transition from progressive to instantaneous nucleation was observed when increasing the deposition overpotential. Following addition of chloride anions the fit of experimental transients with the instantaneous nucleation mode improves, while the addition of SO42- induces only small changes. Chloride anions strongly inhibit the reduction process, which is shifted in the cathodic direction. The above results indicate that the most appropriate condi...
Simplifying the writing process for the novice writer.

Nurses take responsibility for reading information to update their professional knowledge and to meet relicensure requirements. However, nurses are less enthusiastic about writing for professional publication. This article explores the reluctance of nurses to write, the reasons why writing for publication is important to the nursing profession, the importance of mentoring to potential writers, and basic information about simplifying the writing process for novice writers.
Stability analysis of a feedback linearizing control strategy for constrained nonlinear systems

A feedback linearizing control strategy for discrete-time nonlinear systems subject to input constraints is analyzed. The control system comprises (i) a feedback linearizing controller; (ii) a constraint mapping algorithm that transforms the actual input constraints into constraints on the feedback linearized system; and (iii) a model predictive controller which regulates the resulting constrained linear system. Stability analysis is a challenging problem because the transformed constraints are state dependent. Sufficient conditions for asymptotic stability are presented for fully and partially feedback linearizable systems. As part of the analysis, a new stability result for unconstrained discrete-time nonlinear systems which parallels a well known continuous-time result is derived.
Catastrophic optical bulk damage (COBD) in high power multi-mode InGaAs-AlGaAs strained quantum well lasers

State-of-the-art broad-area InGaAs-AlGaAs strained quantum well (QW) lasers show an optical output power of over 20 W and a power conversion efficiency of over 70% under CW operation. Unlike broad-area (Al)GaAs QW lasers, broad-area InGaAs strained QW lasers show two failure types including facet catastrophic optical damage (COD) and bulk failure. Optimization of facet passivation processes has led to significant reduction in occurrence of facet COD (or COMD), but bulk failure (or COBD) has received little attention although it is crucial to understand degradation processes responsible for COBD and then develop COBD-free lasers for high reliability applications including potential satellite systems. Our group recently proposed a model for the COBD process and this paper further investigates the root causes of COBD in the broad-area lasers. We performed accelerated life-tests of MOCVD-grown broad-area strained InGaAs-AlGaAs single QW lasers at ~975 nm, which predominantly yielded catastrophic bulk failures. We employed various non-destructive techniques to study pre- and post-stressed lasers. Time resolved electroluminescence (TR-EL) was employed to observe formation and progression of dark spots and dark lines through windowed n-contacts during entire life-tests that eventually led to COBD. Deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) was employed to investigate trap characteristics in degraded devices at different stages of degradation to study the role that non-radiative recombination centers (NRCs) play in COBD processes. Time resolved photoluminescence (TR-PL) was employed to measure carrier lifetimes from both undamaged and damaged active areas to find correlation between dark line defects in degraded lasers and non-radiative recombination processes.
Simultaneous OPC and decomposition for double exposure lithography

Double exposure techniques are an economically viable method for extending the life of the current 193nm wavelength immersion lithography techniques into future generations of semiconductor scaling. One popular example of double exposure is the use of double dipole illumination, where the X and Y dipoles are separately optimized for vertical and horizontal features respectively. The primary challenge in such double exposure techniques lies in the process of target layout decomposition into patterns that can be optimally printed using their respective source. Current approaches for decomposition are rule-based. They suffer from the drawbacks of scalability, rule count explosion and inability to guarantee sufficient yield in the presence of process variation. Further, rules are characterized specific to sources and are relatively easy to develop for dipoles, but far more difficult to develop for more complex sources such as used in source mask optimization (SMO). Decomposed target layouts have to further undergo optical proximity correction (OPC) in order to be converted to a mask for use in manufacturing. In this paper, we propose a novel approach which integrates the processes of decomposition and optical proximity correction. We preclude the intermediate target decomposition stage. Instead, we directly optimize the masks for both exposures simultaneously in order to obtain a wafer image that both closely matches the target layout and is also robust to process variation. For this purpose, we define a lithographic cost function that is a weighted sum of intensity error and intensity slope. We develop methods to analytically predict the change in this cost function due to movement of fragments on each mask. We then utilize a gradient-descent algorithm for fragment movement to minimize the cost function. Since our methodology is based on the knowledge of the SOCS decomposition kernels, it is not restricted to dipoles alone, but can be utilized for any complex sources for which such kernels are known. Our experiments on 1x metal (M1) show significant improvement in layout process window compared to traditional rule-based decomposition methods.
Assessing vibrotactile feedback strategies by controlling a cursor with unstable dynamics

Brain computer interface (BCI) control predominately uses visual feedback. Real arm movements, however, are controlled under a diversity of feedback mechanisms. The lack of additional BCI feedback modalities forces users to maintain visual contact while performing tasks. Such stringent requirements result in poor BCI control during tasks that inherently lack visual feedback, such as grasping, or when visual attention is diverted. Using a modified version of the Critical Tracking Task [1] which we call the Critical Stability Task (CST), we tested the ability of 9 human subjects to control an unstable system using either free arm movements or pinch force. The subjects were provided either visual feedback, ‘proportional’ vibrotactile feedback, or ‘on-off’ vibrotactile feedback about the state of the unstable system. We increased the difficulty of the control task by making the virtual system more unstable. We judged the effectiveness of a particular form of feedback as the maximal instability the system could reach before the subject lost control of it. We found three main results. First, subjects can use solely vibrotactile feedback to control an unstable system, although control was better using visual feedback. Second, ‘proportional’ vibrotactile feedback provided slightly better control than ‘on-off’ vibrotactile feedback. Third, there was large intra-subject variability in terms of the most effective input and feedback methods. This highlights the need to tailor the input and feedback methods to the subject when a high degree of control is desired. Our new task can provide a complement to traditional center-out paradigms to help boost the real-world relevance of BCI research in the lab.
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (monomorphic post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder) presenting in gallbladder

Primary lymphomas of the gallbladder are rare, particularly in the post-transplant setting. Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a well-described complication of the immunosuppressive therapy employed post-transplant and manifests as a broad spectrum of disease ranging from polymorphic lymphoid proliferations to monomorphic lymphomas. The majority of PTLD consists of B-cell proliferations, although a small subset involves T-cell neoplasms. Of T-cell PTLD, anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a rare subtype. Of note, there are no reported cases of ALCL localized to the gallbladder in either the post-transplant setting or otherwise. We report a case of ALCL (monomorphic PTLD) in a 45-year-old male lung transplant recipient. Within the first year post-transplant, the patient presented with sepsis and acalculous cholecystitis. The patient ultimately underwent an open cholecystectomy and was subsequently found to have ALCL of the gallbladder. Despite aggressive treatment of septic shock, renal failure, and coagulopathy, the patient died 5 days after presentation.
Reusing personal computer devices - good or bad for the environment?

The energy saving potential of reusing / reselling personal computer (PC) devices was evaluated relative to the choice of buying new. Contrary to the common belief of reuse leading to energy savings, with the advent of more efficient laptops and liquid crystal displays (LCD), reuse of an old personal computer device can lead to relative energy expenditure. We found that in certain scenarios this expenditure could be as large as 300% of the lifecycle energy inventory for the new device. As a result, it is essential to assess the reuse of personal computer devices more critically, incorporating the different factors that influence the analysis as discussed below.
GPU Collision Detection Using Spatial Subdivision With Applications in Contact Dynamics

This work concentrates on the issue of rigid body collision detection, a critical component of any software package employed to approximate the dynamics of multibody systems with frictional contact. This paper presents a scalable collision detection algorithm designed for massively parallel computing architectures. The approach proposed is implemented on a ubiquitous Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) card and shown to achieve a 40x speedup over state-of-the art Central Processing Unit (CPU) implementations when handling multi-million object collision detection. GPUs are composed of many (on the order of hundreds) scalar processors that can simultaneously execute an operation; this strength is leveraged in the proposed algorithm. The approach can detect collisions between five million objects in less than two seconds; with newer GPUs, the capability of detecting collisions between eighty million objects in less than thirty seconds is expected. The proposed methodology is expected to have an impact on a wide range of granular flow dynamics and smoothed particle hydrodynamics applications, e.g. sand, gravel and fluid simulations, where the number of contacts can reach into the hundreds of millions.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Dual-durometer soft suction foot robot for concrete inspection

Climbing on concrete, masonry and brick with automated machines is difficult due to the uneven surfaces that prevent getting a good grip. This paper describes developments in using dual-durometer pneumatic suction feet for gripping onto concrete surfaces as part of a multi-legged robotic climbing system for inspecting concrete structures with vertical walls. The dual durometer technique presents a compliant suction tip to the concrete thereby producing a good seal against an irregular surface, and stiff component to deliver the structural rigidity needed for walking and climbing. Individually actuated pneumatic Venturi vacuum generators provide the suction from positive pneumatic pressure in a manner that is robust against leaks that cause the systemic vacuum collapse that can plague other vacuum configurations. The feet are attached to a six-legged robot that with a nominal floor walking capability and gait. Climbing a wall requires modification to leg actuation and gait, along with suction feet. System design, integration, concrete wall climbing performance and sensor deployment in the form of a lightweight ground penetrating radar system are presented.
Lung and brainstem cytokine levels are associated with breathing pattern changes in a rodent model of acute lung injury

Acute lung injury evokes a pulmonary inflammatory response and changes in the breathing pattern. The inflammatory response has a centrally mediated component which depends on the vagi. We hypothesize that the central inflammatory response, complimentary to the pulmonary inflammatory response, is expressed in the nuclei tractus solitarii (nTS) and that the expression of cytokines in the nTS is associated with breathing pattern changes. Adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=12) received intratracheal instillation of either bleomycin (3units in 120μl of saline) or saline (120μl). Respiratory pattern changed by 24h. At 48h, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissue had increased IL-1β and TNF-α levels, but not IL-6. No changes in these cytokines were noted in serum. Immunocytochemical analysis of the brainstem indicated increased expression of IL-1β in the nTS commissural subnucleus that was localized to neurons. We conclude that breathing pattern changes in acute lung injury were associated with increased levels of IL-1β in brainstem areas which integrate cardio-respiratory sensory input.
Civil Society in Argentina: Opportunities and Challenges for National and Transnational Organisation

Among the many consequences of globalisation is the creation of new political spaces. As these emerge, new or redefined power relationships accompany the process. In the course of creating transnational relationships, citizenship, representation and the role of the stakeholders may be redefined. This article focuses on the case of Argentina and on the role of civil society orgnisations (CSOs) in the process of political integration. The relationship between the state and civil society has sparked a debate about the core status of the political system as the third sector assumes roles traditionally belonging exclusively to the state. This raises issues regarding the difference between rights and services, the sources of legitimacy and efforts to enhance accountability, among others. The existing and potential channels of regional cooperation in the context of Mercosur illustrate the interplay between domestic, regional and global norms and institutions. This article emphasises the role of organised civil society in providing sense and meaning in the formation and awareness of supranational concerns, but is sceptical about its possibilities of providing and guaranteeing rights, tasks that still remain in the sphere of the state.
Common Practices of Voice Therapists in the Evaluation of Patients

Summary This study surveys voice therapists regarding common diagnostic practices in patients referred for therapy with the diagnosis of muscle tension dysphonia (broadly defined as the “hyperfunctional” component of the dysphonia). Through postings on the e-mail list of the ASHA special interest division on voice, speech pathologists with at least 3 years' experience in stroboscopy and acoustic instrumentation were invited to complete the survey. Results from 53 completed surveys demonstrated that voice quality and patient self-perception are the sole assessments performed by all therapists. Voice quality, observation of body posture and movement, and probing the patient's ability to alter voice production are each significantly more likely to be performed than the more objective stroboscopic, acoustic, aerodynamic, and EGG assessments. Further, the tasks of defining specific therapy session goals and helping the patient to achieve a particular target skill are considered best served by measures of vocal quality, observation of body position and movement, and judging the patient's ability to alter voice production. For definition of the overall therapy goal, stroboscopy and patient perception scales are added to all of the subjective assessment measures as being important. Acoustic data are considered most important for patient reinforcement and outcomes assessment. Implications of these findings are discussed, and topics for further exploration are identified.
TeaCP: A Toolkit for Evaluation and Analysis of Collection Protocols in Wireless Sensor Networks

We present TeaCP, a prototype toolkit for the evaluation and analysis of collection protocols in both simulation and experimental environments running on TinyOS. Our toolkit consists of a testing system, which runs a collection protocol of choice, and an optional SD card-based logging system, which stores the logs generated by the testing system. The SD card datalogger allows a wireless sensor network (WSN) to be deployed flexibly in various environments, especially where wired transfer of data is difficult. Using the saved logs, TeaCP evaluates a wide range of performance metrics, such as reliability, throughput, and delay. TeaCP further allows visualization of packet routes and the topology evolution of the network, under both static and dynamic conditions, even in the face of transient disconnections. Through simulation of an intra-car WSN and real lab experiments, we demonstrate the functionality of TeaCP for comparing the performance of two prominent collection protocols, the Collection Tree Protocol (CTP) and the Backpressure Collection Protocol (BCP). We also present the usage of TeaCP as a high level diagnosis tool, through which an inconsistency of the BCP implementation for the CC2420 radio chips is identified and resolved.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection is associated with increased mortality

Evaluation of: Hanberger H, Walther S, Leone M et al. Increased mortality associated with meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in the intensive care unit: results from the EPIC II study. Int. J. Antimicrob. Agents 38(4), 331–335 (2011). Methicillin resistance is a widespread and major source of treatment complication in Staphylococcus aureus infections. Whether infections with methicillin-resistant S. aureus are associated with a worse clinical outcome, such as higher mortality, has remained controversial. Analyzing data from a large, global multicenter study, Hanberger et al. demonstrate that methicillin-resistant S. aureus infections are associated with approximately 50% higher mortality in the intensive care unit and significantly more frequent among critically ill patients than infections with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus. These findings call for the implementation or continuation of active methicillin-resistant S. aureus surveillance measures.
How to look a gift horse in the mouth, or how to tell people you can't use their old junk in your library

Discusses how to deal with donations of materials to the library. Although libraries are always seeking appropriate materials to add to their collections, many donations are not suitable. Donors often have as their sole goal to get rid of books and other materials and find it hard to understand why librarians refuse to accept the materials offered. Provides a step‐by‐step plan for dealing with donors based on the premiss that a library must have a collection development policy which explains what materials the library does collect. This is the basis on which donations can be accepted or refused.
On the chemoprevention TRAIL.

No Abstract AvailableCommentary to:Title: Death Receptor 5 Regulation during Selenium-Mediated Apoptosis in Human Prostate Cancer CellsAuthors: Qin He, Ayesha Rashid, Rong Rong, Michael J. Hillman, Ying Huang and M. Saeed SheikhPage Numbers: 287-290
A convenient method for isolating the disaccharide and the tetrasaccharide in muramidase digests of Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell walls.

Abstract This communication describes a simple, preparative-scale procedure for isolating the Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell wall disaccharide and tetrasaccharide from muramidase digests of the cell walls. In this scheme dialyzates of the digests are passed through a column of the hydrogen ion form of Amberlite CG-120 and substances in the effluent from this operation are fractionated by gel filtration through Sephadex G-15. It has been found that the progress of fractionation during gel filtration may be followed most conveniently by measuring the absorbance of the effluent at 230 mμ. Also described are experiments that have partially characterized four other fractions from the gel filtration step.
Reoperative completion pancreatectomy for suspected malignant disease of the pancreas.

Background Completion pancreatectomy (CP) is a reoperative procedure to excise remnant pancreatic tissue after a prior pancreatic resection. In this study, we document our institution’s experience with CP for recurrent malignant disease of the pancreas, describing indications for surgery, procedures performed, and patient outcomes. Methods We performed a retrospective review of 861 patients from the pancreatic surgery database in the Department of Surgery of Thomas Jefferson University from October 2005 to December 2010 to identify all cases of CP performed for suspected malignant disease. Results Eleven patients underwent reoperative CP at our institution from 2005 to 2010. The median time interval between the initial operation and CP was 32 mo. A combination of clinical symptoms, elevated tumor markers, and imaging studies were used for diagnosis of recurrent disease. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma was the most common pathology, found in six patients. The postoperative complication rate was 18% and the median postoperative hospital length of stay was 6 d. There were no 30-d readmissions and no perioperative deaths. The 1-y survival rate following CP was 71% with an overall median survival of 17.5 mo. Conclusions CP is a safe and effective option for a highly selected group of patients with suspected recurrent malignant disease of the remnant pancreas. Morbidity and mortality rates are within acceptable limits and similar to initial pancreatic resection. Eligibility depends heavily upon the absence of distant metastatic disease, technical factors for resection, and patient performance status.
Effects of strain-gradient on the stress-concentration at a cylindrical hole in a field of uniaxial tension

The solution of the plane-strain problem of a circular cylindrical hole in a field of uniaxial tension is obtained in the linear theory of elasticity in which the potential energy function depends on both the strain and the gradient of the strain. The stress-concentration factor at the surface of the cylindrical hole and the stress-concentration away from the hole are found and they are compared with the analogous results obtained in couple-stress theory and in classical elasticity.
Resectability of lung cancer and survival in the New York Lung Cancer Detection program

Of the 10,040 men who are enrolled in the New York Early Lung Cancer Detection program, 206 have now developed carcinoma of the lung, and 107 (52%) have been treated by complete resection. One hundred forty-seven lung cancers (71%) were detected and diagnosed by the screening examination; 59 were interval cases diagnosed because of symptoms or on x-rays taken elsewhere. Of the former group, 93 (63%) were completely resected, whereas only 14 (24%) of the latter group were resectable. Survival without regard to tumor stage or cell type is estimated to be 65% at 6 years for the carcinomas treated by complete resection, and 8% at 4 years for all others.
Independently relaxing nanoscale inhomogeneities as a model for structural relaxation : light scattering around the glass transition region

Recent observations of anomalous light scattering (Rayleigh, Brillouin and Raman) and small angle X-ray scattering in the glass transition region indicate that the apparent distribution of structural relaxation times corresponds to a physical distribution of nanoscale inhomogeneities (density fluctuations) with varying properties. A modified version of the Tool-Narayanaswamy model, in agreement with this feature, has been developed. Examples from halide glasses will be discussed. The measurement of the boson peaks in glasses and their interpretation with respect to density fluctuations is presented. The range and degree of disorder in a glass is obtained in a quantitative fashion from the behavior of the spectral form of the boson peaks with temperature.