cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bio-inspired soft robotics: Material selection, actuation, and design

Abstract Animals exploit the deformability of soft structures to move efficiently in complex natural environments. These soft structures are inherently compliant and enable large strains in components not typically found in robotics. Such capabilities have inspired robotic engineers to incorporate soft technologies into their designs. One goal in soft robotics is to endow robots with new, bioinspired features that permit morphologically adaptive interactions with unpredictable environments. Here, we review three key elements of bioinspired soft robots from a mechanics vantage point, namely, materials selection, actuation, and design. Soft materials are necessary for safe interaction and overall actuation of bio-inspired robots. The intrinsic properties of materials in soft robots allow for an “embodied intelligence” that can potentially reduce the mechanical and algorithmic complexity in ways not possible with rigid-bodied robots Finally, soft robotics can be combined with tissue engineering and synthetic biology to create bio-hybrid systems with unique sensing, dynamic response, and mobility. Bioinspired soft robots have the ability to also expedite the evolution of co-robots that can safely interact with humans.
Occupation and authorship in The Indexer, 2000-09

This study concerns the occupations of authors who contributed to volumes 22 through 27 of The Indexer. The occupational titles most often associated with the authors were indexer, librarian, writer, editor, library science faculty and researcher.
Advanced flue gas dedusting systems and filters for ash and particulate emissions control in power plants

: This chapter discusses current and future control technologies for particulates and ash in the power generation sector. Current control technologies addressed include atmospheric pressure systems, which are primarily electrostatic precipitators (mostly dry but to a lesser extent wet) and baghouses, as they are the technology of choice in the power industry. Hybrid systems under development and demonstration are presented. Future control technologies are discussed including pressurized systems such as ceramic and metal filters. Discussions focus on operating principles, designs, and materials of construction.
Surgical technique for ambulatory management of airsacculitis in a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes).

Purpose Bacterial infections of the air sac have been reported in many nonhuman primates. Approaches to the management of airsacculitis have included combinations of medical and surgical therapies. These strategies have often required repeated attempts to drain exudate from the affected air sac, as well as necessitating that the animal endure isolation or undergo intensive postoperative care before returning to its social group. Methods A stoma was created via deliberate apposition of the air sac lining and skin to allow continuous drainage. Antibiotic therapy based on culture and antimicrobial susceptibility of the air sac contents was administered while the chimpanzee remained in its social group. Results We were able to attain complete resolution of the infection after a course of oral antibiotic therapy. The stoma closed gradually over a three-week period, and the chimpanzee has remained free of infection since that time. Conclusion Despite the severity of the air sac infection in this chimpanzee, we were able to resolve the infection easily, using a simple surgical technique. This method allowed treatment without interfering with social standing or subjection to repeated anesthetic and treatment episodes. This method could be a simple, useful alternative for managing airsacculitis in nonhuman primates.
Transformation in Spruce (Picea Species)

The availability of a wide variety of regeneration systems makes Picea one of the best model species within the gymnosperms for genetic engineering. Tissue culture systems exist for the regeneration of whole plants from several Picea tissues as well as the regeneration of plants from protoplasts, embryogenic callus, and suspension cultures (Attree et al. 1991; Harry and Thorpe 1991). Genes have been transferred into and expressed in virtually all tissues capable of regeneration in Picea by a wide array of different gene transfer methods. Numerous Agrobacterium strains infectious to Picea spp. have been identified, and expression of the Agrobacterium T-DNA genes has been confirmed by opine production. Electroporation and direct DNA uptake with PEG have been used to introduce and express foreign genes in protoplasts from two Picea spp. Further, the use of particle acceleration has demonstrated that genes could be inserted and expressed in virtually every tissue thus far tested in Picea including megagametophytes, embryos, embryogenic callus, seedlings, and meristems. Finally, particle acceleration has been used to stably integrate foreign DNA into Picea glauca (white spruce) and transformed plants have been regenerated which contain and express the inserted genes. Clearly, the adaptability of various gene transfer methods from angiosperms to Picea have been the key to the success of gene transfer in this genus.
2167 Beyond diagnosis: Using ultrasound to affect tumor vasculature for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therapy

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Preliminary animal studies showed that low-intensity ultrasound (US) coincident with intravascularly administered microbubbles locally disrupts tumor vasculature. This study translates the novel therapy of antivascular ultrasound (AVUS) into an autochthonous model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The differential effects produced by AVUS at low and high doses are evaluated. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: HCC was induced in 12 Wistar rats by ingestion of 0.01% diethylnitrosamine in drinking water for 12 weeks. Rats received AVUS treatment at low and high doses. Low dose group (n=6) received 1 W/cm2 US for 1 minute with 0.2 mL microbubbles injected IV. High dose group (n=6) received 2 W/cm2 for 2 minute with 0.7 mL microbubbles IV. Perfusion was measured before and after AVUS with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CE-US) and power Doppler (PD-US). Peak enhancement (PE) and perfusion index (PI) were measured from each US mode. Histology after sacrifice or natural death was compared to pre/post US. Analysis of H&E and trichrome sections was evaluated for percent area of hemorrhage and findings of tissue injury and repair including inflammation, necrosis, and fibrosis. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: After high dose AVUS, PE, and PI of CE-US decreased from baseline by an average of 33.3% and 29.7%, respectively. Histology showed extensive tissue injury (hemorrhage, necrosis, fibrosis) in 58% of tumor cross-sectional area. Conversely, low dose AVUS increased PE and PI of CE-US by an average of 39.3% and 67.8%, respectively. Histology showed smaller areas of microhemorrhage Versus large pools of hemorrhage (only 17% area). PD-US changes were similar to CE-US. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: In summary, the opposing effects of AVUS observed at 2 doses allows for multiple roles in tumor therapy. Enhanced perfusion at a low dose may improve drug delivery or radiation therapy. Whereas, vascular disruption at high doses of AVUS may allow noninvasive ischemic therapy. Furthermore, AVUS is ripe for translation given the use its component parts clinically: low-intensity long-tone burst for physiotherapy and microbubbles as an US contrast agent. Thus, AVUS should be evaluated for translation of its differential effects into noninvasive therapies for HCC and other tumors.
Does retrieval bag use during laparoscopic appendectomy reduce postoperative infection

Background Appendectomy is the most commonly performed emergency operation in the United States, with approximately 370,000 patients undergoing the procedure every year. Although laparoscopic appendectomy is associated with decreased complications when compared with open appendectomy, the risk for infectious complications, including surgical site infection, intra-abdominal abscess, and sepsis, remains a significant source of postoperative morbidity and health care cost. The goal of this study is to determine whether the appendix retrieval technique during laparoscopic appendectomy affects risk of infectious complications. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database and the Appendectomy Procedure Targeted database were used to conduct this retrospective study. Patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy in 2016 were identified. The primary outcomes were infectious complications of superficial site infection and intra-abdominal abscess. Results A total of 10,578 (92.2%) patients underwent laparoscopic appendectomy using an appendix retrieval bag and 897 (7.8%) patients underwent laparoscopic appendectomy without an appendix retrieval bag. There was no significant difference in preoperative sepsis, smoking status, wound class, complicated appendicitis, or American Society of Anesthesiologists class between patient groups (all P > .05). In the univariate analysis, there was no difference in the rate of superficial site infection (0.9% vs 0.6%, P = .28) or intra-abdominal infection (2.7% vs 3.8%, P = .06) between retrieval bag use and non-use. In the multivariable analysis, appendix retrieval bag use was an independent predictor of intra-abdominal infection and associated with a 40% decrease in intra-abdominal infection rates (odds ratio: 0.6, 95% confidence interval: 0.42–0.95, P = .03). Conclusion Appendix retrieval bags are associated with a decreased risk of postoperative intra-abdominal abscess. The use of appendix retrieval bags should be the standard of care during laparoscopic appendectomy.
Burden of Valvular Heart Diseases in Hispanic/Latino Individuals in the United States: The Echocardiographic Study of Latinos

Abstract Objective To explore the burden and clinical correlates of valvular heart disease in Hispanics/Latinos in the United States. Patients and Methods A total of 1818 individuals from the population-based study of Latinos/Hispanics from 4 US metropolitan areas (Bronx, New York; Chicago, Illinois; San Diego, California; and Miami, Florida) underwent a comprehensive clinical and echocardiographic examination from October 1, 2011, through June 24, 2014. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations of clinical and sociodemographic variables with valvular lesions. Results The mean age was 55.2±0.2 years; 57.4% were female. The prevalence of any valvular heart disease (AVHD) was 3.1%, with no considerable differences across sex, and a higher prevalence with increasing age. The proportion of US-born vs foreign-born individuals was similar in those with vs without AVHD (P=.31). The weighted prevalence of AVHD was highest in Central Americans (8.4%) and lowest in Mexicans (1.2%). Regurgitant lesions of moderate or greater severity were present in 2.4% of the population and stenotic lesions of moderate or greater severity in 0.2%. Compared with those without AVHD, individuals with AVHD were more likely to have health insurance coverage (59.6% vs 79.2%; P=.007) but similar income (P=.06) and educational status (P=.46). Univariate regression models revealed that regurgitant lesions were associated with lower body mass index whereas stenotic lesions were associated with higher body mass index. Conclusion Our data provide the first population-based estimates of the prevalence of valvular heart disease in Hispanic/Latinos. Valvular heart disease is fairly common in the Hispanic/Latino population and may constitute an important public health problem.
A Beginning Rural Principal's Toolkit:

The purpose of this article is to explore both the challenges and skills needed to effectively assume a leadership position and thus to create an entry plan or ‘toolkit’ for a new rural school leader. The entry plan acts as a guide beginning principals may use to navigate the unavoidable confusion that comes with leadership. It also assists aspiring new leaders to think through, and vicariously experience, the challenges they may face in a leadership role. If focuses on three specific areas most relevant to rural principals: Dealing with professional isolation and loneliness, getting to know and thriving in a rural community, and basic management skills for the lone administrator. It provides a series of tools that beginning principals may find useful as they embark on a leadership journey in a rural setting and also identifies the specific skills various stakeholder groups perceive as most important for rural school leaders.
Burst suppression uncovers rapid widespread alterations in network excitability caused by an acute seizure focus

Burst suppression is an electroencephalogram pattern of globally symmetric alternating high amplitude activity and isoelectricity that can be induced by general anaesthetics. There is scattered evidence that burst suppression may become spatially non-uniform in the setting of underlying pathology. Here, we induced burst suppression with isoflurane in rodents and then created a neocortical acute seizure focus with injection of 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) in somatosensory cortex. Burst suppression events were recorded before and after creation of the focus using bihemispheric wide-field calcium imaging and multielectrode arrays. We find that the seizure focus elicits a rapid alteration in triggering, initiation, and propagation of burst suppression events. Compared with the non-seizing brain, bursts are triggered from the thalamus, initiate in regions uniquely outside the epileptic focus, elicit marked increases of multiunit activity and propagate towards the seizure focus. These findings support the rapid, widespread impact of focal epilepsy on the extended brain network.
Environmental behavior of glyphosate in soils

Abstract Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine] (GPS) is currently, and has been for some time, the most commonly applied herbicide worldwide. As such, considerable effort has been put forth to investigate the herbicide's behavior in the environment. In this review, an overview of the existing literature involving GPS is provided, with emphasis placed on recent studies completed in the past 10 years. As this chapter will illustrate, experimental results are highly variable and often contradictory, indicating a need for the behavior of GPS to be considered within the context of a set of specific environmental conditions. The affinity of a soil for solvated GPS is highly dependent upon the physiochemical properties of the matrix, although the herbicide is generally considered as strongly sorbed in most cases. Although the results of laboratory studies suggest that the mobility of GPS is highly limited in soils, the environmental occurrence of the herbicide in surface and groundwater is well documented. Leaching of GPS may be of concern in field soils with well-developed structure, where preferential flow through macropores is often responsible for rapid vertical transport. Recent studies indicated that the transport of GPS along with windblown sediment may also be a significant mechanism of off-site deposition. GPS has been traditionally considered as essentially non-toxic; however, more contemporary evidence suggests that it does indeed impart toxic effects to certain aquatic organisms as well as vertebrates. Overall, results presented here suggest that traditional presumptions of the immobility and non-toxicity of GPS may need to be re-evaluated.
Corrosion Monitoring of Metal Alloys Using a Line-focus Ultrasonic Transducer System

Ultrasonic testing is a non-destructive testing method which is a promising approach for corrosion monitoring. In this research, a line-focus polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) ultrasonic transducer was fabricated and used to measure the Rayleigh surface wave velocity changes in commercial metal alloys during laboratory corrosion studies in simulated seawater. For isotropic solid materials, the elastic properties can be characterized from the measurement of the Rayleigh surface wave velocity. The experimental data acquired by the line-focus ultrasonic transducer system were analyzed, from which we found that the Rayleigh surface wave velocities and the Young’s modulus decreased for 304 stainless steel, low-carbon steel and multipurpose 110 copper samples, while increased for 6061 aluminum alloy samples as the corrosion time increased during the experimental period. Clearly, the changing patterns of the Rayleigh surface wave velocity of the metal alloys during corrosion could provide part of the predictive solutions for assessment and mitigation of corrosion and the line-focus transducer system is promising for real-time monitoring of corrosion process.
Transnational Movements During the Occupation of Okinawa: Third Country Nationals and the U.S. Bases

The Occupation of Okinawa ought to be regarded as a transnational project by looking at transnational movements of people, goods, information, and services not only between the United States and Japan/Okinawa, but in a more regional context, as this event involved actors other than the U.S. and the Japanese governments. During the immediate post-war years, Third Country Nationals (TCNs) from various Asian countries came to work on the construction and staffing of these U.S. bases. Filipinos comprised majority of these TCNs who were engaged in occupations ranging from semi-skilled labour to the professional class. These TCNs also faced several issues such as racial discrimination in the workplace. It is argued that the hiring of these workers illustrates classed, gendered, and racialized hierarchies in base work.
Assessment of variation in 30‐day mortality following cancer surgeries among older adults across US hospitals

Background While public reporting of surgical outcomes for noncancer conditions is common, cancer surgeries have generally been excluded. This is true despite numerous studies showing outcomes to differ between hospitals based on their characteristics. Our objective was to assess whether three prerequisites for quality assessment and reporting are present for 30-day mortality after cancer surgery: low burden for timely reporting, hospital variation, and potential for public health gains. Study design We used Fee-for-Service (FFS) Medicare claims to examine the extent of variation in 30-day cancer surgical mortality between 3860 US hospitals. We included 340 489 surgeries for 12 cancer types for FFS Medicare beneficiaries aged ≥66 years, 2011-2013. Hierarchical mixed-effects logistic regression models adjusted for patient and hospital characteristics and with a random hospital effect were fit to obtain hospital-specific risk-standardized mortality rates (RSMRs) and 99% confidence intervals (CI). We calculated a hospital odds ratio to describe the difference in mortality risk for a hospital above vs below average quality and estimated the potential mortality reduction. Results The median number of cancer surgeries per hospital was 34. The median RSMR overall was 2.41% (99% CI 2.28%, 2.66%). In aggregate and for most cancers, variation between hospitals exceeded that due to differences in patient and hospital characteristics. For individual cancers, relative differences exceeded 20% in mortality risk between patients undergoing surgery at a hospital below vs above average quality, with the potential for an estimated 500 deaths prevented annually given hypothetical improvements. Conclusion Quality measurement and reporting of 30-day mortality for cancer surgery is worthy of consideration.
A novel method for fabricating nasoalveolar molding appliances for infants with cleft lip and palate using 3-dimensional workflow and clear aligners.

Introduction Nasoalveolar molding (NAM) was introduced over 20 years ago as adjunctive therapy for the correction of cleft lip and palate. In the current study, we propose a new approach using a digital workflow and 3-dimensional printing to fabricate clear aligner NAM devices. Methods A polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) impression of an infant with a unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCLP) is acquired and poured, and the stone model is scanned with an intraoral scanner. The stereolithography file is digitized, and the alveolar segments are digitally segmented and moved to the desired final position. The total distance moved is divided into a sequence of 1-1.5 mm increments, creating a series of digital models. The models are 3-dimensionally printed along with button templates to allow free form positioning of the button on each model. A Vacuform machine (Taglus, Mumbai, India) was used to fabricate a 0.040-in aligner for each stage. Results We present 1 case that was treated successfully with this approach. Appointments for the NAM adjustments were primarily to monitor progress and counseling with less time spent adjusting the appliance. The appointment length was reduced by over 30 minutes. Benefits of the aligner are improved fit, more precise increments of activation, reduced chairside time, and potentially minimized number of visits. Conclusions NAM custom aligners may provide similar benefits to the traditional approach while reducing the burden of care by reducing the number of visits and appointment duration. Further studies with a sample and longitudinal observations are needed to investigate the benefits of the proposed digital approach.
HINTS Examination in Acute Vestibular Neuritis: Do Not Look Too Hard for the Skew.

Background An ocular tilt reaction (OTR) is a triad of a skew deviation, head tilt, and ocular counter-roll that can be partial or complete. An OTR can occur anywhere along the utriculo-ocular motor pathways from the labyrinth to the interstitial nucleus of Cajal but is almost always central in origin. In acute vestibular neuritis (AVN), case reports have described patients with an OTR due to AVN, although it is unclear whether this examination finding is common or rare. Methods The vestibular and ocular motor features of 7 patients presenting with AVN are described. Results Each of the 7 patients presented with typical features of AVN, including contralesional unidirectional spontaneous nystagmus and an ipsilesional abnormal head impulse test, although each patient also had a complete OTR. None of the patients had vertical diplopia or a skew deviation that was measurable with alternate cover testing (i.e., abnormal "test of skew" according to the Head Impulse, Nystagmus, Test of Skew examination); however, all had a subtle 1 prism diopter hyperphoria that was only measurable with a Maddox rod test. Conclusion Seven cases of typical AVN with an OTR are presented, and in the authors' experience, the presence of a subtle OTR is a common feature of AVN in these patients.
Effects of human-altered landscapes on a reintroduced ungulate: Patterns of habitat selection at the rangeland-wildland interface

Abstract Successful species reintroductions require land managers to balance the goal of viable wildlife populations with potential risks to human enterprise. Such risks are particularly acute at the wildland-agriculture interface, where native and domestic species are likely to come into contact. In a national park in northern California, we combined insights from three lines of evidence – long-term visual surveys, short-term GPS telemetry, and satellite remote sensing-based animal detections – to characterize spatial overlap between reintroduced tule elk (Cervus canadensis nannodes) and domestic cattle and to estimate the importance of multiple environmental features as predictors of habitat selection by elk. Our results indicate that, at large spatial scales (i.e., home-range level), cattle were the primary driver of habitat selection, with the occurrence of elk being negatively associated with cattle across all seasons. In addition, elk consistently selected for grasslands on gentle, south-facing slopes that occurred at high elevation and close to ponds. NDVI was a seasonally important, positive predictor of habitat selection, with a marked reversal when this resource was concentrated inside of fenced cow pastures during the dry summer months. By contrast, a novel analysis of satellite-derived animal locations yielded no evidence of avoidance of cattle by elk (within pasture areas commonly used by elk), indicating that this population has acclimated to the presence of cattle through spatial partitioning of resources. Thus, this once-imperiled native ungulate exhibits patterns of habitat selection that reduce the potential for grazing conflicts with cattle, even in cases where access to forage is limited.
Java Beans and Member Variables

With a controller servlet, all the power and convenience of Java can be used in the web development process. Development is simplified with the addition of auxiliary classes. A powerful class that can be added to a web application is one that contains all the data that was entered by the user. The request object contains the data from the user, but the request object also contains a lot of other information that is not related to the user’s data. A better design is to create a new class that only contains the data. Such a class is known as a bean. With the introduction of a bean, it is a simple matter to add validation to the web application. One type of validation is default validation. In default validation, the user’s data must meet criteria. If the data does not meet the criteria, then a default value is used in place of the data that the user entered. While servlets are very powerful tools for implementing dynamic content on the web, they do have a limitation: member variables. Member variables are useful when designing object-oriented programs but are dangerous to use in a servlet.
Feasibility and Acceptability of a Web-Based Caregiver Decision Aid (Safety in Dementia) for Firearm Access: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Firearms are common in the households of persons with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD). Safety in Dementia (SiD) is a free web-based decision aid that was developed to support ADRD caregivers in addressing firearm access. Objective: We aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of SiD among a web-based sample of ADRD caregivers. Methods: SiD was tested in 2 phases by using participants who were recruited from a web-based convenience sample (Amazon Mechanical Turk participants). In phase 1, caregivers were randomized to view either the intervention (SiD) or the control (Alzheimer’s Association materials), and the blinding of participants to the study arms was conducted. In phase 2, caregivers of individuals with ADRD and firearm access were recruited; all of these participants viewed the firearm section of SiD. In both phases, participants viewed SiD independently for as long as they wanted. Measures for evaluating decision-making and SiD acceptability were used, and these were assessed via a self-administered web-based questionnaire. Results: Participants were recruited for phases 1 (n=203) and 2 (n=54). Although it was feasible to collect the study outcome data in a web-based format, in phase 1, there were no significant differences between SiD and the control in terms of decision-making and self-efficacy. The majority (137/203, 67.5%) of phase 1 participants spent between 5 and 10 minutes reviewing the resources. In phase 2, 61% (33/54) of participants spent 5 to 10 minutes viewing the firearm section, and 31% (17/54) spent 10 to 20 minutes viewing this section. Usability and acceptability were high across the phases. Conclusions: SiD represents a new resource for promoting safety among people with dementia, and high acceptability was achieved in a pilot trial. In this sample, SiD performed similarly to Alzheimer’s Association materials in supporting decision-making and self-efficacy.
Asking the players: A mental models approach to how long-term players of a massively multiplayer online game perceive the risks associated with gaming

Video games represent a fast-growing medium and researchers are exploring their social influence, especially regarding the risks associated with gaming. Most studies have focused on an expert’s view, rather than exploring how users themselves perceive and mitigate such risks. This qualitative study fills this gap by conducting in-depth interviews with 18 players of the browser based Massively Multi-player Online (MMO) strategy game, Lord of Ultima, in order to generate a mental model of how gamers see the risks associated with playing a MMO game. Results suggest that the primary risks in the minds of the gamers are loss of opportunity and time due to pathological gaming, cyber bullying and sexual harassment, and risks due to sharing financial information or due to malicious software. The study explores the motivations and perceived benefits derived by long-term players of the game, and explores the role of trust, group effects and player perceptions of risk in players’ risk mitigation strategies. Some behaviors and consequences that experts would consider a risk are considered a benefit by gamers; this has implications for risk communication strategies around gaming. It also points to the importance of considering the user model of risks. Additionally, much of the literature conflates two genres of video game that likely exhibit unique effects. Many of the risks identified in MMO Role Playing Games (MMORPGs) were not considered relevant by long-term players of this game, since participants attributed those risks as being associated with the use and manipulation of a three-dimensional avatar in MMORPGs. Thus, this study extends the focus of inquiry away from the usual MMOPRG genre to explore the overlooked browser MMO genre of video games.
Firearm homicide and firearm suicide: opposite but equal.

OBJECTIVE: Homicide and suicide are intentional acts of violence that disproportionately involve firearms. Much more effort has been devoted to the ecological study of homicide; methods that have been developed to better understand and subsequently prevent homicide may be applicable to suicide. The purpose of the present study was to compare the occurrence of firearm homicide and firearm suicide using routine activity theory as a framework for analysis. METHODS: Detailed mortality data pertaining to decedents, their neighborhoods, and use of firearms were collected from 1994 to 1998 for the counties containing and surrounding three small to medium-sized U.S. cities. Data from a total of 468 neighborhoods that collectively experienced 1,025 intentional deaths from firearms (396 firearm homicides and 629 firearm suicides) were analyzed. RESULTS: Firearm homicide was consistently associated with out-of-home, nighttime activity in neighborhoods where many people were likely to be coming and going. In an opposite-but-equal fashion, firearm suicide was consistently associated with in-home, daytime activity in out-of-the-way neighborhoods. CONCLUSIONS: Firearm homicide and firearm suicide were found to be consistently associated with markers of routine activity in all three cities, albeit in an opposite-but-equal manner. Because firearm suicides very often occur as lonely events in lonely neighborhoods, they may go under-noticed relative to firearm homicides. More awareness and additional public health studies of firearm suicide, in tandem with firearm homicide, should be pursued to better identify individuals and neighborhoods that are at greatest risk of experiencing each event.
The Case Against Copyright: A Comparative Institutional Analysis of Intellectual Property Regimes

Contemporary debates over intellectual property ("IP") generally evidence positions that appear to line up at opposite ends of the same axis, with one side arguing for more rights for IP owners under each major regime - patent, trademark, and copyright - and the other side arguing for fewer. Approaching from what some may see as a "more" IP view, this paper offers the counterintuitive suggestion to consider abolishing one of these IP regimes - copyright, at least with respect to the entertainment industry, which represents one of that regime's most commercially significant users. This realization is in fact consistent with the underlying view because the view is not accurately seen as even being directed to the "more" or "less" debate; and instead is focused on means as much as ends. In keeping with this means-directed approach, the paper provides the first comprehensive analysis of IP regimes using the set of tools from the field of new institutional economics. In so doing the paper offers the first normative case for IP that connects the path breaking literature on the theory of property rights generally with the seminal theories of the firm, transaction costs, and agency costs. Underlying this paper's stark departure from both the "more" and "less" bodies of the IP literature is the realization that the institutional structure of the present copyright regime may make the social costs of the present copyright regime too high, for at least the entertainment industry, while at the same time preventing it from providing the coordination benefits an IP regime normatively should provide. Building on this, the paper begins to explore for the first time whether the recent patent and trademark regimes have institutional structures that may allow them to provide these coordination benefits better, and with lower social costs. The paper thereby suggests how the patent and trademark regimes of yesterday may obsolete the copyright system of today.
Constrained adaptive algorithms for code acquisition and interference cancellation in asynchronous DS-CDMA systems

A technique for the estimation of desired-user bits in asynchronous DS-CDMA systems is developed. It does not assume an explicit bit synchronization between the receiver and the user. A bit value is estimated based on the observation window with size 2N-1, where N is the length of bit period. The window shifts for N in order to estimate a new bit. A constrained adaptive constant modulus algorithm (CMA) is used to estimate bits. The constraint limits the maximum elevation a weighting vector that multiplies the observations can have with respect to the hyperplane defined by shifted copies of the desired-user spreading sequence. The constraint is parameterized so the monitoring is not needed. The constrained CMA is compared with the unconstrained CMA. It is shown that the former one can lock to the desired user when the latter one locks to the wrong user. Moreover, the constrained CMA can estimate the desired-user signal delay, which can be used to switch to the synchronous DS-CDMA mode.
An adaptive protocol for efficient support of range queries in DHT-based systems

In recent years, distributed hash tables (DHTs) have been proposed as a fundamental building block for large scale distributed applications. Important functionalities such as searching have been added to the DHTs basic lookup capability. However, supporting range queries efficiently remains a difficult problem. We describe an adaptive mechanism that relies on a logical tree data structure, the range search tree (RST), to support range queries efficiently. Nodes in the RST automatically group registrations based on their values. Queries are decomposed into a small number of sub-queries for efficient resolution. The system dynamically optimizes itself to minimize the registration and query cost based on observed load. The system is fully distributed and avoids bottleneck problems encountered in traditional tree-based systems. Extensive simulation results validate the effectiveness of the system.
Nanoparticulate paclitaxel loaded into sterically stabilized mixed phospholipid micelles to improve chemotherapy of breast cancer

Active targeting of water-insoluble chemotherapeutic drugs, such as paclitaxel, to breast cancer is a highly desirable because of its associated increase in anticancer efficacy coupled with reduced systemic drug toxicity. However, rational design of these drug delivery platforms should take into account both pathobiological attributes of breast cancer, such as enhanced permeability and retention phenomenon and overexpression of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptors, as well as biophysical properties of its ingredients, including ease of preparation, water insoluble drug loading capacity, steric hindrance, nanosize, and scale-up production and storage. To this end, we developed and tested a novel biocompatible and biodegradable nanoparticulate formulation of VIP-conjugated sterically stabilized phospholipid mixed micelles (SSMM-VIP; size ~ 14 nm) composed of disteraroyl phosphatidylethanolamnine-poly(ethylenglycol-2000) and egg yolk phosphatidylcholine. This construct solubilized 1 mg/ml paclitaxel (P-SSMM-VIP) and retained its biophysical properties upon lyophylization and reconstitution in saline. Moreover, it exhibited a twofold increase in cytotoxicity to MCF-7 breast cancer cells in comparison with P-SSMM and paclitaxel in DMSO (P < 0.05). In addition, the construct targeted VIP receptors overexpressed in methyl nitrosurea (MNU)-induced in situ rat breast cancer tissues. There was a twofold increase in accumulation of intravenously administered P-SSMM-VIP (1 mg/kg) in MNU-induced rat breast cancer, coupled with a significantly greater regression of breast cancer in comparison with P-SSMM and Taxol (P < 0.05). At the same time there was a significant reduction in P-SSMM-VIP accumulation in bone marrow, spleen and other organs in comparison with P-SSMM and Taxol (P < 0.05). There was no significant change in systemic arterial pressure during administration of P-SSMM-VIP. Collectively, these data indicate that actively targeting paclitaxel passively loaded into biocompatible, biodegradable, long-circulating SSMM to breast cancer through VIP receptors improves drug efficacy and reduces its uptake in injury-prone normal tissues. We suggest that P-SSMM-VIP is an efficacious and safe, actively targeted drug delivery platform to treat breast cancer.
Chapter 12 How now, broad Tau?

Abstract Since David Lee's initial proposal of tau as an optical variable, there are been multiple extensions of the concept. Some of these extensions are anticipated in Lee original characterization, some are not. Of late, broad classes of “time-to-completion” variables have been embraced as cases of tau. This raises the question of what makes a optical variable tau-like. Is it simply that the variable involve the ratio of two visual angles? Is it that the ratio approaches zero as the anticipated event occurs? And what of perceptual variables in non-visual modalities? Our chapter advocates a fairly restrictive definition of tau, one that recognizes the uniqueness and elegance of the original formulation. Extensions of a mathematical construct should be embraced when they strengthen the original formulation, but eschewed when they compromise the original insight's power and beauty.
Language from an internalist perspective

I would like to expand on some remarks on the study of language and mind presented earlier in this book, especially in Chapter 5. To begin with, I want to distinguish an internalist from a naturalistic approach. By the latter I mean just the attempt to study humans as we do anything else in the natural world. Internalist naturalistic inquiry seeks to understand the internal states of an organism. Naturalistic study is of course not limited to such bounds; internalist inquiry into a planet or an ant does not preempt or preclude the study of the solar system or an ant community. Non-internalist studies of humans can take many forms: as phases in an oxygen-to-carbon-dioxide cycle or gene transmission, as farmers or gourmets, as participants in associations and communities, with their power structures, doctrinal systems, cultural practices, and so on. Internalist studies are commonly presupposed in others with broader range, but it should be obvious that the legitimacy of one or another kind of inquiry does not arise. To clarify further, I am keeping here to the quest for theoretical understanding, the specific kind of inquiry that seeks to account for some aspects of the world on the basis of usually hidden structures and explanatory principles. Someone committed to naturalistic inquiry can consistently believe that we learn more of human interest about how people think and feel and act by studying history or reading novels than from all of naturalistic inquiry.
Connecting the dots: problems and proposed solutions

The focus on asymmetric warfare and turf battles within the intelligence community highlights the critical function of communication in identifying problems and developing solutions. Technology management provides a number of enduring examples. Communication provides a framework for examining these problems and both available and proposed solutions.
ACUTE HEMANGIOMA-LIKE LESIONS ASSOCIATED WITH ECHO VIRAL INFECTIONS

In the summer and fall of 1968, during clinical rubella vaccine trials, clinical and laboratory surveillance of acute exanthematous illnesses was carried out. During this period, four children with acute transitory hemangioma-like lesions were noted; ECHO 25 virus was isolated from two of these patients and ECHO 32 was recovered from the other two children. All four children had four- fold or greater neutralizing antibody titer rises to their respective viruses. It is suggested that the individual lesions of the reported exanthems have a pathogenesis similar to other enteroviral maculopapular eruptions, except that vascular dilatation is arteriolar as well as capillary.
Unifying micro sensor networks with the Internet via overlay networking [wireless networks]

Today's architecture for interconnecting wireless sensor networks (WSNs) and the Internet is based on treating a WSN as a separate entity from the Internet. Our approach to unifying sensor networks with the Internet is instead to decouple the relationship between the API-enforced database view and the gateway, making the gateway more general by introducing application-level overlay networking into the gateway. In our approach, sensor network packets, rather than being stopped at the gateway, are instead encapsulated into IP packets, and then directed from the gateway to any number of interested applications and services residing remotely on the Internet.
Resolution Analysis of Regularized Geophysical Inversion

Due to the ill-posed nature of inverse problems, the solutions are ambiguous and unstable. There are always many solutions that will fit the observed noisy data practically with the same data misfit. One of the most important questions, arising in the solution of the inverse problem, is the resolution of the regularized inversion. This chapter presents a method for resolution analysis based on evaluating the spatial distribution of the upper bounds of the model variations and introduces an important characteristic of the inversion, resolution density, as an inverse of these upper bounds. We derive an efficient numerical technique to compute the resolution density based on the spectral Lanczos decomposition method.
Hiring Law Professors: Breaking the Back of an American Plutocratic Oligarchy

Law students and the consumers of legal services like to think that professors are hired by law schools on the basis of pure intellectual ability and achievement. No doubt, individual intellectual ability and achievement play significant roles in law school faculty hiring. However, another important dynamic is overlooked, wealth.
Complement-Dependent Transport of Antigen into B Cell Follicles

Since the original proposal by Fearon and Locksley (Fearon and Locksley. 1996. Science 272: 50-53) that the complement system linked innate and adaptive immunity, there has been a rapid expansion of studies on this topic. With the advance of intravital imaging, a number of recent papers revealed an additional novel pathway in which complement C3 and its receptors enhance humoral immunity through delivery of Ag to the B cell compartment. In this review, we discuss this pathway and highlight several novel exceptions recently found with a model influenza vaccine, such as mannose-binding lectin opsonization of influenza and uptake by macrophages, and the capture of virus by dendritic cells residing in the medullary compartment of peripheral lymph nodes.
Intrinsic and extrinsic control of peripheral T‐cell tolerance by costimulatory molecules of the CD28/ B7 family

Positive and negative costimulation by members of the CD28 family is critical for the development of productive immune responses against foreign pathogens and their proper termination to prevent inflammation-induced tissue damage. In addition, costimulatory signals are critical for the establishment and maintenance of peripheral tolerance. This paradigm has been established in many animal models and has led to the development of immunotherapies targeting costimulation pathways for the treatment of cancer, autoimmune disease, and allograft rejection. During the last decade, the complexity of the biology of costimulatory pathways has greatly increased due to the realization that costimulation does not affect only effector T cells but also influences regulatory T cells and antigen-presenting cells. Thus, costimulation controls T-cell tolerance through both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. In this review, we discuss the influence of costimulation on intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of peripheral tolerance, with emphasis on members of the CD28 family, CD28, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4), and programmed death-1 (PD-1), as well as the downstream cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-2).
Adaptation of Chilomonas paramecium to Isonicotonic Acid Hydrazide (Isoniazid)

SYNOPSIS. Chilomonas paramecium developed significant resistance to INH at concentrations up to 150 mg/100 ml. Once established, the resistant strains grew subnormally in drug-free medium and were more susceptible than the normal strain to sulfanilamide, but were much more resistant to PABA (10-20 mg/100 ml). In addition, INH-adapted strains were less responsive than the controls in PABA reversal of SA-inhibition. Strains adapted to sulfanilamide, sulfapyridine, and nicotinamide were less resistant to INH than the normal strain.
Directional cues in tactile stimuli involved in agonistic encounters in cockroaches

. The ability of male cockroaches, Nauphoeta cinerea and Periplaneta americana, to respond directionally to tactile agonistic acts was tested using stimulation by artificially manipulated appendages. Responses by Nauphoeta included turning towards the stimulus at preferred angles of c. 40°, 90° and 180°, apparently relying on internally-stored directional sensory information. This turning responsiveness depended in part on the social status of the receiving individual, since subordinate individuals often retreated or failed to respond. Periplaneta males reacted to tactile stimuli by quick movements away from the stimulus or by kicking towards it. The leg used in kicking was that nearest to the part of the body which was stimulated.
The Importance of Mitochondria in Age-Related and Inherited Eye Disorders

Mitochondria are critical for ocular function as they represent the major source of a cell's supply of energy and play an important role in cell differentiation and survival. Mitochondrial dysfunction can occur as a result of inherited mitochondrial mutations (e.g. Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy and chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia) or stochastic oxidative damage which leads to cumulative mitochondrial damage and is an important factor in age-related disorders (e.g. age-related macular degeneration, cataract and diabetic retinopathy). Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) instability is an important factor in mitochondrial impairment culminating in age-related changes and pathology, and in all regions of the eye mtDNA damage is increased as a consequence of aging and age-related disease. It is now apparent that the mitochondrial genome is a weak link in the defenses of ocular cells since it is susceptible to oxidative damage and it lacks some of the systems that protect the nuclear genome, such as nucleotide excision repair. Accumulation of mitochondrial mutations leads to cellular dysfunction and increased susceptibility to adverse events which contribute to the pathogenesis of numerous sporadic and chronic disorders in the eye.