cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antishear therapy for toxic epidermal necrolysis: an alternative treatment approach.

Background:Toxic epidermal necrolysis syndrome is a devastating disease, with mortality rates ranging between 20 and 60 percent. This study evaluated an alternative treatment approach using antishear wound care and compared outcomes using the severity of illness score for toxic epidermal necrolysis
Quantization of closed mini-superspace models as bound states

The Wheeler-DeWitt equation is applied to closedk>0 Friedmann-Robertson-Walker metric with various combination of cosmological constant and matter (e.g., radiation or pressureless gas). It is shown that if the universe ends in the matter dominated era (e.g., radiation or pressureless gas) with zero cosmological constant, then the resulting Wheeler-DeWitt equation describes a bound state problem. As solutions of a nondegenerate bound state system, the eigen-wave functions are real (Hartle-Hawking). Furthermore, as a bound state problem, there exists a quantization condition that relates the curvature of the three space with the various energy densities of the universe. If we assume that our universe is closed, then the quantum number of our universe isN∼(Gk)−1∼10122. The largeness of this quantum number is naturally explained by an early inflationary phase which resulted in a flat universe we observe today. It is also shown that if there is a cosmological constant Λ>0 in our universe that persists for all time, then the resulting Wheeler-DeWitt equation describes a non-bound state system, regardless of the magnitude of the cosmological constant. As a consequence, the wave functions are in general complex (Vilenkin).
Atomic and Molecular Beam Studies of Etching and Related Surface Chemistries

Results will be presented using a new ultrahigh vacuum system designed to investigate the complex surface chemistries prevailing in plasma-assisted etching processes which use more than one halogen or halogen-hydrogen gas mixtures. In this new apparatus, two separate controllable beams of atoms can be directed onto a surface and energetic ion bombardment of the surface can be introduced. Neutral species evolved or reflected from the surface are monitored with modulated beam mass spectrometry. Etch rates as small as 10−3 A/sec can be detected. The chemical systems which have been used are Si-F-Cl, Si-F-H and Si-CI-H and some unexpected phenomena observed with these systems will be described. Some catalytic reactions have also been observed with these gases in the presence of polycrystalline Ni and Pd surfaces and another example of an oscillatory surface reaction has been found.
Analysis of Transient Conjugate Heat Transfer to a Free Impinging Jet

Transient conjugate heat transfer during the impingement of a freejet of high Prandtl number e uid on a solid disk of e nite thickness is considered. When power is turned on at t =0, a uniform heat e ux is imposed on the disk surface. The numerical model considers both solid and e uid regions. Equations for the conservation of mass, momentum,andenergy aresolvedintheliquidregion,withthetransportprocessesattheinletand exitboundaries, as well as at the solid ‐liquid and liquid ‐gas interfaces taken into account. In the solid region, only heat conduction equation is solved. The shape and location of the free surface (liquid‐gas interface ) is determined iteratively as a part of the solution process by satisfying the kinematic condition as well as the balance of normal and shear forces at this interface. Computed results include the velocity, temperature, and pressure distributions in the e uid and the local and average heat transfer coefe cients at the solid ‐e uid interface. Computations are carried out to investigate the ine uence of different operating parameters such as jet velocity, disk thickness, and disk material. Nomenclature b = thickness of the disk, m cp = specie c heat at constant pressure, kJ/kg ¢ K dn = diameter of the nozzle, m Fo = Fourier number, a ft/d 2 n g = acceleration due to gravity, m/s 2 Hn = distance of the nozzle from the disk, m h = heat transfer coefe cient, qint/(Tint i Tj), W/m 2 ¢ K hav = heat transfer coefe cient, W/m 2 ¢ K:
Assessing the comfort level impact and perceptual value of library tours

Abstract With the recent emphasis toward active learning techniques and technology tools, many libraries seem to be discontinuing the traditional, guided walking tours. A survey of university students taking non-course related library tours focused on defining the student's expectations and on assessing the student's comfort level in the library environment as a result of the tour. The survey sought to identify whether the student had perceived the tour to be time wasted or time well spent. Results showed that most of the respondents felt that the tour was highly informative and significantly increased their overall comfort in the library environment.
Supported phospholipid/alkanethiol biomimetic membranes: insulating properties

A novel model lipid bilayer membrane is prepared by the addition of phospholipid vesicles to alkanethiol monolayers on gold. This supported hybrid bilayer membrane is rugged, easily and reproducibly prepared in the absence of organic solvent, and is stable for very long periods of time. We have characterized the insulating characteristics of this membrane by examining the rate of electron transfer and by impedance spectroscopy. Supported hybrid bilayers formed from phospholipids and alkanethiols are pinhole-free and demonstrate measured values of conductivity and resistivity which are within an order of magnitude of that reported for black lipid membranes. Capacitance values suggest a dielectric constant of 2.7 for phospholipid membranes in the absence of organic solvent. The protein toxin, melittin, destroys the insulating capability of the phospholipid layer without significantly altering the bilayer structure. This model membrane will allow the assessment of the effect of lipid membrane perturbants on the insulating properties of natural lipid membranes.
Structural Domains That Contribute to Substrate Specificity in Facilitated Glucose Transporters Are Distinct from Those Involved in Kinetic Function: Studies with GLUT-1/GLUT-2 Chimeras†

GLUT-2 differs from other members of the facilitated glucose transporter family because it transports a wider range of substrates and exhibits a higher Km for transport of glucose analogs such as 2-deoxyglucose (2-DOG). In order to investigate the structural determinants of the unique substrate specificity and kinetic function of GLUT-2, recombinant adenoviruses were used to express native, mutant, and chimeric glucose transporters in the kidney cell line CV-1, yielding the following key observations. (1) A chimera consisting of GLUT-1 with the C-terminal tail of GLUT-2 had a Km for 2-DOG of 9.9 +/- 1.5 that was intermediate between that of native GLUT-1 (3.7 +/- 0.4) and native GLUT-2 (26.3 +/- 3.3). In contrast to the effect of the GLUT-2 C terminus on Km for 2-DOG, this substitution did not confer enhanced uptake of three alternative substrates (fructose, arabinose, or streptozotocin) which are transported efficiently by native GLUT-2 but not by GLUT-1. (2) A chimera consisting of GLUT-2 with the N-terminal 87 amino acids of GLUT-1 exhibited no change in Km for 2-DOG relative to native GLUT-2 but exhibited a significant reduction in capacity for transport of the three alternative substrates. (3) Mutation of asparagine 62 in GLUT-2 to glutamine produced a transporter lacking its N-linked oligosaccharide that exhibited a 2.5-fold increase in Km for 2-DOG but equally efficient transport of the three alternative substrates relative to native GLUT-2. These data provide insight into structural domains that affect substrate specificity in facilitated glucose transporters and demonstrate that they are distinct from elements involved in glucose transport kinetics.
Analysis of thermoelectric characteristics of AlGaN and InGaN semiconductors

The thermoelectric properties of AlGaN and InGaN semiconductors are analyzed. In our analysis, the thermal conductivities, electrical conductivities, Seebeck coefficients, and figure of merits (Z*T) of AlGaN and InGaN semiconductors are computed. The electron transports in AlGaN and InGaN alloys are analyzed by solving Boltzmann transport equation, taking into account the dominant mechanisms of energy-dependent electron scatterings. Virtual crystal model is implemented to simulate the lattice thermal conductivity from phonon scattering for both AlGaN and InGaN alloys. The calculated Z*T is as high as 0.15 for optimized InGaN alloy at temperature around 1000 K. For optimized AlGaN composition, the Z*T of 0.06-0.07 can be achieved. The improved thermoelectric performance of ternary alloys over binary alloys can be attributed to the reduced lattice thermal conductivity.
Information-singularity and recoverability of random processes

Two notions of information-singular and strong information-singular random processes were proposed by Berger as processes which are deterministic or negligible in a physically meaningful, information theoretic sense. This paper serves two purposes. First, it shows that strong information-singularity of a random process is equivalent to information-singularity plus a quite different property called recoverability. Secondly, it shows that these properties can be completely characterized in the case where the processes of interest are (jointly) stationary and satisfy a mild integrability condition.
The Gold Standard As a Rule: An Essay in Exploration

Abstract In this paper, we show that the monetary rule followed by a number of key countries before 1914 represented a commitment mechanism preventing the monetary authorities from changing planned future policy. The experiences of these major countries suggest that the gold standard was intended as a contingent rule. By that we mean that the authorities could temporarily abandon the fixed price of gold during an emergency (such as wartime) on the understanding that convertibility at the original price of gold would be restored when the emergency passed.
Interferon-γ effects on activities of gentamicin and vancomycin against Enterococcus faecalis resistant to the drugs: an in vitro study with human neutrophils

The emergence of multidrug-resistant enterococci presents a major therapeutic challenge since there is currently no clearly effective antimicrobial therapy for these infections. The combinatorial effects of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) with gentamicin and/or vancomycin against a clinical isolate of drug-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, were evaluated in an in vitro system with human neutrophils. Following inoculation of cultures of human neutrophils with the organism, treatments were initiated immediately after the infection and the number of viable bacteria was determined at 12, 18 and 24 h. Antibiotics were applied at concentrations close to their clinically achievable serum trough and peak levels. Treatment with IFN-gamma alone induced a maximal growth inhibition of up to 40% at a concentration of 100 U/ml. Addition of the cytokine to either therapeutic trough or peak concentrations of gentamicin and vancomycin, or a combination of both antimicrobials, was associated with a significant (P < 0.01) enhancement of anti-enterococcal activity compared with the effects of the agents alone. Investigation of a potential underlying mechanism of anti-enterococcal action of IFN-gamma reveals that it is, most probably, largely due to an activated secretion of the microbicidal reactive oxygen intermediates by neutrophils. The results of this study show that there is a possibility that IFN-gamma could be a useful adjunct in the treatment of multidrug-resistant E. faecalis.
Gettering in ISX-B☆

Abstract Gettering is used in the ISX-B tokamak to reduce the impurity concentration. This paper documents the gettering process used, and compares the expected changes in recycling and radiation with those observed experimentally. The enlargement of the operating regime ( 1/q, n e R/B φ space) is discussed. Finally, the effect on one of the objectives of the exerimental program, that of obtaining high values of beta, is described.
Scleral penetration force requirements for commonly used intravitreal needles

Repeated intraocular injections have become routine practice. It is important to determine how to make them as painless as possible. We wished to examine the force required to penetrate the sclera with different gauge needles. Recently enucleated eyes had 4 mm scleral punch biopsies performed. The scleral disks were mounted on a fixed load cell and either a new needle or a needle that had previously penetrated a rubber vial was attached to a linear stage and the maximum penetration force measured. The 27-gauge needles required almost twice as much force to penetrate the sclera than either the 30- or the 31-gauge. In addition, the 30- and 31-gauge appeared to require similar force. In all cases, following vial perforation, there was an increase in the amount of force required to penetrate the sclera. The amount of force was variable Smaller gauge needles require less force to penetrate the sclera and needles that have been used to penetrate rubber vials require more force.
Tricyclic host for linear anions.

A tricyclic host for anions consisting of two tetraamide monocycles attached by two ethylene chains was designed and synthesized. Structural and binding results indicate that the receptor is selective for linear triatomic anions. Crystallographic data for two hydrated free bases, along with FHF−, N3−, and SO42− complexes indicate that there are at least two preferred gross conformations for the host, one of which possesses pseudo-D2 symmetry and the other pseudo-C2h symmetry. Both FHF− and N3− are encapsulated in the pseudo-D2 symmetric complex, bridging the two tetraamido macrocyclic halves. The pseudo-C2h octahydrate structure shows an ice-like H-bonded (H2O)6 array of water molecules embedded in the host cavity. The SO42− structure has a nearly superimposable host conformation to the octahydrate but with the SO42− anions lying outside the host. Binding studies in DMSO-d6 indicate selectivity for FHF−, with lesser affinity for other inorganic anions.
Disseminated subarachnoid chordoma: long-term favorable follow-up of a pediatric patient

We describe a case of extraosseous chordoma disseminated in the subarachnoid space with favorable long-term follow-up. During work-up of headaches in a 13-year-old girl, MRI revealed multiple cystic subarachnoid masses in the posterior fossa and spinal canal. She underwent posterior fossa craniectomy and was found to have multicentric subarachnoid chordomas with positive CSF cytology. Six years after the operation and radiotherapy, the girl is without neurological deficits despite persistent multiple subarachnoid cystic masses.
Neuroimaging in Infantile Autism

Metabolic findings using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) with positron emission tomography (PET) and correlative anatomic findings with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were characterized in 13 children with infantile autism. Four of 13 patients had both an abnormal FDG-PET and an abnormal MRI, whereas seven of 13 patients had both a normal FDG-PET and a normal CT or MRI. Sixteen of a total of 195 brain areas qualitatively examined with FDG-PET had a hypometabolic abnormality on PET. Three of the five abnormal structural imaging studies revealed neuronal migrational anomalies (focal pachygyria). In two of the five patients with anatomic abnormalities, these were noted only after knowledge of the FDG-PET findings. Our experience reveals that anatomic and metabolic abnormalities can be found in children who exhibit autistic behavior. An FDG-PET study may provide evidence of metabolic dysfunction after an initially unremarkable MRI scan because subtle anatomic abnormalities (as those seen with neuronal migrational anomalies) may be found only after knowledge of a regional metabolic abnormality.
Selection and Evaluation of Reference Genes for Expression Studies with Quantitative PCR in the Model Fungus Neurospora crassa under Different Environmental Conditions in Continuous Culture

Neurospora crassa has served as a model organism for studying circadian pathways and more recently has gained attention in the biofuel industry due to its enhanced capacity for cellulase production. However, in order to optimize N. crassa for biotechnological applications, metabolic pathways during growth under different environmental conditions must be addressed. Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) is a technique that provides a high-throughput platform from which to measure the expression of a large set of genes over time. The selection of a suitable reference gene is critical for gene expression studies using relative quantification, as this strategy is based on normalization of target gene expression to a reference gene whose expression is stable under the experimental conditions. This study evaluated twelve candidate reference genes for use with N. crassa when grown in continuous culture bioreactors under different light and temperature conditions. Based on combined stability values from NormFinder and Best Keeper software packages, the following are the most appropriate reference genes under conditions of: (1) light/dark cycling: btl, asl, and vma1; (2) all-dark growth: btl, tbp, vma1, and vma2; (3) temperature flux: btl, vma1, act, and asl; (4) all conditions combined: vma1, vma2, tbp, and btl. Since N. crassa exists as different cell types (uni- or multi-nucleated), expression changes in a subset of the candidate genes was further assessed using absolute quantification. A strong negative correlation was found to exist between ratio and threshold cycle (CT) values, demonstrating that CT changes serve as a reliable reflection of transcript, and not gene copy number, fluctuations. The results of this study identified genes that are appropriate for use as reference genes in RT-qPCR studies with N. crassa and demonstrated that even with the presence of different cell types, relative quantification is an acceptable method for measuring gene expression changes during growth in bioreactors.
Tip-based nanofabrication of arbitrary shapes of graphene nanoribbons for device applications

Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) have promising applications in future nanoelectronics, chemical sensing and electrical interconnects. Although there are quite a few GNR nanofabrication methods reported, a rapid and low-cost fabrication method that is capable of fabricating arbitrary shapes of GNRs with good-quality is still in demand for using GNRs for device applications. In this paper, we present a tip-based nanofabrication method capable of fabricating arbitrary shapes of GNRs. A heated atomic force microscope (AFM) tip deposits polymer nanowires atop a CVD-grown graphene surface. The polymer nanowires serve as an etch mask to define GNRs through one step of oxygen plasma etching similar to a photoresist in conventional photolithography. Various shapes of GNRs with either linear or curvilinear features are demonstrated. The width of the GNR is around 270 nm and is determined by the width of the depositing polymer nanowire, which we estimate can be scaled down 15 nms. We characterize our TBN-fabricated GNRs using Raman spectroscopy and I-V measurements. The measured sheet resistances of our GNRs fall within the range of 1.65 kΩ/□-1 - 2.64 kΩ/□-1, in agreement with previously reported values. Furthermore, we determined the high-field breakdown current density of GNRs to be approximately 2.94×108 A/cm2. This TBN process is seamlessly compatible with existing nanofabrication processes, and is particularly suitable for fabricating GNR based electronic devices including next generation DNA sequencing technologies and beyond silicon field effect transistors.
Prevention of pulmonary embolism by combined modalities of thromboprophylaxis and intensive surveillance protocol.

OBJECTIVE: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a known complication in neurosurgical patients. The protocols for the prevention of DVT and pulmonary embolism (PE) are not applied universally. Our goal was to review the incidence of DVT and PE in neurosurgical intensive care units (NSICUs) and to compare it with the incidence of DVT and PE in other intensive care units (ICUs) in the same hospital, METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 5327 consecutive admissions in all intensive care units at the University of illinois Hospital between July 2001 and june 2002, The NSICU had 1094 admissions, and all other ICUs combined had 4233 admissions. In our NSICU, every patient was administered DVT prophylaxis in the from of subcutaneous heparin and a sequential compression device if the treatments were not contraindicated. Lower-extremity venous Doppler ultrasonography was performed twice weekly in all NSICU patients. There was no routine use of DVT prophylaxis in the other ICUs, and no other ICUs performed routine lower-extremity venous Doppler ultrasonography. We compared the incidence of DVT and PE in the NSICU and the combined population of other adult ICUs. RESULTS: PE was diagnosed in 1 (0.09%) of 1094 patients in the NSICU and in 45 (1.06%) of 4233 patients in all other ICUs (P < 0.0001, Z = 5.34). DVT was diagnosed in 28 patients (2,55%) in the NSICU and in 238 patients (5.62%) in all other ICUs (P < 0.001, Z = 4.32). These values suggest a statistically significant difference in the incidence of DVT and PE in the NSICU compared with all other ICUs. CONCLUSION: We conclude that there was a significantly lower incidence of DVT and PE in the NSICU than in all other ICUs at our institution DVT prophylaxis and twice-weekly lower-extremity venous Doppler screening in the NSICU have been found to be beneficial in decreasing the incidence of DVT and particularly effective in preventing PE.
Hydrodynamic Behavior of Graphite Powder Slurries in Journal Bearings

The increasingly severe requirements imposed on rotating machinery in terms of speeds, loads, and temperature impose severe operating conditions on journal bearings. An approach of using solid lubricant slurry would advance the capabilities of the existing rotating machinery related to gas turbine engines. In this study, the behavior of graphite-ethylene glycol slurry is evaluated in a hydrodynamic journal bearing operating at ambient temperatures. The evaluation is based on laboratory testing and provides some insight on the lubrication capabilities of the non-Newtonian slurry. A laboratory lest rig was designed and fabricated and the effects evaluated in terms of the difference in fluid film pressure between the pure carrier fluid and the powder slurry. It is observed that the addition of graphite increases the effective viscosity of the carrier fluid, causing not only an increase in pressure, but also an increase in fluid temperature. Presented at the 48th Annual Meeting in Calgary, Alberta, Canada May...
Elastic Infrastructure to Support Computing Clouds for Large-Scale Cyber-Physical Systems

Large-scale cyber-physical systems (CPS) in mission-critical areas such as transportation, health care, energy, agriculture, defense, homeland security, and manufacturing, are becoming increasingly interconnected and interdependent. These types of CPS are unique in their need to combine rigorous control over timing and physical properties, as well as functional ones, while operating dynamically, reliably and affordably over significant scales of distribution, resource consumption, and utilization. As large-scale CPS continue to evolve-and grow in scale and complexity-they will impose significant and novel requirements for a new kind of cloud computing that is not supported by conventional technologies To meet these requirements, cloud computing advances are needed to establish real-time computing, communication, and control foundations rigorously at scale. Likewise, advances are needed to apply these foundations in a flexible and scalable manner to different real-world large-scale CPS challenge problems. To support both foundational and experimental R&D, a new generation of elastic infrastructure must be designed, developed, and evaluated. This paper identifies challenges, opportunities, and benefits for this work and for the large-scale CPSit targets.
Numerical simulation of impingement of molten Ti, Ni, and W droplets on a flat substrate

Thermal spraying has been widely applied to process thin protective coatings on preshaped parts and to manufacture metallic preforms of a variety of geometries. The quality of materials produced by thermal spraying depends critically on the impact conditions of the droplets. In the present study, the deformation behavior and interaction of molten droplets impinging onto a flat substrate during thermal spraying have been numerically simulated. The calculated results reveal that a droplet spreads uniformly in the radial direction during impingement and eventually forms a thin splat with final diameter and thickness up to 11.3 times and down to 0.02 times the impact diameter, respectively. The final splat diameter increases rapidly with increasing impact velocity and melt density or decreasing melt viscosity. For the processing conditions of interest, the final splat diameter and the spreading time may be approximated by correlations: ds/do = l.04Re0.2 and ts/(do/uo) = 0.62Re0.2, where ds/do is the dimensionless splat diameter; ts/(do/uo) is the dimensionless spreading time; and Re is the Reynolds number. A fully liquid droplet impinging onto a flat solid substrate leads to good contact between the splat and the substrate. Multiple fully liquid droplets striking simultaneously onto other flattening, fully liquid splats cause ejection and rebounding of the liquid, as well as formation of voids within the liquid.
Absorption Spectrum of Diatomic Arsenic

A NEW system of some eighty absorption bands has been discovered in the spectrum of arsenic between 2200 A. and 2750 A., which can be definitely assigned to the diatomic molecule. This includes the five faint fluorescence bands observed by Roson1 and tentatively ascribed to As2. The whole system bears a striking resemblance to that of P2, investigated by Herzberg2, where ΔG″ is about 750 cm.1 and G 470 cm.1. A preliminary analysis gives for arsenic G values that are about 420 cm.1 for the lower and 270 cm.1 for the upper state. The vibrational levels of both states converge very slowly.
A secoisolariciresinol branched fatty diester from Salvia plebeia seed

Abstract The structure of a second new lignan diester from Salvia plebeia seed has been determined. Hydrolysis of this diester yields two compounds, 12-methyltetradecanoic acid and secoisolariciresinol.
Effects of the Light Source on the Signal Quality for Photonic and Microfluidic Nanohole Sensor Calorimeter

Our research focuses on the development of a calorimeter device utilizing a photonic temperature sensor based on the extraordinary optical tranmission (EOT) signals through nanohole array (NHA) sensors on metallic films in combination with a continuous coflow reactor clamped to the sensor chip. The fluid was in direct contact with the gold. The incident light traversed the layers of the flowcell assembly to illuminate the sensors, and was measured using a CCD camera. Here, the effect of the light source and the flowcell material and design on the signal quality is reported. Using an incoherent light source and eliminating elastic deformation from the illumination path resulted in an interference-free, fringe-free optical configuration. Using the improved apparatus, EOT signal temperature dependence for different liquids (DI water and ethanol) was presented. EOT signal gain due to a temperature change was 3.810 times higher in the ethanol than the DI water signal gain. This behavior was explained by the difference in the volumetric expansion coefficient, which is a factor in the change of dielectric constant due to temperature changes. This trend was in agreement with the analytical relations and supports the use of EOT as a measurement signal in a miniaturized calorimeter.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Synthesis of 5,10-dideazaminopterin

The synthesis of 5,10-dideazaaminopterin by two independent routes is described. Condensation of the piperidine enamine of 4-p-carbomethoxyphenylbutyraldehyde (4) with ethoxymethylenemalononitrile followed by treatment of the resultant arylethylenaminomalononitrile (5) with methanolic ammonia produced 2-amino-3-cyano-5-p-carbomethoxyphenethylpyridine (6). Cyclization of the aminocyanopyridine with guanidine afforded 4-amino-4-deoxy-5,10-dideazapteroic acid (8). Coupling of the pteroate intermediate with glutamate yielded the target 5,10-dideazaaminopterin (10). Alternatively, reduction of 2,4-diamino-6-formyl-5-deazapteridine (11) with sodium borohydride gave the 6-hydroxymethyl compound 12. Conversion to the bromide was followed by alkylation of dimethyl homoterephthalate to afford methyl 4-amino-4-deoxy-10-carbomethoxy-5,10-dideazapteroate (14). Decarboxylation with ester cleavage (sodium cyanide in dimethyl sulfoxide at 180°) also gave the diaminopteroic acid (8). 5,10-dideazaaminopterin (10) was an effective growth inhibitorof folate dependent bacteria, S. faecium and L. casei.
Dimensions of Interjurisdictional Cooperation

Abstract Recommendations for solving the problems of urban regions often call for more cooperation among cities, to develop regional identities in a competitive world and to promote effective problem-solving among municipalities. Yet we know little about how interjurisdictional cooperation evolves, and few guides exist to help urban areas establish more cooperative environments. This paper addresses four questions about cooperation: (1) What is interjurisdictional cooperation conceptually and operationally? (2) What are the behavioral and tactical approaches by which it operates? (3) What are the institutional formats in which it evolves? (4) How can policy makers anticipate its outcomes? These questions are investigated using a descriptive model that links the objectives, tactics, institutional forms, and outcomes of interjurisdictional cooperation. Five case studies of regional cooperation are also analyzed. Our analysis indicates that cooperative organizations exhibit common structural and tactical sch...
Changes in awareness and use of calorie information after mandatory menu labeling in restaurants in King County, Washington.

Objectives. We examined population-level impact on customer awareness and use and explored potential disparities in outcomes regarding the King County, Washington, regulation requiring chain restaurants to provide calorie information.Methods. We analyzed 2008 to 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 3132 English-speaking King County residents aged 18 years and older who reported eating at a regulated chain. We used regression models to assess changes in calorie information awareness and use from prepolicy to postpolicy implementation by customer demographics, health status, and restaurant type.Results. Calorie information awareness and use increased significantly from 2008 to 2010. Unadjusted analyses indicated that the proportion who saw and used calorie information tripled, from 8.1% to 24.8%. Fully adjusted analyses confirmed significant increases. After policy implementation, White, higher income, and obese respondents had greater odds of seeing calorie information. Women, higher i...
Desiccation response of geobacter sulfurreducens

Geobacter sulfurreducens is an electricity producing bacteria. It is used in bacterial fuel cells, microbial-based sensors, and catalytic surfaces for bioremediation. Further development of such applications requires stabilization and preservation of the bacteria as thin films on surfaces. This research investigated G.sulfurreducens response to desiccation to explore the feasibility of room temperature preservation. Room temperature preservation involves drying and storing bacteria at ambient conditions. Dried bacteria can be revived on demand by the addition of water.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
The use of geostatistics in relating soil moisture to RADARSAT-1 SAR data obtained over the Great Basin, Nevada, USA

Block kriging is applied to geographically register digital images from the RADARSAT-1 satellite to soil moisture samples. Both satellite and soil moisture data are interpolated in this process to obtain precise registration. Median and adaptive Lee filtering of images are also used to correlate pixel values with soil moisture. A case study is presented using a playa in the western Great Basin, Nevada, of North America. A statistically significant correlation is found between interpolated RADARSAT-1 digital numbers and interpolated soil moisture. Results indicate that RADARSAT-1 is sensitive to median soil moisture levels; however, filtering does not significantly improve this sensitivity. The study results indicate the ability of synthetic aperture radar to delineate and map temporal soil moisture, variability with the use of geostatistical methods to interpolate values over pixel areas.
EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION OF THE SKIN IN THE HAMSTER SIMULATING HUMAN IMPETIGO : III. INTERACTION BETWEEN STAPHYLOCOCCI AND GROUP A STREPTOCOCCI

The interaction between staphylococci and Group A beta hemolytic streptococci in mixed lesions was investigated in an experimental impetigo model. A strain of staphylococcus of phage Type 71, which has been shown in vitro to produce a bacteriocin for streptococci and other Gram-positive organisms, eliminates or reduces Group A streptococci in mixed lesions. In contrast, staphylococcal strains of phage Types 75 and 81, which do not produce a demonstrable bacteriocin in vitro, exhibit no such effect. Some variation was noted in the in vivo response of two different streptococcal M Types to the bactericidal effect of phage Type 71 staphylococci. Bacterial antagonism is more pronounced when staphylococci and streptococci are injected simultaneously into animals than when staphylococci are superimposed on preexisting streptococcal lesions. Marked variations were found in the numbers of viable streptococci (colony-forming units) recovered from individual lesions containing identical mixtures of streptococci and phage Type 71 staphylococci. The frequency of a demonstrable bactericidal effect was related to the number of streptococci injected. With small inocula of streptococci, the tendency towards an all-or-none effect was particularly striking. No evidence of selection of streptococcal or staphylococcal mutants which might explain this phenomenon was obtained. These observations suggest that the bactericidal effect of phage Type 71 staphylococci on other Gram-positive organisms, previously demonstrated in vitro, appears to operate also in vivo.
Block differentially encoded OFDM with maximum multipath diversity

This paper proposes a novel block differentially encoded orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing for multicarrier transmissions over frequency-selective fading channels. Choosing appropriate system parameters, we divide the set of correlated subchannels into subsets of independent subchannels. Within each subset, differential unitary space-time modulation is performed by treating each subchannel as a transmit antenna. In addition to low complexity, the proposed system enjoys maximum multipath diversity and high coding advantages. Analytic evaluation and corroborating simulations reveal its performance merits.
Removing excess topology from isosurfaces

Many high-resolution surfaces are created through isosurface extraction from volumetric representations, obtained by 3D photography, CT, or MRI. Noise inherent in the acquisition process can lead to geometrical and topological errors. Reducing geometrical errors during reconstruction is well studied. However, isosurfaces often contain many topological errors in the form of tiny handles. These nearly invisible artifacts hinder subsequent operations like mesh simplification, remeshing, and parametrization. In this article we present a practical method for removing handles in an isosurface. Our algorithm makes an axis-aligned sweep through the volume to locate handles, compute their sizes, and selectively remove them. The algorithm is designed to facilitate out-of-core execution. It finds the handles by incrementally constructing and analyzing a Reeb graph. The size of a handle is measured by a short nonseparating cycle. Handles are removed robustly by modifying the volume rather than attempting "mesh surgery." Finally, the volumetric modifications are spatially localized to preserve geometrical detail. We demonstrate topology simplification on several complex models, and show its benefits for subsequent surface processing.
An Ultra-Wideband (UWB) pulse dispersion study for antennas in sensor network applications

UWB pulse dispersion studies performed with antennas aligned in a linear co-polarized fashion are inadequate for many sensor network applications, as the antennas may in practice have arbitrary orientations with respect to each other. Variations of the pulse response at different antenna orientations may significantly affect data integrity. In this work it was found that a circular monopole geometry performed reasonably well in terms of maintaining pulse shape over orientation changes. The results were analyzed using the correlation coefficient as the performance metric. The information provided in this paper should be useful in characterizing antennas for UWB sensor network applications.
Phase field modeling of silicon nanowire based lithium ion battery composite electrode

A phase field model is developed to investigate the silicon nanowire behaviors in lithium-ion battery electrode during its lithiation process. The coupling effect among lithium ion diffusion/insertion process, structure deformation and local stress/strain evolution are established. Modeling demonstrates that such coupling effect can significantly influence electrochemical performance of silicon composite electrode. On a 2D silicon nanowire geometry, Cahn-Hilliard equation and Ginzberg-Landau equations are developed and solved by finite element method. The developed model has nearly the same prediction on volumetric expansion ratio of silicon NW in comparison with the published experimental observation and can capture the a−LiηSi/c−Si phase boundary during lithiation. Numerical results show that large local stress exists in the outer region of silicon NW and could negatively influence the fast charging performance of silicon composite electrode. Results also show that small lithium mobility can limit the lithiation depth of silicon electrode during the charging process, and can result in reduced charge capacity of silicon composite electrode. By simulating different silicon NW structures, it is found that silicon NW structure can significantly influence the local stress distribution and evolution in silicon composite electrode. It is also found that porous silicon NW has potential structure degradation around the core region during its lithiation process. These obtained results can provide insights into the dynamic process of silicon electrode degradation and can assist in developing applicable high performance silicon electrode for future lithium ion batteries.
IgA Antibody Response of Swine to Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Infection and Vaccination

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) continues to be a significant economic problem worldwide. Control of the disease involves the use of killed-virus vaccines, a control measure developed decades ago. After natural infection, the primary site of replication of FMDV is the pharyngeal area, suggesting that a mucosal immune response is the most effective. Humoral immunity to killed-virus vaccination induces antibodies that can prevent the clinical disease but not local infection. Determining whether infection or vaccination stimulates IgA-mediated local immunity depends on the method of analysis. Different assays have been described to analyze the quality of antibody responses of cattle and swine to FMDV, including indirect double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (IDAS-ELISA) and antibody capture assay-ELISA (ACA-ELISA). We tested these assays on swine and show that vaccinated animals had FMDV-specific IgM and IgG but no IgA in either serum or saliva. After the infection, both assays detected FMDV-specific IgM, IgG, and IgA in serum. Notably, serum IgA was more readily detected using the ACA-ELISA, whereas IgA was not detected in saliva with this assay. FMDV-specific IgA antibodies were detected in saliva samples using the IDAS-ELISA. These data show that parenterally administered, killed-virus vaccine does not induce a mucosal antibody response to FMDV and illuminates limitations and appropriate applications of the two ELISAs used to measure FMDV-specific responses. Further, the presence of the IgA antivirus in serum correlates with the presence of such antibodies in saliva.
A Generalized Likelihood Ratio Test for Detecting Land Mines Using Multispectral Images

In this letter, we address the problem of detecting anomalies in multispectral images that are due to the presence of land mines. The proposed detection scheme follows from a generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) involving a mixture of certain probability density functions. More specifically, the GLRT is based on the assumption that the pixel values of a subblock within a single spectral-plane image can be modeled as a mixture of two Gaussian density functions (model distribution of background pixels) and a uniform density function (model distribution of anomalous pixels when they are present). We extend the single spectral-plane GLRT to the multiple spectral-plane case where the subblocks are from multispectral images. To assess the proposed GLRT, which we call the Gaussian-uniform GLRT (GU-GLRT) algorithm, we applied the GU-GLRT and popular RX algorithms to images from a real multispectral image sequence and used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves as the figure of merit. In the experiments that we conducted, the GU-GLRT outperformed the RX algorithm in the sense that the area under the ROC curve was greatest for the GU-GLRT algorithm.
Prevention of Xerostomia-Related Dental Caries in Irradiated Cancer Patients

Three caries preventative regimens: oral hygiene; oral hygiene and topical fluoride; and oral hygiene, typical fluoride, and sucrose restriction were evaluated in patients with cancer given xerostomia-producing radiotherapy. The oral hygiene-fluoride gel combination was remarkably effective in protecting these high risk patients from caries, regardless of the cariogenicity of the diet.
Place, Perception, and Choice: Response of Citrus Growers to Freeze in California

Following a December 1998 freeze in the lower San Joaquin River Valley in central California, 1,250 Fresno, Kern, and Tulare county citrus growers were surveyed to examine the relationships between grower characteristics, mitigation efforts, freeze impacts, and growers’ intentions to modify land use. A 14.5% response rate was achieved from the survey mailing providing 182 completed surveys for analysis. Damages exceeded $700 million, but were not as great as in the 1990 freeze that hit this region. Orchard-freeze risk and growers’ mitigation efforts were predicted by a number of factors, including the geographic location, the size of the orchard, age of operation, and membership in cooperative organizations. Furthermore, previous experience with freeze events influenced growers’ propensity to mitigate. These factors reflect the perceptual framework within which growers responded to the onset of the event and also the likelihood that recovery would be needed. Insurance coverage was inversely related to mitigation action, perhaps demonstrating a regard for insurance as the best protection from calamitous losses. The certainty of disaster relief may reduce aggressive risk mitigation and may enable groves in freeze-prone areas.
Tissue-specific expression of a Drosophila calcium-activated potassium channel

The Drosophila slowpoke (slo) gene encodes a subunit of a CAK channel homologous to the vertebrate BK channel. We have examined slo expression throughout development. It is expressed in muscle cells, neurons of the CNS and PNS, mushroom bodies, a limited number of cells in embryonic and larval midgut and in epithelial-derived tracheal cells. The promoter has been cloned and shown to direct expression in the same pattern as the endogenous gene in both neural and epithelial- derived cells. During pupariation and embryogenesis, slo is expressed in muscles many hours prior to the appearance of functional channels.
Design and analysis of a dynamically reconfigurable network processor

The combination of high-performance processing power and flexibility found in network processors (NPs) has made them a good solution for today's packet processing needs. Similarly, the emerging technology of reconfigurable computing (RC) has made advances in packet processing as well as other point-solution markets. Current NP designs offer configurable elements but generally do not use dynamic RC techniques for run-time reconfiguration. Incorporating RC into NP designs to enhance packet processing is a natural progression for both of these emerging technologies. This paper presents the simulation results of a novel design for a RC-enhanced NP based on the Intel IXP1200 NIC design philosophy. The enhanced NP's performance is compared to that of the baseline NP in terms of three normalized traffic patterns and a case-study traffic pattern based on a military application. The results demonstrate that the enhanced NP significantly outperforms the baseline NP design in terms of latency for prioritized traffic that is non-uniform.
The friction, mobility and transfer of tribological films: potassium chloride and ferrous chloride on iron

The tribological properties of FeCl2, measured using an ultrahigh vacuum tribometer, are compared with those of KCl. The friction coefficient of an FeCl 2 film evaporated onto iron in ultrahigh vacuum decreases to ∼0.08 after the deposition of a film ∼40 A thick. This value is in good agreement with that measured for reactively formed FeCl2 films in a pin and v-block apparatus. The contact resistance also increases at the same FeCl2 thickness as that at which the friction coefficient reaches its minimum value suggesting that this corresponds to the completion of the first monolayer as found previously for KCl. Comparison of the friction coefficients and contact resistances for a second pass suggests that the film is mobile during rubbing in both cases. It is found that repeated rubbing in the case of FeCl 2 leads to a reduction in friction coefficient to ∼0.015 which is shown to be due to the formation of a transfer film on the tribotip. In contrast, no such reduction is found for a KCl film up to 40 cycles, implying that no transfer film is formed in that case. It is also found that, while friction reduction requires the surface to be completely covered by the halide film, suppression of damage in the iron requires the deposition of films thicker than ∼500 A. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
The Rhetoric of Concern: Trust and Control in an Urban Desegregated School.

Various sets of actors in an urban desegregated high school are found to use a rhetoric of concern in discussing events in the school and the operation of the school. This rhetoric is based upon the accepted understanding that schools do “what's best for kids.” Since the rhetoric appeals to diverse segments of the Pawnee community, it enables school officials to manage the conflicting demands of maintaining control and gaining the confidence of the community. The rhetoric of concern allows school people to talk about control in ways that build trust. Although this kind of language is useful in gaining a consensus, it is dysfunctional for dealing with the persistent problems of race relations in this desegregated high school.