cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leukocyte adhesion to cold‐preserved rat endothelial cells: Role of actin disassembly and ICAM‐1

Leukocyte adhesion on reperfusion is a critical component of cold preservation injury, and involves increased intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) expression on sinusoidal endothelial cells (SEC). This study determined whether ICAM-1 expression occurs during cold preservation and whether actin disassembly is necessary for ICAM-1 expression and leukocyte adhesion. ICAM-1 expression was measured in isolated rat SEC during 8 hours of cold preservation by immunofluorescence techniques. Leukocyte adhesion to cold-preserved SEC was measured in an assay using fluorescently labeled leukocytes. The calpain inhibitors N-acetyl-leu-leu-norleucinal/N-acetyl-leu-leu-methioninal and the actin stabilizer phalloidin were added in some studies to prevent actin disassembly. Cold-exposed SEC showed a rapid increase of surface ICAM-1 expression, reaching maximum values in 1 hour. Studies in permeabilized cells suggested that ICAM-1 moved from a perinuclear location to the cell surface. Actin stabilization had no effect on the time-dependent increase in ICAM-1 expression, but seemed to affect the distribution of ICAM-1 on the cell surface. Leukocyte adhesion to SEC correlated with ICAM-1 expression and was reduced to control levels by an anti-ICAM-1 antibody. Although actin stabilization did not reduce ICAM-1 expression, it did reduce leukocyte-SEC adhesion to control values. Increased ICAM-1 expression on cold-preserved SEC is a direct effect of cold. It is not related to actin disassembly, although it seems that actin disassembly affects the distribution of ICAM-1. Leukocyte adhesion to cold-preserved SEC requires both increased ICAM-1 and actin disassembly. Agents that inhibit actin disassembly can significantly decrease leukocyte adhesion regardless of increased ICAM-1 expression.
Performance analysis of a side-cooled vertical-focusing mirror for the undulator beamline at APS

A detailed thermal deformation and slope-error analysis is performed on an indirectly-cooled design of a high-heat-load vertical-focusing mirror.THe cooling of the mirror is through copper plates inserted into two grooves along the sides of the mirror. The contact between the mirror and the copper plate is through a gallium-indium eutectic bath in the groove. This configuration provides efficient thermal contact between the mirror substrate and the cooling block without applying stress to the mirror from the cooling block. This mirror will be used at the Advanced Photon Source Sector-15 ChemMatCARS undulator beamline for vertical focusing. It will be exposed to white beam with a heat load of about 1.1 kw.
Preschool outcomes of children of depressed mothers: role of maternal behavior, contextual risk, and children's brain activity.

Children of depressed mothers are at risk for behavioral and emotional problems. Infants of depressed mothers exhibit behavioral disturbances and atypical frontal brain activity. The mechanisms by which children develop such vulnerabilities are not clear. Three-year-old children of mothers with (N = 65) and without (N = 59) a history of depression were assessed in terms of behavior problems and brain electrical activity. Children of mothers with chronic depression exhibited lower frontal and parietal brain activation compared with children of mothers without depression and those whose depression remitted. Depressed mothers reported higher contextual risk (e.g., marital discord and stress) and their children had more behavior problems. Children's frontal brain activation and contextual risk level mediated the relation between maternal depression and child behavior problems.
Apical vaginal recurrence of ovarian carcinoma: presentation, treatment and survival

The object of this study was to evaluate the incidence, presenting symptoms, treatment, and survival of patients with recurrence of ovarian carcinoma at the vaginal apex. The charts of 19 patients with recurrent ovarian carcinoma at the vaginal apex diagnosed and treated between January, 1971 and December, 1993 were reviewed retrospectively. Statistical analysis was carried out using the nonparametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test and survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Nineteen of 393 patients (4.8%) with recurrent ovarian carcinoma were found to have recurrent tumor involving the vaginal apex. Nine patients (47%) were symptomatic from the vaginal recurrence: eight patients experienced vaginal bleeding, one had abnormal discharge, and one patient had symptoms related to a rectovaginal fistula in addition to vaginal bleeding. Ten patients (53%) had an asymptomatic mass found on follow-up examination or at the time of second-look laparotomy. Fifteen of 19 patients underwent surgical exploration: eight had recurrent disease isolated to the vaginal apex, four had vaginal apex and pelvic disease, two had disease at the vaginal apex and in the upper abdomen, and one had disease present diffusely throughout the abdomen and pelvis in addition to the vaginal recurrence. Median time from original diagnosis to the diagnosis of a vaginal apical recurrence was 26 months. As of December, 1993, 15 of 19 patients had died of disease and four of 19 patients were alive with disease. The 1-year survival rate from the time of diagnosis of vaginal recurrence was 66% (95% confidence interval: 43–88%); 56% for patients with vaginal bleeding and discharge and 78% for those with asymptomatic masses. Mean survival time was at least 19 months. Patients presenting with a vaginal apex recurrence of ovarian carcinoma should be treated aggressively, especially if symptomatic, since they are likely to survive for at least 1 year following the recurrence.
A coupled view of above and below-ground resource capture explains different weed impacts on soil water depletion and crop water productivity in maize

Conventional wisdom suggests that soil water lost through transpiration by weeds can intensify crop drought stress, and that this is an important mechanism by which weed competition decreases yields and crop water productivity (CWP). To assess the impact of weed competition on soil water uptake and crop drought stress, a 3-year field experiment was conducted with maize (Zea mays L.) grown in monoculture and in combination with high-density stands of three troublesome weed species (Setaria faberi Herrm., Abutilon theophrasti Medic., and Amaranthus retroflexus L.). Independent of weed species type, when canopy light interception was largely unchanged by the presence of weeds, maize–weed mixtures did not deplete more soil water than maize grown in monoculture. Conversely, when early weed growth was vigorous, maize–weed mixtures intercepted more light early in the growing season and this resulted in higher initial rates of water depletion and drier soils. In both cases, measurements of stomatal conductance suggested that the internal water status of the maize was not significantly impacted by the presence of weeds as the soil dried. CWP was influenced by weed competition and in the most extreme case declined by almost 50% relative to monoculture maize (2.6 kg m−3 vs. 5.0 kg m−3). However, the impact of weeds on CWP was not uniform. Under low yield loss scenarios (ca. 10%), weeds had little impact on the soil water balance and CWP did not markedly decline relative to monoculture maize. Our results suggest that if weeds do not increase canopy light interception and are subordinate to lower parts of the canopy, high-density infestations can be retained in the field without increasing the probability of drought or substantially reducing CWP.
Characterization of antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium isolates from food animals in the U.S.

Salmonella enterica subspecies enteric serovar Typhimurium is the second most common serovar implicated in human diseases in the United States. In this study, 120 S. Typhimurium isolates from animal sources were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, antimicrobial resistance gene detection and plasmid analysis. Overall, 94 (78%) of the isolates were resistant to one or more antimicrobials and 63 (53%) were resistant to at least five antimicrobials. Resistance was most commonly observed to streptomycin (62%), sulfisoxazole (62%), or tetracycline (61%). When resistance was detected, a corresponding resistance gene was detected in 89% of cases. Class 1 integrons were detected in 51 isolates, all which contained the aadA2 gene. A plasmid Inc group was detected in 68 (57%) isolates. Thirty nine (57%) of these isolates were resistant to 5 or more antimicrobials.
Total reaction cross sections from heavy ion elastic scattering

Abstract A model-independent method of obtaining total reaction cross sections has been applied to α-particle and 16 O, 40 Ar and 84 Kr elastic scattering. Results are compared with total reaction cross sections determined by other means.
A Graduate Communication Course for an Era of Global Commerce: A Case Study

This article describes the development of a communication course for graduate business students that recognizes the emergence of global commerce using high-technology communication, while not ignoring fundamental skills. A "diagnostic assessment center" activity measures student abilities at the start of the course and again at the end. Oral and written skill-building and instruction in technologi cally mediated and intercultural communication are features of the course. The course was offered on an experi mental basis, and student progress and reactions to the course were carefully monitored. I explain the rationale behind the course content, evaluate the results, and offer advice to other schools designing such a course.
Moxidectin: systemic activity against common cattle grubs (Hypoderma lineatum) (Diptera: Oestridae) and trichostrongyle nematodes in cattle

Moxidectin, a systemic insecticide, was evaluated for its efficacy against the migrating first instars of the common cattle grub, Hypoderma lineatum, and against nematode egg production in beef cattle. It was observed that all three levels (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mg moxidectin kg-1) were 100% effective against cattle grubs when administered as a s.c. injection. The same levels of treatment were very effective (90-100%) in reducing trichostrongyle nematode egg production. However, there was a slight indication that at least one species, Cooperia oncophora, was not completely eliminated, as it was observed that small numbers of eggs began to appear after 2 weeks post-treatment when there had been no opportunity for reinfection.
Inhibitory role of adiponectin peptide I on rat choroidal neovascularization

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of central blindness in the elderly population. The wet type of AMD is characterized by extensive growth of new vessels. One of the effective strategies to treat wet AMD is to limit the choroidal neovascularization (CNV). We studied the effects of adiponectin peptide I (APNpI) on new vessel growth in laser-induced rat model of wet AMD and on rat choroidal endothelial cell (CEC) culture. CNV size and vessel density were investigated by microscopy. Immunohistochemical staining (IHC) for von Willebrand Factor (vWF), APN, APN receptors 1 (AdipoR1), 2 (AdipoR2), VEGF, VEGF receptor 2 (VEGF-R2), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was performed in CNV area. The mRNA expression of VEGF and VEGF-R2 in RPE-choroid was investigated by RT-PCR and real-time PCR. APNpI inhibited area of CNV by 4 fold, number of vWF positive vessels by 99% and area of subretinal tissue by 40%. The expression of VEGF and VEGF-R2 at mRNA and protein levels decreased after APNpI treatment in vivo. Proliferative index (PCNA) was 5 folds less in laser spots of APNpI treated rats compared to controls. In conclusion, APNpI inhibited formation of new vessels in rat model of CNV by decreasing VEGF, VEGF-R2 expression and cell proliferation. Thus, APNpI may have potential therapeutic use for AMD treatment since it significantly inhibited CNV.
Photoaffinity labeling via nitrenium ion chemistry: protonation of the nitrene derived from 4-amino-3-nitrophenyl azide to afford reactive nitrenium ion pairs.

Phenyl azides with powerful electron-donating substituents are known to deviate from the usual photochemical behavior of other phenyl azides. They do not undergo ring expansion but form basic nitrenes that protonate to form nitrenium ions. The photochemistry of the widely used photoaffinity labeling system 4-amino-3-nitrophenyl azide, 5, has been studied by transient absorption spectroscopy from femtosecond to microsecond time domains and from a theoretical perspective. The nitrene generation from azide 5 occurs on the S2 surface, in violation of Kasha’s rule. The resulting nitrene is a powerful base and abstracts protons extremely rapidly from a variety of sources to form a nitrenium ion. In methanol, this protonation occurs in about 5 ps, which is the fastest intermolecular protonation observed to date. Suitable proton sources include alcohols, amine salts, and even acidic C−H bonds such as acetonitrile. The resulting nitrenium ion is stabilized by the electron-donating 4-amino group to afford a diimino...
Sargasso Sea lead levels drop

Concentrations of lead in the Sargasso Sea have decreased since at least 1979, following the phase-out of leaded gasoline in the United States that began in the early 1970s, according to a group of three scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The Sargasso Sea is an area of the western North Atlantic Ocean centered near Bermuda, extending from about 20° to 40°N (from about the latitude of Cuba to about the latitude of North Carolina). This work will be presented on Friday morning, December 12, at the 1986 AGU Fall Meeting/ASLO Winter Meeting in San Francisco (Eos, November 4, 1986, p. 1066).
On Quasi-Independence and Quasi-Dependence in Contingency Tables, with Special Reference to Ordinal Triangular Contingency Tables

Abstract In the usual statistical analysis of the entries (frequencies) in a contingency table having I rows and J columns (I ≥ 2, J ≥ 2), an important role is often played by the usual null hypothesis of independence (i.e., the hypothesis that the row variable and the column variable are statistically independent of each other). In the situation considered in this article, the entries in some of the I × J cells of the contingency table are omitted from the analysis (because these entries are either missing, unreliable, void, or restricted in certain ways); and in this situation, the usual null hypothesis of independence cannot be applied in a meaningful way. The concept of “quasi-independence” was introduced for this situation; and an important role can often be played in this situation by the null hypothesis of quasi-independence (a generalization of the usual null hypothesis of independence). For this situation, we introduce also the concept of likelihood-ratio “quasi-dependence” (a generalization of t...
Phylogenetic analysis of vertebrate and invertebrate Delta/Serrate/LAG-2 (DSL) proteins.

Delta/Serrate/LAG-2 (DSL) proteins are putative transmembrane signaling molecules that regulate cell differentiation in metazoans. DSL proteins are characterized by the presence of a motif unique to these proteins, the DSL motif, and a variable number of tandemly repeated copies of an epidermal growth factor-like (EGF) motif. We have completed a phylogenetic analysis of 15 DSL proteins from eight species. Our findings reveal that at least one gene duplication occurred prior to the divergence of the Drosophila melanogaster and vertebrate lineages, with subsequent duplications in vertebrates. The three known Caenorhabditis elegans proteins likely arose by two independent duplications in the nematode lineage. Analysis of EGF repeats suggests that EGF 2 has been conserved among DSL proteins in vertebrates and D. melanogaster. The sequences of two EGF repeats have been perfectly conserved in vertebrate orthologs: EGF 2 in Delta and EGF 15 in Jagged/Serrate. Finally, the linear order of EGF repeats has been conserved in the vertebrate Jagged/Serrate orthologs and vertebrate Delta orthologs.
Thermal and mechanical response of particulate composite plates under inertial excitation

The thermal and mechanical, near-resonant responses of particulate composite plates formed from hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) binder and varying volume ratios of ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) particles (50, 65, 75%) are investigated. Each test specimen is clamped and forced with three levels of band-limited, white noise inertial excitation (10–1000 Hz at 1.00, 1.86 and 2.44 g RMS). The mechanical response of each plate is recorded via scanning laser Doppler vibrometry. The plates are then excited at a single resonant frequency and the thermal response is recorded via infrared thermography. Comparisons are made between the mechanical operational deflection shapes of each plate and spatial temperature distributions, with correlation seen between the observed level of strain, as visualized by strain energy density, and heat generation. The effect of particle/binder ratio on both the thermal and mechanical responses is discussed. Acquired results are also compared to an analytical model of the system. The observed thermomechanical effects render an improved understanding of the thermomechanics of plastic-bonded composites, an essential step in support of the development of new technologies for the vapor-based detection of hidden explosives.
Structure refinement of large-pore aluminophosphate molecular sieve, H1, by Rietveld methods

Abstract The structure of HI, a large-pore molecular sieve, is analyzed using X-ray powder diffraction data collected on two samples from separate preparations. Data for one of the samples, H1-A, prepared using a combination of tributylamine and dipentylamine was collected using a synchrotron source, whereas for the other sample prepared using dipropylamine (H1-B), radiation from a rotating anode was used. The space group for these crystals is P63cm with a = 18.9702(3) and c = 8.1163(2) A for H1-A and a = 18.9923(4) and c = 8.1206(3) A for H1-B. Final agreement indices were Rp = 0.086 and Rwp = 0.122 for Hl-A and Rp = 0.087 and Rp = 0.112 for Hl-B. The framework structure of Hl in these two samples is similar to that of VPI-5 except that the 6-membered rings in HI contain disordered phosphate groups. The structure is described on the basis of two partially occupied models: The first one is a regular VPI-5 framework with an occupancy of about 0.75, and the other is a different orientation of the groups in the 6-membered ring with occupancy of about 0.25. The Al atom of the 4-ring is 6-coordinated by four framework oxygens and two water molecules. The large channel is occupied by a network of hydrogen-bonded water molecules. These studies together with our earlier results on dehydrated samples show that HI has two partially occupied structures, but that their populations vary from one preparation to the other. The disorder model for HI clearly distinguishes it from VPI-5, which does not display this disorder.
A connection between galaxy probabilities in zwicky clusters counting distributions in particle physics and quantum optics

Abstract We have evaluated the probability distribution for finding n galaxies in a Zwicky cluster for six regions of the sky for a depth sample corresponding to 15 × 103 km/s
The Fundamental Dimensions of Social Relationship: a Theoretical Statement:

Despite a noteworthy empirical convergence by a number of investigators on at least two basic dimensions of social relationship, namely Control and Affection (as they are often called), additional factors frequently emerge as well. This leads to some perplexity as to how many basic dimensions of interaction there are. To clarify the ambiguity, the concept of the division of labor is examined. The division of labor, it is suggested here, always involves some technical activity going on among the actors Beyond this there is a need for co-ordination, response to exigency, setting of priorities, etc. These require that some actors do what other actors tell them to do. When it is asked why an actor complies with another actor's wish, demand or request, a possible answer, which underlies the model of social interaction presented here, is as follows: (1) compliance because of coercion, and (2) compliance because the actor wants to do so. These two bases for compliance may be understood to imply the two standard ...
Drug Policy and Applied Research: A Study of Users, Abusers and Politicians

Abstract Criminologists often refer to official drug use statistics as an “iccbcrg.” At issue are the methods used by federal agencies to collect, interpret, and present official figures to the public. This paper argues that these methods introduce certain distortions into official statistics which can never be fully corrected, and other distortions that may be partially corrected. Drawing from the “criminal career” research, the present analysis offers a defensible method and estimate of drug abuse that attempts to control for certain distortions inherent in official studies. Moreover, it is suggested that a longitudinal research design can explain the chronicity and persistence of drug use, and this information has significance for public policy.
Shadows Amid Sunshine: Regulating Financial Conflicts in Medical Research

Under brand new rules implementing the Physician Payments Sunshine Act (Sunshine Act), a wide range of financial relationships, including many research-related payments, between industry, physicians, and teaching hospitals will be publicly disclosed through comprehensive, standardized payment reporting. The Sunshine Act represents the latest in a series of regulatory attempts to address financial conflicts of interest that may bias research conduct and threaten subject safety. This article summarizes the major aspects of the Sunshine Act affecting medical research, how it interacts with existing laws and policies, and identifies important unresolved issues and implementation challenges that still lie ahead with the rollout of the legislation underway. The Sunshine Act primarily depends on disclosure as a regulatory tool. As such, its long-term impact remains open to question. Disclosure in this context may have limited utility given, among other reasons, uncertainty about who the intended recipients are and their ability to use the information effectively. Apart from the insufficiency of transparency, this article further explores how proportionality, fairness, and accountability considerations make optimal regulation of financial conflicts in medical research quite challenging.
Are Cartesian Sensations Representational

Are Cartesian sensations representational? To contemporary philosophers of mind, this question might seem more than a little strange. Sensations, the thought goes, are non-representational by definition; they comprise whatever is left over after sense perceptual experience has been exhausted of its representational content. Sensations characterize what it is like to be a human perceiver or how things appear to human perceivers, without so much as purporting to present anything actually existing in extramental reality. What is debated today is whether any such perceptual leftovers exist.' This whole discussion is typically taken to be the legacy of Descartes, who is supposed to have introduced sensations to us in the first place. Having excised colors, sounds, flavors, odors and tactile qualities from the corporeal world, the story goes, he relocated them in the mind in the form of sensations that do little more than give an ornamental (and epistemically misleading) flair to our sense perceptual experience. So how does the question even arise? The question arises not because Descartes is especially unclear about what sensations are, but because he is unclear about what exactly sensory representation might be. Sensations include all those obscure and confused modes of mind that arise from the union and intermingling of mind and body: conscious experiences of pain, tickling, hunger, thirst, light, colors, sounds, flavors, heat, etc.2 There is little doubt that Cartesian sensations constitute the qualitative character, or what-it-is-like-ness, of human experience. But it is an open question in the context of Descartes' work whether that is all they do. It remains a question whether they also represent the corporeal world in some way, and, if so, how. Descartes is pulled in at least three different directions on this matter. After briefly considering these three lines of thought, I turn my attention to the third, according to which sensations do indeed represent the corporeal world in some way. The question to be asked is, how? What account of mental representation
Selecting a Cost-Effective Test Case Prioritization Technique

Regression testing is an expensive testing process used to validate modified software and detect whether new faults have been introduced into previously tested code. To reduce the cost of regression testing, software testers may prioritize their test cases so that those which are more important, by some measure, are run earlier in the regression testing process. One goal of prioritization is to increase a test suite's rate of fault detection. Previous empirical studies have shown that several prioritization techniques can significantly improve rate of fault detection, but these studies have also shown that the effectiveness of these techniques varies considerably across various attributes of the program, test suites, and modifications being considered. This variation makes it difficult for a practitioner to choose an appropriate prioritization technique for a given testing scenario. To address this problem, we analyze the fault detection rates that result from applying several different prioritization techniques to several programs and modified versions. The results of our analyses provide insights into which types of prioritization techniques are and are not appropriate under specific testing scenarios, and the conditions under which they are or are not appropriate. Our analysis approach can also be used by other researchers or practitioners to determine the prioritization techniques appropriate to other workloads.
To electrically locate gate oxide defects in dual-gate technologies for various high-voltage domains

This paper proposes and verifies a new concept, “oxide layer slicing”, for electrically locating gate oxide defects within highly integrated dual-gate technologies. The discrepancy of defectivity between thin and thick gate oxides provides a quick and unique insight of the physical location and even the distribution of the defects, thus significantly relieving the efforts of searching a defective source for process improvements.
Three-Way Comparison of BBL CHROMagar MRSA II, MRSASelect, and Spectra MRSA for Detection of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates in Nasal Surveillance Cultures

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of hospital-acquired and life-threatening infections. Active surveillance programs for MRSA utilize either molecular or culture-based methods. A prospective study was performed to compare the performance of selective and differential chromogenic media, BBL CHROMagar MRSA II (CMRSA II; BD Diagnostics, Sparks, MD), MRSASelect (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Redmond, WA), and Spectra MRSA (Remel, Lenexa, KS), for the detection of MRSA in nasal swab specimens. A total of 515 compliant remnant nasal swab specimens were sequentially used to inoculate BBL Trypticase soy agar with 5% sheep blood (TSA II) and each chromogenic medium. After 24 h of incubation, colony color reactions and morphology on chromogenic media were compared to suspicious colonies on nonselective TSA II. MRSA on TSA II was confirmed by Gram staining, a coagulase test, and a cefoxitin disk test. The overall prevalence of MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) on TSA II was 12.4% (64/515) and 9.7% (50/515), respectively. When each chromogenic medium was compared to the standard culture method, the sensitivity and specificity, respectively, were as follows: CMRSA II, 87.7% and 98.6%; MRSASelect, 89.0% and 93.4%; and Spectra MRSA, 83.6% and 92.1%. The positive predictive values were highest for CMRSA II (91.4%), followed by MRSASelect (69.1%) and Spectra MRSA (63.5%). False-positive results on chromogenic media were mainly due to color interpretation. The negative predictive values for all three media were greater than 97%. In conclusion, CMRSA II gave the best overall results for detecting MRSA from nasal specimens.
Combustion regime of a reacting front propagating into an auto-igniting mixture

Abstract To characterize and model the combustion of a reactant mixture in a spark-assisted compression ignition (SACI) engine, one-dimensional reaction front propagation into end-gas mixtures with varying degrees of reaction progress is simulated using a skeletal iso-octane mechanism with variable transport properties. The dominant mechanism for the end-gas auto-ignition and combustion is identified based on a ratio of the corresponding flame to homogeneous ignition time scales, as a means to distinguish the transport-controlled and chemistry-controlled combustion regimes. The results indicate that reaction fronts propagating into end-gases are deflagrative provided that the temperature at the reaction front base is below 1100 K, while beyond this temperature, transport has little effect on the one-dimensional solution, indicating that reaction front propagation is chemistry-controlled. The results suggest that reaction front combustion regimes are strongly influenced by and can be separated with the end-gas temperature at the base of the reaction front.
Digital echocardiography 2002: Now is the time

The ability to acquire echocardiographic images digitally, store and transfer these data using the DICOM standard, and routinely analyze examinations exists today and allows the implementation of a digital echocardiography laboratory. The purpose of this review article is to outline the critical components of a digital echocardiography laboratory, discuss general strategies for implementation, and put forth some of the pitfalls that we have encountered in our own implementation. The major components of the digital laboratory include (1) digital echocardiography machines with network output, (2) a switched high-speed network, (3) a high throughput server with abundant local storage, (4) a reliable low-cost archive, (5) software to manage information, and (6) support mechanisms for software and hardware. Implementation strategies can vary from a complete vendor solution providing all components (hardware, software, support), to a strategy similar to our own where standard computer and networking hardware are used with specialized software for management of image and measurement information.
Modern Medicine, Murder, and the Mind

In May of 2004, Weili Kao beat and strangled her six-year-old stepdaughter, Truly Lo, into a coma 2 that she is still in and from which she will never wake up. 3 Kao was convicted of corporal injur...
Advanced reactor development: the LMR Integral Fast Reactor Program at Argonne

Attention is given to the integral fast reactor (IFR) concept, in which the elements of a complete breeder reactor system are developed and optimized as a single entity and could in fact, if desired, all be made an integral part of a single plant. Fuel, safety, and fuel cycle aspects are discussed. The basic feasibility of all elements of the IFR has now been proven. The next important step will be to close the fuel cycle at EBR-II. >
Hochtemperatur-Supraflüssigkeit in ultrakaltem Fermi-Gas

Ultrakalte atomare Gase, eine Million mal dunner als Luft, bieten die faszinierende Moglichkeit, das Phanomen der Supraflussigkeit in seiner Reinstform zu beobachten. Bisher ist dies nur fur Gase aus Bosonen, Teilchen mit ganzzahligem Spin, gelungen. Nun wurde auch in einem rotierenden Gas aus Fermionen, Teilchen mit halbzahligem Spin, der Nachweis fur Supraflussigkeit erbracht: Es gelang die Beobachtung regelmasig angeordneter Vortices [1]. Diese neue Form der Supraflussigkeit wurde, skaliert auf die Dichte von Elektronen im Festkorper, bereits oberhalb der Zimmertemperatur eintreten.
Wegener's granulomatosis of the orbit: a clinicopathological study of 15 patients.

Objectives: Wegener's granulomatosis is a granulomatous and necrotizing vasculitis that classically involves the respiratory and renal systems. The goal of the study was to define clinical and pathological characteristics in a subgroup of patients with the changes of Wegener's granulomatosis involving the orbit. Study Design: Retrospective study. Methods: A database search identified 15 patients with the histological changes of Wegener's granulomatosis of the orbit presenting over a 23-year period. A review of the histological specimens, radiological studies, and patient charts was performed. Additional follow-up data were obtained through patient interviews. Results: Of 15 patients (median age, 54 y) with Wegener's granulomatosis of the orbit identified, the disease was limited to the orbit in 12 patients; 3 patients had additional sinonasal involvement. All patients underwent various surgical procedures followed by medical treatment (cyclophosphamide and prednisone). Specimens showed characteristic histopathological features of Wegener's granulomatosis. Follow-up data were available for 12 patients with a median period of 5 years. In the group with only orbital involvement, none of the patients developed systemic progression of Wegener's granulomatosis. Only one patient had multiple local recurrences and later developed contralateral orbital Wegener's granulomatosis. Conclusions: Wegener's granulomatosis limited to the orbit is a localized form of the disease without systemic progression. Diagnostic surgical procedures followed by aggressive medical treatment results in good outcome, although local recurrence may occur.
Laser Induced Stress In Materials

An extensive literature exists concerning the phenomena that occur when laser radiation interacts with solids or fluids. The nature of the interaction depends greatly on the optical, mechanical, and thermal properties of these materials. There can be such things as plasma generation if the radiation is absorbed in short distances or nonlinear optical behavior leading to "filamenting, " "banana peeling, " or harmonic generation in the more transparent materials (Ref. 1, 2).© (1974) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Nanofluidity of fatty acid hydrocarbon chains as monitored by benchtop time-domain nuclear magnetic resonance.

The functional properties of lipid-rich assemblies such as serum lipoproteins, cell membranes, and intracellular lipid droplets are modulated by the fluidity of the hydrocarbon chain environment. Existing methods for monitoring hydrocarbon chain fluidity include fluorescence, electron spin resonance, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy; each possesses advantages and limitations. Here we introduce a new approach based on benchtop time-domain 1H NMR relaxometry (TD-NMR). Unlike conventional NMR spectroscopy, TD-NMR does not rely on the chemical shift resolution made possible by homogeneous, high-field magnets and Fourier transforms. Rather, it focuses on a multiexponential analysis of the time decay signal. In this study, we investigated a series of single-phase fatty acid oils, which allowed us to correlate 1H spin–spin relaxation time constants (T2) with experimental measures of sample fluidity, as obtained using a viscometer. Remarkably, benchtop TD-NMR at 40 MHz was able to resolve two to ...
A specialization for speech perception

The processes that underlie perception of consonants and vowels are specifically phonetic, distinct from those that localize sources and assign auditory qualities to the sound from each source. This specialization, or module, increases the rate of information flow, establishes the parity between sender and receiver that every communication system must have, and provides for the natural development of phonetic structures in the species and in the individual. The phonetic module has certain properties in common with modules that are "closed" (for example, sound localization or echo ranging in bats) and, like other members of this class, is so placed in the architecture of the auditory system as to preempt information that is relevant to its special function. Accordingly, this information is not available to such "open" modules as those for pitch, loudness, and timbre.
Poe's Landscape Aesthetics

Kent Ljungquist. The Grand and the Fair: Poe's Landscape Aesthetics and Pictorial Techniques. Potomac, Maryland: Scripta Humanistica, 1984. 216 pages.
Polarons, solitons and self-trapping in exciton dynamics

Abstract We present a unified theory of polaron and soliton dynamics by combining time-dependent variational methods recently applied to the theory of Davydov solitons with partial-dressing methods well known from polaron theory.
The Effects of Tailoring Knowledge Acquisition on Colorectal Cancer Screening Self-Efficacy

Interventions tailored to psychological factors such as personal and vicarious behavioral experiences can enhance behavioral self-efficacy but are complex to develop and implement. Information seeking theory suggests tailoring acquisition of health knowledge (without concurrent psychological factor tailoring) could enhance self-efficacy, simplifying the design of tailored behavior change interventions. To begin to examine this issue, the authors conducted exploratory analyses of data from a randomized controlled trial, comparing the effects of an experimental colorectal cancer screening intervention tailoring knowledge acquisition with the effects of a nontailored control on colorectal cancer screening knowledge and self-efficacy in 1159 patients comprising three ethnicity/language strata (Hispanic/Spanish, 23.4%, Hispanic/English, 27.2%, non-Hispanic/English, 49.3%) and 5 recruitment center strata. Adjusted for study strata, the mean postintervention knowledge score was significantly higher in the experi...
Under pressure: community water systems in the United States—a production model with water quality and organization type effects

This paper examines the interaction of productive efficiency, water quality and organizational type. A water quality index is constructed employing various contaminants which are then treated together with variables including organizational type as endogenous in an input distance function model. The cost of drinking water quality and inefficiency are derived and hypothesis tests estimated concerning their variation by location, organization type and water quality. The key findings are that more technically efficient water utilities deliver higher quality drinking water and that private firms distribute higher quality water at a higher price and at a higher implicit cost than public utilities despite no overall inefficiency differences between the two organizational types.
Surface plasmon dispersion engineering via double-metallic Au/Ag layers for nitride light-emitting diodes

Propagation matrix method was used to calculate the surface plasmon dispersion for metal on top of InGaN / GaN quantum wells (QWs). Purcell enhancement factor related to the slope of the surface plasmon dispersion curve was calculated for metal on top of InGaN / GaN QWs. The use of double-metallic Au / Ag layers coupled to InGaN QWs results in wide-spectrum tuning of the Purcell peak enhancement of the spontaneous recombination rate for nitride lightemitting diodes.
Energy reserves and utilization rates in developing brain measured in vivo by 31P and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Age-related changes in cerebral energy utilization were examined in swine, a species whose maximal rate of development is known to occur in the perinatal period. Interleaved in vivo 31P and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to measure the rates of change in cerebral concentrations of phosphocreatine (PCr), nucleoside triphosphates, and lactate following complete ischemia, induced via cardiac arrest, in a total of 19 newborn, 10-day-old, and 1-month-old piglets. Preischemic concentrations of these three metabolites plus glucose and glycogen were determined in a separate experiment on 12 piglets whose brains were funnel-frozen in situ. The rate constants for the PCr and ATP decline and lactate increase were determined by nonlinear regression fits to the experimental data, assuming first-order kinetics. The rate constants and preischemic metabolite concentrations were used to calculate the initial flux of high-energy phosphate equivalents (∼P), which was used as an estimate of cerebral ener...
Correction of artifacts in the SeaWiFS atmospheric correction: removing discontinuity in the derived products

It has been found that, at the certain solar and sensor-viewing geometry and for certain atmosphere conditions, discontinuity lines appear in the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) retrieved atmospheric and ocean color products. Such discontinuity lines, which do not happen very often, are apparently artifacts from the atmospheric correction scheme that uses the lookup tables to process SeaWiFS data. In this paper, a brief description of the SeaWiFS atmospheric correction algorithm, in particular, the technique that is used in retrieving the aerosol models and aerosol radiance contributions in the visible wavelengths, is provided. Results from some specific simulations that explain the causes of the discontinuity lines in the derived products are presented. We show that these discontinuities appearing in the derived SeaWiFS products are the result of the atmospheric correction due to aerosol model effects. To remove the discontinuities, a simple modification to the current atmospheric correction algorithm is proposed and tested with both simulated and real SeaWiFS data. The modification has been implemented in the SeaWiFS fourth data reprocessing in August 2002.
The Construct Validity of Higher Order Structure-of-Intellect Abilities in a Battery of Tests Emphasizing the Product of Transformations: A Confirmatory Maximum Likelihood Factor Analysis

Within the context of a causal modeling system involving use of Joreskog's confirmatory maximum likelihood factor analysis in conjunction with the LISREL IV computer program devised by Joreskog and Sorbom an evaluation was made of the construct validity underlying the higher order factor structure of a given correlation matrix of 46 structure-of-intellect (SOI) tests emphasizing the product of transformations. The tenability of four alternative factor models was examined relative to their accounting for the intercorrelations among the 46 tests that had been hypothesized to represent first-order abilities involving one kind of operation, one type of content, and one form of product. The major elements of each of the three postulated dimensions of the SOI model (the five operations, the five contents, and the six products) were defined as the 16 possible third-order factors. The following conclusions resulted: (a) the five third-order SOI factors comprising operations of cognition, convergent production, di...
Fabrication and Mechanical Characterization of Carbon Nanotube Based Nanoknives

A prototype microtome knife for cutting ~100 nm thick slices of frozen-hydrated biological samples has been constructed by use of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). A piezoelectric-based 3-D manipulator was used inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to select and position individual MWCNTs, which were subsequently welded in place by electron beam-induced deposition (EBID). The device employs a pair of tungsten needles with provision to adjust the distance between the needle tips, accommodating various lengths of MWCNTs. We have performed experiments to test the breaking strength of the MWCNT in the completed device with an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip. An increasing force was applied at the midpoint of the nanotube until failure, which was observed in situ in the SEM. The initial force/deflection data appear promising, and efforts are underway to characterize and improve the strength of the device by conducting more such tests and modifying the welding process.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
On stability of solutions of some third and fourth order delay-differential equations

The asymptotic stability of solutions of a class of third and fourth order delaydifferential equations is presented. The results are an extension to Krasovskii's second order system.
Simple Processing Method for High-Strength Silicon Carbide

Silicon carbide test bars were made by a simple wet-processing technique. The pressure casting method used the same equipment as conventional dry-pressing, but with a modified die. This casting technique was employed in order to produce test bars with improved strength and smaller fracture flaws than produced by dry-pressing. This was accomplished by eliminating pore clusters which were present in dry-pressed specimens and identified as a common source of failure in SiC MOR test bars.
Global asymptotic stability of Lotka–Volterra 3-species reaction–diffusion systems with time delays

Abstract This paper is concerned with three 3-species time-delayed Lotka–Volterra reaction–diffusion systems and their corresponding ordinary differential systems without diffusion. The time delays may be discrete or continuous, and the boundary conditions for the reaction–diffusion systems are of Neumann type. The goal of the paper is to obtain some simple and easily verifiable conditions for the existence and global asymptotic stability of a positive steady-state solution for each of the three model problems. These conditions involve only the reaction rate constants and are independent of the diffusion effect and time delays. The result of global asymptotic stability implies that each of the three model systems coexists, is permanent, and the trivial and all semitrivial solutions are unstable. Our approach to the problem is based on the method of upper and lower solutions for a more general reaction–diffusion system which gives a common framework for the 3-species model problems. Some global stability results for the 2-species competition and prey–predator reaction–diffusion systems are included in the discussion.
Using Model-based Clustering to Improve Predictions for Queueing Delay on Parallel Machines

Most space-sharing parallel computers presently operated by production high-performance computing centers use batch-queuing systems to manage processor allocation. In many cases, users wishing to use these batch-queued resources may choose among different queues (charging different amounts) potentially on a number of machines to which they have access. In such a situation, the amount of time a user's job will wait in any one batch queue can be a significant portion of the overall time from job submission to job completion. It thus becomes desirable to provide a prediction for the amount of time a given job can expect to wait in the queue. Further, it is natural to expect that attributes of an incoming job, specifically the number of processors requested and the amount of time requested, might impact that job's wait time. In this work, we explore the possibility of generating accurate predictions by automatically grouping jobs having similar attributes using model-based clustering. Moreover, we implement this clustering technique for a time series of jobs so that predictions of future wait times can be generated in real time. Using trace-based simulation on data from 7 machines over a 9-year period from across the country, comprising over one million job records, we show that clustering either by requested time, requested number of processors, or the product of the two generally produces more accurate predictions than earlier, more naive, approaches and that automatic clustering outperforms administrator-determined clustering.