cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple scale analysis of heterogeneous elastic structures using homogenization theory and voronoi cell finite element method

Abstract This paper deals with the development of a multiple scale finite element method by combining the asymptotic homogenization theory with Voronoi cell (VCFEM) for microstructural modeling. The Voronoi cell finite element model originates from Dirichlet tessellation of a representative material element or a base cell in the microstructure. Homogenized material coefficients for a global displacement finite element model are generated by VCFEM analysis using periodic boundary conditions on the base cell. Following the macroscopic analysis, the local VCFEM analysis is implemented to depict the true evolution of microstructural stresses and strains. Various numerical examples are executed for validating the effectiveness of VCFEM macro-micro modeling of elastic materials. The effect of size, shape, orientation and distribution of heterogeneities on the local and global response are examined.
Heterogeneous Effects in the Propagation and Quenching of Spray Detonations

The steady propagation of the one-dimensional detonation wave in heptane/air sprays was computationally studied using detailed chemistry, with emphasis on the effects of droplet heating, vaporization, and drag, as well as momentum and heat loss on the detonation velocity and quenching. Results show strong coupling between these processes and the detonation response, leading to a variety of interesting phenomena such as drag-induced concentration of droplets; interference of thermal runaway by cooling due to droplet vaporization; one-stage vs two-stage ignition; chemical heat release controlled by either Arrhenius kinetics or droplet vaporization; internal vs external loss in causing quenching; nonlinear feedback between integrated loss, chemical heat release, and detonation velocity that is responsible for quenching; and the strong influence of the postshock specific heat of the fuel vapor. Consequently, we show that there exist optimum droplet sizes for higher detonation velocities and wider quenching limits and that, depending on the droplet size, higher droplet loading of the spray can also promote detonation propagation and extend its quenching limits.
Topographical distribution of delay-tuned responses in the mustached bat inferior colliculus.

In the mustached bat, delay-tuned neurons respond best to specific delays between the first harmonic frequency modulated (FM) component (FM1; 24-29 kHz) of the emitted biosonar pulse and a higher harmonic FM component in returning echoes (e.g. FM3, 72-89 kHz). These delay-tuned, combinatorial responses predominate in the inferior colliculus (IC) of the mustached bat. This study examined the topographical distribution of delay-tuned neurons in the 72-89 kHz frequency representation of the IC. We recorded and histologically localized 163 single units. Ninety units were facilitated and 41 were inhibited by the combination of two frequencies in the 24-29 kHz and 72-89 kHz ranges. The facilitatory responses were selective for delays up to 20 ms between the two signals. To determine if delay-tuned neurons were topographically organized, we plotted the dorsomedio-ventrolateral and caudo-rostral positions of each unit versus its best delay. Best delay was not correlated with either location. Response latency to best frequency tones was topographically organized, but was not correlated with best delay. This indicates that the latency axis in the IC is unrelated to the delay tuning of these combinatorial neurons. Because delay-tuned neurons are not topographically organized in the IC but are in the auditory cortex, our findings suggest that the creation and organization of delay-tuned neurons occur at different stages in the ascending auditory system.
Energy of 242Am and 242mAm fission fragments

Abstract The energy spectra of single fragments from spontaneous fission of the 14 msec 242mAm isomer and from prompt fission of 242Am were measured. The isomer was produced by the 242Pu(d, 2n)242mAm reaction, and the prompt fissions were produced by the 240Pu(d, f) reaction. The fragments from delayed fission were observed by semiconductor detectors after the compound nucleus had recoiled to a rotating catcher wheel. The usual doubly peaked spectra of fragment energies from heavy element fission were observed in both cases. The valley of the spectrum from spontaneous fission of the isomer is equally deep as the valley of the spectrum from prompt fission induced by 12 MeV deuterons. Energies of the peaks were the same for prompt fission and for spontaneous fission of the isomer. The former energies were constant over the 7.6 to 14 MeV span of incident deuteron energy. Comparisons of these fragment energies with those from 252Cf spontaneous fission and from deuteron-induced fission of other heavy elements agree with Z 2 A 1 3 systematics.
Elimination of send-ahead wafers in an IC fabrication line

The use of sendahead wafers to control a lithography sector severely limits the performance of that sector. As a result, the elimination of sendahead wafers is most desirable. Through the creation of a robust resist process, careful metrology and modeling of the jobs being processed, and through the use of statistical process control on key variables, we have achieved a Cp of .98 and a Cpk of .95 on an 800 nanometer linewidth, 200 nanometer overlay lithography technology. These results have been achieved on our 8 inch, GCA Autostep 200 2145 i-line steppers at the same time that sendahead wafers have been eliminated. This paper discusses the work done to stabilize the lithography sector and eliminate sendahead wafers, the introduction of statistical process control in that sector and the effects of that introduction on the quality of lots being processed. This paper also presents long term tool and process stability data.
Analysis of the development of isotropic residual stresses in a bismaleimide/spiro orthocarbonate thermosetting resin for composite materials

In this article, we extend our model of isotropic residual stress development in thermosets to a novel thermosetting resin system: bismaleimide/spiro orthocarbonate. In this system, the cure shrinkage and resulting isotropic residual stresses are reduced through a ring-opening reaction that occurs independently of the addition reaction. The modeling effort includes a parametric analysis of the effects of various parameters, including the volume changes involved in the reactions, the relative rates and orders of the reactions, the cure history, and the values of the bulk moduli and thermal expansion coefficients. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 227–244, 2003
The role of the thyroid in the development of Mauthner's neuron. A karyometric study in thyroidectomized anuran larvae.

Although the normal postmetamorphic atrophy of the giant neurons of Mauthner in anuran amphibians has been attributed to the direct or indirect action of thyroid hormone, the administration of exogenous thyroxin to Rana pipiens larvae appears to facilitate growth of the neuron rather than inhibit it. In the present investigation, Rana pipiens embryos were surgically thyroidectomized. In the absence of the thyroid, metamorphosis never occurred, and hind limb development was arrested at larval stages VI–VIII. However, these animals continued their growth and often exceed their controls in overall size. Mauthner cells of thyroidectomized larvae have nuclei of significantly smaller size than their controls. The observations are consonant with the view that thyroid hormones play an important positive role in the growth and maintenance of Mauthner's cell. It is further indicated that the growth of Mauthner's neuron is more dependent upon the titer of thyroid hormone in the blood than it is upon age, brain size, tail motor influences, or the state of the lateral line system.
Depression in adolescence: Its relationship to assertion and various aspects of self‐image

Despite numerous reports of adolescent depression, little empirical research exists. The study investigated the nature of adolescent depression by administering the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and a series of self‐report measures to 568 high school students. Findings consistent with the adult depression literature included significant positive relationships between depression and all measures of maladjustment. Subjects who reported more depression reported more overall maladjustment. A positive relationship between depression and assertion was also obtained which is consistent with the adult depression literature. Those reporting more depression reported more assertion. The most important predictor of depression was body and self‐image. These results are discussed as supporting the theory that depression exists in adolescence and while possessing certain unique characteristics it is highly similar to depression in adults.
GATA-6 and Thyroid Transcription Factor-1 Directly Interact and Regulate Surfactant Protein-C Gene Expression

GATA-6, a member of the GATA family of zinc finger domain containing transcription factors, is expressed in endodermally derived tissues including the lung, where GATA-6 influences the transcription of target genes, TTF-1, and surfactant proteins. Whereas GATA-6 did not directly alter expression of sp-C constructs in HeLa cells, GATA-6 synergistically activated sp-C gene transcription when co-expressed with TTF-1, supporting the concept that GATA-6 and TTF-1 might directly interact to influence target gene expression. GST-GATA-6 directly co-precipitated with TTF-1 after in vitro translation and directly interacted with the TTF-1-binding element in the sp-C promoter. Binding of TTF-1 to GATA-6 required the homeodomain of TTF-1, but optimal interactions with GATA-6 required the homeodomain and either carboxyl- or amino-terminal domains of TTF-1. Interactions between TTF-1 and GATA-6 required the amino-terminal and zinc finger domains of GATA-6. Although GATA-4 also interacted with TTF-1 in two-hybrid assays, GATA-4 was not as active as GATA-6 in the activation of the sp-C promoter with TTF-1. Deletion and substitution mutations between GATA-4 and GATA-6 demonstrated that the carboxyl-terminal zinc finger domain of GATA-6 contributed to its synergistic activation of the sp-C promoter with TTF-1. GATA-6 influenced the activity of the sp-C promoter, binding and acting synergistically with TTF-1.
Ridge tillage concentrates potentially mineralizable soil nitrogen, facilitating maize nitrogen uptake

Ridge tillage (RT) can promote increases in soil C and aggregation at greater rates than conventional tillage, but few studies have investigated how RT may affect soil N distributions across the row/inter-row space. Using a spatially intensive sampling design, we monitored soil potentially mineralizable N (PMN), inorganic N, and plant tissue N in a field study comparing RT and chisel plow (CP) systems. Experiments were fully replicated at two sites in Urbana, IL and Mason, MI during the 2012 growing season. At both sites, a strong interaction effect of tillage × row position was observed for PMN (Illinois, p = 0.005; Michigan, p = 0.02) with higher levels of PMN in the in-row (IR) position than off-row (OR) and between-row (BR) positions of RT treatments following re-ridging. Plant tissue analyses indicated a significant RT advantage at both sites (Illinois, p = 0.04; Michigan, p = 0.02), and a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis indicated that PMN at the 0- to 5-cm depth in the IR position following re-ridging had a significant effect on inorganic N at the same position and, in turn, a strong influence on plant tissue N (comparative fit index = 0.86, standardized root mean square residual = 0.11, Akaike wt. = 1). Overall, our results suggest that RT can establish soil functional zones (SFZ) with distinct N profiles and that the relocation of PMN in-row may increase the spatial efficiency of N provisioning relative to conventional tillage.
The scaling of flow in vegetative structures

A three-prong spruce twig was modeled as three independent circular cylinders as part of a wind tunnel study of the drag and wake characteristics of twigs in flow velocities ranging from 0.5 to 4.5 m s-1. Using this model, the wake structure and twig drag were explained and length scales describing the microscale wake turbulence were proposed.
Anterior lobe of pituitary of Rana pipiens I. A cytological and cytochemical study

Abstract 1. 1. Sublimate-formol-fixed and Mallory (Crossmon)-stained pituitaries of adult Rana pipiens (both sexes) show the following cell types: acid fuchsin cell, aniline blue cell (types 1 and 2), orange G cell, purple cell, and chromophobe cell. 2. 2. Available data on the approximate ranges for these cell types in November frogs (both sexes) are: acid fuchsin cell, 13–28%; aniline blue cell (type 1), 2–16%; aniline blue cell (type 2), 4–22%; orange G cell, 23–46%; purple cell, 1–9%; and chromophobe cell, 14–34%. 3. 3. The purple cell is the only cell type that shows a strikingly restricted rostral distribution in the lobe. 4. 4. A probable transition cell (aniline blue cell type 1) between the acid fuchsin and the aniline blue cell (type 2) is reported. 5. 5. The acid fuchsin cells, aniline blue cells (type 1 and 2), and purple cells give a strongly positive periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reaction for 1,2-glycols (not glycogen); the orange G cells are PAS-negative. The acid fuchsin cells and aniline blue cells (type 1) give strong reactions for SH and/or SS groups; the intensity of the reaction for these groups varies from weak to strong in the aniline blue cells (type 2), while it is mildly positive in the orange G cells and weakly positive in the purple cells. All chromophil cells are negative for alkaline phosphatase.
A web-based video annotation system for crowdsourcing surveillance videos

Video surveillance systems are of a great value to prevent threats and identify/investigate criminal activities. Manual analysis of a huge amount of video data from several cameras over a long period of time often becomes impracticable. The use of automatic detection methods can be challenging when the video contains many objects with complex motion and occlusions. Crowdsourcing has been proposed as an effective method for utilizing human intelligence to perform several tasks. Our system provides a platform for the annotation of surveillance video in an organized and controlled way. One can monitor a surveillance system using a set of tools such as training modules, roles and labels, task management. This system can be used in a real-time streaming mode to detect any potential threats or as an investigative tool to analyze past events. Annotators can annotate video contents assigned to them for suspicious activity or criminal acts. First responders are then able to view the collective annotations and receive email alerts about a newly reported incident. They can also keep track of the annotators’ training performance, manage their activities and reward their success. By providing this system, the process of video analysis is made more efficient.
Association of amino levulinate dehydratase levels and ferrochelatase inhibition in childhood lead exposure

The basis for the clinical variation in response to lead exposure in children is not well understood. We studied selected children from a large lead screening program in whom elevation of red cell protoporphyrin concentration (a measure of inhibition of the enzyme ferrochelatase) was markedly above or below average for a given blood lead level. We then measured the activity of the enzyme amino levulinate dehydratase in 306 of these children, and found that ALA-d activity was lower in children with higher protoporphyrin elevation, independent of the effects of lead. This observation, coupled with reports in the literature of families with ALA-d deficiencies and elevated red cell protoporphyrin values, makes likely a genetic basis for some of the variation in susceptibility to lead. The mechanism by which the two effects are associated remains unknown.
Effects of oxygen deprivation and Pythium root rot on sugarcane red rot.

The effects of oxygen deprivation or poor drainage and Pythium root rot on development of red rot, caused by Colletotrichum falcatum, and spring shoot population of sugarcane were evaluated under controlled and field conditions. Detached stalks of five cultivars were exposed to low atmospheric oxygen (0.5 to 2.7%), created by enclosing stalks in sealed chambers through which humidified nitrogen gas was passed for 0, 1, or 2 weeks. Stalks were then inoculated with C. falcatum and maintained for 6 weeks with humidified air flow. Red rot severity, assessed as four disease traits, was not increased by previous oxygen deprivation. In field experiments, inoculation of stalks of three cultivars with C. falcatum before planting resulted in a reduction in shoot populations the following spring. Poor drainage resulted in an additional reduction in shoot populations developing from inoculated stalks. Soil atmospheric oxygen was reduced in the root zone below planted stalks under poor drainage conditions. However, only minor reductions in oxygen were detected in the zone of elevated rows in which planted stalks were located. The detrimental effect of poor drainage on shoot populations from inoculated stalks was alleviated by metalaxyl application. Pythium root rot, caused by Pythium arrhenomanes, reduced the initial root system and growth of shoots in greenhouse experiments. The combination of P. arrhenomanes and C. falcatum inoculation increased dead bud percentage in one of two cultivars and red rot severity for both. The results suggest that spring shoot populations developing from red rot-affected stalks exposed to poor drainage can be reduced by the combined effects of red rot and Pythium root rot.
On-board entry trajectory planning for sub-orbital flight

Abstract An algorithm for on-board planning of sub-orbital entry trajectories is presented. For entry vehicles with low lift-to-drag ratios and entering entry flight at sub-orbital speeds, this algorithm fills a gap left in a recently developed methodology for on-board generation of three-degree-of-freedom (3DOF) entry trajectories. The algorithm developed in this paper is able to reliably generate a 3DOF feasible sub-orbital entry trajectory in a time frame compatible with on-board environment. The combination of this algorithm and an algorithm recently developed for orbital entry missions provides the capability for full-envelope autonomous adaptive entry guidance. The current algorithm is validated by extensive high fidelity simulations using a sub-orbital reusable launch vehicle model and difficult mission scenarios including failures and aborts.
Mobile network estimation

Mobile systems must adapt their behavior to changing network conditions. To do this, they must accurately estimate available network capacity. Producing quality estimates is challenging because network observations are noisy, particularly in mobile, ad hoc networks. Current systems depend on simple, exponentially-weighted moving average (EWMA) filters. These filters are either able to detect true changes quickly or to mask observed noise and transients, but cannot do both. In this paper, we present four filters designed to react quickly to persistent changes while tolerating transient noise. Such filters are agile when possible, but stable when necessary, adapting their behavior to prevailing conditions. These filters are evaluated in a variety of networking situations, including persistent and transient change, congestion, and topology changes. We find that one filter, based on techniques from statistical process control provides performance superior to the other three. Compared to two EWMA filters, one agile and the other stable, it is able to offer the agility of the former in four of five scenarios and the stability of the latter in three of four scenarios.
Serum lipid and fat-soluble vitamin levels in primary sclerosing cholangitis

We reviewed the initial lipid and fat-soluble vitamin levels in 56 patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) enrolled in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluating ursodeoxycholic acid. We also evaluated lipid and vitamin levels in a group of 87 patients with advanced PSC being evaluated for liver transplantation. Of the patients entering the therapeutic trial, 41% had total serum cholesterol levels greater than the 95th percentile, whereas only 20% had high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels above normal, and only one (2%) had an elevated triglyceride level. Total cholesterol levels were correlated with serum bilirubin levels and were lower in early versus later histologic stages (206 +/- 61 vs. 248 +/- 79, p = 0.04). Of the 87 pretransplant patients, 29% had elevated serum cholesterol levels and 17% had elevated serum triglyceride levels. Total serum cholesterol levels correlated inversely with total serum bilirubin levels in this group. In patients in the therapeutic trial, vitamin A deficiency was seen in 40%, vitamin D deficiency in 14%, and vitamin E deficiency in 2% of those tested. More prominent deficiencies of fat-soluble vitamins occurred in the pretransplant group of patients, with 82% deficient in vitamin A, 57% deficient in vitamin D, and 43% deficient in vitamin E. We conclude that hypercholesterolemia and fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies are frequent in patients with PSC and are more common with more severe disease. Patients with PSC, especially with advanced liver disease, should be screened for fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies and supplemented accordingly.
On the Andrews-Schur proof of the Rogers-Ramanujan identities

In this article, we study one of Andrews’ proofs of the Rogers–Ramanujan identities published in 1970. His proof inspires connections to some famous formulas discovered by Ramanujan. During the course of study, we discovered identities such as $$\sum_{n\geq0}\frac{q^{n^2}}{(q;q)_n}=\frac{1}{\sqrt{5}}\Biggl(\beta \prod_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{1+\alpha q^{n/5}+q^{2n/5}}-\alpha \prod_{n=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{1+\beta q^{n/5}+q^{2n/5}}\Biggr),$$ where β=−1/α is the Golden Ratio.
Simultaneous chronic lymphocytic leukemia and chronic myelogenous leukemia. Evidence of a separate stem cell origin

The authors studied a patient with the simultaneous occurrence of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). The coexistence of these two hematologic malignancies leads to questions about their cell of origin. Through analysis of this patient's DNA, the authors studied the derivation of the two malignancies. They separated the blood into a myeloid-rich fraction and a fraction containing the malignant lymphocytes. JH and bcr probes were used to study these loci in the myeloid and lymphoid fractions and in unfractionated white blood cells. The authors found that the unfractionated leukocytes contained the bcr and JH rearrangements. Conversely, the lymphoid fraction contained only the JH rearrangement, and the myeloid fraction contained only the bcr rearrangement, suggesting that these malignancies arose from separate stem cells. This is the first reported patient with simultaneously occurring CML and CLL definitively shown to arise from distinct progenitors, and this report raises questions about the origin of these two cell lines.
Precision ADCS of a spinning spacecraft for the Mars Aeronomy Explorer Mission

This paper discusses a precision attitude and control technique for meeting these requirements utilizing a similar architecture that was adopted for the Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) SNOE (Student Nitrous Oxide Explorer) spinning spacecraft; SNOE has been operating with its ADCS architecture in low earth orbit (LEO) for over two years.
Role of intravenous levetiracetam in status migrainosus

Migraine pathophysiology remainselusive. A relationship betweenmigraine and epilepsy has been pro-posed [1] and antiepileptic drugs(AEDs) are being used extensivelyfor migraine prophylaxis and treat-ment. Newer AEDs with novel mech-anisms of action may also help to pre -vent and treat migraines. The avail-ability of an IVform of an AEDallows rapid administration and there -fore could be used in the managementof status migrainosus (SM). Leveti-racetam (LEV) is one of the newerAEDs and has multiple mechanismsof action including favourable inter-actions with gamma amino butyricacid (GABA) and glycine receptors,antagonism of the activity of negativemodulators of GABA, modulation ofN-type calcium and glycine-gatedcurrents, and the selective binding tothe synaptic vesicle protein 2A [2, 3].The role of LEVin prophylaxis ofrefractory migraines and otherheadache syndromes has been report-ed [4–7]. The IVform of levetirac-etam (IV-LEV) has recently becomeavailable. With all the advantages ofthe newer-generation AEDs, includ-ing the minimal side effects and druginteractions, IV-LEV might also be apotential candidate for the treatmentof migraine and SM.We report the case of a 27-year-old woman with a history of migrainewith aura and complex partial (CP)epilepsy with occasional secondarygeneralisation. She had been seizure-free on oral LEV 750 mg twice dailyfor 2 years. She came to the emer-gency department (ED) with worsen-ing of her usual migraine headachesfor more than 72 h. In the ED, shesuffered a 2-min episode of CPseizure with secondary generalisationand was given an infusion of 1000 mgIV-LEV over 15 min. She returned toher clinical baseline and her headacheresolved 35 min after the infusion.She tolerated the infusion well andwithout side effects. She wasobserved for 24 h and maintained onher usual oral LEV without anybreakthrough seizures or headaches.
On the edge: the internal frontiers of architecture in Algiers/Marseille

From the mid-nineteenth century, when its port infrastructure was radically expanded following the French conquest of Algeria in 1830, the city of Marseille embraced the appellation ‘Gateway to the...
Expression of Endogenous Betaretroviruses in the Ovine Uterus: Effects of Neonatal Age, Estrous Cycle, Pregnancy, and Progesterone

The ovine genome contains 15 to 20 copies of endogenous retroviruses (enJSRVs) highly related to the oncogenic jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) and enzootic nasal tumor virus. enJSRVs are highly expressed in the endometrial lumenal epithelia (LE) and glandular epithelia (GE) of the ovine uterus. The effects of neonatal age, estrous cycle, pregnancy, and progesterone on expression of enJSRVs in the ovine uterus were determined. Expression of enJSRV RNAs was absent from the uterus of ewes at birth, but enJSRV RNAs were expressed specifically in the LE and developing GE from postnatal day (PND) 7 to PND 56. In adult ewes, enJSRV RNAs were detected only in the epithelia of the uterine endometrium, as well as epithelia of the oviduct, cervix, and vagina. In cyclic ewes, endometrial enJSRV RNA abundance was lowest on day 1, increased 12-fold between days 1 and 13, and then decreased to day 15. In pregnant ewes, levels of endometrial enJSRV RNAs were high on day 11, increased to day 13, and then decreased to day 19. In day 17 and 19 conceptuses, enJSRV RNAs were also detected in binucleate cells of the trophectoderm. Immunoreactive JSRV capsid and envelope proteins were detected in the endometrial LE and GE, as well as in the binucleate cells of the conceptus. In transfection assays utilizing ovine endometrial LE cells, progesterone increased transcriptional activity of several enJSRV long terminal repeats. Collectively, these results indicate that transcription of enJSRVs in the endometrial epithelia of the ovine uterus is increased by progesterone and might support a role for enJSRVs in conceptus-endometrium interactions during the peri-implantation period and early placental morphogenesis.
The Effects of Removal and Reconstruction of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament on Patellofemoral Kinematics

Patellofemoral pain may be associated with anterior cruciate ligament deficiency or may occur after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. We investigated the effects of the removal and reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament on the kinematics of the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints during physiologic levels of quadriceps muscle loads in seven cadaveric knees. A bone-patellar tendon-bone graft was used for intraarticular reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament. The spatial positions of the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral joints were measured between 0 degrees and 90 degrees of knee flexion in 15 degrees increments with a six degree-of-freedom digitizing system. Excision of the anterior cruciate ligament resulted in statistically significant increases in anterior tibial translation between 0 degrees and 90 degrees and valgus tibial rotation between 30 degrees and 90 degrees; intraarticular reconstruction returned these to levels not significantly different from those of the intact knee. Excision of the anterior cruciate ligament resulted in significant increases in lateral patellar tilt, ranging from 6.3 degrees to 9.0 degrees between full extension and 90 degrees of knee flexion, and in lateral patellar shift, ranging from 2.9 mm at 15 degrees of knee flexion to 5.9 mm at 90 degrees; intraarticular reconstruction returned these to levels not significantly different from those of the intact knee. Neither removal nor reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament significantly affected tibial internal-external rotation, patellar flexion, patellar mediolateral rotation, patellar anteroposterior translation, or patellar proximodistal translation.
Integrating complex system dynamics of pandemic influenza with a multi-criteria decision making model for evaluating public health strategies

Recent developments in computational sciences and computer modeling have allowed emergency preparedness exercises to include simulation models as supporting tools. These simulation models are generally built for predicting temporal and geographic patterns of disease spread. However sole use of simulation models in exercise design falls short in terms of incorporating policy decision makers’ preferences into decision-making processes. In this paper, a general framework for exercising public health preparedness plans with a decision support system is presented to integrate estimation of key epidemiological parameters with a system dynamics model of an outbreak. A multi-criteria decision making framework, an Analytical Hierarchy Process model, is then developed and integrated with the simulation model to help public health policy makers prioritize their response goals and evaluate mitigation strategies in a table-top exercise environment.
Adsorbed Molecules on Solvated Layer Silicates: Surface Mobility and Orientation from ESR Studies

The adsorption of nitroxide spin probes on smectites solvated in liquids of greatly different polarity was studied using electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. Adsorbed probes demonstrate various degrees of restricted rotational motion and alignment at the silicate surfaces, depending upon the properties of the solvating liquid. The results are interpreted in terms of direct surface—molecule interaction modified by solvent competition effects. A fraction of the probe molecules is immobilized in many of the solvated clays because of small spacings between platelets. The data indicate lowered reactivity of surface-adsorbed molecules, especially in the case of hydrated smectites.
Representations of user feedback in an agile, collocated software team

Support requests are a major source of feedback in software development. However, like sentences whispered in a children's telephone game, as an issue moves through a software development process, it may undergo many changes, making it difficult to ensure that the problem reported was actually fixed. To better understand how software teams preserve the integrity of user-reported issues, we observed a software team over a 6-month period, analyzing the trajectory of user requests through their software development processes. Our observations revealed several representations of issues, highlighting several points where information about an issue was lost or transformed. Although this information loss appeared to be unavoidable as an issue went through the resolution process, we found it was offset by a web of transactive memory distributed throughout the support and product teams. This memory was reinforced by asynchronous chat about recent and commonly reported issues, and shared notions of what issues should be considered severe or urgent.
Transplantation of M213-2O Cells with Enhanced GAD67 Expression into the Inferior Colliculus Alters Audiogenic Seizures

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of GABA-producing cell transplants on audiogenic seizures (AGS). The M213-2O cell line was derived from fetal rat striatum and has GABAergic properties. This cell line was further modified to express human GAD 67 and produce elevated levels of GABA. The present study compares the effects of parent M213-2O cell transplants with those of GAD 67 -modified M213-2O cells in AGS-prone Long–Evans rats. Two weeks following implantation of engineered cells, latency to AGS-typical wild running was increased compared to nonimplanted subjects. Survival of the transplanted cells was confirmed by immunochemical labeling of GAD 67 and Epstein–Barr virus nuclear antigen. These findings support the use of GABA-producing cell lines to modify seizure activity.
ATP-sensitive K+ channel blocker glibenclamide and diaphragm fatigue during normoxia and hypoxia.

The role of ATP-sensitive K+ channels in skeletal muscle contractile performance is controversial: blockers of these channels have been found to not alter, accelerate, or attenuate fatigue. The pre...
CHEMICAL AND MICROBIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF HOUSEHOLD GRAYWATER

In arid areas, the search for efficient methods to conserve water is of paramount importance. One of the methods of water conservation available today is graywater recycling--the reuse of water from the sinks, showers, washing machine, and dishwasher in a home. The purpose of this project was to characterize the chemical and microbial quality of graywater from a single-family home with two adults. Water samples from a graywater holding tank were analyzed over a seven-month period for total coliforms, fecal coliforms, fecal streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and coliphages. The pH, turbidity, biological oxygen demand (BOD), suspended solids (SS), electrical conductivity (EC), sulfates (SO4), and chlorides (Cl) were also measured. The mean numbers of total coliforms, fecal coliforms, fecal streptococci, and P. aeruginosa were 8.03 x 10(7), 5.63 x 10(5), 2.38 x 10(2), and 1.99 x 10(4) CFU/100 mL, respectively. S. aureus and coliphages were not detected. In the chemical analysis, mean values of 7.47 for pH, 43 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) for turbidity, 64.85 mg/L for BOD, 35.09 mg/L for SS, 0.43 mS/cm for EC, 59.59 mg/L for SO4, and 20.54 mg/L for Cl were measured. These data were compared to data taken in 1986 and 1987, when two adults and one child lived in the household. Analysis showed no statistically significant difference in levels of total coliforms and suspended solids between the two data sets. There were statistically significant differences in levels of fecal coliforms, pH, turbidity, chlorides, sulfates, and BOD between the two households. Fecal coliforms, turbidity, and BOD were higher in the household with two adults and one child. Levels of Cl, SO4, and pH were higher in the household with two adults.
Electrical Impedance Myography: Background, Current State, and Future Directions

Electrical impedance myography (EIM) is a non-invasive technique for the evaluation of neuromuscular disease that relies upon the application and measurement of high-frequency, low-intensity electrical current. EIM assesses disease-induced changes to the normal composition and architecture of muscle, including myocyte atrophy and loss, edema, reinnervation, and deposition of endomysial connective tissue and fat. With application of single-frequency electrical current, EIM can be used to help grade the severity of neuromuscular disease. Assessing electrical impedance across a spectrum of applied frequencies and with current flow at multiple orientations relative to major muscle fiber direction can provide a more complete picture of the condition of muscle. EIM holds the promise of serving as an indicator of disease status. It may be useful in clinical trials and in monitoring effectiveness of treatment in individual patients; ultimately, it may also find diagnostic application. Ongoing efforts have been focused on obtaining a deeper understanding of the basic mechanisms of impedance change, studying EIM in a variety of clinical contexts, and further refining the methods of EIM data acquisition and analysis.
The Product Ecology: Understanding Social Product Use and Supporting Design Culture

The field of interaction design has broadened its focus from issues surrounding one person interacting with one system to how systems are socially and culturally situated among groups of people. To understand the situations surrounding product use interaction design researchers have turned to qualitative, ethnographic research methods. However, stripped from underlying theory, these methods can be prescriptive at best. This paper introduces Product Ecology as a theoretical design framework to describe how products evoke social behavior, to provide a roadmap for choosing appropriate qualitative research methods and to extend design culture within HCI by allowing for flexible, design-centered research planning and opportunity-seeking. This product-centered framework is illustrated as a method for selecting a set of design research methods and for working with other research approaches that study people in naturalistic settings.
A family study of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Background: The causes of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are as yet unknown. Evidence of familial aggregation is one approach for investigating the role of genetics in the etiology of this condition. The current study was conducted to determine if OCD is familial and to investigate possible familial subtypes. Methods: Eighty case probands were identified in 5 specialty OCD clinics and 73 community control probands were identified by random-digit dialing. These probands and their first-degree relatives (343 case and 300 control relatives) were blinded to group and evaluated by psychiatrists and doctoral-level clinical psychologists using semistructured instruments. Final diagnoses were assigned by a blinded-consensus procedure. The results were analyzed using logistic regression by the method of generalized estimating equations. Results: The lifetime prevalence of OCD was significantly higher in case compared with control relatives (11.7% vs 2.7%) (P,.001). Case relatives had higher rates of both obsessions and compulsions; however, this finding is more robust for obsessions. Age at onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in the case proband was strongly related to familiality (odds ratio, 0.92; confidence interval, 0.85-0.99) (P = .05); no case of OCD symptoms was detected in the relatives of probands whose age at onset of symptoms was 18 years or older. Probands with tics or obsessive-compulsive personality disorder were not more likely to have relatives with OCD than those without these features. Conclusions: Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a familial disorder. Obsessions are more specific to the phenotype than are compulsions. Age at onset of OCD is valuable in characterizing a familial subtype. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2000;57:358-363
Liver fibrosis in biliary atresia

Biliary atresia (BA) is the most common cholestatic liver disorder requiring liver transplantation in children. Hepatic fibrosis is not only a universal and prominent feature of BA, it is also the most important predictor of outcome following portoenterostomy (PE). Without PE, the progression of hepatic fibrosis is quite dramatic, such that liver cirrhosis is established within a few weeks after birth. Etiologies and molecular networks underpinning such an expeditious fibrogenic process have not been well established. However, immune and nonimmune factors implicated in the pathogenesis of BA, and the resultant cholestasis and oxidative stress, appear to be the main triggers of hepatic fibrosis in BA. Owing to a lack of validated noninvasive tools to monitor liver fibrosis, current prognostic models of BA entail clinical and biochemical variables reflecting liver dysfunction rather than hepatic fibrogenesis. Further work is necessary to validate the results of preliminary studies indicating a good relationship between liver fibrosis determined by transient elastography and other clinical and routinely performed biochemical parameters in pediatric patients. Although a prime candidate for a number of antifibrotic therapies on the horizon, owing to poor understanding of molecular mechanisms, a clear framework of antifibrotic targets has not been outlined in BA. Similarly, specific antifibrotic therapies have not yet been incorporated in clinical practice, limiting these measures to prompt diagnosis and PE operation, prevention and treatment of cholangitis and optimal nutritional support including the administration of fat-soluble vitamins.
Existing Research and Future Directions for Self-Regulated Strategy Development With Students With and At Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (E/BD) have academic deficits that affect their success in school. However, there are few research studies investigating what strategies work best for this population, especially in the area of writing. One promising intervention to support the writing skills of students with and at risk for E/BD is self-regulated strategy development (SRSD). SRSD is a six-stage explicit strategy instruction model that includes procedures for goal setting, self-monitoring, self-instruction, and self-reinforcement and can be generalized to a variety of writing tasks. This article summarizes the existing literature using SRSD with students with and at risk for E/BD, including 3 group design and 11 single-subject studies. Future directions for the field are outlined, including using teachers as interventionists, examining behavioral dependent variables, and conducting investigations within three-tiered models of positive behavioral interventions and supports.
Stimulation of insulin secretion in man by medium chain triglycerides

Abstract The effects of an orally administered medium chain triglyceride (MCT) preparation on blood glucose, plasma non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and serum insulin levels have been determined in 10 normal volunteers and 9 patients with cirrhosis and evidence of portalsystemic communications. Blood glucose and plasma NEFA levels did not change appreciably in either group. Serum insulin levels increased significantly in the cirrhotic patients. It is suggested that MCT caused a modest stimulation of insulin secretion which was more easily detected in the cirrhotic patients because of (1) a reduced liver cell mass capable of binding insulin during its initial circulation through the liver, and (2) shunting around the liver through portalsystemic communications.
Conditions Affecting the Use of Political Repression

The task of this study is to determine if certain political and socioeconomic variables have strong relationships with political repression conceptualized as disappearance, detention, torture, and political killings. The perspective of the study is from the question of why do people in power — with so many options available — choose repression as a method of rule. Repression is coded into numerical values from the State Department Country Reports, and then relationships with the degree of democracy, socioeconomic conditions, inequality, rate of economic change, and the level of economic development are tested in regression models. Significant relationships are found. The degree of democracy, the extent of inequality in society, and economic growth rate go a long way to explain and predict political repression in a parsimonious model.
Flora's Vest: The Personal Is Political Is Personal Again

Sexual violence against girls and young women may have contributed to the reasons why Jews left Russia in the early 1900s and immigrated to the United States. A common feature of anti-Jewish pogroms rape continues today to be an instrument of war and oppression. The author speculates on the reasons why her great grandmother left Russia alone at age 18 to sail for America, and draws connections between her work today and her family herstory.
Bidirectional DFEs for 10Gb/s Ethernet over Multimode Fiber Links: Complexity Reduction and Reach Extension

We propose a bidirectional DFE (BiDFE) to mitigate ISI in multimode fibers. We demonstrate that a BiDFE with 8 feedforward and 3 feedback taps per DFE can achieve a reach of 350-400 m over legacy MMF.
Constitutive Processes of Race and Exclusion

This commentary summarizes and reflects on the articles in this theme issue, in terms of three themes: (1) macro-micro relations, (2) the politics of representation, and (3) the role of schooling in social improvement. The articles suggest that a central task for anthropological research is to examine the processes by which truth is constructed in the political economy, science, and everyday life. All the authors in this volume discuss methods of enforcing exclusion and some, notably Brooks, discuss ways to overcome exclusion. We are treated here to intriguing new information about social reform in postapartheid South Africa and the reactions of the state and the public to shifts in immigrant populations in the "postcapitalist" era in the United States and Germany. The original material presented here will provide other scholars with valuable information to analyze further the processes and consequences of exclusion. Three main themes run through these articles: (1) macro-micro relations, (2) the politics of representation, and (3) schooling and social improvement. Proposition 187, the State of California initiative to cut educational and social services to undocumented people, receives special attention.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa flagellar motility activates the phagocyte PI3K/Akt pathway to induce phagocytic engulfment

Phagocytosis of the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the primary means by which the host controls bacterially induced pneumonia during lung infection. Previous studies have identified flagellar swimming motility as a key pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) recognized by phagocytes to initiate engulfment. Correspondingly, loss of flagellar motility is observed during chronic pulmonary infection with P. aeruginosa, and this likely reflects a selection for bacteria resistant to phagocytic clearance. However, the mechanism underlying the preferential phagocytic response to motile bacteria is unknown. Here we have identified a cellular signaling pathway in alveolar macrophages and other phagocytes that is specifically activated by flagellar motility. Genetic and biochemical methods were employed to identify that phagocyte PI3K/Akt activation is required for bacterial uptake and, importantly, it is specifically activated in response to P. aeruginosa flagellar motility. Based on these observations, the second important finding that emerged from these studies is that titration of the bacterial flagellar motility results in a proportional activation state of Akt. Therefore, the Akt pathway is responsive to, and corresponds with, the degree of bacterial flagellar motility, is independent of the actin polymerization that facilitates phagocytosis, and determines the phagocytic fate of P. aeruginosa. These findings elucidate the mechanism behind motility-dependent phagocytosis of extracellular bacteria and support a model whereby phagocytic clearance exerts a selective pressure on P. aeruginosa populations in vivo, which contributes to changes in pathogenesis during infections.