cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent Developments in Inverse and Semi-Inverse Methods in the Mechanics of Continua1

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on recent developments in inverse and semi-inverse methods in the mechanics of continua. An inverse method can be called an investigation of a partial differential equation of physics, if in it the boundary conditions are not prescribed at the outset. Instead, the solution is defined by the differential equation, and certain additional analytical, geometrical, kinematical, or physical properties of the field. In the semi-inverse method, some of the boundary conditions are prescribed at the outset, whereas others are left open and obtained indirectly through certain simplifying assumptions concerning the properties of the field. A classic example for this is St. Venant's theory of the elastic rod in which only stress systems are considered, which leave the mantle surface of a cylindrical rod free from loads, while the exact distribution of the forces on the two bases is not prescribed in advance. Inverse and semi-inverse investigations have been made in all fields of the mechanics of continua. The variety and volume of the results obtained in the various fields are encouraging. This chapter gives example of the use of inverse methods in fluid dynamics found in Euler's earliest paper on hydrodynamics. It also discusses about flow of a viscous incompressible fluid.
Genetics and Physiology of Bacteriophage T4 3′-Phosphatase: Evidence for Involvement of the Enzyme in T4 DNA Metabolism

Mutants of bacteriophage T4D which fail to induce the deoxyribonucleotide-specific T4 3'-phosphatase have been isolated. These mutants (T4pseT) grow as well as wild-type T4 in most strains of Escherichia coli, but not in the T4-sensitive "Hospital Strain," CT196, or in a derivative strain, CTr5x. Both the formation of infectious centers and the final yield of phage are reduced by 98% when CTr5x is infected by T4pseT mutants. The growth defects are accompanied by a 50% reduction in the rate of T4 DNA synthesis, a decrease in the single-strand length of the DNA product to about one-half the mature length, and greatly reduced packaging of DNA into phage particles. Introduction of an extra-cistronic suppressor mutation (stp) into T4pseT eliminates both the requirement for the T4 3'-phosphatase in infected CTr5x and the other observed effects of the pseT mutations. The pseT gene lies between genes 63 and 31. The stp gene lies in the nonessential region between rIIB and ac. Our results suggest that 3'-phosphoryl termini can disrupt T4 DNA replication to the extent that T4 3'-phosphatase becomes required for phage production.
Narrow band coronographic imaging of the bipolar nebula around the LBV R127

New high resolution narrow band coronographic images of the R127 nebula have been recently obtained. The nebula displays a bipolar morphology and is similar in appearance to the nebula around AG Carinae. The observations improve the values for the linear dimensions (1.9×2.2 pc) and yield an estimated nebular mass of 3.1 Mbd.
QoS constrained statistical resource reservation for wireless networks

In mobile wireless networks, an accepted call may be dropped during the handover procedure because of failure to gain a channel. To provide quality-of-service (QoS) guarantee, a certain amount of resource should be reserved in advance. The performance in terms of QoS and network utilization depends on the accuracy of the resource reservation scheme. We offer a statistical model for the aggregated handover resource demand. We propose an algorithm that dynamically determines the amount of resources that should be reserved. Theoretical expressions for the drop rate and its upper bound are obtained. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the reservation efficiency.
Doxycycline vs. levofloxacin in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia

SUMMARY Background: Community-acquired pneumonia(CAP) affects 5–10 million adults annually in theUnited States with approximately 1AE1 millionhospitalizations. Current guidelines recommendﬂuoroquinolones as monotherapy for treatmentof CAP in general medical wards and doxycyclinemonotherapy for outpatient therapy only. Fluor-oquinolones are expensive and development ofbacterial resistance to them has become a concern.Therefore, we studied whether doxycycline is asefﬁcacious as levoﬂoxacin in treatment of CAP ingeneral medical wards.Methods: In this prospective double-blinded trial,non-pregnant adults with clinical and radiologi-cal evidence of pneumonia requiring hospital-ization were enrolled. Patients who were septic,hypoxic requiring intubations, nursing homeresidents, diagnosed with severe hepatic or renaldysfunction, recently hospitalized or immuno-compromised were excluded from the study.Subjects were randomly assigned to either i.v.levoﬂoxacin 500 mg daily or doxycycline 100 mgtwice daily. After discharge, patients were fol-lowed for 2 months.Results: There were 30 patients in the levoﬂoxa-cin group and 35 patients in the doxycyclinegroup. Groups were comparable in both clinicaland laboratory proﬁles. Additionally, efﬁcacy oftreatment was not signiﬁcantly different betweenthe two groups (P =0AE844). Length of stay was5AE7±2AE05 days in the levoﬂoxacin group and4AE0±1AE82 days in the doxycycline group(P <0AE0012). Failure rate was similar in bothgroups (P =0AE893). Total antibiotic cost was$122AE07 ± 15AE84 for levoﬂoxacin and $64AE98 ± 24AE4for doxycycline (P <0AE0001).Conclusions: Our study supports doxycycline asan effective and economical alternative therapyfor levoﬂoxacin in the empirical treatment of CAPin general medical wards.Keywords: Community-acquired pneumonia,doxycycline, ﬂuoroquinolone, pneumonia
"Effort" thrombosis of the axillary and subclavian vein associated with cervical rib and oral contraceptives in a young woman athlete.

"Effort" thrombosis, also called the Paget-Schroetter syndrome or primary thrombosis of the upper extremity, has been well documented in the literature. However, in our review of the United States, Canadian, and British literature, we found only 52 cases in which it was related to sports participation. We report a case of axillary and subclavian vein "effort" thrombosis in a young woman athlete, who was predisposed to thrombosis by all three postulates of the Virchow triad: namely, (1) stasis caused by constriction from a cervical rib, (2) increased coagulability as a result of oral contraceptive use, and (3) vessel wall injury because of competitive softball participation. Of the available therapeutic plans, we believe that athletes with "effort" thrombosis should have aggressive treatment that is initiated as early as possible to prevent swelling, tingling numbness, easy fatigue of the arm, and pain on prolonged use of the affected extremity.
Changes in the Perception of the College Environment

This article reports a study of student perception of their intended college at the end of their high school junior year and after a five week summer orientation on campus. Ay er s : Assistant to the Dean and Professor of Education, Tennessee Technological University (B.S., Oglethorpe; M.Ed., Ed.D., Georgia). Wood: Associate Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Georgia (B.S., M.Ed., Ed.D., Georgia).
Effect of chemical modification of cellulose on the activity of a cellulase from Aspergillus niger

Five chemically modified forms of cellulose were prepared, characterized, and tested as substrates for a homogeneous glucanohydrolase from A. niger. The relative order of reactivity at pH 4.0 was DEAE = PEI more than benzyl DEAE more than cellulose more than P more than CM. This indicates that positively charged cellulose substrates are more susceptible to hydrolysis by the cellulase. This observation strengthens an earlier proposal that carboxyl groups on the enzyme are involved in substrate binding and catalytic action. Chemical modification is suggested as a method to increase the rate of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose, a process now in the commercial development stage. (Refs. 27).
High-speed analytical sensor for in-line monitoring of dissolved analytes flowing in a tube employing a combination of limited diffusion, laminar flow and plug solvent injections

Abstract A fast molecular weight sensor is described in which pure solvent is introduced as a plug into an analyte-containing mobile phase undergoing laminar flow within a capillary tube. If diffusion of the mobile phase analyte is limited, a complex concentration vs . time profile of capillary effluent is observed. Molecular weight and quantitative information regarding the analyte dissolved in the mobile phase is obtained from such profiles in a minute or less. Anomalous results due to analyte adsorption are avoided in this technique by cleaning the injection system with organic as well as aqueous solvents.
Digital intraosseous epidermoid inclusion cyst of the distal phalanx

Epidermoid inclusion cysts (EIC) of the bone are exceedingly rare. We present a case of an atypical EIC originating at the base of the distal phalanx of the index finger following a remote history of crush injury to the finger. The differential diagnosis of expansile, lytic lesions of the phalanges remains broad, and definitive diagnosis requires tissue histopathological analysis. At latest follow-up, the patient was pain-free and obtained an excellent clinical and radiographic outcome following intra-lesional curettage and bone grafting. Differentiation of EIC from other radiolucent digital lesions remains challenging, especially when classic radiographic findings are not seen. We review the clinical, radiographic, and pathologic diagnostic features of this lesion, as well as our current treatment algorithm.
SPC methods for nonstationary correlated count data with application to network surveillance

Network surveillance methods are becoming increasingly important as the ability to monitor a wide variety of data is rapidly expanding. Network traffic metrics are usually correlated count data that display a nonstationary pattern in their mean structures. We propose to model traffic counts using a generalized linear mixed model to capture these features. We then develop three tracking statistics proposed for anomaly detection. Two of the statistics are derived variants of a Bartlett-type likelihood ratio, which itself is not computationally tractable. The first of these variants is based on an approximation to the integrated likelihood while the second is based on the concept of h-likelihood. We also consider a tracking statistic that is an exponentially weighted moving average. We compare the properties of the three tracking statistics from the point of view of FAR and detection power and contrast the proposed tracking statistics with current literature. Our comparisons show that the two generalized likelihood ratio variants are preferred choices as statistical process control tools for network surveillance. Computational aspects of the three procedures are also discussed. While our application focus is network surveillance, our proposed methods apply to other applications that have similar data characteristics. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Partial-pKD1 plasmids provide enhanced structural stability for heterologous protein production in Kluyveromyces lactis

The stability of pKD1-based vectors in the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis was investigated during short- and long-term culture. The vectors carried an expression/secretion cassette consisting of the Saccharomyces cerevisiaeSUC2 gene under the control of the S. cerevisiaeα-factor promoter and leader. The first set of vectors contained the entire pKD1 sequence linearized at either the unique EcoRI or the unique SphI site of the pKD1 plasmid. During long-term sequential batch culture in selective medium with either vector, invertase activity rapidly dropped while the plasmid-bearing population increased from 60% to 100%. This apparently contradictory behavior was due to structural instability. The enzyme restriction patterns of recovered plasmid DNA retained the pKD1 band while the band containing the SUC2 cassette had decreased substantially in size. To overcome this structural instability, a vector carrying the pKD1 replication origin and the cis-acting stability locus (lacking the inverted repeats) was employed in a pKD1+ (but otherwise isogenic) strain. With this plasmid, invertase activity remained constant (for at least 70 generations). While the new vector was significantly more stable, initial invertase activity was substantially lower than that for the vectors containing the full pKD1 sequence. Southern hybridization confirmed that this decrease was primarily due to reduced copy number. The results indicate that full-pKD1 vectors may be preferred for batch culture, while partial-pKD1 vectors are more suitable for long-term (e.g. fed-batch or continuous) culture.
Oral Sensation and Perception in Apraxia of Speech and Aphasia

Thirty patients with apraxia of speech, 10 patients with aphasia and no apraxia of speech, and 30 normal subjects were tested by three oral sensory-perceptual measurements: oral form identification...
Hot flashes, fatigue, treatment exposures and work productivity in breast cancer survivors

Introduction While fatigue has been associated with work limitations the combined influence of specific diagnosis and treatment exposures based on medical records on work limitations in breast cancer survivors is currently unknown. Since symptom burden and perceived health can interfere with work, the present study investigated the relationship among these variables and work outcomes.
HIV/AIDS and the changing landscape of war in Africa

Since the discovery of AIDS more than two decades ago, 60 million people have been infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and more than 20 million have died from AIDS-related illnesses. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has become a humanitarian and human security issue of almost unimaginable magnitude, representing one of the most pervasive challenges to human well-being and survival in many parts of the world.1 It has taken a particularly heavy toll on sub-Saharan Africa, where AIDS is now the primary cause of death.2 In light of this magnitude, HIV/AIDS is not only having devastating effects on the individuals and families touched by the illness; it is also beginning to have much wider social ramiacations. In some African countries, HIV prevalence rates have reached between 20 and 30 percent of the adult population. In these countries HIV/AIDS is giving rise to a vast array of economic, social, and political problems. The Changing Landscape of War in Africa
Exploiting the Environmental Sensitivity of Fluorescent Proteins Allows Unambiguous Discrimination of Genetically Identical Labels

The application of transcriptional fluorescent fusion proteins has revolutionized the field of single molecule biophysics. Recent efforts to expand beyond GFP by way of mutagenesis have generated nearly comprehensive libraries of fluorescent proteins exemplified by a wide variety of spectral excitation/emission profiles, photostabilities, and quantum efficiencies. A different, but similarly applicable approach to expand the usefulness of these fluorescent constructs can be achieved by combining spectral imaging with multivariate analysis to quantitatively separate each of the emitting species present in a sample. A recent demonstration of this imaging methodology, under the extreme condition of two genetically identical fusion proteins (YFP) conjugated to two different membrane receptors (TLR4 and the BK channel), reveals that the slight perturbation of the local environment of the fluorescent reporter is sufficient for spectral separation, and quantitatively interpretable images. In this talk we will highlight several recent discoveries enabled by multivariate analysis of environmentally specific perturbations of fluorescence in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic systems, and demonstrate the implications of these findings on the commonly used analytical tools, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and fluorescence resonant energy transfer (FRET). Finally, the potential for mapping local chemical environments based on multivariate analysis of spectral images will be discussed.
Increases in cytochrome P-450 in cultured hepatocytes mediated by 3- and 4-carbon alcohols

Abstract The amount of cytochrome P-450 was increased to different extents after treatment of cultured chick embryo hepatocytes with n -propanol, isopropanol, n -butanol, or isobutanol, These increases were associated with increases in benzphetamine demethylase activity, a cytochrome P-450-catalyzed oxidation, and glucuronidation of phenol red, catalyzed by UDP-glucuronyl transferase. The responses were similar to those obtained with ethanol or propylisopropylacetamide, which are phenobarbital-like inducers. Pretreatment of cells with cycloheximide prevented the increases in both cytochrome P-450 and glucuronidation of phenol red, indicating that protein synthesis was required for these responses.
The limit of detection in generalized least-squares calibrations: an example using alprazolam liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry data

Limit of detection (LOD) values provide useful indicators for the suitability of an analytical method for samples with low analyte levels. An LOD value can also be used to estimate the false positive probability (p(x >or= LOD)) of a result for a sample with no analyte present, as well as the false negative probability (p(x <or= 0)) for a sample analyte level at the LOD. In straight line least-squares calibrations, the LOD of a calculated concentration (LOD(x)) results from uncertainties in low-level signal (y) measurements and in the calibration intercept (a(1)) and slope (a(2)) parameters. In generalized least-squares (GLS) calibrations, uncertainties in both the concentration (x(i)) and signal (y(i)) calibration data contribute to the fit parameter uncertainties. We define LOD(X) as 3 sigma(x = 0), where the calculated standard deviation, sigma(x = 0), includes all of these uncertainty contributions. Our GLS results can be understood in terms of small nonlinear distortions of the weighted ordinary least-squares (WOLS) problem. Because these distortions lead to skewed distributions of calculated x values, we also obtain exact GLS results for the asymmetric values. Differences between WOLS and GLS approaches are smallest when calibration uncertainties in x(i) are small, as in our alprazolam example. A second example, using synthetic data from earlier GLS work, shows greater differences between sigma(x = 0) and sigma(+/-)(x). Monte Carlo calculations for this example show that GLS-derived false positive and negative probabilities can differ by factors of two or more from normal distribution predictions, even when sigma(+)(x = 0) is used in place of sigma(x = 0) in the LOD definition. From a user standpoint, spreadsheet or other computational implementations of the GLS approach are as easy to use as those for a WOLS treatment, and GLS results will be the same as WOLS results when x uncertainties are ignored. Therefore, because GLS is a more complete and correct approach, it should be used as the standard method for weighted least-squares calibrations.
Precursors of alk-2,4-dienals in autoxidized lard

Evidence suggested that the low proportions of C10 alk-2,4-dienal found in mildly autoxidized linoleate or lard was basically due to a selective scission mechanism of the 13 and 9 conjugated linoleate hydroperoxide isomers. Spontaneous scission tended to be at the carbon linkage between a double bond and the hydroperoxide group. Thus the 13 hydroperoxide isomer produced the typically predominant amounts of hexanal. The 9 hydroperoxide isomer formed little C10 dienal and scission between the 9 and 10 carbons possibly led to some C9 alk-2-enal. Earlier studies of free aldehyde formation by autoxidized oleate, linoleate, linolenate and arachidonate support such a scission mechanism. Autoxidized linoleate was decomposed by dilute acid to C6 alkanal, some C9 enal and no dienal. Under different stress, such as heat, alkaline conditions and Cu++, large proportions of C10 dienals were formed. This appeared due to a shift in the point of scission to the saturated side of the hydroperoxide group.
Paraboloidally Shaped Antenna Possessing Pointing and Beam-Width Control

The surface shape of a paraboloidal ree ector was recone gured using electrostatic forces of repulsion. The experiment consisted of a recone gurable electrostatically shaped ree ector and a measurement system. A set of test cases demonstrated pointing and beam-width control of the radiating surface. The surface ree ector angles of rotation µx and µy were plotted vs eight test cases. The resulting sine functions show the near-linear relationship between voltage and pointing, indicating that expected rotations are in agreement with measurements and that a simple interpretation of Coulomb’ s law dominates the behavior of the system. Nomenclature a = vector of undetermined coefe cients C = coefe cient matrix Ex = error function for rotation about the x axis Ey = error function for rotation about the y axis i; j;k = counting indices p = number of sample points in one quadrant Rx;Ry = rotation matrices xn; yn;zn = coordinates in a new reference frame z = vertical position of ith point in the (j;k)th quadrant z = new vertical position of ith point in the (j;k)th quadrant z = vector of measured displacements z (x; y) = function to be curve e tted µx = angle of rotation about the x axis µy = angle of rotation about the y axis
Calcium transient dynamics and the mechanisms of ventricular vulnerability to single premature electrical stimulation in Langendorff-perfused rabbit ventricles

Background Single strong premature electrical stimulation (S 2 ) may induce figure-eight reentry. We hypothesize that Ca current-mediated slow-response action potentials (APs) play a key role in the propagation in the central common pathway (CCP) of the reentry. Methods We simultaneously mapped optical membrane potential (V m ) and intracellular Ca (Ca i ) transients in isolated Langendorff-perfused rabbit ventricles. Baseline pacing (S 1 ) and a cathodal S 2 (40–80 mA) were given at different epicardial sites with a coupling interval of 135 ± 20 ms. Results In all 6 hearts, S 2 induced graded responses around the S 2 site. These graded responses propagated locally toward the S 1 site and initiated fast APs from recovered tissues. The wavefront then circled around the refractory tissue near the site of S 2 . At the side of S 2 opposite to the S 1 , the graded responses prolonged AP duration while the Ca i continued to decline, resulting in a Ca i sinkhole (an area of low Ca i ). The Ca i in the sinkhole then spontaneously increased, followed by a slow V m depolarization with a take-off potential of −40 ± 3.9 mV, which was confirmed with microelectrode recordings in 3 hearts. These slow-response APs then propagated through CCP to complete a figure-eight reentry. Conclusion We conclude that a strong premature stimulus can induce a Ca i sinkhole at the entrance of the CCP. Spontaneous Ca i elevation in the Ca i sinkhole precedes the V m depolarization, leading to Ca current-mediated slow propagation in the CCP. The slow propagation allows more time for tissues at the other side of CCP to recover and be excited to complete figure-eight reentry.
A reuse and composition protocol for services

One important facet of software reuse is the reuse of autonomous and distributed computational services. Components or applications offering services stay at the provider's site, where they are developed, kept securely, operated, maintained, and updated. Instead of purchasing software components, the customer buys services by invoking methods provided by these remote applications over the Internet. Due to the autonomy of the services, this reuse model causes specific requirements that differ from those where one builds one's own system from components. These requirements have led to the definition of CPAM, a protocol for reusing remote and autonomous services. CPAM can be used on top of various distribution systems, and offers features like presetting of attributes, run-time estimation of costs and having several calls for setup, invocation and result extraction. The CPAM protocol has been successfully used within CHAIMS, a reuse environment that supports the generation of client applications based on CPAM.
Conventional radiographic evaluation of athletic injuries to the hand

Athletic injuries to the hand are common and encompass a diverse spectrum of injuries. These injuries can include fractures, soft tissue injuries, or both. Athletic injuries to the hand can be due to a variety of mechanisms and can be seen with a variety of sports. Prompt attention and accurate diagnosis should be provided to patients with athletic injuries to the hand to allow for appropriate treatment and to prevent serious complications that may preclude further athletic activity. This article discusses the radiographic evaluation of hand fractures seen in athletes and presents brief descriptions of the clinical management of these injuries.
Involvement of estrogen-related receptors in transcriptional response to hypoxia and growth of solid tumors

The development of intratumoral hypoxia is a universal hallmark of rapidly growing solid tumors. Adaptation to the hypoxic environment, which is critical for tumor cell survival and growth, is mediated primarily through a hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-dependent transcriptional program. HIF activates genes that facilitate crucial adaptive mechanisms including increased glucose uptake and glycolysis and tumor angiogenesis, making it an important therapeutic target. However, the HIF-dependent transcriptional mechanism remains incompletely understood, and targeting HIF is a difficult endeavor. Here, we show that the orphan nuclear receptor estrogen-related receptors (ERRs) physically interact with HIF and stimulate HIF-induced transcription. Importantly, ERRs appear to be essential for HIF's function. Transcriptional activation of hypoxic genes in cells cultured under hypoxia is largely blocked by suppression of ERRs through expression of a dominant negative form of ERR or treatment with a pharmacological ERR inhibitor, diethylstilbestrol. Systematic administration of diethylstilbestrol severely diminished growth and angiogenesis of tumor xenografts in vivo. Because nuclear receptors are outstanding targets for drug discovery, the findings not only may offer mechanistic insights into HIF-mediated transcription but also may open new avenues for targeting the HIF pathway for cancer therapy.
Activated and Regulatory T Lymphocyte Populations in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

T lymphocyte activation after leukocyte membrane interaction may play a role in immune dysfunction associated with hemodialysis (HD). Studies of T-lymphocyte activation markers in HD have yielded conflicting results, perhaps due to the use of a limited number of markers and different measurement techniques. We studied the lymphocyte activation markers CD25 (interleukin-2 receptor), CD38, CDw49b (VLA-2), CD71 (transferrin receptor), and HLA-DR, as well as the surface antigens CD3, CD4, CD7, and CD8 by two-color flow cytometry in 23 chronic HD patients before and after a single dialysis session; we also studied 30 normal controls. There was no increase in the percentage of activated T cells in the controls and in the patients pre- and post-HD. Conversely, the percentage of CD3+/CD71 + (transferrin receptor) cells was significantly decreased in the patients pre-HD compared with the controls (3.6% ± 0.5% [mean + SEM] v 5.9% ± 0.5%; P
The evolving high: New designer drugs of abuse

Over the past decade, emerging drugs of abuse and synthetic derivatives of more traditional agents have flooded the market. While Europe was the first to experience a surge in the use of drugs such as synthetic cathinones and cannabinoids, poison centers throughout the United States have seen a dramatic rise in calls related to these new designer drugs of abuse. In the majority of cases, care is largely supportive but significant medical and traumatic complications may occur. Providers must be aware of the ever-changing trends in abuse, so that they may optimally care for poisoned patients.
Multivariate regression models for panel data

Abstract The paper examines the relationship between heterogeneity bias and strict exogeneity in a distributed lag regression of y on x . The relationship is very strong when x is continuous, weaker when x is discrete, and non-existent as the order of the distributed lag becomes infinite. The individual specific random variables introduce nonlinearity and heteroskedasticity; so the paper provides an appropriate framework for the estimation of multivariate linear predictors. Restrictions are imposed using a minimum distance estimator. It is generally more efficient than the conventional estimators such as quasi-maximum likelihood. There are computationally simple generalizations of two- and three-stage least squares that achieve this efficiency gain. Some of these ideas are illustrated using the sample of Young Men in the National Longitudinal Survey. The paper reports regressions on the leads and lags of variables measuring union coverage, SMSA, and region. The results indicate that the leads and lags could have been generated just by a random intercept. This gives some support for analysis of covariance type estimates; these estimates indicate a substantial heterogeneity bias in the union, SMSA, and region coefficients.
A SPECIAL FIBRIL OF THE DERMIS

A new type of extracellular fibril is described in the dermis of Bufo marinus, Rana pipiens , and Amblystoma punctatum . It is restricted in distribution to the dermal micropapillae and the region immediately below them in the stratum spongiosum . The fibrils (diameter = 200 to 750 A) are lateral aggregates of fine filaments and have a unique banding pattern characterized by absence of recognizable periodicity and by polarization in respect to the basement membrane. Their distal 1 ends are anchored in the basement membrane, and their proximal ends converge in knots located in the middle region of the micropapillae. These anchoring fibrils seem to secure the minute outfoldings of the basement membrane along the dermal-epidermal junction. Comparable, but less frequent, fibrils are also encountered along the proximal aspect of the basement membrane in the skin, lingual mucosa, and mucosa of the gastric fundus in the rat.
Lumped Element Capacitor Based Two-Dimensional Efficient Metamaterial-inspired Electrically-Small Antenna

Easy to build, efficient and electrically-small antenna designs are presented which are based on a two-dimensional (2D) metamaterial-inspired structure that incorporates a lumped element capacitor in its design and that is driven by an electrically-small rectangular semi-loop antenna fed by a coaxial cable through a finite PEC ground plane. Measured reflection coefficients showed a very good agreement with the simulated data, where the measured resonant frequency is only 0.7% below the numerically predicted value. The proposed lumped capacitor based 2D antenna systems are scalable to a desired frequency and predicted radiation characteristics of the antenna systems at 100 MHz, 450 MHz and 1575 MHz are reported.
On the Design of the Arithmetic Unit of a Fixed-Word-Length Computer from the Standpoint of Computational Accuracy

It is proposed that possibly the best criterion for judging the arithmetic unit of any modern high-speed computer is its ability to compute d=(a 1 b 1 + a 2 b 2 + ... +a n b n )/ c ``accurately'' in the sense of J. H. Wilkinson. Here d, c, and a i , b i for i = 1, 2, ... , n, are assumed to be single-length numbers. However, the ability to retain each product a i b i double-length is desirable for high accuracy. For example, in fixed-point arithmetic d can be computed subject to only one rounding error in computers which possess a double-length accumulator that has the ability to sum the double-length products a i b i and to divide the double-length dividend (a 1 b 1 +a 2 b 2 + ... +a n b n ) by the single-length divisor c, yielding a properly rounded quotient d. (Equally good results can be achieved in floating-point.) Several numerical examples are given which show the remarkable improvement in the accuracy of computed results in machines which pass this test. The need for a long-word-length is stressed, along with the need for both rounded and unrounded fixed-point and floating-point arithmetic.
The 4-class ranks of quadratic extensions of certain real quadratic fields

Let F be a real quadratic extension of Q in which exactly one prime ramifies. Let K be a quadratic extension of F, and let RK denote the 4-class rank of K. In this paper we specify how likely it is that RK = 0, 1, 2, …. The formulas we obtain are analogous to formulas conjectured by Cohen and Martinet in the prime-to-2-part of the ideal class group of K.
Two Poems. Genetic Lottery. Work of Art.

SUMMARY The following poems are an autoethnographic account of body image from the perspective of a 39-year-old bountiful, White-privileged, mixed-race femme dyke. The purpose of the poetic form is to inspire emotional connection and offer analytic commentary on the social construction of body image, aging, and beauty as a social commodity, from a lesbian perspective. Together, the poems present a perspective on lesbian body image that highlights our socialization as women first. Lesbian consciousness has a role in how we construct body image outside of a primarily male gaze, but it does not supplant heteronormative feminity. The poems also show the critical social gaze as reconstructed within us and by our lovers. In addition to social influences, the poems also show the life of the individual as a site of body image activism. The agency of “I” to reconstruct interactions of body acceptance and self-love is as clear as the contexts in which those struggles take place.
Comparison of optical modeling and neural networks for robot guidance

A truly autonomous robot must sense its environment and react appropriately. These issues attain greater importance in an outdoor, variable environment. Previous mobile robot perception systems have relied on hand-coded algorithms for processing sensor information. Recent techniques involve the use of artificial neural networks to process sensor data for mobile robot guidance. A comparison of a fuzzy logic control for an AGV and a neural network perception is described in this work. A mobile robot test bed has been constructed using a golf cart base. The test bed has a fuzzy logic controller which uses both vision and obstacle information and provides the steering and speed controls to the robot. A feed-forward neural network is described to guide the robot using vision and range data. Suitable criteria for comparison will be formulated and the hand-coded system compared with a connectionist model. A comparison of the two systems, with performance, efficiency and reliability as the criteria, will be achieved. The significance of this work is that it provides comparative tradeoffs on two important robot guidance methods.
A simple bidirectional-reflectance model applied to a tallgrass canopy

The present bidirectional reflectance model is used to simulate spectral reflectance direction-changes in a tallgrass canopy; comparisons with field measurements show generally good agreement. An examination of the effects of 'hot spot' and soil-reflection inhomogeneous canopy characteristics indicates that both modeled and observed reflectances are strongly backscattered in the red band, but there is a more symmetric back/forward-scattering distribution in the near-IR. Modeled simulations for three leaf-angle distributions show that hemispherical reflectance errors could be reduced at an optimal solar zenith angle having the same magnitude for the three leaf-angle distributions, but decreasing with increasing canopy leaf-area index.
Tertiary structure and thermal history of the Harquahala and Buckskin Mountains, west central Arizona: Implications for denudation by a major detachment fault system

A regional geometrical model for the Whipple-Buckskin-Bullard detachment system (referred to as the Whipple detachment system) is developed. Mineral separates from samples collected in the Harquahala and Buckskin mountains, which lie in the footwall of the Whipple detachment system, are analyzed by the Ar-40/Ar-39 age spectrum technique to determine the cooling history of the mountain range and the age of the metamorphism. Based on the cooling history of the mountains and the bedrock geology of the Harquahala Mountains, the initial geometry of the Whipple detachment system is reconstructed. Next, estimates of slip on the detachment fault and extension within the upper plate terrane are used to determine the regional pattern of extension. The data on the cooling history, structural geometry, and extension pattern are combined into a geometrical model which reconciles the geological data, according to which the breakaway zones represented by the Harquahala Mountains were unroofed by movement on the gently to moderately dipping segment of a great normal fault system as it cut through the upper crust.
The fluorescence of chlorophyll in fats in relation to rancidity

1.) Difficulties in applying the “chlorophyll value” test to fat samples has led us to investigate the apparent “quenching” of chlorophyll fluorescence in mineral oil solution when cottonseed oil or lard is added to it. The disappearance of chlorophyll fluorescence in ultraviolet light caused by the addition of cottonseed oil appears to be due to the absorption of the light by the cottonseed oil and to the intense white fluorescence of the oil itself rather than to a chemical reaction of some constituent of the oil with the excited chlorophyll.
Lost and Found: Reflections on Identity and Success from Six Black Men.

Most young Afro-American men from an inner city who were interviewed had established positive ethnic identities but had not realized their personal and career goals.
A 10-bit fast lock all-digital data recovery with CR oscillator reference for automotive network

This paper proposes a fast lock data recovery method operating with the inaccurate and higher jitter reference clock such as the CR oscillator. The proposed circuit consists of a blind oversampling deserializer and a data recovery logic circuit. And this circuit decides the consecutive bits' number by the bit-boundary estimation. The estimation calculated only from the past 10 bit-transition timing enables the fast lock and higher jitter tracking performance. Experimental results demonstrated that the FPGA based test circuit has the jitter tolerance corner frequency of 3MHz, that is relatively 10 times higher than the conventional clock and data recovery (CDR) technology under -20 ~ +30% wide offset of reference frequency and 0.2UI peak to peak random jitter.
Medicare Reform: Obstacles and Options

Medicare is the second-largest federal entitlement program after Social Security, and the single largest health insurer in the United States. In 1999, the Medicare program will spend $230 billion, about 13 percent of the federal budget, on behalf of some 39 million elderly and disabled individuals. For the past three decades, Medicare spending has grown substantially faster than the economy and faster than private health spending. That growth has been a continuing concern to policymakers. Financial pressures on the Medicare program will grow dramatically in the next few decades due to changing demographics and to the growth of medical technology. Aging baby-boomers will place unprecedented demands on the program as they reach age 65, beginning in 2011. Enrollment is projected to be 47 million people by 2010, growing to about 75 million people by 2030. Medicare will have more beneficiaries, and more at older ages as longevity increases, than ever before. And the cost per beneficiary of providing health care, which has risen dramatically in the past, is likely to be significantly higher than it is today. Assuming no change in policy, Medicare spending will grow from 2.6 percent of GDP in 1995 to 6.3 percent of GDP in 2030, as the last of the boomers enroll in the program. Meanwhile, the ratio of active workers to retirees will fall, making the current system of financing difficult to maintain without tax increases or substantial cost reductions.
Comparison of the sideris and Amplatzer septal occlusion devices

The results of transcatheter atrial septal defect (ASD) occlusion with 2 different devices (Sideris adjustable buttoned device vs Amplatzer Septal Occluder) were compared in 2 consecutive series of patients. Comparative outcomes were assessed by whether a device was implanted or not, by complications and fluoroscopy time of implantation, and by the incidence of residual shunting on transthoracic echocardiography at follow-up. The patient and defect characteristics were similar in both groups. Twenty-eight of 33 Sideris devices and 37 of 39 Amplatzer devices were implanted. The fluoroscopy time for the Amplatzer implants was 13.4 minutes (range 8 to 41) compared with 23.7 minutes (range 11 to 60.6) for the Sideris implants (p <0.001). The complete occlusion rate for the Amplatzer device was 93% compared with 44% for the Sideris device at 1 year (p <0.001). In conclusion, the Amplatzer device produces higher occlusion rates of ASDs with shorter fluoroscopy times.
A putative route to ecdysteroids: Metabolism of cholesterol in vitro by mildly disrupted prothoracic glands of Manduca sexta

Abstract Mechanical disruption of day 7 fifth instar Manduca sexta larval prothoracic glands prior to in vitro incubation with [ 3 H]cholesterol resulted in a dramatic 10-fold increase in its conversion to [ 3 H]7-dehydrocholesterol (20–50%), when compared to intact gland incubations (2–5%). Both procedures resulted in a 0.5–2% conversion to [ 3 H]ecdysteroids. Endogenous cholesterol levels also decreased by this same 20–50% during the incubation, suggesting that the added tracer [ 3 H]cholesterol was equilibrated with the total endogenous cholesterol pool. Glands from earlier fifth instar larvae were capable of similar conversion of [ 3 H]cholesterol to [ 3 H]7-dehydrocholesterol but without concomitant conversion to [ 3 H]ecdysteroids, while in day 7 glands, conversion to [ 3 H]ecdysteroids was temporally correlated with both the in vitro secretory activity of intact glands and the endogenous hemolymph ecdysteroid titer. These data suggest that the rate-limiting step in ecdysteroid biosynthesis occurs after the synthesis of 7-dehydrocholesterol. In addition to 7-dehydrocholesterol and ecdysteroids, four intermediate polarity metabolites were detected following the incubation of disrupted prothoracic glands. One, M1, appears to be an immediate precursor of ecdysone and 3-dehydroecdysone. Another, M3, while not a precursor of the ecdysteroids, may be a degradation product of a proposed epoxide intermediate of 7-dehydrocholesterol. A hypothetical scheme for the biosynthesis of ecdysteroids from cholesterol is presented.
From Mentor to Mentoring Networks: Mentoring in the New Academy

(2007). From Mentor to Mentoring Networks: Mentoring in the New Academy. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning: Vol. 39, No. 6, pp. 58-61.
Investing for strategic resources and its rationale: The case of outward FDI from Chinese companies

Abstract As more Chinese companies become engaged in foreign direct investment (FDI), particularly in industrial countries, a crucially important issue must be addressed: what is the motivation of Chinese outward FDI, and what is its rationale? Based on a detailed analysis of both primary and secondary data sources, this article argues that when investing in advanced economies, Chinese multinational corporations (MNCs) are motivated primarily by the quest for strategic resources and capabilities, and that the underlying rationale for such asset-seeking FDI is strategic needs. The examination of this premise will hopefully prompt business practitioners to think about this important issue in new and innovative ways, thereby identifying an appropriate policy and strategic response.
Role of radiofrequency catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia in cardiac sarcoidosis: report from a multicenter registry.

Background Management of ventricular tachycardia (VT) is challenging in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis. Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the response of VT in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis to medical therapy and radiofrequency ablation. Methods Forty-two patients with a diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis based on the Japanese Health Ministry criteria were followed. When VT occurred, a stepwise approach was used: implantable cardioverter-defibrillator placement, immunosuppressive agents, antiarrhythmic medications, then radiofrequency ablation. Results In nine patients (age 46.7 ± 8.6 years; ejection fraction 42 ± 14%), VT was not controlled by medical therapy, and radiofrequency ablation was performed. A total of 44 VTs (mean cycle length 348 ± 78 ms) were induced. Endocardial radiofrequency ablation was performed in eight patients (right ventricular in 5, left ventricular in 3) and epicardial radiofrequency ablation in one patient. In 4 of 5 patients with right ventricular VTs, a peritricuspid circuit was identified. Critical areas were identified for 21 (48%) of 44 VTs, resulting in elimination of 31 (70%) of 44 VTs. The most frequent VT circuit was reentry in the peritricuspid area. This type of VT was eliminated in all patients. Arrhythmic events decreased from 271 ± 363 episodes preablation to 4.0 ± 9.7 postablation. All patients had either a decrease (n = 4) or complete elimination (n = 5) of VT during mean follow-up of 19.8 ± 19.6 months. Conclusion Catheter ablation of VT in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis refractory to medical therapy is effective in eliminating VT or markedly reducing the VT burden. The disease process in cardiac sarcoidosis often involves a specific area in the basal right ventricle predisposing to peritricuspid reentry.
PVDaCS: a prototype knowledge-based expert system for certification of spacecraft data

On line data management techniques to certify spacecraft information are mandated by increasing telemetry rates [SiC87]. Knowledge-based expert systems offer the ability to certify data electronically without the need for time consuming human interaction. We have explored issues of automatic certification by designing a knowledge-based expert system to certify data from a scientific instrument, the Orbiter Ultraviolet Spectrometer (OUVS), on an operating NASA planetary spacecraft, Pioneer Venus (PV) [Ste80]. The resulting rule-based system, called PVDaCS (Pioneer Venus Data Certification System), is a functional prototype demonstrating the concepts of a larger system design. A key element of the system design is the representation of an expert's knowledge through the usage of well ordered sequences. PVDaCS produces a certification value derived from expert knowledge and an analysis of the instrument's operation. Results of system performance are presented.
The separation of meat from bone—A review of the mechanics and the problems

With continually increasing demands on the world's food supply, new techniques, improvements to old methods, the recovery and utilisation of waste and the introduction of novel foods are all becoming increasingly important. The separation of residual meat from bone by manual methods is inefficient, time-consuming and expensive; mechanical separation is not new, but it is only in recent years that manufacturers have become aware of its potential. There are two main approaches to meat recovery, removal of bone from meat and retrieval of meat from bones. Although the implications of the former are significant, the available methods are largely modifications of manual procedures and limited in application; recovery of meat from bones is, however, in extensive commercial use. This review discusses the methods and mechanics of the latter and the associated problems of handling, storage and recovery, together with the uses of the product, legal requirements and restrictions in the use of mechanically recovered meat (MRM).