cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quick COVID-19 Healers Sustain Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Production.

Summary Antibodies are key immune effectors that confer protection against pathogenic threats. The nature and longevity of the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection are not well defined. We charted longitudinal antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 in 92 subjects after symptomatic COVID-19. Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 are unimodally distributed over a broad range, with symptom severity correlating directly with virus-specific antibody magnitude. Seventy-six subjects followed longitudinally to ∼100 days demonstrated marked heterogeneity in antibody duration dynamics. Virus-specific IgG decayed substantially in most individuals, whereas a distinct subset had stable or increasing antibody levels in the same time frame despite similar initial antibody magnitudes. These individuals with increasing responses recovered rapidly from symptomatic COVID-19 disease, harbored increased somatic mutations in virus-specific memory B cell antibody genes, and had persistent higher frequencies of previously activated CD4+ T cells. These findings illuminate an efficient immune phenotype that connects symptom clearance speed to differential antibody durability dynamics.
The future of advertising research: new directions and research needs

The authors outline forces that have led to changes in the advertising industry in recent years, including cluttered environments, digital advertising and technological advancements, growing concer...
Co-self-assembly of multiple DNA origami nanostructures in a single pot

Simultaneous self-assembly of two distinct DNA origami nanostructures folded with the same scaffold strand was achieved in a single pot. Relative yields were tuned by adjusting concentrations of the competing strands, correlating well with folding kinetics of individual structures. These results can faciliate efficient fabrication of multi-structure systems and materials.
Carbon Responsibility and Class Power

Because the topic of Dr. Kevin Anderson’s talk is “academia and its responsibility,” our primary responsibility is to offer an accurate analysis of the climate crisis. On this front, Anderson does ...
Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy as a Manifestation of Dysautonomia in Guillain-Barré Syndrome: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an inflammatory polyneuropathy that classically presents with low back pain, sensory paresthesias, and rapidly progressive weakness. Patients with GBS can develop dysautonomia, and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is a rare potential manifestation of this dysautonomia. This association has been reported only 12 times in the literature so far, which we review here. We present two cases of GBS associated with TCM, to increase awareness with regard to this comorbid relationship, which would encourage prompt initiation of proper supportive care to avoid morbidity and mortality. We report the case of two patients - a 58-year-old man and a 79-year-old woman - who developed TCM in the setting of axonal variants of GBS. Electrodiagnostic results, cerebrospinal fluid profiles, and echocardiogram findings were consistent with these diagnoses. Both patients were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in an intensive care unit (ICU) setting. Echocardiogram findings were reversible. TCM should be recognized as a potential complication of GBS in patients with dysautonomia. This case series adds to the sparse body of literature describing the association between these two conditions. It is not clear if patients with axonal variants of GBS are more predisposed to developing TCM; further, larger case series in the future may help identify the risk factors associated with it. We hope to shed more light on this possible association to expedite the diagnosis and management of this condition.
Infective endocarditis

Despite improvements in antibiotic regimens, patients with infective endocarditis (IE) have a high risk of valve replacement and death. Effective initial treatment depends on two steps: 1) diagnosis of the infecting organism, enabling specific antibiotic therapy, and 2) complete characterization of the anatomic extent of infection. Identification of the infecting organism requires culturing of blood prior to the initiation of antibiotics. Whenever possible, at least three sets of blood cultures should be obtained over 6 to 24 hours and held for 4 weeks if necessary to detect unusual or fastidious organisms. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is usually necessary either to confirm the diagnosis or, most importantly, to identify the local complications of infection, many of which mandate surgery. Despite widespread availability, TEE remains under-used, both for the prevention of unnecessary antibiotic therapy in patients at very low risk for the disease and for the recognition of patients likely to benefit from early surgery. The selection of optimal antibiotic therapy depends on microbiologic data to establish the sensitivities of the specific causative organism. Short courses of antibiotic therapy and outpatient administration of intravenous antibiotics are useful in selected cases.
An analysis of active power line conditioners using the Electromagnetic Transients Program

The authors describe how the Electromagnetic Transients Program (EMTP) can be used as a tool to evaluate the effectiveness of active power line conditioners (APLC) in reducing harmonic distortion in distribution systems. The system under study consists of a three-phase diode bridge rectifier served by three single-phase distribution transformers. A shunt APLC and/or shunt passive power filters (PPFs) are used to reduce harmonic distortion. Special attention is given to the shunt APLC rating when it is used with shunt PPFs for harmonic distortion reduction. >
The Use of Kinematic Displays to Represent High Dimensional Data

Traditional data presentations deriving from pencil-and-paper techniques are inherently 2-dimensional, while the human visual system effortlessly deals with several more dimensions in an integrated fashion. In particular, moving pictures do impart a strong subjective 3-d effect. We describe a data manipulation and display system designed to tap this human ability for the purposes of statistical data analysis and discuss the main issues, design problems and solutions chosen. An experimental version of our system has been operating on a VAX-computer at Harvard since the fall of 1980. (A videotape illustrating some possible applications was shown at the conference.)
Ginseng augments doxorubicin-induced inhibition of human breast cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth: mechanisms of action

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 4660 Ginseng root extract inhibits the proliferation of human cancer cells in vitro, including those that represent many common cancers. Doxorubicin (or Adriamycin) is a chemotherapy drug used in the treatment of a number of cancers, including breast cancer. As breast cancer patients may take ginseng supplements, this study was designed to examine potential interactions between water-extracted ginseng (GE) and doxorubicin (DOX) on human breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo, and to determine the mechanism(s) of GE action on cancer cells. First, cells were treated with a wide concentration-range of GE (0-2mg/ml) or DOX (0-50ng/ml) and cell number was mea sured after 6 days. The IC50 concentrations for GE were 0.5 and 0.6mg/ml and for DOX were 5.6 and 1.5ng/ml in MCF and MDA cells, respectively. When cells were co-treated with DOX and the IC50 concentration of GE, a synergistic interaction occurred with MCF (IC50= 0.23ng/ml) and MDA cells (0.07ng/ml), respectively. Next, female nude mice were inoculated with MCF cells and provided ad libitum treatment with GE (1% in lieu of drinking water) or DOX (1.75mg/kg, ip, 5X/week), alone or in combination. Treatment with GE or DOX significantly decreased tumor size (p 2.5-fold) expression of pRb and pErk1/2 compared to controls. In DOX+GE cells or tumor tissue, there was a significant increase in p21 and decrease in pRb relative to DOX alone. Together, these data indicate that DOX+GE is more efficacious than either DOX or GE alone in the inhibition of human breast cancer cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, the synergistic interactions between DOX and GE appear to be mediated, in part, by changes in pRb. (Funded by NCCAM grant no. AT001544)
Weather Factors Affecting Corrosion of Metals

Various weather factors are assessed in relation to corrosion of metals. Published data are discussed and new results presented to show that time-of-wetness is a very important factor and that reasonable values may be obtained from analysis of meteorological records. These are applicable for predicting long-range corrosion effects. For short-term corrosion, data must be collected for the particular exposure conditions. Results are presented to show the effect of orientation on time-of wetness, and recommendations are made for increasing this type of study. A summary of data on pollution by SO 2 in major cities of Canada is presented and the distribution in Metro Toronto given. It indicates that pollution by SO 2 has been decreasing in many areas of the world. The effects on corrosion of chlorides, corrosion products, and temperature are also discussed.
Intolerable Cruelties: Retaliatory Actions in First Amendment Public Employment Cases

The First Amendment affords public employees limited protection against retaliation by their public employers for the exercise of their free speech rights. Circuits are split over what sort of retaliatory act is actionable under the First Amendment. Circuits often look to their Title VII jurisprudence covering that act’s anti-retaliation provision to define retaliation in the First Amendment context. This Note addresses the appropriate definition of retaliation under First Amendment Connick-Pickering questions of public employee free speech rights. As other commentators have noted, Title VII standards for retaliation are poor substitutes in the First Amendment area, since such standards threaten to artificially limit the scope of retaliatory acts. This Note also asserts, however, that Title VII standards can be too broad for First Amendment purposes. In particular, the recognition of co-worker retaliation under Title VII does not comport with the First Amendment’s concern about the acts of public employers. Ultimately, Title VII and the First Amendment serve very different concerns. This Note concludes by advocating a definition of retaliatory actions for First Amendment public employee cases that is not limited by any discrete list of acts and is rooted clearly in the role of the public employer. Such a standard best serves the goals of the First Amendment as stated in the Court’s Connick-Pickering line of cases. * Candidate for Juris Doctor, Notre Dame Law School, 2007; B.A., University of Notre Dame du Lac, 2004. I would like to thank my parents, Michael and Shelley, for their continued support and encouragement.
Fundamental period of irregular concentrically braced steel frame structures

SUMMARY This paper presents the results of investigation on the fundamental periods of concentrically braced frame (CBF) structures with varying geometric irregularities. A total of 12 CBFs are designed and analyzed. On the basis of the results obtained from vibration theory, equations for the approximate fundamental periods are put forth for CBFs, which take into account vertical and horizontal irregularities. Through statistical comparison, it was found that a three-variable power model that is able to account for irregularities resulted in a better fit to the Rayleigh data than equations that were dependent on height only. The proposed equations were validated through a comparison of available measured period data for CBFs. These proposed equations will allow design engineers to quickly and to accurately estimate the fundamental period of CBF structures by taking into account irregularities. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Prediction of the latency period by cervical length in preterm premature rupture of membranes

PREMATURE RUPTURE OF MEMBRANES ACQUINONETTE BRYANT, TAMMY SINCLAIR, AMY MURTHA, Duke University Medical Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Durham, North Carolina OBJECTIVE: Preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) remains a leading cause of preterm delivery. The interval from rupture of membranes to delivery is important in optimizing neonatal outcomes. However, predicting the latency period remains a challenge in obstetric practice. The objective of this study is to determine if the cervical length in pregnant women diagnosed with (PPROM) is associated with a decrease in latency period. The secondary objective is to determine if cervical length is associated with an increase in the incidence of funisitis. STUDY DESIGN: The ultrasound reports of women, whom were previously recruited in the PPROM Infection & Inflammation study, were reviewed; and data regarding the cervical length and the mode of ultrasound was collected. All subjects admitted with the diagnosis from 22-34 weeks were approached for enrollment. All subjects received an ultrasound as part of their routine care. The latency period was defined in hours from the time of rupture to the time of delivery. The cervical lengths were divided into two groups: > or %2.5 cm. The latency period between the two groups was compared using the Mann-Whitney U test. The cervical length and incidence of funisitis was compared using the t test. RESULTS: Of the 112 patients enrolled 24% had cervical length %2.5 cm. A cervical length of %2.5 cm was associated with a significant decrease in the median latency compared to those >2.5 cm (142.8 hours versus 290.9 hours, P = .002). 37% (37/102) of the patients enrolled had a histological diagnosis of funisitis. The mean cervical length in patients with funisitis was 3.44 cm compared to 3.05 cm in those without funisitis (P = .64). CONCLUSION: In women with PPROM the latency period appears to be shorter in patients with a cervical length %2.5 cm. Preliminary analysis suggests that cervical length may not predict funisitis. S104 SMFM Abstracts
Wilson's disease: identification of an abnormal copper-binding protein

The metal-binding protein metallothionein was isolated from the livers of Wilson's disease patients and control subjects. The metals were removed from the native protein to produce the apoprotein, and copperthionein was prepared by equilibrium dialysis. Copperthionein from Wilson's disease patients had a copper-binding constant four times as great as that of the protein from control subjects. These results suggest that the alterations in copper homeostasis in Wilson's disease result from the synthesis of an abnormal metal-binding protein with an increased affinity for copper.
Effects of diet, climate and physiology on nitrogen isotope abundances in terrestrial foodwebs

Abstract Variations in nitrogen isotope ratios in terrestrial foodwebs are described, and alternative models for variation in the enrichment between trophic levels are evaluated. Nitrogen isotope ratios in bone collagen have been used to determine trophic levels and differentiate marine from terrestrial resource consumption among prehistoric humans. However, recent research in terrestrial ecosystems has revealed significant variation in nitrogen isotope ratios between habitats, and within trophic levels in the same environment. Foodwebs in hot, arid environments tend to have higher nitrogen isotope ratios than cool, wet ones. Within ecosystems, the stepwise enrichment between trophic levels is often greater in hot, arid environments. Within ecosystems, herbivore species with physiological adaptations to water conservation have higher nitrogen isotope ratios than water-dependent species. The nitrogen isotope ratios of human bones may be affected by climate and physiology and thus cannot be directly compared between different types of ecosystems without first determining the isotopic composition of the local foodweb and the stepwise enrichment between trophic levels.
Interventional Echocardiography in Structural Heart Disease

Over the past decade, catheter based treatments of an increasing variety of cardiac diseases have expanded dramatically. These advancements became available through new developments and improvements in available devices, as well as increasing expertise of operators. However, arguably it is the innovation and progress in imaging techniques, and in particular in echocardiography, that allowed for such a surge in available percutaneous procedures. In this paper, current echocardiographic techniques, imaging protocols and recommendations will be reviewed and clinical examples will be shown to illustrate the use and importance of echocardiographic imaging in catheter based procedures for structural heart disease.
Improved thrombogenicity on oxygen etched Ti6Al4V surfaces

Abstract Thrombus formation on blood contacting biomaterials continues to be a key factor in initiating a critical mode of failure in implantable devices, requiring immediate attention. In the interest of evaluating a solution for one of the most widely used biomaterials, titanium and its alloys, this study focuses on the use of a novel surface oxidation treatment to improve the blood compatibility. This study examines the possibility of using oblique angle ion etching to produce a high quality oxide layer that enhances blood compatibility on medical grade titanium alloy Ti6Al4V. An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of these oxygen-rich surfaces confirmed the presence of TiO 2 peaks and also indicated increased surface oxidation as well as a reduction in surface defects. After 2 h of contact with whole human plasma, the oxygen etched substrates demonstrated a reduction in both platelet adhesion and activation as compared to bare titanium substrates. The whole blood clotting behavior was evaluated for up to 45 min, showing a significant decrease in clot formation on oxygen etched substrates. Finally, a bicinchoninic acid (BCA) total protein assay and XPS were used to evaluate the degree of key blood serum protein (fibrinogen, albumin, immunoglobulin G) adsorption on the substrates. The results showed similar protein levels for both the oxygen etched and control substrates. These results indicate that oblique angle oxygen etching may be a promising method to increase the thrombogenicity of Ti6Al4V.
Human Cerebrospinal Fluid Fatty Acid Levels Differ between Supernatant Fluid and Brain-Derived Nanoparticle Fractions, and Are Altered in Alzheimer's Disease

Background Although saturated (SAFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids are important structural components of neuronal membranes and precursors of signaling molecules, knowledge of their metabolism in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is limited. Based on recent discovery that lipids in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are distributed in both brain-derived nanoparticles (NP) and supernatant fluid (SF), we hypothesized that fatty acid (FA) abundance and distribution into these compartments is altered in early AD pathology. Methodology and Findings We assayed the FA composition and abundance in CSF fractions from cognitively healthy (CH), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and AD study participants using gas chromatography - mass spectrometry. In the SF fraction, concentration of docosahexaenoic acid [DHA, (C22:6n-3)] was less in AD compared with CH, while alpha linolenic acid [α-LNA, (C18:3n-3)] was lower in MCI compared with CH. In the NP fraction, levels of SAFAs (C15:0, C16:0) and a MUFA (C15:1) differentiated CH from MCI, while two MUFAs (C15:1, C19:1) and four PUFAs (C20:2n-6, C20:3n-3, C22:4n-6, C22:5n-3) were higher in AD compared with CH. Levels of even-chain free SAFA and total free FA levels were higher in AD, levels of odd-chain free SAFAs, MUFAs, n-3 PUFAs, and total PUFA, were lower in AD compared with CH. Free n-6 PUFA levels were similar in all three groups. Conclusions and Significance FA metabolism is compartmentalized differently in NP versus SF fractions of CSF, and altered FA levels reflect the importance of abnormal metabolism and oxidative pathways in AD. Depleted DHA in CSF fractions in AD is consistent with the importance of n-3 PUFAs in cognitive function, and suggests that disturbed PUFA metabolism contributes to AD pathology. This study of FA levels in CSF fractions from different cognitive stages shows potential AD biomarkers, and provides further insight into cell membrane dysfunctions, including mechanisms leading to amyloid production.
Identification of common sensory features for the control of CNC milling operations under varying cutting conditions

Abstract The main focus of this study is to identify the most influential and common sensory features for the process quality characteristics in CNC milling operations—dimensional accuracy (bore size tolerance) and surface roughness—using three different material types (6061-T6 aluminum, 7075-T6 aluminum, and ANSI-4140 steel). The materials were machined on a vertical CNC mill, retrofitted with multiple sensors and data acquisition systems, to investigate the effects of variations in material types and machining parameters. The sensor data include cutting force measurements, spindle quill vibration, and acoustic emission, each of which further divided into measurable components, such as x , y , and z components in cutting force, x and y spindle quill vibration, DC, AC, and Count Rate for acoustic emission signals. Those components were filtered and analyzed to determine the sensory features that best correlate with process quality characteristics. Tool wear rate and machining characteristics appeared differently, depending on the material types, yet some components of the sensory data were found to be significant with relation to the variations in bore size and surface roughness for all three types of materials. This suggests that even under the varying cutting conditions involving different materials, the identified sensory features can be used for the reliable and accurate control of milling operations.
Assessing Fungal Community Structure from Mineral Surfaces in Kartchner Caverns Using Multiplexed 454 Pyrosequencing

Research on the distribution and structure of fungal communities in caves is lacking. Kartchner Caverns is a wet and mineralogically diverse carbonate cave located in an escarpment of Mississippian Escabrosa limestone in the Whetstone Mountains, Arizona, USA. Fungal diversity from speleothem and rock wall surfaces was examined with 454 FLX Titanium sequencing technology using the Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 as a fungal barcode marker. Fungal diversity was estimated and compared between speleothem and rock wall surfaces, and its variation with distance from the natural entrance of the cave was quantified. Effects of environmental factors and nutrient concentrations in speleothem drip water at different sample sites on fungal diversity were also examined. Sequencing revealed 2,219 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at the 95% similarity level. Speleothems supported a higher fungal richness and diversity than rock walls. However, community membership and the taxonomic distribution of fungal OTUs at the class level did not differ significantly between speleothems and rock walls. Both OTU richness and diversity decreased significantly with increasing distance from the natural cave entrance. Community membership and taxonomic distribution of fungal OTUs also differed significantly between the sampling sites closest to the entrance and those furthest away. There was no significant effect of temperature, CO2 concentration, or drip water nutrient concentration on fungal community structure on either speleothems or rock walls. Together, these results suggest that proximity to the natural entrance is a critical factor in determining fungal community structure on mineral surfaces in Kartchner Caverns.
Effect of Sulfanilamide, Sulfapvrirline. and Sulfathiazole on Staphylococcus Toxins.∗

SummaryToxic manifestations of staphylococci are not inactivated in vitro by sulfanilamide, sulfapyridine, or sulfathiazole. The lethal toxin, dermonecrotic toxin, coagulase, and enterotoxin are not neutralized by solutions of the sulfonamides tested at 37°C. α- and β-hemolysins are slightly diminished in activity at concentrations approaching the saturation point of the sulfonamides, but are unaffected at concentrations of less than .01%. These compounds appeared to decrease hemolysin production by decreasing the growth rate of the organism.
The Corporal Punishment of Minorities in the Public Schools

Corporal punishment is still legal under various circumstances in the United States public schools. This practice is specified in the discipline policies of cities and towns in roughly twenty-two states. Corporal punishment usually takes the form of paddling with wooden paddles or sticks by school administrators with the consent of the parents. Research has shown that this type of punishment is disproportionately administered to minority school children. White students are paddled with far less frequency. Boys are paddled more often than girls over all. This practice teaches school children that it is acceptable for larger, older people to inflict pain on small, younger people. The behavioral and social ramifications for future behavior are ominous.
Destruction of specific hippocampal cell fields increases ornithine decarboxylase activity: Modulation of the biochemical but not the histological changes by ganglioside GM1

Unilateral injection of colchicine into the dentate gyrus, kainic acid into the CA3 pyramidal cell field, or cerebrospinal fluid into either site produced significant increases in ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in both the injected and noninjected hippocampi. The magnitude as well as the time course of these changes varied with the cytotoxin, the site of injection, and whether or not animals had been pretreated with ganglioside GM1. The ganglioside regimen reduced the ODC response in the injected hippocampus but increased it on the side contralateral to the colchicine injection. In contrast, GM1 enhanced the ODC response produced by kainic acid in the injected but not the uninjected hippocampus. In a subsequent study morphometric analysis of the hippocampus revealed that pretreatment with GM1 did not alter the extent of hippocampal injury induced by either cytotoxin. These data indicate that the changes in ODC activity observed following hippocampal damage represent a complex set of biochemical changes that might serve to protect primary or secondary sites of insult and/or to promote either adaptive or maladaptive neural reorganization. Ganglioside GM1 altered the ODC response without minimizing the histopathological changes induced by the cytotoxins. The role of polyamines in neural, behavioral, and synaptic plasticity is currently under study.
Conservative row activation to improve memory power efficiency

With the fast improvement on memory bandwidth and capacity, the memory power consumption has become a major contributor to the overall system power profile. Due to the increasing importance of memory-level parallelism at the multi-core era, most memory scheduling schemes eagerly exploit such parallelism to optimize performance. A common policy used by memory controllers today is, whenever possible, always trying to open memory banks for pending requests to maximize bank-level parallelism and throughput. However, we find that this is neither power optimal nor necessary for maintaining performance because usually many banks are open while waiting for the data bus ownership.To address this issue, we propose a "Conservative Row Activation" scheme that delays the row activation operation of a request to an idle rank until its corresponding column access will not be blocked by the busy data bus. This can reduce the memory power with negligible performance impact by allowing a rank to stay at the low-power mode longer. To minimize performance impact, our scheme monitors the data bus transactions and reserves bus slots for column commands at the earliest possible time. The detailed simulation results indicate that our scheme can reduce the memory power consumption of a group of quad-core multi-programming memory-intensive workloads with SPEC2006 applications by 5.6% on average. It may even improve the performance slightly (by 0.3% on average), because the data bus utilization can be improved by giving column accesses higher priority than other commands.
A New Engagement? Political Participation, Civic Life, and the Changing American Citizen

A New Engagement? Political Participation, Civic Life, and the Changing American Citizen. By Cliff Zukin, Scott Keeter, Molly Andolina, Krista Jenkins, and Michael X. Delli Carpini. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. 253p. $19.00. Should we be really worried about declining public engagement? Or should we accept that it is merely changing shape? This book describes substantial alterations in the ways Americans are involved in public life, particularly younger citizens, and analyzes a wide range of empirical data with the goal of understanding the implications—both negative and positive—of these emerging patterns of participation.
Immunolocalization of α4 and α7 subunits of nicotinic receptor in rat cochlear nucleus

The rat cochlear nucleus (CN) is known to receive cholinergic input. To investigate the prevalence of nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), immunohistochemistry for alpha4 and alpha7 subunits, which represent nAChRs with high binding affinities for nicotine and alpha-bungarotoxin, respectively, was performed on perfusion-fixed rat brain sections. Microscopic observations and densitometric measurements show dense labeling for alpha7 but not alpha4. Within the CN, alpha7 receptors are found in all subregions, with relatively high densities in granular regions. The distribution of alpha7 within the CN appears to correlate more closely with that of acetylcholinesterase than with mAChR or choline acetyltransferase. Our results suggest a role of nicotinic cholinergic transmission in the rat CN associated with high affinity for alpha-bungarotoxin.
Fault tolerant formation flight control using different adaptation techniques

Different solutions to the problem of aerodynamic surface failure during formation flight are presented. Adaptive control laws are applied in order to compensate for surface blockages. Two different approaches are described in detail, Model Reference Adaptive Control and L1 Adaptive Control, in order to improve the fault-tolerance of a baseline controller designed with static gains. Simulation results are included, showing a substantial improvement of fault-tolerance performance when adaptive augmentation is used.
Reducing Common-Mode Current: A Modified Space Vector Pulsewidth Modulation Scheme

With the conventional space vector pulsewidth modulation (SVPWM) scheme, ac drives generate high-peak common-mode currents (CMCs), particularly at a very low modulation index. This occurs because of the low dwell times on the active voltage vectors, resulting in nearly simultaneous switching on all three phases. High-peak CMCs present several issues-high-voltage spikes from the dc bus to ground, a pump-up of the dc bus voltage, and increased conducted emissions-that can affect the reliability and performance of the ac drive. The solutions for addressing this phenomenon include placing capacitors to ground on the dc bus, which cannot be applied when the power system is not solidly grounded (e.g., high-resistance grounding), and filters at the output of the drive, which are bulky, expensive, and may not always be effective. In this article, a modified SVPWM scheme is presented that reduces the instantaneous peak and root-mean-square (RMS) CMC at the output of the drive. Experimental results are presented to demonstrate that the method works with all types of system grounding and is more effective than commonly used drive output filters at a very low modulation index.
Methodological Aspects of Problem Formulation

Problem Formulation begins after a general, conceptual, intuitive, yet concise statement of the system project goals and boundary conditions has been made. The object of this step of a system study is to formalize the system concept, reduce its ambiguity, and derive a family of subprojects which can be subjected to engineering solutions. The major focus of interest during Problem Formulation is to reinterpret the goal oriented description of the system concept into a consideration of the practical obstacles to realization of the system concept. The obstacles include environmental and operational factors as well as random failures in the system itself. To achieve the reinterpretation, a study of the basic concepts of system and state suggest the methodological framework.
A One-Step Solid Phase Extraction Method for Bioanalysis of a Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotide and Its 3′ n-1 Metabolite from Rat Plasma by uHPLC–MS/MS

Oligonucleotide therapeutics have emerged as a promising class of drugs to treat a wide range of diseases caused by genetic abnormalities. Replacement of the phosphodiester linkage with a phosphorothioate is one of the most successful modifications made to oligonucleotides to enhance their in vivo stability. The longer elimination phase of phosphorothioates and other modified oligonucleotides requires sensitive and selective methods to quantify the parent drug and their metabolites simultaneously. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry has excellent selectivity between the parent drug and its metabolites and a wide dynamic range. However, the biological sample extraction remains a formidable challenge in developing quantitative LC–MS methods for oligonucleotides. Protein precipitation, protein digestion, liquid–liquid extraction, reversed phase solid phase extraction (SPE), strong anion exchange SPE, and combinations of them have been reported to extract oligonucleotides from biological matrices. Unfortunately, these methods either have low recoveries or present potential problems for applications with chromatography due to the large amount of matrix substances in the resulting solutions. In this study, a weak anion exchange SPE method was optimized. The recovery ranged from 60% to 80% depending on the concentration. This is the first report of a one-step SPE method with recoveries greater than 60% across the method dynamic range. This sample extraction procedure was used in combination with ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The lower limit of quantitation was 10 ng/mL (1.3 nM), and the dynamic range was 10–1,000 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy were within 8.4% and 10.5%, respectively.
Hydrodynamic behavior in a moving granular bed filter for modeling on char separation during the biomass fast pyrolysis process

Abstract Moving granular bed filters (MGBFs) are the promising approach to improve the quality of pyrolysis oil by removing char particles from fast pyrolysis vapor streams. To minimize the commercial MGBF system, the inner MGBF structures were modified, resulting in differential granular media velocities between inlet and outlet gas stream. The modified structure was applied to increase the removal efficiency under the same superficial gas velocity. The experiments were conducted at room temperature and the designed parameters included the insert length and angle of inserted plates in the bottom of MGBF. In this study, the insert plates were used to distinguish the MGBF into two particle flow streams in the same section. The section area was the function of particle response angle, insert length, insert angle, and angle of the MGBF boundary plate. An accurate equation for determining the mass flow rate of the bed material particle and section area was proposed in this study. In addition, cold model filter tests were conducted on differential designs for three sets of flow fields. These results show that differential flow field designs can effectively enhance filtration efficiency. Under the same filtration pressure decline or loss, the filtration efficiency can be increased from the baseline of 95.4% to 99.9%.
Performance evaluation of sandwich panel systems for blast mitigation

Abstract Sandwich panels are popular amelioration systems used as sacrificial cladding in protection from blast or impact loading. Sandwich panels have the ability to dissipate energy through plastic deformation of the core and plates, making them more effective than a single metallic plate of similar density. A popular class of sandwich panels consists of metallic lattice cores that are sandwiched between solid plates. For these metallic lattice core panels, the ability to withstand blast loading depends on the core topology. In this study we investigate sandwich panels with different types of metallic lattice topologies and compare their performance under prescribed blast loads using nonlinear finite element simulations. A parametric study is carried out to evaluate performance indicators including: energy dissipated through plastic deformation, maximum force transferred, and plate deflections. Finally, based on the parametric studies recommendations are made for the use of these sandwich panels.
Metabolic activation of mitomycin C by liver microsomes and nuclei

Bioreductive alkylating agents require reductive activation prior to exerting their cytotoxic actions. This property results in preferential toxicity to hypoxic cells. Previous data have demonstrated that mitomycin C is activated by hypoxic tumor cells and is selectively cytotoxic to these oxygen-deficient cells. The biotransformation of mitomycin C was studied in liver microsomes and nuclei and in a reconstituted, partially purified cytochrome P-450 drug-metabolizing system to provide information on these reductive processes. Both the metabolism of mitomycin C, measured by disappearance of the quinone portion of the substrate, and the formation of an alkylating metabolite(s), determined by employing 4-(p-nitrobenzyl)pyridine as a trapping agent, required anaerobic conditions and an NADPH-generating system, and were inhibited by O2 and CO in both microsomes and nuclei. A reconstituted enzyme system consisting of NADPH, NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase, phospholipid and cytochrome P-450 converted mitomycin C to a reactive metabolite(s) under hypoxic conditions. Omission of N2 or any component of the system decreased the metabolic activation of mitomycin C. These findings support the concept that the cytochrome P-450 system is capable of activating mitomycin C under hypoxic conditions to the alkylating metabolite(s) that is responsible for antineoplastic activity.
Observations of effects of banana trapping on neutral-beam-injected ions in PLT

The horizontally scanning charge-exchange analyser on the Princeton Large Torus (PLT) was used to measure fast co-moving ions during counter-injection of neutral beams. The large flux of charge-exchange neutrals observed in the near-parallel direction under these circumstances exhibited a sharp cut-off as the analyser was scanned to a fully parallel aiming angle. At a fixed particle energy, the cut-off angle showed a strong dependence on the plasma current, which can be predicted by using finite-banana-width tokamak orbit theory. Monte-Carlo calculations using a Fokker-Planck formalism and full toroidal geometry give substantive agreement with the experimental data, indicating that banana-trapping effects on neutral-beam-injected ions were directly observed.
Siblings of disabled children. Effects of chronic stress in the family.

• We examined the effects of chronic stress in families of severely disabled children on psychopathology in siblings. We present findings from a five-year follow-up of 192 siblings of disabled children and a geographically based probability sample of 284 children (controls), who were 6 to 18 years old at initial assessment (time 1) and 11 to 23 years old at follow-up (time 2). Data on the Psychiatric Screening Inventory were obtained from mothers at times 1 and 2. Additionally, at time 2 the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children was administered to the children themselves. At follow-up, the siblings' picture according to mothers' assessment appears worse than it did initially: in addition to the excess in aggressive symptoms seen at time 1, they manifested an excess in depressive affect and social isolation. The time 2 interviews with the children themselves show that the siblings scored significantly higher than controls on depressive symptoms, although the rate of DSM-III major depression was not significantly different. An excess in depressive symptoms was observed also in mothers of disabled children, who, like the siblings, were not at increased risk for major depression.
The Timed Manual Performance Test as a Predictor of Hospitalization and Death in a Community‐Based Elderly Population

Objective: To determine the usefulness of timed manual performance measurements (TMP) as predictors of health outcomes, hospitalization, and mortality in a large, heterogeneous sample of elderly people living in the community. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Central North Carolina. Participants: 1,286 community-dwelling older people. Measurements: Demographic background, health problems, number of prescribed medications, perceived health, quality of life, and the TMP, a 27-item test that has been shown to predict functional dependency and need of health-care services in older people. Results: During the 2-year follow-up period, 127 people died and 200 were hospitalized. Scores for those who were able to complete the original TMP, as well as scores for two shorter versions of the TMP, predicted mortality and, to a lesser extent, hospitalization within 2 years. For both original and shorter versions of the TMP, relative risk of death was approximately 2.5 times greater for those in the poorest performance quartile, as compared with the best performing quartile, when adjusted for age, gender, race, and number of prescribed medications. TMP tests and an index of IADL were independent predictors of death. Conclusions: TMP scores may be useful in the clinical setting as a vital sign of functioning, providing a means of targeting those individuals at increased risk of mortality. J Am Geriatr Soc 42:21–27, 1994
Associations between child emotional eating and general parenting style, feeding practices, and parent psychopathology.

Emotional eating is the tendency to eat in response to negative emotions. Prior research has identified a relationship between parenting style and child emotional eating, but this has not been examined in clinical samples. Furthermore, the relationship between specific parenting practices (e.g., parent feeding practices) and child emotional eating has not yet been investigated. The current study examined relationships between child emotional eating and both general and specific parenting constructs as well as maternal symptoms of depression and binge eating among a treatment-seeking sample of overweight children. Participants included 106 mother-child dyads who attended a baseline assessment for enrollment in a behavioral intervention for overeating. Ages of children ranged from 8 to 12 years old. Mothers completed self-report measures of their child's emotional eating behavior, their own feeding practices, and symptoms of depression and binge eating. Children completed a self-report measure of their mothers' general parenting style. A stepwise regression analysis was conducted to identify the parent variable that was most strongly related to child emotional eating, controlling for child age and gender. Emotional feeding behavior (i.e., a tendency to offer food to soothe a child's negative emotions) was the parent factor most significantly related to child emotional eating. Findings suggest that emotional feeding practices in parents may be related to emotional eating in children. Treatment with overweight children who engage in emotional eating may be improved by targeting parent feeding practices.
The Infusion of Opioids During Terminal Withdrawal of Mechanical Ventilation in the Medical Intensive Care Unit

Abstract Context Most deaths in intensive care units occur after limitation or withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies. Often these patients require opioids to assuage suffering; yet, little has been documented concerning their use in the medical intensive care unit. Objectives To determine the dose and factors influencing the use of opioids in patients undergoing terminal withdrawal of mechanical ventilation in this setting. Methods Data were prospectively collected from 74 consecutive patients expected to die soon after extubation. The doses of morphine, effect on time to death, and relation of dose to diagnostic categories were analyzed. Results The mean (±standard deviation) dose of morphine given to patients during the last hour of mechanical ventilation was 5.3mg/hour. Patients dying after extubation received 10.6mg/hour just before death. Immediately before extubation, the dose correlated directly with chronic medical opioid use and sepsis with respiratory failure and inversely with coma after cardiopulmonary resuscitation or a primary neurological event. After terminal extubation, the final morphine dose correlated directly with the presence of sepsis with respiratory failure and chronic pulmonary disease. The mean time to death after terminal extubation was 152.7±229.5 minutes without correlation with premorbid diagnoses. After extubation, each 1mg/hour increment of morphine infused during the last hour of life was associated with a delay of death by 7.9 minutes (P=0.011). Conclusion Premorbid conditions may influence the dose of morphine given to patients undergoing terminal withdrawal of mechanical ventilation. Higher doses of morphine are associated with a longer time to death.
Ohmic electrical conductivity in a magnetic field

A quantum‐mechanical theory using a density matrix for electrical conductivity in the presence of a magnetic field is described. The conventional methods using the Boltzmann transport equation are not satisfactory because the magnetic field introduces a curvature in the free path of an electron. The expectation value of the current density and the components of the conductivity tensor in a magnetic field are obtained. The advantages of the density matrix in electric transport problems with a magnetic field are discussed.
Effect of Oxidation on the Natural Remanent Magnetization of Titanomagnetite in Suboceanic Basalt

The natural remanent magnetization of titanomagnetite is not destroyed by oxidation if the oxidation occurs below the original Curie temperature of the titanomagnetite.
Are Japanese interest rates too stable

Abstract We examine the effects of Japanese financial market liberalization using daily data on Eurocurrency and two Japanese onshore interest rates, the Gensaki and CD rates. Our evidence suggests that Japanese money markets are now fully integrated with world markets, but that the degree of integration depends heavily on the Japanese asset examined. In particular, we find that the Gensaki market is not completely integrated with the Euroyen market. The CD rate, however, is cointegrated with the Euroyen rate since June 1984, and the Euroyen—CD rate variance ratio is similar to that of dollar-denominated assets after November 1988. (JEL E43).