cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Near-source velocity structure and isotropic moment tensors: A case study of the Long Valley Caldera

The effect of near-source velocity structure on the recovery of the isotropic component in moment tensor inversions is explored using a finite-difference method. Synthetic data generated using a 3D Long Valley Caldera (LVC) velocity model (Vp +/− 20%) were inverted for the full moment tensor using a linear time-domain scheme utilizing Green's functions calculated from 1D models. While inversions of synthetic data with input isotropic components recovered isotropic components with 95% significance according to an F-test relative to deviatoric inversions (isotropic component constrained to zero), inversions of synthetic data with no input isotropic component recovered only nominal isotropic components with less than 75% significance. This study demonstrates near-source structure does not appear to falsely produce significant isotropic components of moment tensor inversions in the passband typically employed by regional inversion methods.
Cognitive Distraction While Driving: A Critical Review of Definitions and Prevalence in Crashes

There is little agreement in the field of driving safety as to how to define cognitive distraction, much less how to measure it. Without a definition and metric, it is impossible to make scientific and engineering progress on determining the extent to which cognitive distraction causes crashes, and ways to mitigate it if it does. We show here that different studies are inconsistent in their definitions of cognitive distraction. For example, some definitions do not include cellular conversation, while others do. Some definitions confound cognitive distraction with visual distraction, or cognitive distraction with cognitive workload. Other studies define cognitive distraction in terms of a state of the driver, and others in terms of tasks that may distract the driver. It is little wonder that some studies find that cognitive distraction is a negligible factor in causing crashes, while others assert that cognitive distraction causes more crashes than drunk driving. Perhaps the largest problem however is that the definitions typically refer to distraction as a reduction of attention, but never define attention. It is recommended that a new definition of cognitive distraction be created, based on observational data of actual rather than simulated driving. This definition should have associated with it a clear metric for assessing the amount of cognitive distraction for a wide range of tasks, involving different sensory and motor modalities (visual-manual, auditory-vocal, tactile, etc.) A new foundation, grounded in on-road driving data and the experimental study of attention within cognitive neuroscience, may improve the speed at which new and effective countermeasures are developed, crashes are reduced, and driving safety is improved for all. Keywords: Driver distraction; Language: en
An F-domain introduced by alternative splicing regulates activity of the zebrafish thyroid hormone receptor α

Thyroid hormones (THs) play an important role in vertebrate development; however, the underlying mechanisms of their actions are still poorly understood. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is an emerging vertebrate model system to study the roles of THs during development. In general, the response to THs relies on closely related proteins and mechanisms across vertebrate species, however some species-specific differences exist. In contrast to mammals, zebrafish has two TRα genes (thraa, thrab). Moreover, the zebrafish thraa gene expresses a TRα isoform (TRαA1) that differs from other TRs by containing additional C-terminal amino acids. C-terminal extensions, called “F domains”, are common in other members of the nuclear receptor superfamily and modulate the response of these receptors to hormones. Here we demonstrate that the F-domain constrains the transcriptional activity of zebrafish TRα by altering the selectivity of this receptor for certain coactivator binding motifs. We found that the F-domain of zebrafish TRαA1 is encoded on a separate exon whose inclusion is regulated by alternative splicing, indicating a regulatory role of the F-domain in vivo. Quantitative expression analyses revealed that TRαA1 is primarily expressed in reproductive organs whereas TRαB and the TRαA isoform that lacks the F-domain (TRαA1-2) appear to be ubiquitous. The relative expression levels of these TRα transcripts differ in a tissue-specific manner suggesting that zebrafish uses both alternative splicing and differential expression of TRα genes to diversify the cellular response to THs.
Vibration considerations in the design of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory

The Advanced Photon Source (APS), a new synchrotron radiation facility being built at Argonne National Laboratory, will provide the world''s most brilliant x-ray beams for research in a wide range of technical fields. Successful operation of the APS requires an extremely stable positron closed orbit. Vibration of the storage ring quadrupole magnets, even in the submicron range, can lead to distortion of the positron closed orbit and to potentially unacceptable beam emittance growth, which results in degraded performance. This paper presents an overview of the technical approach used to minimize vibration response, beginning at the conceptual stage, through design and construction, and on to successful operation. Acceptance criteria relating to maximum allowable quadrupole magnet vibration are discussed. Soil properties are used to determine resonant frequencies of foundations and to predict attenuation characteristics. Two sources are considered to have the potential to excite the foundation: far-field sources, which are produced external to the facility, and near-field sources, which are produced within the facility. Measurements of ambient ground motion, monitored to determine far-field excitation, are presented. Ambient vibration was measured at several operating facilities within Argonne to gain insight on typical near-field excitation sources. Discussion covers the dynamic response characteristics of a prototype magnet support structure to various excitations, including ambient floor motion, coolant flow, and magnet power.
The effects of an acute bout of sleep on running economy and VO2 max

Synchronized human sleep has been shown to decrease activation of the sympathetic nervous system, resulting in reduced levels of oxygen consumption. This is in direct conflict with sympathetic arousal, which coincides with the initiation of exercise. Although a considerable body of research has investigated the effects of sleep deprivation on exercise performance, the effects of an acute bout of sleep on exercise response have not been previously reported. This question appears relevant considering the occurrence of acute sleep bouts among athletes competing in prolonged multi‐event competition (e.g. swimming, track and field). To investigate the effects of an acute bout of sleep on submaximal (running economy) and maximal oxygen consumption, seven male volunteers participated in a continuous, progressive treadmill test to volitional exhaustion immediately following a 1‐h bout of sleep (SB) or no sleep (Control). The subjects served as their own controls and the order of trials was randomized. A MANOVA wi...
Advanced oxidant reactivity pertaining to granular activated carbon beds for air pollution control

Abstract The Pennsylvania State University is researching an advanced oxidation system, which includes an air-phase photolytic chamber, an air/water stripping tower, and granular activated carbon (GAC) beds, for controlling volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A laboratory-scale experimental procedure has been employed that simulated certain aspects of several full-scale installations. The apparatus has been used to characterize the loading capacity and mass transfer zone of selected VOCs on coconut shell GAC. The GAC bed has then been placed in series with an ultraviolet reactor, which generates ozone and advanced oxidants in order to regenerate the loaded GAC at intensities of advanced oxidants that were higher than full-scale installations. VOC loading tests revealed that the adsorption of methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) was characterized by a well-defined mass transfer zone. Upon exposure to UV/O3, desorption and/or destruction of the MIBK and other VOCs occurred most prominently within the first inch of the GAC bed. This correlated with the penetration of advanced oxidants into the GAC bed, which also occurred most significantly in the bed's first inch. However, the amount of oxidant penetration increased with time. The removal of oxidants from air by GAC was accompanied by a decrease in mass of the GAC. The ability of oxidants to penetrate a GAC bed was altered when the bed was loaded with a VOC.
Duration and intensity of striking among participants in the Ontario, Canada doctors' strike.

Western physicians have conducted largescale strikes against governments or private industry on at least 20 occasions in the past 25 years.14 As the erosion of physicians' perceived financial opportunities and clinical freedoms continues,5 this pattern of strike activity is unlikely to diminish. Therefore, it is important to understand the dynamics of physicians' strikes so that their potentially adverse consequences can be avoided.
'Abortion pill' RU 486: ethics, rhetoric, and social practice.

RU 486, an experimental drug to terminate early pregnancy, raises again the fundamental questions about the status of the early embryo: What are the morally relevant similarities and differences among contraception, early abortion and late abortion? And how does language affect both our social practices and attitudes concerning those social practices?
Morphology of mitochondria in the coupled, uncoupled and recoupled states

COII~ELATIVE studies of mitochondrial structure ant1 function often have been predicated on the assumption that major alterations of function are associated with changes in morphology. This assumption is based on the belief that normal mitochondrial morphology is dependent upon a continuing supply of high-energy intermediates generated by oxidativc phosphorylation (for example, see 11, 191). Thus, it might be expectetl that a tlisruption of this bioenergetic process would leatl to market1 disorganization of normal mitochontlrial structure, and that restitution of this function should leacl to a corresponding restitution of structure. \\‘c have shown earlier [%9] that the addition of both albumin ant1 AT1 \vas requiretl to reverse the extensive morphological deterioration of isolated rat liver mitochonclria which occurred when they \vere reacted with pentachlorophenol in a buffered KC1 medium incapable of supporting oxiclative phosphorylation. Our further tlemonstration [27] that bovine serum albumin alone restored oxidative phosphorylation to mitochontlria uncoupled by various substituted phenols provitled a convenient means to test this aspect of the relation between structure and function. In the present communication, the morphology of rat liver mitochondria untlergoing active oxidative phosphorylation is compared with that of mitochondria in which this process is abolished by pentachlorophenol, and \vith that of mitochontiria whose capacity for phosphorylation, ancl hence the generation of high energy intermediates anti endogenous ATP, has been restored by bovine serum albumin. 4 preliminary account of this study has been presented elsewhere [28].
An analysis of on-chip interconnection networks for large-scale chip multiprocessors

With the number of cores of chip multiprocessors (CMPs) rapidly growing as technology scales down, connecting the different components of a CMP in a scalable and efficient way becomes increasingly challenging. In this article, we explore the architectural-level implications of interconnection network design for CMPs with up to 128 fine-grain multithreaded cores. We evaluate and compare different network topologies using accurate simulation of the full chip, including the memory hierarchy and interconnect, and using a diverse set of scientific and engineering workloads.We find that the interconnect has a large impact on performance, as it is responsible for 60p to 75p of the miss latency. Latency, and not bandwidth, is the primary performance constraint, since, even with many threads per core and workloads with high miss rates, networks with enough bandwidth can be efficiently implemented for the system scales we consider. From the topologies we study, the flattened butterfly consistently outperforms the mesh and fat tree on all workloads, leading to performance advantages of up to 22p. We also show that considering interconnect and memory hierarchy together when designing large-scale CMPs is crucial, and neglecting either of the two can lead to incorrect conclusions. Finally, the effect of the interconnect on overall performance becomes more important as the number of cores increases, making interconnection choices especially critical when scaling up.
Reorientational Contact-Weighted Elastic Network Model for the Prediction of Protein Dynamics: Comparison with NMR Relaxation

A new model for the prediction of protein backbone motions is presented. The model, termed reorientational contact-weighted elastic network model, is based on a multidimensional reorientational harmonic potential of the backbone amide bond vector orientations and it is applied to the interpretation of dynamics parameters obtained from NMR relaxation data. The individual energy terms are weighted as a function of the intervector distances and by the contact strengths of each bond vector with respect to its local environment. Correlated reorientational motional properties of the bond vectors are obtained by means of normal mode analysis. Application to a set of proteins with known three-dimensional structures yields good to excellent agreement between predicted and experimental NMR order parameters presenting an improvement over the local contact model. The reorientational eigenmodes of the reorientational contact-weighted elastic network model method provide direct information on the collective nature of protein backbone motions. The dominant eigenmodes have a notably low collectivity, which is consistent with the behavior found for reorientational eigenmodes from molecular dynamics simulations.
The significance of the Culture Based Model in designing culturally aware tutoring systems

Designing for culture through intelligent tutoring systems is on the rise. The needs of military personnel to communicate and understand cultures other than their own in deployments, missions, and work-related assignments have strongly encouraged the creation of culturally aware tutoring systems (CATS) that teach about other cultures. This paper critically analyzes three systems (i.e., ELECT-BiLAT, Tactical Iraqi, and VECTOR) and the frameworks that guided the design and development process. The examination reveals that there is a need for comprehensive guidelines to build CATS. Therefore, the Culture Based Model is offered as a framework to guide the design of culture-based information and communication technologies.
Determination of the shear strength of unsaturated soils using the multistage direct shear test

The determination of the shear strength of unsaturated soils is generally more complicated, time consuming and expensive compared to the determination of the shear strength of saturated soils. Although much research has been done on unsaturated soil testing methods, there is still a strong need to translate these studies into practice. Further studies are needed on practical testing methods that can reduce both the cost of and time associated with shear strength testing of unsaturated soils. This paper presents a comprehensive evaluation of the validity of using the multistage direct shear test as a rapid and practical method to determine the shear strength of unsaturated soils. The laboratory tests were performed using a newly-constructed modified direct shear test apparatus that allows independent control of matric suction, referred to as a suction-controlled multistage direct shear test. Unsaturated shear strength was established using multistage loading over a range of net normal stresses and matric suction values. Shear strength parameters obtained from the multistage tests are compared with those from conventional direct shear tests using multiple soil specimens. Recommendations are given on how to carry out multistage direct shear tests to ensure reliable unsaturated shear strength measurements. The tests were performed on undisturbed soil samples obtained from the riverbank of the lower Roanoke River in eastern North Carolina, USA.
Dietary protein and preference for sweets in the female rat

Adult female albino rats were fed either a normal protein diet (N = 6) or an isocaloric low protein diet (N = 6) and then assessed for behavioral and physiological changes indicative of emotional changes. The low protein animals were found to eat more food but drink less of a sweet solution containing calories (sucrose) but not when the solution had no calories (saccharin). Low protein animals tended to secrete a less concentrated urine and had a shorter nose-to-anus length and smaller adrenals. No differences were found in body weight, body density, hematocrit, plasma total solids or open-field activity.
A Method to Solve Very Large Physical Systems in Easy Stages

Physical systems with very large number of variables (say with tens of thousands of variables) may be solved with already available digital computers by tearing the system apart into a large number of small subdivisions, solving each subdivision separately, afterward interconnecting the partial solutions by a set of transformations to obtain outright the exact solution of the original system, Among the many advantages of the tearing (or tensorial) method is the red 3 ction of the amount of original calculations to a small fraction of about 2/n2where n is the number of subdivisions. Another advantage is the reduction of the number of elements in inverse matrices to a fraction smaller than 1/ \sqrt{n} . The same saving of labor appears also in smaller systems employing slide-rule calculations.
Synthesis of [18F]Xeloda as a novel potential PET radiotracer for imaging enzymes in cancers

Xeloda (Capecitabine), a prodrug of antitumor agent 5-fluorouracil, is the first and only oral fluoropyrimidine to be approved for use as second-line therapy in metastatic breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and other solid malignancies. Fluorine-18 labeled Xeloda may serve as a novel radiotracer for positron emission tomography (PET) to image enzymes such as thymidine phosphorylase and uridine phosphorylase in cancers. The precursor 2',3'-di-O-acetyl-5'-deoxy-5-nitro-N(4)-(pentyloxycarbonyl)cytidine (11) was synthesized from D-ribose and cytosine in 8 steps with approximately 18% overall chemical yield. The reference standard 5'-deoxy-5-fluoro-N(4)-(pentyloxycarbonyl)cytidine (Xeloda; 1) was synthesized from D-ribose and 5-fluorocytosine in eight steps with approximately 28% overall chemical yield. The target radiotracer 5'-deoxy-5-[(18)F]fluoro-N(4)-(pentyloxycarbonyl)cytidine ([(18)F]Xeloda; [(18)F]1) was prepared by nucleophilic substitution of the nitro-precursor with K(18)F/Kryptofix 2.2.2 followed by a quick deprotection reaction and purification with the HPLC method in 20-30% radiochemical yields.
Activity of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Deuteromycota: Hyphomycetes) against three coleopteran pests of stored grain.

A Beauveria bassiana isolate from the rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was evaluated as a conidial powder against 3 coleopteran pests of stored grain: the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae); the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae); and the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Bioactivity of B. bassiana isolate 22292A was assessed on 3 types of food substrates (red flour beetle media, medium grain brown rice, and long grain rough rice) at 27°C and 60% RH. Adult mortality was 80–100% at the higher dosage levels for all insects tested on all media types at 21 d after treatment. Emergence of adult progeny on brown and rough rice was reduced by 83–99% at the 2 highest dosage level. The abrasive nature of rice hulls on the rough rice may contribute to the accelerated mortality seen on this medium.
SULFINIC ACIDS AND RELATED COMPOUNDS. 22. DERIVATIVES OF 2-HYDROXYETHANE SULFINIC ACID1,2

Sodium 2-hydroxyethanesulfinate (3) could be converted to the unstable methyl ester 8 by acidification followed by reaction with diazomethane (although the acid 4, itself, could not be isolated as ...
Automatic target recognition using Eigen templates

This paper presents ATR results with High Range Resolution (HRR) profiles used for classification. It is shown that effective HRR-ATR performance can be achieved if the templates are formed via Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) of detected HRR profiles. It is demonstrated theoretically that in the mean-squared sense, the eigen-vectors represent the optimal feature set. SVD analysis of a large class of XPATCH and MSTAR HRR-data clearly indicates that significant proportion (> 90%) of target energy is accounted for by the eigen-vectors of range correlation matrix, corresponding to only the largest singular value. The SV Decomposition also decouples the range and angle basis spaces. Furthermore, it is shown that significant clutter reduction can be achieved if HRR data is reconstructed using only the significant eigenvectors. ATR results with eigen-templates are compared with those based on mean-templates. Results are included for both XPATCH and MSTAR data using linear least- squares and matched-filter based classifiers.
Induction of sister chromatid exchanges in human cells by fluorescent light.

Abstract The Brd-U differential staining technique was utilized to examine the induction of sister-chromatid exchanges (SCE) by fluorescent ligt in human fetal lung fibroblasts (IMR-90). Exposure of these cells in media to fluorescent light resulted in an increase in SCE frequencies from a background level of 8.5 SCE/cell to 20.5 SCE/cell. Cellular replication kinetics were also inhibited by fluorescent light exposure. Exposure of cells to fluorescent light in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) resulted in a two-fold increase in SCE levels and incresed inhibition of cell replication, indicating that culture media may have a protective effect. Determinations of SCE frequencies with blocking filters indicated that the fluorescent light wavelengths responsible for SCE induction were in the near-ultraviolet spectrum between 300 and 390 nm. Culturing cell sin media that had been exposed to fluorescent light resulted in a significant increase in SCE levels, 14.5 ± 1.5 vs. 7.5 ± 0.65, demonstrating the contribution of media photoproducts to SCE induction. The role of media photoproducts was further reinforced by finding a significant decline in fluorescent light induced SCE in cells cultured in medium deficient in three known photosensitizers (phenol red, tetracycline and riboflavin) for 2–3 weeks prior to exposure. Since SCE have been shown to be a sensitive indicator of DNA damage, these results indicate that fluorescent light can induce genetic damage in human cells. These findings are also of importance to investigators culturing cells in laboratories with fluorescent illumination.
Novel Synthesis of Hybrid Calixphyrin Macrocycles

The reaction of benzaldehyde with excess pyrrole at room temperature in the absence of solvent affords a mixture of meso-substituted polypyrranes species. After separation by column chromatography, these may be used to prepare a range of calix[4]phyrin macrocycles by condensation with acetone under conditions of acid catalysis.
Incidence of posttransplant diabetes mellitus in kidney transplant recipients immunosuppressed with sirolimus in combination with cyclosporine.

Sirolimus (SRL) in combination with Cyclosporine A (CsA) and steroids has been shown to lower the incidence of acute renal allograft rejection episodes, allowing CsA sparing. We retrospectively compared the incidence of posttransplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) among kidney transplant recipients (KTx) immunosuppressed with SRL+CsA versus CsA alone. Patients were divided into two groups: SRL+CsA (n = 38) versus CsA (n = 48). Mean follow-up was 53.9 ± 17.1 months. Seventeen/86 subjects (19.8%) developed diabetes after transplantation (7 IFG, 8.1%; 10 PTDM, 11.6%). The incidence was significantly higher in SRL+CsA (12/38 patients, 31.6%) compared with CsA (5/43 patients, 10.4%) (P = .0144, odds ratio 3.97). More patients required treatment in the SRL+CsA compared to CsA alone cohort (13.2% vs 2.1%, P = .051): 4 pts (10.5%) became insulin- dependent among SRL+CsA, vs none in the CsA group. Use of OHD was similar in both groups (2.6% SRL+CsA vs 2.1% CsA). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of age, sex distribution, BMI, or serum creatinine at 1 to 3 and 5 years from transplantation. All PTDM patients are alive at follow-up, while two grafts were lost due to chronic renal allograft dysfunction. Within the limits of a small retrospective study, we observed that SRL in combination with CsA increased the diabetogenic potential of CsA. A possible explanation of our findings is that higher CsA doses were used in the early experience with SRL+CsA; therefore the higher incidence of PTDM that we observed in the SRL+CsA combination may be a sign of toxicity. Careful monitoring of blood levels is mandatory in the SRL+CsA combination to avoid pleiotropic toxicity.
EphB2 receptor forward signaling controls cortical growth cone collapse via Nck and Pak

EphB receptors and their ephrinB ligands transduce bidirectional signals that mediate contact-dependent axon guidance primarily by promoting growth cone repulsion. However, how EphB receptor-mediated forward signaling induces axonal repulsion remains poorly understood. Here, we identify Nck and Pak proteins as essential forward signaling components of EphB2-dependent growth cone collapse in cortical neurons. We show that kinase-active EphB2 binds to Pak and promotes growth cone repulsion via Pak kinase activity, Pak-Nck binding, RhoA signaling and endocytosis. However, Pak's function in this context appears to be independent of Rac/Cdc42-GTP, consistent with the absence of Rac-GTP production after ephrinB treatment of cortical neurons. Taken together, our findings suggest that ephrinB-activated EphB2 receptors recruit a novel Nck/Pak signaling complex to mediate repulsive cortical growth cone guidance, which may be relevant for EphB forward signaling-dependent axon guidance in vivo.
Nonparametric boundary detection

We propose a two-step nonparametric method for detecting the boundary curve of an object in an image. First we treat boundary points as change-points on lines across the image, and identify them by the one-sided kernel smoothing method. After obtaining potential boundary points, we use the principal curve method to smooth these points in order to obtain an estimate of smooth boundary curve, Computer simulations are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the method.
Motherhood and apple pie: modularity in modern applications and tools to support it

Modularity has been around for a long time. Good designers attempt to make use of it as much as possible. Languages have been developed to support it. Language extensions have attempted to deal with the situations where languages themselves fail. Tools have been designed to accommodate and encourage it. Most of these efforts, however, are geared toward "simple" homogeneous applications. Unfortunately, modern applications can be a lot more complex and bring up new and exciting challenges in terms of modularity. Today's applications, even relatively simple ones, involve multiple processes running on multiple machines, processes that are often external to the application itself and out of the control of the developers. The individual processes involve multiple threads, complex thread interactions, and opaque libraries. All these affect the way we look at systems and how we approach modularity.In this talk we will look at the organization of several applications we have been building including the programming environment Code Bubbles, the semantic search tool S6, and our intelligent office sign, and consider how modular they are, how flexible their design is, and how we succeeded or failed in accommodating modularity in the face of other challenges such as portability, maintainability, efficiency, and extensibility. We will also look at how programming environments and tools, which are integral to the programming process, can either help or hinder modularity.
Externalized Groshong Catheters and Hickman Ports for Central Venous Access in Gynecologic Oncology Patients

There is a demand on gynecologic oncology services for semipermanent cannulization of central veins to improve the quality of life in cancer patients by circumventing the need for frequent peripheral venous punctures. Central venous thrombosis and sepsis are the major complications with these lines. We reviewed our experience with the externalized Groshong catheters and subcutaneously implanted Hickman ports in 104 gynecologic oncology patients requiring either chemotherapy (56), hyperalimentation (5), or supportive care (43). All devices were inserted under the supervision of one primary gynecologic oncologist. Groshong catheters and Hickman ports remained in place for a median of 68.5 and 210 days, respectively (P < 0.001). Thrombosis occurred in association with 4.8% of catheters and was exclusive to the Groshong catheters. Line sepsis occurred in 32% of Groshong catheters and 16.2% of Hickman ports (P = 0.04). Infection rates were not higher in dual-lumen compared to single-lumen Groshong catheters. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the comments isolate in line infections. The majority of lines were salvaged despite infectious complications. Malfunction of the catheter was equally common in both groups (10.5-13.5%), but was complete, necessitating replacement of only 2.9% of lines. The Groshong catheters took less time to insert (P < 0.003). The externalized Groshong catheter remains a useful alternative to the subcutaneously implanted ports, especially when relatively short-term use is anticipated, but gynecologic oncologists should be aware that there is an increased frequency of complications with the externalized catheter.
The X-ray spectrum of TYCHO

Baade (1945) has identified Tycho's supernova (SN) of A.D. 1572 as Type I, taking into account an analysis of the light curve recorded by Tycho. However, in spite of the obvious interest of Tycho's spectrum, to date the spectrum remains poorly understood. The present study is concerned with a reevaluation of the X-ray spectrum of Tycho. Attention is given to detailed nonequilibrium calculations and a self-consistent hydrodynamic model for ejecta consisting of pure heavy elements moving into a uniform external medium. The model provides a satisfactory fit to the spectrum, and avoids any requirement for a large mass of material in Tycho. It is demonstrated that the observed iron line emission is compatible with the presence of perhaps 0.7 solar mass of iron, of which 0.3 solar mass is shocked.
Experimental validation of multiscale modeling of indentation of suspended circular graphene membranes

Abstract In recent studies, the in-plane elastic properties of graphene have been computed via Density Functional Theory (DFT) and expressed in the form of a higher-order continuum elastic constitutive model. The studies predict that graphene exhibits an anisotropic and non-linear elastic response at high strains. However, one study predicts that the rupture mechanism of graphene at its intrinsic strength is due to elastic instability whereas another study predicts the rupture mechanism at its intrinsic strength is due to phonon instability. In the present paper, we use the higher-order continuum elastic constitutive model within the context of the finite element method to simulate a set of experiments of the indentation of circular freestanding monatomic graphene membranes. There is a close correspondence between the measured and predicted measured force vs. displacement responses of indented graphene, providing experimental validation for the constitutive response. Further, there is a close correspondence between the measured and predicted breaking force of graphene via the elastic instability mechanism. Thus, the results suggest that the elastic instability precipitates failure of pristine graphene at its intrinsic strength, and also provides further experimental validation of the constitutive response.
Kinetic separation by pressure swing adsorption : method of characteristics model

A theoretical model using the method of characteristics is presented for a Skarstrom-type pressure swing adsorption (PSA) cycle using carbon molecular sieve for the kinetic separation of nitrogen/methane mixtures. Good agreement with experimental results was obtained. The solution of the reduced nonlinear ordinary differential equations along characteristics, a variable computational grid from the changing bed velocity, and a constant product flow boundary condition are complications that prohibited using the method of characteristics in favor of finite difference or orthogonal collocation methods. These complications have been overcome in the present study to develop a theoretical model, incorporating nonlinear isotherms and a linear driving force rate for diffusion, which requires less computer time and is particularly amenable for studying transient bed dynamics. The effects of feed pressure and concentration, half-cycle time, and product flow rate on kinetic PSA performance are also illustrated.
Situations and prepositions

Extension de la semantique des situations de Barwise et Perry a la semantique des prepositions. L'A. commence par presenter un certain type de prepositions relatives a des verbes, puis analyse leur propriete et conclut par une discussion sur la theorie semantique de la valence
Structure and properties of polypropylene-nanoclay composites

The structure, morphology and mechanical properties of polypropylene-nanoclay composites containing 1 to15 wt.% nanoclay was investigated. Combination of wide-angle x-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to determine nanocomposite morphology. Mixture of intercalated and exfoliated morphology was observed for all the samples. Samples with 1 to 5 wt.% clay showed shear induced orientation of clay platelets in the surface region of the molded bars. Glass transition temperature slightly decreased due to the plasticizing effect of additives. At higher weight percentage reinforcement (10–15 wt.%), up to 67 % improvement in tensile modulus is observed. Breaking energy was significantly improved for samples with up to 2 wt.% nanoclay additives. With further increase in nanoclay weight percentage, failure mode shifted from ductile to brittle. Increase in exclusion of clay additives at the boundary of spherulites and segregation of clay platelets were observed for samples with higher weight percentage of clay additives.
Underwater Cultural Heritage Policies of the United States Coastal Zone

Domestic management of historic shipwrecks and other Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) resources located in the United States coastal zone is extensively fragmented and a portion of it has significant implications in terms of international law. In the United States coastal zone, UCH (largely historic shipwrecks) falls under one of three general regimes, depending on where the resource is located and subject to specific and individual requirements: the General Maritime Law, the Abandoned Shipwreck Act, and the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, also known as the Marine Sanctuaries Act. After examining the development of and current status of these regimes, this article will suggest policies for a stronger, more coordinated federal management regime in United States coastal waters. It will specifically argue that a recent decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit provides a well-designed paradigm that could be linked with pertinent aspects of the three identified r...
Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis

Abstract Objectives To review our experience with the management of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis with emphasis on disease-related outcomes. Methods A retrospective chart review of patients seen during the past 25 years at our cancer center identified 5 cases of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis. Results The mean age of patients at presentation was 61.2 years (range 57 to 83). Asbestos exposure was identified in 4 patients. Three patients presented with clinical symptoms suggestive of a hydrocele and two presented with clinical signs of an inguinal hernia. The final diagnosis was established intraoperatively in 1 patient and postoperatively in the remaining 4. Radical orchiectomy or hernia sac with spermatic cord excision was the primary treatment modality. Although radical surgical treatment achieved negative resection margins in 4 cases, 4 of 5 patients died of the disease, with a mean disease-specific survival of only 29 months (range 5 to 68). Regional inguinal lymph node metastasis developed in 3 of 5 patients. Salvage therapy did not prove curative in the 2 patients who received it. Conclusions Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis constitutes a rare but often fatal malignancy of the male genitalia. This diagnosis should be suspected in patients exposed to asbestos and presenting with clinical symptoms of either hydrocele or inguinal hernia. Frequent inguinal lymph node involvement indicates a potential role of inguinal lymphadenectomy in the primary treatment.
Diabetic Nephropathy in Pregnancy: Suboptimal Hypertensive Control Associated With Preterm Delivery

Background Nephropathy complicates 5% to 10% of pregnancies in women with diabetes and is associated with adverse outcomes. Given the importance of blood pressure (BP) control in reducing cardiovascular and renal complications outside of pregnancy, we hypothesized that poorly controlled hypertension in early pregnancy among women with diabetic nephropathy would be associated with adverse outcomes. Methods To examine the impact of hypertensive control in early pregnancy on perinatal outcomes, we performed a retrospective cohort study of pregnancies complicated by diabetic nephropathy with “Above Target” mean arterial pressure (≥100 mm Hg; N = 21) and “Below Target” mean arterial pressure ( Results There were no differences in maternal age (mean ± SEM: 27.2 ± 1.2 v 29.5 ± 1.0 years), duration of diabetes (median, range: 17.5, 13 to 24 v 16, 1 to 25 years), or glucose control (glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c] 8.0% ± 0.3% v 8.1% ± 0.4%) between the Above and Below Target groups. The Above Target group had more proteinuria (4.69 ± 1.08 v 1.65 ± 0.43 g/24 h; P = .007) and higher serum creatinine levels (1.23 ± 0.17 v 0.85 ± 0.06 mg/dL; P = .02). The Above Target group was more likely to deliver at Conclusions Suboptimal control of hypertension in early pregnancy in women with diabetic nephropathy is associated with a significant risk of preterm delivery. Improved preconceptional control of hypertension may reduce adverse perinatal outcomes in women with diabetic nephropathy.
Hereditary Ovarian Cancer—Assessing Risk and Prevention Strategies

Hereditary ovarian cancers are almost entirely attributable to mutations in BRCA1/2 or the genes of DNA mismatch repair. Identifying individuals at risk requires a complete family history and evidence-guided genetic testing. Screening of women at increased risk for ovarian cancer can be considered in those not wishing prophylactic surgery and typically should include a twice-annual pelvic examination, serum CA-125 measurement, and transvaginal sonography. Patients must understand that these measures have not been conclusively proven to improve early detection or long-term survival. In all mutation carriers who have completed or do not desire childbearing, prophylactic bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy must be strongly considered.
A New Biomechanical Model for Estimating Vertebral Loading in the Thoracic Spine

Back pain is among the most common musculoskeletal complaints. To understand the etiology of back pain, biomechanical models are commonly used to estimate forces on the spine during activities of daily life. To date, these models have considered only the lumbar spine in healthy men due to interest in occupational low back pain. However, vertebral fractures and other injuries are also common in the thoracic region of the spine. Yet, the ribcage and sternum present technical challenges that necessitate different mechanical considerations in the thoracic spine.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
“Geography of Opportunity”: Poverty, Place, and Educational Outcomes:

This article is an expanded version of the 2008 American Educational Research Association’s Presidential Address. The purpose of the article is to describe the geography of opportunity in two metropolitan regions of the United States that are engaged in significant efforts to transform their local political economies. Both metropolitan regions have invested substantive resources into the development of an area of industrial science—one in telecommunications, one in biotechnology. A central underlying question in this article is, How does geography influence opportunity? The article’s two case studies investigate this question, using different methodological approaches. The article concludes with two important lessons learned from the research.
Turbulence and Internal Waves at the Equator. Part II: Details of a Single Event

Abstract In the low Richardson number shear flow above the Pacific Equatorial Undercurrent, a single vertical microstructure profile intersected the overturning crest of a packet of high horizontal wavenumber waves. The observed dissipation rates within the overturning wave were so high that if they were representative of the volume-averaged rate, the total wave energy would have been dissipated within a single buoyancy period. The chaotic structure (and temperature fluctuations with horizontal scales less than 2 m) of the two wave crests and troughs west of the overturning wave crest suggest that recent mixing had occurred there. Wave crests and troughs east of the overturning wave crest showed little or no sign of turbulent mixing. Similar high horizontal wavenumber waves, believed to be shear-instability waves, have been observed in low Richardson number regions of the midlatitude seasonal thermocline. Although the equatorial waves have a horizontal wavelength appropriate for shear-instability waves, t...
Optimization of the Cleavage Reaction for Cyanylated Cysteinyl Proteins for Efficient and Simplified Mass Mapping

Abstract Peptide chains can be cleaved selectively on the N-terminal side of cysteine residues after cyanylation of sulfhydryl groups to form an amino-terminal peptide and a series of 2-iminothiazolidine-4-carboxyl peptides. This paper describes a systematic study that was carried out to elucidate the effects of peptide structure and reaction conditions on the kinetics of the reactions and the yields of cleavage products. Both cleavage and β-elimination reactions under different conditions (pH 8.0, 9.0, and 12.0 and 1 M ammonia solution) were quantitatively evaluated using reversed-phase HPLC and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-MS. Contrary to previous reports, our results showed that higher pH greatly accelerates both cleavage and β-elimination reactions, while the relative yield of β-elimination products does not increase for most of the peptides studied. Optimal results were obtained in 1 M ammonium hydroxide solution, in which cleavage is complete within an hour at ambient temperature. This improvement also minimizes side reactions otherwise associated with long hours of exposure to alkaline conditions, [original report called for 12 to 80 h of incubation in mildly alkaline (pH 8–9) buffer]. The yields of cleavage reactions depend primarily on the structure of amino acids on the N-terminal side of cyanylated cysteines; the Pro–Cys and Tyr–Cys bonds were resistant to cleavage, promoting β-elimination as the main reaction. The improved cleavage conditions greatly simplify the analytical procedure, which has been successfully applied to the determination of cysteine status in spinach ferredoxin, ovalbumin, and rabbit muscle creatine phosphokinase.
Numerical Assessment of Four-Port Through-Flow Wave Rotor Cycles with Passage Height Variation

The potential for improved performance of wave rotor cycles through the use of passage height variation is examined. A Quasi-one-dimensional CFD code with experimentally validated loss models is used to determine the flowfield in the wave rotor passages. Results indicate that a carefully chosen passage height profile can produce substantial performance gains. Numerical performance data are presented for a specific profile, in a four-port, through-flow cycle design which yielded a computed 4.6% increase in design point pressure ratio over a comparably sized rotor with constant passage height. In a small gas turbine topping cycle application, this increased pressure ratio would reduce specific fuel consumption to 22% below the un-topped engine; a significant improvement over the already impressive 18% reductions predicted for the constant passage height rotor. The simulation code is briefly described. The method used to obtain rotor passage height profiles with enhanced performance is presented. Design and off-design results are shown using two different computational techniques. The paper concludes with some recommendations for further work.
Visualization and Representation of Mobile Network Users

In this paper we discuss a framework to visualize user dynamics in large-scale WLAN traces on the Google Earth interface. The visualization technique helps us to observe the users within the temporal and geographic context, and it is a powerful tool to show case several earlier research results, including user classification and behavior-aware protocol design. We plan to use the visualization tool to help user mobility/encounter pattern prediction in the future.
A Reconciliation of Viscous and Inviscid Approaches to Computing Locomotion of Deforming Bodies

We present a formulation for coupled solutions of fluid and body dynamics in problems of biolocomotion. This formulation unifies the treatment at moderate to high Reynolds number with the corresponding inviscid problem. By a viscous splitting of the Navier–Stokes equations, inertial forces from the fluid are distinguished from the viscous forces, and the former are further decomposed into contributions from body motion in irrotational fluid and ambient fluid vorticity about an equivalent stationary body. In particular, the added mass of the fluid is combined with the intrinsic inertia of the body to allow for simulations of bodies of arbitrary mass, including massless or neutrally buoyant bodies. The resulting dynamical equations can potentially illuminate the role of vorticity in locomotion, and the fundamental differences of locomotion in real and perfect fluids.
Appearance models for occlusion handling

Abstract Objects in the world exhibit complex interactions. When captured in a video sequence, some interactions manifest themselves as occlusions. A visual tracking system must be able to track objects, which are partially or even fully occluded. In this paper we present a method of tracking objects through occlusions using appearance models. These models are used to localize objects during partial occlusions, detect complete occlusions and resolve depth ordering of objects during occlusions. This paper presents a tracking system which successfully deals with complex real world interactions, as demonstrated on the PETS 2001 dataset.