cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conversion of proximal to distal gastric bypass for failed gastric bypass for superobesity

The purpose of this study was to analyze outcome following malabsorptive distal gastric bypass (D-GBP) in superobese patients who were reoperated for recurrent obesity comorbidity after a failed standard gastric bypass (S-GBP). Twenty-seven formerly superobese patients with a failed S-GBP converted to a D-GBP were studied. The small bowel was anastomosed 250 cm from the ileocecal valve to the disconnected Roux limb; the bypassed small intestine was connected to the ileum 50 cm from the ileocecal valve in five patients between 1985 and 1986 and 150 cm from the ileocecal valve in 22 patients thereafter. Comorbidity was reassessed yearly following conversion to D-GBP. Malnutrition occurred in all five patients with a 50 cm “common tract”; all required further revision and two died of hepatic failure. Three of 22 patients with a 150cm common tract were reoperated with bowel lengthening because of malnutrition. Initial body mass index was 57±2 kg/m2 and fell from 46±2 kg/m2 before revision to 37±2 kg/m2 at 1 year and 32±2 kg/m2 at 5 years after revision; the percentage of excess weight lost went from 30±4% to 61±4% at 1 year and 69±5% at 5 years after revision. Preoperative comorbidity in patients undergoing revision included 14 with insulin-dependent type II diabetes mellitus, 11 with sleep apnea, 14 with hypoventilation, 13 with hypertension, and two with venous stasis ulcers. Obesity comorbidity was corrected within 1 year in all but two patients with hypertension and remained stable in all patients followed for 5 years. Revision of a failed S-GBP to a 150 cm common tract D-GBP corrects failed weight loss and severe obesity comorbidity but requires nutritional support to prevent proteincalorie malnutrition, iron and fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies, and further revision in some patients to correct malnutrition. A 50 cm common tract has an unacceptable morbidity and mortality.
Pneumothorax in the newborn infant

Summary 1. Three cases of pneumothorax in the newborn infant are presented. 2. Two etiologic factors of pneumothorax in the newborn infant are emphasized, and the probable mode of action of each examined. 3. The diagnosis, radiographic findings, and treatment are outlined.
EVIDENCE THAT POLYWATER IS A COLLOIDAL SILICATE SOL.

Abstract : A study was made of the 'anomalous' condensation of water and its conversion to 'polywater' in glass and silica capillaries. The condensate was expelled as a sol-like material that on evaporation frequently gave a particulate appearance. The residue was analyzed using the electron probe and found to contain significant amounts of silicon and sodium. These results suggest that the unusual properties of 'polywater' may be due to the presence of silica or silicate. It is further shown that, since alkaline silicate solutions can absorb CO2, the infrared spectra of 'polywater' may actually be due, in part, to bicarbonate ion. (Author)
Mantle Flow Beneath a Continental Strike-Slip Fault: Postseismic Deformation After the 1999 Hector Mine Earthquake

Two recent large earthquakes in the Mojave Desert, California-the magnitude 7.3 1992 Landers and magnitude 7.1 1999 Hector Mine earthquakes-have each been followed by elevated crustal strain rates over periods of months and years. Geodetic data collected after the Hector Mine earthquake exhibit a temporally decaying horizontal velocity field and a quadrant uplift pattern opposite to that expected for localized shear beneath the earthquake rupture. We interpret the origin of this accelerated crustal deformation to be vigorous flow in the upper mantle in response to the stress changes generated by the earthquake. Our results suggest that transient flow in the upper mantle is a fundamental component of the earthquake cycle and that the lower crust is a coherent stress guide coupling the upper crust with the upper mantle.
Bronchogenic carcinoma: a survey of CT protocols for staging disease.

Rationale and Objectives. To determine whether a standard computed tomographic (CT) protocol is used in the staging of lung cancer. Materials and Methods. A questionnaire was designed to determine what type of CT scanner is used, whether intravenous contrast material is used, how often the abdomen is scanned and at what level, and the section thicknesses used in scanning the chest and abdomen in patients with lung cancer. A total of 1,118 survey forms were mailed to members of the Society of Thoracic Radiology and to all community hospitals in the United States with at least 300 beds. Results. The authors received 520 responses (47%) to the 1,118 questionnaires mailed. Of these 520 responses, 140 were from society members, 256 were from hospitals with 300–500 beds, and 124 were from hospitals with more than 500 beds. One-half of hospital respondents used helical CT scanners. Significantly more society members used helical CT scanners (P Conclusion. No CT protocol is consistently used for the examination of patients with lung cancer. Use of intravenous contrast material during chest or liver CT also is not uniform.
Response of bovine muscles to direct high voltage electrical stimuli

Left sides of beef carcasses were stimulated (ES) using multiple-contact electrodes for both the positive and negative electrodes. These electrodes were attached to the carcass side in the neck and shoulder (arm) region (positive electrodes) and the hindquarter (round) region (negative electrodes). Stimulation was generated using 600 V, 60 Hz, 2·8 A alternating current for a duration of 2 min (impulses: 2 s on and 2 s off). Right sides served as controls. Carcass sides were chilled at 2°C. Stimulated sides showed a more rapid pH fall during the first 5 h post-stimulation in the longissimus dorsi, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, biceps femoris and triceps brachii (long head) muscles. Lower shear values for muscles in direct contact with the ES electrodes were observed compared to controls, except in the case of the semitendinosus muscle, where no difference was found. Data from the present study suggest that muscles, which quite often do not respond to ES and do not exhibit an improvement in tenderness, perhaps because they may not be located in the current pathway, can show improvements in tenderness if the current is distributed in the direction of these muscles. However, a muscle's response to the electrical stimuli, with the accompanying rapid decline in pH, does not necessarily ensure a significant improvement in tenderness.
Bridging Worlds in the Social Studies Classroom: Teachers’ Practices and Latino Immigrant Youths’ Civic and Political Development

Purpose – Prior research suggests that high school experiences shape young adult political behaviors, particularly among immigrant youth. The U.S. social studies classroom, focused on democratic citizenship education, proves an interesting socializing institution.Methods – Through qualitative inquiry, we interviewed Latino immigrant young adults and their former teachers regarding their high school social studies experiences and evolving political and civic engagement.Findings – Armed with experience bridging the worlds of the school and home, immigrant students respond and relate to the content and pedagogy of the social studies classroom in such a way that they (1) participate in civic discourse and (2) nurture a disposition toward leadership through teachers’ civic expectations of them and instructional emphasis on critical thinking skills.Social implications – The ability to engage in civic discourse and a disposition toward leadership are both necessary to foster America's democratic ideals, and to take on leadership roles during adulthood. With focused effort on the unique perspective of immigrant youth, high school social studies teachers can nurture in these students the ability to become leaders in young adulthood, broadening the potential leadership pool.Originality – This study highlights how the social studies curriculum may be particularly salient to Latino immigrant youth as they transition from adolescence to young adulthood and develop their political and civic identities.
Domestic–External Linkages and the Cold War in 1953 and 1989: Using International Relations Theory and Comparative Politics to Explain the End of the Cold War

Drawing on theories of international relations (IR) and comparative politics, this article explains why the cold war ended in 1989 rather than 1953. Numerous scholars have used IR theory to discuss the end of the cold war, but most of the circumstances they highlight were also present in the spring of 1953, right after the death of Joseph Stalin. This article presents three broad theoretical approaches that deal with the connection between domestic politics and international relations, and it then shows how these approaches can help us understand the similarities and differences between 1953 and 1989. In particular, the article emphasises the importance of time. In the spring of 1953, the window of opportunity was very brief—only a few months, which was insufficient for the two main cold war antagonists to overcome their deeply entrenched suspicions and make far-reaching adjustments in their policies. In the latter half of the 1980s, by contrast, the sweeping reorientation of east–west relations occurred ...
Evidence for dual regulation by protein kinases A and C of thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptor mRNA in GH3 cells.

We showed previously that TRH down-regulates TRH receptor (TRH-R) mRNA in GH3 cells by a mechanism that appears to be mediated by protein kinase C. Here we show that vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) down-regulates TRH-R mRNA and present evidence that this action is mediated by protein kinase A. In GH3 cells, VIP caused a time- and concentration-dependent decrease in TRH-R mRNA. This VIP effect was simulated by 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP, forskolin, cholera toxin and 1- methyl-3-isobutylxanthine. When cells were incubated with agents that elevate cAMP and TRH or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, the decrease in TRH-R mRNA was greater than with either agent alone. When cells were pre-incubated with H-7 [1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazinedihydrochloride], an inhibitor of protein kinases, the effects of VIP, TRH and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate were inhibited. We suggest that VIP, via protein kinase A, and TRH, via protein kinase C, dually regulate TRHR mRNA.
A new semiparametric procedure for matched case-control studies with missing covariates

In this paper, we propose an easy-to-use semiparametric method for analysing matched case-control data when one of the covariates of interest is partially missing. Missing covariate information in matched case-control studies may create bias and reduce efficiency of the parameter estimates. In order to cope with this situation we consider a robust approach which is comprised of estimating some functionals of the distribution of the partially missing covariate using a kernel regression technique in a conditional likelihood framework. The large sample theory of the proposed estimator is investigated and the asymptotic normality is obtained. A simulation study is conducted to assess the performance of the proposed method in terms of robustness and efficiency. The proposed method is also applied to a real dataset which motivates this work.
Low Cost Test of High Bandwidth Embedded Memories

This work presents architectures and methods necessary for providing efficient and thorough test of high bandwidth embedded memories using low speed ATE. Details are also provided on the techniques used to minimize test related silicon area and test time requirements. This combination of flexible at-speed test with minimal circuitry and ATE requirements, and reduced time under test, leads to lower cost production of embedded memories.
Production of a monoclonal antibody by in vitro immunization that recognizes a native chondroitin sulfate epitope in the embryonic chick limb and heart.

We report the production of a monoclonal antibody (d1C4) by in vitro immunization that has immunoreactivity with a native chondroitin sulfate epitope in embryonic chick limb and heart. Murine lymphocytes were stimulated by direct exposure to unfixed, unsolubilized precartilage mesenchymal aggregates in high-density micromass culture derived from Stage 22–23 chick limb buds. Specificity of d1C4 reactivity was demonstrated by sensitivity of immunohistochemical staining to pretreatment with chondroitinase ABC or AC, preferential immunoreactivity with chondroitin-6-sulfate glycosaminoglycan (CS-C GAG) in ELISA, and competition of immunohistochemical staining with CS-C GAG. Immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of the d1C4 epitope revealed a striking localization of immunoreactivity in the extracellular matrix (ECM) of precartilage aggregates of chick limb mesenchyme in high-density micromass culture by 16 hr and the prechondrogenic limb core at Stage 23 in vivo. Immunoreactivity in both cultured limb...
Effective bandwidth-based QoS provisioning for real-time audio/video streaming over MIMO-OFDM wireless networks

We propose a cross-layer design scheme to support the real-time quality of service (QoS) guarantees for heterogeneous mobile users over downlink MIMO-OFDM wireless networks. Inspired by the effective bandwidth theory originally established for wired networks, we develop the approach to apply the theory into wireless networks. Based on MIMO-OFDM infrastructure employed at the physical (PHY)-layer, we analytically derive the medium access control (MAC)-layer admission-control and time-slot allocation algorithms to guarantee the statistical delay-bound for different real-time users. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme can efficiently support the wireless QoS requirement for diverse real-time mobile users.
microPrimer: the biogenesis and function of microRNA

Discovered in nematodes in 1993, microRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding RNAs that are related to small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), the small RNAs that guide RNA interference (RNAi). miRNAs sculpt gene expression profiles during plant and animal development. In fact, miRNAs may regulate as many as one-third of human genes. miRNAs are found only in plants and animals, and in the viruses that infect them. miRNAs function very much like siRNAs, but these two types of small RNAs can be distinguished by their distinct pathways for maturation and by the logic by which they regulate gene expression.
3-D integral equation analysis of guided and leaky waves on a thin-film structure with 2-D material gratings

This paper presents a 3-D integral equation analysis of guided surface waves and leaky waves on a dielectric layer structure with 2-D implanted periodic dielectric blocks. The electric fields within the implanted periodic blocks are unknowns in the moment method. The method involves a full dyadic Green's function. The guided surface waves and leaky waves are identified as eigenvalues of a deterministic equation resulting from a moment method procedure. The analysis may deal with a variety of irregular and anisotropic implants. The analysis may also deal with layered or grounded structures through the modification of the Green's function. The presented approach is also suitable for the analysis of photonic band gap materials.
A structural view of cadherin adhesion

Summary form only. The cadherins comprise the largest known family of cell adhesion proteins, and their function is critical in countless events in the morphogenesis and homeostasis of solid tissues. Nonetheless, the molecular mechanisms underlying cadherin-mediated cell adhesion and its regulation are only partly understood. We present data from cell adhesion studies which suggest that adhesion in classical cadherins is mediated primarily through the amino-terminal domain. This data supports similar conclusions from numerous previous studies. Furthermore, we present crystallographic evidence that explains some aspects of cell adhesion at the atomic level, in particular that cis- (same cell) dimerization is a prerequisite for activation of cadherin adhesion, and may operate by increasing the homophilic avidity of cadherins by a mechanism akin to clustering.
A review of individual differences in field dependence as a factor in auto safety.

Several studies suggest that field-dependent drivers may have more accidents than field-independent drivers. However, much more research is needed to specify the nature of the driver behaviors involved. In this report severalhypotheses are considered concerning how field-dependent and field-independent drivers may differ in response to developing emergencies and with respect to defensive behaviors. Methodological problems involved in testing these hypotheses are also discussed. Keywords: Driver distraction;
Dependability of embedded systems

Almost all modem, engineered systems depend on computers for their correct operation. The cost, size, and power requirements of microprocessors have dropped to a point where it is both feasible and desirable to embed computers into everything from people to toasters. Obviously computers embedded in people must operate correctly because they are providing what is presumably some form of medical service. But even computers embedded in toasters have to operate correctly because incorrect operation might cause a fire. A serious though less obvious issue with embedded computers, even in appliances, is the financial loss from failure. Recalling a mass-produced appliance to repair a defective embedded computer, correcting the software for example, can be financially devastating for the manufacturer. Embedded systems control external equipment, and significant physical damage can occur as a result of defective software. It is important that software engineers understand the major elements of current technology in the field of dependability as it applies to embedded systems, yet this material tends to be unfamiliar to researchers and practitioners alike. Researchers are often concerned in one way or another with some aspect of what is mistakenly called software "reliability". All practitioners are concerned with the "reliability" of the software that they produce but researchers and practitioners tend not to understand fully the broader impact of their work. A lot of research, such as that on testing, is concerned directly with software dependability. Understanding dependability more fully allows researchers to be more effective. Similarly, practitioners can direct their efforts during development more effectively if they have a better understanding of dependability. Software by itself is benign. Only when it is being used in an application system does the role of software become fully defined. Thus software is just a component of a system, and the dependability of an embedded system depends on how systems engineering information is used in software specification and development.
An Incisor Plaque Model in Rats

An in vivo model for studying plaque accumulation in rats has been described. This model investigates plaque formation on the mandibular incisors in animals which have been found to be rapid plaque-formers during a pre-test period. The accessibility of these tooth surfaces permits the removal of plaque prior to initiation of tests, the use of test groups balanced on the basis of plaque-forming potential, and interitn assessments of plaque formation throughout the test period, In addition, baseline plaque scores of near zero can be attained, thereby permitting investigations of the impact of experimental measures on plaque formation. Moreover, the model permits intermittent plaque assessments throughout the test period, This model was found to have adequate sensitivity to distinguish effects between antimicrobial agents known to differ in their clinical activity and to detect differences between varying concentrations of the same agent.
Tobacco industry success in preventing regulation of secondhand smoke in Latin America: the “Latin Project”

Objective: To examine the tobacco industry’s strategy to avoid regulations on secondhand smoke exposure in Latin America. Methods: Systematic search of tobacco industry documents available through the internet. All available materials, including confidential reports regarding research, lobbying, and internal memoranda exchanged between the tobacco industry representatives, tobacco industry lawyers, and key players in Latin America. Results: In Latin America, Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco, working through the law firm Covington & Burling, developed a network of well placed physicians and scientists through their “Latin Project” to generate scientific arguments minimising secondhand smoke as a health hazard, produce low estimates of exposure, and to lobby against smoke-free workplaces and public places. The tobacco industry’s role was not disclosed. Conclusions: The strategies used by the industry have been successful in hindering development of public health programmes on secondhand smoke. Latin American health professionals need to be aware of this industry involvement and must take steps to counter it to halt the tobacco epidemic in Latin America.
Seasonality of reproduction in the sable antelope

ummary The timing of reproduction of the sable antelope Hippotragus niger roosevelti was studied in the Shimba Hills National Reserve, Kenya. The pattern of four herds was followed through a 3-year period. Distribution of births throughout the year charac terizes this population while sable in southern latitudes calve seasonally. In the Shimba Hills members of a herd may synchronize their reproduction and possible adaptive significance of such synchrony is discussed. Resume L'epoque de reproduction de 1'Antilope Sable, Hippotragus niger roosevelti a eteetudiee dans la Reserve Nationale de Shimba Hills, au Kenya. La composition de quatre troupeaux fut suivie durant une periode de trois ans. La repartition des naissances tout aulong de 1'annee est caracteristique de cette population alors que, sous des latitudes plus meridionales, l'Antilope Sable met bas saisonnierement. Dans les Shimba Hills, il se peut que les membres d'un troupeau parviennent a synchroniser leur cycle de reproduction, et le sens d'une adaptation possible a une telle synchronisation est discute.
Effect of Continuous Multiphase Feeding Schedules on Nitrogen Excretion and Broiler Performance

ABSTRACT Two experiments were conducted simultaneously to evaluate the effects of continuous multiphase feeding programs on nitrogen excretion and broiler performance. Birds in both experiments were fed diets based on 1 of 3 unique feeding schedules. One feeding program consisted of an industry-type 4-phase schedule, whereas the remaining treatments consisted of diets that were blended and replaced every 3 d. One of these continuous multiphase feeding programs was based on industry average nutrient compositions, whereas the other feeding program was based on the EFG Broiler Growth Model. In experiment 1, 60 one-day-old male broiler chicks were randomly placed in 30 separate battery brooding pens with 3 unique feeding schedules (10 replicates per treatment). Nitrogen analyses were conducted on broiler excreta and ground, whole birds. Experiment 2 was conducted to evaluate the effects of continuous multiphase feeding programs on broiler performance in floor pens. A total of 540 one-day-old male broiler chicks were placed in 36 pens, yielding 12 replicates of 3 treatments. Continuous multiphase feeding schedules improved BW gain and the feed-to-gain ratio during wk 3 and 4 (experiment 1) and wk 5 and 6 (experiment 2). Nitrogen excretion and retention, however, were unaffected by the different feeding programs.
Combined cocurrent‐countercurrent blowdown cycle in pressure swing adsorption

En utilisant un modele d'equilibre local on met en place une optimisation du cycle de purge du processus
The site of calcium binding in relation to the activation of myofibrillar contraction.

Skeletal muscle myofibrils, in the presence of 2 mM MgCl2 at pH 7.0, were found to have two classes of calcium-binding sites with apparent affinity constants of 2.1 x 106 M-1 (class 1) and ∼3 x 104 M-1 (class 2), respectively. At free calcium concentrations essential for the activation of myofibrillar contraction (∼10-6 M) there would be significant calcium binding only to the class 1 sites. These sites could bind about 1.3 µmoles of calcium per g protein. Extraction of myosin from the myofibrils did not alter their calcium-binding parameters. Myosin A, under identical experimental conditions, had little affinity for calcium. The class 1 sites are, therefore, presumed to be located in the I filaments. The class 1 sites could only be detected in F actin and myosin B preparations which were contaminated with the tropomyosin-troponin complex. Tropomyosin bound very little calcium. Troponin, which in conjunction with tropomyosin confers calcium sensitivity on actomyosin systems, could bind 22 µmoles of calcium per g protein with an apparent affinity constant of 2.4 x 106 M-1. In view of the identical affinity constants of the myofibrils and troponin and the much greater number of calcium-binding sites on troponin it is suggested that calcium activates myofibrillar contraction by binding to the troponin molecule.
Learning to Group Web Text Incorporating Prior Information

Clustering similar items for web text has become increasingly important in many Web and Information Retrieval applications. For several kinds of web text data, it is much easier to obtain some external information other than textual features which can be utilized to improve the performance of clustering analysis. This external information, called prior information, indicates label sign and pair wise constraints on sample points. We propose a unifying framework that can incorporate prior information of cluster membership for web text cluster analysis and develop a novel semi-supervised clustering model. The proposed framework offers several advantages over existing semi-supervised approaches. First, most previous work handles labeled data by converting it to pair wise constraints and thus leads to much more computation. The proposed approach can handle pair wise constraints together with labeled data simultaneously so that the computation is greatly reduced. Second, the framework allows us to obtain these prior information automatically or only with little human effort, thus, making it possible to boost the clustering learning performance relatively easily. We evaluated the proposed method on the real-world problems of automatically grouping online news feeds and web blog messages. Experimental results indicate the proposed framework incorporating prior information can indeed lead to statistically significant clustering improvements over the performance of approaches access only to textual features.
Murine model of accelerated transplant arteriosclerosis.

To define the role of specific gene deletions and mutations in the development of transplant arteriosclerosis, we generated an accelerated model of the disease in mice. Carotid arteries were transplanted between B.10A(2R) (H-2h2) donor mice and C57BL/6J (H-2b) recipients and compared with arteries isografted between H-2b mice. Immunosuppressive drugs were not used. Within 7 days, the allografted carotid artery formed a neointima composed of mononuclear leukocytes (CD45+) that were predominantly monocytes or macrophages (ie, CD11b+ cells with single-lobed nuclei). CD4+ and CD8+ cells were present as well. By 30 days, the neointima became exuberant, and mononuclear leukocytes were largely replaced by smooth muscle cells. Cells staining for proliferating-cell nuclear antigen were abundantly present in the intima at both early and late time points, indicating the proliferation of mononuclear leukocytes and smooth muscle cells. The area of the intima increased from day 7 to day 30 (P < .0005), as did the number of nuclei (P = .0005), but the density of the nuclei decreased (P = .02), suggesting the formation of extracellular matrix. Six of the eight isografts formed no neointima, and in samples from the remaining two, a single layer of smooth muscle neointimal cells covered just a portion of the vessel circumference. This model, which reproduces many of the features of human transplant arteriosclerosis but at an accelerated pace, should prove useful for determining the roles in transplant arteriosclerosis of genes that code for components of immunologic and inflammatory responses.
Effects Of Irradiation Temperature on Embrittlement of Nuclear Pressure Vessel Steels

The effects of neutron irradiation on the steel reactor vessel for the modular hightemperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR) are being investigated, primarily because the operating temperatures are low [121 to 288°C (250-550°F)] compared to those for commercial light-water reactors (LWRs) [~288°C (550°F)]. The need for design data on the reference temperature (RTNDT) shift necessitated the irradiation at different temperatures of A 533 grade B class 1 plates, A 508 class 3 forging, and welds used for the vessel shell, vessel closure head, and vessel flange. This paper presents regularand mini-tensile, Automated Ball Indentation (ABI) and Charpy V-notch (CVN) impact test results from five irradiation capsules of this program. The first four capsules were irradiated in the University of Buffalo Reactor (UBR) to an effective fast fluence of 1.1×10 neutrons/cm [0.7×10 neutrons/cm (>1 MeV)] at temperatures of 288, 204, 163, and 121°C (550, 400, 325, and 250°F), respectively. The fifth capsule (designated ORNL-7) was irradiated in the Ford Nuclear Reactor (FNR) of the University of Michigan at 60°C (140°F) to an effective fast fluence of 1.3×10 neutrons/cm [0.8 × 10] (>1 MeV) ]. The yield and ultimate strength of both A 553 grade B class 1 plate materials of the MHTGR increased with decreasing irradiation temperature. Similarly, the 41-J CVN transition temperature shift increased with decreasing irradiation temperature (in agreement with the increase in yield strength). The mini-tensile and Automated Ball Indentation (ABI) test results (yield strength and flow properties) were in good agreement with those from standard tensile specimens. The minitensile and ABI test results were also used on a model which utilizes the changes on yield strength to estimate the CVN ductile-to-brittle transition temperature shift due to irradiation. The model predictions were compared with the CVN test results obtained here and in earlier work.
Minimum distance and optimal transformations on SO(N )

The group of special (or proper) orthogonal matrices, SO(N), is used throughout engineering mechanics in the analysis and representation of mechanical systems. In this paper, a solution is presented for the optimal transformation between two elements of SO(N). The transformation is assumed to occur during a specified finite time, and a cost function that penalizes the transformation rates is utilized. The optimal transformation is found as a constant-rate rotation in each of the principal planes relating the two elements. Although the kinematics of SO(N) are nonlinear and governed by Poisson’s equation, the solution is found to be a linear function of the generalized principal angles. This is made possible by the extension of principal-rotation kinematics from three-dimensional rotations to the general SO(N) group. This extension relates the N-dimensional angular velocity to the derivatives of the principal angles. The cost of the optimal transformation, the square root of the sum of the principal angles squared, also provides a useful measure for the angular distance between two elements of SO(N).
Image-Guided Radiotherapy in Lung Cancer

Technological advances in image guidance have led to improvements in outcome for lung cancer patients treated with radiation therapy. In particular advancements in 2-Dimensional to now 3 and 4-Dimensional treatment planning as well as the use of functional imaging such as FDG-PET/CT have allowed for more accurate targeting of radiation therapy to areas of disease while limiting collateral damage to surrounding normal tissue. Patient specific margins are now applied to individual patients and are substantially less than what has been used in the previous era. This has allowed for radiation dose-escalation to the tumor while maximally sparing the surrounding organs at risk and has translated into improved tumor control and decrease in toxicities clinically. In-treatment room stereoscopic X-ray imaging with or without implanted fiducial markers as well as volumetric kilovoltage or megavoltage cone-beam CT have allowed clinician to reliably deliver the planned treatment daily to the intended target despite the smaller margins of error. Image-guidance is an important evolving component of radiation therapy for lung cancer and is an area of intense research interest.
IL-1 Receptor Antagonist Inhibits Early Granulation Formation

Purpose:Using a functional model of airway granulation tissue in laryngotracheal stenosis, we investigated changes in histopathology and inflammatory markers within granulation tissue in response to an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). This study allows us to further delineate the immune response to wound healing and potentially identify treatment markers.Methods:Laryngotracheal complexes (LTCs) of donor mice underwent direct airway injury. The LTCs were transplanted into subcutaneous tissue of recipient mice in 2 groups: IL-1Ra treated and untreated. The IL-1Ra–treated arm received daily intraperitoneal injections of IL-1Ra for 3 weeks. The LTCs were then harvested. Granulation formation was measured. The mRNA expression of transforming growth factor (TGF) beta and IL-1 was quantified using real-time reverse transcript polymerase chain reaction.Results:There were statistically significant differences in lamina propria thickness. There were no statistically significant changes in mRNA expression...
Androgen Production in Normal Intact and Castrate Immature Female Rats.

SummaryVentral prostates from immature male rats were implanted into female litter mates, both intact and castrated, at 10 days of age. All implants were functionally negative when recovered 10 to 25 days later. Of the 27 female ventral prostates found in intact and castrated immature females, 15 showed some degree of functional activity. The data obtained indicate (a) that in the immature rat the female prostate has a lower threshold of response to androgens than the male prostate, and (b) that there is an extra-ovarian source of androgens in the immature female rat.
Toxicity of DDT and related compounds to certain lepidopteran cotton insects.

Deutero-DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis ( p -chlorophenyl) ethane-2d2), applied as a conventional low-volume spray, was the most effective of several diphenyl aliphatics against larvae of the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.); the bollworm, H. zea (Boddie); and the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner). In topical applications Dilan® (a mixture of 1 part of 1,1-bis( p -chloro-phenyl)-2-nitropropane (Prolan®) and 2 parts of 1,1-bis ( p -chlorophenyl)-2-nitrobutane (Bulan®), was the most toxic compound to tobacco bud worm larvae, and Prolan applied topically was more toxic than Bulan to bollworm and tobacco budworm larvae. Ultra-low-volume sprays of DDT were more effective than conventional low-volume sprays to pink bollworm, Pectinophorn gossypiella (Saunders), adults immediately after application. The LD50 values for DDT applied topically to several strains of cab bage loopers collected throughout the country were almost always greater than that for our laboratory strain (0.2 mg/g) a strain from Ohio had an LD50of 6.8 mg/g, 34 times that of the laboratory strain.
Seismic Waveform Inversion: Practical aspects and Application to field seismic data

Seismic waveform inversion involves estimation of elastic properties by iterative fitting of seismic reflection data with synthetic seismograms. Like many F9other geophysical techniques, the inversion is applied to common mid point gathers assuming locally one-dimensional plane layered earth model. The objective of this paper is two fold. First, we address the critical issues of robustness, stability and uncertainty in which both global and local optimization methods are developed. An adaptive regularization scheme is developed that is used both in local optimization using a truncated Gauss-Newton algorithm and a global optimization based on very fast simulated annealing (VFSA). The `regularization weight' is analogous to `model temperature' of VFSA. The VFSA and local algorithm are used to take advantage of the two approaches. We demonstrate that the adaptive regularization is essential to improve on stability and robustness. The algorithm is inherently parallel and we carry out computation in a cluster of personal computers where load balancing is done carefully. Second, we apply our techniques to two sets of data, one from the Gulf of Thailand and the other from offshore Oregon. We are able to obtain very clear indication of free gas zones from the impedance and Poisson?s ratio maps. These are then transformed into maps of saturation and porosity using a rock-physics model for use in reservoir characterization.
Oncogene mutations in cancer and dysplasia associated with inflammatory bowel disease

Chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBO) predisposes affected individuals to the development of invasive colon cancer. Increased cancer risk has been seen in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in Western societies as well as in schistosomal colitis in China. In this study it was found that the frequency of the 12th codon of c-Ki-ras, as well as the specific amino acid substitutions, were similar in sporadic colon cancers, cancers associated with ulcerative colitis in the United States, and colon cancers found in patients with schistosomal colitis in Jiangsu province in China. Further, activating mutations of codon 12 of e-Ki-ras were found in high grade dysplastic lesions in chronic ulcerative colitis. The latter finding indicates that some dysplasias are clonal proliferative lesions with genetic characteristics associated with invasive cancer.
Surface Adsorption Studied by Optical SHG: Soluble Monolayers at the Air/Water Interface

Optical second harmonic generation (SHG) is applied to investigate the structure of the interfacial layer of soluble surfactants adsorbed to the air/water interface.
Extracting Metrics for Three-dimensional Root Systems: Volume and Surface Analysis from In-soil X-ray Computed Tomography Data

Plant roots play a critical role in plant-soil-microbe interactions that occur in the rhizosphere, as well as processes with important implications to climate change and crop management. Quantitative size information on roots in their native environment is invaluable for studying root growth and environmental processes involving plants. X-ray computed tomography (XCT) has been demonstrated to be an effective tool for in situ root scanning and analysis. We aimed to develop a costless and efficient tool that approximates the surface and volume of the root regardless of its shape from three-dimensional (3D) tomography data. The root structure of a Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) specimen was imaged using XCT. The root was reconstructed, and the primary root structure was extracted from the data using a combination of licensed and open-source software. An isosurface polygonal mesh was then created for ease of analysis. We have developed the standalone application imeshJ, generated in MATLAB1, to calculate root volume and surface area from the mesh. The outputs of imeshJ are surface area (in mm2) and the volume (in mm3). The process, utilizing a unique combination of tools from imaging to quantitative root analysis, is described. A combination of XCT and open-source software proved to be a powerful combination to noninvasively image plant root samples, segment root data, and extract quantitative information from the 3D data. This methodology of processing 3D data should be applicable to other material/sample systems where there is connectivity between components of similar X-ray attenuation and difficulties arise with segmentation.
Effect of flaxseed lignan extract on podocytes in diabetic nephropathy rats

Objective:To explore the effect of Flaxseed Lignan Extract on the podocytes of rats with diabetes nephropathy.Methods: Fifty Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group,DN model group(model group),Enalapril treatment group,Flaxseed Lignan Extract treatment group.After 12 weeks,24 h urinary protein excretion rate,BUN,Scr and kidney weight/body weight were determined.The renal pathology and the changes of podocytes were observed under light microscope and transmission electron microscope.Results: After treatment of Flaxseed Lignan Extract and Enalapril,urinary protein quantity in 24 h,SCr,BUN were reduced(respectively P0.05) compared with the DN model group.Flaxseed Lignan Extract and Enalapril can improve ultrastructure in kidney of diabetic rats,lessen the fusion of foot process,ameliorate the renal pathomorphology change.Conclusion: Flaxseed Lignan Extract can rescue the podocyte injury and provide protective effects on renal fuction of diabetic nephropathy rats.
Case History: CF-116 Upper Wing Skin Fatigue Enhancement Boron Doubler

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the development of a composite-bonded doubler as an enhancement for the CF-116 upper wing skin. The CF-116 uses a single-wing box structure—six ribs and six spars per side sandwiched between an upper and lower wing skin. The two wing skins are chem milled from Al 7075-T651 plate. Fatigue cracking in a compression load dominated structure such as an upper wing skin is not a common occurrence. However, if the wing experiences a high positive “g” loading, the resultant compressive stress in the wing skin when coupled with the stress concentrations in the fastener holes can result in localized compressive yielding in the form of hole elongation. This compressive yielding is balanced by a tensile residual stress zone that can raise the local mean applied stress level such that a fatigue crack can initiate and grow in a compression dominated environment. The repair process carried out consisted of a metallic repair that met the residual strength, static and fatigue design requirements for the wing skin. A composite fatigue enhancement doubler was to be bonded onto the wing skin to reduce the strain levels in the affected area.
Codifying the Common Law of Property in India: Crystallization and Standardization as Strategies of Constraint

The nineteenth-century codification of the common law in India by the British colonial government was much more than an attempt to clarify the law and render it more certain. It was in addition a deeply strategic exercise, wherein substantive legal rules provided the colonial government with a convenient, unnoticed, and indirect means by which to introduce far-reaching institutional and political reforms. Principal among these reforms was curtailing the fecundity of Indian customary law and judicial lawmaking. The codification of property law—in the Indian Transfer of Property Act of 1882—proved to be a perfect vehicle for true reforms. This Article reveals how two central features of property law allowed these changes to be realized with ease. The first of these is property law's presumptive affinity for crystalline (or bright-line) rules, a feature that the codifiers used to curtail the further development of the law by Indian judges. The second is the notion that property forms and institutions need to be standardized, which is the core idea behind the numerus clausus principle. The codifiers used this feature in turn to constrict Indian customary practices that related to property. The Article refers to the codifiers' use of these features as the “crystallization” and “standardization” strategies, respectively, and argues that their effects continue to be felt to this day in the everyday working of the Act of 1882.
Stability of Multi-Phase Systems Evolving on an Equilibrium Manifold

Abstract The paper extends Gibbs tangent plane theory for equilibrium (infinite time) systems to a limited class of non-equilibrium (finite time) systems. The class of systems we consider have dynamics constrained to an equilibrium manifold defined by contact between the entropy and its supporting hyper-plane. It is established that points on the manifold are stabilized provided the degrees of freedom (boundary conditions) are chosen appropriately. The result is applied to the multi-component flash. The adiabatic flash with fixed feed conditions, constant molar hold-up and pressure has a unique and stable steady state. However, a flash with fixed product composition and fixed pressure may have multiple steady states.
T3 SOC design flow case study: Design a video processing pipeline

Topics Covered With CMOS quick scaling down, more and more components are integrated into a SOC chip. How to design a complex SOC chip is becoming a very challenging topic. In this tutorial, we will use our design experience on a video processing pipeline to illustrate the complete design flow for a SOC system. A video processing pipeline consists video signal demodulation, video decoding (H.264/MPEG2/MPEG4 /VC1/AVS, etc), and video post-processing, etc. For video post-processing, it is designed to enhance video quality and might contain motion adaptive/compensated de-interlacing, motion compensated frame rate conversion, noise reduction (out-loop de-blocking, de-ringing, mosquito noise and Gaussian noise reducer), contrast enhancement, sharpness enhancement, color enhancement, etc. There are several reasons that we choose this video processing pipeline as an illustrative example. By year 2006, the consumer electronics market already achieved size of $145 billion, and it will grow to more than $155 billion in 2007, according to the semi-annual industrial report released by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). The transition from analog to digital television together with the dramatic price fall of LCD panel/plasma display will fuel demand in the television market and display technologies to totally account for $26 billion. There are three important factors in making a digital television. The first is panel manufacturing; the second is the semiconductor chip supporting video processing; and the third is component assembling. Among them, video processing pipeline is the core of a digital television and the most design-intensive factor. Further, this video processing pipeline is a very important component inside high-end Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) as implemented and demonstrated in AMD/ATI All-in-Wonder X1900, NVIDIA GPU with Pure Video technology, and Intel integrated/discrete GPU. In this tutorial, we will cover most issues related with designing a SOC for video processing pipeline. More specifically, we will focus our discussion on how to design the algorithms, architecture, and register-transfer level implementation for video post processing. Furthermore, we will discuss the FPGA prototype of this video processing pipeline, and chip validation flow based on simulation and emulation. Target audience This tutorial is intended to provide an insight view on video processing pipeline for industry and academia architects, ASIC/SOC designers, validation engineers, etc. Since this tutorial will bring an industry design experience on a complex SOC system and cover a complete design flow from algorithm, architecture, RTL, FPGA prototype, and chip validation, it will benefit a substantial part of the ASICON2007 audience if they attend this tutorial. Prerequisite knowledge Basic knowledge on video, VLSI, and computer architecture is recommended.
Maximizing benefits in project selection: a hybrid approach

Charitable foundations and government programmes should endeavour to allocate their limited resources to best serve their constituents. Yet, mathematical programming techniques are rarely used desp...