cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pitfalls and challenges of cloaca repair: how to reduce the need for reoperations.

Abstract Purpose Cloacal malformations represent the most complex of genitourinary/anorectal anomalies. We have encountered a unique group of complications in referred patients after failed attempted repairs elsewhere and chose to review this experience with the hope of identifying pitfalls to avoid during the primary repair. Methods In our series of 509 cloacas, 95 were repaired elsewhere but required reoperation. These cases were reviewed for specific indications for reoperation and methods used for reoperative repair. Key findings at reoperation to explain the complication(s) were specifically sought. Results Indications for reoperation included the following: persistent urogenital sinus (46), rectal stricture or acquired atresia (45), acquired vaginal atresia or stricture (45), mislocated rectum (36), urethrovaginal fistula (16), rectal prolapse (12), urethral atresia or stricture (7), and rectovaginal fistula (5). Most patients had more than one indication. In cases of persistent urogenital sinus, the surgeons were unaware of the presence of a cloaca, referring instead to the malformation as a “rectovaginal fistula.” From our reading of the operative reports of the original operations, we ascertain that rectal stricture, atresia, or fistula that occurred was most likely related to tension or ischemia. Prolapse was associated with poor pelvic musculature. The average length of the common channel of those patients with vaginal and urethral problems was 4.1 cm. Conclusion We have observed key complications requiring reoperation in a large series of cloacal malformations that are potentially avoidable. A persistent urogenital sinus can be avoided by properly diagnosing a cloaca and repairing the entire malformation and not just the rectum during the initial repair. Vaginal and urethral complications occurred mainly in patients with a common channel longer than 3 cm. Repair of cloacas with common channels longer than 3 cm requires familiarity with a complex decision-making process, and atresias, strictures, and fistulae can be avoided with adequate mobilization of structures and preservation of blood supply. Rectal prolapse occurrence relates to the quality of the perineal muscles. Reoperations can restore the anatomy, but the functional results are not as good as those achieved after primary repair.
Uniformity, Ideality, and Hydrogen Bonds in Transmembrane α-Helices

Protein environments substantially influence the balance of molecular interactions that generate structural stability. Transmembrane helices exist in the relatively uniform low dielectric interstices of the lipid bilayer, largely devoid of water and with a very hydrophobic distribution of amino acid residues. Here, through an analysis of bacteriorhodopsin crystal structures and the transmembrane helix structure from M2 protein of influenza A, some helices are shown to be exceptionally uniform in hydrogen bond geometry, peptide plane tilt angle, and backbone torsion angles. Evidence from both the x-ray crystal structures and solid-state NMR structure suggests that the intramolecular backbone hydrogen bonds are shorter than their counterparts in water-soluble proteins. Moreover, the geometry is consistent with a dominance of electrostatic versus covalent contributions to these bonds. A comparison of structure as a function of resolution shows that as the structures become better characterized the helices become much more uniform, suggesting that there is a possibility that many more uniform helices will be observed, even among the moderate resolution membrane protein structures that are currently in the Protein Data Bank that do not show such features.
Never the Twain Shall Meet? Perhaps They Already Have!

Our friendly Interfaces editor and I recently had a phone conversation---it seemed as though we spent the day talking, but actually it was only $23½ minutes. Gene's main harangue centered around the violence we in academia have done to the profession. To wit, if we don't mend our ways, our graduates will not find gainful professional employment. Gene does have a way of overstating things! Even so, he does make a few good points in his own subtle way. I have been invited to record a word or two about his good points, and I do so with considerable pleasure.
A thin film metal base transistor structure with amorphous silicon

Abstract We describe a metal base transistor structure using amorphous silicon prepared from a silane glow discharge. We give some of the operating characteristics and evidence for true injection. The highest measured injection ratio was 8%. We discuss the reasons for the low injection ratios and suggest some improvements.
Effects of Lactic Acid on Epimysial Connective Tissues of Muscles Used for Restructured Beef Steaks

Isolated strips of epimysium from beef forequarter muscles were treated with several acids and other chemicals to degrade the connective tissue. Lactic acid significantly reduced the shear force to penetrate the strips. Muscles were excised intact from beef clod, immersed in 0.5M lactic acid for 30 min at 23°C diced and restructured into steaks. This significantly decreased the amount of connective tissue, shear force values in the restructured steaks, and water binding compared to steaks made from untrimmed muscles.
Electrical studies of individual colloidal inorganic nanocrystals

It is possible to make colloidal nanocrystals of many different materials with very well controlled size, shape, and topology (branched, nested, etc.). These materials have been studied optically extensively. However, electrical studies of colloidal nanocrystals have been more limited due to the difficulties associated with making good electrical contacts. This task will show new ways of making such electrical contacts reliably and also will discuss the resulting three-terminal electrical device properties.
Crystallization to obtain protein–ligand complexes for structure-aided drug design

The use of X-ray crystallography to derive three-dimensional structures for structure-aided drug design (SADD) is a common activity in drug discovery today. In this process, the structures of inhibitors or other ligands of interest complexed with their macromolecular target are solved and the structural information is used iteratively to design new molecules. The ability to form cocrystal complexes between a target protein and a ligand is essential to this process and therefore is of considerable interest to anyone practicing in this field. In the course of obtaining the necessary ligand-protein crystals, even with crystallization conditions well established for a protein of interest, obtaining co-structures with inhibitors either through cocrystallization or soaking is too often not successful. There are numerous potential reasons for this lack of success and this article outlines a number of possible factors that may be involved and discusses considerations that should be taken into account when designing successful experiments to obtain iterative costructures.
A PDP model of the simultaneous perception of multiple objects

Illusory conjunctions in normal and simultanagnosic subjects are two instances where the visual features of multiple objects are incorrectly 'bound' together. A connectionist model explores how multiple objects could be perceived correctly in normal subjects given sufficient time, but could give rise to illusory conjunctions with damage or time pressure. In this model, perception of two objects benefits from lateral connections between hidden layers modelling aspects of the ventral and dorsal visual pathways. As with simultanagnosia, simulations of dorsal lesions impair multi-object recognition. In contrast, a large ventral lesion has minimal effect on dorsal functioning, akin to dissociations between simple object manipulation (retained in visual form agnosia and semantic dementia) and object discrimination (impaired in these disorders) [Hodges, J.R., Bozeat, S., Lambon Ralph, M.A., Patterson, K., and Spatt, J. (2000), 'The Role of Conceptual Knowledge: Evidence from Semantic Dementia', Brain, 123, 1913-1925; Milner, A.D., and Goodale, M.A. (2006), The Visual Brain in Action (2nd ed.), New York: Oxford]. It is hoped that the functioning of this model might suggest potential processes underlying dorsal and ventral contributions to the correct perception of multiple objects.
Randi, the Round-the-Clock Rabbit: An Allegory Based on Perry's Theory of Cognitive Development.

This is a unique and creative story which is used to explain how students grow and develop by using the theory of William Perry as described in his book titled,Forms of Intellectual and Ethical Development in the College Years. The description is condensed into four classification categories which are explained and told in an animal allegory so that the reader has a better understanding of the theory. From this theory the actual growth and development of a student's intellectual level can be determined which enables the professor to be able to identify a teaching methodology for each individual learner.
Attenuation of spontaneous pseudopod formation in human neutrophils by pentoxifylline.

The effects of pentoxifylline (PTX) on spontaneous pseudopod formation in neutrophils in response to the tripeptide formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP), endotoxin, human complement C5a, and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) were examined in autologous plasma. Unseparated supernatant leukocyte suspensions from fresh heparinized venous human blood were incubated with PTX (0-5 mM) for 25 min and then stimulated for 5–25 min within a range of concentrations of fMLP, endotoxin, complement C5a, and LTB4. The cell suspensions were fixed with glutaraldehyde and stained with crystal violet in acetic acid; the percentage of neutrophils with pseudopods was determined under high-resolution light microscope. The results show that PTX significantly decreases formation of pseudopods in the presence of all four stimulators. The mechanism of pseudopod suppression appears to be independent of the adenosine receptor. PTX and its analogues, HWA 138 and HWA 448, decreased pseudopod formation by similar amounts when stimulated with 10−8M fMLP. These results suggest that PTX may improve microvascular perfusion and attenuate neutrophilmediated injury by reducing the degree of neutrophil pseudopod formation in free suspension and microvascular entrapment.
Nonlinear response to external magnetic fields

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to study conditions under which a system of itinerate spin- 1 2 fermions might exhibit a macroscopic linear response to external magnetic fields after long times. Exact expressions are obtained for the nonlinear response of the magnetization and the total energy. We find that for a constant field there is no response (our model contains no mechanism for the relaxation of spins). For an oscillatory field there is a response in which secular terms (in the time) appear which are associated both with nonlinear terms in the external field and with contributions from the background medium. The secular terms involving the magnetic field would not be seen if one used the usual approximations of microscopic linear response theory. They give rise to new conditions which must be satisfied if the system is to exhibit a macroscopic linear response in the long-time limit.
THE LYMPHOCYTE IN NATURAL AND INDUCED RESISTANCE TO TRANSPLANTED CANCER VI. HISTOLOGICAL COMPARISON OF THE LYMPHOID TISSUE OF NATURALLY IMMUNE AND SUSCEPTIBLE MICE.

The lymphoid organs of mice show definite changes after cancer inoculation. In immune mice there is a tendency towards a lymphoid hyperplasia, while in susceptible mice more or less marked depletion of the lymphoid tissue takes place. These changes are evident at the end of the 3rd week after cancer inoculation.
Fabrication of SiO2 microdisk arrays for optics and light trapping experiments

We present a simple silicon based microfabrication process that produces an array of SiO"2 microdisks using UV lithography. High-resolution SEM images of these structures indicate a smooth outer microdisk cavity surface. Photoemission measurements were performed at different spots on the microdisk and compared with measurements inside the cavity. A silicon to oxygen atomic concentration ratio of 1:2 obtained during depth profiling confirms that the entire microdisk is made up of stoichiometric SiO"2. In contrast, the inner cavity is mostly silicon with native oxide on top. We discuss the usefulness of SiO"2 microdisks in optics for light trapping experiments.
A quantitative analysis of the shaking behavior induced in rats by β-endorphin and [D-Ala2, Met5] enkephalinamide

Abstract β-Endorphin (5–80 μg) or [D-Ala2, Met5] enkephalinamide (DALA) (5–40 μg) was administered intracerebroventricularly to rats. With both opioid peptides, there was no direct relationship between log dose and mean number of wet-dog shakes (WDS) that occured during the following 15 min. When the results were analyzed quantally, the dose of DALA that caused 50% of the rats to shake at least twice was 8.6 μg (4.9–15 μg). β-Endorphin had such poor efficacy that an ED 50 could not be obtained. Morphine (1 and 5 mg/kg, s.c.) antagonized shaking caused by the optimal dose of DALA (20 μg). Naloxone (0.1–10 mg/kg, s.c.) attenuated both DALA- and β-endorphin-induced WDS in a dose-related manner. This latter result differentiates shaking associated with opioid peptides from that caused by thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH), another endogenous stimulant of WDS in rats. There was no cross-tolerance between RX 336-M (7,8-dihydro-5′,6′-dimethylylohex-5′-eno-1′,2′,8′,14 codeinone), a novel shake inducing agent, and β-endorphin. This finding again differentiates β-endorphin-induced shaking from that caused by TRH and also from that associated with several exogenous stimulants of WDS.
Subjective life expectancy in the US: correspondence to actuarial estimates by age, sex and race

This study maps the relationship between subjective and actuarial life expectancy in a 1995 national sample of 2037 Americans of ages 18-95. Subjective estimates parallel age-specific actuarial ones based on current age-specific mortality rates. However males expect to live about 3 years longer than the actuarial estimate and blacks expect to live about 6 years longer. The apparent optimism remains after adjusting for socioeconomic status and the signs and symptoms of good health. Contrary to economists' rational-expectations hypothesis, young adults do not adjust their life expectancies upward to account for the favorable trends in mortality rates.
Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs and lower gastrointestinal bleeding

To define the association of the ingestion of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin (ASA), and lower gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) a retrospective, case-controlled study was undertaken of 188 patients admitted to three community hospitals in three cities with a diagnosis of lower GIB. Information was obtained about NSAID usage among these patients, and the data were compared with an age- and sex-matched control group of 185 patients admitted with a nongastrointestinal diagnosis, derived from a daily admission list. At the time of admission, in the New Jersey group, NSAID consumption was present in 26 of 90 (29%) patients with lower GIB compared with 16 of 90 (18%) of controls (P<0.05, odds ratio 1.88, 95% CI 1.2–3.1) whereas, in the South Carolina group 34 of 98 (35%) were taking NSAID compared with 18 of 95 (19%) of controls (P<0.01, odds ratio 2.27, 95% CI 1.2–4.4). These data indicate that there is a significantly increased rate of NSAID ingestion in patients admitted with lower GIB, implying that NSAID may unmask bleeding from a variety of lower gastrointestinal lesions.
IEA common study on advanced heat pump systems, technology survey. Part 2: Assessment of systems and conclusions

Abstract This second part describes the advanced heat pump systems which were selected by the 13 participating countries as case studies for the technology and market assessment parts of the International Energy Agency collaborative project. These case studies formed the basis, together with the assessment of research and development trends, described in Part 1 of this paper, for the evaluation of advanced heat pumps for residential heating and cooling. The paper also summarizes the comparison of advanced systems for commercial district heating and industrial applications and contains the main conclusions and recommendations of the technology survey part of the project.
Linear independence of boundary traces of eigenfunctions of elliptic and Stokes operators and applications

This paper is divided into two parts and focuses on the linear independence of boundary traces of eigenfunctions of boundary value problems. Part I deals with second-order elliptic operators, and Part II with Stokes (and Oseen) operators. Part I: Let λi be an eigenvalue of a second-order elliptic operator defined on an open, sufficiently smooth, bounded domain Ω in Rn, with Neumann homogeneous boundary conditions on Γ = ∂Ω. Let {φij} j=1 be the corresponding linearly independent (normalized) eigenfunctions in L2(Ω), so that `i is the geometric multiplicity of λi. We prove that the Dirichlet boundary traces {φij |Γ1} `i j=1 are linearly independent in L2(Γ1). Here Γ1 is an arbitrary open, connected portion of Γ , of positive surface measure. The same conclusion holds true if the setting {Neumann B.C., Dirichlet boundary traces} is replaced by the setting {Dirichlet B.C., Neumann boundary traces}. These results are motivated by boundary feedback stabilization problems for parabolic equations [L-T.2]. Part II: The same problem is posed for the Stokes operator with motivation coming from the boundary stabilization problems in [B-L-T.1]– [B-L-T.3] (with tangential boundary control), and [R] (with just boundary control), where we take Γ1 = Γ . The aforementioned property of boundary traces of eigenfunctions critically hinges on a unique continuation result from the boundary of corresponding over-determined problems. This is well known in the case of second-order elliptic operators of Part I; but needs to be established in the case of Stokes operators. A few proofs are given here. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 35L20, 47, 49K20, 76N25, 76Q05, 93B29, 93C20.
Low-income single mothers' community violence exposure and aggressive parenting practices

Abstract This study examined the association between maternal community violence exposure and parenting practices, with a sample of low-income single mothers from the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study (FFCW) and related in-home child survey. Psychologically aggressive and physically aggressive parenting practices were measured with two subscales derived from the Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scales (CTSPC). Community violence exposure was measured with items indicating being a witness to or victim of community violence. Bivariate analysis indicated that the intensity of community violence exposure was positively associated with both types of aggressive parenting practices. In the multivariate analysis, mothers with moderate and high levels of community violence exposure were 2.1 time and 2.4 times, respectively, more likely to engage in a higher level of physically aggressive parenting, when compared to mothers with no exposure to violence. Such rates were 1.7 and 1.8 times higher with respect to psychologically aggressive parenting practices. The findings highlight the need for expanding research to better understand the association between community violence and the wellbeing of children and families, and suggest the importance of supporting low-income single mothers who have been exposed to community violence through effective parenting programs and other community social services.
Elaboration-time synthesis of high-level language constructs in SystemC-based microarchitectural simulators

Structural modeling serves as an efficient method for creating detailed microarchitectural models of complex microprocessors. High-level language constructs such as templates and object polymorphism are used to achieve a high degree of code reuse, thereby reducing development time. However, these modeling frameworks are currently too slow to evaluate future design of multicore microprocessors. The synthesis of portions of these models into hardware to form hybrid simulators promises to improve their speed substantially. Unfortunately, the high-level language constructs used in structural simulation frameworks are not typically synthesizable. One factor which limits their synthesis is that it is very difficult to determine statically what exactly the code and data to synthesize are. We propose an elaboration-time synthesis method for SystemC-based microarchitectural simulators. As part of the runtime environment of our infrastructure, the synthesis tool extracts architectural information after elaboration, binds dynamic information to a low-level intermediate representation (IR), and synthesizes the IR to VHDL. We show that this approach permits the synthesis of high-level language constructs which could not be easily synthesized before.
Dynamic fiber specklegram sensing

We introduce a concept of dynamic sensing that uses fiber speckle fields. By autonomously updating the fiber speckle patterns (i.e., using a moving reference to perform frame-to-frame comparison) on an electronically addressable spatial light modulator, we can exploit the dynamic fiber status. In other words, by joint transforming the rapidly changing speckle patterns from a sensing fiber, we can determine the dynamic aspects of the fiber status. For demonstration, dynamic displacement sensing is illustrated in which we have observed that the rate change and the trend of the fiber perturbation can indeed be detected. We note that the dynamic sensing technique can be applied to a variety of sensing parameters, e.g., strain, stress, temperature, and possibly seismic monitoring.
General inflaton potentials in supergravity

We describe a way to construct supergravity models with an arbitrary inflaton potential $V(\ensuremath{\phi})$ and show that all other scalar fields in this class of models can be stabilized at the inflationary trajectory by a proper choice of the K\"ahler potential.
Investigations of causal pathways between PTSD and drug use disorders

Although numerous studies have demonstrated an association between PTSD and substance use disorders, little is known about the causal nature of this relationship. In this article, we put forth and test major causal hypotheses. Specific hypotheses to be tested include self-medication of PTSD symptoms, substance users' high risk of exposure to traumatic events, and drug users' increased susceptibility to PTSD following a traumatic exposure. We also examine the possibility of an indirect pathway linking drug use disorders and PTSD via a shared vulnerability. Evidence for these causal hypotheses is evaluated using Hill's criteria for causal inference: strength, consistency, specificity, temporality, gradient, plausibility, coherence, experimental evidence, and analogy. We present data analytic strategies that exploit information about the temporal order of PTSD and drug use disorders to shed light on their causal relationship. Finally, we present findings on the PTSD/drug use disorder association from an epidemiologic study of young adults.
Control generation for embedded systems based on composition of modal processes

In traditional distributed embedded system designs, control information is often replicated across several processes and kept coherent by application-specific mechanisms. Consequently, processes cannot be reused in a new system without tailoring the code to deal with the new system's control information. The modal process framework provides a high-level way to specify the coherence of replicated control information independently of the behavior of the processes. Thus multiple processes can be composed without internal tailoring and without suffering from errors common in lower-level specification styles. This paper first describes a kernel-language representation for the high-level composition operators; it also presents a synthesis algorithm for the mode manager, the runtime code that maintains control information coherence within and between distributed processors.
Performance, Identity, and the Neo-Political Subject edited by Matthew Causey and Fintan Walsh

‘[L]et us un-occupy Palestine and occupy Wall Street. Let us find bodies to join, Ideas to incorporate ourselves into, new spaces to create, and new forms of attention, creation, and existence. Tha...
Reliability of adverse symptom event reporting by clinicians.

Purpose Adverse symptom event reporting is vital as part of clinical trials and drug labeling to ensure patient safety and inform risk–benefit decision making. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of adverse event reporting of different clinicians for the same patient for the same visit.
Characterization of the Early Stage Aminoshikimate Pathway in the Formation of 3-Amino-5-hydroxybenzoic Acid: The RifN Protein Specifically Converts Kanosamine into Kanosamine 6-Phosphate

The biosynthesis of 3-amino-5-hydroxybenzoic acid (AHBA), precursor of the ansamycin and mitomycin antibiotics, proceeds by the aminoshikimate pathway from 3,4-dideoxy-4-amino-d-arabino-heptulosonic acid 7-phosphate (aminoDAHP). Identification of RifN, product of one of three genes from the rifamycin biosynthetic gene cluster known to be essential for aminoDAHP formation, as a specific kanosamine (3-deoxy-3-amino-d-glucose) 6-kinase establishes kanosamine and its 6-phosphate as specific intermediates in AHBA formation. This suggests a hypothetical reaction sequence for aminoDAHP formation, and thus for the early steps of AHBA biosynthesis, starting from UDP-d-glucose and introducing the nitrogen by oxidation and transamination at C-3.
A Factor-Analytic Study of Epistemological Orientation and Related Variables

ABSTRACT A personal epistemology of dualism or relativism is a characteristic that may be related to other individual difference variables, especially those of dogmatism, locus of control, field dependence/independence, and cognitive complexity. In the present study, we examined the relatedness of these variables to interpret more adequately and clarify the construct of personal epistemology. Factor analysis revealed that personal epistemology is closely related to both dogmatism and locus of control, which we interpreted as a general belief system of external rigidity versus internal flexibility. The epistemology variable was not associated with specific perceptual and cognitive systems.
The fitch inertial barrier—Its design and performance

Abstract This paper deals with one type of energy-absorbing crash barrier—the Fitch Inertial Barrier System. To date, Connecticut has installed the Fitch Barrier at 35 locations throughout the state. The original 15 locations required no site preparation and were installed by the State Maintenance Forces. Installation costs for these locations ranged from $1550 to $2925, including labor. Maintenance costs for hits recorded to date have ranged from $320 to $1365. Twenty new installations have been recently completed, all requiring considerable site preparation. Installation costs for these locations averaged $1710 and site preparation costs averaged about $5200. Barrier performance in Connecticut has been good. Data collected thus far shows that the lives of 8–10 drivers have been saved. Information gathered from unreported accidents indicates that the barriers have probably saved many more.
Preparative separation of hemoglobins A and S by gel electrofocusing, using selective zone elution by gel transposition between suitable anolytes and catholytes.

Abstract Preparative electrofocusing on polyacrylamide gels has been limited, until recently, to excision of gel slices, diffusion, and collection of the slice diffusates. An advance was made by the introduction of a method of selective electrophoretic zone recovery by specific changes of anolyte (A. McCormick, L. E. M. Miles, and A. Chrambach, 1976 , Anal. Biochem.75, 314–324). It was shown (a) that selective zone recovery could be achieved by transposition of the gels into either isoelectric ampholytes or charged buffers, (b) that it could be applied to the gram scale, and (c) that zone elution could proceed either continuously or discontinuously. The early study was, however, limited to a trivial model problem, the separation of hemoglobin from bovine serum albumin (BSA). The present study was an attempt to apply a similar selective zone recovery method to a more demanding separation problem, the separation of hemoglobin A from hemoglobin S as well as from other minor components contained in a sickle-trait human hemolysate. The study shows that selective electrophoretic zone elution from a electrofocusing gel 18 mm in diameter is capable of yielding hemoglobin A, separated from hemoglobin S, differing by only 0.2 pH units in isoelectric point. The recovery of hemoglobin A was 70%, with a load of 32 mg of hemoglobin mixture per gel, using discontinuous zone elution into a collection cup.
Genetic diversity among avian influenza viruses.

Abstract The RNAs of a series of avian influenza viruses of the subtype Hav7Neg2 were examined to determine if their antigenic similarity reflected an overall conservation of their RNA sequences. Genetic analysis by gel electrophoresis showed a marked variability in all of the RNA segments of the isolates. Analysis by competitive hybridization indicated that with some genome segments this variability represented major genetic differences. These differences were present even among concurrent isolates from one geographical area. In contrast, similar analysis of human H3N2 influenza virus isolates showed that viruses isolated 9 years apart were much more similar than the cocirculating avian viruses. The genetic diversity in avian influenza viruses may result from the cocirculation of many different influenza A viruses in ducks and their ability to recombine in nature.
Influence of cold work and texture on the high-strain-rate response of Nitinol

Abstract The high-strain-rate (1200/s) tensile response of Ti–50.8Ni in cold-worked and annealed conditions has been studied using a split-Hopkinson bar between −196 °C and 400 °C. The dynamic stress–strain behavior was compared with the corresponding behavior at quasi-static strain-rates (∼10−3/s). To study the influence of cold work, the stress–strain properties of cold-rolled sheet were contrasted with the annealed sheet (800 °C). High-strain-rate behaviors of annealed rolled sheet and annealed drawn rod products were compared to evaluate the influence of crystallographic texture. Additionally, texture influence was also investigated by studying the dynamic behavior of cold-rolled and annealed sheet along longitudinal and transverse direction. Cold working affected the overall stress–strain behavior and mechanical properties such as critical stress and stress plateau characteristics to a greater degree than texture, especially at higher temperatures. While twinning/detwinning was predominant in the cold-worked material followed by martensite plasticity at 10−3/s, the dynamic stress–strain curves exhibited non-flat plateau regions with increasing slope followed by parabolic hardening, indicative of deformation predominantly by slip. The deformation in the annealed material was similarly dominated by plastic slip with some twinning/detwinning due to the ease of slip in the annealed matrix. Fractography observations showed quasi-cleavage type failure in the martensite at low temperatures (−196 °C to −50 °C), ductile void growth in austenite at high temperatures (200–400 °C) and mixed-mode failure consisting of micro-void and cleavage in the superelastic austenite (0–100 °C) at high-strain-rates.
Spike count, spike timing and temporal information in the cortex of awake, freely moving rats.

Objective. Sensory processing of peripheral information is not stationary but is, in general, a dynamic process related to the behavioral state of the animal. Yet the link between the state of the behavior and the encoding properties of neurons is unclear. This report investigates the impact of the behavioral state on the encoding mechanisms used by cortical neurons for both detection and discrimination of somatosensory stimuli in awake, freely moving, rats. Approach. Neuronal activity was recorded from the primary somatosensory cortex of five rats under two different behavioral states (quiet versus whisking) while electrical stimulation of increasing stimulus strength was delivered to the mystacial pad. Information theoretical measures were then used to measure the contribution of different encoding mechanisms to the information carried by neurons in response to the whisker stimulation. Main results. We found that the behavioral state of the animal modulated the total amount of information conveyed by neurons and that the timing of individual spikes increased the information compared to the total count of spikes alone. However, the temporal information, i.e. information exclusively related to when the spikes occur, was not modulated by behavioral state. Significance. We conclude that information about somatosensory stimuli is modulated by the behavior of the animal and this modulation is mainly expressed in the spike count while the temporal information is more robust to changes in behavioral state.
Nominal model for the optical response of a chiral sculptured thin film infiltrated by an isotropic chiral fluid-oblique incidence

Numerical calculations on the response of a nonaxially excited chiral sculptured thin film (STF) infiltrated with a chiral fluid are presented. The effects of the constitutive and microstructural parameters on the optical response of the chiral STF are explored. Two Bragg regimes manifest themselves when the chiral STF is excited nonaxially. Infiltration of a chiral STF with a chiral fluid can either blue- or red-shift the spectral location of one Bragg regime, but the shift of the spectral location of the other Bragg regime is largely indifferent to the chirality of the fluid. The model also predicts that the chiral fluid can either enhance or diminish the optical activity exhibited by the chiral STF within either manifested Bragg regime. Which of these effects occurs depends on the microstructural and constitutive properties of the chiral STF as well as the constitutive properties of the chiral fluid. The angle of incidence of the plane wave also effects the response of the chiral STF.
The effect of essential oil type on the setting time of Grossman's sealer and roth root canal cement

Setting times were determined for mixtures consisting of the powder components of Grossman's sealer or Roth root canal cement with either eugenol, oil of pimento or oil of Melaleuca. The powder component of Grossman's sealer, when mixed with eugenol or oil of pimento, had a significantly shorter setting time than did the powder component of Grossman's sealer mixed with oil of Melaleuca or Roth root canal cement mixed with eugenol, oil of pimento, or oil of Melaleuca.
A Task Driven Approach to Simultaneous Type Synthesis and Dimensional Optimization of Planar Parallel Manipulator Using Algebraic Fitting of a Family of Quadrics

This paper studies the rigid body guidance problem for 3-DOF planar parallel manipulators (PPM) with three-triad assembly. We present a novel, unified, and simultaneous type and dimensional synthesis approach to planar parallel manipulator synthesis by using kinematic mapping, surface fitting, and least squares techniques. Novelty of our approach lies in linearization of a highly non-linear problem and the fact that the nature of the given motion or displacement drives the synthesis process without assuming triad topology or their geometry. It has been well established that by using planar quaternions and kinematic mapping, workspace related constraints of planar dyads or triads can be represented as algebraic constraint manifolds in the image space of planar displacements. The constraints associated with planar RR-, PR- and RP-dyads correspond to a single quadric in the image space, while that of each of the six planar triads (RRR, RPR, PRR, PPR, RRP and RPP) map to a pair of quadrics and the space between them. Moreover, the quadrics associated with RRR- and RPR-triads are of the same type as that of RR dyads, of PRR- and PPR-triads as that of PR-, and RRP- and RPP-triads as that of RP-dyad. This simplification nicely extends a dyad synthesis problem to a triad synthesis one. The problem is formulated as the least-squares error minimization problem to find a trinity of quadrics that best fit the image points of task displacements. The fitting error corresponding to each single quadric of the trinity is regarded as variation (thickness) of that quadric, which turns that quadric into a pair of quadrics. Hence, three dyads with minimal surface fitting errors can be converted to three triads in the Cartesian space.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Model for Flood Propagation on Initially Dry Land

A model is presented for the simulation of shallow water flow and, specifically, flood waves propagating on a dry bed. The governing equations are transformed to an equivalent system valid on a deforming coordinate system and are solved by a dissipative finite-element technique. A second-order difference scheme is employed for the integration in time. The implicit nonlinear equations resulting from the weak formulations are solved by the Newton-Raphson method, and the set of linear algebraic equations generated is solved by a frontal algorithm. A deforming grid generation scheme is introduced in the dissipative finite-element formulation to account for the effects of the propagating or receding wave fronts on dry land. The accuracy and stability of the model is examined by comparing the model results with observed data from an experimental field test. Results of trial runs for the simulation of overland flow are also presented.
Differential patterns of post-shelter placement as a function of problem type and severity

Changes in placement restrictiveness, as a function of problem type and severity, were examined in a sample of 154 children departing a shelter for runaway and homeless youth. Six problem types were identified using a principal components analysis of youth-reported personal and family problems. Four of the six factors obtained represented youth problem types interpreted as reflecting antisocial/conduct problems, victimization by abuse, risk of suicide, and rebellious youth behaviors. The two remaining problem types were interpreted as a chaotic/aggressive family type and a mixed pattern of youth aggression and parental skill deficiency. An analysis of the problem types indicated that youth at higher risk for suicide, and those who came from more dysfunctional families, departed to living environments that were more restrictive than their placements at entry.
Modeling coagulation among particles of different composition and size

Abstract We present a technique for simulating coagulation among any number of aerosol types, each with a different composition. The semi-implicit solution mechanism solves the coagulation equations over size ranges divided into any number of discrete bins. The scheme conserves particle volume, requires no iterations, and is numerically stable, regardless of the time-step. We compared the accuracy of the solution to both analytical and time-series numerical solutions. Practical use of the scheme demonstrates that it is computationally fast in a multiple grid-cell model.
Using Textpresso for Information Retrieval, Fact Extraction

Ten years ago WormBase^1^ started as a repository for sequence data for the modelorganism Caenorhabditis elegans and has since striven to include the curation of allgenetic and molecular data published for this nematode. With a publication rate in the C.elegans field of approximately 800 papers per year, WormBase (WB) has the opportunity to include information from every paper published. Currently there are ~11,000 full text research papers (mid-1970's to the present) downloaded into the WB curation database, from which over 27 data types (i.e. genetic interactions, transgene objects, gene expression patterns, mutant phenotypes etc.) are extracted by curators. Textpresso^2^ is an open source text-mining tool capable of rapid searches for keywords, as well as concepts, from the full text of research papers. Curators at WB use Textpresso on a daily basis for many aspects of literature curation, from simple keyword searches to semi- or fully automated entity and fact extraction, which feed into curation pipelines or directly into the curation database itself. In addition, Textpresso greatly aids prioritization of literature curation by retrieving papers based on their full contents rather than solely on their abstracts. Such retrievable contents can range from the very particular (such as a gene simply being mentioned in the Materials and Methods section of a paper) to the complex (such as molecular functions that involve cellular components). As WB expands to incorporate the genomes of other nematodes, we will be working with Textpresso developers to set up a library of literature for related nematodes. We expect Textpresso to be crucial for most efficiently directing our efforts in literature curation, and for most quickly providing data to users searching the literature. In this workshop we will show how we use Textpresso in our curation pipeline to help with literature queries, to prioritize our workflow, and to automate data and fact extraction.1 "WormBase":http://www.wormbase.org2 "Textpresso":http://www.textpresso.org
Temporal pattern of sex pheromone release by female Trichoplusia ni

Abstract The release rate of the pheromone component Z-7-dodecenyl acetate was determined for individual female Trichoplusia ni by using small glass tubes filled with Porapak Q to extract pheromone from air in the immediate vicinity of the everted gland. The change in release rate as a function of time was determined by taking sequential 5 min. samples from individual 4-day-old females through each pheromone release period over an entire night. The release rate was found to decline exponentially from a mean of 22 ng per min. initially to 12 ng per min. at the end of 20 min., the average length of a pheromone release period. Pheromone collections were also made from females of different ages, using a single tube of Porapak per female to collect pheromone for an entire night. The nightly mean release rate increased significantly with age, although the time spent releasing pheromone per night decreased significantly with age (to 6 days old).
Two distinct signal transmission pathways in T lymphocytes are inhibited by complexes formed between an immunophilin and either FK506 or rapamycin.

Abstract Proliferation and immunologic function of T lymphocytes are initiated by signals from the antigen receptor that are inhibited by the immunosuppressant FK506 but not by its structural analog, rapamycin. On the other hand, interleukin 2 (IL-2)-induced signals are blocked by rapamycin but not by FK506. Remarkably, these two drugs inhibit each other's actions, raising the possibility that both act by means of a common immunophilin (immunosuppressant binding protein). We find that the dissociation constant of rapamycin to the FK506 binding protein FKBP (Kd = 0.2 nM) is close to the dissociation constant of FK506 to FKBP (Kd = 0.4 nM) and to their effective biologic inhibitory concentrations. However, an excess of rapamycin is needed to revert FK506-mediated inhibition of IL-2 production, apoptosis, and transcriptional activation of NF-AT, a T-cell-specific transcription factor necessary for IL-2 gene activation. Similarly, an excess of FK506 is needed to revert rapamycin-mediated inhibition of IL-2-induced proliferation. The drug concentrations required for antagonism may be explained by the relative affinity of the drugs to, and by the abundance of, the immunophilin FKBP. FKBP has been shown to catalyze the interconversion of the cis- and trans-rotamers of the peptidyl-prolyl amide bond of peptide substrates; here we show that rapamycin, like FK506, is a potent inhibitor of the rotamase activity of FKBP (Ki = 0.2 nM). Neither FKBP binding nor inhibition of rotamase activity of FKBP alone is sufficient to explain the biologic actions of these drugs. Rather, these findings suggest that immunophilin bound to FK506 interferes with antigen receptor-induced signals, while rapamycin bound to the immunophilin interferes with IL-2-induced signals.
Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Deficiency in 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) is a treatable condition that has been associated with coronary artery disease and many of its risk factors. A practical time to assess for 25(OH)D deficiency, and to initiate treatment, is at the time of an acute myocardial infarction. The prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency and the characteristics associated with it in patients with acute myocardial infarction are unknown. In this study, 25(OH)D was assessed in 239 subjects enrolled in a 20-hospital prospective myocardial infarction registry. Patients enrolled from June 1 to December 31, 2008, had serum samples sent to a centralized laboratory for analysis using the DiaSorin 25(OH)D assay. Normal 25(OH)D levels are ≥30 ng/ml, and patients with levels 20 ng/ml were classified as insufficient and those with levels ≤20 ng/ml as deficient. Vitamin D levels and other baseline characteristics were analyzed with the linear or Mantel-Haenszel trend test. Of the 239 enrolled patients, 179 (75%) were 25(OH)D deficient and 50 (21%) were insufficient, for a total of 96% of patients with abnormally low 25(OH)D levels. No significant heterogeneity was observed among age or gender subgroups, but 25(OH)D deficiency was more commonly seen in non-Caucasian patients and those with lower social support, no insurance, diabetes, and lower activity levels. Higher parathyroid hormone levels (45.3 vs 32.7 pg/ml, p = 0.029) and body mass indexes (31.2 vs 29.0 kg/m(2), p = 0.025) were also observed in 25(OH)D-deficient subjects. In conclusion, vitamin D deficiency is present in almost all patients with acute myocardial infarction in a multicenter United States cohort.
Foreign-object damage and high-cycle fatigue: role of microstructure in Ti–6Al–4V

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of microstructure on the susceptibility to high-cycle fatigue (HCF) failure in Ti–6Al–4V following foreign-object damage (FOD), specifically by comparing a fine-grained bi-modal microstructure with a coarse grained lamellar microstructure. FOD was simulated by high-velocity impacts of steel spheres on a flat surface. This caused a marked reduction in the smooth-bar fatigue strength in both microstructures, primarily because of the premature initiation of fatigue cracking resulting from the stress concentration associated with damage site and FOD-induced microcracking. The FODinitiated microcracks were found to be of a size comparable with microstructural dimensions, and on subsequent fatigue loading were seen to propagate at applied stress-intensity levels below K1 MPa m 1/2 , i.e. a factor of roughly two less than the ‘worstcase’ threshold stress-intensity range in Ti–6Al–4V for a crack of large size compared to microstructural dimensions (a ‘continuumsized’ crack). A rational approach against HCF failures from such microcracks is proposed for the fine-grained bi-modal microstructure based on the Kitagawa–Takahashi diagram. For the bi-modal microstructure, the Kitagawa–Takahashi diagram provides a basis for describing the threshold conditions for FOD-induced HCF failures, in terms of the stress concentration corrected smooth-bar fatigue limit for small crack sizes and the worst-case threshold for larger continuum-sized cracks. However, this approach was found to be less applicable to the coarse grained lamellar microstructure, primarily because of low small-crack growth resistance relative to its higher smooth-bar fatigue limit.  2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.