cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Java-based data acquisition system for nuclear physics

Abstract Jam is a Java-based user-friendly data acquisition and analysis system developed for CAMAC-based nuclear physics experiments. The system is menu-driven and has been designed to minimize the expertise needed to perform the essential tasks necessary to collect and sort data. The front-end hardware is VME based and includes a MVME167 running VxWorks, which is networked to a Sun workstation. The sorting, display, and control routines are all written in Java, and the front-end code is written in C. With a Sparc 5 workstation, events with 10 parameters, 15 histograms, and 10 gate checks the system can collect and sort data up to event rates of 1 kHz . By only sorting a fraction of the events, but storing all events, it can be run at the front-end limit of 10 kHz . Java's promise of platform independence has been found to be realistic, and Jam has been used with no modifications to sort offline on multiple platforms. Jam has a modular design allowing it to be easily modified. For example, Jam has an interface to allow users to write their own fitting routines. This article discusses the system's design and performance, as well as some advantages and disadvantages of using Java.
Tomographic And Projective Reconstruction Of 3-D Image Detail In Inverse Scattering

A procedure for accessing the 3-D Fourier space of a conducting or nondispersively scattering object by angular (aspect) and spectral diversity is described. Cost-effectiiie data acquisition in the microwave regime is achieved by substituting spectral degrees of freedom for the more costly angular degrees of freedom set by the number of observation points defining the imaging aperture. A novel target de/Lived Aeietence (TDR) technique is utilized to generate a synthetic phase reference signal emanating from a point on the target achiev-ing thereby a 3-D teri4te44 Fourciek hotognam re-cording arrangement that has many practical advantages. Application of the ptojection-slice theorem, derivable from the multidimensional Fourier transform, to the accessed Fourier space volume is shown to allow the retrieval of 3-D image detail. This can be achieved either tomogra-phically in slices _(or cross-sectional outlines) or as shown here in the form of a projection image of the object scattering function. Examples of micro-wave data acquisition, data normalization for an undesirable range dependent phase term via the TDR method, and image reconstruction are presented for a complex conducting test object. The results shown herald a new generation of high resolution 3-D imaging radars and can be applied in NDE (non-destructive evaluation), biomedical imaging, and remote sensing applications.
Normal pulmonary function measurements and airway reactivity in childhood after mild bronchiolitis

Concern about the long-term sequelae of bronchiolitis has been raised through studies of children hospitalized for bronchiolitis, but the long-term sequelae of mild bronchiolitis have not been studied. We assessed the hypothesis that 25 children with mild bronchiolitis (index subjects) were at greater risk for abnormalities of pulmonary function or airway reactivity to cold air between the ages of 8 and 12 years than were randomly selected, matched controls. There were no consistent differences in pulmonary function or airway reactivity between index and control groups. Airway hyperreactivity was found in five control subjects and three index subjects, and all children with symptomatic asthma were identified by cold air challenge. Our data suggest that children with a history of mild bronchiolitis are not at increased risk between ages 8 and 12 years for airway hyperreactivity or for abnormalities in pulmonary function.
Image Archiving: Hardware and Database Technology

Digital image archives are central to the operation of PACS systems for medical images. Current technology that supports the terabyte requirements of today's radiology departments include magnetic tape, write once optical disk (WORM), erasable optical disk, and optical tape. We review current storage technology and place it in the context of current database requirements for radiological digital imaging.
A simulation study of sequencing and maintenance decisions in a dynamic job shop

Abstract This paper presents a simulation study of the performance of a job shop, where the equipment is subject to failure. We evaluate the effectiveness of some maintenance scheduling techniques under conditions involving shop load, job sequencing rule, preventive maintenance policy and maintenance capacity.
Examining Teacher Ethical Dilemmas in Classroom Assessment.

The current spotlight on assessment in education raises ethical issues as practices evolve. This study documents ethical conflicts faced by teachers in the United States regarding assessment of students. Critical incidents generated by practising teachers revealed a majority of reported conflicts related to score pollution, and conflicts frequently arose between teachers’ perceptions of institutional demands and the needs of students. The most frequently mentioned assessment topics causing conflict included grading, standardised testing, and special populations. These findings suggest that explicit guidelines for defining and avoiding unethical behaviour would be helpful to teachers in developing their assessment practices.
Short communication: Modeling climate change uncertainties in water resources management models

The impact of climate change on hydrologic design and management of hydrosystems could be one of the important challenges faced by future practicing hydrologists and water resources managers. Many water resources managers currently rely on the historical hydrological data and adaptive real-time operations without consideration of the impact of climate change on major inputs influencing the behavior of hydrologic systems and the operating rules. Issues such as risk, reliability and robustness of water resources systems under different climate change scenarios were addressed in the past. However, water resources management with the decision maker's preferences attached to climate change has never been dealt with. This short paper discusses issues related to impacts of climate change on water resources management and application of a soft-computing approach, fuzzy set theory, for climate-sensitive management of hydrosystems. A real-life case study example is presented to illustrate the applicability of a soft-computing approach for handling the decision maker's preferences in accepting or rejecting the magnitude and direction of climate change.
Stable isotopic quantitation of protein metabolism and energy expenditure in neonates on- and post-extracorporeal life support

Abstract It is generally assumed that extracorporeal life support (ECLS) provides a metabolic "rest state" by replacing approximately 80% of cardiopulmonary work. The aim of this study was to precisely quantify neonatal energy expenditure (EE) and whole-body protein metabolism on (during) and post (after) venoarterial ECLS using stable isotope tracer techniques. Nine parenterally fed neonates on-ECLS were studied at 7.8 ± 1.0 days of life (mean ± SE), five of which were studied post-ECLS on 27.0 ± 5.4 days of life. EE and wholebody protein metabolism were quantified using a primed, continuous infusion of L-[1- 13 C]Jeucine and NaH 13 CO 3 . The neonates studied on- and post-ECLS had similar rates of endogenous leucine flux (370 ± 46 μmol/kg/h v 339 ± 76 μmol/kg/h), leucine oxidation (161 ± 22 μmol/kg/h v 121 ± 25 μmol/kg/h), nonoxidative disposal rates of leucine (313 ± 37 μmol/kg/h v 331 ± 75 μmol/kg/h), net protein malance (−2.31 ± 0.8 g/kg/d v −0.33 ± 1.1 g/kg/d), and EE (88.6 ± 7.7 kcal/kg/d v 84.3 ± 9.2 kcal/kg/d). These results demonstrate that neonates on-ECLS are in hypermetabolic and protein catabolic states that continue in the post-ECLS phase. The authors conclude that ECLS does not provide a metabolic "rest state."
Liposomes as a proposed vehicle for the persorption of bovine xanthine oxidase.

SummaryWe present experimental evidence for the hypothesis that bovine milk xanthine oxidase (BMXO) is entrapped in liposomal form by the milk homogenization process. In this form, it will resist gastric digestion and become biologically available. This is the first demonstration of the presence of a liposome-sequestered enzyme in a widely consumed food. The results indicate that a major physical alteration by a technological manipulation of a basic food may have far-reaching biological significance.
Protein structures and protein fibers—a review

The biochemistry and stereochemistry of proteins are reviewed and related to molecular structure and specifically to the properties governing fiber formation. The conformation of amino acids, polypeptides and proteins are discussed. The amino acid composition of protein is considered in relation to structure, chain length and molecular weight. General descriptions are also given for typical synthetic polypeptides as well as for non-fibrous natural proteins used in fiber manufacture. Mechanisms and modes are presented for fiber formation including a discussion of molecular criteria involving intermolecular cohesive and crystalline configurational forces which are involved in the fiber forming process. These effects are related to treatments and processes, including thermal, mechanical and chemical modifications, which can be applied to protein for the purpose of forming fibers.
Single-layer, gradient refractive index antireflection films effective from 0.35 to 2.5 μ

Gradient refractive index antireflection films are produced by a chemical etch/leach process applied to glasses sensitized by a phase-separating heat treatment. The reflectance (two surfaces) is effectively reduced from ~ 8% to < 1/2% in the wavelength regime 0.35–2.5 μ. The broadband antireflection film consists of a single, porous, skeletal layer made up largely of silica. The optical properties of the film are shown to depend on the time, temperature parameters of the phase-separating heat treatment, as well as the time, temperature parameter of the film-forming etch/leach treatment. The properties of films produced under different process conditions are correlated in a fashion that suggests that progressively steeper refractive index gradients are obtained for samples phase separated and formed at higher temperatures. A number of applications for these films are suggested, including solar energy devices.
A non-thermogenic source of black carbon in peat and coal

Abstract Black carbon previously observed in peats has been attributed to various forms of pyrogenic carbon. However, a recent report has shown that a non-pyrogenic source of BC-like molecules can be obtained photochemically from dissolved organic matter. In this study, we examined well-known coal-forming peats located in the USA by solid-state 13C NMR and ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry to evaluate the contribution of photochemically produced organic matter. The presence of photochemically produced organic matter was observed in all the peat samples and suggests that photochemically induced precipitation is pervasive. To determine if these “photo” materials survive maturation, we examined a low-rank coal from the Gippsland Basin, Australia, and the presence of “photo” materials was observed, indicating that these materials are geologically preserved. Results from this study indicate that photochemically produced materials are important sources of black carbon and aliphatic like compounds to coals and possibly Type III kerogens. It is possible that these materials are precursors to ubiquitously occurring fusinite, macrinite, micrinite, and related inertinite macerals in coal.
Kinetic analysis of the interactions between plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and both urokinase and tissue plasminogen activator

Abstract Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) was purified from medium conditioned by cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells by successive chromatography on concanavalin A Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200, Blue B agarose, and Bio-Gel P-60. As shown previously for conditioned media ( C. M. Hekman and D. J. Loskutoff (1985) J. Biol Chem.260, 11581–11587 ) the purified PAI-1 preparation contained latent inhibitory activity which could be stimulated 9.4-fold by sodium dodecyl sulfate and 45-fold by guanidine-HCl. The specific activity of the preparation following treatment with 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate was 2.5 × 103 IU/mg. The reaction between purified, guanidine-activated PAI-1 and both urokinase and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) was studied. The second-order rate constants (pH 7.2, 35 °C) for the interaction between guanidine-activated PAI-1 and urokinase (UK), and one- and two-chain tPA are 1.6 × 108, 4.0 × 107, and 1.5 × 108 M−1 s−1, respectively. The presence of CNBr fibrinogen fragments had no affect on the rate constants of either one- or two-chain tPA. Steady-state kinetic analysis of the effect of PAI-1 on the rate of plasminogen activation revealed that the initial UK PAI -1 interaction can be competed with plasminogen suggesting that the UK PAI -1 interaction may involve a competitive type of inhibition. In contrast, the initial tPA PAI -1 interaction can be competed only partially with plasminogen, suggesting that the tPA PAI -1 interaction may involve a mixed type of inhibition. The results indicate that PAI-1 interacts more rapidly with UK and tPA than any PAI reported to date and suggest that PAI-1 is the primary physiological inhibitor of single-chain tPA. Moreover, the interaction of PAI-1 with tPA differs from its interaction with UK, and may involve two Sites on the tPA molecule.
Intracellular distribution of pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylating activities in rat thymus

Abstract The intracellular distribution of thymidine kinase, deoxycytidine kinase and uridine kinase has been studied in rat thymus. After fractionation in sucrose media the greatest proportion of all these kinases was found in the supernatant fraction. Significant activity was also located in nuclei prepared in either 2.3 M sucrose or non-aqueous media. Mitochondria contained low levels of the deoxyribonucleoside kinases, but no uridine kinase, while the reverse of this was true in the microsomes. The implications of these results are discussed.
The Correlates of Grief after Death of Pet

ABSTRACTThe correlates of degree of grief after death of dogs and cats were determined. With both animals, retrospectively reported grief was associated with present death depression and positive attitude toward pets. Grief after the death of a dog was associated with living alone at the time of death, higher death depression, and female gender. Grief after the death of a cat was associated with higher death depression, female gender, and was inversely correlated with the person's age at the time of the pet's death. These psychological and psychosocial variables were more associated with pet grief than behavioral variables such as amount of time spent with the pet.
Head and Interface for High Areal Density Tape Recording

A tape recording head in which reading and writing functions are provided by separate modules is presented. The read-only module may be fabricated with a thinner gap than conventional read-write modules. This was shown to provide >; 40% less gap recession in a controlled wear test. Writing modules are configured to contact tape in one tape motion direction only, thus reducing the wear duty cycle twofold. Modeling indicates that broadband signal-to-noise ratio decline due to wear can be up to several dB less for the separated reading-writing head, which therefore may enable advances in linear and thus areal density.
Expanding force-free magnetized plasmoid

Some properties of a plasmoid in which magnetic field dominates are discussed. Linear expansion, which have been proposed, provides a simple model describing slow and topologically self-similar expansion of a low-beta plasmoid. An initially force-free magnetized plasmoid expanding linearly may evolve toward consecutive force-free states. The magnetic field energy of such an expansion is studied by applying the virial equation. The result indicates that the decrease of the magnetic energy of the plasmoid is exactly equal to work done expelling its external pressure. This means that there is no residue of magnetic energy if a force-free magnetized plasmoid expands linearly.
Dynamic strain-mediated coupling of a single diamond spin to a mechanical resonator

The development of hybrid quantum systems is central to the advancement of emerging quantum technologies, including quantum information science and quantum-assisted sensing. The recent demonstration of high-quality single-crystal diamond resonators has led to significant interest in a hybrid system consisting of nitrogen-vacancy centre spins that interact with the resonant phonon modes of a macroscopic mechanical resonator through crystal strain. However, the nitrogen-vacancy spin-strain interaction has not been well characterized. Here, we demonstrate dynamic, strain-mediated coupling of the mechanical motion of a diamond cantilever to the spin of an embedded nitrogen-vacancy centre. Via quantum control of the spin, we quantitatively characterize the axial and transverse strain sensitivities of the nitrogen-vacancy ground-state spin. The nitrogen-vacancy centre is an atomic scale sensor and we demonstrate spin-based strain imaging with a strain sensitivity of 3 × 10(-6) strain Hz(-1/2). Finally, we show how this spin-resonator system could enable coherent spin-phonon interactions in the quantum regime.
Immediate Hemodynamic Effects of Beta-Adrenergic Blockade with Propranolol in Normotensive and Hypertensive Man

Immediate hemodynamic effects of beta-adrenergic blockade were determined in six normal subjects and 21 hypertensive patients following intravenous administration of propranolol. Arterial pressure was not reduced, but cardiac output fell by approximately 20% in both groups. Nevertheless, beta-adrenergic inhibition seemed to have different effects in the two groups: Propranolol produced a greater inhibition of chronotropic activity in the hypertensive patients, and of stroke volume in the normotensive individuals whose pretreatment heart rate was slower than that of the hypertensives. This difference suggests that chronotropic beta-adrenergic activity may be increased in hypertension but does not explain reduction in arterial pressure following oral treatment with propranolol.
Frequency and Polymorphism of Simple Sequence Repeats in a Contiguous 685-kb DNA Sequence Containing the Human T-Cell Receptor β-Chain Gene Complex

The human T-cell receptor beta-chain (TCRB) gene complex spans 575 kb in chromosome region 7q35 and has been the subject of a large-scale DNA sequencing effort. A contiguous 685-kb DNA sequence from this region was searched by computer analysis for the occurrence of simple sequence repeats (microsatellites) with core sequence lengths of 2-5 nucleotides. Twenty-nine such microsatellites of repeat number n > or = 9 were found, with the majority being dinucleotide repeats. By PCR analysis, 19 were found to be polymorphic in repeat number, thus averaging one per 36 kb. These polymorphic di-, tri-, and tetranucleotide repeats had between 3 and 15 differently sized alleles each. The potential usefulness of these TCRB microsatellites for detecting disease susceptibility alleles was examined by measuring the linkage disequilibrium between these markers and flanking biallelic mutations. All but 4 microsatellites (79%) demonstrated significant linkage disequilibrium (P < 0.0001). This present study highlights the utility and potential outcomes of large-scale DNA sequencing for the identification of polymorphic simple sequence repeats.
Differences in club drug use between heterosexual and lesbian/bisexual females

Abstract Although there has been much empirical research documenting current trends in club drug use among gay and bisexual men, little research has addressed the variance among lesbian, bisexual, or heterosexual women. Using data collected through time–space sampling from dance clubs in New York City during 2005 ( N = 1104), this study explored sexual identity variance among women in the reported use of six club drugs: methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, GHB, and LSD. Significant differences were found in that younger women were more likely to be active club drug users. Lesbian and bisexual women reported significantly higher lifetime rates of ecstasy, cocaine, methamphetamine, and LSD use compared to heterosexual women. These data suggest a need to better understand the influence of sexual orientation and sexual culture in relation to club drug use and to tailor health promotion efforts to meet the needs of various groups of club drug using women.
Measurements of Hyperfine Structure in NH2D

Hyperfine structure on the 414 – 404 rotation–inversion transition in NH2D was measured with a two‐cavity maser spectrometer with 350‐Hz linewidth. A reasonably good fit to the observed transitions is obtained by including the nitrogen quadrupole interaction, the nitrogen spin–rotation interaction, the deuteron quadrupole interaction, the deuteron spin–rotation interaction, and the nitrogen–deuteron spin–spin interaction in the Hamiltonian. The values of the coupling constants obtained are: for the 414 state (eqJQ)N = − 1895.65 ± 0.7 kHz, (eqJQ)D = − 75.78 ± 0.7 kHz, and for the 404 state (eqJQ)N = − 1811.55 ± 0.7 kHz, (eqJQ)D = − 80.13 ± 0.7 kHz, and for the values of the other parameters averaged over these states CN = 5.027 ± 0.18 kHz, CD = − 2.33 ± 0.18 kHz,and DND = 0.307 ± 0.70 kHz. The rotation–inversion frequency for this transition is 25 023 794.706 ± 0.07 kHz.
Characterization of essential enzyme sulfhydryl groups of thyroxine 5'-deiodinase from rat kidney.

T4 5′-deiodinase, found in cell membranes of kidney and liver, is a thiol-dependent enzyme inhibited by propylthiouracil (PTU). Pretreatment of enzymatically active kidney membrane preparations (Mx) with PTU (10 μm) and increasing concentrations of L-T4 under N2 resulted in increasing degrees of persistent inhibition, as assayed in the absence of pretreatment reagents. Aerobic pretreatment with PTU in the presence or absence of L-T4 resulted in 80% inhibition of T4 5′-deiodination. Sulfhydryl modification of kidney Mx with iodoacetate or Nethylmaleimide irreversibly inactivated T4 5′-deiodinase. The formation of a reversible PTU-enzyme complex was found to protect T4 5′-deiodination from irreversible inactivation by iodoacetate or N-ethylmaleimide. A dose-dependent increase in the 35S content of kidney Mx was found after injection of [35S]thiouracil (TU) into rats, and the Mx 35S content was reduced 4-fold by simultaneous injection of methimazole. Treatment of kidney Mx, containing bound ;ISS, with 10 mm ...
Development and verification of a failure-analysis model for FBR fuel-element cladding

Abstract Failure-analysis models for Fast-Breeder-Reactor (FBR) fuel elements cladded with 20% cold-worked Type 316 stainless steel are reviewed. A model based on linear damage accumulation and time-to-failure correlations is developed and tested against the data base for pressurized tubes. The model goes beyond the state of the art for damage models in that the failure mode is predicted as well as the failure time. The effects of mechanical and chemical wall thinning, temperature and stress gradients, and irradiation are considered in addition to the traditional parameters of stress and temperature. The proposed failure-analysis model can be used to analyse both fueled and unfueled stainless steel tubes.
1 Norepinephrine Infusion for Treatment of Type 1 Hepatorenal Syndrome

NOREPINEPHRINE INFUSION FOR TREATMENT OF TYPE 1 HEPATORENAL SYNDROME Sabeen Abid, Nauman Shahid, David Sass, Kenneth Rothstein, David Reich, Karthik Ranganna , Ziauddin Ahmed. Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia PA Hepatorenal syndrome Type 1 (HRS-1) is a complication of advanced liver cirrhosis associated with high mortality and a median survival of 2 weeks. Treatment of HRS-1 and reversal of the underlying pathophysiology is extremely important for patients awaiting liver transplantation (OLT). Terlipressin is the treatment of choice for type 1 HRS but it is expensive and not approved by FDA. Norepinephrine (NE) has been shown to be equally effective and safe in two RCT. We report a case of 27 year old white male with Child’s C cirrhosis who was listed for OLT. His disease was complicated by refractory ascites and HRS type 2 at baseline. He was admitted for an acute change in mental status with a MELD score of 30 and serum creatinine (Scr) of 1.9 mg/dl. The Scr continued to rise to 2.7 mg/dl by hospital day 7 despite adequate volume expansion with normal saline and albumin. A diagnosis of HRS-1 was made after carefully ruling out other causes of renal dysfunction. A combination of octreotide and midodrine was initiated however the patient failed to respond with a continued rise in Scr to 3.5 mg/dl by day 11. At this point the above therapy was discontinued and an infusion of NE was started at 10 mcg/hr. Within 48 hours his urine output increased from 1445 ml on day 0 to 3575 ml on day 1and 3725 ml on day two, Scr decreased from 3.5 mg/dl to 2.8 mg/dl at day 2. The patient tolerated the infusion well. At this time a liver became available and the patient underwent a successful OLT. At a recent follow up visit, 9 months post OLT, the patient had a stable Scr of 1.0 mg/dl. Infusion of NE can be an effective treatment of HRS-1. It should be considered as a primary therapy in patients whom are awaiting OLT due to its availability, cost and comparable efficacy to Terlipressin.
Platelet free calcium concentrations measured with fura-2 are influenced by the transmembrane sodium gradient.

Abstract The influence of the transmembrane Na+ gradient on the intracellular free calcium concentration, [Ca2+]i, was studied in Sepharose gel-filtered platelets from healthy human subjects, using the Ca-sensitive fluorescent dye, fura-2. Raising the internal Na+ concentration, [Na+]i, by Na+ pump inhibition with 0.05 mM ouabain, without changing external Na+ did not cause a significant increase in [Ca2+]i. Substitution of extracellular Na+ by iso-osmolar sucrose induced a rapid (half-time about 2 min) and significant rise in [Ca2+]i; this effect was ampilfied in Na-loaded platelets. Partial restitution of external Na+ in these cells with increased [Ca2+]i promoted a significant and rapid Na+ concentration-dependent fall in [Ca2+]i; little decline in [Ca2+]i was observed if K+ was used instead of Na+. These observations represent in vitro evidence for the existence of a Na Ca exchange mechanism in human platelets that may, in vivo, participate in the control of [Ca2+]i.
Alteration of Root Growth by Lettuce, Wheat, and Soybean in Response to Wear Debris from Automotive Brake Pads

Brakes from motor vehicles release brake pad wear debris (BPWD) with increased concentrations of heavy metals. Germination and root-elongation assays with lettuce, wheat, and soybean were used to provide an initial evaluation of the phytotoxicity of either a water extract of BPWD or BPWD particulates. In terms of germination, the only effect observed was that lettuce germination decreased significantly in the BPWD particulate treatment. Lettuce and wheat showed decreased root length and root-elongation rate in the presence of the BPWD particulates, whereas lettuce produced a significantly greater number of lateral roots in response to BPWD extract. There was no significant effect of either BPWD treatment on soybean root elongation or lateral roots. Treatment with BPWD extracts or particulates caused significant alterations in the bending pattern of the plant roots. These initial results suggest that BPWD may have effects on the early growth and development of plants.
Self-Contained, Biomolecular Motor-Driven Protein Sorting and Concentrating in an Ultrasensitive Microfluidic Chip

We developed a molecular sorter that operates without external power or control by integrating the microtubule-based, biological motor kinesin into a microfluidic channel network to sort, transport, and concentrate molecules. In our devices, functionalized microtubules that capture analyte molecules are steered along kinesin-coated microchannel tracks toward a collector structure, concentrated, and trapped. Using fluorescent analyte molecules and nanoliter sample volumes, we demonstrated 14 fM sensitivity, even in the presence of high concentrations of other proteins.
The prediction of length of major depressive episodes: results from an epidemiological sample of female twins

In order to examine factors that influence the time to recovery (TTR) from depressive episodes in women, we examined members of 1030 female-female twin pairs of known zygosity, ascertained from a population-based twin registry. We predicted, in a Cox model, TTR in 235 women with an onset of an episode of major depression (MD) in the last year meeting DSM-III-R criteria. The median and mean TTR for episodes of MD was 42 and 82 days, respectively; only 2.2% of women had not recovered by 1 year. Four variables predicted TTR: financial difficulties, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, severe life events (SLEs), and genetic risk. Dividing all depressive episodes meeting symptomatic DSM-III-R criteria into early (5-28 days) and late (> 28 days) phases, significant predictors of TTR early in the course of illness (income, parental protectiveness and separation, personality, lifetime traumas and SLEs) differed from those that predicted TTR later in the depressive episode (health, social support, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, SLEs and genetic risk). Including cases with chronic MD increased the strength of personality, financial problems and genetic risk as predictors of slow TTR. These exploratory analyses suggest that TTR from MD in women is influenced by multiple environmental, temperamental and genetic factors. Predictors of TTR early and later in the course of MD may differ qualitatively, suggesting different processes in recovery from brief versus prolonged depressions.
Reconfiguration in microprocessor schemes

Abstract This paper presents the evaluation of two algorithms for the reconfiguration of microprocessor schemes. Using these algorithms, a scheme is capable of reconfiguring reliably into smaller local partitions to facilitate intelligent procedures such as self-testing and roving. These algorithms reconfigure a network into triplets (i.e. groups of three modules) which allow for the identification and isolation of faulty units, the viability of a degraded configuration, is then assessed. The first algorithm reconfigures a module to module interconnected network into functional triplets; the second algorithm configures a module to module interconnected network into functional groups of three modules linked by the intermediate presence of coupling devices (memories). The performances of these systems are evaluated under different numbers of modules and fault occurrences.
Identification of receptors for insulin-like growth factor II in two insulin-like growth factor II producing cell lines

Summary Specific high affinity membrane receptor(s) for insulin-like growth factor II have been characterized in two cell lines which produce this hormone and have the ability to proliferate in serum-free media. These receptor(s) have no affinity for either insulin or biosynthetic insulin-like growth factor I. Affinity cross-linking and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed an apparent Mr of 250K which does not change with disulfide bond reduction. Our findings are consistent with an autocrine function for insulin-like growth factor II and indicate that these continuous cell lines may provide unique systems for furthur investigations of this hormone and its receptor.
On the fatigue behavior of γ-based titanium aluminides: role of small cracks

Abstract Gamma-TiAl based alloys have recently received attention for potential elevated temperature applications in gas-turbine engines. However, although expected critical crack sizes for some targeted applications (e.g. gas-turbine engine blades) may be less than ∼500 μm, most fatigue-crack growth studies to date have focused on the behavior of large (on the order of a few millimeters) through-thickness cracks. Since successful implementation of damage-tolerant life-prediction methodologies requires that the fatigue properties be understood for crack sizes representative of those seen in service conditions, the present work is focused on characterizing the initiation and growth behavior of small (a∼25–300 μm) fatigue cracks in a γ-TiAl based alloy, of composition Ti–47Al–2Nb–2Cr–0.2B (at.%), with both duplex (average grain size of ∼17 μm) and refined lamellar (average colony size of ∼145 μm) microstructures. Results are compared to the behavior of large (a>5 mm), through-thickness cracks from a previous study. Superior crack initiation resistance is observed in the duplex microstructure, with no cracks nucleating after up to 500 000 cycles at maximum stress levels (R=0.1) in excess of the monotonic yield stress, σy. Comparatively, in the lamellar microstructure cracks nucleated readily at applied maximum stresses below the yield stress (85% σy) after as few as 500 cycles. In terms of crack growth, measurements for small fatigue cracks in the duplex and lamellar microstructures showed that both microstructures have comparable intrinsic fatigue-crack growth resistance in the presence of small flaws. This observation contrasts previous comparisons of large-crack data, where the lamellar structure showed far superior fatigue-crack growth resistance than the duplex structure. Such “small-crack effects” are examined both in terms of similitude (i.e. crack tip shielding) and continuum (i.e. biased microstructural sampling) limitations of traditional linear elastic fracture mechanics.
Incidence of non-AIDS-defining malignancies in HIV-infected versus noninfected patients in the HAART era: impact of immunosuppression.

Background The incidence of non-AIDS-defining malignancies (non-ADM) is reported as unchanged or increasing in the HAART era. Whether incidence of non-ADM is significantly higher in HIV-infected than in HIV-uninfected patients remains unclear.
M-Canonical ideals in integral domains

We prove that a Priifer domain R has an m-canonical ideal J, that is, an ideal I such that J: (I: J) = J for every ideal J of R, if and only if R is h-local with only finitely many maximal ideals that are not finitely generated; moreover, if these conditions are satisfied, then the product of the non-finitely generated maximal ideals is an m-canonical ideal of R
Third world debt.

The international debt crisis arose from imprudent borrowing, imprudent lending, and major shocks to the world economy from 1980 to 1982. The initial impulse in 1982 was to treat the debt problem as one of illiquidity and thus provide further lending while the debtor countries tried to adjust to the shock. This strategy produced massive recessions in the major debtors (mostly in Latin America) and led in 1985 to the Baker plan, the aim of which is to find ways to permit the debtor countries to resume growth while not defaulting on the debt. The Mexican case is highlighted.
Generic Health Measurement: Past Accomplishments and a Measurement Paradigm for the 21st Century

Generic health surveys have been proposed for use in increasingly diverse applications and populations. This paper describes the history of generic tools in the past 30 years and suggests a more modern measurement platform for advances in the 21st century. Many generic tools lack the precision required for effective health care decision making. A meaningful goal for the next era of development of generic measures should be the generation of equiprecise measurement for generic health concepts. Equiprecise tests yield measures of equal precision at all levels of the underlying construct. Equiprecise measurement can be achieved through conjoint use of computerized-adaptive testing as the survey platform and item response theory as the measurement theory.
The decoding of electrosensory systems

Progress in the study of electrosensory systems has been facilitated by the systematic use of behavior as a tool to probe the nervous system. Indeed, a specific behavior that is found in a subset of weakly electric fishes, the jamming avoidance response, was used to identify and characterize an entire suite of brain circuits, from sensory receptors to motor units, that are involved in control of this behavior. Recent progress has focused on a re-analysis of this circuit in relation to newly described electrosensory behaviors, including prey capture, social signaling and the tracking of electrosensory objects. This re-analysis has led to a re-evaluation of the broader functional relevance of specific neural solutions to computational problems that are related to the control of the jamming avoidance response. Some of the recent insights that have emerged from this work include descriptions of mechanisms underlying dynamic receptive field properties, descriptions of the neural activity related to simultaneously occurring sensory stimuli, and a greater understanding of the role of short-term synaptic plasticity in temporal processing.
Time-parallel multiscale/multiphysics framework

We introduce the time-parallel compound wavelet matrix method (tpCWM) for modeling the temporal evolution of multiscale and multiphysics systems. The method couples time parallel (TP) and CWM methods operating at different spatial and temporal scales. We demonstrate the efficiency of our approach on two examples: a chemical reaction kinetic system and a non-linear predator-prey system. Our results indicate that the tpCWM technique is capable of accelerating time-to-solution by 2-3-orders of magnitude and is amenable to efficient parallel implementation.
APPLICATIONS OF AN INTERACTIVE BALANCING PROCEDURE FOR GAS TURBINES AND OTHER TURBOMACHINERY

Least squares balancing methods have been applied for many years to reduce vibration levels of turbomachinery. This approach yields an optimal configuration of balancing weights to reduce a given cost function. However, in many situations, the cost function is not well-defined by the problem, and a more interactive method of determining the effects of balance weight placement is desirable. An interactive balancing procedure is outlined and implemented in an Excel spreadsheet. The usefulness of this interactive approach is highlighted in balancing case studies of a GE LM5000 gas turbine and an industrial fan. In each case study, attention is given to practical aspects of balancing such as sensor placement and balancing limitations.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Does Hormone Therapy Exacerbate the Adverse Effects of Radiotherapy in Men With Prostate Cancer? A Quality of Life Study

Purpose: We examined whether short course androgen deprivation therapy as an adjunct to radiotherapy would impact health related quality of life outcomes in patients with localized prostate cancer treated definitively with external beam radiation therapy or permanent brachytherapy.Materials and Methods: From 1999 to 2003 patients were enrolled in a prospective study at our institution and completed validated health related quality of life surveys at defined pretreatment and posttreatment intervals. A total of 81 men received radiotherapy alone and 67 received radiotherapy plus androgen deprivation therapy. Median androgen deprivation therapy duration was 4 months. Univariate and multivariate analysis was done to compare time to return to baseline in 6 distinct health related quality of life domains.Results: On univariate analysis the radiotherapy plus androgen deprivation therapy group achieved baseline urinary symptoms more rapidly than the radiotherapy group (5 months, p = 0.002). On multivariate analys...
Impact of usage conditions on solder joint fatigue life

In flip chip microelectronic packages, solder bumps are used to connect the silicon die and package substrate for electrical functionality. However, due to the large mismatch of silicon and organic package in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), the solder bumps undergo large viscoplastic deformation in temperature cycling test and in field operation. The viscoplastic damage accumulates cycle by cycle, which leads to the bump failure by fatigue cracking after hundreds or thousands of thermal cycles. Underfill plays a key role in solder joint fatigue lifetime. In addition to the effects of underfill modulus and CTE, the glass transition temperature, T g , is also critical. Solder deformation is very sensitive to underfill modulus, the viscoplastic work is much larger when the temperature is above T g than below T g . The underfill is usually chosen such that T g is compatible with the operation temperature of processors, since its overall integrity can be optimized in terms of solder joint fatigue, underfill delamination and copper/low-k cracking. However, in usage, the junction temperature T j could potentially overshoot T g several degrees for several minutes. This situation will compromise the load-sharing ability of the underfill to protect the solder joints. The fatigue life of solder could be significantly impacted. In this paper, the effects of overshoot duration and the ramp rate are studied by modeling/simulation for both temperature cycling and power cycling tests, and compared with normal setpoint condition. Then, the field lifetime of solder joints is projected based on the simulation and the temperature cycling qualification test.
A fuzzy expert organizer/robust control strategy for a moving base robotic part assembly

In this paper, three analytical tasks, stability analysis, robust control, and fuzzy intelligent organizer for a moving base robot are introduced. These tools are necessary for a mobile robot to perform complex assembly or manufacturing tasks in an unstructured environment. A stability envelope based on the relations between the system's mechanical energy and the stability relation is derived. A robust control algorithm is applied to the moving base robot that accounts for the dynamics of the composite system. A fuzzy intelligent organizing control strategy, based on a fuzzy rulebase and derived from measured force/moment data, for a robotic device performing quasi-static assembly tasks is presented. A modified distance metric is employed to measure the uncertainty (fuzziness) as it is related to specific control actions. A learning algorithm based on the probability of a fuzzy event is introduced. The top organizing level determines the most appropriate n-tuple control values with minimum fuzziness and downlinks them to the lower level of the system which carries out the specified task. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Finally a hierarchical controller which consists of a higher level fuzzy expert organizer coordinating with a lower level robust controller is proposed. Experimental and simulation results are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithms. >
Surface Anisotropy in Epitaxial FE(110)/MO(110) Multilayers

We have prepared epitaxial Fe(110)/Mo(110) multilayers by sputter deposition. These films exhibit a large uniaxial anisotropy and may be attractive as islanded in-plane recording media. The large uniaxial anisotropy is due to the intrinsic surface anisotropy of the Fe(110)/Mo(110) interface, which is of the same magnitude as the surface anistropy of the Fe(110)/W(110) interface but has a different sign (the surface anisotropy of the Fe(110)/Mo(110) interface prefers the [001] axis of magnetization). The magnetoelastic component of the anisotropy is not large. A novel magneto-optic technique was used to measure the transverse component of the magnetization and deduce information about the anisotropy and domain structure of the multilayers.
Local inflammation as a mediator of migraine and tension-type headache.

Objective.—To demonstrate the relationship of migraine and tension-type headache to a localized maxillary gingival inflammation. Background.—Intraoral tenderness has been observed consistently in the most common types of primary headache disorders. The laterality and degree of tenderness is related to laterality and severity of reported symptoms, both during headache and in the interictal state. Methods.—Bilateral posterior maxillary palpation and local temperature recordings were performed during unilateral migraine and tension-type headache. Local anti-inflammatory techniques, ie, local chilling and a topical anti-inflammatory gel, were used in these tender areas in episodic migraine and tension-type headache patients. Results.—Ipsilateral intraoral tenderness and increased local temperature were consistently observed during unilateral migraine and tension-type headache, suggesting local inflammation. Intraoral chilling and topical application of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug were highly effective for the treatment of migraine and tension-type headache, both in the acute phase and for headache prevention. Conclusion.—These results suggest that a local intraoral inflammation may be associated with the pathogenesis of these common headaches.
Beyond homeostasis: A predictive-dynamic framework for understanding cellular behavior

Microbial regulatory strategies have long been understood in terms of the homeostatic framework, in which a response is interpreted as a restoring force counteracting the immediate intracellular consequences of a change in the environment. In this review, we summarize the breadth of recent discoveries of cellular behavior extending beyond the homeostatic framework. We argue that the nonrandom structure of native habitats makes environmental fluctuations inherently multidimensional. Beyond its utility for accurate perception of immediate events, the temporal regularity of this multidimensional correlation structure allows microbes to make predictions about the trajectory of their sensory environment. We describe recently discovered examples of such predictive behavior, their physiological benefits, and the underlying evolutionary forces shaping them. These observations compel us to go beyond homeostasis and consider a predictive-dynamic framework in which cellular behavior is orchestrated in response to th...
Hormone control and expression of androgen receptor coregulator MAGE-11 in human endometrium during the window of receptivity to embryo implantation

The androgen receptor (AR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor of the male and female reproductive tracts whose activity is modulated by coregulator binding. We recently identified melanoma antigen gene protein-11 (MAGE-11) of the MAGEA gene family that functions as an AR coregulator by binding the AR N-terminal FXXLF motif. Here we report that MAGE-11 is expressed in a temporal fashion in endometrium of normally cycling women. Highest levels of MAGE-11 mRNA and protein occur in the mid-secretory stage, coincident with the window of uterine receptivity to embryo implantation. Studies in human endometrial cell lines together with the hormone profile of the menstrual cycle and pattern of estrogen receptor-alpha expression in cycling endometrium suggest the rise in MAGE-11 mRNA results from down-regulation by estradiol during the proliferative phase and up-regulation by cyclic AMP signaling in the early and mid-secretory stage. In agreement with its coregulatory function, MAGE-11 localizes with AR in glandular epithelial cell nuclei in the mid-secretory stage. The increase in AR protein in the mid-secretory endometrium without an increase in AR mRNA suggests MAGE-11 stabilizes AR in glandular epithelial cell nuclei. This was supported by expression studies at low androgen levels indicating AR stabilization by MAGE-11 dependent on the AR N-terminal transactivation domain. The results suggest that MAGE-11 functions as a coregulator that increases AR transcriptional activity during the establishment of uterine receptivity in the human female.