cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Active Control by Conservation of Energy Concept

Three unrelated experiments are discussed; each was extremely sensitive to initial conditions. The initial conditions are the beginnings of the origins of the information that nonlinearity displays. Initial conditions make the phenomenon unstable and unpredictable. With the knowledge of the initial conditions, active control requires far less power than that present in the system response. The first experiment is on the control of shocks from an axisymmetric supersonic jet; the second, control of a nonlinear panel response forced by turbulent boundary layer and sound; the third, control of subharmonic and harmonics of a panel forced by sound. In all three experiments, control is achieved by redistribution of periodic energy response such that the energy is nearly preserved from a previous uncontrolled state. This type of active control improves the performance of the system being controlled.
RayMatic: ambient meter display with facial expression and gesture

We present an experimental thermostat display that moves beyond a conventional, number-based interface. It explores an approach to engaging and emotional human-computer interaction through facial expression and gesture. Using sensors and touch technology, an ordinary picture frame becomes an interactive meter and conveys environmental information as an ambient display.
Morphologic and biomechanical determinants in the selection of orthognathic surgery procedures

Purpose: This study examined which features of craniofacial morphology are most important in the selection of an orthognathic surgery procedure by 1) producing a small number of composite variables representing multiple measures of craniofacial morphology and craniofacial biomechanics, and 2) looking for correlations between these composite variables and selected orthognathic surgery procedures. Patients and Methods: Lateral cephalograms of 201 adult subjects (71 men and 130 women) were used to generate 47 standard cephalometric measures and 30 biomechanical measures. Of the 201 subjects, 121 were scheduled for orthognathic surgery to treat a variety of dentofacial deformities. Factor analysis reduced the number of variables by identifying underlying latent composite variables, thereby strengthening correlations among the reduced number. Weightings for each factor were than compared among the orthognathic surgery procedures, indicating which factors may have influenced the selection of that procedure. Results: Factor analysis determined 12 factors (explaining 93% of the variance) for the morphologic measurements and 6 factors (explaining 90% of the variance) for the biomechanical measurements. However, only 6 of the morphology factors (accounting for 53% of the morphologic variance) and 5 of the biomechanics factors (accounting for 69% of the biomechanics variance) significantly separated any of the 10 treatment groups. The separating morphology factors were generally related to relative maxillary and mandibular position or dental relationships. Of these, relative maxilla/mandible anteroposterior position was most important for defining the surgery groups. The biomechanics of the lateral pterygoid muscles did not contribute to separation of the groups. Conclusions: Only a subset of available morphologic information was used to select surgical treatment. The most important factors in treatment selection were difference in maxillary and mandibular lengths and differences in anterior and posterior facial height. Standard morphology factors accounting for 40% of the total morphologic variance apparently played no role in selection of treatment. Several biomechanical factors differentiated treatment groups as well as or better than some standard morphology factors.
Growth of detector quality MCT in a vertical MOCVD reactor

HgCdTe epitaxial layers were grown on (111)B CdTe substrates in a commercially purchased and modified vertical MOCVD reactor. DIPTe, DMCd and elemental Hg were used as reactants and growth takes place at 360°C. Run-to-run reproducibility of composition and electrical properties was studied over a hundred growth runs. Hall measurements show that n-type material is consistently obtained with carrier concentrations in the mid 10'4/cm3 and mobilities as high as good bulk material. LWIR photoconductive devices were fabricated with this low carrier concentration material and tested. The responsivity and the lifetime measurements indicated that these devices perform as well as those fabricated with purchased LPE material. Excellent device performance was obtained on 80-element photodiode arrays fabricated with x''0.3 p-type HgCdTe samples by formin9 flf/p junctions by ion implantation. R0A values obtained are ..1x1Ob Q-cm2 at 77K for Xco 5.7 1m and are highly uniform within an 80-element array. We also report on an all MOCVD grown p-on-n double-layer heterojunction (DLHJ) photodiode with Xco 8.1 um.
CONCEALED PENIS IN CHILDHOOD: A SPECTRUM OF ETIOLOGY AND TREATMENT

AbstractPurpose: Concealed penis is an uncommon condition due to poor skin fixation at the base of the penis, cicatricial scarring after penile surgery and excessive obesity. The condition varies in severity and several surgical options are available, such as excision of previous scarring, degloving the penile shaft, reconstructing the penile shaft skin with flaps, fixing the penile skin at the penopubic and penoscrotal angles, and removing excess suprapubic fat.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the records of 43 patients treated for concealed penis from 1993 to 1998. We categorized the cases as type 1-congenital concealed penis, type 2-concealed penis due to scarring from previous surgery and type 3-complex cases involving excessive obesity. Cases were reviewed in regard to surgical techniques and outcomes. We identified 18 type 1, 18 type 2 and 7 type 3 cases. Mean age of type 1 patients at surgery was 12.4 months with 1 patient presented at age 7 years. None had previously undergone penile surgery. Al...
Visualization Of Stress Waves In Flawed Solids With A Multilaser Camera

Because stress-waves interacting with a flaw are not only diffracted and reflected but also converted from one type of wave into another (mode converted), it is very difficult in many cases to identify the source or propagation direction of a particular wave with an ultrasonic transducer. Visualization of the stress-wave flaw interaction provides a technique whereby the time history of the interaction can be observed and the resulting wave shapes, direction of propagation and nature of mode conversion identified. The visualization method used in our study is photoelastic visualization. Although earlier studies have used a similar visualization technique, the camera systems used lacked sufficient dynamic resolution in the image plane to enable identification of the waveform and spatial stress distribution after the interaction of the incident stress-wave with a flaw. In this study we show stress distributions in propagating stress waves and mode converted waves in transparent solids using a high-speed, multi-laser camera system. The camera system light sources consist of six ruby lasers in contrast to spark-gap sources used in earlier studies. The lasers are operated in the Q-switched mode and provide an exposure time of 35 nanoseconds for each frame. The framing rate is controlled wit4 either a microprocessor or a set of passive digital delays over the range of 0 to 10' frames/sec. Light output from the lasers is directed to the camera system via optical fiber bundles. A Cranz-Schardin lens configuration is used to record images on a stationary film plane.
Cystic Fibrosis Pathogens Activate Ca2+-dependent Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathways in Airway Epithelial Cells

Much of the pulmonary disease in cystic fibrosis is associated with polymorphonuclear leukocyte-dominated airway inflammation caused by bacterial infection. Respiratory epithelial cells express the polymorphonuclear chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8) in response to ligation of asialylated glycolipid receptors, which are increased on damaged or regenerating cells and those with cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator mutations. Because both Pseudomonas aeruginosa andStaphylococcus aureus, the most common pathogens in cystic fibrosis, bind asialylated glycolipid receptors such as asialoGM1, we postulated that diverse bacteria can activate a common epithelial signaling pathway to elicit IL-8 expression. P. aeruginosa PAO1 but not pil mutants andS. aureus RN6390 but not the agr mutant RN6911 stimulated increases in [Ca2+]iin 1HAEo− airway epithelial cells. This response stimulated p38 and ERK1/2 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascades resulting in NF-κB activation and IL-8 expression. Ligation of the asialoGM1 receptor or thapsigargin-elicited Ca2+ release activated this pathway, whereas P. aeruginosalipopolysaccharide did not. The rapid kinetics of epithelial activation precluded bacterial invasion of the epithelium. Recognition of asialylated glycolipid receptors on airway epithelial cells provides a common pathway for Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms to initiate an epithelial inflammatory response.
Optical and Electro-Optical Properties of a Photocross-Linkable Polymer

Planar waveguides from a photocross-linkable polymer have been fabricated on glass and Si02 on silicon using the spin coating process. The polymer has been cross-linked by exposure to UV radiation (λ = 254nm). Prism coupling technique has been used to couple a laser beam into the waveguide structure. The waveguiding parameters such as number of modes, loss, thickness, and index of refraction of the polymer have been determined before and after crosslinking. The refractive index of the polymer before cross-linking differs significantly from that after cross-linking. No anisotropy has been observed in the refractive indices for the uncross-linked or cross-linked samples. The refractive index and thickness of the polymer film before and after cross-linking have also been measured using an ellipsometer and found to be in very good agreement with those obtained by the prism coupling technique. Dye molecules with large second order hyperpolarizability were utilized as guests into the photocross-linkable polymer matrix for second order nonlinear optical applications. Electro-optic properties of this polymeric system are reported.
INFLUENCE OF MOLECULAR UNSATURATION ON HORMONAL ACTIVITY PATTERN OF CERTAIN HETEROCYCLIC STEROIDS

The pattern of hormonal activity in rats of [3,2-c] pyrazole derivatives of steroids was profoundly altered by minor changes in the degree of unsaturation of the steroidal moiety. 17α-Hydroxy-17α-methylandrostano [3,2-c] pyrazole induced marked retention of nitrogen, was myotrophic and weakly androgenic. The singly unsaturated steroid derivative, 17β-hydroxy-17α-methylandrost-4- eno [3,2-c] pyrazole, did not promote nitrogen retention, although it was myotrophic, weakly androgenic and estrogenic. The doubly unsaturated steroid derivative, 17β-hydroxy-17α-methylandrosta-4,6-dieno [3,2-c] pyrazole, was typically estrogenic without anabolic or androgenic activities. The activity patterns of these heterocyclic steroids were compared with those of the corresponding parent steroids: 17α-methylandrostane-17β-ol-3-one, 17a-methylandrost- 4-ene-17β-ol-3-one and 17α-methylandrosta-4,6-diene-17β-ol-3-one. The degree of unsaturation of the parent steroids was observed to alter the magnitude but not the kind of hormon...
Informed Demand for Non-Beneficial Medical Treatment

An 85-year-old woman was taken from a nursing home to Hennepin County Medical Center on January 1, 1990, for emergency treatment of dyspnea from chronic bronchiectasis. The patient, Mrs. Helga Wanglie, required emergency intubation and was placed on a respirator. She occasionally acknowledged discomfort and recognized her family but could not communicate clearly. In May, after attempts to wean her from the respirator failed, she was discharged to a chronic care hospital. One week later, her heart stopped during a weaning attempt; she was resuscitated and taken to another hospital for intensive care. She remained unconscious, and a physician suggested . . .
The electronic spectroscopy and structure of 3-amino-s-tetrazine in a supersonic jet

Abstract The electronic spectroscopy of 3-amino- s -tetrazine (AT) has been studied in a supersonic jet. Low-resolution vibrationally resolved fluorescence excitation and dispersed fluorescence spectra have enabled us to assign the fundamental frequencies of six vibrational normal modes in both the ground and excited states. The spectra are dominated by progressions in v 6 a ; substantial intensity is also seen in v 1 . The frequency of the amino inversion vibration fundamental suggests that the barriers to amino inversion of AT in the ground and excited states may be quite different from the corresponding barriers in aniline. High-resolution rotationally resolved spectra have been obtained for the AT origin transition. The transition dipole moment is polarized along the C inertial axis, which is consistent with the excited state being the A 1 B 1 (π ∗ ← n) state. The rotational constants indicate that the internal NCN angle decreases by 3.4° upon excitation; this geometry change is along the v 6 a normal mode, and is consistent with the observed v 6 a progression. The CNH 2 bond is much shorter than a typical CNH 2 single bond, indicating that this bond has partial double bond character caused by amino lone pair participation in the π aromatic system.
Autoinflammatory bone disorders.

Purpose of review This review provides an update on clinical, genetic, and immunologic aspects of the autoinflammatory bone disorders. Recent findings Chronic noninfectious inflammation of the bone is a clinical feature of both chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis and (to a lesser degree) cherubism. The genes responsible for Majeed syndrome (LPIN2), murine chronic multifocal osteomyelitis (pstpip2), and cherubism (SH3BP2 and possibly PTPN11) have been identified. Murine models of both chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis and cherubism have demonstrated that the bone inflammation is mediated by hematopoietically derived cells and can occur in the absence of a functioning adaptive immune system. As the immunologic defects become better defined, the cells of the myeloid lineage are emerging as the primary players. Summary Chronic multifocal osteomyelitis and cherubism are hereditary chronic inflammatory disorders in which bone is the primary inflammatory target. Recent genetic and immunologic discoveries demonstrate involvement of the innate immune system, which places these entities in the category of autoinflammatory disorders.
Acute changes in ambient temperature are associated with adverse changes in cardiac rhythm

Both increases and decreases in ambient temperature have been associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. However, the mechanism(s) remain unclear. We examined associations between biomarkers of pathways thought to, in part, explain these associations and changes in ambient temperature in a panel of predominantly postmyocardial infarction or poststent patients. We studied 76 subjects who had a recent coronary event and were participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program. In these patients, we measured heart rate variability, repolarization, and baroreflex sensitivity parameters using Holter ECG recordings before and during supervised, graded, twice-weekly, exercise sessions. Hourly temperature measurements were made at a monitoring site near the rehabilitation center. Using linear mixed models, we observed decreases in square root of the mean of the sum of the squared differences between adjacent NN intervals (rMSSD) and deceleration capacity, associated with increases in ambient temperature in the previous 4 days. Additionally, decreased rMSSD was associated with both increasing temperature (mean in previous 6 h) in the summer and decreasing temperature (mean in the previous 3 weeks) in the winter. In a panel of cardiac rehabilitation patients, changes in ambient temperature were associated with decreases in markers of heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity, which may lead to increased risk of arrhythmic events and sudden death in postinfarction patients.
Anti-Brownian ELectrokinetic (ABEL) Trapping of Single High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Particles

The Anti-Brownian ELectrokinetic (ABEL) trap uses voltage feedback to electrokinetically cancel the Brownian motion of single particles in solution in microfluidic geometries. This allows trapping of single high density lipoprotein (HDL) particles for extended observation.
Pliocene and early Pleistocene environments and climates of the western Snake River Plain, Idaho

Abstract Sedimentological, palynological, and magnetic susceptibility data provide paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic information from a 989 ft (301 m) core of sediments from the upper Glenns Ferry and Bruneau Formations from near the town of Bruneau in Owyhee County, Idaho. Chronology is based on stratigraphic position, paleomagnetism, and biostratigraphic data, which collectively suggest a late Gauss Normal-Polarity Chron age for the Glenns Ferry sediments and a middle Matuyama Reversed-Polarity Chron age for the Bruneau sediments. A deep lake was present on the western Snake River Plain during the portions of the time represented by the Glenns Ferry Formation, and the mudstones of the lower half of the core were apparently deposited in this lake. The terminal regression of the Glenns Ferry lake may be represented in the Bruneau core by sandy mudstones and sands that overlie the deep-water mudstones. A cobble layer present in the core between the Glenns Ferry lake beds and those of the overlying Bruneau Formation may indicate through-flow by the ancestral Snake River. Palynological data from the Glenns Ferry sediments in the Bruneau core reveal a pollen flora similar to the modern regional pollen flora, with very rare occurrences of now-extirpated taxa common earlier in the Tertiary. Palynological data from the Pliocene portion of this core indicate conditions more moist than today, with cooler summers and perhaps warmer winters. Quasi-periodic fluctuations in coniferous pollen (primarily Pinus) versus arid steppe taxa (primarily Chenopodiaceae/Amar-anthus) indicate significant variations in moisture through the lower two-thirds of the Glenns Ferry portion of the core. Shorter wave-length fluctuations in magnetic susceptibility and (inversely) Artemisia may reflect variations in temperature or other unidentified climatic variables. The pollen spectra from the Bruneau Formation sediments in the Bruneau core are dominated by Artemisia and resemble those of the Wisconsinan glacial period on the Snake River Plain, and hence indicate cold and dry conditions during some portion of the early Pleistocene. The deep-water Glenns Ferry lacustrine episode appears to date between approximately 3.5 to 3.3 and 2.5 Ma, and thus occurred during the middle Pliocene period of warmer-than-modern global temperatures. Similar sustained wetter-than-present conditions occurred in the same age range at sites across the western U.S.A. from southern California and Arizona to northern California and Idaho. This moist period was apparently followed by an interval of regional arid conditions that persisted for several hundred thousand years.
Prediction Models for Truck Accidents at Freeway Ramps in Washington State Using Regression and Artificial Intelligence Techniques

Three different modeling approaches were applied to explain truck accidents at interchanges in Washington State during a 27-month period. Three models were developed for each ramp type including linear regression, neural networks, and a hybrid system using fuzzy logic and neural networks. The study showed that linear regression was able to predict accident frequencies that fell within one standard deviation from the overall mean of the dependent variable. However, the coefficient of determination was very low in all cases. The other two artificial intelligence (AI) approaches showed a high level of performance in identifying different patterns of accidents in the training data and presented a better fit when compared to the regression model. However, the ability of these AI models to predict test data that were not included in the training process showed unsatisfactory results.
Replication past O6-Methylguanine by Yeast and Human DNA Polymerase η

O(6)-Methylguanine (m6G) is formed by the action of alkylating agents such as N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) on DNA. m6G is a highly mutagenic and carcinogenic lesion, and it presents a block to synthesis by DNA polymerases. Here, we provide genetic and biochemical evidence for the involvement of yeast and human DNA polymerase eta (Poleta) in the replicative bypass of m6G lesions in DNA. The formation of MNNG-induced mutations is almost abolished in the rad30Delta pol32Delta double mutant of yeast, which lacks the RAD30 gene that encodes Poleta and the Pol32 subunit of DNA polymerase delta (Poldelta). Although Poldelta can function in the mutagenic bypass of m6G lesions, our biochemical studies indicate that Poleta is much more efficient in replicating through m6G than Poldelta. Both Poleta and Poldelta insert a C or a T residue opposite from m6G; Poleta, however, is more accurate, as it inserts a C about twice as frequently as Poldelta. Alkylating agents are used in the treatment of malignant tumors, including lymphomas, brain tumors, melanomas, and gastrointestinal carcinomas, and the clinical effectiveness of these agents derives at least in part from their ability to form m6G in DNA. Inactivation of Poleta could afford a useful strategy for enhancing the effectiveness of these agents in cancer chemotherapy.
A porcelain-faced crown

CLASSIFICATION Type I. The facial surface is excavated from the wax crown pattern. The metal crown is cast. A fused porcelain inlay is made indirectly to fit the metal crown recess. The inlay is cemented into the recess. Type 1I. The facial surface is excavated from the wax crown pattern. The metal crown is cast in a special alloy, usually gold. Special porcelain is fused directly to the metal. Type III. Fused porcelain is selected from manufactured stock. I t is ground to dimensional requirements, then inlaid in position in the wax crown pattern, then withdrawn for the casting of the metal crown. The inlay is cemented into the crown recess. This article describes a technique for making a Type I I I porcelain-faced crown. Dr. George Hollenback used porcelain denture teeth modified to meet different crown or bridge requirements over 50 years ago. t I usually use it because it has best stood the test of time, and the materials are available in the dental office. If an acrylic resin surface is desired, excellent acrylic resin veneer facings are manufactured, and the same general procedure can be followed.*
The combined effects of simulated acid rain and ozone on injury, chlorophyll, and growth of radish

Abstract Radish plants (Raphanus sativus L. cv “Scarlet Globe”) were exposed to 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, or 0.4 ppm of ozone (O3) for 3 hr once per week for 3 weeks and simulated rain acidified to pH 5.6, 4.0, 3.3 or 3.0 four times in a replicated 42 factoral design. The threshold concentration of O3 for induction of visible injury was between 0.1 and 0.2 ppm. The threshold level of acidity for visible injury was between pH 4.0 and 3.3. The combined effect of O3 and acidic rain was primarily additive. However, younger leaves (positions 3–5) exhibited an antagonistic injury response (significant only for leaf 5) to the treatment that included pH 3.3 rain and 0.4 ppm of O3. Also, there was a tendency for older leaves (positions 1 and 2) exposed to acid rain to be more sensitive to 0.4 ppm of O3 than those exposed to pH 5.6 rain. Hypocotyl dry weight and foliar chlorophyll were significantly reduced by O3. Acid rain and the interaction of O3 and acid rain had no effect on hypocotyl or foliage dry weight or foliar chlorophyll content. These results indicated that radish plants under our culture methods exhibited primarily additive responses to combinations of O3 and acid rain.
Forearm compartment syndrome from intravenous mannitol extravasation during general anesthesia.

IMPLICATIONS Complications of IV mannitol administration resulting in compartment syndrome may warrant surgical intervention. Compartment syndrome is difficult to diagnose in the anesthetized patient. Infusing mannitol in an observed IV site permits discontinuation of mannitol before complications ensue. Early recognition and surgical intervention averted potential impairment in our patient.
Exploring household income as a predictor of psychological well-being among long-term colorectal cancer survivors.

Purpose The purpose of this analysis was to determine the unique contribution of household income to the variance explained in psychological well-being (PWB) among a sample of colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors.
Investigations on growth morphology, bulk growth and crystalline perfection of L-threonine, an organic nonlinear optical material

Abstract L -threonine single crystal was successfully grown from aqueous solution. The morphology of the grown crystal was compared with the predicted morphology using Bravais–Friedel–Donnay–Harker law and was found to be in good agreement with the predicted morphology. Good optical quality bulk single crystal of enhanced size has been grown using unidirectional crystal growth method. High-resolution X-ray analysis study resulted in a rocking curve with a full width half maximum of 20 arc sec exhibiting the good crystalline quality of the grown crystal. The optical transmission study shows 90% of transmission in the entire visible region that exhibits the good optical quality of the grown crystal. The mechanical properties were analyzed by Vicker’s microhardness method.
Histopathological and ultrastructural analysis of vestibular endorgans in Meniere's disease reveals basement membrane pathology

We report the systematic analysis of the ultrastructural and cytological histopathology of vestibular endorgans acquired from labyrinthectomy in Meniere's disease. 17 subjects with intractable Meniere's disease and ipsilateral non-serviceable hearing presenting to the Neurotology Clinic from 1997 to 2006 who chose ablative labyrinthectomy (average age = 62 years; range 29–83 years) participated. The average duration of symptoms prior to surgery was 7 years (range 1–20 years). Nearly all vestibular endorgans demonstrated varying degrees of degeneration. A monolayer of epithelial cells occurred significantly more frequently in the horizontal cristae (12/13 = 92%) (p < 0.001), the superior cristae (5/5 = 100%) (p < 0.005), the posterior cristae (2/2) compared with the utricular maculae (4/17 = 24%). Basement membrane (BM) thickening was more common in all of the cristae ampullares (18 out of 20) than the utricular maculae. Although only four saccular maculae were obtained, 3 out of 4 exhibited BM thickening and monolayer degeneration. Monolayer degeneration was highly significantly correlated with the presence of BM thickening (p < 0.001). Other degenerative changes noted equally among the five vestibular endorgans which were not significantly correlated with BM thickening or monolayer degeneration included hair cell vacuolization and stereocilia loss, microvesicles in the supporting cells, and increased stromal intercellular spaces. Transmission electron microscopy demonstrated disorganization of the BM collagen-like fibrils, and normal ultrastructural morphology of the nerve terminals and myelinated fibers. Stromal fibroblasts and endothelial cells of stromal blood vessels demonstrated vacuolization, and stromal perivascular BMs were also thickened. Systematic histopathological analysis of the vestibular endorgans from Meniere's disease demonstrated neuroepithelial degeneration which was highly correlated with an associated BM thickening. Other findings included hair cell and supporting cell microvessicles, increased intercellular clear spaces in the stroma, and endothelial cell vacuolization and stromal perivascular BM thickening.
Tech-note: rapMenu: Remote Menu Selection Using Freehand Gestural Input

Traditional menu designs are not well-suited for command selection on distant displays. We describe a n.ew interaction technique called the "roll-and-pinch menu" (rapMenu), and investigate the design space of remote menu selection using freehand gestural input. The rapMenu maps intuitive hand postures and gestures to a radial menu layout at two levels of granularity: the user rolls her hand to alter the wrist orientation, which makes a group of menu items selectable; then she touches her thumb to a particular finger (forming & pinch gesture) to select a specific item in that group. We present the visual design and behavior of the rapMenu, consider related design issues, examine design variations, and discuss the strengths and limitations of our approach.
Pattern and prognosis of liver function test abnormalities during parenteral nutrition in inflammatory bowel disease

The pattern of liver function test abnormalities was examined during total parenteral nutrition (TPN), using both dextrose and fat emulsions as caloric sources, in 92 patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Seventy-two patients had completely normal tests before TPN while 20 had one or more abnormal liver function tests before TPN was started. Serum bilirubin levels were normal in all patients before TPN; within 2 weeks on TPN, 25% of patients had elevated bilirubin levels. Serum alkaline phosphatase rose to values above normal in 25% of patients with normal starting values but did not change in those with abnormal baseline liver function tests. Elevations of SGPT were characteristically more pronounced than were elevation of SGOT. After 2 weeks of TPN, mean serum SGOT rose from 15 to 26 IU per liter (p less than 0.01) in patients with normal baseline values and from 28 to 50 IU per liter in those with abnormal baseline values. Elevations of serum SGPT were most common, affecting 25% of patients with normal baseline. The mean SGPT value rose from 13 to 38 IU per liter (p less than 0.01) at 1 week of TPN. In patients with abnormal tests before TPN, the mean SGPT value rose from 45 to 102 IU per liter (p less than 0.05). Liver biopsies performed in four patients with substantial elevations of aminotransferases revealed only minor nonspecific changes and no fatty infiltration. Elevated liver function tests promptly returned to baseline after TPN was discontinued, and progressive liver disease was not observed in any patient.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Coupled VCSEL arrays: Active photonic lattices

Summary form only given. The coupled-lasing modes of the VCSEL array represent the allowed bands of propagating Bloch waves in the two-dimensional active photonic lattice. Previous positive-index guided VCSEL array designs have attempted to select a single-mode (i.e. all elements phase-locked) from the allowed bands of guided modes of the 2-D photonic lattice. All previously reported phase-locked 2D VCSEL arrays operate in either out-of-phase mode or a mixture of various modes, characteristic of weakly-index guided arrays, with poor intermodal discrimination. To achieve in-phase-like emission characteristics, external phase-shifters have also been used on optically pumped VCSEL arrays however the resulting beam is quite broad. The progress in phase-locked 2-D VCSEL arrays parallels closely that of edge-emitting phase-locked arrays. Weak coupling and poor intermodal discrimination found in evanescently coupled edge-emitting laser arrays has severely limited their single-mode output power due to gain spatial hole burning at the array level.
Alterations in transcriptional responses associated with vascular aging

Vascular aging is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease that can occur in the absence of other traditional risk factors. Inflammation is a hallmark of vascular aging that ultimately leads to structural changes in the vessel wall including an increase in medial thickness and perivascular fibrosis. Several classes of transcription factors have been identified that participate in the regulation of cellular responses associated with vascular aging. Nuclear factor (NF)-κB is the prototypic example of a transcriptional activator in the setting of inflammation, being activated in response to multiple inflammatory mediators including pro-inflammatory cytokines and bacterial endotoxin. In contrast, the activation of the nuclear hormone receptor and transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-α) results in its translocation from the cell surface to the nucleus where it exerts anti-inflammatory effects. Vascular aging is also associated with endothelial dysfunction. One important repair mechanism for improving endothelial function is the recruitment of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). In the setting of aging the number of EPCs diminishes which has been linked to a decrease in the activity and/or expression of the transcription factor hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1 alpha. A change in the balance of the activity of pro-inflammatory transcription factors versus those that inhibit inflammation likely contributes to the process of vascular aging. The purpose of this review is to summarize our current knowledge of these age-related changes in transcriptional responses, and to discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting some of these factors.
Chemistry of the Positron and of Positronium

In this progress report, the properties and behavior of the positron (“positive electron”, anti-electron) and of the positronium, a “hydrogen atom” containing a positron instead of a proton, are considered from the chemist's viewpoint. Examples are given to demonstrate the development of positronium chemistry, in aqueous solution and in the gaseous, liquid, and solid phases, with its problems and possibilities.
Mutational analysis of Drosophila synaptotagmin demonstrates its essential role in Ca2+-activated neurotransmitter release

Abstract Synaptotagmin (syt), a synaptic vesicle-specific protein known to bind Ca 2+ in the presence of phospholipids, has been proposed to mediate Ca 2+ -dependent neurotransmitter release. We have addressed the role of syt in neurotransmitter release in vivo by generating mutations in synaptotagmin (syt) in the fruitfly and assaying the subsequent effects on neurotransmission. Most embryos that lack syt fall to hatch and exhibit very reduced, uncoordinated muscle contractions. Larvae with partial lack-of-function mutations show almost no evoked excitatory junctional potentials (EJPs) in 0.4 mM Ca 2+ and a 15-fold reduction in EJP amplitude in 1.0 mM Ca 2+ when compared with heterozygous controls. In contrast, we observe an increase in the frequency of spontaneous miniature EJPs in the mutants. These results provide in vivo evidence that syt plays a key role in Ca 2+ activation of neurotransmitter release and indicate the existence of separate pathways for evoked and spontaneous neurotransmitter release.
Interleukin (IL)-4 inhibits IL-10 to promote IL-12 production by dendritic cells

Interleukin (IL)-4 is known to be the most potent cytokine that can initiate Th2 cell differentiation. Paradoxically, IL-4 instructs dendritic cells (DCs) to promote Th1 cell differentiation. We investigated the mechanisms by which IL-4 directs CD4 T cells toward the Th1 cell lineage. Our study demonstrates that the IL-4-mediated induction of Th1 cell differentiation requires IL-10 production by DCs. IL-4 treatment of DCs in the presence of lipopolysaccharide or CpG resulted in decreased production of IL-10, which was accompanied by enhanced IL-12 production. In IL-10-deficient DCs, the level of IL-12 was greatly elevated and, more importantly, the ability of IL-4 to up-regulate IL-12 was abrogated. Interestingly, IL-4 inhibited IL-10 production by DCs but not by B cells. The down-regulation of IL-10 gene expression by IL-4 depended on Stat6 and was at least partly caused by decreased histone acetylation of the IL-10 promoter. These data indicate that IL-4 plays a key role in inducing Th1 cell differentiation by instructing DCs to produce less IL-10.
Lubricin Distribution in the Menisci and Labra of Human Osteoarthritic Joints

Objective:Lubricin is the principal boundary lubricant on articular cartilage. We aimed to describe the distribution of lubricin in the other articulating structures in the human knee and hip—menisci and labra—and to relate this distribution to the degree of tissue degeneration.Methods:Eighteen menisci and 6 labra were obtained from patients with osteoarthritis undergoing total knee and total hip replacements, respectively. Macroscopically intact specimens were fixed in formalin and processed for H&E staining and immunohistochemical evaluation with an antilubricin monoclonal antibody.Results:Lubricin was found in all tissues as a discrete layer on the tissue surface, within the extracellular matrix, and intracellularly, indicating that it plays a role in the tribology of these tissues in human subjects, and can be synthesized by cells within the tissues. While none of the samples displayed macroscopic tears, approximately 40% of the surface of the menisci and 80% of the surface of the labra displayed micr...
Density estimation through quasi-analytic Monte-Carlo simulation: Options arbitrage with transactions costs

Discretely rebalanced options arbitrage strategies in the presence of transaction costs have path dependent returns that are difficult to model analytically. I instead use a quasi-analytic procedure that combines the computational efficiency of analytical solutions with the flexibility of simulations. The central feature is the estimation of the distribution of returns of the arbitrage strategy by mapping simulated returns percentiles and the input parameter set. Using the estimated density, I evaluate the tradeoff between transaction costs and risk exposure under generalized transaction costs structures that includes bid-ask spread and brokerage commission. I show that the optimal strategy depends on transaction costs, volatility, and option moneyness. Strategies such as rebalancing when the hedge ratio changes by 0.25, balances transaction costs and risk exposure, and can be optimal.
Transcriptome analysis of the honey bee fungal pathogen, Ascosphaera apis: implications for host pathogenesis

We present a comprehensive transcriptome analysis of the fungus Ascosphaera apis, an economically important pathogen of the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) that causes chalkbrood disease. Our goals were to further annotate the A. apis reference genome and to identify genes that are candidates for being differentially expressed during host infection versus axenic culture. We compared A. apis transcriptome sequence from mycelia grown on liquid or solid media with that dissected from host-infected tissue. 454 pyrosequencing provided 252 Mb of filtered sequence reads from both culture types that were assembled into 10,087 contigs. Transcript contigs, protein sequences from multiple fungal species, and ab initio gene predictions were included as evidence sources in the Maker gene prediction pipeline, resulting in 6,992 consensus gene models. A phylogeny based on 12 of these protein-coding loci further supported the taxonomic placement of Ascosphaera as sister to the core Onygenales. Several common protein domains were less abundant in A. apis compared with related ascomycete genomes, particularly cytochrome p450 and protein kinase domains. A novel gene family was identified that has expanded in some ascomycete lineages, but not others. We manually annotated genes with homologs in other fungal genomes that have known relevance to fungal virulence and life history. Functional categories of interest included genes involved in mating-type specification, intracellular signal transduction, and stress response. Computational and manual annotations have been made publicly available on the Bee Pests and Pathogens website. This comprehensive transcriptome analysis substantially enhances our understanding of the A. apis genome and its expression during infection of honey bee larvae. It also provides resources for future molecular studies of chalkbrood disease and ultimately improved disease management.
A methodology for interactive mining and visual analysis of clinical event patterns using electronic health record data

Display Omitted Differences in patient progression can significantly impact outcomes.We present a methodology for interactive pattern mining and analysis of patient data.Our approach combines ad hoc visual queries, mining, and interactive visualization.Our methods uncover key event patterns and their associations with outcome over time.Prototype implementation applied to population of 32,000 cardiology patients. Patients' medical conditions often evolve in complex and seemingly unpredictable ways. Even within a relatively narrow and well-defined episode of care, variations between patients in both their progression and eventual outcome can be dramatic. Understanding the patterns of events observed within a population that most correlate with differences in outcome is therefore an important task in many types of studies using retrospective electronic health data. In this paper, we present a method for interactive pattern mining and analysis that supports ad hoc visual exploration of patterns mined from retrospective clinical patient data. Our approach combines (1) visual query capabilities to interactively specify episode definitions, (2) pattern mining techniques to help discover important intermediate events within an episode, and (3) interactive visualization techniques that help uncover event patterns that most impact outcome and how those associations change over time. In addition to presenting our methodology, we describe a prototype implementation and present use cases highlighting the types of insights or hypotheses that our approach can help uncover.
Reactive multilayer foils for MEMS wafer level packaging

We present a novel room temperature bonding technique using reactive multilayer Ni/Al foils as local heat sources to heat intermediate adhesion layers and thus bond silicon wafers to form wafer level package. Exothermic reactions in Ni/Al multilayer foils were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). XRD measurements showed that the dominant product after the exothermic reaction was ordered B2 AlNi compound. The heat of reaction was calculated to be −57.9 kJ/mol. Two bonding approaches were realized. One used AuSn solder as an intermediate layer to bond two silicon wafers together; the other approach conducted bonding between Parylene-C and silicon wafers with a thin Parylene-C coating. Either silicon or Parylene-C was torn when the bond was forcefully broken, indicating a strong bond was achieved. Moreover, leakage test in isopropanol alcohol (IPA) showed that the joints possessed good hermeticity to liquid. Numerical simulation results demonstrated that both localized heating and rapid cooling occurred during the bonding process, which made reactive foil bonding an ideal method for MEMS wafer level packaging applications.
Tau Gene Mutations in FTDP-17 Syndromes

The identification of multiple autosomal-dominant tau gene mutations that give rise to a family of neurodegenerative disorders provides concrete evidence that abnormalities in tau are sufficient to induce the onset and progression of neurodegenerative disease. Although the majority of tauopathies are sporadic in nature, a greater understanding of the etiology and disease mechanisms involved in FTDP-17 syndromes will increase our current understanding of both the physiological and pathological functions of tau. Analogous to the identification of familial mutations involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease, the discovery of such a large family of tau gene mutations which presents a wide range of phenotypes has lead to the development of more complex in vitro assays, better cell culture models and the development of multiple transgenic animal models. These biological models can be used to identify potential therapeutic targets and develop new mechanism based drugs aimed at stopping and/or prevented frontal temporal dementias and other tauopathies.
Finite‐difference solution of the eikonal equation along expanding wavefronts

We show that a scheme to solve the 2-D eikonal equation by a finite‐difference method can violate causality for moderate to large velocity contrasts (V2/V1>2). As an alternative, we present a finite‐difference scheme in which the solution region progresses outward from an “expanding wavefront” rather than an “expanding square,” and therefore honors causality. Our method appears to be stable and reasonably accurate for a variety of velocity models with moderate to large velocity contrasts. The penalty is a large increase in computational cost and programming effort.
A novel protein kinase homolog essential for protein sorting to the yeast lysosome-like vacuole

The VPS15 gene encodes a novel protein kinase homolog that is essential for the efficient delivery of soluble hydrolases to the yeast vacuole. Point mutations altering highly conserved residues within the Vps15p kinase domain result in the secretion of multiple vacuolar proteases. In addition, the in vivo phosphorylation of Vps15p is defective in these kinase domain mutants, suggesting that Vps15p may regulate specific protein phosphorylation reactions required for protein sorting to the yeast vacuole. Subcellular fractionation studies further demonstrate that the 1455 amino acid Vps15p is peripherally associated with the cytoplasmic face of a late Golgi or vesicle compartment. This association may be mediated by myristate as Vps15p contains a consensus signal for N-terminal myristoylation. We propose that protein phosphorylation may act as a molecular "switch" within intracellular protein sorting pathways by actively diverting proteins from a default transit pathway (e.g., secretion) to an alternative pathway (e.g., to the vacuole).
Investigation of bacterial growth on mixed substrates: experimental evaluation of cybernetic models

Cybernetic models, developed earlier by the authors, have been evaluated experimentally for the growth of Klebsiella oxytoca in batch cultures using mixed substrates from glucose, xylose, arabinose, lactose, and fructose. Based entirely on information procured from batch growth on single substrates, the models accurately predict without further parameter fitting, diauxic growth on mixed substrates, automatically predicting the order in which the substrates are consumed. Even triauxic growth on a mixture of glucose, xylose, and lactose is predicted by the model based on single substrate data. Growth on glucose-fructose mixtures appears to need a slightly modified strategy for cybernetic variables.
Texas Library Directory Web Services Application: The Potential for Web Services to Enhance Information Access to Legacy Data

This paper presents an overview of an exploratory research project to identify, describe, and investigate the applicability of the Web services (WS) approach to access legacy data. In the Z Texas Implementation Component of the Library of Texas (ZLOT) project, the ZLOT technical team has implemented a multi-purpose Texas Library Directory Database (TLDD) that is used as a back-end database to support the Library of Texas (LOT) Resource Discovery Service (RDS). The researchers developed and implemented a prototype WS application to show how a legacy system can be accessed and its data can be searched and retrieved. This study focused on understanding how requests and responses between software applications are encoded in XML.