cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Siderophore production by an aerobic Pseudomonas mendocina bacterium in the presence of kaolinite

Abstract The purpose of this study was to quantify siderophore production by the aerobic bacterium, Pseudomonas mendocina , under Fe-limited conditions as a function of Fe source: supplied in dissolved form (as 30 μM Fe-EDTA), as natural Fe-containing kaolinite, and a no-Fe-added control. Siderophores are Fe(III)-specific organic ligands produced by microorganisms under conditions of Fe stress. Siderophore production was compared with previous experiments wherein Fe was supplied as hematite [Geomicrobiol. J. 17 (2000) 1]. Microbial growth increased in the order: no-added-Fe control kaolinite>hematite≥Fe-EDTA. Thus, the bacterium was less Fe stressed in the presence of kaolinite than in the no-added-Fe control, confirming that kaolinite serves as a source of Fe to the bacterium. Although more siderophore per cell was produced in the most stressed system (no-Fe-added), more total siderophore was produced in the least stressed system (Fe-EDTA). This is due to the presence of a larger total population size in the least stressed system. Hence, the ability of a microbial population to produce siderophores as a means to access mineral-bound Fe is a complex function of both Fe stress and population size.
A85: Effect of Childhood‐Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus on Linear Height and Body Mass Index

Background/Purpose: To explore the relationship between childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and anthropomorphic measures including linear height and body mass index (BMI). Methods: Cross-sectional data were obtained from the CARRAnet registry, a United States pediatric rheumatology database. Subjects included in the database were diagnosed with SLE at ≤18 years of age and were ≤ age 21 at enrollment. Subject height and BMI at registry entry were recorded and compared with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention standardized growth charts for age and sex in order to obtain the appropriate percentiles. A history of renal disease was defined by a prior history of a renal biopsy. Chi squared testing was used to examine associations between height and BMI percentiles and history of renal disease and daily, chronic steroid use. Results: Data from 834 subjects were analyzed. Median age of onset was 12.3 years (range 0.88–17.32 years), median age at baseline was 15.5 years (range 3.1–20.4 years); 84% were female. Race/ethnicities included African American (35%), Caucasian (48%), Hispanic/Latino (27%), Asian (12%) and other (5%). The mean height percentile for the entire cohort was 40% (SD ± 30.6) with a median height percentile of 35% (range 1–100). Twenty one percent of the cohort (n = 174) had a height percentile of 14 years (n = 608), 40%. In univariate analysis, height was not associated with a history of renal disease or long term daily steroid exposure. The mean BMI percentile was 69% (SD ± 38), median percentile was 78% (range 1–100). One-third of the cohort (n = 276) had a BMI percentile of ≥90%. In univariate analysis, a BMI of ≥90% was associated with renal disease (p = 0.016) but not long term daily steroid exposure. Conclusion: In this large cohort of subjects with childhood-onset SLE, average height was reduced and BMI was increased as compared to the general population. Longitudinal studies of this population are needed to assess change in height and BMI over time, and to determine the impact of age of disease onset, disease activity and treatment on these important anthropomorphic measures.
Matrix isolation study of S2O6F2 pyrolysis products: The infrared spectrum of SO3F radical

Abstract Infrared and visible absorption spectra of the low pressure heated products of S 2 O 6 F 2 trapped in inert gas matrices at 14 K are presented. The following have been identified as major infrared-absorbing species: SO 3 F, SO 3 , HSO 3 F, and S 2 O 6 F 2 , with matrix spectra of the latter three unequivocally confirming their presence. Reasonable reactions accounting for the production of these species are proposed, and a reassignment of the fundamental vibrations of monomeric HSO 3 F is offered. The infrared absorptions of the SO 8 F radical have been observed for the first time, and the six fundamental vibrations determined. These frequencies are in good accord with earlier values deduced indirectly by King and Warren from hot band transitions in the visible absorption spectrum of the vapor. This same visible system ( 2 E - X 2 A 2 ) has also been observed here for the matrix isolated species.
A mixed-hybrid finite element for three-dimensional isotropic helical beam analysis

This paper presents a two node finite element with six degrees of freedom per node, able to model the behaviour of a three-dimensional isotropic helical beam with two constant radii of curvature (curvature and torsion radii). The formulation, which includes the shear strain effects, is based on the assumed resultant forces hybrid approach. The resulting forces approximation verifies exactly the equilibrium equations. Numerical results of samples and distribution of generalized forces along the helical beam are presented. Comparison with other models indicates that the presented element gives exact solutions.
Effect of atrial fibrillation and mitral regurgitation on calculated mitral valve area in mitral stenosis

Forty-nine patients with mitral stenosis (MS) were studied by Doppler echocardiography and 2-dimensional (2-D) echocardiography to assess the ability of Doppler ultrasound to accurately measure mitral valve orifice area and to assess whether atrial fibrillation (AF) or mitral regurgitation (MR) affected the calculation. Twenty-four patients underwent cardiac catheterization. Mitral valve area by Doppler was determined by the pressure half-time method. Mean mitral valve area of all 49 patients by Doppler and 2-D echocardiography correlated well (r = 0.90). There was good correlation between Doppler and 2-D echocardiography in patients with pure MS in sinus rhythm (r = 0.88), in patients with MR (r = 0.93) and in patients with AF (r = 0.96). In the 7 patients with pure MS in sinus rhythm, there was good correlation between Doppler, 2-D echocardiography and cardiac catheterization (r = 0.95). In patients with either MR or AF, cardiac catheterization appeared to underestimate mitral valve orifice compared with both Doppler and 2-D echocardiography (p less than 0.05). Doppler echocardiography can estimate valve area in patients with MS regardless of the presence of MR or AF.
Therapy for Locally Advanced Adenocarcinoma of the Gastroesophageal Junction: Optimizing Outcome

Adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus and gastroesophageal junction has been rapidly increasing in incidence in Western nations over the past several decades. Although in the past, a similar management strategy has been used for adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, without distinguishing by location or pathology, there is now greater motivation to optimize therapeutic strategies for adenocarcinoma in general and by specific location within the esophagus, with the goal of improving outcome. Siewert recognized the need to classify tumors based on anatomic location and proposed a classification scheme for distal esophageal and gastroesophageal junction neoplasms to guide therapy and allow more meaningful study. Although the available randomized data relevant to adenocarcinoma patients often include a mix of the 2 histologies and the various anatomical locations bundled together, these data suggest that a variety of surgical approaches are appropriate and that neoadjuvant therapy improves survival for patients with locally advanced disease. Although definitive evidence is lacking, neoadjuvant chemoradiation appears superior to neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone for improving resectability, maintaining locoregional control, and maximizing survival. There is a need to identify more effective approaches to identifying optimal systemic regimens for individual patients that may be combined with local therapy to further improve outcome.
Changes in mIPSCs and sIPSCs After Kainate Treatment: Evidence for Loss of Inhibitory Input to Dentate Granule Cells and Possible Compensatory Responses

How inhibition is altered after status epilepticus and the role of inhibition during epileptogenesis remain unsettled issues. The present study examined acute (4–7 days) and chronic (>3 mo) changes...
THE SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE OF HUMMINGBIRDS IN OAK WOODLAND AND RIPARIAN COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHEASTERN ARIZONA

Abstract We examined the distribution and abundance of hummingbirds at two study sites in southeastern Arizona, where we banded over 8000 individuals and 11 species in a 6-year period. We trapped approximately once a week from April to October at each site, from 1988–1992 at Sonoita, in oak woodlands, and 1991–1993 at Harshaw Creek, in a riparian area. Anna's (Calypte anna), Black-chinned (Archilochus alexandri), and Rufous (Selasphorus rufus) Hummingbirds were the most abundant species. At Harshaw Creek, Broad-billed (Cynanthus latirostris) and Costa's (Calypte costae) Hummingbirds occurred in significant numbers. A massive fall migration occurred at both sites, but few hummingbirds moved northward in spring. The large numbers of migrants were spaced over time within seasons, and the timing of peak migration for a species varied among years. Fall-migrant Black-chinned Hummingbirds peaked earliest with adult males preceding adult females and juveniles, followed by Rufous Hummingbirds (predominantly juveni...
Method for characterization of film thickness and refractive index in volume holographic materials

ABSTRACT Independent characterization of changes in film thickness and refractive index isnecessary for accurate prediction of the Bragg playback conditions of volume hologramsafter processing. We have developed a method which uses weak holographic mirrors to characterize processing-induced swelling or shrinkage and index change in volume holographic films, and have applied this method to DuPont OmniDex® holographicrecording films. Results of these measurements are presented. 2. INTRODUCTION Processing of holographic recording materials generally produces changes in playback wavelengths and geometries. The ability to predict these changes accurately is avaluable design tool. It is also desirable to be able to use measurements of the behavior ofeasily produced gratings to predict the behavior of other more complex kinds of gratings in the same material. The changes in playback wavelengths and geometries arise from two sources:shrinkage or swelling of the recording medium, and changes in its average refractive index.A common "one-parameter" approach to modeling shifts in playback properties is toassume negligible index change and assign all wavelength shifts to the effect of shrinkageor swell in the material. This approach contains an obvious physical oversimplification.Dimensional changes in the material must affect its density. This change in density is
Prediction and Control in a Chance Task

Summary In two experiments using a binary prediction task 117 female undergraduates were tested for the effects of sequence of outcomes in a chance-determined task on performance estimates, causal attributions, and perceived control. Results of both experiments indicate that subjects who experienced a descending sequence recalled more past success, predicted greater future success, and perceived themselves as better at predicting the outcomes than subjects in the ascending sequence. No significant differences were found on the causal attribution or perception of control measures. The results indicate that in some task situations performance estimates may be affected by a memory bias (i.e., primacy) while causal attributions and perceived control are not necessarily affected in the same manner.
Learning Effects of an Experimental EFL Program in Second Life

This paper reports on the effects an experimental English as a Foreign Language (EFL) program in Second Life (SL) had on Chinese student EFL learning. The study took an evaluative approach using quasi-experimental design with participants from one Chinese university and one American university in the southeastern United States. Results indicated significant main effects between a control group and the SL group on EFL measures, as well as significant gains in total score and several subcomponents between pre-test and post test. Further analysis using a post study survey, students’ blog posting, and interview transcripts revealed that the SL_EFL Program had a positive impact on students’ EFL learning.
Remixing a mixed language: The emergence of a new pronominal system in Chabacano (Philippine Creole Spanish):

In bilingual contact environments, personal pronoun systems are relatively impervious to replacement or borrowing. Several Creole languages contain hybrid personal pronoun paradigms, but the langua...
Serotonin and 5-hydroxytryptophan on blood pressure and renal blood flow in anesthetized rats

ABSTRACT The effects of exogenous (injected) serotonin on mean blood pressure and renal blood flow in male Sprague-Dawley rats were compared with the effects of enhanced endogenous serotonin, accomplished by injections of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). Responses were evaluated with and without carbidopa, which blocks peripheral conversion of 5-HTP to serotonin, and with and without indomethacin to assess the contribution of prostanoids. Both serotonin (0.25-1.0 µg) and 5-HTP (50- 200 µg) decreased blood pressure and renal blood flow and increased renal vascular resistance in dose-dependent fashion. Hypotensive responses with both agents were greater after arterial injections into the aortic arch than after intravenous injections (into the jugular vein). Carbidopa had no significant effects on responses to serotonin but ablated the ability of 5-HTP to increase renal vascular resistance and decrease renal blood flow. Carbidopa did not alter the hypotensive action of 5-HTP. In- domethacin had no significant effect on responses to serotonin or 5-HTP. These results support a direct renal vasoconstrictor effect for exogenous and endogenously formed serotonin and a hypotensive effect probably arising in the central nervous system.
Cyber vulnerability disclosure policies for the smart grid

As smart grid technologies become more widely deployed, an increasing number of cyber vulnerabilities will be found throughout the supporting systems. While the traditional IT industry has a long history of dealing with vulnerability disclosures, however, recent discoveries within control system software have shown the power industry still lacks sufficient polices and approaches. This paper introduces current vulnerability disclosure methods, including full disclosure, limited disclosure, and non-disclosure. It then provides a comparison of disclosure policies by both vendors and disclosure coordinators. Finally, it addresses industry specific characteristics which may impact domain-specific disclosure policies and identifies requirements for improving disclosure methods.
Hypnosis and Transactional Analysis Theory

Abstract The intention of this paper is to point out that hypnosis and Transactional Analysis can be integrated into one overall therapeutic endeavor. Through hypnosis the patient can be in touch with his Child ego state as T. A. sees it. He may then re-experience critical moments in his life that affected his present behavior. Re-experiencing these events gives the patient power over his situation and opens the possibility for him to make a re-decision in his Adult, and by this to change an unsatisfactory course of behavior.
The development of surface texture in blown polypropylene film

The reorganization processes that give rise to surface fibrillation in blown polypropylene film are described in some detail with the aid of numerous photomicrographs. A relationship between stalk surface morphology and degree of surface roughness is noted.
Metallic copper-induced granulocyte exudation in the study of granulocytopoiesis.

C3H/HeHa mice implanted with rods of metallic copper (CR) or glass (GR) exudate neutrophil granulocytes and mononuclear cells into the site of rod implant (peritoneal cavity). Exudation in CR mice is substantially greater than in GR animals. In CR mice there is an impressive stimulation of myelopoiesis measured in the femoral marrow subsequent to the initial accumulation in the peritoneal cavity. Serum levels of colony stimulating activity (CSA), an in vitro myeloproliferative stimulating activity, are elevated in such animals, as are femoral marrow agar-colony forming cells (CFC). The procedure is useful to the study of myelopoiesis and myelopoietic regulatory mechanisms.
Anisotropic distribution functions for spherical galaxies

Abstract We describe a method for finding anisotropic distribution functions f(E,L 2), depending on the relative energy E and the magnitude L of the angular momentum, for spherical galaxies with specified density and velocity dispersion profiles.
Rocks from the Mid-Oceanic Ridge in the Indian Ocean☆

Abstract Previous study of rocks from the Mid-Indian Oceanic Ridge has been limited to specimens from dredge hauls taken from a few restricted areas. Those described in this report were recovered exclusively from piston cores taken from thousands of miles apart between 06°50′N, 60° 12′E; and 31° 38′S, 83° 48·5′E and at depths between 2400 and 4300 m. They have an average diameter of about 4 cm and were buried under 20–856 cm of unconsolidated sediment of Pleistocene and younger age. Twenty-four of the thirty-two samples examined are basalts and two are spilites derived from basaltic lava on the Cralsberg Ridge near 02° 50′N; 67° 31′E. Four specimens of pyroclastic glassy sand and vesiculated basalt are a product of aerial volcanism between the islands of Reunion and Mauritius. Two serpentinized periodotites were collected close to the Rodriguez Fracture Zone between 20°S; 61°E and 21°S; 71°E. The basalts and serpentinites of the Mid-Indian Oceanic Ridge are similar to those from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Chemical analyses of the Indian Ocean rocks indicates that different petrologic provinces exist along the Mid-Indian Oceanic Ridge. Differentiation processes have concentrated more mafic elements on the Carlsberg Ridge than any other portion of the Ridge investigated, with the exception of high volcanoes which are built up of alkali-basalts.
Joint Effect of Obesity and Teenage Pregnancy on the Risk of Preeclampsia: A Population-Based Study

Abstract Purpose To determine the joint effect of young maternal age and obesity status on the risk of preeclampsia and eclampsia among a large cohort of singleton pregnancies. Methods Data were obtained from birth cohort files recorded in the state of Florida during the years 2004–2007. The study sample consisted of mothers aged 13–24 ( n = 290,807), divided into four obesity categories on the basis of prepregnancy body mass index (BMI): nonobese (BMI Results The overall prevalence of preeclampsia in the study population was 5.0%. The risk of preeclampsia and eclampsia increased significantly with increasing BMI and decreasing age. Extremely obese teenagers were almost four times as likely to develop preeclampsia and eclampsia compared with nonobese women aged 20–24 years (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 3.79 [3.15–4.55]). Whereas obesity elevated the risk for preeclampsia and eclampsia among all women in the study, teenagers were most at risk because of the combined effects of young age and obesity. Conclusion Effective obesity prevention strategies should continue to be advocated for all teenagers, in addition to innovative approaches to teenage pregnancy prevention.
Current dieting, weight loss history, and weight suppression : Behavioral correlates of three dimensions of dieting

Abstract The present study investigated three dimensions of dieting (current dieting, history of dieting, weight suppression) and behaviors related to energy balance in a community sample of 999 women. The three dimensions, current dieting status, history of dieting, and weight suppression, were examined in relation to dietary intake, eating behaviors, physical activity, and weight concerns. Twenty-two percent of the women were current weight loss dieters, 8.3% were currently dieting for weight maintenance, and 69.3% were not currently dieting. Twenty-eight percent of the women were weight suppressers. Current dieting for weight loss or weight maintenance was associated with lower percent of kilocalories from fat (33% vs. 35% among nondieters), less frequent consumption of sweet foods, more frequent consumption of vegetables and fruits, more frequent self-weighing, and lower tolerance for weight gain prior to taking action (10 lb vs. 14 lb among nondieters). Current dieters and those with an extensive history of dieting self-reported a greater number of healthy and unhealthy weight loss practices during the past year, and they scored higher on measures of low-fat eating behaviors and restrained eating. Weight suppression was associated with higher physical activity levels and lowfat eating behaviors. Distinguishing weight suppression from current dieting status may provide insight into the behaviors related to successful weight loss maintenance, whereas measures of dieting history might be useful in clinical contexts.
Lateral Impact Validation of a Geometrically Accurate Full Body Finite Element Model for Blunt Injury Prediction

This study presents four validation cases of a mid-sized male (M50) full human body finite element model—two lateral sled tests at 6.7 m/s, one sled test at 8.9 m/s, and a lateral drop test. Model results were compared to transient force curves, peak force, chest compression, and number of fractures from the studies. For one of the 6.7 m/s impacts (flat wall impact), the peak thoracic, abdominal and pelvic loads were 8.7, 3.1 and 14.9 kN for the model and 5.2 ± 1.1 kN, 3.1 ± 1.1 kN, and 6.3 ± 2.3 kN for the tests. For the same test setup in the 8.9 m/s case, they were 12.6, 6, and 21.9 kN for the model and 9.1 ± 1.5 kN, 4.9 ± 1.1 kN, and 17.4 ± 6.8 kN for the experiments. The combined torso load and the pelvis load simulated in a second rigid wall impact at 6.7 m/s were 11.4 and 15.6 kN, respectively, compared to 8.5 ± 0.2 kN and 8.3 ± 1.8 kN experimentally. The peak thorax load in the drop test was 6.7 kN for the model, within the range in the cadavers, 5.8–7.4 kN. When analyzing rib fractures, the model predicted Abbreviated Injury Scale scores within the reported range in three of four cases. Objective comparison methods were used to quantitatively compare the model results to the literature studies. The results show a good match in the thorax and abdomen regions while the pelvis results over predicted the reaction loads from the literature studies. These results are an important milestone in the development and validation of this globally developed average male FEA model in lateral impact.
xFOCE: An open source technology consortium for ocean acidification research

The Free Ocean CO2 Enrichment (FOCE) concept and systems have been developed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) as a way of performing comprehensive in situ ocean acidification (OA) seafloor experiments. MBARI funded an early project to test potential technologies for closed loop control of shifting pH associated with addition of acidified sea water, into a natural flow, stream that would manage the considerable lag times associated with the chemical reactions taking place; thus the protoFOCE was born. Later the full-scale deep water (850m depth) FOCE (dpFOCE) was tested with cabled control. We briefly outline the basic issues with OA experiments and describe why systems like FOCE are needed to better understand the impacts of OA. Early OA studies focused directly on the decreasing ability of some animals to form calcium carbonate shells under more acidic conditions. More recent work has focused on behavioral changes in marine species associated with a high CO2 environment. Each of these science studies can now be addressed by controlled in situ field experiments. Early engineering tests were published and soon external interest in the concept heightened. MBARI transferred FOCE technology to researcher working on the Great Barrier Reef. The resulting collaboration created the Coral-Prototype FOCE (cpFOCE) system. cpFOCE directly demonstrated the significant carbonate losses that may be anticipated in our “High CO2 Ocean” future. We also have the European FOCE (eFOCE), a proposal for Antarctic FOCE (antFOCE), and MBARI's own shallow water FOCE (swFOCE) with local collaborators underway. Interest in FOCE systems continues to grow as we've published and presented this capable in situ technology. To support the interested community MBARI engineering and science has developed a new concept. xFOCE is a project to create a generic FOCE reference design and to build the community support structure enabling FOCE technology to be freely available to the OA science community outside of MBARI. Within this paper we outline the technologies behind the xFOCE project and discuss the various elements of the project including decisions and ultimate goals. We also review how xFOCE can be implemented using alternate technologies if the science user chooses to do so. We outline our heavy focus on building a user group of researchers who ultimately will create and direct FOCE projects much the same as the open source software community has done with the GNU General Public License project. The distinction between “open source” and “free” is clearly articulated and we explain why this is important for building an enduring community with common standards for the execution of FOCE experiments.
Cardiac MHC gene expression: more complexity and a step forward

within cardiac muscle, the myosin heavy chain (MHC) protein is a major component of the contractile machinery. MHC provides structural integrity, and its isoform is a major determinant of contractile and functional properties of the myocardium ([1][1], [8][2]). Cardiac MHC isoforms exist as
Genomics and proteomics: application of novel technology to early detection and prevention of cancer

Abstract Advances in molecular biology over the past decade have helped to enhance our understanding of the complex interplay between genetic, transcriptional and translational alterations in human cancers. These molecular changes are the basis for an evolving field of high-throughput cancer discovery techniques using microscopic amounts of patient-based materials. Laser capture microdissection allows pure populations of cells to be isolated from both the tumor and stroma in order to identify subtle differences in RNA and protein expression. Comparative analysis of these alterations between normal, pre-invasive, and invasive tissue using powerful bioinformatics programs has allowed us to identify novel tumor markers, profile complex protein pathways, and develop new molecular-based therapies. Continued refinement of such high-throughput microtechnologies will enable us to rapidly query patient specimens to identify novel methods for early detection, treatment, and follow-up of a wide array of human cancers.
Convection in multicomponent silicate melts driven by coupled diffusion

THE simplest convecting systems are driven by buoyancy forces arising from the density variations produced by the diffusion of a single quantity, usually heat. In such systems, the necessary condition for the onset of convection is that density decreases downwards. But the convection process can be very different if there are two or more diffusing quantities that affect the density1–5, a situation often encountered in geological settings. For example, multicomponent convection plays an important role in the convec-tive evolution and differentiation of terrestrial magmas6–8. A typical terrestrial silicate magma is made up of a number of diffusing components, which not only have different diffusion rates but may also exhibit diffusive coupling — that is, the diffusive flux of one component can be strongly dependent on the spatial gradients of other components9–12. We have investigated convection in a geologically relevant fluid — a multicomponent silicate melt in the system CaO–Al2O3–SiO2 — and we find that diffusive coupling plays a key role in promoting convection. Perhaps the most striking feature of these experiments is that convection can occur regardless of whether the density decreases or increases with depth.
An integrated joint source-channel decoder for MPEG-4 coded video

The MPEG-4 video coding standard uses variable length codes (VLCs) to encode the indices of intra and inter macroblocks after discrete cosine transform and quantization. Although VLCs can achieve good compression, they are very sensitive to channel errors. Joint source-channel decoding (JSCD) is emerging as an efficient method for dealing with this sensitivity to channel errors. This paper proposes an integrated joint source-channel decoder (I-JSCD) for first order Markov sources coded with Huffman codes and convolutional codes over a binary symmetric channel. The proposed decoder combines the source state space of the Huffman decoder and channel state space of the Viterbi decoder together to construct a joint decoder with a Viterbi-like structure. We applied this I-JSCD to VLCs of both inter and intra macroblocks in MPEG-4 coded video. Experiments indicate that the proposed decoder gives significant improvements (maximum 7 dB) than a separate scheme, where a constrained joint source-channel decoder is concatenated with a Viterbi decoder at the same rate.
An information-theoretic measure for the computational fidelity of physical processes

An information-theoretic measure is proposed for the fidelity of classical information processing operations implemented in quantum mechanical hardware. This fidelity measure quantifies the degree to which a specified logic operation - a mapping from logical inputs to logical outputs - is mirrored in the mapping of initial states into distinguishable final states of a quantum system by a physical process. We formally define the computational fidelity, discuss its characteristics, illustrate its application, and comment on its connection to fundamental limits on the physical cost of information processing.
Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome After Blunt Abdominal Trauma: A Case Report:

Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is a rare cause of bowel obstruction. It is characterized anatomically by a narrowed aortomesenteric angle, causing a mechanical obstruction at the third portion of the duodenum. Patients usually present after prolonged confinement in the supine position, significant acute weight loss, application of body casts, and severe burns with symptoms of a small bowel obstruction. We present the case of a healthy 22-year-old male athlete with SMA syndrome that occurred after blunt abdominal injury in the setting of mild chronic weight loss; he was treated nonoperatively.
Giant cavernous aneurysm associated with trigeminal artery: treatment by detachable balloon.

Giant aneurysms of the cavernous internal carotid artery have been technically difficult to treat by direct surgical methods because of the surrounding cavernous sinus. Previous reports have recommended treatment of these symptomatic giant aneurysms by gradual cervical carotid artery occlusion utilizing a Selverstone or Kindt clamp [1-6]. With recent technical advances it is now possible to treat some intracranial aneurysms by detachable balloon embolization techniques [7-10] . We report the successful intravascular embolization of a giant cavernous carotid aneurysm, which was distal to a trigeminal artery.
Growth of high crystal quality InN by ENABLE-MBE

Indium nitride is of interest as a small band gap material for hot carrier solar cells and for alloying of III-Nitrides in conventional solar cells. Growth of photovoltaic device quality InN on cost effective sapphire wafers is challenging. Lattice mismatch between sapphire and indium nitride (∼25%) makes growth of epitaxial crystals with low crystalline imperfection problematic. InN films with promising XRD results were grown by MBE using a well-aligned AlN buffer layer to grow InN on sapphire substrates. Crystal quality, analyzed by HRXRD, gives evidence that films of both AlN on sapphire and InN on AlN are almost fully relaxed by edge dislocations created on the interfaces with a rather low density of closed dislocation loops, created subsequently in the film volume of both epitaxial layers. These films exhibit threading dislocation densities of 3 x 107 cm-2 and 2 × 108 cm-2 for AlN and InN. Additional metrics quantifying film quality of AlN and InN characterized by XRD and TEM will be presented. (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Lack of Clinical Usefulness of Das-1 Monoclonal Antibody and Mucin Expression s Risk Markers of Gastric Carcinoma in Patients With Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia

Forne et al1 concluded that the Das-1 monoclonal antibody was not as sensitive as we reported earlier as a premalignant marker for gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM) associated with gastric cancer.2 The monoclonal antibody Das-1, developed by us, recognizes the colonic phenotype (type III or incomplete) of GIM, …
Fault Detection and Isolation for Nonlinear Process Systems Using Asynchronous Measurements

This work addresses the problem of fault detection and isolation for nonlinear processes when some process variable measurements are available at regular sampling intervals and the remaining process variables are measured at an asynchronous rate. First, a fault detection and isolation (FDI) scheme that employs model-based techniques is proposed that allows for the isolation of faults. The proposed FDI scheme provides detection and isolation of any fault that enters into the differential equation of only synchronously measured states and grouping of faults that enter into the differential equation of any asynchronously measured state. For a fully coupled process system, fault detection occurs shortly after a fault takes place, and fault isolation, limited by the arrival of asynchronous measurements, occurs when asynchronous measurements become available. Fault-tolerant control methods with a supervisory control component are then employed to achieve stability in the presence of actuator failures using cont...
Inventory based speech denoising with hidden Markov models

We are presenting a new speech waveform inventory based approach for the denoising of speech. The method combines an inventory style parametric description of speech signals with a statistical analysis of the underlying parameter space in clean and noisy conditions. Sufficient parameter statistics for successful denoising can be learned from around 40 minutes of (clean speech) training data. Shorter training sets are feasible, but may lead to quality reductions. Manual transcription of the training data is not required. The proposed procedure is intended for applications in which speaker enrollment and noise enrollment are feasible. Such applications include vehicular speaker-phone communication systems and jet pilot communication systems. The proposed method compares very favorably to commonly used waveform based denoising methods in both objective and subjective speech quality assessments.
A rule-based software engineering tool for code analysis

A rule-based software engineering tool is described that was developed for analyzing a large system of modules implemented in the Pascal language. It was used to create an intermodule cross-reference database for the system, a directed graph of procedure and function calls representing a high-level control-flow model of the system, and a collection of reports containing metric information about the source code of each module in the system. The design of this software engineering tool and the benefits derived from using its output are discussed. >
CSA-BF: novel constrained switched adaptive beamforming for speech enhancement & recognition in real car environments

While a number of studies have investigated various speech enhancement and processing schemes for in-vehicle speech systems, little research has been performed using actual voice data collected in noisy car environments. We propose a new constrained switched adaptive beamforming algorithm (CSA-BF) for speech enhancement and recognition in real moving car environments. The proposed algorithm consists of a speech/noise constraint section, a speech adaptive beamformer, and a noise adaptive beamformer. We investigate CSA-BF performance with a comparison to classic delay-and-sum beamforming (DASB) in realistic car environments using a large quantity of data recorded in various car noise environments from across the United States. After analyzing the experimental results and considering the range of complex noise situations in the car environment using the CU-Move corpus, we formulate the CSA-BF algorithm. This method is shown to decrease WER (word error rate) for speech recognition by up to 31% and improve speech quality via the SEGSNR (segment signal-to-noise ratio) by up to 5.5 dB on the average, simultaneously.
A Theory for the Quantification of Transcapillary Exchange in the Presence of Shunt Flow

A theory is proposed to treat the transcapillary exchange of diffusion-limited substances in the presence of shunt circulation. With the simultaneous use of a nondiffusible indicator to correct for the distribution of intravascular transit and two diffusible indicators with different diffusion coefficients, the triple-indicator method can be used to assess the behavior of the diffusion-limited indicators in the exchange circuit. Application of this theory to data on perfused skeletal muscle allows the calculation of capillary blood flow, indicator extraction, and capillary diffusion capacity in the exchange circuit. The initial extraction of Na and Rb in the exchange circuit before back diffusion occurs shows a biphasic relation to flow rate. As the overall blood flow is increased to 10-15 ml min -1 100 g -1 , decrease of indicator extraction is associated with an increase of capillary blood flow and a decrease of diffusion capacity in the exchange circuit. The increase of indicator extraction at higher flows is attributable to an increase of diffusion capacity in the exchange circuit. The biphasic changes in capillary diffusion capacity with blood flow has been attributed to the influences of metabolic factors and distending pressure.
Transitions among Health States Using 12 Measures of Successful Aging in Men and Women: Results from the Cardiovascular Health Study.

Introduction. Successful aging has many dimensions, which may manifest differently in men and women at different ages. Methods. We characterized one-year transitions among health states in 12 measures of successful aging among adults in the Cardiovascular Health Study. The measures included self-rated health, ADLs, IADLs, depression, cognition, timed walk, number of days spent in bed, number of blocks walked, extremity strength, recent hospitalizations, feelings about life as a whole, and life satisfaction. We dichotomized variables into “healthy” or “sick,” states, and estimated the prevalence of the healthy state and the probability of transitioning from one state to another, or dying, during yearly intervals. We compared men and women and three age groups (65–74, 75–84, and 85–94). Findings. Measures of successful aging showed similar results by gender. Most participants remained healthy even into advanced ages, although health declined for all measures. Recuperation, although less common with age, still occurred frequently. Men had a higher death rate than women regardless of health status, and were also more likely to remain in the healthy state. Discussion. The results suggest a qualitatively different experience of successful aging between men and women. Men did not simply “age faster” than women.
An Unusual Phage Repressor Encoded by Mycobacteriophage BPs.

Temperate bacteriophages express transcription repressors that maintain lysogeny by down-regulating lytic promoters and confer superinfection immunity. Repressor regulation is critical to the outcome of infection—lysogenic or lytic growth—as well as prophage induction into lytic replication. Mycobacteriophage BPs and its relatives use an unusual integration-dependent immunity system in which the phage attachment site (attP) is located within the repressor gene (33) such that site-specific integration leads to synthesis of a prophage-encoded product (gp33103) that is 33 residues shorter at its C-terminus than the virally-encoded protein (gp33136). However, the shorter form of the repressor (gp33103) is stable and active in repression of the early lytic promoter PR, whereas the longer virally-encoded form (gp33136) is inactive due to targeted degradation via a C-terminal ssrA-like tag. We show here that both forms of the repressor bind similarly to the 33–34 intergenic regulatory region, and that BPs gp33103 is a tetramer in solution. The BPs gp33103 repressor binds to five regulatory regions spanning the BPs genome, and regulates four promoters including the early lytic promoter, PR. BPs gp33103 has a complex pattern of DNA recognition in which a full operator binding site contains two half sites separated by a variable spacer, and BPs gp33103 induces a DNA bend at the full operator site but not a half site. The operator site structure is unusual in that one half site corresponds to a 12 bp palindrome identified previously, but the other half site is a highly variable variant of the palindrome.
A Distributed Filter Within a Switching Converter for Application to 3-D Integrated Circuits

A design methodology for distributing a buck converter filter for application to 3-D circuits is described. The 3-D filter exploits transmission line properties, permitting the generation and distribution of power supplies to different planes. As compared to a conventional LC filter, the proposed filter only requires on-chip capacitors without the use of on-chip inductors. Additionally, the physical structure of the filter simultaneously enables the distribution of the current to the load while filtering the switching signal at the input. A case study in a 0.18- μm CMOS 3-D technology demonstrates the generation of a 1.2 V power supply delivering 700 mA peak current.
Mechanisms of Spontaneous Tachycardia Termination in a Patient with the Wolff‐Parkinson‐White Syndrome and Dual Atrioventricular Nodal Pathways

A patient with the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and recurrent bouts of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia under-went electrophysiologic studies. These studies revealed evidence of dual atrioventricular nodal pathways and a septal accessory pathway. The tachycardia circuit involved anterograde conduction over a slow atrioventricular nodal pathway and retrograde conduction over the accessory pathway. Spontaneous tachycardia termination was frequently observed, was almost always abrupt, and was associated with a beat-to-beat decrease in the A-H interval. In this patient, the mechanism for spontaneous tachycardia termination appeared to be an abrupt shift in anterograde conduction from the slow to the fast pathway, advancing the tachycardia so that the block occurred in the accessory pathway (or atrium). To our knowledge, this mechanism of spontaneous tachycardia termination has not been described previously. Use of agents to facilitate fast atrioventricular nodal conduction (i.e., atropine) may be effective in tachycardia termination for these patients.
Lipase-catalyzed resolution of 4-aryl-substituted β-lactams: effect of substitution on the 4-aryl ring

Pseudomonas cepacia lipase (PS-30) was used in hydrolytic resolution of 3-acetoxy-4-aryl-substituted azetidin-2-ones (>97% ee). Twenty-three β-lactam substrates with varied substituents at the C-4 center of the ring were synthesized and subjected to lipase-PS catalyzed hydrolysis in phosphate buffer (pH 7.2, 0.2 M) at 25°C. The reactions occurred with high enantioselectivity and substrate conversion. The effect of substitution on the C-4 aryl ring on lipase hydrolytic activity was dependent upon the steric and electronic nature of the substituent and its position on the aryl ring. The stereopreference of the lipase PS-30 for the (3S,4R) enantiomer was rationalized using a known active site model. Absolute stereochemistry of the enantiomers was established using single crystal X-ray crystallographic techniques.
Cost of dental education, student indebtedness, and our social contract.

One of the most pressing concerns for dental students today is educational debt. Dental school graduates have among the highest amounts of student debt in the nation. Over the last decade, student indebtedness has increased much more quickly than inflation, a rise that is directly related to higher
Developing Women Leaders through Entrepreneurship Education and Training

Based on extensive firsthand experience with entrepreneurship education and training programs for women and a thorough review of the literature on women’s entrepreneurship and leadership as it relates to entrepreneurship education and training, the authors present a framework for designing and implementing effective programs for women. The framework provides the core factors that need to be considered to effectively achieve a program’s goals: the elements of the program, human factors, the contextual environment, and funding. While the framework is applicable for entrepreneurship education and training programs in general, the authors demonstrate its specific utility by sharing firsthand examples from their work with women entrepreneurs from more than 20 developing countries throughout the past 10 years. This paper provides guidelines that can be used by scholars researching entrepreneurship, leadership, women in business, and developing economies, as well as by program directors offering entrepreneurship...
DATA CONTAMINATION BY SOCIAL DESIRABILITY RESPONSE BIAS

Our study examines the effect of social desirability on modeling cheating behavior using self-reported data. We believe that social desirability response bias contaminates many of the variables that previous research uses in modeling academic cheating. We initially examine the effect of variables in prior research to demonstrate that our sample is equivalent to those in prior studies. We then examine the effect of social desirability response bias on students' intolerance toward cheating; their cynicism about cheating; and one's intention to cheat in the future. We find that social desirability response bias contaminates students' self-reported data on cheating and the variables frequently used to predict cheating.
Self-Assembling Peptide Nanofiber Scaffolds for 3-D Reprogramming and Transplantation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Neurons.

While cell transplantation presents a potential strategy to treat the functional deficits of neurodegenerative diseases or central nervous system injuries, the poor survival rate of grafted cells in vivo is a major barrier to effective therapeutic treatment. In this study, we investigated the role of a peptide-based nanofibrous scaffold composed of the self-assembling peptide RADA16-I to support the reprogramming and maturation of human neurons in vitro and to transplant these neurons in vivo. The induced human neurons were generated via the single transcriptional factor transduction of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which are a promising cell source for regenerative therapies. These neurons encapsulated within RADA16-I scaffolds displayed robust neurite outgrowth and demonstrated high levels of functional activity in vitro compared to that of 2-D controls, as determined by live cell calcium imaging. When evaluated in vivo as a transplantation vehicle for adherent, functional networks of neurons,...