cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contact fatigue in silica sand-Observations and modeling

Abstract Aging and rate effects in sand have been a subject of studies for nearly three decades, yet there is no consensus as to what the direct cause of time effects in silica sand is. A hypothesis is advocated in this paper that identifies delayed micro-fracturing of grain surface textural features at contacts as the key contributor to time effects in silica sand. Grain-scale studies were carried out focusing on observations of time-dependent fracturing of the micro-morphological features of grain surfaces in contact, and quantitative measurements of the relative position of a grain in contact with a stainless steel plate. An apparatus was constructed that allows monitoring the time-dependent relative displacement of two grains in contact (convergence) or a grain in contact with a solid plate. Potentiometers were used to measure displacements, while a calibrated spring in one of the potentiometers was used for loading the grains with a required force. The results reveal that the rate of convergence is the largest during the period immediately after the load is applied, and the convergence continues at constant load with a decaying characteristic for about 18 days. Simulations of grain-to-solid plate and grain-to-grain interactions were attempted using the distinct element method. The sand grain was simulated as an assembly of sub-particles fused together with time- and load-dependent parallel bonds. Simulation results are consistent with the hypothesis that contact fatigue (or stress corrosion micro-cracking) causes a time-dependent increase in stiffness of contacts. Consequently, an increase in the macroscopic small-strain stiffness takes place, which contributes to what is often referred to as sand aging.
The Relationship Between Absolutistic Thinking and Intelligence: A Correlation of the Revised Questionnaire of Absolutistic Thinking and the Shipley Institute of Living Scale

Ninety individuals completed the Shipley Institute of Living Scale and the Revised Questionnaire of Absolutistic Thinking (R-QAT). Statistical analyses failed to demonstrate any relationship between intelligence and perfectionist thinking, dysfunctional thinking overall, or low frustration tolerance. A slight, but significant relationship was observed between intelligence and absolutistic thinking. These results discount other theories that dysfunctional thinking is a product of low intellectual ability. Results suggest additionally that the R-QAT is an appropriate and sensitive instrument appropriate for clients of varying intellectual levels.
Enabling phase-change memory for data-centric computing: Technology, circuitand system

Emerging nonvolatile memory (NVM) technology i.e., phase-change memory (PCM) has been commonly employed as a drop-in replacement for either DRAM or Flash. However, the inherent nature of PCM technology does not align perfectly with either applications in terms of cost-per-bit, performance, power, endurance or retention. The missing killer applications for PCM have slowed down the technology development from becoming mainstream. From the systems perspective, the ever-growing big data problems call for a paradigm shift from traditional compute-centric system to data-centric system for better performance, efficiency and productivity. A data-centric system will demand new hardware features to support the efficient storage and manipulation of data in a wide range of data-intensive applications. Considering these factors, this paper will give an overview of recent research efforts to enable PCM for building a reliable and efficient ternary content addressable memory (TCAM). By leveraging multiple levels of computing stack — technology, circuit and architecture, we will show a holistic approach of tailoring PCM to meeting the new system requirements. It opens up opportunities of accelerating NVM development as the methodology can be generalized to other NVM technologies.
Large roughness element effects on sand transport, Oceano Dunes, California

The effect of large roughness elements on sand transport efficiency was evaluated on a coastal sand sheet by measuring sand flux with two types of sand traps [Big Spring Number Eight (BSNE) and the Cox Sand Catcher (CSC)] at 30 positions through a 100 m-long × 50 m-wide roughness array comprised of 210 elements each with the dimensions 1·17 m long × 0·4 m high × 0·6 m wide. The 210 elements were used to create a roughness density (λ) of 0·022 (λ = n bh/S, where n is the number of elements, b the element breadth, h the element height, and S is the area of the surface that contains all the elements) in an area of 5000 m2. The mean normalized saltation flux (NSF) values (NSF = outgoing sand flux/incoming sand flux) at the furthest downwind distance for the two trap types were 0·44 and 0·41, respectively. This is in excellent agreement with an empirical model prediction of 0·5. The reduction in saltation flux is similar to an earlier separate study for an equivalent λ composed of elements of similar height (0·36 m), even though the roughness element forms were different (rectangular in this study as opposed to circular) as were the horizontal porosity of the arrays (49% versus 16%). This corroborates earlier results that roughness element height is a critical parameter that enhances reduction in sand transport by wind for similar λ configurations. The available data suggest the form of the relationship between transport reduction efficiency and height is likely a power relationship with two limiting conditions: (1) for elements ≤ 0·1 m high the effect is minimized, and (2) as element height matches and then exceeds the maximum height of the saltation layer (≥ 1 m), the effect will stabilize near a maximum of NSF ≈ 0·32. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Constrained Global Optimization: Algorithms and Applications

Convex sets and functions.- Optimality conditions in nonlinear programming.- Combinatorial optimization problems that can be formulated as nonconvex quadratic problems.- Enumerative methods in nonconvex programming.- Cutting plane methods.- Branch and bound methods.- Bilinear programming methods for nonconvex quadratic problems.- Large scale problems.- Global minimization of indefinite quadratic problems.- Test problems for global nonconvex quadratic programming algorithms.
Capturing season‐specific precipitation signals in the northern Rocky Mountains, USA, using earlywood and latewood tree rings

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii Mirb. Franco) total width, earlywood, and latewood tree ring chronologies were developed from six lower forest border sites in the northern Rocky Mountain region of central Idaho and southwestern Montana, USA, to assess the potential for season-specific moisture reconstructions. These long-lived arid-site trees share strong between-tree and between-site coherence, and subannual tree ring chronologies reliably span the past seven centuries. Mapping spatiotemporal patterns in northern Rocky Mountain precipitation highlighted winter- and summer-dominated precipitation regimes that transition along a west to east gradient. When Douglas-fir tree rings were compared with instrumental climate records, season-specific correlations emerged between earlywood and latewood. Total width, earlywood, and latewood shared the most statistically significant monthly correlations with April–June precipitation, whereas variability in adjusted latewood was tuned to June–August precipitation. Principal component analysis indicated that the leading mode of common variance for earlywood and adjusted latewood explained 65% and 55% variance in the chronologies, respectively. Pearson's correlations between earlywood principal component one and the northern Rocky Mountain precipitation field showed that annual (July–June) and spring (April–June) precipitation exhibited the strongest pattern of significance in central Idaho and southwestern Montana valleys and the Snake River Plain. Summer precipitation (June–August) was correlated with adjusted latewood principal component one and was particularly pronounced along and east of the continental divide in southwestern Montana. These results indicate that Douglas-fir earlywood and adjusted latewood tree rings in the northern Rocky Mountains retain season-specific precipitation signals and may be helpful for studying historical precipitation within the winter-summer transition zone.
Private-Public Sector Cooperation in Combating Cybercrime: In Search of a Model

Turnover taxes are generally considered to be risk-free from the tax competition point of view, for they are levied exclusively at the place of consumption. The Value-Added Tax (VAT) imposed by all European Union (EU) member states, though, has become a source of distortion in the trans-Atlantic trade: non-EU suppliers of electronic services were not required to collect the VAT, while their EU competitors were. The level playing field in EUâ€™s foreign trade in electronic services was restored in 2002 by the so-called e-VAT Directive that obliged non-EU providers of electronic services to charge the VAT at the rate of the member state their consumer resides in. This paper argues that besides being largely unenforceable, the Directive has created another misbalance in the infra-EU electronic commerce. It is being demonstrated that since the Directive is not applicable to EU vendors, non-EU businesses can and do circumvent it by establishing daughter companies in EU jurisdictions with the lowest VAT rates and thus spur the infra-EU tax competition.
A new Nearctic species of the fungus gnat genus Tetragoneura Winnertz, 1846 and notes on Tetragoneura nitida Adams, 1903 (Diptera, Mycetophilidae).

A new Nearctic species of the fungus gnat genus Tetragoneura Winnertz, 1846 was discovered in western Michigan, USA. More than 100 males and seven females of Tetragoneura lustra spec. nov. flew to a Malaise trap over the course of several years in an ecotone between swamp and second­growth forest. The new species resembles published accounts of Tetragoneura nitida Adams, 1903, which is relegat­ ed herein to the status of nomen dubium. Juvenile stages of T. lustra are unknown.
Thermospheric density model blending techniques: Bridging the gap between satellites and sounding rockets

[1] Uncertainty in the atmospheric density is a crucial error source in calculating orbits of satellites in low Earth orbit. As a result, establishing accurate thermospheric neutral density models is important for predicting the motion of these satellites. Unfortunately, since density data in the altitude range between 140 and 200 km are sparse, predicting the neutral density to estimate atmospheric drag effects on the motion of satellites operating in this altitude region is subject to relatively large errors. A previous study found that the Jacchia-Bowman model (JB2006) is the most reliable thermospheric empirical neutral density model above 200 km and the Naval Research Laboratory's Mass Spectrometer Incoherent Scatter (NRLMSISE-00) model, whose core formulation is based on incoherent scatter radar data, can be considered a more reliable neutral density model below approximately 140 km. We have developed a simple bridging technique to blend the two models between these two regions. A two-body model with atmospheric drag was used to compare effects of various atmospheric density models. These preliminary tests are conducted by propagating the positions of satellites orbiting between 140 and 200 km, with various ballistic coefficients, using the JB2006, the NRLMSISE-00, and the bridging technique.
Isodehydroacetic Acid and Ethyl Isodehydroacetate

Isodehydroacetic acid and ethyl isodehydroacetate product: isodehydroacetic acid product: ethyl isodehydroacetate Keywords: annulation, heterocyclic-[6]; annulation, heterocyclic-[6]; cyclization, condensation; cyclization, condensation
Do Coastal Building Codes Mitigate Hurricane Damage to Residential Property

In this paper we explore whether increased coastal building standards imposed by federal and state level initiatives are effective in mitigating losses to coastal property. We first examine if the coastal building code regime under which a property is constructed affects the likelihood of hurricane induced residential property damage. Then, for those properties which incur hurricane damage, we examine whether the extent of damage is explained by the relevant coastal building code regime. Our analysis shows that those properties built following coastal building code changes associated with the National Flood Insurance Program were more likely to sustain damage relative to similarly located pre-National Flood Insurance Program construction. For those damaged properties, we find the extent of damage is greater for post-National Flood Insurance Program construction, where damage is increasing in the required base flood elevation. Further investigation suggests wind, flood or a combination of both perils as the likely causes of damage for post-National Flood Insurance Program construction. Our findings raise concern regarding the effectiveness of federal and state mandated coastal building codes as ex-ante mitigation of property losses from hurricanes.
Distinct Contributions of Neutrophils and CCR2+ Monocytes to Pulmonary Clearance of Different Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a common respiratory pathogen, with some strains having developed broad resistance to clinically available antibiotics. Humans can become infected with many different K. pneumoniae strains that vary in genetic background, antibiotic susceptibility, capsule composition, and mucoid phenotype. Genome comparisons have revealed differences between K. pneumoniae strains, but the impact of genomic variability on immune-mediated clearance of pneumonia remains unclear. Experimental studies of pneumonia in mice have used the rodent-adapted 43816 strain of K. pneumoniae and demonstrated that neutrophils are essential for optimal host defense. It remains unclear, however, whether CCR2(+) monocytes contribute to K. pneumoniae clearance from the lung. We selectively depleted neutrophils, CCR2(+) monocytes, or both from immunocompetent mice and determined susceptibility to infection by the 43816 strain and 4 newly isolated clinical K. pneumoniae strains. The clinical K. pneumoniae strains, including one carbapenem-resistant ST258 strain, are less virulent than 43816. Optimal clearance of each of the 5 strains required either neutrophils or CCR2(+) monocytes. Selective neutrophil depletion markedly worsened infection with K. pneumoniae strain 43816 and three clinical isolates but did not increase susceptibility of mice to infection with the carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae ST258 strain. Depletion of CCR2(+) monocytes delayed recovery from infection with each of the 5 K. pneumoniae strains, revealing a contribution of these cells to bacterial clearance from the lung. Our findings demonstrate strain-dependent variation in the contributions of neutrophils and CCR2(+) monocytes to clearance of K. pneumoniae pulmonary infection.
Planar laser-induced fluorescence imaging in supersonic flows

Planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) provides a powerful noninvasive technique for probing complex high-speed flowfields with excellent spatial and temporal resolution. Previous work has been successful in measuring species concentration,1 temperature,2 velocity, and pressure3 in a wide range of subsonic, reacting, and nonreacting flows. In addition, PLIF velocity measurements have been performed in seeded supersonic flows,3 and PLIF images of O2 have been acquired in supersonic jets.4
Fresnel Images, Coherence Theory And The Lau Effect

AbstractThe Lau effect is observed when a double -grating pair is illuminated with spatially in-coherent light. It would be of interest to generalize this experiment to include illuminat-ing fields which have some degree of spatial coherence. To gain some insight into thechanges the intensity distribution undergoes as the degree of spatial coherence is varied,we consider the special case of completely coherent illumination. This particular problemis easily discussed in terms of Fresnel images where it is found that the Fresnel imageplanes are defined by distances which are identical to the allowed grating separations inthe incoherent Lau experiment. This suggests an interesting relationship between the natureof the fields in the incoherent Lau experiment and those in the coherent formation ofFresnel images.IntroductionRecently 1 -3 there has been renewed interest in an interference phenomenon known as theLau effect.- The Lau experiment, shown in Figure 1, consists of transilluminating an identi-cal pair of separated line gratings and making an observation in the far -field of thesecond grating. The field incident on the first grating is assumed to be spatially in-coherent. Figure 2 shows an example of these Lau fringes. By examining the coherence pro-perties of the field incident on the grating G2, it can be shown that the existence of highcontrast fringes corresponds to a matching between the periods of the grating G2 and thecoherence function.An analysis of this matching principle shows that Lau fringes are observed whenever thegrating separation, z
Bombardment induced surface chemistry on Si under keV C60 impact

Abstract Molecular dynamics simulations of the sputtering of Si by C60 keV bombardment are performed in order to understand the importance of chemical reactions between C atoms from the projectile and Si atoms in the target crystal. The simulations predict the formation of strong covalent bonds between the C and Si atoms, which result in nearly all of the C atoms remaining embedded in the surface after bombardment. At low incident kinetic energies, little sputtering of Si atoms is observed and there is a net deposition of solid material. As the incident kinetic energy is increased, the sputtering yield of Si atoms increases. At 15 keV, the yield of sputtered Si atoms is more than twice the number of C atoms deposited, and there is a net erosion of the solid material.
Experimental models for gastric leiomyosarcoma. The effects of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in combination with stress, aspirin, or sodium taurocholate.

A series of experiments was devised to determine possible modifying effects of stress, aspirin, and sodium taurocholate on the activity of N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) in the Buffalo rat stomach. MNNG is a well known, direct-reacting carcinogen, and has been a reliable agent for the experimental production of gastric adenocarcinoma. The authors were able to produce adenocarcinomas in rats, but found a great number of gastric leiomyosarcomas. These occurred only in the groups given MNNG in combination with stress, aspirin, or sodium taurocholate, and did not occur in experimental groups given either MNNG, stress, aspirin, or sodium taurocholate alone, and did not occur in the control group. Cancer 53:1088-1092, 1984.
Does MRI predict pathologic tumor response in women with breast cancer undergoing preoperative chemotherapy

Background Neoadjuvant chemotherapy precludes the accurate pre-surgical pathologic measurement of tumor size. The purpose of this study is to review imaging studies performed in patients who received preoperative chemotherapy prior to surgery and determine whether MRI, ultrasound (US) or physical exam best predicted final pathologic tumor size. Methods Stage I, II, and III breast cancer patients were treated with neoadjuvant therapy on trial. As part of the trials, women underwent MRI, US, and physical exam prior to the start of therapy and 1 week after completion of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Results Of the 68 patients with MRI data, the correlation coefficient (r) of MRI to pathologic size of tumor was r = 0.749. Among the 52 patients who had an US assessment the correlation of US to pathology was r = 0.612. Sixty-two patients had physical exam data, and the correlation of examination to pathology size was r = 0.439. MRI correctly predicted 8 of 11 complete responders and accurately evaluated the size of non-responders to neoadjuvant therapy (r = 0.869) Conclusions In a select group of women undergoing neoadjuvant therapy for invasive breast cancer, MRI best predicted pathology response. The use of MRI in neoadjuvant therapy may allow for accurate prediction of patients eligible for breast conservation. J. Surg. Oncol. 2007;96:474–480. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Cellular Origin of Hyaluronateprotein in the Human Synovial Membrane

Bright fluorescent staining, which indicates the presence of hyaluronateprotein, was observed in the lining cells of the synovial membrane following application of rabbit antiserum to hyaluronateprotein and a fluorescein-labeled antiserum to rabbit γ-globulin. Staining was shown to be specific and due to antigenic determinants on or closely associated with the protein moiety of hyaluronateprotein.
Left ventricular volume and function after endoventricular patch plasty for dyskinetic anteroapical left ventricular aneurysm in sheep

Objective Endoventricular patch plasty (the Dor procedure) has gained favor as a surgical treatment for heart failure associated with large anteroapical myocardial infarction. We tested the hypothesis that the Dor procedure reduces left ventricular volume, increases end-systolic elastance, decreases diastolic compliance, and maintains left ventricular function. Methods In 6 male Dorsett sheep, the left anterior descending coronary artery and its second diagonal branch were ligated 40% of the distance from apex to base. Sixteen weeks after myocardial infarction, a Dor procedure was performed with a Dacron patch that was 50% of the infarct neck dimension. Absolute left ventricular volume was measured with magnetic resonance imaging, and left ventricular pressure and relative left ventricular volume changes during pharmacologic preload reduction were measured with a volume conductance catheter 2 weeks before and 2 and 6 weeks after the Dor procedure. End-systolic elastance, diastolic compliance, and Starling relationships were calculated from the resultant left ventricular pressure/volume loops. Results Two weeks after the Dor procedure, the left ventricular volume at end systole and end diastole was significantly reduced, and there was no redilation at 6 weeks. Six weeks after the Dor procedure, the ejection fraction was significantly increased. Although stroke volume increased slightly at 6 weeks, the change was not significant. The slopes of end-systolic elastance, diastolic compliance, and Starling relationships were unchanged at 2 and 6 weeks. Conclusions The Dor procedure significantly reduces left ventricular volume. Unlike linear repair, left ventricular volume changes seem stable. The ejection fraction is improved, and left ventricular function (stroke volume and the Starling relationship) is maintained.
A Model for Quiescent Prominences with Helical Structure

We present a model for quiescent prominences with helical structure. The model is described by two magnetic fields, one produced by photospheric or subphotospheric currents, the other due to currents along the cylindrical model prominence.
On a problem of nachbin concerning extension of operators

Problems I and II, stated below, are considered. It is shown that the answer to I may be negative even ifX andZ are finite-dimensional and that the answer to II may be negative even ifX andZ are separable andT compact. Concerning problem II some positive results are also obtained. For example, the answer to II is in the affirmative ifX is a conjugate space or anL 1 space or ifX=c orc 0 andZ is separable.
Double balanced mixers using active and passive techniques

A variety of microwave double-balanced mixers, using dual-gate FETs or diodes as the mixing nonlinearities, have been fabricated in planar monolithic circuit technology. The mixer topologies, which use active balancing methods, eliminate the need for large suspended substrate structures, thus minimizing circuit area and facilitating integration. These approaches also eliminate IF extraction problems and allow the best performance characteristics of FETs and diodes to be combined. The mixers are insensitive to DC bias and RF termination variations and require only one balun, which can be active or passive. They exhibit excellent decade-band performance with overlapping frequency response on all ports. >
Hard Times for Soft Balancing

The development of the concept of soft balancing is an attempt to stretch balance of power theory to encompass an international system in which traditional counterbalancing among the major powers is absent. There are two fundamental faws, however, in current treatments of soft balancing: the failure to consider alternative explanations for state actions that have the effect of constraining the United States, and the absence of empirical analysis of the phenomenon. A comparison of soft balancing and four alternative explanations in the main cases highlighted by proponents of the concept-Russia's strategic partnerships with China and India, Russian assistance to Iran's nuclear program, the European Union's efforts to enhance its defense capability, and opposition to the U.S.-led Iraq war in 2003—reveals no empirical support for the soft-balancing explanation. The lack of evidence for the relevance of balancing dynamics in contemporary great-power relations indicates that further investments in adapting bala...
The size of poly(A)-containing RNAs in Drosophila melanogaster embryos

The size range of poly(A)-containing RNA from Drosophila melanogaster embryos has been estimated by hybridization with 3H-labeled poly(U) and subsequent fractionation on sucrose gradients. The median size of nuclear poly(A)-containing RNA is about 30 S (6000 nucleotides), and the median size of cytoplasmic poly(A)-containing RNA is about 17 S (1800 nucleotides). The relationship of these sizes to messenger RNA needed to code for protein and to the length of DNA contained in a chromomere is discussed.
The Contribution of Rare‐Earth Ions to the Anisotropy of Iron Garnets

The low-temperature properties, in iron garnets, of rare-earth ions with an odd number of electrons can be described by a simple model. This model represents the energy levels of the rare-earth ion by an isolated doublet which is subjected to an anisotropic exchange interaction. The complex shapes of the torque curves, predicted by the model and observed at low temperature, are represented by Fourier expansions. A small torque contribution proportional to the applied magnetic field is predicted, and evidence of its existence is observed in (YbY) and (YbGd) iron garnets. A comparison of the behavior of Yb and Dy in YIG and GdIG indicates a moderate influence of the host lattice on Yb and a drastic influence on Dy. The anisotropy anomaly observed for Yb in YIG [at 32° from [001] in the (110) plane] is not present when Yb is substituted into GdIG.
State sector strategies: the new workforce development in the USA

Neoliberal governments consider global business competitiveness to be thwarted by costly bureaucratic regulation and programme duplication. In an effort to downsize the costs of operating a state, the governors now streamline job training functions via a coordinated workforce and economic development effort known as sector strategies, with vocational education and training (VET) institutions matched to named industry clusters. The policy initiative is meant to revitalise the economic climate of communities, helping those faced with extensive job loss and resulting social decay. This article describes the state sector strategies and explains the employer-driven model that charges the public community colleges with management of regional knowledge assets.
Synthesis of the hydroazulene portion of guanacastepene A from the cyclopentannelation reaction.

Commercially available tribromoethylene has been converted to ketoepoxide 15, an advanced intermediate in the total synthesis of guanacastepene A.
Finding a Fox: An Evaluation of Survey Methods to Estimate Abundance of a Small Desert Carnivore

The status of many carnivore species is a growing concern for wildlife agencies, conservation organizations, and the general public. Historically, kit foxes (Vulpes macrotis) were classified as abundant and distributed in the desert and semi-arid regions of southwestern North America, but is now considered rare throughout its range. Survey methods have been evaluated for kit foxes, but often in populations where abundance is high and there is little consensus on which technique is best to monitor abundance. We conducted a 2-year study to evaluate four survey methods (scat deposition surveys, scent station surveys, spotlight survey, and trapping) for detecting kit foxes and measuring fox abundance. We determined the probability of detection for each method, and examined the correlation between the relative abundance as estimated by each survey method and the known minimum kit fox abundance as determined by radio-collared animals. All surveys were conducted on 15 5-km transects during the 3 biological seasons of the kit fox. Scat deposition surveys had both the highest detection probabilities (p=0.88) and were most closely related to minimum known fox abundance (r 2 =0.50, P=0.001). The next best method for kit fox detection was the scent station survey (p=0.73), which had the second highest correlation to fox abundance (r 2 =0.46, P,0.001). For detecting kit foxes in a low density population we suggest using scat deposition transects during the breeding season. Scat deposition surveys have low costs, resilience to weather, low labor requirements, and pose no risk to the study animals. The breeding season was ideal for monitoring kit fox population size, as detections consisted of the resident population and had the highest detection probabilities. Using appropriate monitoring techniques will be critical for future conservation actions for this rare desert carnivore.
Corrigendum to “Comparing assessments of DSM-IV substance dependence disorders using CIDI-SAM and SCAN” [Drug alcohol depend. 41 (1996) 179–187]

The SCAN scoring algorithms were slightly modified after the publication of this paper and corrected tables are included here. In Table 2, the most important changes are to tolerance to cocaine and cannabis, in which the percent of persons diagnosed by the SCAN increased so that the differences between the SAM and SCAN for these two criteria are now significant. In Table 3, tolerance to opiates, cocaine and cannabis all have slightly different kappas in the SAM/SCAN group than previously reported, as does the diagnosis of cocaine dependence. This changed one finding, in that opiate tolerance now tends to have lower agreement in the SAM/SCAN methodology (kappa = 0.49) compared to the SAM/SAM methodology (kappa = 0.75, p = 0.06). In the published report, this difference was reported as significant @ = 0.03). Despite these modifications in the results, there were no significant changes necessary to the discussion or conclusion sections of the paper.
Hospital Uses Team Approach to Improve Processes, Reduce Costs

This article describes a group process and how it was used to reduce reprocessing turnover time and increase the availability of sterilized instruments. A team of staff members used the "Seven Steps to Quality" and an event-related sterility maintenance program, thereby improving patient care and reducing costs. With a defined process, the team members' expertise, and clearly defined objectives and goals, the team was able to complete its work and implement a substantial change in a short amount of time.
A Usability Analysis Framework for Healthcare Information Technology

Healthcare organizations are investing in healthcare information technology HIT to improve quality and outcomes. However, HIT has also been known to introduce unintended consequences and adverse effects. The adverse effects range from process changes to serious clinical errors. In order to ensure the safety of healthcare information technologies, the authors propose a usability analysis framework for healthcare information technology that can help identify, classify and prioritize potential errors. Such a framework can help design better usability studies specifically targeted at studying technology-induced errors and therefore help in the design of safer healthcare information technologies.
Insulin receptor autophosphorylation. I. Autophosphorylation kinetics of the native receptor and its cytoplasmic kinase domain

Kinetic analysis of autophosphorylation was done using a non-Michaelis-Menten kinetic model. This model describes autophosphorylation in terms of a fast reaction phase, a slow reaction phase, and a partition function for the two phases. Kinetic parameters determined by this new approach show that insulin stimulates autophosphorylation by promoting (1) a 10-fold increase in the rate constant for the fast phase of the reaction and (2) a 2-fold increase in the partition function favoring the fast phase. Insulin did not significantly affect the binding constant for ATP in this fast phase. Kinetic parameters obtained for the cytoplasmic kinase domain were similar to those obtained for the native insulin receptor in the absence of insulin. The insulin receptor has three subdomains encompassing its seven autophosphorylation sites. The juxtamembrane sites react primarily in the slow kinetic phase, favored by the absence of stimulation and low ATP concentrations. The carboxy-terminal and central autophosphorylation subdomains react primarily in the fast kinetic phase, favored by raising the ATP concentration and/or the presence of insulin. These observations demonstrate that: (1) both ATP and insulin regulate reaction in each autophosphorylation subdomain, (2) insulin stimulation occurs predominantly in the central and carboxy-terminal regions, and (3) autophosphorylation observed with the cytoplasmic kinase domain was similar to native insulin receptor in the absence of insulin. These findings are consistent with conclusions based on the kinetic analysis of autophosphorylation.
Variability in the concentration of three heat stable proteinase inhibitor proteins in potato tubers

The variability of three well characterized proteinase inhibitors, Inhibitor I, molecular weight 39,000, Inhibitor II, molecular weight 21,000, and Carboxypeptidase Inhibitor, molecular weight 4,100, were determined in apical cortical tissues of individual potato tubers of the Russet Burbank variety. The three inhibitors varied within ± 20% among sixty-five tubers and cumulatively represented about 7% of the total soluble proteins. The inhibitors were highly variable among tubers of 106 clones from randomly chosen varieties. Inhibitor I varied about twelve-fold (60 to 745 μg/ml juice), and Inhibitor II varied about seven-fold (158 to 1,025 μg/ml juice). Carboxypeptidase Inhibitor varied from as low as zero (seven varieties) to over 850 μg/ml tuber juice. With 80 tubers from fourteen varieties of potatoes, a positivecorrelation was found between the concentrations of Inhibitor I and Inhibitor II and total soluble protein. Carboxypeptidase Inhibitor did not correlate well with total soluble protein. The positive correlations of Inhibitors I and II (a correlation coefficient of 0.70) with total soluble protein indicated that the proteinase inhibitors may be excellent markers for genetic studies for selecting high protein potato tuber varieties.
Interactions between NADPH oxidase and voltage-gated proton channels: why electron transport depends on proton transport.

Abstract Leukocytes kill microbes by producing reactive oxygen species, using a multi-component enzyme complex, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase. Electrons pass from intracellular NADPH through a redox chain within the enzyme, to reduce extracellular O2 to O2−. Electron flux is electrogenic, and rapidly depolarizes the membrane potential. Excessive depolarization can turn off electron transport by self-inhibition, but this is prevented by proton flux that balances the electron flux. Although the membrane potential depolarizes by ∼100 mV during the respiratory burst (NADPH oxidase activity), NADPH oxidase activity is independent of voltage in this range, which permits optimal function and prevents self-inhibition.
Detumbling and nutation canceling maneuvers with complete analytic reduction for axially symmetric spacecraft

Abstract A new method is introduced to control and analyze the rotational motion of an axially symmetric rigid-body spacecraft. In particular, this motion is seen as the combination of the rotation of a virtual sphere with respect to the inertial frame, and the rotation of the body, about its symmetry axis, with respect to this sphere. Two new exact solutions are introduced for the motion of axially symmetric rigid bodies subjected to a constant external torque in the following cases: (1) torque parallel to the angular momentum and (2) torque parallel to the vectorial component of the angular momentum on the plane perpendicular to the symmetry axis. By building upon these results, two rotational maneuvers are proposed for axially symmetric spacecraft: a detumbling maneuver and a nutation canceling maneuver. The two maneuvers are the minimum time maneuvers for spherically constrained maximum torque. These maneuvers are simple and elegant, as they reduce the control of the three degrees-of-freedom nonlinear rotational motion to a single degree-of-freedom linear problem. Furthermore, the complete (both for the dynamics and for the kinematics) and exact analytic solutions are found for the two maneuvers. An extended survey is reported in the introduction of the paper of the few cases where the rotation of a rigid body is fully reduced to an exact analytic solution in closed form.
Predictors of total mortality and sudden death in mild to moderate heart failure

Abstract The relation between baseline clinical variables and subsequent mortality was examined in 295 patients with mild to moderate heart failure who participated in a multicenter trial comparing the effect on treadmill exercise tolerance of captopril, digoxin and placebo given in addition to a diuretic drug. At baseline study, all patients had a left ventricular ejection fraction ≤40%; 81% were in New York Heart Association functional class II. The etiology of heart failure was ischemic in 62% and nonischemic in 38%. During an average follow-up period of 16 months, 47 patients (16%) died and 24 deaths were classified as sudden. By univariate analysis, left ventricular ejection fraction, ventricular premature beat frequency, couplet frequency, ventricular tachycardia frequency, functional class, treadmill exercise time and nonischemic heart disease were statistically associated with mortality. With multiple logistic regression analysis, left ventricular ejection fraction was identified as the variable most closely associated with total mortality (p = 0.006). Twenty-seven percent of patients with an ejection fraction ≥20% died compared with 7% with an ejection fraction ≥30%. Ventricular tachycardia frequency on Holter monitoring was independently associated with both total mortality (p = 0.008) and sudden death (p = 0.003). Patients with a ventricular tachycardia frequency of >0.088 events/h had a mortality rate of 34% compared with 12% in those without ventricular tachycardia. In the multivariate model, functional class (p = 0.02) and etiology of nonischemic heart disease (p = 0.04) remained as independent predictors of mortality, whereas treadmill exercise duration did not. The mortality rate was 23% in patients with nonischemic heart disease; it was 12% in patients with congestive heart failure on the basis of coronary artery disease. These data allow the identification of high risk patients and subgroups, and should prove useful in designing future trials examining mortality in heart failure.
SU‐E‐J‐36: Accuracy of MRI/CT Registration for Spinal SBRT Target Definition

Purpose: To quantify the uncertainties in imaging registration for treatment of spinal SBRT by tomotherapy. The uncertainties are quantified for kilovoltage computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (kVCT/MRI) and then kVCT/megavotage CT (MVCT) in a two‐step procedure. Methods: Spinal MRI and kVCT and MVCT images for 11 patients were imported to VelocityAIS software, which can perform automated and manual rigid registration between different imaging modalities. Gross tumor volume (GTV) and spinal cord were contoured on MRI.Image registration of MRI and kVCT favoring GTV was repeated for 2 times for each patient. GTV and cord were then mapped to kVCT, giving GTVmap1, GTVmap2, cordmap1, and cordmap2. GTVmap1 is then expanded isotropically by 1mm 2mm 3mm and 4mm until the expanded volume encompasses GTVmap2. Similarity of the contours is defined by Dice index, ratio of overlapping volume of the contours from two registrations to the original volume. kVCT/MVCT registrations were then performed. Contours were mapped to MVCT. Dice index was then calculated.Results: For repetitive MRI/kVCT registrations, manual registration was always required to improve the accuracy, resulting in average Dice index of 0.81±0.08 for cord and 0.91±0.04 for GTV between different trials. Most patients require 2mm expansion in order to compensate for the difference between the two repetitive MRI/KVCT registrations, indicating the reproducibility of the registration has a 2mm uncertainty for GTV. Compared to the kVCT/MRI registration, kVCT/MCVT registration can be performed reproducibly with automated registration, resulting in close to 100% Dice index and 0 uncertainties Conclusions: An intrinsic 2mm error was observed for MRI/KVCT registration but not between the kVCT and MVCT. The results indicate the necessity of taking the 2 mm uncertainties into consideration in contour transfer from MRI to CT.
Covering Your Posterior: Teaching Signaling Games Using Classroom Experiments

The author describes a protocol for classroom experiments for courses that introduce undergraduates to signaling games. Signaling games are conceptually difficult because, when analyzing the game, students are not naturally inclined to think in probabilistic, Bayesian terms. The experimental design explicitly presents the posterior frequencies of the unobserved events. The protocol's emphasis on the posterior enhances convergence to the equilibrium prediction, relative to a treatment in which posterior frequencies are not explicitly computed. This convergence reinforces the development of the theory in subsequent lecture periods.
Uniform null controllability of the heat equation with rapidly oscillating periodic density

Abstract We consider the heat equation with fast oscillating periodic density, and an interior control in a bounded domain. First, we prove sharp convergence estimates depending explicitly on the initial data for the corresponding uncontrolled equation; these estimates are new, and their proof relies on a judicious smoothing of the initial data. Then we use those estimates to prove that the original equation is uniformly null controllable, provided a carefully chosen extra vanishing interior control is added to that equation. This uniform controllability result is the first in the multidimensional setting for the heat equation with oscillating density. Finally, we prove that the sequence of null controls converges to the optimal null control of the limit equation when the period tends to zero. To cite this article: L. Tebou, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 347 (2009).
Metaphyseal and diaphyseal bone loss in the tibia following transient muscle paralysis are spatiotemporally distinct resorption events

When the skeleton is catabolically challenged, there is great variability in the timing and extent of bone resorption observed at cancellous and cortical bone sites. It remains unclear whether this resorptive heterogeneity, which is often evident within a single bone, arises from increased permissiveness of specific sites to bone resorption or localized resorptive events of varied robustness. To explore this question, we used the mouse model of calf paralysis induced bone loss, which results in metaphyseal and diaphyseal bone resorption of different timing and magnitude. Given this phenotypic pattern of resorption, we hypothesized that bone loss in the proximal tibia metaphysis and diaphysis occurs through resorption events that are spatially and temporally distinct. To test this hypothesis, we undertook three complimentary in vivo/μCT imaging studies. Specifically, we defined spatiotemporal variations in endocortical bone resorption during the 3weeks following calf paralysis, applied a novel image registration approach to determine the location where bone resorption initiates within the proximal tibia metaphysis, and explored the role of varied basal osteoclast activity on the magnitude of bone loss initiation in the metaphysis using μCT based bone resorption parameters. A differential response of metaphyseal and diaphyseal bone resorption was observed throughout each study. Acute endocortical bone loss following muscle paralysis occurred almost exclusively within the metaphyseal compartment (96.5% of total endocortical bone loss within 6days). Using our trabecular image registration approach, we further resolved the initiation of metaphyseal bone loss to a focused region of significant basal osteoclast function (0.03mm(3)) adjacent to the growth plate. This correlative observation of paralysis induced bone loss mediated by basal growth plate cell dynamics was supported by the acute metaphyseal osteoclastic response of 5-week vs. 13-month-old mice. Specifically, μCT based bone resorption rates normalized to initial trabecular surface (BRRBS) were 3.7-fold greater in young vs. aged mice (2.27±0.27μm(3)/μm(2)/day vs. 0.60±0.44μm(3)/μm(2)/day). In contrast to the focused bone loss initiation in the metaphysis, diaphyseal bone loss initiated homogeneously throughout the long axis of the tibia predominantly in the second week following paralysis (81.3% of diaphyseal endocortical expansion between days 6 and 13). The timing and homogenous nature are consistent with de novo osteoclastogenesis mediating the diaphyseal resorption. Taken together, our data suggests that tibial metaphyseal and diaphyseal bone loss induced by transient calf paralysis are spatially and temporally discrete events. In a broader context, these findings are an essential first step toward clarifying the timing and origins of multiple resorptive events that would require targeting to fully inhibit bone loss following neuromuscular trauma.
Development of Anticandidal Delivery Systems: (I) Anticandidal Activities of Antifungal Agents and Synergistic Combination with Other Drugs

AbstractSusceptibility testing with antifungal agents, e. g., minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) determination, is performed to obtain reliable data that permit selection of the most suitable agents for treatment of an infective condition. To determine the drugs that provide maximum effectiveness against oral candidiasis, the MICs of various antifungal agents were determined. Also, synergism between two chosen antifungal agents was evaluated, and the effect of benzocaine, an anesthetic, and hydrocortisone, an antiinflammatory agent, on their MICs was examined. It was observed that among all the drugs tested, clotrimazole was the most promising candidate for use as an oral local antifungal. The combination of clotrimazole and chlorhexidine resulted in a decrease in the MIC. While the addition of hydrocortisone to this combination resulted in a slight increase in the MIC, the inclusion of benzocaine resulted in a substantial decrease in the MIC of the antifungal agent combination.
Model to predict survival after surgical resection of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: the Mayo Clinic experience.

Background The 7th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system has recently been validated and shown to predict survival in patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). The present study attempted to investigate the validity of these findings.