cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parallel Traditions: State Folk Dance Ensembles and Folk Dance in "The Field"

In the 1950s, the world saw the birth, growth, and development of a new dance genre, the choreographic creations of the professional state folk dance ensemble (1). The genesis of what became a worldwide phenomenon of professional, semi-professional and amateur folk dance ensembles, with the notable exception of the capitalistic Western powers and Japan, began, in my opinion, in response to the extraordinary success of the Ensemble of Folk Dances of the Peoples of the Soviet Union, known in the West as the Moiseyev Dance Company, under the artistic direction of founder Igor Moiseyev. This ensemble was begun in 1937 at the onset of World War II, but its major impact began with the political reformation of the world in the aftermath of the war. During this period the U.S.S.R.'s direct political domination of Eastern Europe and popularity and influence in other regions of the world led to widespread emulation of the Soviet model of different types of institutions, including the formation of professional state-sponsored dance companies. This dance symbol became so crucial that a small nation like Bulgaria had seventeen professional folk song and dance ensembles by the 1980s (Ilieva 1994, 35).
National Aid and Local Autonomy in Japan: The Impact of Central Financing on Prefectural Expenditures

It has long been believed that local autonomy is virtually nonexistent in Japan, but few empirical studies have tested for the impact of central controls over local financing on local spending priorities. In an analysis of budgetary data for Japan's 46 prefectures it is found that national aid has a weaker direct stimulation effect in Japan than in the United States, and that national aid has been used by local Japanese governments to release revenues, derived from internal sources, from ongoing programs in favor of new local priorities. Moreover, the high-income/low-dependency prefectures are shown to have shifted their spending priorities to innovative new programs in advance of national policy directives, particularly during periods of high economic growth. In addition, the overall strength of the progressive parties in a prefecture is associated with a shift in local priorities from public works to welfare spending. Both income and party have independent effects and in the late 1960s and early 1970s f...
Quality, Economics, and National Guidelines for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a transformative technology for the treatment of aortic stenosis, requiring a multidisciplinary collaboration in the form of a "heart team" that includes interventional cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. As this new technology continues to disperse rapidly, its proper therapeutic role evolves and leads to important questions regarding who should perform the procedure, where it should be performed, and who should pay for it. Herein, we review the most recent guidelines governing the use of TAVR in the United States and Europe. We then summarize the available registry data, which, despite its limitations, presents the clearest picture of TAVR in clinical use. Finally, we discuss the costs and relative cost-effectiveness of TAVR. Taken together, these are the elements from which the larger questions surrounding TAVR must be answered.
Hydrogen sensors based on Ni/SiO2/Si MOS capacitors

Abstract A novel hydrogen sensor based on Ni/SiO 2 /Si MOS capacitors were fabricated and characterized at hydrogen concentrations ranging from 50 to 1000 ppm at an operating temperature of 140 °C. The highest response occurs at the same bias voltage (−0.4 V) for all the concentration levels measured and is about 18% at 50 ppm. The response/recovery transients of the Ni-based sensors are similar to those of the Pd-based hydrogen sensors. A Langmuir isotherm model is adapted to explain the observed phenomena, which is in agreement with our experimental results.
Molecular Understanding of the Binding of Macrolide Antibiotics to the Ribosome using Site-Identification via Ligand Competitive Saturation

Microbial resistance is a major challenge in antibiotic development. Newer generation macrolide antibiotics avoid efflux and drug metabolism-based resistance mechanisms, yet ultimately succumb to resistance due to modification of their target, the 50S subunit of the ribosome. Site-Identification via Ligand Competitive Saturation (SILCS) harnesses the power of force field-based simulations to map the functional group affinities of a protein or any other macromolecule and has demonstrated its ability to identify classes of protein-ligand interactions that are observed in crystal structures. Recently, the use of Grand Canonical Monte Carlo/MD (GCMC-MD) simulations for SILCS has shown that solute molecules inserted into an occluded binding pocket yield satisfactory overlap with known crystallographic ligands. Hence, the SILCS GCMC-MD method has been applied to the macrolide binding pocket of the E. coli 50S ribosomal subunit. Simulations were performed using the small molecules benzene, propane, formamide, acetaldehyde, acetate, methylammonium, imidazole, and methanol. From these simulations, 3D probability maps for the fragment types (FragMaps) were calculated. Comparison of the FragMaps with the binding modes of known crystallographic macrolide antibiotics showed good agreement, especially the overlap of aromatic fragment maps presumably due to the hydrophobic nature of macrolide antibiotics. Notable is the ability of the FragMaps to capture the flexibility of telithromycin's alkyl-aryl chain (ARM) from various crystal structures. Future extensions of the SILCS methodology to the ribosome will focus on addressing A2058-based modifications for drug design.
An automated method for studying stereotyped gnawing

Stereotyped behavior in rats, consisting of compulsive, repetitive sniffing and gnawing, caused by high doses of amphetamine-like psychostimulants, may serve as an animal model for psychosis. Previous methods for measuring behavioral stereotypies of this kind have required continuous observation and rating of the behaviors or semiquantitative techniques that fail to produce a continuous record of the behaviors. The present paper describes a simple automated method that provides a continuous quantitative record of the specific gnawing behavior induced in rats by methylphenidate, an amphetamine-like psychostimulant. The apparatus described and the test procedures developed are compatible with a wide variety of common counters and recorders.
Transverse energy measurements with ALICE

ALICE is an ideal detector to measure transverse energy using the combined information of the calorimeters and the tracking detectors to give insight into the energy densities reached at the LHC. We discuss the status of studies in proton+proton collisions and the outlook for heavy-ion collisions.
Acute effects of adrenergic-mediated ischemia on nerve conduction in subjects with type 2 diabetes

Several lines of evidence support peripheral nerve ischemia as a contributing factor in the etiology of human diabetic neuropathy. We questioned whether diabetic subjects with relatively normal nerve function in the baseline state would be more likely than healthy control subjects to show either improvement of ulnar nerve function with acute intraarterial infusion of nitroprusside (vasodilation) or be more sensitive than control subjects to worsening of nerve function with acute intraarterial infusion of norepinephrine (vasoconstriction). We measured forearm blood flow (FABF) using venous occlusion plethysmography and assessed ulnar nerve function at baseline and during two intrabrachial artery infusions. Six nondiabetic control subjects (mean age, 56 years) and 11 subjects with type 2 diabetes (mean age, 58 years) in good general health participated. Only three type 2 diabetic subjects had peripheral sensory neuropathy, which was mild. Among control subjects, there was no significant change in sensory distal latency, motor distal latency, motor proximal latency, or sensory or motor conduction velocity during norepinephrine infusion. In contrast, among type 2 diabetic subjects, there was a significant increase in sensory (baseline vnorepinephrine, 2.73+/-0.10 v 2.94+/-0.10 milliseconds [MS], P< or =.01) and motor distal latencies (baseline v norepinephrine, 2.90+/-0.06 v 3.18+/-0.1 ms, P< or =.001) and motor proximal latency (baseline v norepinephrine, 7.15+/-0.18 v 7.60+/-0.23 ms, P<.01) and a decrease in sensory conduction velocity (baseline v norepinephrine, 52.1+/-2.0 v 47.7+/-1.6 m/s, P<.01) during norepinephrine infusion. There were no consistent changes in nerve function during nitroprusside infusion in either group. In summary, we found that subjects with type 2 diabetes, but not control subjects, demonstrate a decrement in nerve function with vasoconstriction during intraarterial infusion of norepinephrine, but no consistent change during nitroprusside-induced vasodilation. These findings suggest there may be enhanced sensitivity of nerve function to ischemia in type 2 diabetic subjects with mild or absent clinical neuropathy.
Negative refraction of a surface plasmon polariton

Abstract We study theoretically the negative refraction of a surface plasmon polariton. The system we consider consists of a vacuum that is in a contact with two metals that each fill a quarter space with a periodic boundary between them. The interface of each of the metals with the vacuum supports a surface plasmon polariton. When a surface plasmon polariton passes through the periodic boundary between the metals it transforms partly into the Bragg beams of the refracted and reflected surface plasmon polaritons and partly into volume waves in the vacuum. A suitable choice of the period can ensure that the only propagating Bragg beams of the refracted surface plasmon polariton are the specular beam and the (−1)-order beam, which is negatively refracted. With a suitable choice for the form of the profile function and its amplitude the specular beam can be made to vanish.
Contralateral cerebellar damage impairs imperative planning but not updating of aimed arm movements in humans

The specific motor control processes supported by the cerebellum and impaired with cerebellar damage remain unclear. The cerebellum has been implicated in both planning and updating of accurate movements. Previously, we used a statistical model to parcel aiming performance that was constrained by a timed-response paradigm into contributions attributed to a specified plan and feedforward updating. Here, we apply this procedure to determine the putative role of the cerebellum in planning and updating goal-directed aiming by comparing the performance of subjects with unilateral cerebellar stroke to controls. Subjects rapidly moved to targets in predictable or unpredictable conditions and cerebellar subjects used the contralesional limb to control for ipsilesional motor execution deficits. Displacement-derived movement velocity was used in the statistical model to determine the effect of planning and updating on accuracy. Compared to controls, the cerebellar group demonstrated errors in final position that were primarily determined by planning deficits. This finding is manifest in four ways: Cerebellar subjects (1) were less accurate than controls in both predictable and unpredictable conditions; (2) they showed minimal benefit from increased preparation time for target amplitude specification; (3) with ample time to plan direction, wrong direction response frequency was greater; and (4) final position was minimally determined by the plan. Because these deficits were found contralesional to the moving limb, the cerebellum's role in planning is not lateralized to one hemisphere but rather our findings suggest that cerebellar output affects motor planning for both upper limbs. Indeed, a lesion analysis showed that the dentate nucleus, an area implicated in planning motor strategies and the primary cerebellar output nucleus, was the only common region affected by our patient group with contralateral cerebellar strokes.
Possible Involvement of the AH Receptor in the Induction of Cytochrome P-450IA1 Under Conditions of Hydrodynamic Shear in Microcarrier-Attached Hepatoma Cell Lines

Abstract The exposure of two hepatoma cell lines, Hep G2 and Hepa-1, to moderate hydrodynamic shear, in microcarrier-attached suspension cultures, resulted in the transient induction of cytochrome P-450IA1 (CYP1A1). Both cell lines have been characterized with respect to their Ah receptor (AhR) concentrations and induce CYP1A1 in response to exposure to xenobiotics such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Using an AhR antagonist, α-naphthoflavone (α-NF) and a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, staurosporine (ST), in the Hep G2 cell line, the induced CYP1A1 activity was modulated in the same manner as when the cells were coexposed to TCDD and either α-NF or ST. Exposure of the Hep G2 cell line to TCDD and shear resulted in both enhancement of the induced CYP1A1 activity in addition to a competitive response. Finally, using the wild type and AhR defective Hepa-1 cell lines, it was demonstrated that a functional AhR was required for shear-induced CYP1A1 expression. The data obtained in the three cell lines indicate a role for the AhR in the induction of CYP1A1 by shear in agitated microcarrier cultures.
FC-46 Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus intermedius organisms from the vertical ear canal of dogs with end-stage otitis externa

Methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) have been isolated from the ears of dogs with otitis externa; however, the specific location of the sample and the condition of the ear were not disclosed. The purpose of this study was to identify MRS from the vertical ear canal in dogs with end-stage otitis externa. Swab samples were obtained from one vertical ear canal of 26 dogs undergoing a total ear canal ablation and bulla osteotomy. Swab samples were routinely processed for bacterial culture. No topical or oral antimicrobial agents had been administered within 24 h of obtaining the sample. Testing for oxacillin (methicillin) resistance was performed with the disk diffusion test (DD) and confirmed with the oxacillin screen agar test (OSA) for staphylococcal organisms. Twenty-three staphylococcal organisms [21 Staphylococcus intermedius (SI), 2 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS)] were isolated from 17 dogs. On the DD, 15 organisms were susceptible (13 SI, two CNS), one was intermediate (SI), and seven were resistant (all SI) to methicillin. On the OSA, one SI that was intermediate on DD was susceptible, and of the seven that were resistant on DD, five SI were susceptible and two SI were resistant to methicillin. Both methicillin-resistant S. intermedius (MRSI) were susceptible to chloramphenicol, polymyxin B and trimethoprim-sulfadiazine. In dogs with end-stage otitis externa, MRSI may be an important pathogen. Had OSA not been performed to confirm MRS, five of seven staphylococcal organisms would have been erroneously reported as resistant to certain antibiotics, which may have affected antibiotic selection and treatment of the otitis. Funding: Bayer Animal Health, The Ohio State University Canine Research Fund, American College of Veterinary Dermatology, Ohio Animal Health Foundation.
Detail To Totality Ratio, Contrast, And Signal To Noise Ratio Constraints In Multi-Dimensional NMR Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging may be extended by various orders of modulation-encodings to acquire simultaneously FID data-sets representing very high dimensionality. For example, we may encode three spatial-position dimensions, three molecular-velocity dimensions, a chemical shift dimension, three perfusive flow dimensions, and so on. Careful observation on even the common 2D-MRI scans, however, yield some puzzling results about the behavior of contrast/detail detectability. The multi-dimensional options and capabilities of MRI arise because the physical system inherently is an interferometric data-acquisition modality. There is a "hidden" dimension in the data-acquisition, namely, the resolution scale of digitization of the FID-data values. This dimension implies requirements on the dynamic-range of the data-acquisition, just as the Nyquist-limit implies requirements on the fineness of the temporal sampling mesh. One must account for the limitations so imposed. We propose here a new quantitative imaging descriptor, the Detail-in-Image to Totality-in-object Ratio (DITOR), whose values impose limitations upon the system dynamic-range required. These limitations become more severe as the imaging dimensionality becomes larger, and MRI system behavior in this regard is very different from ordinary x-ray medical imaging. This paper shows several examples of phantom and human studies which may well illustrate the limitations implied by DITOR, and develops the role of stochastic noise contributions to the DITOR requirements.© (1986) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Quasielastic neutron scattering and correlated self-diffusion in crystals

Abstract The effect of correlations between successive jumps of atoms during self-diffusion on the quasielastic neutron-scattering line wodth is investigated. Temporal and spatial aspects of these correlations are described in terms of the so-called “encounter model”, which had originally been developed for the interpretation of nuclear-magnetic resonance studies on self-diffusion. Owing to the rather high temperatures (i.e. large diffusivities) to which quasielastic neutron-scattering experiments on self-diffusion in crystals are restricted, the effect of both mono- and divacancies is considered. It is found that the line width associated with a correlated mechanism is smaller and in single crystals shows a different orientation dependence than expected for a random-walk diffusion mechanism. Numerical results are presented for (i) the monovacancy and two divacancy mechanisms of self-diffusion in a b.c.c. lattice, a situation likely to be encountered in sodium metal, and (ii) mono- and divacancies in the f.c.c. lattice. In the random-walk limit earlier results of Gissler and Rother and Chudley and Elliot are reproduced. All of the results derived also apply to the diffusion-induced broadening of Mossbauer lines. The article therefore presents a generalization of a recent theory in which only the effect of monovacancies on the Mossbauer line broadening has been considered.
The Role of Scleraxis in Supraspinatus Enthesis Development

High localized stresses can develop at the interface between dissimilar materials; their attachment is therefore a major engineering challenge. During the development of the tendon-to-bone attachment (the “enthesis”), tendon transitions into fibrocartilage and then into mineralized fibrocartilage as it inserts into bone [1,2]. While natural development leads to a strong and tough enthesis, surgical reattachment and healing of tendon to bone often fails [3]. Thus, a better understanding of the developmental cues necessary for enthesis formation may help to navigate future repair and tissue engineering approaches for tendon-to-bone repair.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
A rule-based Expert System: Speakeasy - Smart Drink Dispenser

In this paper, we develop a knowledge-based expert system case study called Speakeasy Expert System (S.E.S.) for exercising the rule-based expert system programming in both CLIPS and VisiRule. CLIPS stands for “C Language Integrated Production System” and it's an expert system tool created to facilitate the development of software to model human knowledge or expertise. VisiRule is a tool that allows experts to build decision models using a graphical paradigm, but one that can be annotated using code and or Boolean logic and then executed and exported to other programs and processes. Nowadays, there are billions of computing devices are interconnected in computing and communications. These devices include from various desktop personal computers, laptops, servers, embedded computers to small ones such as mobile phones. This growth shows no signs of slowing down and becomes the cause of a new technology in computing and communications. This new technology is called Internet of Things (IOT). In this study, we propose and extend the S.E.S into a Smart Drink Dispenser using IOT Technology. We present Data Flow Diagram of S.E.S in IOT Environment and its IOT architecture, and propose the usage and implementation of S.E.S.
After the Benediction: Walking Alongside People with Significant Disabilities and Their Families in Faith and Life

People with significant disabilities, their families, and congregations have much to gain by exchanging their gifts, strengths, and supports within the life of a faith community. Yet, meaningful opportunities to exchange these gifts are perhaps more often the exception than the rule. This article addresses the ways in which congregations and their members might remain involved in the lives of people with significant disabilities and their families after the benediction, during the other six days of the week.
Design considerations for a pregnancy model for Warfarin

Pregnancy results not only in altered physiology in the mother, but in the formation of a placenta, the embryo, and the fetus, all of which exhibit progressive changes during pregnancy. The changes between fertilization and delivery of the fetus requires a suitable growth equation with parameters which can describe the growth of the fetus so that the weight or volume can be used at any time to calculate the volume of the organs for use in a physiological flow model. Such models describe the kinetics of distribution of xenobiotics between the mother, the placenta, and the embryo-fetus. Such information, during sensitive periods of development, can be used in the study of teratology.
A fiber sensor integrated monitor for embedded instrumentation systems

A new fiber sensor integrated monitor to be used in an embedded instrumentation system is proposed and its operating features are examined. The system integrates a fiber sensor together with a tunable MEMS filter, superluminescent light emitting diode and microcontroller creating a high-speed, low cost, low power smart sensor. The device has applications to a variety of fiber sensing technologies and, as an example, is integrated with a fiber Bragg grating for temperature sensing.
Hypersensitivity to phenylglycine acid chloride

Abstract Twenty-four industrial workers, some of whom had respiratory symptoms on exposure to phenylglycine add chloride (PG-AC), were evaluated. A univalent and several polyvalent conjugates of PG-AC were synthesized for skin testing. Based on history, skin testing, Prausnitz-Kustner (P-K) studies, and inhalation challenge, evidence is presented that in some instances the respiratory symptoms elicited by PG-AC are immunologically mediated, apparently via a Type I immediate hypersensitivity reaction involving reaginic antibody.
A core curriculum for international health: evaluating ten years' experience at the University of Arizona.

215 graduates (118 women and 97 men) of the University of Arizonas International Health Core Curriculum received a questionnaire after completion of their clinical practice in order to evaluate the experience of 10 years from 1982-91. The curriculum consisted of a 3- week orientation course given to 4th year medical students with core contents of population nutrition and infectious diseases followed up by student evaluation upon completion. 192 students were eligible for the survey of whom 154 completed it yielding an 80% response rate: 139 future physicians and 15 nurses health educators and nutritionists. 113 of 154 respondents completed an international health field experience after the course in 43 developing countries: 22% in Africa 39% in Asia-Pacific and 39% in Latin American-Caribbean. 79% were in rural and 34% in urban areas. A public health-community medicine program was incorporated in the clinical work at most sites. 95% of them participated in clinical care 73% in community teaching and 51% in research and evaluation. The duration of this field experience lasted 6-12 months for 69% of them. The median responses regarding the possibility of postcourse international field work and rating the worth of the course for clinical care teaching others and research were well or very well. They also rated the preparation of the course for subsequent work at 43 specific sites as good and dealing with limited resources and cross-culture communication as very good. All were willing to recommend the course to their peers.
Cutaneous Sensory Neurons Expressing the Mrgprd Receptor Sense Extracellular ATP and Are Putative Nociceptors

Sensory neurons expressing the Mrgprd receptor are known to innervate the outermost living layer of the epidermis, the stratum granulosum. The sensory modality that these neurons signal and the sti...
What your colleagues think of tympanostomy tubes--28 years later.

Objective: Assess the changing opinions of otolaryngologists about tympanostomy tubes, including indications, tube material and shape and size, placement sites, and complications. Study Design: Cross-sectional survey, compared to the same survey done 28 years earlier. Method: Questionnaires mailed to the 441 active fellows and 86 candidates of the Triological Society. Response rate 69.3% Results: The preference for polyethylene has decreased from 75% to 13% of respondents. Preferred insertion sites are more anterior. The proportion of respondents who have seen a permanent perforation as a consequence has increased from 26% to 93%. The proportion of respondents who have seen a tube-attributable cholesteatoma has increased from 8% to 38%. The average tube duration has increased from 4 months to 18 months. Teflon and Silastic are now the materials most often used. As 28 years earlier, about 19% of patients get a subsequent tympanostomy tube. Anesthetics most commonly used now are general or topical phenoL Conclusion: The consensus on several aspects of tympanostomy tubes has changed during 28 years. Controversy continues about the indications for using tubes. Although not a not cure-all for otitis media, tympanostomy tubes have proved usef.
Evidence for size increase in an exploited mollusc: humped conch (Strombus gibberulus) at Chelechol ra Orrak, Palau from ca. 3000―0 BP

Past research has suggested that the humped conch (Strombus gibberulus), a species common in many prehistoric archaeological sites in the Pacific, declines in size and/or abundance over time. Explanations for this phenomenon largely revolve around the possibility that they were overharvested by human populations. In this study, we measured the length and width of over 1400 individual specimens of S. gibberulus shells recovered from the site of Chelechol ra Orrak in Palau, western Micronesia, in deposits dating from ca. 3000 BP to the present. Statistical analysis indicates that in contrast to previous reports, there is a significant size increase for this taxon through time which may be the result of a combination of anthropogenic and environmental factors. We discuss variables influencing mollusc size and suggest that, given the complexities of their interactions and the data limitations of archaeomalacological assemblages, unambiguous determination of the cause(s) of molluscan size change may not always be possible.
Mineralocorticoid effect on K+ permeability of the rabbit cortical collecting tubule

Mineralocorticoid effect on K + permeability of the rabbit cortical collecting tubule. Mineralocorticoid hormones stimulate Na + absorption and K + secretion by the cortical collecting tubule. There is good evidence that this stimulation involves increasing luminal membrane Na + permeability and the turnover rate (or number) of the Na + -K + pumps. These experiments were designed to examine whether mineralocorticoid hormones also increase cell K + permeability. Using 42 K tracer measurements in tubules treated with amiloride to inhibit active Na + and K + transport, passive K + permeation increased with increasing mineralocorticoid effect. Net Na + absorption and the (passive) K + efflux rate coefficient (K K ) showed a linear relationship. The stimulatory effect was evident in vitro since 0.2 µM aldosterone added to the bath of tubules harvested from NaCl-loaded rabbits increased K K at 3hrs while time controls showed no change. Since these tubules were also treated with amiloride, this increase in K K was not dependent on increasing Na + absorption. The results indicate that in addition to the well-described effects of aldosterone on Na + permeability and cell metabolism, the mineralcorticoid effect includes an increase in cellular K + permeability.
Thoracic endovascular aortic repair of aortobronchial fistulas.

Background Thoracic endovascular aortic repair of aortobronchial fistulas is an emerging treatment modality for this highly lethal condition. The feasibility and long-term durability of this form of intervention are largely unknown. Methods The records of five patients who received endografts to treat aortobronchial fistulas at our institution were reviewed. A literature review was also conducted using MEDLINE to identify reports detailing outcomes of patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair for this condition. Primary outcome end points included intraoperative mortality, 30-day mortality, and aortobronchial fistula recurrence. Results For the five patients treated at our institution, technical success was 100%. In follow-up, aortobronchial fistulas recurred in two patients, resulting in one patient death and one endograft explantation. We identified 32 reports that met inclusion for our final review. Inclusive of the five patients treated at out institution, 67 patients with reported outcomes comprised the overall analysis. Most patients (55%) had previously undergone thoracic aortic surgery. Commercially manufactured thoracic endografts were used in 75% of patients. No intraoperative mortality was reported, and the 30-day mortality was 1.5%. Aortobronchial fistula recurred after endovascular repair in six patients (9%) through a mean follow-up of 21.5 months. Three cases of recurrent aortobronchial fistula resulted in patient death. Conclusions Thoracic endovascular aortic repair of aortobronchial fistulas appears to a viable alternative to conventional open repair with excellent short-term results. Recurrence of the aortobronchial fistula after endovascular repair is a potential complication necessitating long-term surveillance. Individual risk assessment is needed to determine if endovascular repair should be used as bridge therapy or as a definitive repair.
Barely sufficient software engineering: 10 practices to improve your CSE software

Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) software is typically developed using research funding where the primary focus is research and development of advanced algorithms and modeling capabilities. As a result, formal software engineering is seldom a primary goal. CSE software developers intend to write good software, but often lack the training, resources or time to adopt advanced formal methods and practices. In this paper, we present a list of practices identified from the Trilinos project that we believe most CSE software teams can adopt and from which they can benefit.
Fertility decline and increasing gender imbalance in India including a possible South Indian turnaround.

This study examined the relationship between fertility decline and increasing gender inequities in the north and south regions of India. Analysis was based on data from the 1991 Census of India the Sample Registration Scheme in 1981 and 1991 and an eclectic collection of macro and micro level information. Birth and death rates varied by religion and socioeconomic status. The south had lower fertility lower child mortality and smaller differences in the sex ratio in child survival. The literature attributes regional differences to kinship patterns and female status hypergamy in marriage in the north the higher status of women in the south and higher son preference in the north. But the sex ratio has risen over time in both the north and south. Fertility decline appears to be influenced by modernization. Tamil Nadu is used as an example of accelerating fertility decline worsening gender differences in survival and greater access to medical technology for sex determination. Tamil Nadu illustrates the devaluing of women as a means of achieving socioeconomic progress. Marriage patterns are changing. Higher socioeconomic groups have had the greatest rise in dowry and anti-female bias. The south has improved female education. The author identifies four fertility regimes: 1) high fertility and high son preference in the north; 2) medium fertility and medium son preference in the south; 3) low fertility and medium son preference in Tamil Nadu; and 4) a possible regime of fertility decline and a stable sex ratio in Kerala.
Aerosol focusing in micro-capillaries: Theory and experiment

Abstract A combined theoretical and experimental study is presented where we illustrate the focusing influence of Saffman force upon the fluid dynamics of aerosol flows through micro-capillaries. It is shown that under proper conditions, the Saffman force acting on aerosol particles in gas flowing through a micro-capillary causes migration of particles toward the center line of the capillary. This approach is in stark contrast to the classical aerodynamic focusing methodologies where only particle inertia and the Stokes force of gas–particle interaction are typically considered. A new mathematical model for aerosol flow through a micro-capillary accounting for complicated interactions between particles and carrier gas is presented and this model describes the experimental observables obtained via imaging microscopy of a beam of aerosol particles ( d ∼ 1 μ m ). In general, this study affords a method for controlling and optimizing focused aerosol beams by appropriate modification of process variables such as the micro-capillary geometry, the carrier gas composition and the nature of the aerosol particles.
INHERITANCE IN PROTOPORPHYRIA COMPARISON OF HÆM SYNTHETASE ACTIVITY IN SKIN FIBROBLASTS WITH CLINICAL FEATURES

Abstract The activity of haem synthetase, the enzyme which chelates iron to protoporphyrin to form haem, was measured in cultured skin fibroblasts of children with protoporphyria and their parents from three families. In each family, one parent had deficient haem synthetase activity (3·0-11·1 pmol protohaem formed/mg protein/h) when compared to values in eight non-porphyric controls (mean 24·9, range 13·7-51·5). The level of activity in the three parents was similar to that in their affected children. In two families the parent with deficient activity was also thought to be the carrier of the abnormal gene, as judged from a history of photosensitivity and analysis of erythrocyte protoporphyrin concentrations, but in the third family the pattern of inheritance could not be determined from these criteria. The activity of δ-aminolaevulinic acid synthetase was normal in cultured fibroblasts from the protoporphyric children and their parents, excluding a generalised defect in haem-pathway enzymes. These results support the premise that deficient haem synthetase activity, inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, is the primary defect in protoporphyria.
Impact of mono- and disubstitution on the colorimetric dynamic covalent switching chalcone/flavanone scaffold

The effect of aryl substitution on various aspects of the interconversion of ortho-hydroxychalcones and flavanones has been studied using multiple spectroscopic techniques. Derivatization of the core scaffold predictably alters the midpoint pH of this equilibration process suggesting its viability for application as a functional colorimetric molecular switch.
Gender Differences in the Relational and Collective Bases for Trust

A variety of research suggests that men and women differ in their interdependent orientation: whereas women tend to be more relationally interdependent, men tend to be more collectively interdepend...
Numerical simulation of dust explosions in pneumatic conveyors

Dust conveyors are used in a wide range of industrial applications. Explosions can be transmitted through dust conveyors to different parts of a processing facility and thus can cause a large amount of damage. In order to study the evolution of dust explosions in such conveyors, a numerical model was developed which combines a front tracking method with a solver for the Euler equations. In this model the effects of the chemical reactions and of the flow turbulence were summarized in the turbulent burning velocity of the dust-air mixture. This approach results in a large reduction of the computational effort and thus allows to study the influence of parameter variations. Here results are presented for corn starch-air mixtures. The numerical model was first calibrated by comparison with one set of experimental data. The model was then tested by comparison with different experimental data and the sensitivity of the model parameters is discussed. Finally calculations were performed for different dust concentrations, flow velocities and tube lengths.
Using a Modified DuPont System of Analysis for Understanding Property-Liability Insurance Company Financial Performance

The DuPont system of equations has been used for many years when performing financial analysis on corporate financial statements. It has not been used, however, for analyzing property-liability insurance company performance. This article shows that, with minor modifications, the DuPont system can be applied to the analysis of property-liability insurance companies. It aids in understanding the relationship between underwriting operations and investment results and illuminates the role played by the interaction of assets, premiums, and surplus. The author hopes that the modified DuPont system presented in the article can become a standard for performing financial analysis of property-liability insurance companies.
The viability of portraiture for science education research: learning from portraits of two science classrooms

The purpose of this paper is to describe the relevance of a qualitative methodology called portraiture for science education. Portraiture is a method of inquiry that blends art and science by combining the empirical aspects of inquiry with beauty and aesthetic properties. This method encompasses all aspects of a research study, including protocol, data collection and analysis, and presentation of findings. To examine the viability of portraiture as methodology for science education researchers, we provided two portraits of science teachers and their classrooms to illustrate how context played a significant role in teachers’ experiences and how it influenced their classroom pedagogy. The implications of this work show how portraiture can support deep, dynamic understanding of context in science education. This work also illustrates the importance of attending to relationships and voice, both of which are often lacking in science education research.
PART 3: Intermodal: Integrated Timed Transfer: A European Perspective:

Integrated timed-transfer (ITT) systems are starting up in Switzerland, Austria, and many regions of Germany. They distinguish themselves from regular timed-transfer systems, in which vehicles arrive at and depart from a station at approximately the same time to minimize waiting times for passengers, by integrating the timed-transfer systems of individual metropolitan areas into one complete public transportation system for a region. Very little has been written about ITT in the English language literature, and the purpose here is to close the information gap. The advantages and disadvantages of an ITT system are illustrated by discussing a concrete example. Technical and economic aspects of ITT are discussed. Terms such as “symmetry time” and “optimal minimum headway” are defined. Early results of ITT systems in Europe are reported. The applicability of ITT to North America is demonstrated with the example of the San Jose-Oakland-Sacramento corridor. The public transportation system in this area is curre...
BAF: An Efficient Publicly Verifiable Secure Audit Logging Scheme for Distributed Systems

Audit logs, providing information about the current and past states of systems, are one of the most important parts of modern computer systems. Providing security for audit logs on an untrusted machine in a large distributed system is a challenging task, especially in the presence of active adversaries. In such a system, it is critical to have forward security such that when an adversary compromises a machine, she cannot modify or forge the log entries accumulated before the compromise. Unfortunately, existing secure audit logging schemes have significant limitations that make them impractical for real-life applications: Existing Public Key Cryptography (PKC) based schemes are computationally expensive for logging in task intensive or resource-constrained systems, while existing symmetric schemes are not publicly verifiable and incur significant storage and communication overheads. In this paper, we propose a novel forward secure and aggregate logging scheme called Blind-Aggregate-Forward (BAF) logging scheme, which is suitable for large distributed systems. BAF can produce publicly verifiable forward secure and aggregate signatures with near-zero computational, storage, and communication costs for the loggers, without requiring any online Trusted Third Party (TTP) support. We prove that BAF is secure under appropriate computational assumptions, and demonstrate that BAF is significantly more efficient and scalable than the previous schemes. Therefore, BAF is an ideal solution for secure logging in both task intensive and resource-constrained systems.
Foam-core, curved composite sandwich panels under blast

An elastic-plastic model was developed for predicting the blast response of a foam-core, curved composite sandwich panel. A multi-layered approach was used to distinguish facesheets and core deform...
Family therapy and the notion of accountability: With reference to trends in individual psychotherapy

Family therapy both overseas and within Australia has seen a rapid rise in popularity and general acceptance as an important therapeutic intervention. Along with the growth in interest, however, has come an increased demand for accountability. The foundation stone for the accountability issue surrounds the questions of therapy efficacy. How effective is family therapy, and, indeed, if it is effective, what are the active elements or ingredients which facilitate positive client change? Three groups, in particular, have vested interests in questions relating to the effectiveness of family therapy: researchers, therapists, and consumers. Although both researchers and therapists, for a variety of reasons, have been concerned with the effectiveness of treatment for some time, it has only been relatively recently that there has been a concerted push from various sections of the consumer group, including administrators, legislators, and policy makers. The consumer group is now providing pressure on professionals as to what we have done, and are doing, to demonstrate that family therapy really “works.”
High pulse power modulator upgrade for a S-band transmitter

This paper describes transmitter systems upgrade plans for the Bates Linear Accelerator. There are six modulator systems. They are dual output S-band systems with a peak operating power of 4.5 MW and 100 KW average. They are floating-deck hard-tube modulators operating a parallel pair of Litton L-5097 switchtubes in series with a Varian VA-938 klystron.
On the charge sharing problem in CMOS stuck-open fault testing

The charge-sharing problem associated with the detection of CMOS stuck-open faults is analyzed. It is shown that this problem cannot be ignored if high-quality tests are required, and that assuming the worst-case condition and using conventional testing techniques may dramatically reduce the detectability of stuck-open faults. The authors present a layout-driven method to characterize this problem and show that by monitoring of the current supply this problem becomes much easier to solve. Through the use of current supply monitoring a very high improvement factor, which can easily offset the error caused by imprecise estimations of capacitance, has been obtained. It is demonstrated that by slight modification of the layout of a circuit the charge-sharing problem can be eliminated. A robust test generation procedure is also presented. >
On the toeplitzness of composition operators

Composition operators on H 2 cannot–except trivially–be Toeplitz, or even ‘Toeplitz plus compact’. However there are natural ways in which they can be ‘asymptotically Toeplitz’. We show here that the study of such phenomena leads to surprising results and interesting open problems. †Dedicated to Professor Peter L. Duren on the occasion of his 70th birthday.
Mutant alleles of Schizosaccharomyces pombe rad9+ alter hydroxyurea resistance, radioresistance and checkpoint control

Schizosaccharomyces pombe rad9 mutations can render cells sensitive to hydroxyurea (HU), gamma-rays and UV light and eliminate associated checkpoint controls. In vitro mutagenesis was performed on S.pombe rad9 and altered alleles were transplaced into the genome to ascertain the functional significance of five groups of evolutionarily conserved amino acids. Most targeted regions were changed to alanines, whereas rad9-S3 encodes a protein devoid of 22 amino acids normally present in yeast but absent from mammalian Rad9 proteins. We examined whether these rad9 alleles confer radiation and HU sensitivity and whether the sensitivities correlate with checkpoint control deficiencies. One rad9 mutant allele was fully active, whereas four others demonstrated partial loss of function. rad9-S1, which contains alterations in a BH3-like domain, conferred HU resistance but increased sensitivity to gamma-rays and UV light, without affecting checkpoint controls. rad9-S2 reduced gamma-ray sensitivity marginally, without altering other phenotypes. Two alleles, rad9-S4 and rad9-S5, reduced HU sensitivity, radiosensitivity and caused aberrant checkpoint function. HU-induced checkpoint control could not be uncoupled from drug resistance. These results establish unique as well as overlapping functional domains within Rad9p and provide evidence that requirements of the protein for promoting resistance to radiation and HU are not identical.
Spliceostatin A inhibits spliceosome assembly subsequent to prespliceosome formation

Pre-mRNA splicing is catalyzed by the large ribonucleoprotein spliceosome. Spliceosome assembly is a highly dynamic process in which the complex transitions through a number of intermediates. Recently, the potent anti-tumor compound Spliceostatin A (SSA) was shown to inhibit splicing and to interact with an essential component of the spliceosome, SF3b. However, it was unclear whether SSA directly impacts the spliceosome and, if so, by what mechanism, which limits interpretation of the drugs influence on splicing. Here, we report that SSA inhibits pre-mRNA splicing by interfering with the spliceosome subsequent to U2 snRNP addition. We demonstrate that SSA inhibition of spliceosome assembly requires ATP, key pre-mRNA splicing sequences and intact U1 and U2 snRNAs. Furthermore all five U snRNAs in addition to the SSA molecule associate with pre-mRNA during SSA inhibition. Kinetic analyses reveal that SSA impedes the A to B complex transition. Remarkably, our data imply that, in addition to its established function in early U2 snRNP recruitment, SF3b plays a role in later maturation of spliceosomes. This work establishes SSA as a powerful tool for dissecting the dynamics of spliceosomes in cells. In addition our data will inform the design of synthetic splicing modulator compounds for targeted anti-tumor treatment.