cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The temperament of pre-term, low birth weight infants and its potential biological substrates

Temperament profiles of pre-term, low birth weight (LBW) infants were assessed at 6 months of age using standardized norms from the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire (RITQ). The contributions of perinatal risk, ethnicity, and gender to various temperament dimensions were examined. The sample included 152 infants with a mean birth weight of 1687 g and a mean gestational age of 31 weeks. Eighty percent of the infants were classified as having temperaments that were difficult to manage. Irregularity of the infants' biorhythms, slowness in their ability to adapt to changes, and distractibility were the most problematic. Birth weight, gestational age, and gender were not associated with temperament. Perinatal morbidity was related to the temperament dimension of infant persistence, with implications for the infant's attention span and task performance. Euro American infants were rated as more persistent and less intense in emotional expression than were infants of other ethnic groups. Results suggest the need for a more direct assessment of the effects of neurobiological processes on development of temperament phenotypes and for measurement of temperament that is socioculturally appropriate.
Modeling the heating uniformity contributed by a rotating turntable in microwave ovens

Abstract The role of a carousel in improving heating uniformity of food in a microwave oven is studied. A physics-based computational model is developed coupling the Maxwell’s equations for electromagnetics and energy equation for heating inside a microwave oven with food load. The model is solved numerically using a finite element based computational software. Transient simulation of the heating process is done by considering the rotation of the turntable by repeating the computations for discrete angular positions of the turntable. The model is experimentally validated by measurements of point temperatures using fiber optic probes. Power absorbed in the food as a function of the angle of rotation of the turntable covering the entire cycle is available for the first time. Using various measures of heating uniformity, it is shown that the carousel helps in increasing the temperature uniformity of the food by about 40%.
Recalcitrant variations of the prediction paradox

L'A. montre que ni le principe de retention temporelle, ni le principe "si quelqu'un sait que "p", quelqu'un sait que quelqu'un sait que "p", ni l'ordre d'elimination et la connaissance du nombre d'alternatives a eliminer ne sont essentiels a la structure du paradoxe de la prediction. Il conclut en posant qu'une formulation correcte de cette structure reste a penser.
The rs‐method for material failure simulations

A new method for propagating arbitrary failure modes is presented. Arbitrary failure modes are resolved on a refined local patch of elements and then embedded into the coarse grid using partition of unity method. Strong discontinuities are propagated by means of element erosion in the superimposed patch of elements only. The method, coined as the rs-version of the finite element method (or reduced order s-method), has been integrated in ABAQUS and verified on several test problems. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mannose transfer from mannolipid to endogenous acceptors in hamster liver.

Abstract Hamster liver 14 C-mannolipid, prepared by DEAE-cellulose chromatography of the organic extract, is shown to be a more efficient donor of mannose to endogenous glycoproteins then guanosine-diphosphate-mannose. Analysis of endogenous acceptors after proteolysis reveals that several compounds separated by DEAE-sephadex chromatography are labeled by both 14 C-mannolipid and GDP-mannose 14 C.
Cylindrical vector beam transformations and hybrid vector beams

Transformations of the spin and orbital parts of cylindrical vector beams through conventional optical elements is analyzed with Jones calculus and experimentally measured by Stokes polarimetry. Generation of unique hybrid vector beams is discussed.
FACTOR ANALYSIS OF A MULTIPLE-CHOICE FORMAT FOR JOB SATISFACTION

This study examined the factor structure of a modified 30-question multiple-choice format for job satisfaction based on the Job Descriptive Index. The five-factor varimax factor analytic solution was the same as that obtained by Smith, Kendall, and Hulin (1969) for the original Job Descriptive Index. The measure of reliability was high. The results indicated that researchers can use a shorter multiple-choice format of job satisfaction based on the Job Descriptive Index without interfering with the dimensionality.
Development, function and maintenance of T lymphocyte populations in P-glycoprotein-deficient mice

Abstract P-glycoproteins (P-gp) are widely known for their ability to pump drugs out of multidrug-resistant tumor cells, but are also normally expressed in a variety of nonmalignant tissues in mammals. In particular, lymphocytes and other hematopoietic cell lineages express P-gps during development and upon maturation in the periphery. However, the physiological significance of their expression in lymphocytes has been difficult to establish directly, although putative roles in cytotoxic function and cytokine release have previously been suggested. Progress toward resolving the actual nature of P-gp action in vivo has lately been aided by the production of P-gp-deficient mouse lines. Recent studies using these animals and data presented here indicate that P-gps are not required by peripheral T-lymphocytes for development or effector functions, but suggest they may have a role in the establishment or maintenance of certain T-cell population balances in the gut.
New End-of-Life Guidelines.

149 IN 1996 REPRESENTATIVES from American medical specialty societies convened to share their organizations’ existing or proposed policies concerning decision-making at the end of life and the quality of clinical management of dying patients. From this meeting emerged a consensus document, Principles for Care of Patients at the End of Life: An Emerging Consensus Among the Specialties of Medicine, published by the Milbank Memorial Fund.1 Fourteen societies and the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) have adopted policies that embrace the Core Principles. The Joint Commission reported that its standards for care at the end of life are aligned with the Core Principles. The following organizations have formally adopted the Core Principles exactly as written: the American Medical Association, Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, American Board of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, American College of Chest Physicians, American Pain Society, and the National Kidney Foundation. Four societies have formally adopted the Core Principles with modifications: the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Physicians— American Society of Internal Medicine, and the American Geriatrics Society. In addition, the American Society of Bioethics and Humanities unanimously agreed that its members would support these principles, although the organization does not officially support specific policy statements. Moreover, both the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) drafted their own specific statements on palliative care and/or end-oflife care that embody all the Core Principles. The AAN statement, drafted by its Ethics and Humanities Subcommittee, was approved by the AAN executive board in July 1995; the final version was published in the Academy’s journal the following spring, reinforced by an editorial that appeared in the same issue.2,3 The ASCO statement was adopted in February 1998 and published in May as a special article in its journal.4 Special Article
The effect of statistical fluctuation, finite size error, and digital resolution on the phase percolation and transport properties of the NIST cement hydration model

Abstract The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cement hydration model starts with a three-dimensional digital image of cement particles, and then uses cellular automaton rules to simulate the reaction of cement with water and the development of cement paste microstructure. This stochastic model uses a digital image with a certain resolution to represent the reality of continuum shapes in a fairly small periodic unit cell. As such, it is potentially subject to statistical fluctuation, finite size error, and the effects of digital resolution. This paper evaluates the model in light of these potential sources of error, along with the effects of cement particle size distribution (PSD), water/cement (w/c) ratio, and cement chemistry, by focusing on the phase percolation and transport property predictions of the model. Statistical fluctuation and finite size error are shown to be of minor importance in the model. The effect of digital resolution is significant, however, but different from the case of a finite element or finite difference model. Unlike these cases, the “best” resolution is not necessarily the finest resolution, but must be chosen based on comparison with experiment and various physical length scales present in cement paste.
Optimization of three-dimensional positron annihilation spectroscopy system (3DPASS) for three-dimensional momentum measurements

Abstract A three-dimensional positron annihilation spectroscopy system (3DPASS) was characterized. 3DPASS permits determination of three-dimensional electron–positron ( e − – e + ) momentum distributions by simultaneously measuring angles and energies for coincident two-gamma annihilation photons. 3DPASS collects a single dataset of correlated energies and positions for two coincident annihilation photons from a pair of solid-state double-sided strip detectors (DSSDs). Subpixel-interpolated positions are determined by transient charge analysis. 3DPASS performs simultaneous two-dimensional angular correlation of annihilation radiation (2D ACAR) and two-detector coincidence Doppler-broadening of annihilation radiation (CDBAR) measurements, which are typically collected independently. The 2D ACAR response of 3DPASS was measured for single-crystal Cu and 6H-SiC, with and without compensation for subpixel detection efficiency. Variation of efficiency across the width of DSSD charge collection electrodes was dominated by the event selection criteria required by the subpixel interpolation method. The DBAR resolution was optimized by adjusting the energy range of CDBAR events included in the Doppler-broadening (DB) lineshape. 2D ACAR and DBAR spectra from 3DPASS were compared to previously published results for single-crystal Cu and 6H-SiC. Detailed analysis of the ACAR spectra and the DB lineshapes highlighted momentum features not previously reported.
Two Craniotomy Arguments Don’t Make It

Craniotomy as a surgical procedure used in the delivery of a fetus is subject to various moral judgments, some positive and some negative. This article gives consideration to two arguments offered for the moral legitimacy of the craniotomy. Each argument is closely examined and each is found to be flawed and hence inconclusive.
Continuous analytics: data stream query processing in practice

Stream query processing has been one of the more popular topics in database research so far this century. The basic idea is to provide database-style query processing over data on-the-fly as they arrive at the system,. Compared to the store-first, query-later approach followed by traditional database systems, stream query processing holds the promise for dramatically improved efficiency and reduced latency.Work in this area was originally motivated by "real-time" data-intensive scenarios such as sensor networks, financial trading applications, and network security. Lately, stream processing has been moving from the research lab into the real world through efforts at start-up companies, traditional database vendors, and open source projects. Not surprisingly, the practical uses and advantages of the technology are turning out to be different than many had originally expected. In this talk, I'll survey the state of the art in stream query processing and related technologies such as event processing, discuss some of the implications for data-intensive system architectures, and provide my views on the future role of this technology from both a research and a commercial perspective. In particular, I'll describe the notion of Continuous Analytics, which leverages Stream Query Processing techniques to solve some of the inherent bottlenecks that have existed in database systems since their inception. I will also discuss several implementation issues that arose through experience with specific application deployments including the need to handle out-of-order data and high-cardinality dimensions.
Standard wavelet basis compression of images

A new image compression technique that uses what has been termed the "standard wavelet representation" of a function is presented. We show that this representation of an image leads to a subdivision of the frequency domain that is well structured and has smaller divisions than the "nonstandard wavelet representation" (multiscale decomposition) of a function. This allows for a more judicious selection of frequency information that may lead to better compression characteristics.
Potential of scrap tire rubber as lightweight aggregate in flowable fill.

Abstract Flowable fill is a self-leveling and self-compacting material that is rapidly gaining acceptance and application in construction, particularly in transportation and utility earthworks. When mixed with concrete sand, standard flowable fill produces a mass density ranging from 1.8 to 2.3 g/cm3 (115–145 pcf). Scrap tires can be granulated to produce crumb rubber, which has a granular texture and ranges in size from very fine powder to coarse sand-sized particles. Due to its low specific gravity, crumb rubber can be considered a lightweight aggregate. This paper describes an experimental study on replacing sand with crumb rubber in flowable fill to produce a lightweight material. To assess the technical feasibility of using crumb rubber, the fluid- and hardened-state properties of nine flowable fill mixtures were measured. Mixture proportions were varied to investigate the effects of water-to-cement ratio and crumb rubber content on fill properties. Experimental results indicate that crumb rubber can be successfully used to produce a lightweight flowable fill (1.2–1.6 g/cm3 [73–98 pcf]) with excavatable 28-day compressive strengths ranging from 269 to 1194 kPa (39–173 psi). Using a lightweight fill reduces the applied stress on underlying soils, thereby reducing the potential for bearing capacity failure and minimizing soil settlement. Based on these results, a crumb rubber-based flowable fill can be used in a substantial number of construction applications, such as bridge abutment fills, trench fills, and foundation support fills.
Percutaneous implantation of fiducial markers for imaging-guided radiation therapy.

OBJECTIVE. The use of imaging-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) to treat thoracic and abdominal tumors is increasing. In this article, we review the process of IGRT and describe techniques to implant fiducial markers in the optimal geometry.CONCLUSION. Implantation of fiducial markers can be challenging. A better understanding of the physics of IGRT can help optimize fiducial marker placement for precise tumor targeting.
Relation of Structure of 2,4-Dichloro-phenoxyacetate to its Mode of Action as an Auxin

Heath and Clark1 have proposed a possible mechanism for the mode of action of auxin which involves interference with metal ion metabolism. This conclusion was based on work involving the growth stimulation of wheat coleoptile sections. They found a particularly interesting relationship between many known chelators of various molecular structure and their ability to act as growth substances. These workers extended their findings on this relationship of chelators and growth stimulation with root-growth experiments2.
Electron-hydrogen scattering in the Faddeev-Merkuriev integral-equation approach

The electron-hydrogen scattering problem is studied in the Faddeev-Merkuriev integral equation approach. These integral equations possess compact kernels for all energies, therefore they are especially well suited to study this problem. The equations are solved by using the Coulomb-Sturmian separable expansion technique. We present S- and P-wave scattering and reactions cross sections up to the H(n=4) threshold.
Soft tissue sarcomas of vulva

Abstract Fifteen cases of vulvar sarcomas were studied. The most common neoplasm was leiomyosarcoma, which also had the least favorable prognosis with a tendency to develop local recurrences and disseminated hematogenous metastases. The second most frequent sarcoma belonged to the fibrous histiocytoma group. Although they are unpredictable, they tended to be less aggressive than the leiomysarcomas. Other sarcomas encountered were fibrosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, malignant hemangiopericytoma, epithelioid sarcoma, neurogenous sarcoma, malignant mesothelioma, and embryonal stromal sarcoma. Local recurrences were common in the series due in part to inadequate initial treatment. It was evident from the study that wide local excision or radical vulvectomy early in the disease with bilateral lymph node resection for those sarcomas that have a potential for lymphogenous metastases is the treatment of choice and gives the most favorable results. In the presence of local recurrences, aggressive surgical treatment is indicated and increases the survival rate significantly.
THE MOOD WITH ANTES (DE) QUE

In the recently published Beginners' Spanish Grammar of Shapiro (Chapel Hill, University of North Carolina Press, n.d.) on page 120 we find antes (de) que included in a list of "common conjunctions used with the indicative." On page 130 we read that "the subjunctive is used in adverbial clauses when they are indefinite in sense. (Cf. the English 'He wanted to finish it before they arrived.' The time of arriving is still uncertain. 'I finished it just before they arrived.' The time they arrived is a known fact; hence, the indicative is used here.)" Here we have expressed outright a principle which is more or less tacitly assumed in many Spanish grammars. The following are familiar and typical statements: When the time is definite after these conjunctions the indicative is used. (Coester, A Spanish Grammar, ?109, 3, a.) [The temporal conjunctions] are followed by the indicative when referring to past or present time. (Ramsey, Textbook, ?1001.) Estos mismos adverbios (the list includes antes que) se combinan con el indicativo cuando no hay motivo para emplear el subjuntivo. (Hanssen, Gramdtica hist6rica, ?587.) The statements of these grammarians are worthy of respect. But are the preceding rules true? Is it true that antes (de) que may be classified with the other temporal conjunctions with regard to the mood of its verb? If so, where is the documentary justification?
Haplotype diversity and population structure in cultivated and wild barley evaluated for Fusarium head blight responses

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a threat to barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) production in many parts of the world. A number of barley accessions with partial resistance have been reported and used in mapping experiments to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with FHB resistance. Here, we present a set of barley germplasm that exhibits FHB resistance identified through screening a global collection of 23,255 wild (Hordeum vulgare ssp. spontaneum) and cultivated (Hordeum vulgare ssp. vulgare) accessions. Seventy-eight accessions were classified as resistant or moderately resistant. The collection of FHB resistant accessions consists of 5, 27, 46 of winter, wild and spring barley, respectively. The population structure and genetic relationships of the germplasm were investigated with 1,727 Diversity Array Technology (DArT) markers. Multiple clustering analyses suggest the presence of four subpopulations. Within cultivated barley, substructure is largely centered on spike morphology and growth habit. Analysis of molecular variance indicated highly significant genetic variance among clusters and within clusters, suggesting that the FHB resistant sources have broad genetic diversity. The haplotype diversity was characterized with DArT markers associated with the four FHB QTLs on chromosome 2H bin8, 10 and 13 and 6H bin7. In general, the wild barley accessions had distinct haplotypes from those of cultivated barley. The haplotype of the resistant source Chevron was the most prevalent in all four QTL regions, followed by those of the resistant sources Fredrickson and CIho4196. These resistant QTL haplotypes were rare in the susceptible cultivars and accessions grown in the upper Midwest USA. Some two- and six-rowed accessions were identified with high FHB resistance, but contained distinct haplotypes at FHB QTLs from known resistance sources. These germplasm warrant further genetic studies and possible incorporation into barley breeding programs.
Temperature-sensitive aliphatic polyesters: synthesis and characterization of γ-substituted caprolactone monomers and polymers

Synthesis and ring-opening polymerization of γ-substituted e-caprolactone monomers containing octyloxy and 2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy functional groups is reported. An amphiphilic block copolymer containing hydrophobic poly(γ-octyloxy-e-caprolactone) and hydrophilic poly{γ-2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy-e-caprolactone} forms micelles in aqueous solution above the critical micellar concentration of 1.74 × 10−3 g L−1. Poly{γ-2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy-e-caprolactone} and its block copolymer with poly(γ-octyloxy-e-caprolactone) are thermoresponsive polymers. The LCST measured for poly{γ-2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy-e-caprolactone} is 47.5 °C, while the LCST decreased to 37.5 °C for the amphiphilic block copolymer poly{γ-2-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]ethoxy-e-caprolactone}-b-poly(γ-octyloxy-e-caprolactone).
Calibration of Yucca Mountain unsaturated zone flow and transport model using porewater chloride data.

In this study, porewater chloride data from Yucca Mountain, Nevada, are analyzed and modeled by 3-D chemical transport simulations and analytical methods. The simulation modeling approach is based on a continuum formulation of coupled multiphase fluid flow and tracer transport processes through fractured porous rock, using a dual-continuum concept. Infiltration-rate calibrations were using the pore water chloride data. Model results of chloride distributions were improved in matching the observed data with the calibrated infiltration rates. Statistical analyses of the frequency distribution for overall percolation fluxes and chloride concentration in the unsaturated zone system demonstrate that the use of the calibrated infiltration rates had insignificant effect on the distribution of simulated percolation fluxes but significantly changed the predicated distribution of simulated chloride concentrations. An analytical method was also applied to model transient chloride transport. The method was verified by 3-D simulation results as able to capture major chemical transient behavior and trends. Effects of lateral flow in the Paintbrush nonwelded unit on percolation fluxes and chloride distribution were studied by 3-D simulations with increased horizontal permeability. The combined results from these model calibrations furnish important information for the UZ model studies, contributing to performance assessment of the potential repository.
Elastic properties, chemical composition, and crystal structure of minerals

The observed systematic relations between velocities, density, and crystal structure in minerals are viewed as part of the general problem of the interactions of ions and electrons in solids. A complete explanation of these systematics would result from an adequate physical model of interactions between atoms in a crystal. For ionic models, understanding such interactions mainly requires knowledge of inter-ionic repulsive forces, which can be calculated from solutions for the electronic energy levels. The main forms of systematics developed in the last few years can be classed either as bulk modulus-molar volume (K-V M ) or, equivalently, velocity-density (v-p) relations. Isostructural and isochemical (having constant mean atomic weight $$\bar m$$ ) trends exist, and for both classes of systematics it is possible to produce semi-empirical universal expressions with the ability to predict elastic properties to a few percent. The best estimates of composition of the Earth's interior come from comparisons of mineral elastic properties with seismic data. On the basis of current velocity profiles of the Earth, the mantle appears to be chemically homogeneous.
Replication of equine herpesvirus type I: resistance to hydroxyurea.

Abstract Hydroxyurea (HU) at concentrations that rapidly and completely inhibit mammalian cellular DNA synthesis does not prevent either equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) DNA synthesis or virus replication. Analysis by CsCl isopycnic centrifugation of DNA synthesized in HU treated, EHV-1 infected L-M cell cultures demonstrated the synthesis of only viral DNA, whereas both cellular and viral DNA were synthesized in uninhibited, infected cultures. With regard to the mechanism of HU-resistance of EHV-1 DNA synthesis, these studies showed the following: (1) Selective degradation of cellular DNA and increased nuclease activity to provide deoxyribonucleotides for viral DNA synthesis were not induced by infection and/or the inhibitor, (2) HU did not selectively inhibit cellular DNA polymerase activity as both cellular and viral DNA polymerase activities were present in HU-treated, infected cells and were not inhibited by HU added to the in vitro enzyme assay, (3) Cycloheximide inhibition of protein synthesis revealed the requirement of a protein(s) other than viral polymerase at 4 hr postinfection for viral DNA synthesis in the presence of HU. These results do not rule out the possibility that a HU-resistant, viral-induced ribonucleotide reductase activity may be responsible for the HU-resistance of this herpesvirus.
Effects of light-soaking and temperature on different PV technologies

A set of photovoltaic panels including CIGS, CdTe and c-Si were subjected to different light soaking conditions of varying irradiance, module temperature, light soaking under load and under open circuit. It was observed that for every technology, light soaking under load results in improved performance. This improvement is of the same order for CIGS and c-Si panels, and higher for CdTe. A calculation of the temperature coefficients based on each experiment allows the conclusion that the variations in performance with load are not due to thermal effects. Temperature coefficients are in general agreement with published values. Protocols developed for PV modules performance test should include a provision to always carry out measurements under load.
Low-temperature deposition of BaCuSF, a visible through mid-infrared p-type transparent conductor.

Barium copper sulfur fluoride (BaCuSF) is a p-type transparent conductor (p-TC) that, when doped with potassium, exhibits exceptionally high conductivity. The results of a detailed optical and electronic characterization of BaCuSF thin films deposited at a substrate temperature of 100 °C are presented. X-ray diffractometry shows the presence of a cubic BaCuSF phase. Spectroscopic measurements demonstrate that the films transmit from the visible through the mid-infrared with a band gap of 1.8 eV. Hall measurements indicate that the material is a degenerate semiconductor. As deposited, the films exhibit conductivity at room temperature of approximately 260 S/cm – among the highest reported room temperature conductivities for p-TCs. After post-deposition treatment in water, their conductivity increases to as high as 800 S/cm, and their band gap is reduced to 1.5 eV. The potential for low temperature deposition of p-type films with high conductivity and optical transmittance makes BaCuSF promising for several applications including flexible electronics and photovoltaics.
Fungal infection in acute necrotizing pancreatitis

Abstract Background: Anecdotal reports suggest that patients with fungal infection of necrotizing pancreatitis (NP) have worse outcomes than those with bacterial infection. Our aim was to compare the clinical course and outcomes of patients with NP infected with fungal versus nonfungal organisms. Study Design: Prospectively collected data on 57 patients with infected NP (1983–1995) were reviewed. Results: Seven patients (12%) developed fungal infection, and 50 (88%) developed bacterial infection. Groups had similar mean ages (60 versus 63 years) and APACHE-II scores on admission (9 each). The cause of NP was ERCP-induced in 3 of 7 with fungal infection versus 3 of 50 with bacterial infection. Patients with fungal infection had been treated with a mean of 4 different antibiotics for a mean of 23 days, and 4 of 7 (57%) required mechanical ventilation preoperatively. In addition, postoperative ICU stays were longer (20 versus 10 days), as were total hospital stays (59 versus 41 days). Mortality was higher with fungal infection; 3 of 7 patients (43%) died versus 10 of 50 patients (20%). Conclusions: Although NP presents with similar initial severity, patients with fungal infection of NP tend to have a more complicated course and worse outcomes compared with those with bacterial infection. Low-dose antifungal prophylaxis should be added to early management of NP.
Using mobile phones to measure adolescent diabetes adherence.

Objective The research involved three objectives: 1) determine the feasibility of using cell phone based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to measure blood glucose monitoring and insulin administration in adolescent type 1 diabetes, 2) relate EMA to traditional self-report and glycemic control, and 3) identify patterns of adherence by time of day and over time using EMA.
MicroCT Imaging and In Vivo Temperature Elevations in Implanted Prostatic Tumors in Laser Photothermal Therapy Using Gold Nanorods

In this study, in vivo animal experiments are performed on implanted xenograph prostatic tumors in nude mice to investigate enhanced laser energy absorption in the tumors by an intratumoral injection of gold nanorod solutions. in vivo temperature mapping of the tumors during laser photothermal therapy has shown the feasibility of elevating tumor temperatures higher than 50 C using only 0.1ml nanorod solution and a low laser irradiance of 1.6W/cm 2 incident on the tumor surface. The temperature profile suggests that normal tumor tissue still absorbs some amount of the laser energy without nanorod presence; however, the injected nanorods ensure that almost all the laser energy is absorbed and confined to the targeted tumors. The inverse relationship between the temperature elevations and the tumor size implies a relatively uniform spreading of the nanorods to the entire tumor, which is also shown by microcomputed tomography (microCT) imaging analyses. The feasibility of detecting 250 OD gold nanorod solution injected to the tumors is demonstrated via a high resolution microCT imaging system. Compared to other nanostructures, the gold nanorods used in this study do not accumulate surrounding the injection site. The relatively uniform deposition of the nanorods in the tumors observed by the microCT scans can be helpful in future study in simplifying theoretical simulation of temperature elevations in tumors during laser photothermal therapy. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4007161]
Efficacy and safety of dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin system: meta-analysis of randomised trials

Objective To compare the long term efficacy and adverse events of dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin system with monotherapy. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Data sources PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane central register of controlled trials, January 1990 to August 2012. Study selection Randomised controlled trials comparing dual blockers of the renin-angiotensin system with monotherapy, reporting data on either long term efficacy (≥1 year) or safety events (≥4 weeks), and with a sample size of at least 50. Analysis was stratified by trials with patients with heart failure versus patients without heart failure. Results 33 randomised controlled trials with 68 405 patients (mean age 61 years, 71% men) and mean duration of 52 weeks were included. Dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin system was not associated with any significant benefit for all cause mortality (relative risk 0.97, 95% confidence interval 0.89 to 1.06) and cardiovascular mortality (0.96, 0.88 to 1.05) compared with monotherapy. Compared with monotherapy, dual therapy was associated with an 18% reduction in admissions to hospital for heart failure (0.82, 0.74 to 0.92). However, compared with monotherapy, dual therapy was associated with a 55% increase in the risk of hyperkalaemia (P v P=0.15), and renal failure was significantly higher in the cohort with heart failure (P v P=0.79). Conclusion Although dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin system may have seemingly beneficial effects on certain surrogate endpoints, it failed to reduce mortality and was associated with an excessive risk of adverse events such as hyperkalaemia, hypotension, and renal failure compared with monotherapy. The risk to benefit ratio argues against the use of dual therapy.
Strain rate dependence of damage evolution in syntactic foams

Abstract The present study focused on determining the effect of high strain rate loading on the deformation and fracture characteristics of syntactic foams and relating them with the initial foam microstructure. The high strain rate testing was carried out using a split-Hopkinson pressure bar system and the damage evaluation was carried out using microCT-scan and scanning electron microscope. The strength was found to be 50–150% higher at high strain rates when compared to quasi-static values for various grades of syntactic foams. Damage evaluation revealed crushing of particles in the surface layer, shear cracking, and propagation of longitudinal cracks as the main fracture modes at different strain rates and material compositions. Wall thickness and volume fraction of hollow particles used in syntactic foams played an important role in determining the failure mechanism. At low strain rates shear cracking of specimens was prominent, whereas at high strain rates longitudinal cracks were the main failure mode. Understanding the strain rate dependence of failure mechanisms is important for aerospace applications of these lightweight composites.
Non-NMDA receptor-mediated regulation of hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons in the rat.

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of non-NMDA receptor blockade and activation on the activity of tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA), periventricular-hypophysical dopaminergic (PHDA) and, for comparison, nigrostriatal dopaminergic (NSDA) neurons in male and female rats. The activity of TIDA, PHDA and NSDA neurons was estimated by measuring the concentration of the primary dopamine metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the median eminence, intermediate lobe of the posterior pituitary and striatum, respectively. Systemic administration of the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5- methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA)-selective antagonist 6- nitro -7- sulfamoyl-benzo [ƒ] quinoxaline-2,3(1H,4H)- dione (NBQX) increased DOPAC concentrations in the median eminence and intermediate lobe, and decreased plasma concentrations of prolactin and α-MSH, in a dose- and time-related manner. In contrast, NBQX had no effect on DOPAC concentrations in the striatum, suggesting that non-NMDA receptors are not involved in the tonic regulation of NSDA neurons. The increase in DOPAC concentrations in the median eminence and intermediate lobe, and the decrease in plasma concentrations of prolactin and α-MSH, produced by NBQX were prevented by AMPA but not by kainic acid. Taken together, the results demonstrate that endogenous excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters acting at AMPA receptors, tonically inhibit both TIDA and PHDA neurons, and thereby increase the secretion of prolactin and α-MSH in male and female rats.
Thermal Effects on Net Protein Ratio of Red Kidney Beans (Phaseolusvulgaris L)

Net protein ratio (NPR), predicted-protein efficiency ratio (P-PER), relative NPR (RNPR), and corrected RNPR (CRNPR) of thermally processed red kidney beans were estimated in rats and compared to in vitro protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (AAS IVDP ), and computed-protein efficiency ratio (C-PER). Thermal processing had a significant effect on protein intake, NPR, P-PER and CRNPR values of beans. Changes in protein intake suggest that heat processing had an effect on the palatability of the beans. Home-cooked beans and commercially canned beans had higher NPR values than beans autoclaved at 128°C for 20 min, while beans autoclaved at 121°C for 10-90 min had intermediate values. High correlation coefficients between P-PER and C-PER, CRNPR and C-PER, and CRNPR and AAS IVDP (r = 0.990, 0.992 and 0.960, respectively, P < 0.001)were observed.
TRAVELING WAVE SOLUTIONS IN COUPLED CHUA'S CIRCUITS, PART I: PERIODIC SOLUTIONS

We study a singularly perturbed system of partial di erential equations that models a one-dimensional array of coupled Chua's circuits. The PDE system is a natural generalization to the FitzHugh-Nagumo equation. In part I of the paper, we show that similar to the FitzHugh-Nagumo equation, the system has periodic traveling wave solutions formed alternatively by fast and slow flows. First, asymptotic method is used on the singular limit of the fast/slow systems to construct a formal periodic solution. Then, dynamical systems method is used to obtain an exact solution near the formal periodic soluion. In part II, we show that the system can have more complicated periodic and chaotic traveling wave solutions that do not exist in the FitzHugh-Nagumos equation.
Effects of Betaine Supplementation to Feeds of Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei Reared at Extreme Salinities

Abstract Shrimp production worldwide has increased dramatically, and optimal sites are no longer abundant. New farms are being constructed in areas where water salinity and ion composition are suboptimal. Aquaculturists and feed suppliers are attempting to alleviate ion nonequilibriums through nutrition. One nutritive supplement that has been marketed is the amino acid betaine. The present work evaluated the effects of betaine as a feed supplement on the survival and growth of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei reared at extreme salinities (0.5 or 50‰). Juvenile Pacific white shrimp (mean individual weight, 0.18 g) were reared in 16 tanks: eight tanks held water at 0.5‰, and eight held water at 50‰. Shrimp were maintained for 8 weeks in four replicate tanks from each salinity treatment and offered feed with or without a betaine supplement. Survival (75–89%) and final weights (2.8–3.5 g) were typical for this species reared in indoor systems, but there was no significant influence of the presence of...
Terahertz Technology in Outer and Inner Space

Summary form only given. After more than 30 years of niche applications in the space sciences area, the field of terahertz technology is entering a true Renaissance. While major strides continue to be made in submillimeter wave astronomy and spectroscopy, the past few years have seen an unprecedented expansion of terahertz applications, components and instruments. Broad popular interest in this unique frequency domain has emerged for the first time, spanning applications as diverse as biohazard detection and tumor recognition. Already there are groups around the world who have applied specialized Terahertz techniques to disease diagnostics, recognition of protein structural states, monitoring of receptor binding, performing label-free DNA sequencing and visualizing contrast in otherwise uniform tissue. A commercial terahertz imaging system has recently started tests in a hospital environment and new high sensitivity imagers with much deeper penetration into tissue have begun to emerge. Solicitations for more sophisticated instruments and enabling terahertz components have filtered into US agency proposal calls from DoD and NASA, to NSF and NIH, and many new research groups have sprung up, both in this country and in Europe and Asia. This presentation will broadly survey terahertz technology from its cradle applications in space science and spectroscopy to more recent biomedical and chemical uses.
Error-resistant differential feedback of long-term covariance matrix in closed-loop MIMO

One method of obtaining channel information for closed-loop SU-MIMO or MU-MIMO is for the mobile to feed back a covariance matrix based on the measured downlink channel. However for MU-MIMO to be able to operate properly (i.e., have low crosstalk), the covariance matrix must be fed back with fairly high precision which would result in a very high level of overhead. This paper describes two new methods for feeding back accurate covariance matrix estimates from a mobile to a base station with low overhead, while being very robust to transmission errors. System-level results show that one of the proposed feedback methods has performance very close to an unquantized covariance matrix when the feedback bit error rate is less than 10%. When the feedback bit error rate is 20% one of the proposed feedback methods has better performance than an existing single-shot covariance matrix quantization method operating with no feedback errors while additionally requiring less feedback overhead than the existing method (16 bits versus 28 bits).
Fundamental dependencies in angle-delay-Doppler in wireless channels

The degrees of freedom (DoF) in a wireless channel determine its statistics and capacity. The DoF in turn depend on the number and spatial distribution of physical propagation paths in the environment as well as the signal space dimensions (number of antennas, bandwidth). In this paper, we use a virtual representation of time- and frequency-selective MIMO channels to relate the DoF to the physical propagation paths. The virtual representation is characterized by virtual channel coefficients in angle-delay-Doppler space. It induces a partitioning of paths that reveals the contribution of each path to the DoF as well as fundamental dependencies in angle, delay and Doppler that constrain the DoF. As the signal space dimensions increase, the DoF increase whereas the statistics of the virtual channel coefficients deviate from Gaussian (Rayleigh) to "specular" in which the amplitude of the coefficients is deterministic and the channel variations are manifested solely in the phase. Implications of the angle-delay-Doppler dependencies on channel structure and capacity are discussed, which are particularly relevant to ultra-wideband systems.
Optimal consumption and portfolio policies for important jump events: modeling and computational considerations

While the volatility of portfolios are often modeled by continuous Brownian motion processes, discontinuous jump processes are more appropriate for modeling important external events that significantly affect the prices of financial assets. Here the discontinuities jump processes are modeled by state and control dependent compound Poisson processes, such that the random jumps come at the times of a pure Poisson process with jump amplitudes that are randomly distributed. The optimal consumption and investment portfolio policy formulation is in terms of stochastic differential equations with optimal discounted utility objectives. This paper was motivated by a recent paper of Rishel (1999) concerning portfolio optimization when prices are dependent on external events. However, the model has been significantly generalized for realistic computational considerations and computations ate illustrated with a simple jump model.
A Comparative Study of Peptide Models of the α-Domain of α-Lactalbumin, Lysozyme, and α-Lactalbumin/Lysozyme Chimeras Allows the Elucidation of Critical Factors That Contribute to the Ability to Form Stable Partially Folded States†

α-Lactalbumin (αLA) forms a well-populated equilibrium molten globule state, while the homologous protein hen lysozyme does not. αLA is a two-domain protein and the α-domain is more structured in t...
Dynamic gamma: Application to LCD motion‐blur reduction

— A metric, “dynamic gamma,” to quantitatively evaluate the dynamic temporal response of an LCD device is proposed. Dynamic gamma, associated with 2-D plots, is more suitable for quantitatively characterizing the dynamic characteristics of an LC panel. The dynamic gamma metric was applied to improve the temporal response of LCDs. From dynamic gamma data, overdrive tables can be derived. Dynamic gamma can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of overdrive. With a second-order dynamic gamma, the performance of different overdrive algorithms can be quantitatively assessed. The dynamic gamma metric was also applied to backlight flashing and developed a time adaptive overdrive algorithm. The new algorithm reduces the ghosting artifact due to the timing mismatch between LCD driving and backlight flashing. Experimental results from a simulated tracking camera confirms the advantages of the new algorithm designed using dynamic gamma.
Xanes and Exafs Analysis of Ball-Milled Fe-Ni

EXAFS and XANES analysis have been applied in a study of ball-milled nano-crystalline iron-nickel alloys prepared with overall compositions spanning the two-phase region. EXAFS analysis was used to determine bond distances for like and unlike atom pairs in single phase face-centered cubic Fe-Ni alloys, demonstrating the presence of bond dilation for unlike neighbors. Using XANES analysis, the compositions of the two coexisting solid solutions were determined to characterize the ball-milled two-phase region. The compositions of the coexisting face-centered and body-centered cubic phases were found to be consistent with the overall composition of the mixture. The results obtained for the negative heat-of-mixing Fe-Ni system were used for comparison to the positive heat-of-mixing Fe-Cu system.
Biomarkers: current perspectives and future prospects

(2003). Biomarkers: current perspectives and future prospects. Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics: Vol. 3, No. 5, pp. 525-529.
A Key to the Species of Neoechinorhynchus (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) from Turtles

A dichotomous key to the species of Neoechinorhynchus (Acanthocephala: Neoechinorhynchidae) occurring in turtles is presented based on characters of the posterior extremity of fully gravid females and the egg. The 9 recognized species of Neoechinorhynchus in turtles can be identified reliably based on these characters alone. Identification requires fully gravid females that have been properly killed and fixed. Immature females and males cannot be identified using the key presented herein.
Poly (A) RNA in Bacillus subtilis: Identification of the polyadenylylation site of flagellin mRNA

Abstract Using improved procedures for the synthesis, amplification, and cloning of DNA complementary to bacterial poly(A) RNA, we succeeded in deducing the 3′-terminal sequence of polyadenylylated flagellin mRNA encoded by the Bacillus subtilis hag gene. The site of polyadenylylation was found to be just upstream of the terminal stem-loop structure corresponding to the putative rho-independent transcription terminator of the hag gene. This corresponds to the major polyadenylation site of Escherichia coli lipoprotein ( lpp ) mRNA [G.C. Gao and N. Sarkar (1992) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89, 7546–7550], suggesting that the primary transcript is processed by endonucleolytic cleavage prior to polyadenylylation in Gram-positive as well as in Gram-negative bacteria.