cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fixation stability of femoral components in a canine hip replacement model

A canine hip replacement model was used to compare fixation stability in cemented and cementless femoral components. Parameters of comparison were the load-induced positional changes of each prosthesis relative to its proximal femoral cortex, hereafter called relative displacements. Identical femoral components, with the proximal third of their stem porous-coated, were implanted in the right femurs of 10 large, mixed-breed dogs. Five were tightly fit to allow porous ingrowth, and five were cemented into the medullary canal. Four months after implantation, all femurs were harvested. A prosthesis was implanted in the left (normal) femur of each dog ex vivo with fixation identical to the contralateral limb to simulate acute postoperative fixation. Eddy current transducers measured relative displacements under application of static loads, serially applied in the axial, mediolateral, and craniocaudal directions. Thereafter, the femurs were transversely sectioned and morphologically analyzed to correlate bony apposition at the implant surface with relative displacements. We observed no difference in relative displacements between acute and 4-month-cemented groups (e.g., 0.0059 +/- 0.0021 vs. 0.0060 +/- 0.0048 mm, respectively, for 100-N axial loading measured at midstem). With cementless implantation, relative displacements of the acute group were significantly larger (p = 0.007) than those of the 4-month group (e.g., 0.236 +/- 0.257 vs. 0.097 +/- 0.129 mm, respectively, for 100-N axial loading measured at midstem). Cementless components implanted for 4 months were not significantly different than cemented components, but a trend suggested that they were still not as stable as cemented components, particularly for craniocaudal loads. Relative displacements of the 4-month, porous ingrowth group were approximately proportional to the percentage of bony apposition raised to the -1.44 power (r = 0.94).
1028-66 Clinical and Demographic Findings in Patients with Ischemia and “Normal” Coronary Arteries: An ACIP Ancillary Study

Little information is available on patients (pts) with abnormal exercise tests (ETT) and ischemia on ambulatory ECG (AECG) monitoring who have normal coronary arteries or minimal coronary stenosis (l50% diameter). Accordingly, we characterized the clinical, demographic and angiographic features of 68 pts with asymptomatic cardiac ischemia (ACI) during AECG monitoring, an abnormal ETT but no significant coronary narrowing (Gpl) and compared them to 615 pts enrolled in the Asymptomatic Cardiac Ischemia Pilot (ACIP) study all of whom demonstrated ischemia and significant coronary narrowing (Gp II). GP I Gp II P Age, yrs. (mean ± s.d.) 58 ± 10 62 ± 8 l0.001 Male(%) 58.8 84.7 l0.001 History of MI (%) 8.5 40.0 l0.001 Hypercholesterolemia (%) 22.0 43.4 l0.001 Diabetes Mellitus (%) 3.4 17.1 l0.01 Ever Smoked (%) 37.2 65.5 l0.001 Angina (ETT, AECG, Hx) 69.2 70.9 0.80 AECG Ischemic Episodes/24 hrs (mean ± s.d.) 1.7 ± 1.4 2.6 ± 28 l0.01 LVH by EKG (%) 8.2 6.3 0.62 Any Coronary Narrowing (≥20% Stenosis) % 52.9 100 - Maximum % Stenosis (mean ± s.d.) l8.8 ± 187 89.1 ± 14.0 - Complex Plaque (%) 4.4 50.2 l0.001 Ejection Fraction l55% 1.5 18.6 55-70% 37.9 67.6 l0.001 g70% 60.6 13.8 Pts without significant coronary narrowing were younger, had higher ejection fractions, were less often male. less likely to have risk factors, history of MI, complex plaque and had less AECG ischemia. These demographic and clinical differences may help identify pts with an alternative mechanism of ACI.
A comparison of two optimization approaches for airport taxiway and runway scheduling

Surface congestion causes significant taxi delays at busy airports. This paper proposes two different approaches to optimizing both taxiway and runway schedules simultaneously. The first is an integrated approach based on a single mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model, while the second is a sequential method that sequentially combines runway scheduling and taxiway scheduling algorithms. The two optimization approaches are compared and evaluated using flight schedules at Detroit airport (DTW), by analyzing several airport performance metrics. The effectiveness of the proposed optimization methods in the current operational environment is also investigated through fast-time surface traffic simulations.
Comparative gene expression profiling analysis of urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis and bladder

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) can arise at any location along the urothelial tract, including the urethra, bladder, ureter, or renal pelvis. Although tumors arising in these various locations have similar morphology, it is unclear whether the gene expression profiles are similar between the upper-tract (ureter and renal pelvis) and lower-tract (bladder and urethra) carcinomas. Because differences may facilitate different screening and treatment modalities, we sought to examine the relationship between urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis (rUC) and urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (bUC). Fresh tumor tissue was collected from patients with bUC (n = 10) and benign mucosa from the bladder of individuals undergoing resection for non-UC conditions (n = 7). Gene expression profiles from these samples were determined using high-throughput Affymetrix gene expression microarray chips. Bioinformatic approaches were used to compare the gene expression profiles of these samples with those of rUC samples and normal kidney samples that had been described previously. Using unsupervised analytic approaches, rUC and bUC were indistinguishable. Yet when a supervised analytic approach was used, a small number of differentially expressed genes were identified; these differences were most likely limited to a single pathway--the chloride ion binding activity pathway--which was more frequently activated in rUC than in bUC. We found that the gene expression profiles of UCs from the upper and lower tract were extremely similar, suggesting that similar pathogenic mechanisms likely function in the development of these tumors. The differential expression of genes in the identified pathway may represent a new avenue for detection of upper-tract tumors.
Reconstruction of Prehistoric Landfall Frequencies of Catastrophic Hurricanes in Northwestern Florida from Lake Sediment Records

Sediment cores from Western Lake provide a 7000-yr record of coastal environmental changes and catastrophic hurricane landfalls along the Gulf Coast of the Florida Panhandle. Using Hurricane Opal as a modern analog, we infer that overwash sand layers occurring near the center of the lake were caused by catastrophic hurricanes of category 4 or 5 intensity. Few catastrophic hurricanes struck the Western Lake area during two quiescent periods 3400–5000 and 0–1000 14C yr B.P. The landfall probabilities increased dramatically to ca. 0.5% per yr during an “hyperactive” period from 1000–3400 14C yr B.P., especially in the first millennium A.D. The millennial-scale variability in catastrophic hurricane landfalls along the Gulf Coast is probably controlled by shifts in the position of the jet stream and the Bermuda High.
CHRONIC TREATMENT WITH VASOPRESSIN ANALOGUES ALTERS AFFINITY OF VASOPRESSIN RECEPTORS IN THE SEPTUM AND AMYGDALA OF THE RAT BRAIN

Accurel devices were used to administer AVP or AVP-antagonist into the lateral ventricle of the rat brain for 7 days. Neither AVP nor antagonist altered total binding site concentration in either septum or amygdala. However, treatment with antagonist caused a marked decrease in the affinity of the receptor for agonist in both the septum and amygdala.
Lasers in retinal imaging

Lasers were used in measuring the optical quality of the eye as early as 1965, but it was about 1980 that they really began to impact retinal imaging. This talk describes the advancements in retinal imaging that have occurred over the last 35 years and the role lasers played in this development.
On the prediction of vector-valued random fields and the spectral distribution of their evanescent component

Let (Xm, n)(m, n)∈Z2 be a Cp-valued wide sense stationary process. We study the prediction theory of such processes according to different total orders on Z2. In the case of a "rational order", we give the spectral distribution of the resulting evanescent component and prove that for two different rational orders, the resulting evanescent components are mutually orthogonal.
Sputtering and codeposition of silicon carbide with deuterium

Abstract Due to its excellent thermal properties, silicon carbide is being considered as a possible plasma-facing material for fusion devices. If used as a plasma-facing material, the energetic hydrogen isotope ions and charge-exchanged neutrals escaping from the plasma will sputter the silicon carbide. To assess the tritium inventory problems that will be generated by the use of this material, it is necessary that we know the codeposition properties of the redeposited silicon carbide. To determine the codeposition properties, the deuterium plasma experiment at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore, California has been used to directly compare the deuterium sputtering and codeposition of silicon carbide with that of graphite. A Penning discharge at a flux of 6×10 19 D/m 2 and an energy of ≈300 eV was used to sputter silicon and carbon from a pair of 0.05 m diameter silicon carbide disks. The removal rate of deuterium gas from the fixed volume of the system isolated from all other sources and sinks was used to measure the codeposition probability (probability that a hydrogen isotope atom will be removed through codeposition per ion striking the sample surface). A small catcher plate used to capture a fraction of the codeposited film was analyzed using Auger spectroscopy. This analysis showed the film to begin with a high carbon to silicon ratio due to preferential sputtering of the carbon. As the film became thicker, the ratio of the depositing material changed over to the (1:1) value that must eventually be attained.
Apparatus for quantitative headspace analysis of the characteristic odorants of baguettes

An apparatus, based on the principle of dynamic headspace analysis, has been developed for the analysis of potent odorants released from two types of baguette (“intensifiee”, INT and “artisanal”, ART) which differ in their odour profiles. The odour profiles of model mixtures containing the odorants at concentrations found in bread were evaluated by headspace analysis using the apparatus as an olfactometer and were compared to the odour profiles of the baguettes. The results indicated that losses of methylpropanal, 2- and 3-methylbutanal and an increase of hexanal and (E)-2-nonenal led to a stale flavour. Because the concentrations of methylpropanal and (E)-2-nonenal were higher in the ART crust than in the INT crust, the change from a pleasant baguette odour to a stale odour was slower in ART baguettes. We suggest that the apparatus designed for quantitative headspace analysis could also be suitable for determination of the release of flavour compounds from other foods.
SU-E-J-190: Characterization of Radiation Induced CT Number Changes in Tumor and Normal Lung During Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer

Purpose: To measure CT number (CTN) changes in tumor and normal lung as a function of radiation therapy (RT) dose during the course of RT delivery for lung cancer using daily IGRT CT images and single respiration phase CT images. Methods: 4D CT acquired during planning simulation and daily 3D CT acquired during daily IGRT for 10 lung cancer cases randomly selected in terms of age, caner type and stage, were analyzed using an in-house developed software tool. All patients were treated in 2 Gy fractions to primary tumors and involved nodal regions. Regions enclosed by a series of isodose surfaces in normal lung were delineated. The obtained contours along with target contours (GTVs) were populated to each singlephase planning CT and daily CT. CTN in term of Hounsfield Unit (HU) of each voxel in these delineated regions were collectively analyzed using histogram, mean, mode and linear correlation. Results: Respiration induced normal lung CTN change, as analyzed from single-phase planning CTs, ranged from 9 to 23 (±2) HU for the patients studied. Normal lung CTN change was as large as 50 (±12) HU over the entire treatment course, was dose and patient dependent and was measurable with dose changes asmore » low as 1.5 Gy. For patients with obvious tumor volume regression, CTN within the GTV drops monotonically as much as 10 (±1) HU during the early fractions with a total dose of 20 Gy delivered. The GTV and CTN reductions are significantly correlated with correlation coefficient >0.95. Conclusion: Significant RT dose induced CTN changes in lung tissue and tumor region can be observed during even the early phase of RT delivery, and may potentially be used for early prediction of radiation response. Single respiration phase CT images have dramatically reduced statistical noise in ROIs, making daily dose response evaluation possible.« less
Review article: tegaserod — the global experience

Studies from the Western hemisphere have established the efficacy and safety of tegaserod in women with irritable bowel syndrome and constipation. This review summarizes the results of recent studies from around the world that confirm the efficacy and safety of tegaserod, and expand our understanding of the role of this drug in the treatment of patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
Concurrent Computational and Dimensional Analyses of Design of Vehicle Floor-Plates for Landmine-Blast Survivability

Development of military vehicles capable of surviving landmine blast is seldom done using full-scale prototype testing because of the associated prohibitively-high cost, the destructive nature of testing, and the requirements for major large-scale experimental-test facilities and a large crew of engineers committed to the task. Instead, tests of small-scale models are generally employed and the model-based results are scaled up to the full-size vehicle. In these scale-up efforts, various dimensional analyses are used whose establishment and validation requires major experimental testing efforts and different-scale models. In the present work, an approach is proposed within which concurrent and interactive applications of the computational analyses (of landmine detonation and the interaction of detonation products and soil ejecta with the vehicle hull-floor) and the corresponding dimensional analysis are utilized. It is argued that this approach can guide the design of military-vehicle hull-floors which provide the required level of protection to the vehicle occupants under landmine blast attack without introducing unnecessarily high weight to the vehicle. To validate this approach, a combined Eulerian/Lagrangian formulation for landmine detonation and the interaction of detonation products and soil ejecta with the vehicle hull-floor (developed in our previous work) has been utilized along with the experimental results pertaining to small-scale model and full-scale vehicle testing.
Nil-algebras and infinite groups

We simplify our construction of nil-algebras by proving, for any integer d ≥ 2 and over any field $$\mathbb{K}$$ , that there exists a residually nilpotent, nonnilpotent nil-algebra over $$\mathbb{K}$$ generated by d elements. As a consequence, we obtain similar results for nonassociative algebras and groups.
Expression, Purification, and Refolding of Recombinant Collagen α1(XI) Amino Terminal Domain Splice Variants

The amino terminal domain of collagen type XI α1 chain is a noncollagenous structure that is essential for the regulation of fibrillogenesis in developing cartilage. The amino terminal domain is alternatively spliced at the mRNA level, resulting in proteins expressed as splice variants. These splice variants, or isoforms, have unique distribution in growing tissues, alluding to distinct roles in development. We report here a rapid and straightforward method for expression, purification and in vitro folding of recombinant collagen XI isoforms α1(XI) NTD[p7] and α1(XI) NTD[p6b+7]. The recombinant isoforms were expressed in Escherichia coli as bacterial inclusion bodies. Unfolded carboxy terminal polyhistidine tagged proteins were purified via nickel affinity chromatography and refolded with specific protocols optimized for each isoform. Purity was assessed by SDS-PAGE and correct secondary structure by a comparison of circular dichroism data with that obtained for Npp. Protein expression and purification of the recombinant collagen XI splice variants will allow further studies to elucidate the structure and molecular interactions with components of the extracellular matrix. This research will clarify the mechanism of collagen XI mediated regulation of collagen fibrillogenesis.
Theory of fast optical spin rotation in a quantum dot based on geometric phases and trapped states.

A method is proposed for the optical rotation of the spin of an electron in a quantum dot using excited trion states to implement operations significantly faster than those of most existing proposals. Key ingredients are the geometric phase induced by $2\ensuremath{\pi}$ hyperbolic secant pulses, use of coherently trapped states and use of naturally dark states. Our proposal covers a variety of quantum dots by addressing different parameter regimes. Numerical simulations with typical parameters for InAs self-assembled quantum dots, including their dissipative dynamics, give fidelities of the operations in excess of 99%.
Cognitive cyber situational awareness using virtual worlds

The use of network data visualization tools for cyber security is particularly challenging when large amounts of diverse data are displayed and continuously updated. These real-time changes can be used for context-sensitive decision making, but are impeded by a lack of expressive visualization techniques. In this work, we propose a new method for the visualization of network traffic - virtual worlds. These three-dimensional, immersive environments allow the representation of data and metrics within an expressive environment intuitive to many users. Furthermore, they provide a unique medium for users to collaborate in identifying and isolating security vulnerabilities. We provide a description of the system for situational awareness and proposed experiment involving cognitive processes of human vision, perception and action.
Cheap Signals with Costly Consequences: The Effect of Interstate Relations on Civil War

This article examines the effect of interstate signals on the probability of civil war onset. Using a bargaining framework, the author argues that costly signals should have no effect on the likelihood that a civil war begins because they allow the government and opposition to peacefully adjust their bargaining positions to avoid the costs of fighting. In contrast, cheap signals can disrupt intrastate negotiations, which makes conflict more likely by increasing the likelihood that one of the competing parties will make excessive demands. This argument is tested using measures for sanctions, troop mobilization, alliances, and trade ties as indicators for costly signals, as well as events data as measures for cheap signals. Results demonstrate that cheap signals strongly affect the probability of civil war onset, while costly signals do not. Cheap signals hostile to the government increase the likelihood of civil war onset, while cheap supportive signals have a pacifying effect.
Inclusive Education for Students with Severe Disabilities Comparative Views of Principals and Educators at Different Levels of Implementation

Structured interviews were conducted with elementary school principals, general educators (k-6), and special educators at different levels of inclusive educational programming to determine perceptions toward inclusive education for learners with severe disabilities. Comments from the 27 participants were categorized according to the main questions asked during the interviews, with similar comments aggregated per category. Comparisons made by professional role and level of implementation regarding inclusive education revealed several concurring statements as well as some discrepancies. Differences in perception of inclusive education for students with severe disabilities across professional role and level of implementation of respondents are described. Implications for future research and inclusive educational practices are discussed.
Artificial recharge of groundwater: hydrogeology and engineering

Artificial recharge of groundwater is achieved by putting surface water in basins, furrows, ditches, or other facilities where it infiltrates into the soil and moves downward to recharge aquifers. Artificial recharge is increasingly used for short- or long-term underground storage, where it has several advantages over surface storage, and in water reuse. Artificial recharge requires permeable surface soils. Where these are not available, trenches or shafts in the unsaturated zone can be used, or water can be directly injected into aquifers through wells. To design a system for artificial recharge of groundwater, infiltration rates of the soil must be determined and the unsaturated zone between land surface and the aquifer must be checked for adequate permeability and absence of polluted areas. The aquifer should be sufficiently transmissive to avoid excessive buildup of groundwater mounds. Knowledge of these conditions requires field investigations and, if no fatal flaws are detected, test basins to predict system performance. Water-quality issues must be evaluated, especially with respect to formation of clogging layers on basin bottoms or other infiltration surfaces, and to geochemical reactions in the aquifer. Clogging layers are managed by desilting or other pretreatment of the water, and by remedial techniques in the infiltration system, such as drying, scraping, disking, ripping, or other tillage. Recharge wells should be pumped periodically to backwash clogging layers. Electronic supplementary material to this paper can be obtained by using the Springer LINK server located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10040-001-0182-4.
Induction in time-varying domains: motivation, origins, and encouragements

Automated acquisition of knowledge and skills by way of machine-learning techniques is a new promising technology for embedded systems. The paper briefly summarizes the ambitions of this technology, and then discusses in some detail the work that has been done in one of its subfields: induction in time-varying domains.
On the Dynamics of Active Flow Control Over a Separated Airfoil Using Leading Edge Unsteady Blowing

Flow control has become universally accepted as an important technology that can potentially be implemented in future air and naval vehicles. It has been shown that flow control strategies can be effective in increasing lift, reducing or increasing drag, delaying or controlling separation, or even reattaching separated flows. However, there is still a need for better understanding of the physics that govern these processes. In order to address this, Time-Resolved Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (TRDPIV) was used in this experiment to quantitatively image the velocity field around a NACA-0015 airfoil at an angle of attack of 25 degrees and a Reynolds number of about 38,000. A slot was located approximately 0.1 chord lengths behind the leading edge and was used for pulsed flow injection at the natural shedding frequency of the wing. Ten cases with varying momentum ratios and pulse duty cycles were tested. A spatio-temporal analysis of the resulting flow fields was conducted. Reattachment and flow turning were observed, and the important features of the flow and their interactions with the wing are described. Analysis showed that the cycle-averaged momentum coefficient may govern flow behavior more than its peak value, and that the primary influence of flow control may be limited to the area within the pre-blowing separation region.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Characterizing the distribution and rates of microbial sulfate reduction at Middle Valley hydrothermal vents

Few studies have directly measured sulfate reduction at hydrothermal vents, and relatively little is known about how environmental or ecological factors influence rates of sulfate reduction in vent environments. A better understanding of microbially mediated sulfate reduction in hydrothermal vent ecosystems may be achieved by integrating ecological and geochemical data with metabolic rate measurements. Here we present rates of microbially mediated sulfate reduction from three distinct hydrothermal vents in the Middle Valley vent field along the Juan de Fuca Ridge, as well as assessments of bacterial and archaeal diversity, estimates of total biomass and the abundance of functional genes related to sulfate reduction, and in situ geochemistry. Maximum rates of sulfate reduction occurred at 90 °C in all three deposits. Pyrosequencing and functional gene abundance data revealed differences in both biomass and community composition among sites, including differences in the abundance of known sulfate-reducing bacteria. The abundance of sequences for Thermodesulfovibro-like organisms and higher sulfate reduction rates at elevated temperatures suggests that Thermodesulfovibro-like organisms may have a role in sulfate reduction in warmer environments. The rates of sulfate reduction presented here suggest that—within anaerobic niches of hydrothermal deposits—heterotrophic sulfate reduction may be quite common and might contribute substantially to secondary productivity, underscoring the potential role of this process in both sulfur and carbon cycling at vents.
Environmental impact of modern roundabouts

Abstract In United States (US) vehicular emissions have increased considerably over the years and have attracted the attention of environmental and transportation researchers. Traditional intersections force vehicular traffic to slow down and stop in varying patterns and contribute to the increase in vehicular emissions. Modern roundabouts in US have enhanced the performance and safety of many intersections. There are numerous studies conducted by IIHS and various researchers, which support this fact. These modern roundabouts are not only capable of improving traffic flow but they can as well cut down vehicular emissions and fuel consumption by reducing the vehicle idle time at intersections and thereby creating a positive impact on the environment. The primary focus of this research was to study the impact of modern roundabouts in cutting down vehicular emissions. Six sites with different traffic volume ranges, where a modern roundabout has replaced stop-controlled intersection, have been chosen for the study. The operation of the roadways at the intersection was videotaped and the traffic flow data was extracted from these tapes and analyzed using SIDRA (signalized and un-signalized intersection design and research aid) software. The version used was aaSIDRA 2.0. The software produces many Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs) of which four were chosen for analyzing the environmental impact of roundabouts. The chosen four outputs give rate of emission of HC, CO, NO X , and CO 2 in (kg/h). All the MOEs were statistically compared to determine which intersection control performed better. After comparing all the MOEs at all locations for the before and after traffic volumes, it was found that the modern roundabout performed better than the existing intersection control (i.e. stop signs) in cutting down vehicular emissions therefore creating a positive impact on the environment. The research concludes that a modern roundabout can be used as a viable alternative to cut down vehicular emissions, making intersections more environmentally friendly.
Electronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) clinical reminder system improves adherence to practice guidelines among the University of Washington HIV Study Cohort.

We conducted a prospective study of an electronic clinical reminder system in an academic medical center–based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) specialty clinic. Published performance indicators were used to examine adherence to HIV practice guidelines before and after its implementation for 1204 patients. More than 90% of patients received CD4 cell count and HIV type 1 (HIV-1) RNA level monitoring every 3–6 months during both time periods, and ∼80% of patients with a CD4 cell count nadir of !350 cells/mm 3 received highly active antiretroviral therapy. Patients were significantly more likely to receive prophylaxis against Mycobacterium avium complex (hazard ratio, 3.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58–9.31; ), to undergo annual P p .003
Graphene based enzymatic bioelectrodes and biofuel cells

The excellent electrical conductivity and ease of functionalization make graphene a promising material for use in enzymatic bioelectrodes and biofuel cells. Enzyme based biofuel cells have attracted substantial interest due to their potential to harvest energy from organic materials. This review provides an overview of the functional properties and applications of graphene in the construction of biofuel cells as alternative power sources. The review covers the current state-of-the-art research in graphene based nanomaterials (physicochemical properties and surface functionalities), the role of these parameters in enhancing electron transfer, the stability and activity of immobilized enzymes, and how enhanced power density can be achieved. Specific examples of enzyme immobilization methods, enzyme loading, stability and function on graphene, functionalized graphene and graphene based nanocomposite materials are discussed along with their advantages and limitations. Finally, a critical evaluation of the performance of graphene based enzymatic biofuel cells, the current status, challenges and future research needs are provided.
STARS in VCC: complementing simulation with worst-case analysis

STARS is a methodology for worst-case analysis of embedded systems. STARS manipulates abstract representations of system components to obtain upper bounds on the number of various events in the system, as well as a bound on the response time. VCC is a commercial discrete event simulator, that can be used both for functional and performance verification. We describe an extension of VCC to facilitate STARS. The extension allows the user to specify abstract representations of VCC modules. These abstractions are used by STARS, but their validity can also be checked by VCC simulation. We also propose a mostly automatic procedure to generate these abstractions. Finally, we illustrate on an example how STARS can be combined with simulation to find bugs that would be hard to find by simulation alone.
Arf‐dependent regulation of Pdgf signaling in perivascular cells in the developing mouse eye

We have established that the Arf tumor suppressor gene regulates mural cell biology in the hyaloid vascular system (HVS) of the developing eye. In the absence of Arf, perivascular cells accumulate within the HVS and prevent its involution. We now demonstrate that mural cell accumulation evident at embryonic day (E) 13.5 in Arf−/− mice was driven by excess proliferation at E12.5, when Arf expression was detectable in vitreous pericyte-like cells. Their expression of Arf overlapped with Pdgf receptor β (Pdgfrβ), which is essential for pericyte accumulation in the mouse. In cultured cells, p19Arf decreased Pdgfrβ and blocked Pdgf-B-driven proliferation independently of Mdm2 and p53. The presence of a normal Arf allele correlated with decreased Pdgfrβ in the embryonic vitreous. Pdgfrβ was required for vitreous cell accumulation in the absence of Arf. Our findings demonstrate a novel, p53- and Mdm2-independent function for p19Arf. Instead of solely sensing excessive mitogenic stimuli, developmental cues induce Arf to block Pdgfrβ-dependent signals and prevent the accumulation of perivascular cells selectively in a vascular bed destined to regress.
Amitriptyline-induced Brugada pattern fails to respond to sodium bicarbonate

This report describes a Brugada electrocardiographic pattern after tricyclic antidepressant intoxication that fails to resolve following sodium bicarbonate treatment. A 50-year-old male ingested 13.6 grams of amitriptyline and presented in cardiopulmonary arrest. After initial resuscitation, the patient developed a Brugada electrocardiographic pattern. The pattern persisted despite intravenous administration of 700 mEq of sodium bicarbonate. Five hours after the last dose of sodium bicarbonate and 18 hours after initial presentation, the Brugada pattern resolved. No co-ingestants were ingested and an ischemic pattern was not seen on electrocardiogram. The serum amitriptyline level was >1000 ng/ml. Response of the tricyclic-induced Brugada pattern to sodium bicarbonate has not been previously reported.
The Chiapas Rebellion: The Struggle for Land and Democracy

The Chiapas Rebellion: The Struggle for Land and Democracy. Neil Harvey. Durham, IMC: Duke University Press, 1998. xviii. 292 pp., tables, maps, photographs, appendix, notes, bibliography, index.
Tailoring unconventional actuators using compliant transmissions: design methods and applications

Matching a drive system to the force-displacement characteristics of the load is the cardinal principle in electromechanical systems design. Unconventional actuation schemes; such as piezoelectric, electrostatic, and shape-memory alloys (SMAs), seem to exhibit certain limitations in terms of power density, stroke length, bandwidth, etc., when one attempts to employ them directly to an application. Integrating them with mechanical transmission elements so that the integrated actuator-transmission system matches the load characteristics of the application can enhance the utility of such unconventional actuators. Conventional mechanical devices are sometimes difficult to integrate with unconventional actuating schemes. For instance, the two-dimensional nature of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and no-assembly constraints arising from their batch fabrication make it difficult to fabricate, assemble, and integrate a conventional micromechanism with an electrostatic actuator. However, a monolithic "solid-state" mechanical transmission device enables easy integration. The paper presents a systematic method of designing such unconventional mechanisms. The paper presents a generalized methodology for designing compliant mechanisms. Our systematic synthesis formulations provide a mathematical basis for designing compliant mechanisms for: (1) topology generation and (2) size and shape optimization. Design examples illustrate integration with electrostatic, piezoelectric, and SMA actuators for MEMS and smart-structures applications.
On the Han-Kobayashi achievable region for Gaussian interference channels

This work analyzes a particular achievable region for Gaussian interference channels (IFC) derived from the general Han-Kobayashi region. By reformulating the Han-Kobayashi achievable region as the sum of two sets, we characterize the maximum achievable sum-rate with Gaussian inputs and without time-sharing in closed from for any channel parameter. We then show that the computed sum-rate meets the upper bound by Kramer for any IFC with mixed interference, and not only for IFC with strong interference. We then show that for a certain subclass of IFCs with mixed interference, the capacity region contains a line segment of slope -1 of which we characterize the extreme points in term of the power allocation among private and common messages.
Monte Carlo simulation of permeability fields and reservoir performance predictions with SVD parameterization in RML compared with EnKF

In a previous paper, we developed a theoretical basis for parameterization of reservoir model parameters based on truncated singular value decomposition (SVD) of the dimensionless sensitivity matrix. Two gradient-based algorithms based on truncated SVD were developed for history matching. In general, the best of these “SVD” algorithms requires on the order of 1/2 the number of equivalent reservoir simulation runs that are required by the limited memory Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno (LBFGS) algorithm. In this work, we show that when combining SVD parameterization with the randomized maximum likelihood method, we can achieve significant additional computational savings by history matching all models simultaneously using a SVD parameterization based on a particular sensitivity matrix at each iteration. We present two new algorithms based on this idea, one which relies only on updating the SVD parameterization at each iteration and one which combines an inner iteration based on an adjoint gradient where during the inner iteration the truncated SVD parameterization does not vary. Results generated with our algorithms are compared with results obtained from the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). Finally, we show that by combining EnKF with the SVD-algorithm, we can improve the reliability of EnKF estimates.
A rational approach to the treatment of early Parkinson's disease

Abstract Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age-related, inexorably progressive, neurodegenerative disorder. The mean age of onset is approximately 60 years, but many cases begin in their 40’s and 50’s and cases beginning before the age of 40 are not rare. This implies that many PD patients will suffer from this disorder for the bulk of their adult lives. The introduction of levodopa in the late 1960s revolutionized treatment for this disorder and provided PD patients with reduced morbidity and decreased mortality. However, chronic levodopa treatment is associated with the development of adverse events in the majority of patients, primarily in the form of motor complications (dyskinesia and motor fluctuations). Further, despite levodopa, PD patients continue to progress and eventually develop “non-dopaminergic features” such as freezing, gait and balance disorders, autonomic dysfunction etc. that do not respond to levodopa treatment. It is now becoming clear that the approach to the treatment of early PD is of great importance and may very well influence the likelihood that motor complications will develop and the rate at which the disease will progress. This article will review these issues and suggest a treatment approach to the early stages of PD.
Simplified method to study stability of pharmaceutical preparations

Data simulating zero-, first-, and simple second- and third-order kinetic reactions are employed at four elevated temperatures. The existence of a linear relationship is established between the logarithm of t0.9 (the time required for the concentration of the reactant remaining to decompose to reach 90% of its original value) and the reciprocal of the corresponding temperature in absolute degrees. The independence of the result from the order of the reaction is reconfirmed using literature data. The application of the linear relationship to predict the shelflife of dosage forms is discussed.
INFLUENCE OF LAND USE ON POSTMETAMORPHIC BODY SIZE OF PLAYA LAKE AMPHIBIANS

Agricultural land use may indirectly affect the body size of amphibians by altering the hydroperiods of nearby wetlands and influencing amphibian densities—both factors which can limit the larval and postmetamorphic growth rates of amphibians. We measured postmetamorphic body size for 4 species (Spea multiplicata, S. bombifrons, Bufo cognatus, Ambystoma tigrinum mavortium) and 3 age classes (metamorph, subadult, adult) of amphibians captured at playa wetlands surrounded by one of 2 general land-use types (cultivation, grassland) in the Southern High Plains. Sixteen playas (4 per land-use type in 1999 and 2000) were partially enclosed with drift fence and pitfall traps, and mass and snout-vent length (SVL) were measured from a subsample of captured individuals. Mass and SVL were 10–148% greater for amphibians captured at grassland wetlands than at cropland wetlands for most species and age classes. Mass and SVL also were 3–124% greater in 1999 than in 2000 for most species and age classes. We attribute differences in body size between land-use types to differences in the hydroperiods of the associated wetlands, and potentially to variation in the density of terrestrial conspecifics and aquatic predators. We attribute differences in body size between years to differences in rainfall. Body size is positively related to the probability of survival, reproduction, and evolutionary fitness in amphibians. Thus, if cultivation of landscapes surrounding wetlands negatively influences postmetamorphic body size of amphibians, restoration of native grasslands surrounding playa wetlands may help prevent local amphibian declines.
Assessing the Nutritional Needs of the Critically ILL Patient

An increasing number of AIDS patients have been noted to suffer severe recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), a condition often associated with high morbidity that remains unresponsive to conventional therapeutic interventions. In two cases thalidomide was administered to successfully treat AIDS patients with RAS. Both patients experienced complete abatement of pain shortly after therapy was initiated. Ulcerations that were present for months resolved after three or four weeks of thalidomide therapy without any adverse effects. Thalidomide appears to be an effective agent for the treatment of severe RAS unresponsive to traditional therapies.
Understanding the Formation Energy of Transition Metal Hydrides

A detailed analysis of the formation energies of transition metal hydrides is presented. The hydriding energies are computed for various crystal structures using Density Functional Theory. The process of hydride formation is broken down into three consecutive, hypothetical reactions in order to analyse the different energy contributions, and explain the observed trends. We find that the stability of the host metal is very significant in determining the formation energy, thereby providing a more fundamental justification for Miedema’s “law of inverse stability” [1] (the more stable the metal, the less stable the hydride). The conversion of the host metal to the structure formed by the metal ions in the hydride (fcc in most cases) is only significant for metals with a strong bcc preference such as V and Cr - this lowers the driving force for hydride formation. The final contribution is the chemical bonding between the hydrogen and the metal. This is the only contribution that is negative, and hence favourable to hydride formation. We find that it is dominated by the position of the Fermi level in the host metal.
The Pathogen-Occupied Vacuoles of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Anaplasma marginale Interact with the Endoplasmic Reticulum.

The genus Anaplasma consists of tick-transmitted obligate intracellular bacteria that invade white or red blood cells to cause debilitating and potentially fatal infections. A. phagocytophilum, a human and veterinary pathogen, infects neutrophils to cause granulocytic anaplasmosis. A. marginale invades bovine erythrocytes. Evidence suggests that both species may also infect endothelial cells in vivo. In mammalian and arthropod host cells, A. phagocytophilum and A. marginale reside in host cell derived pathogen-occupied vacuoles (POVs). While it was recently demonstrated that the A. phagocytophilum-occupied vacuole (ApV) intercepts membrane traffic from the trans-Golgi network, it is unclear if it or the A. marginale-occupied vacuole (AmV) interacts with other secretory organelles. Here, we demonstrate that the ApV and AmV extensively interact with the host endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in endothelial, myeloid, and/or tick cells. ER lumen markers, calreticulin and protein disulfide isomerase, and the ER membrane marker, derlin-1, were pronouncedly recruited to the peripheries of both POVs. ApV association with the ER initiated early and continued throughout the infection cycle. Both the ApV and AmV interacted with the rough ER and smooth ER. However, only derlin-1-positive rough ER derived vesicles were delivered into the ApV lumen where they localized with intravacuolar bacteria. Transmission electron microscopy identified multiple ER-POV membrane contact sites on the cytosolic faces of both species’ vacuoles that corresponded to areas on the vacuoles’ lumenal faces where intravacuolar Anaplasma organisms closely associated. A. phagocytophilum is known to hijack Rab10, a GTPase that regulates ER dynamics and morphology. Yet, ApV-ER interactions were unhindered in cells in which Rab10 had been knocked down, demonstrating that the GTPase is dispensable for the bacterium to parasitize the ER. These data establish the ApV and AmV as pathogen-host interfaces that directly engage the ER in vertebrate and invertebrate host cells and evidence the conservation of ER parasitism between two Anaplasma species.
A New Species of Mortierella from North Carolina

Mortierella nantahalensis Chien is described. It is characterized by huge sporangiophores, large sporangia, and globose sporangiospores. This species belongs to the section Spinosa of the genus.
The Self-Restraint of Friends: A Mechanism in Family Transition

which have appeared in many parts of Asia and which to date have not been absorbed by either the Asiatic majority or the European minority. Even in situations as different from this setting as in the mixture of white and Negro in the United States the same tendency is noticeable. Thompson and Adloff'4 maintain that separate Eurasian communities are on the way out, and Myrdal'5 feels that the development of a separate mulatto caste in the United States was ended by the abolition of slavery. Whatever is the future outlook of such mixed communities, their formation seems to be an immediate result of the social regroupings caused by intermarriage, and they tend to persist whenever social barriers are placed in the way of their assimilation to the parent ethnic groups. In the light of this study it is certainly possible to argue that the processes of adiustment in intermarriage give rise to an intermediate cultural complex which is sufficiently unique to foster a sense of distinctiveness among those who have grown up in that milieu. This does not mean that the social context will enable mixed groups to survive indefinitely as separate cultural entities, although such groups as the "colored" in South Africa have been recognized for several generations. In the Philippine-American marriages described in this article, the couples did not appear to have assimilated either the American or Filipino practices, but were developing an intermediate type of culture. Housekeeping standards, interaction with relatives, child care practices, dietary habits, sexual practices, and handling of money tended to follow a pattern midway between that of the two cultures. Whether the exigencies of the husbands' employment would enable the family to remain in a place where this could be a permanent development is doubtful, but it seemed clear that this was a tendency toward which family interaction was developing while the family remained in the environment of the American military installation in the Philippines. 14Virginia Thompson and Richard Adloff. Minority Problems in Souitheast Asia (Palo Alto, California: Stanford University Press, 1955), pp. 135-151. 15 Gunnar Myrdal, An American Dilemma (New York: Harpers, 1944), p. 696.
Vitamin D status during pregnancy: maternal, fetal, and postnatal outcomes.

Purpose of reviewTo consider evidence from recent studies linking maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy with maternal, fetal, and postnatal outcomes.Recent findingsSeveral studies have demonstrated an association between poor maternal vitamin D status and severe preeclampsia, though results are