cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated 3‐D crack growth simulation

SUMMARY Automated simulation of arbitrary, non-planar, 3D crack growth in real-life engineered structures requires two key components: crack representation and crack growth mechanics. A model environment for representing the evolving 3D crack geometry and for testing various crack growth mechanics is presented. Reference is made to a specific implementation of the model, called FRANC3D. Computational geometry and topology are used to represent the evolution of crack growth in a structure. Current 3D crack growth mechanics are insufficient; however, the model allows for the implementation of new mechanics. A specific numerical analysis program is not an intrinsic part of the model; i.e., finite and boundary elements are both supported. For demonstration purposes, a 3D hypersingular boundary element code is used for two example simulations. The simulations support the conclusion that automatic propagation of a 3D crack in a real-life structure is feasible. Automated simulation lessens the tedious and time-consuming operations that are usually associated with crack growth analyses. Specifically, modifications to the geometry of the structure due to crack growth, re-meshing of the modified portion of the structure after crack growth, and re-application of boundary conditions proceeds without user intervention.
THE DEFENSE OF THE GREAT LAKES AGAINST THE INVASION OF NONINDIGENOUS SPECIES IN BALLAST WATER..

The Great Lakes is the first place where the United States has established a defence against the introduction of non-indigenous species carried in ballast water. US regulations controlling the discharge of ballast from all vessels entering from outside the Exclusive Economic Zone into the Great Lakes went into effect in early 1993 and are enforced by the US Coast Guard, with active assistance from the Canadians and the Seaway authorities. The Great Lakes are a unique, valuable, and sensitive resource which have already suffered significant damage from non-indigenous species and are under continuing threat from new invasions. The Great Lakes also have some unique defensive advantages because vessel traffic can be controlled at the Saint Lawrence Seaway and open ocean exchange with salt water can be used as a verifiable, reasonably cheap, and safe method for impeding the invasion of new freshwater species. However, more effective defence are needed in order to prevent new invasions over the long term. Development of these new defence will probably require engineering changes in ballast systems in all vessels engaged in transoceanic trade, whether going to fresh or saltwater ports.
Neurotoxic effects of DSP-4 on the central noradrenergic system in male zebra finches.

When administered systemically, the noradrenergic neurotoxin N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine (DSP-4) appears to target the noradrenergic innervation originating in the locus coeruleus causing long-term decrements in noradrenergic function. In songbirds, DSP-4-treatment decreased female-directed singing by males and copulation solicitation responses of females to male songs. However, DSP-4 treatment in songbirds did not lower measures of NE function in the brain to the same extent as it does in mammals. The current study had two goals: determining if two DSP-4 treatments 10 days apart would cause significant decrements in noradrenergic function in male zebra finches and determining if, as in other species, the noradrenergic innervation of midbrain and cortical areas would be profoundly affected while hypothalamic areas were spared. Dopamine-β-hydroxylase immunoreactivity (DBH-ir) was quantified in thirteen brain regions (five vocal control nuclei, one auditory nucleus, two hypothalamic nuclei, and five additional areas that demonstrated high DBH labeling in controls). Within 20 days, DSP-4 treatment profoundly reduced the number of DBH-ir cells in both the locus coeruleus and ventral subcoeruleus. Unlike a previous study, DBH labeling delineated four out of five vocal control nuclei and an auditory nucleus. As expected, DSP-4 treatment significantly decreased DBH labeling in all areas examined in the mesencephalon and telencephalon without significantly affecting DBH-ir in hypothalamic areas. This double treatment regime appears to be much more effective in decreasing noradrenergic function in songbirds than the single treatment typically used.
Broken windows, crumpled fenders, and crime

Abstract This study uses state-level and city-level data from the U.S. to assess the relationship between the homicide rate and the motor-vehicle fatality rate. The analysis of ecological data for a multiyear period reveals that there is a mild to moderate relationship between homicide rates and traffic-fatality rates. The limitations of ecological data are discussed. The authors argue that law enforcement can play a minor but significant role in determining the level of each type of fatality and that public perception of police activity is important. Police are most visible in their patrol and traffic functions and research suggests that controlling traffic flow has an effect on crime. Alternatively, the traffic equivalent to “broken windows” might be “crumpled fenders.” Lack of enforcement may send a signal to residents that police are absent or uncaring, leading not only to a disregard of the traffic safety rules and to higher accident rates but also to higher rates of crime in the community generally, as reflected through the homicide statistics.
Justified vs. Warranted Perceptual Belief: Resisting Disjunctivism

In this paper I argue that McDowell's brand of disjunctivism about perceptual knowledge is ill-motivated. First, I present a reconstruction of one main motivation for disjunctivism, in the form of an argument that theories that posit a “highest common factor” between veridical and non-veridical experiences must be wrong. Then I show that the argument owes its plausibility to a failure to distinguish between justification and warrant (where “warrant” is understood as whatever has to be added to true belief to yield knowledge).
Affirmative Action in Higher Education.

This study analyzed the variations of policies and practices of university personnel in their use of affirmative action programs for African American students. In this study, the policy topic is affirmative action and the practices used in admissions, financial aid, and special support services for African-American students. Surveys were mailed to 231 subjects representing thirty-two Missouri colleges and universities. Most of the survey respondents were male, white, and nearly two-thirds were above the age of forty. Ethnic minorities were underepresented among the professionals. Seventy-two percent of respondents were white, 23% were African American, and 5% were Hispanic. The results of this study suggest a positive picture of student affirmative action practices and policies used by Missouri personnel. Differences among professionals were at a minimum. The overall mean score for support in diversifying Missouri institutions was fairly high, and this may reflect diversity initiatives taken by the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education in the late 1980s, and early 1990s. Data suggested that Missouri personnel are aware of the judicial scrutiny by the courts in administering student affirmative action. Most Missouri institutions use a single process for assessing all applicants for admission, without reliance on a quota system. The recent Hopwood decision showed little impact on the decisions regarding professionals' use of student affirmative action at Missouri institutions. Although public attitudes toward student affirmative action may play a role in establishing policies and practices, Missouri personnel are very similar in their perceptions regardless of race/ethnicity, gender, and institutional office or position.
How Voluntary Online Learning Communities Emerge in Blended Courses

A comparative case study used content analysis to observe the emergence of voluntary online learning communities in two blended courses. The study developed an interaction-based approach to analyze such communities, and found interesting similarities and differences between the two classes. One similarity is the emergence of three categories of students in each class: Core, Active, and Peripheral. The distribution of students into these three categories was almost identical, and appears to be similar to the widely observed bibliographic distribution regularity known as Bradfords Law.
The Japanese Preschool's Pedagogy of Peripheral Participation

Abstract This article examines Japanese teachers' beliefs about children's peripheral participation in emotional interactions in the classroom, and especially in fights. The article is based on a reanalysis of scenes of fighting in Japanese preschools from Tobin and colleagues' 2009 book and video, Preschool in Three Cultures Revisited. The reanalysis shifts the focus of attention from the protagonists in the fights, who occupy the center of the video frames, to the children on the margins. Japanese teachers have an emic cultural vocabulary for conceptualizing such peripheral participation, including the terms gyarari (gallery), gaiya (outfielders), seken (the generalized audience), and mawari no ko (the children around). Our analysis suggests that Japanese preschool teachers believe that in responding to children's fights their goal should be to give not only the protagonists but the class as a whole opportunities to experience emotions and to cultivate a sense of collective responsibility for events in their classroom community.
Evaluation of outcome after intracranial aneurysm surgery: The neuropsychiatric approach

BACKGROUND With the reduction of mortality and gross neurologic morbidity of patients undergoing intracranial aneurysm surgery, the interest in outcome is shifting towards more subtle aspects such as cognitive deficits and psychosocial adjustment. METHODS We discuss two different ways of measuring outcome in a sample of 20 patients who had intracranial aneurysm surgery. Patients were evaluated at discharge using the Karnofsky Scale and the Glasgow Outcome Scale. Six months after discharge we conducted a neuropsychiatric evaluation including cognitive, behavioral, and mood status assessment. RESULTS Although 13 of out patients had a "good recovery, " 18 had some neuropsychiatric impairment. Comparing patients with "good recovery" with the remainder, patients with poorer outcomes tended to have a left pterional approach, a poorer "drive", and language disorders (p 0.05). CONCLUSIONS we conclude that neuropsychiatric deficits are common after intracranial aneurysm surgery and that for our study the Karnofsky Scale and Glasgow Outcome Scale were not sensitive enough to detect residual impairment. therefore, it is important to develop brief tests and scales able to identify these problems and to complement the standard clinical neurological examination.
Simplifying Text for Mainstreamed Students

Textbooks used for content area subjects are often too difficult for mainstreamed students. Teachers may have to adapt the text to reduce readability and conceptual difficulty. Simplifying text involves attention to content, sentence structure, and vocabulary. Guidelines drawn from psycholinguistic research are presented to assist the teacher in this task. An example of simplified text is included.
Interaction Between Prestroke Cognitive Performance and Incident Stroke in Predicting Risk of Dementia

To the Editor: Reitz and colleagues examined whether 2 important dementia risk factors—cognitive performance and incident stroke—have an interactive effect on subsequent dementia risk or have only independent effects.1 They reported finding no interaction between incident stroke and prestroke cognitive function or decline in predicting the risk of subsequent dementia. Unfortunately, the only statistical measures given to describe the apparent lack of interaction were probability values for the interaction terms between incident stroke and baseline MMSE score ( P =0.7) and between incident stroke and rate of decline in MMSE score over time ( P =0.5). These probability values are …
A Multiparticle Simulation of Powder Compaction Using Finite Element Discretization of Individual Particles

Discrete element studies of powder compaction have become popular recently. A disadvantage of this technique is the need for simplification of the inter-particle contact behavior which limit the applicability of DEM to small relative densities. To overcome this problem, we analyze the compaction of powder by a 2-D finite element study of the compaction of 400 particles, each of which is discretized at a sufficient level to provide adequate detail of the interparticle interaction. The material is modeled as elastic-perfectly plastic. Simulations show that: (a) there is an effect of interparticle friction on the macroscopic response in the earlier stages of compaction, (b) there is significant rearrangement even in highly constrained compaction modes, (c) the absence of friction promotes inhomogeneous deformation in the compact, and (d) conditions for fragmentation develop in particles with loose lateral constrains.
The epidemiology of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease among patients with SLE: A systematic review

Abstract Objective To perform a systematic review of the literature regarding the epidemiology of the association between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD), including the increased risk for CVD, as well as the risk factors responsible for development of CVD in patients with SLE. Methods We followed the PRISMA guidelines to systematically search the PubMed database from inception to June 2012. Studies were selected using predefined eligibility criteria, and 2 authors independently extracted data. The risk of bias was measured for each study using a domain-based assessment. Results We report on 28 studies that met criteria for inclusion in our analysis. We found strong epidemiologic evidence that SLE patients have an increased relative risk of CVD compared to controls. There is limited information regarding relative CVD mortality risks among SLE patients. Traditional CVD risk factors, including age, male sex, hyperlipidemia, smoking, hypertension, and CRP, are associated with CVD risk among SLE patients. Several SLE-specific factors, including disease activity and duration, and possibly specific manifestations and therapies, further increase risk. Several risk factors, such as disease activity and glucocorticoid use, are closely associated, making it difficult to disentangle their effects. Conclusions CVD risk among SLE patients compared to the general population is at least doubled. While older SLE patients appear to have the highest absolute risks of CVD, young women have alarmingly high relative risks, given the rarity of CVD in the comparison general population. Both traditional and SLE-specific risk factors are important, although there are discrepancies within the literature.
Notes on the role of dynamic DNA methylation in mammalian development

It has been nearly 40 y since it was suggested that genomic methylation patterns could be transmitted via maintenance methylation during S phase and might play a role in the dynamic regulation of gene expression during development [Holliday R, Pugh JE (1975) Science 187(4173):226–232; Riggs AD (1975) Cytogenet Cell Genet 14(1):9–25]. This revolutionary proposal was justified by “... our almost complete ignorance of the mechanism for the unfolding of the genetic program during development” that prevailed at the time. Many correlations between transcriptional activation and demethylation have since been reported, but causation has not been demonstrated and to date there is no reasonable proof of the existence of a complex biochemical system that activates and represses genes via reversible DNA methylation. Such a system would supplement or replace the conserved web of transcription factors that regulate cellular differentiation in organisms that have unmethylated genomes (such as Caenorhaditis elegans and the Dipteran insects) and those that methylate their genomes. DNA methylation does have essential roles in irreversible promoter silencing, as in the monoallelic expression of imprinted genes, in the silencing of transposons, and in X chromosome inactivation in female mammals. Rather than reinforcing or replacing regulatory pathways that are conserved between organisms that have either methylated or unmethylated genomes, DNA methylation endows genomes with the ability to subject specific sequences to irreversible transcriptional silencing even in the presence of all of the factors required for their expression, an ability that is generally unavailable to organisms that have unmethylated genomes.
Paleochannels, stream incision, erosion, topographic evolution, and alternative explanations of paleoaltimetry, Sierra Nevada, California

Geologic relationships in the Sierra Nevada, California, show negligible stream incision between Eocene and Late Miocene–Pliocene time. Stream incision of up to ∼1 km began at (from south to north) ca. 20 Ma in the Kern to Kings River drainages, between 6 and 10 Ma in the San Joaquin River drainage, 3.6–4 Ma in the Stanislaus and Mokelumne River drainages, and ca. 3 Ma in the American and Feather River drainages. These differences in incision timing greatly exceed the time of knickpoint retreat, based on the example of the North Fork Feather River, where the knickpoint may have retreated over 100 km in less than 300 k.y. based on ages of interfluve-capping andesites and an inset basalt flow. The knickpoint in the Stanislaus River may have retreated over 50 km in less than 400 k.y. based on somewhat looser constraints. Eocene paleochannels show lowest gradients parallel to the range axis, steepest ones perpendicular, and reaches with significant “uphill” gradients that rise in the paleo-downstream direction. Modern Sierran rivers lack this relationship. The azimuth-gradient relationships of paleochannels, especially the uphill gradients, require late Cenozoic tilting and uplift. Incision began in spite of decreasing discharge and increasing sediment load and must have resulted from steepening associated with tilting and uplift. Stable-isotope paleoaltimetry apparently records a profile similar to that of the modern range and areas east of it, in spite of significant vertical deformation that postdates the age of the sampled deposits, suggesting fairly recent reequilibration, in contrast to the published interpretations of closed-system behavior since the Oligocene or Eocene. Such apparent open-system behavior agrees with studies showing progressive hydration of volcanic glass and the correspondence between weathering and erosion rates. Northward-younging initiation of late Cenozoic uplift and stream incision suggests a relationship with triple-junction migration, possibly associated with slab window development, with a second uplift pulse related to delamination and limited to the southern Sierra (San Joaquin River drainage and southward). Basement features may have significantly influenced along- and across-strike differences in Cenozoic tectonics and geomorphic response.
Can You Go Home Again? Returning to One's Country of Origin in the Setting of Terminal Illness

important issues. One approach to dealing with these issues is mindfulnessdquality of mind that notices what is present, without judgment and without interference. Mr. G was a 70-year-old man with widely metastatic small bowel carcinoma. His illness was associated with terrible suffering, including pathologic fractures and major depression. Mr. G had three sisters who were deeply concerned about his condition; however, his unresolved anger at his own predicament strained their relationships. Mr. G expressed significant spiritual suffering, making statements such as ‘‘God is not listening,’’ ‘‘Satan is trying to hold me down,’’ and ‘‘I should have lived better.’’ As his diseased progressed, staff attempts to assess and address his suffering were mostly met with Mr. G expressing hopelessness, hostility, or contempt. He made statements such as ‘‘they can’t do anything for me,’’ ‘‘that medicine won’t do any good’’ and ‘‘no one can help me.’’ He exhibited paranoia and delusional thinking, accusing the staff of trying to perform experiments on him and stating that influenza or HIV had caused his cancer. Many staff privately shared that any visit with Mr. G was an experience they wished to avoid. In caring for this difficult patient, we attempted several mindfulness-based practices, such as identifying our feelings of guilt and defensiveness, recognizing our discomfort and habitual patterns, and letting go of control and being open to the possibilities of our interactions with Mr. G. In retrospect, we found that this approach enhanced our own feelings of efficacy and our ability to cope with Mr. G’s anger and depression. It also enabled us to identify helpful interventions.
Rapidly switchable matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization and electrospray quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry for protein identification

We describe a new interface for a prototype quadrupole—quadrupole-time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer (Centaur, Sciex) that allows rapid switching between electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) modes of operation. Instrument performance in both modes is comparable (i.e., resolution ∼10,000 FWHM, mass accuracy <10 ppm, sensitivity ∼1 fmol) because the ion source is decoupled from the TOF mass analyzer by extensive gas collisions in the quadrupole stages of the instrument. The capacity to obtain side-by-side high quality ESI and MALDI mass spectra from a single proteolytic mixture greatly facilitates the identification of proteins and elucidation of their primary structures. Improved strategies for protein identification result from this ability to measure spectra using both ionization modes in the same instrument and to perform MS/MS on singly charged as well as multiply charged ions. Examples are provided to demonstrate the utility and performance of the modified instrument.
Microtubules Remodel Actomyosin Networks in Xenopus Egg Extracts via Two Mechanisms of F-Actin Transport

Interactions between microtubules and filamentous actin (F-actin) are crucial for many cellular processes, including cell locomotion and cytokinesis, but are poorly understood. To define the basic principles governing microtubule/F-actin interactions, we used dual-wavelength digital fluorescence and fluorescent speckle microscopy to analyze microtubules and F-actin labeled with spectrally distinct fluorophores in interphase Xenopus egg extracts. In the absence of microtubules, networks of F-actin bundles zippered together or exhibited serpentine gliding along the coverslip. When microtubules were nucleated from Xenopus sperm centrosomes, they were released and translocated away from the aster center. In the presence of microtubules, F-actin exhibited two distinct, microtubule-dependent motilities: rapid (∼250–300 nm/s) jerking and slow (∼50 nm/s), straight gliding. Microtubules remodeled the F-actin network, as F-actin jerking caused centrifugal clearing of F-actin from around aster centers. F-actin jerking occurred when F-actin bound to motile microtubules powered by cytoplasmic dynein. F-actin straight gliding occurred when F-actin bundles translocated along the microtubule lattice. These interactions required Xenopus cytosolic factors. Localization of myosin-II to F-actin suggested it may power F-actin zippering, while localization of myosin-V on microtubules suggested it could mediate interactions between microtubules and F-actin. We examine current models for cytokinesis and cell motility in light of these findings.
Using the Social Networking Graph for Image Organization

The process of record-keeping and maintenance of digital photographs is an emerging concern. In this paper, we present a tag organization framework for photographs by clustering similar content based photographs. Using a social network graph model, we relate objects and the corresponding relationships amongst them. Each photograph is represented in our framework with five attributes of objects, place, occasion, time and associations. Through experimentation of the MIRFLICKR-25000 image collection, we identity and examine the object popularity and object closeness properties.
Optimal design of superelastic‐friction base isolators for seismic protection of highway bridges against near‐field earthquakes

The seismic response of a multi-span continuous bridge isolated with novel superelastic-friction base isolator (S-FBI) is investigated under near-field earthquakes. The isolation system consists of a flat steel-Teflon sliding bearing and a superelastic NiTi shape memory alloy (SMA) device. The key design parameters of an S-FBI system are the natural period of the isolated bridge, the yielding displacement of the SMA device, and the friction coefficient of the sliding bearings. The goal of this study is to obtain optimal values for each design parameter by performing sensitivity analysis of a bridge isolated by an S-FBI system. First, a three-span continuous bridge is modeled as two-degrees-of-freedom with the S-FBI system. A neuro-fuzzy model is used to capture rate- and temperature-dependent nonlinear behavior of the SMA device. Then, a set of nonlinear time history analyses of the isolated bridge is performed. The variation of the peak response quantities of interest is shown as a function of design parameters of the S-FBI system and the optimal values for each parameter are evaluated. Next, in order to assess the effectiveness of the S-FBI system, the response of the bridge isolated by the S-FBI system is compared with the response of the non-isolated bridge and the same bridge isolated by pure-friction (P-F) sliding isolation system. Finally, the influence of temperature variations on the performance of the S-FBI system is evaluated. The results show that the optimum design of a bridge with the S-FBI system can be achieved by a judicious specification of design parameters. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pervasive symbiotic advertising

The proliferation of powerful mobile devices and the deployment of large displays in public spaces give rise to new and exciting opportunities in personalized and targeted advertising. Advertising in such public spaces also raises interesting questions in several areas such as capturing and aggregating user context, tailoring of ads, measuring advertisement efficacy, capturing user attention, charging model and monetization, user privacy, and the roles of parties in the ecosystem among others. In this paper, we introduce the opportunities and challenges in delivering advertisements to ambient displays utilizing information pertaining to users near the display. We then discuss some ways to address them and describe our first prototype. Though many traditional challenges concerning the design, usability, connectivity, and applications of mobile systems are still important, we believe that applications and challenges resulting from symbiosis between mobile systems and surrounding devices, such as the subject of this paper, are a rich area for further exploration by the mobile computing community.
The Yeast Phosphotyrosyl Phosphatase Activator Is Part of the Tap42–Phosphatase Complexes

Phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activator PTPA is a type 2A phosphatase regulatory protein that possesses an ability to stimulate the phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activity of PP2A in vitro. In yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, PTPA is encoded by two related genes, RRD1 and RRD2, whose products are 38 and 37% identical, respectively, to the mammalian PTPA. Inactivation of either gene renders yeast cells rapamycin resistant. In this study, we investigate the mechanism underling rapamycin resistance associated with inactivation of PTPA in yeast. We show that the yeast PTPA is an integral part of the Tap42-phosphatase complexes that act downstream of the Tor proteins, the target of rapamycin. We demonstrate a specific interaction of Rrd1 with the Tap42-Sit4 complex and that of Rrd2 with the Tap42-PP2Ac complex. A small portion of PTPA also is found to be associated with the AC dimeric core of PP2A, but the amount is significantly less than that associated with the Tap42-containing complexes. In addition, our results show that the association of PTPA with Tap42-phosphatase complexes is rapamycin sensitive, and importantly, that rapamycin treatment results in release of the PTPA-phosphatase dimer as a functional phosphatase unit.
Use of Neurofeedback to Enhance Response to Hypnotic Analgesia in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

This proof of principle study examined the potential benefits of EEG neurofeedback for increasing responsiveness to self-hypnosis training for chronic pain management. The study comprised 20 individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) who received 5 sessions of self-hypnosis training--1 face-to-face session and 4 prerecorded sessions. Participants were randomly assigned to have the prerecorded sessions preceded by either (a) EEG biofeedback (neurofeedback) training to increase left anterior theta power (NF-HYP) or (b) a relaxation control condition (RLX-HYP). Eighteen participants completed all treatment sessions and assessments. NF-HYP participants reported greater reductions in pain than RLX-HYP participants. The findings provide support for the potential treatment-enhancing effects of neurofeedback on hypnotic analgesia and also suggest that effective hypnosis treatment can be provided very efficiently.
Meso- and Submesoscale Structure of a Convecting Field

Abstract Intensive data collection in the region of the Labrador Sea northwest of former Ocean Weather Station Bravo during the winter of 1998 allowed examination of the meso- and submesoscale structure during active convection. Data used include shipboard CTDs, shipboard underway data, isobaric CTD profiling floats, and high-drag floats whose trajectories were approximately Lagrangian in the horizontal and vertical directions. On the mesoscale, O(20 km), horizontal variability was nearly 1°C and 0.1 psu. An anticyclonic eddy of 40-km diameter was found. On a smaller scale, O(5 km), variability of 0.04 psu and 0.3°C was found. By utilizing data from fully Lagrangian floats, this smaller-scale field was found to be organized into eddies of 1–12-km radius. Both cyclonic and anticyclonic features were found, with the anticyclones being larger. This observation may explain the excess of anticyclones reported in previous studies having lower spatial resolution. These features were unsteady, with an anticyclone...
Spin trapping of reactive uracilyl radicals produced by ionizing radiation in aqueous solutions.

SummaryThe DNA base analogue 5-bromouracil (BU) reacts with hydrated electrons to produce a highly reactive uracil-5-yl (uracilyl) radical. The uracilyl radical was spin trapped by 5,5-dimethylpyrroline-1-oxide (DMPO) and t-nitrosobutane (tNB). DMPO solutions (0·01 M at pH = 7, N2 or N2O saturated) without BU were irradiated with 60Co gamma-rays and the resulting spin adducts produced by e−aq, H·, and OH· were identified. The irradiation of alkaline (pH 12, N2 saturated) solutions of DMPO alone simplified the e.p.r. spectrum of spin adducts in that only the H· adduct was observed. Irradiated DMPO solutions (pH 12, N2 saturated) containing BU yielded a composite of two six-line e.p.r. spectra, attributed to uracilyl spin adducts that have two distinct steric configurations, and a background spectrum of H·-DMPO adducts which was removed by computer-subtraction. Uracilyl-tNB spin adducts were detected by first trapping uracilyl radicals in irradiated photobleached 10 M NaOH glasses at 77 K and then dissolvin...
Do Long-Term Survivor Primary Glioblastoma Patients Harbor IDH1 Mutations?

Background Approximately 3 to 16% of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients are considered long-term survivors (LTS: 3+ years). Objective Given the improved survival conferred by IDH1 mutations and the fact that these mutations are detected in 12% of newly diagnosed GBM cases, could long-term survivorship be explained by IDH1 mutation status? Our aim was to describe GBM LTS with IDH1 mutations and explore its association with overall survival (OS). Methods Records of 453 newly diagnosed adult GBM patients treated at a single institution from 2004 to 2010 were reviewed retrospectively for patients who survived at least 36 months postsurgery. Descriptive statistics for clinical characteristics, treatments received, and tumor biomarkers were reported. Estimates for progression-free survival (PFS) and OS were provided. Results Forty (8.8%) LTS GBM patients were identified, with a median age of 50 years and a median preoperative Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) of 80. Most patients underwent near-total/gross-total resection (72.5%), postoperative radiation (97.5%), and adjuvant temozolomide (95%). PFS rates at 12, 36, 48, and 72 months were 67.5%, 40%, 32.7%, and 26.2%, respectively. Median OS has not yet been reached; however, the survival rate at 48 months was 62.1%. Among 35 patients with available tumor samples, only 8 (22.9%) had IDH1 mutations. No significant difference in median PFS was found between IDH1 mutation and wild-type patients (46.6 versus 26.3 months; p =0.45). Conclusions Less than a quarter of our patients' long-term survivorship was associated with favorable IDH1 status. Therefore, IDH1 status does not explain most of the long-term survivorship in the temozolomide era.
Coronary Stent Fracture A Review of the Literature

Coronary stent fracture is a relatively uncommon and rare complication of stent implantation. The reported incidence of stent fracture among drug-eluting stents ranges from 1% to 8%. Since 2003, when the use of drug- eluding stents was approved by the FDA for the treatment of coronary atherosclerosis, a number of retrospective and prospective studies and case reports have been published. We reviewed these publications to determine the incidence, predictors, clinical implications, and different management strategies for drug-eluding stent fracture in the coronary arteries. A review of the literature showed that the risk for stent fracture was higher with right coronary artery location, increased vessel tortuosity and angulation prior to stenting, use of overlapping stents, and use of longer stents. A higher risk of bare metal stent fracture was reported in saphenous vein bypass grafts. The authors also report in this issue in the Department "Case Study" a symptomatic fracture of a sirolimus-eluding Cypher ® stent in the mid-left anterior descending artery.
Interfacing "8088" Computers in the Chemistry Laboratory

An approach is provided for interfacing PC 8088 computers to instruments in the chemistry laboratory for measurement of pH, voltage, and temperature. Both serial and analog acquisition is illustrated.
Damage detection of concrete masonry structures by enhancing deformation measurement using DIC

This study focuses on deformability and damage detection of a concrete masonry wall. It employed point-to-point traditional strain gages and full-field measurement technique using digital image correlation (DIC) to investigate the damage and deformability of a partially grouted (PG) reinforced masonry wall. A set of ungrouted and grouted assemblages and full-scale concrete masonry shear wall were constructed and tested under displacement control loading. The wall was constructed according with masonry standards joint committee (MSJC 2013) and tested under constant vertical compression load and horizontal lateral load using quasi-static displacement procedure. The DIC method was used to determine non-uniform strain contours on the assemblages. This method was verified by comparing strains along the selected directions with traditional TML gage results. After a successful comparison, the method was used to investigate the state of damage and deformability of the wall specimen. Panel deformation, crack pattern, displacement at the top, and the base strain of the wall were captured using full-field measurement and results were in a good agreement with traditional strain gages. It is concluded that full-filed measurements using DIC is promising especially when the test specimens experience inelastic deformation and high degree of damage. The ability to characterize and anticipate failure mechanisms of concrete masonry systems by depicting strain distribution, categorizing structural cracks and investigating their effects on the behavior of the wall were also shown using DIC. In addition to monitoring strains across the gage length, the DIC method provided full-field strain behavior of the test specimens and revealed strain hotspots at locations that corresponded to failure.
Cryoglobulins. I. Studies on the nature, incidence, and clinical significance of serum cryoproteins in glomerulonephritis.

Abstract Cryoglobulins were isolated from the sera of 14 of 18 patients with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis, 4 of 4 with nonstreptococcal proliferative glomerulonephritis, and 2 of 3 with membranous nephropathy. They were not detected in patients with end-stage renal disease lipoid nephrosis, acute streptococcal pharyngitis, rheumatic fever, and normal persons. Cryoglobulins contained IgG and β 1C , and in 3 patients IgM was also present. Their presence was associated with activity of renal disease. A relationship between persistence and progression and disappearance and improvement was suggested. There was no correlation between the presence or quantity of cryoglobulins and levels of immunoglobulins or complement in the serum. Antistreptococcal or rheumatoid factor activity could not be demonstrated in any of the cryoprecipitates. IgG, β 1C , and occasionally IgM were localized in the renal glomeruli by immunofluorescence. The identification of these same proteins in the cryoglobulins of these patients suggests that cryoprecipitates may be of immunopathologic significance in immune complex nephritis.
Reversing Worrisome Trends: How to Attract and Retain Investment in a Competitive Global Economy

No country has been a stronger magnet for foreign direct investment than the United States. Valued at $3.5 trillion, the U.S. stock of inward foreign direct investment accounted for 17 percent of the world total in 2011, more than triple the share of the next largest destination.Foreign direct investment is ultimately a judgment by the world’s value creators about a country’s institutions, policies, human capital, and prospects. As the world’s largest economy, the United States has been able to attract the investment needed to produce the innovative ideas, revolutionary technologies, and new products and industries that have continued to undergird its position atop the global economic value chain.But the past is not necessarily prologue. Indeed, while the U.S. claim to 17 percent of the world’s stock of foreign direct investment is impressive, the share stood at 39 percent as recently as 1999. It has been 12 years since the annual value of U.S. inward FDI set a record high of $314 billion, and since then, annual flows have failed to establish an upward trend. The current U.S. business environment conspires to deter inward investment and to encourage companies to offshore operations that could otherwise be performed competitively in the United States. A proper accounting of these policies, followed by implementation of reforms to remedy shortcomings, will be necessary if the United States is going to compete effectively for the investment required to fuel economic growth and higher living standards.
Anesthesia of Off-Pump Aortic Arch Replacement Surgery

OBJECTIVE To summarize the anesthesia experience in surgical treatment of aortic arch replacement with off-pump and to investigate the operative indications,techniques,and methods for cardiac,blood and spinal cord protection.METHODS From July 2000 to March 2005,14 patients received off-pump aortic arch aneurysm surgery.Of these patients,5 were subjected to total aortic arch replacement,6 partial aortic arch replacement and 3 total aortic arch replacement combined with transaortic stented graft implantation into the descending aorta or partial descending thoracic aorta replacement.Five operations used the technique which preserved blood was transfused back by pump via the femoral artery or the right atrium.RESULTS The average surgery time was(7.28±1.23) h and extubation time was(17.11±10.59) h,the descending thoracic aorta crossclamp time(16.33±7.25) min.the required amount of blood products reduced.Re-exploration surgery was performed for bleeding in 1 patient.One case had transient loss of sense on the fifth day postoperatively.Twelve patients were cured,two cases died in hospital.There was no late death during follow up.CONCLUSION Off-pump aortic arch replacement is feasible.It can reduce the surgery time and maintain the continuity of cerebral perfusion.
Investigation of Volatile Halohydrocarbons in Drinking Water by Headspace Capillary Gas Chromatography

Objective To develop a method for the determination of volatile halohydrocarbons in drinking water.Method: The five volatile halohydrocarbons,chloroform,tetrachloroethane,dichlorobromomethane,dibromochloroethane and bromoform in drinking water were determined by headspace capillary gas chromatography.Results: Under the optimal experimental conditions,the recoveries of the five volatile halohydrocarbons were in the range of 98.0%～106.0% and the relative standard deviations were from 2.25% to 4.84%.Conclusions: The method we developed is rapid,simple and accurate.Using this method,a variety of volatile halohydrocarbons could be determined simultaneously.
Sensorless scheduling of the modular multilevel series-parallel converter: enabling a flexible, efficient, modular battery

We present a control approach for the modular multilevel converter (MMC) with series and parallel module connectivity (MMSPC) that provides natural module balancing, reduced conduction losses, and enhanced robustness afforded by the parallel mode. In conventional MMC control, the voltage of each module's storage element has to be measured or estimated to enable the controller to equalize the voltages across all modules. This requirement has been one of the key barriers for MMCs in low and medium power applications. In contrast, we use the parallel connectivity of the MMSPC for module voltage balancing. It also enables robust operation in the presence of battery failure by supporting the module voltage with frequent parallelizations of the residual module capacitance. The parallel connectivity further reduces conduction losses at voltage levels below the system maximum by decreasing the effective source impedance. This approach renders attractive for the first time low and medium power MMC applications as well as MMC-based battery storage. These are illustrated with an experimental MMSPC system comprising eight battery modules that generates high-quality ac output without filtering magnetics.
The response of umbilical vessels, with and without vascular endothelium, to local anesthesia in low PO2 and hypercarbia.

Background and Objectives. Human umbilical vessels are sensitive to local anesthetic agents as well as to a variety of other exogenous and endogenous substances. Changes in blood gases such as hypoxia and hypercarbia may alter these responses. This study examined the effects of local anesthetic agents under these conditions and how the effects are related to the vascular endothelium. Methods. Veins and arteries, dissected from umbilical cords of healthy newborns, were cross-sectioned to form rings. The rings were mounted in a muscle chamber containing Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate solution that was gassed to approximate control, low Po2 or hypercarbic conditions. Changes in isometric tension were recorded in response to increasing concentrations of bupivacaine (B), lidocaine (L), or 2-chloroprocaine (2-CP). In half the experiments, intimal rubbing was used to remove the endothelium of rings for the purpose of disclosing the role of endothelial-derived factors. Results. The normal contracting (increasing baseline tone) or relaxing (decreasing baseline tone) responses to local anesthesia were unchanged by hypercarbia, but low Po2 suppressed the relaxing effect of 2-CP on arteries. Removal of endothelium enhanced the relaxing effect of 2-CP on arteries, and unmasked a contracting effect of L on arteries. Rubbed vessels, while exposed to low Po2 or hypercarbia, became less responsive to 2-CP. Conclusions. Changes in the internal environment are capable of altering the response of umbilical vascular smooth muscle to local anesthesia. Additionally, the vascular endothelium appears to influence the degree of response to anesthesia.
On Fire: Advertising the Burning Success of the Colton Dental Association ☆

a Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA b Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, 2124 Cornell Rd, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA c American Society of Anesthesiologists, Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology, 1061 American Lane, Schaumburg, IL 60173-4973, USA
The Truth about Fania Fénelon and the Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz-Birkenau

In this introductory chapter, Eischeid provides the context and rationale for her comprehensive rebuttal of the 1976 Holocaust memoir Playing for Time by Fania Fenelon. Fenelon’s book has become a cornerstone of Holocaust scholarship, selling thousands of copies. Sadly, large parts of her memoir are now understood to be embellished or manufactured. Although the scholarly community acknowledges this in a minor way, Fenelon’s memoir continues to be utilized in all aspects of Holocaust commemoration. Eischeid gives voice to the other survivors who rebut Fenelon’s account and—while not criticizing scholars or institutions who champion her work—uses this study as a “call to arms” to effect change in the way that work is utilized.
Transfer Printing for Cyber-Manufacturing Systems

As a versatile tool, transfer printing provides routes to assemble micro- and nano-structures onto functional substrates, with promising applications ranging from stretchable electronics in diagnostic/therapeutic platforms and human-machine interfaces to dissolvable devices in bio-implants and environmentally benign sensors. The conventional process involves pickup of micro-devices from their fabricated substrates, followed by delivery onto the target substrate of interest. This chapter summarizes the fundamental mechanics and materials aspects of transfer printing, as well as recent developments in advanced techniques that allow for applications in systems with varying levels of complexity. The opportunities and challenges on emerging use for cyber-manufacturing systems are also discussed.
Status, challenges, and future opportunities for compound semiconductor electronics

Recent developments and future opportunities for compound semiconductor electronics for analog and mixed signal circuits for the Department of Defense (DoD) are reviewed. The realization of extremely high performance transistors, often uniquely enable by compound semiconductor materials, will be highlighted.