cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of shape on void growth: A coupled Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) and Discrete Dislocation Plasticity (DDP) study

Abstract Voids are one of the many material defects present at the microscopic length scale. They are primarily responsible for the formation of cracks and hence contribute to ductile fracture . Circular voids tend to deform into elliptical voids just before their coalescence to form cracks. The principle aim of this study is to investigate the effect of void shape on the micro-mechanism of void growth by using Discrete Dislocation Plasticity simulations. For voided crystals, conventional DDP produces a continuous slip step throughout the material even if a dislocation escapes from a non-convex domain. To overcome this issue, the Extended Finite Element Method (XFEM) is used here to incorporate the displacement discontinuity. Different aspect ratios of elliptical voids are considered under uniaxial and biaxial deformation boundary conditions. The results suggest that voids having the largest surface area tend to have maximum growth rate as compared to void with lower surface area, i.e. “larger is faster ”. Under biaxial loading , a higher magnitude of strain hardening, and void growth rate are observed as compared to uniaxial loading. The results also suggest that the orientation of slip planes as well as voids, affect the overall plastic behavior of the voided-ductile material. Furthermore, circular void tends to induce minimum growth rate but have the maximum strain hardening effect as compared to other void shapes under both loading conditions. The results of this study provide a deeper understanding of ductile fracture with applications in manufacturing industry, aerospace industry and in the design of nano/micro-electromechanical devices i.e. NEMS/MEMS.
Electrophysiology of the Corpus Striatum and Brain Stem Integrating Systems

The sections in this article are: 1 Afferents to Neostriatum 1.1 Corticostriatal Afferents 1.2 Thalamostriatal Afferents 1.3 Nigrostriatal Afferents 1.4 Other Afferents to Striatum 1.5 Convergence of Extrinsic Inputs to Striatal Neurons 2 Striatal Efferent Systems 2.1 Striatopallidal System 2.2 Striatonigral System 2.3 Striatal Projection Neurons 3 Pallidal Efferent System 3.1 Pallidothalamic Projection 3.2 Pallidosubthalamic Projection 4 Nigral Efferent System 4.1 Nigrostriatal Projection 4.2 Nigrothalamic Projection 4.3 Nigrotectal Projection 5 Summary
SSA Elimination after Register Allocation

Compilers such as gcc use static-single-assignment (SSA) form as an intermediate representation and usually perform SSA elimination before register allocation. But the order could as well be the opposite: the recent approach of SSA-based register allocation performs SSA elimination after register allocation. SSA elimination before register allocation is straightforward and standard, while previously described approaches to SSA elimination after register allocation have shortcomings; in particular, they have problems with implementing copies between memory locations. We present spill-free SSA elimination , a simple and efficient algorithm for SSA elimination after register allocation that avoids increasing the number of spilled variables. We also present three optimizations of the core algorithm. Our experiments show that spill-free SSA elimination takes less than five percent of the total compilation time of a JIT compiler. Our optimizations reduce the number of memory accesses by more than 9% and improve the program execution time by more than 1.8%.
Clinical Utility of Bone Scan Features of Pleural Effusion: Sensitivity and Specificity for Malignancy Based on Pleural Fluid Cytopathology

UNLABELLED Asymmetric chest activity with malignant and benign pleural effusions has been described in bone scans. However, the clinical utility of this finding is not elucible from the literature. We developed specific scintigraphic criteria for malignant pleural effusion and retrospectively assessed their sensitivity and specificity in a group of patient scans. METHODS Pleural fluid was submitted for cytopathology from 850 patients over a 5-yr period. Bone scans were done within 2 mo of the thoracentesis in 74 patients. As a consensus panel, we reread the scans and reviewed the cytology. RESULTS The effusions were cytologically malignant in 25/74 patients (34%), indeterminate in 9/74 (12%) and benign in 40/74 (54%). Based on cytopathology, malignant pleural effusions were detected by bone scans with a sensitivity of 34%-50% and a specificity of 78%-89%; true sensitivity and specificity was somewhere in between averaging 42% (95% confidence interval 24%-60%) and 84% (95% confidence interval 73%-95%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The bone scan is frequently the first examination suggesting pleural metastasis, and when it is detected it should be pursued beyond pleural fluid cytology, if negative or indeterminate.
Model averaging methods for weight trimming in generalized linear regression models

In sample surveys where units have unequal probabilities of inclusion, associations between the inclusion probability and the statistic of interest can induce bias in unweighted estimates. This is true even in regression models, where the estimates of the population slope may be biased if the underlying mean model is misspecified or the sampling is nonignorable. Weights equal to the inverse of the probability of inclusion are often used to counteract this bias. Highly disproportional sample designs have highly variable weights; weight trimming reduces large weights to a maximum value, reducing variability but introducing bias. Most standard approaches are ad hoc in that they do not use the data to optimize bias-variance trade-offs. This article uses Bayesian model averaging to create “data driven” weight trimming estimators. We extend previous results for linear regression models (Elliott 2008) to generalized linear regression models, developing robust models that approximate fully-weighted estimators when bias correction is of greatest importance, and approximate unweighted estimators when variance reduction is critical.
Trends in European Productivity and Real Exchange Rates: Implications for the Maastricht Convergence Criteria and for Inflation Targets after EMU

While overall inflation has fallen dramatically in countries like Italy and Spain, inflation in the home good sector remains stubbornly higher than inflation in the traded good sector. If nominal exchange rates are fixed, these real appreciations imply an inflation differential with countries like Germany. We first show that the real appreciations can be explained largely by differences in productivity trends across the traded and non-traded goods sectors. We then analyse the implications of the trends in productivity for the consistency of the Maastricht convergence criteria, and we discuss the pressure productivity trends put on monetary policy in countries like Italy and Spain to meet the convergence criteria; we also discuss steps that might be taken to change the trends in productivity. Lastly, we calculate the implications of current trends in productivity for the differences in regional inflation under a common currency. Comparisons are made with regional productivity trends in the United States.
Viewpoint: The case for a foreign worker advisory commission

This paper outlines the case for an independent Foreign Worker Advisory Commis-sion (FWAC) to assemble and develop data and research to assist the administration and Congress make better and more timely decisions on employment-based migration (EBM), a relatively small (14 per cent in 2010) component of total immigration. An independent, professional FWAC should be an important component of comprehen-sive immigration reform. Indeed, the FWAC should be established and operational before any substantive changes are made in current foreign worker programs. The United States should, however, immediately improve the enforcement of the rights of foreign and domestic workers, simplify and modernize administrative procedures, and strengthen data relevance and reliability.
On-Campus Housing at Rural Community Colleges

A certain “mythology” appears to exists within higher education that residence halls do not exist at community colleges. The reality is that residence halls do exist at community colleges, and they play an integral role in the fabric of the institutions that have them. This article identifies the number of rural-serving community colleges, and it reports selected results of the first national study on residence halls at community colleges in the United States. Focusing on rural-serving public community colleges, the motivation for community college involvement in operating on-campus housing is examined. Recommendations for future areas of needed research are discussed.
Information Privacy and Online Behaviors

Abstract This study explores several key potential influences of privacy concerns on consumers' attitudes toward websites. Using a sample of 221 subjects, it was found that privacy concerns could decrease the likelihood of purchasing online. This finding highlights the importance of privacy concerns and contributes to the understanding of Internet marketing in that the early literature incompletely addresses the issue of consumer privacy empirically, which represents a potential threat to the growth of e-commerce. Thus, online marketers should be careful not to abuse (e.g., distribute it without permission) the personal information of consumers. In sum, it is advised that online marketers assure the public that consumer information will not be tracked and traded without the individual consumer's knowledge or consent.
Best Constants for the Riesz Projection

We prove the following inequality with a sharp constant,‖P+f‖L p(T)⩽csc πp ‖f‖Lp(T),f∈Lp(T),where 1<p<∞, and P+: Lp(T)→Hp(T) is the Riesz projection onto the Hardy space Hp(T) on the unit circle T. (In other words, the “angle” between the analytic and co-analytic subspaces of Lp(T) equals π/p* where p*=max (p, pp−1).) This was conjectured in 1968 by I. Gohberg and N. Krupnik. We also prove an analogous inequality in the nonperiodic case where P+f=F−1 (χR+Ff) is the half-line Fourier multiplier on R. Similar weighted inequalities with sharp constants for Lp(R, |x|α), −1<α<p−1, are obtained. In the multidimensional case, our results give the norm of the half-space Fourier multiplier on Rn
Evaluation of human brain tumor heterogeneity using multiple T1-based MRI signal weighting approaches

Vascular-space-occupancy (VASO)-MRI without contrast injection was explored for imaging cerebral blood volume (CBV) and tissue heterogeneity in gliomas (n=10). VASO contrast complemented contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (GAD-T1w), FLAIR and T1w MagnetizationPrepared-RApid-Gradient-Echo (MPRAGE) images. High-grade gliomas showed a VASOoutlined hyperintense zone corresponding to long-T1 regions in MPRAGE and to non-enhancing regions in GAD-T1w images. FLAIR, MPRAGE, and VASO data were used to segment tumors into multiple zones of different T1. After removal of known resection areas using pre and postsurgical MRI, the volume of overlap between the hyperintenseVASO-zone and the long-T1 MPRAGE zone correlated with that of GAD-T1w enhancement (R 2 =0.99) and tumor grade. Based on these correlations, this remaining long T1 overlap area was putatively assigned to necrosis. The results suggest that this collective T1-weighted approach may provide useful information for regional assessment of heterogeneous tumors.
Inhibition of murine sperm-oolemma binding by antibodies to an oocyte membrane (OM) antigen: implication in contraceptive vaccine development.

PROBLEM: The present study was conducted to investigate the oocyte membrane protein(s) that is involved in sperm binding in the mouse, and whether or not it can be used for the development of a contraceptive vaccine. METHOD OF STUDY: The zona-free oocytes were treated with Triton X-100 and the extract was analyzed for homogeneity in the sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) after staining with silver nitrate. The appropriate band of 50 ± 4 kD, designated as OM antigen, was excised from the gel and used for the immunization. The female rabbits were immunized with the excised band per se and the female mice were immunized with the OM antigen after conjugation to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). The affinity-purified antibodies were analyzed in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunoprecipitation procedure, western blot procedure, indirect immunofluorescence technique (IFT), and sperm-oolemma binding assay. Actively-immunized mice were analyzed for in vivo fertility. RESULTS: The Triton X-100 extract of zona-free oocytes predominantly showed a single protein band of 50 ± 4 kD in the SDS-PAGE. Active immunization of female rabbits and of female mice with OM antigen raised high antibody titers (ELISA titer > 1:4096) that specifically recognized the OM antigen in the immunoprecipitation and Western blot procedures, and reacted with the oocyte in the IFT. These antibodies demonstrated a significant (P<0.05) up to a complete block of sperm-oolemma binding in the in vitro binding assay. Binding of both the acrosome-intact and acrosome-reacted sperm was inhibited. Mice actively immunized with OM antigen also showed a significant reduction in vivo fertility as seen by the 9-day implants in uteri. Preliminary data indicate that the antibodies to OM antigen were tissue-specific and did not react with the specific band in any tissue extract in the western blot procedure. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the OM antigen is involved in sperm-oolemma binding and constitute an attractive molecule that needs further investigation for examining its utility in the contraceptive vaccine development.
GENERAL CONCEPTS ON THE EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY OF PARASITES.

Parasitism is a very common way of life, and probably the prevalent means of obtaining food among organisms. Adaptive radiation among parasites has been extensive, and yet ecological and evolutionary concepts on parasitism are poorly developed. Although Elton (1927) devoted a chapter in his pioneering ecology book to parasitism his conclusion was that the resemblances between predators and parasites are more important than the differences. This attitude is now prevalent in ecology texts (e.g. Andrewartha and Birch, 1954; Odum, 1971; Krebs, 1972; Colinvaux, 1973), and although much attention is devoted to predation, parasitism is almost ignored. Therefore, by using the inductive process, this paper attempts a synthesis of ecology and parasitology, the need for which has been recognized by Kennedy (1975), and it explores the evolutionary implications of parasite ecology. This synthesis should contribute to an understanding of parasites in three ways. First, a reevaluation of the abundance of parasitic species is made. Arndt (1940) estimated that 25% of animals in Germany are parasitic on others. Rothschild and Clay (1952) stated that parasitic animals probably exceed nonparasitic species in number of species and individuals, but provided little numerical support. A careful quantitative evaluation by Askew (1971) provided an estimate that 15% of insects, and 10% of all animal species are parasitic insects. Calculations presented in this paper indicate that well over 50% of the species of organisms extant today are parasitic. Second, general concepts on the ecology and evolution of parasites are presented, being derived from a combination of population biology, evolutionary theory and parasite biology. Third, predictions derived from the general concepts act as a guide to critical characteristics of parasite biology which need to be examined and tested in natural populations.
Release of uranium from granitic rocks during in situ weathering and initial erosion (central Texas)

Abstract The abundance, distribution and nature of occurrence of uranium in granitic rocks in central Texas, and that in soil profiles and local stream sediments derived from these rocks have been determined by fission-track mapping, delayed-neutron counting and gamma-ray spectrometry. Selected samples were also analyzed for Th and K. In the granites, U occurs primarily in weathering-resistant accessory minerals (here called resistate U) and along grain boundaries of major minerals, particularly biotite (here called intergranular U). During in situ weathering and initial erosion of the granite, changes in U concentration are controlled by the chemical mobility of intergranular U and dispersal of the resistate U. No distinct trend is detected in soil profiles except that, in general, a slight depletion of U is noted at the top of the profiles, which may be followed by a slightly enriched zone and another zone of depletion before approaching the original U content of the granite at depth. Neither organic matter nor clays (mostly kaolinite) appear to be effective fixing agents of U in this area. However, in briefly-transported granitic sediment, mostly sand and gravel, significant loss of both U and Th has occurred. In the 1-km distance studied, U abundance reflects almost entirely the concentration of resistate U. These results indicate that most, if not all, of the mobile, intergranular U is released from granites during in situ weathering and initial transport; in granitic sediments resistate U is likely the predominant form. The mineralogical occurrence of Th has not been determined, but the rate of Th loss in stream sediments is even greater than that of U. Th, leached from granite during weathering, may have become adsorbed on clays and dispersed with them.
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS AS AN AID IN DESIGNING AN INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEM

The usefulness of a structural analysis of pretest items in designing an instructional system is illustrated by the application of this technique to 100 addition computation problems. 10 structural characteristics of the problems were derived from the more general objectives of the instructional system (micro-objectives) and used as predictors of problem (mini-objectives) difficulty level in a stepwise regression analysis, in a manner similar to that of traditional studies of readability. The authors point out that regression equations derived in this way can be used to plan lessons in which all problems would be of approximately equal difficulty, and thus could have maximally reliable entrance or pretests, and might also be concerned with only one factor or topic. Lessons could be arranged from easiest to most difficult by using the regression equation to predict lesson difficulty. It is thought that the size of the multiple correlation between difficulty level and the structural variables may be an indication of how well the micro- and mini-objectives of the instructional system have been formulated. In designing and building an instructional system, one of the first steps is to define its objectives. Stolurow (1968) distinguishes three stages in the process beginning with the identification of macro-objectives. These are descriptions of behavior at a very general and abstract level, such as the systems developed by Bloom et al. (1956) and Krathwohl et al. (1964). Micro-objectives are sentences containing verbs that describe an observable type of behavior, while mini-objectives are statements representing the performances observed when an individual is responding to a particular frame in an instructional test or program. Mini-objectives are typically represented by items. These may be used in a pretest to determine whether an individual already has the behaviors or competencies the instructional system is supposed to produce. Can pretest data also be used in designing the instructional system? Do they contain information which, with proper analysis, could guide the construction of instructional materials? This paper presents a method of regression analysis of pretest data which determines a minimal set of item structural characteristics, defined at the level of micro-objectives, that predict the differences in the difficulty level of the mini-objectives (items). Similar regression analyses have been done for decades on reading material to determine their readability (Chall, 1958; Klare, 1963). Suppes, Hyman, and Jerman (1966) also predicted error rate and response time for arithmetic problems from their structural characteristics. This paper not only contributes to this literature, but also attempts to demonstrate how the results of this kind of analysis can be used in designing an instructional system.
Apoptosis is induced in the subependyma of young adult rats by ionizing irradiation

To determine if radiation-induced apoptosis occurred in young adult brain, we exposed 2-3-month old rats to single x-ray doses of 5 or 30 Gy. Apoptosis was quantified using the TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) method and a morphologic assessment of nuclear fragmentation. Apoptosis occurred primarily in the subependyma but also in the corpus callosum, peaking 6 h after irradiation. At 48 h there were no apoptotic nuclei observed. These data are the first to show that apoptosis occurs in the young adult rat brain after ionizing irradiation. Further studies are required to define the particular cell type(s) involved and to address the role of this process in the pathogenesis of late radiation injury.
Increasing blood flow before exercise in spinal cord-injured individuals does not alter muscle fatigue.

Previous studies have shown increased fatigue in paralyzed muscle of spinal cord-injured (SCI) patients (Castro M, Apple D Jr, Hillegass E, and Dudley GA. Eur J Appl Physiol 80: 373-378, 1999; Gerrits H, Hopman MTE, Sargeant A, and de Haan A. Clin Physiol 21: 105-113, 2001). Our purpose was to determine whether the increased muscle fatigue could be due to a delayed rise in blood flow at the onset of exercise in SCI individuals. Isometric electrical stimulation was used to induce fatigue in the quadriceps femoris muscle of seven male, chronic (>1 yr postinjury), complete (American Spinal Injury Association, category A) SCI subjects. Cuff occlusion was used to elevate blood flow before electrical stimulation, and the magnitude of fatigue was compared with a control condition of electrical stimulation without prior cuff occlusion. Blood flow was measured in the femoral artery by Doppler ultrasound. Prior cuff occlusion increased blood flow in the first 30 s of stimulation compared with the No-Cuff condition (1,350 vs. 680 ml/min, respectively; P < 0.001), although blood flow at the end of stimulation was the same between conditions (1,260 ± 140 vs. 1,160 ± 370 ml/min, Cuff and No-Cuff condition, respectively; P = 0.511). Muscle fatigue was not significantly different between prior cuff occlusion and the control condition (32 ± 13 vs. 35 ± 10%; P = 0.670). In conclusion, increased muscle fatigue in SCI individuals is not associated with the prolonged time for blood flow to increase at the onset of exercise.
Studies on Fowl Typhoid I. Nature and Dissemination

Abstract INTRODUCTION FOWL typhoid, an acute, infectious disease of chickens and other domesticated poultry, is widespread in the United States, Europe, Africa, and South America. Chickens, turkeys, guinea fowls, and some wild fowls are susceptible, but ducks, geese, and pigeons are reported to be resistant. The early history of the disease in foreign countries has been reviewed by Beaudette (1925) and Lesbouyries (1941). The disease was first recognized in this country about 50 years ago, when it was called “infectious leukemia” by Moore (1895). Theobald Smith, working with Cooper Curtice (1902) in Rhode Island, suggested the name “fowl typhoid” on account of its similarity to human typhoid. Since the publication of the work of these early investigators, little research has been done on this disease in this country other than the comprehensive investigations of Kaupp and Dearstyne (1925), Gauger (1937), and Van Es and Olney (1940). On the basis of a . . .
The female weight-control smoker: A profile

Hypothesizing the existence of a subgroup of female smokers for whom nicotine masks, and abstinence unmasks, a tendency toward hyperphagia and perhaps even subthreshold disordered eating, we compared female “weight-control smokers” (WC; n = 46) and “non-weight-control smokers” (NWC; n = 52) on smoking- and eating-related variables. We also examined the relationship between weight-control smoking and withdrawal symptomatology during 48hours of nicotine abstinence (n = 23). Although WC were not more depressed, anxious, or nicotine-dependent than NWC, they were significantly more likely to report weight gain and increased hunger during abstinence; they also scored higher on Cognitive Restraint and Disinhibition (Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire). The expected correlation of cotinine with weight emerged for NWC but not for WC. Weight-control smoking correlated with increased eating during abstinence. Our findings suggest that WC use dietary restraint as well as smoking to manage weight, and that abstinence may precipitate episodes of disinhibited or binge eating. If WC overinclude women vulnerable to excess or unpredictable eating and consequently to substantial weight gain that can be managed by nicotine, highly focused’treatment strategies may be helpful. The peculiar and fascinating combination of pharmacological and sociocultural factors involved in weight-control smoking has generated considerable research over the past few years. Despite these efforts, however, attempts to determine the net impact of weight-control smoking on treatment efficacy, both in terms of attracting such smokers to treatment and achieving sustained abstinence, have produced a somewhat confusing picture. In the current climate of interest in treatment matching, a question no less appropriate than that of whether weightcontrol smoking is likely to deter cessation efforts or promote relapse is that of whether treatment success rates for people motivated to smoke by nicotine’s anorectic properties can be improved upon; an answer to that question will
Beet western yellows virus in border parenchyma cells of Pennycress

Abstract Beet western yellows virus in vein border parenchyma cells of Pennycress leaves induces some unusual cellular modifications, particularly to the cytoplasmic organelles. Relatively advanced stages of infection were examined in leaves 4 weeks after aphid inoculation with the virus. The most severe ultrastructural modifications occurred in parenchyma cells bordering the veins. The effects included virions in nuclei, virions in cytoplasm, virus vesicles, structural modification to plastids, and appearance of fibrillar inclusions in mitochondria. Oil bodies in the cytoplasm assumed striking proportions. Adjacent cells did not show equivalent changes, and therefore, one may postulate that the border cells show the most adverse effects due to their functional significance in solute transfer.
Maturation of Circulatory Responses to Methionine-Enkephalin

Summary descending aorta and inferior vena cava, respectivelv. The fetal The cardiovascular and respiratory effects of the naturally occurring endogenous opiate, methionine-enkephalin, were studied in 23 fetal sheep, five newborn lambs, 15 pregnant sheep, and four nonpregnant ewes. The opiate peptide produced dose-dependent decreases in heart rate and blood pressure in fetal and neonatal lambs but increased heart rate and blood pressure followed immediately by decreased heart rate and blood pressure in pregnant ewes. The circulatory responses were examined by pharmacologic blockade of receptor activity and by vagotomy. The bradycardia and hypotension in the fetus and tachycardia and hypertension in the adult were shown to be mediated by autonomic efferent nerves. Sinoaortic denervation did not affect the fetal responses to infused enkephalin. Respiration decreased in fetal as well as postnatal animals even at doses of methionine-enkephalin that did not significantly affect heart rate and blood pressure. These data indicate that the cardiovascular effects of infused enkephalins undergo maturational changes and are mediated by the autonomic nervous system.
Level lifetime measurements and the structure of neutron-rich 78Ge.

Level lifetimes were measured for the first time for the neutron-rich isotope $^{78}\mathrm{Ge}$ by the fast electronic scintillation timing technique and B(E2) values were extracted. The energies of the low-lying states and the B(E2) values between the ${0}^{+}$ and ${2}^{+}$ states disclose a rapidly changing structure near N=40, followed by a stabilization, with $^{74\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}78}\mathrm{Ge}$ best understood as asymmetric rotors.
Scheduled repeat CT scanning for traumatic brain injury remains important in assessing head injury progression.

Background Scheduled repeat brain CT (SRBCT) is used to monitor progression of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Previous studies have suggested that routine SRBCT can be replaced by an unscheduled repeat brain CT after deterioration on serial neurological examination. In this study, we evaluated if SRBCT has a role in the management of TBI. Study Design Retrospective observational study of 1,019 consecutive adult patients admitted to a Level I trauma center with CT evidence of TBI on initial brain CT (IBCT). All patients with intracranial pathology on IBCT were scheduled for SRBCT and underwent sequential neurological physical examinations. Interventions (surgical or medical) after IBCT, SRBCT, or neurological change were recorded. Results One thousand nineteen patients with IBCT evidence of TBI were identified from the trauma registry during a 50-month study period beginning in November 2001. Eighty-six (8.9%) of these patients went directly for craniotomy. After exclusions, 887 patients were analyzed. A total of 692 (78%) patients had a no worse first SRBCT and neurologic changes requiring intervention later developed in 11 (1.6%) of these patients. One hundred ninety-five (22%) patients had a worse first SRBCT, with 14 (7.2%) requiring immediate intervention. Seven (3.6%) worse first SRBCT patients had a subsequent SRBCT that worsened, leading to an intervention. A neurologic change that precipitated an intervention developed subsequently in an additional 19 (9.7%) patients with a worse first SRBCT. Chi-square analysis demonstrated that a first SRBCT that was worse was more likely to result in an intervention than if the first SRBCT was no worse. Conclusions A worse SRBCT is more likely to result in neurologic intervention. SRBCT remains useful in assessing patients with TBI.
Price signaling: does it ever work?

Alpert et al.′s (1993) study on the relationship between objective product quality and price is both interesting and important. It continues the tradition of “borrowing” relevant theories from other disciplines to explicate problems faced in marketing. However, some issues raised regarding price signaling and quality need to be discussed further. In addition to information asymmetry, other conditions are necessary to ensure signaling equilibrium. A signal must be both information revealing and such that it cannot be mimicked. These conditions are, however, absent in the Alpert et al. (1993) study, leading to the conclusion price, as cited in the study, was not a signal of quality, rather it was an important strategic tool. Hence, the important lessons from the study are: we must exercise caution when “borrowing” theories from other disciplines to explicate marketing problems; and we are reminded that for a marketing strategy to be effective and successful, it is essential that the strategic elements be co...
Erratum to: The retreat of the less fit allele in a population-controlled model for population genetics

The proof of Lemma 2.4 is correct when the habitat is one-dimensional. However, the fact that the function ρ1 defined by formula (6.14) approaches zero on the part of the cone |x| = ct where x1 = 0 invalidates the argument that ρ1 ≤ ρ1 for |x| ≤ ct when the habitat is multidimensional. This gap is easily repaired by replacing the function coshμx1 in (6.14) by a radially symmetric positive solution (|x|) of the equation ∇2 = μ2 . When the habitat has dimension 2, one can let := I0(μ|x|) where I0 is the usual Bessel function with imaginary argument. In three dimensions, one can let := [sinhμ|x|]/[μ|x|].
Transient Response of Two Fluid-Coupled Cylindrical Elastic Shells to an Incident Pressure Pulse

Abstract : The transient response of a system of two initially concentric circular cylindrical elastic shells coupled by an ideal fluid and impinged by an incident plane pressure pulse is studied. The classical techniques of separation of variable and Laplace transforms are employed for simultaneously solving the wave equations governing the fluid motions and the shell equations of motion. The transformed solutions are arranged in such a manner that their inverse transforms can be accurately calculated by solving a set of Volterra integral equations in the time domain. A sample calculation of shell response was performed and results are compared to the case in which the outer shell is absent. It is found that the primary effects of a thin outer shell could be estimated by simple asymptotic formulae. (Author)
An Equivalent Continuum-Atomistic Characterization Model for Nanographitic Materials

An equivalent continuum-atomistic algorithm is proposed for carbon-based structures such as nano-scale graphene platelets (NGPs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) individually or as stiffeners with polymers. This equivalent continuum-atomistic model will account for the nonlocal effect at the atomistic level and will be a highly accurate mean to determine the bulk properties of graphene-structured materials from its atomistic parameters. In the model, the equivalent continuum and atomic domains are analyzed by finite elements and molecular dynamics finite element-based where atoms stand as nodes in discretized form. Micromechanics idea of representative volume elements (RVE) will be used to determine averaged homogenized properties. In the procedure, a unit hexagonal cell will be the RVE. A minimum volume of material containing this RVE and the neighboring hexagonal cells will be chosen. The size of this volume should cover all the atoms, which have bonded, and nonbonded interaction with the atoms of the RVE unit cell. This minimum volume will be subjected to several load cases. Determination of the response of the RVE hexagonal unit cell contained within the minimum volume, and its potential energy density under the defined load cases, will lead to the determination of mechanical parameters of an equivalent, continuum geometrical shape. For a single layer NGP the thickness of the hexagonal continuum plate is assumed to be 0.34 nm, while in three-dimension and multilayered the actual thickness of layers can be implemented. Under identical loading on the minimum volumes, identical potential (strain) energies for both models will be assumed. Through this equivalence a linkage between the molecular force field constants and the structural elements stiffness properties will be established.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Random walks on pseudo-lattices

Abstract The problem of a Polya (unbiased, nearest-neighbor stepping) random walk is solved for several pseudo-lattices related to the Bethe lattice (Cayley tree). In each case, the solution is derived by projecting the walk on a pseudo-lattice onto a walk on a linear chain with internal states and a point defect. Random walk statistics exhibited explicitly include the probability of return to the starting point, the mean time to return if return does occur, and the asymptotic behavior of the expected number of distinct sites visited in a walk of long duration. Conjectured relationships between random walk statistics and percolation theory are discussed in the context of pseudo-lattices.
A theoretical study of the reaction of hypochlorous acid with the bromite ion

Abstract The structures, vibrational spectra, and relative energetics of possible HClBrO − 3 isomers and the HOClOBrO − →HOBrOClO − isomerization transition state existing during the reaction between hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and bromite ions (OBrO − ) have been examined by using the Becke's non-local three-parameter exchange with the Lee–Yang–Parr correlation density functional method, in conjunction with two different basis sets. The HOBrOClO − structural form is found to be the most stable among the isomers. The energy required for the formation of HOBrOClO − from the HOCl+OBrO − reaction is 25.2 kcal mol −1 , while the energy required for the dissociation of HOBrOClO − to HOBr+OClO − is 22.6 kcal mol −1 . The barrier for the isomerization of HOClOBrO − to HOBrOClO − is sufficiently high (30.0 kcal mol −1 ) to not allow the interconversion between the isomeric forms.
Saint-venant's ladder

A one-dimensional mechanical-rheological model is devised to understand better the decay of end effects in elastic materials. The model provides a clear physical picture of this phenomenon and analysis yields explicit formulas for the decay of shear stress in terms of the relevant physical properties. The stress decay predicted by the model compares favorably with numerical solutions of the full field equations for elastic glass strips.
Simulated microgravity alters rat mesenteric artery vasoconstrictor dynamics through an intracellular Ca2+ release mechanism

Previous work has shown that orthostatic hypotension associated with cardiovascular deconditioning results from inadequate peripheral vasoconstriction. We used the hindlimb-unloaded (HU) rat in thi...
Identifying the Learning Styles and Instructional Tool Preferences of Beginning Food Science and Human Nutrition Majors

: : Learning styles vary among individuals, and understanding which instructional tools certain learning styles prefer can be utilized to enhance student learning. Students in the introductory Food Science and Human Nutrition course (FSHN 101), taught at the Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, were asked to complete Gregorc's Learning Style DelineatorTM, which identifies dominant learning style(s). In addition, students were asked to complete a survey that asked them to identify which instructional tools used in FSHN 101 they preferred and which they did not. All students, regardless of learning style, preferred the in-class lecture, outlined lecture notes, the WebCT site as a whole, lecture study guide questions, and example exam questions.
Chronic pancreatitis: classification, relationship to acute pancreatitis, and early diagnosis.

and eventual development of intraductal calculi in a high proportion of cases. Histologically, it is associated with perilobular fibrosis and acinar destruction with acute and chronic inflammatory cells.4 The most frequent cause of CCP is alcohol and tobacco use. Other forms include hereditary, tropical, and idiopathic chronic calcifying pancreatitis. The senile onset form of idiopathic CCP is often painless. 2. Obstructive chronic pancreatitis:5 This develops upstream from an area of ductal obstruction and is often due to tumor or postinflammatory (acute pancreatitis) pancreatic duct stricture. Persistent obstruction leads to pancreatic atrophy upstream from the area of ductal narrowing. Often painless, though it may occasionally present with clinically acute pancreatitis. Intraductal calculi are generally not seen. 3. Autoimmune chronic pancreatitis:6 A systemic fibroinflammatory disorder affecting the pancreas and other organs. It is also called lymphoplasmacytic sclerosing pancreatitis, based on its histologic features. The inflammatory component consists of a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate rich in IgG4-positive cells, which responds to steroid therapy. Intense fibrosis may lead to permanent structural damage and functional insufficiency. It is a relative painless disorder, and clinical acute pancreatitis is not a common presentation. Intraductal calculi are not common, but may develop in the late “burnt out” stage.
Deriving osmotic pressures of draw solutes used in osmotically driven membrane processes

Abstract In osmotically driven membrane processes (ODMPs), such as forward osmosis (FO), the concentration of the draw solute and the related osmotic pressure play a critical role in mass transport and overall process performance. Search of the literature reveals that the concentration units used to describe draw solutes vary and the methods for deriving osmotic pressure from those concentrations are often unclear or not discussed. This paper recommends the use of molality and identifies the benefit of experimentally determined van’t Hoff indices when calculating osmotic pressures.
Validation of a total testosterone assay using high-turbulence liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry: total and free testosterone reference ranges.

Abstract Accurate measurement of testosterone concentration is of critical importance when diagnosing and treating male hypogonadism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, premature or delayed puberty, and androgen excess in polycystic ovary syndrome or other virilizing conditions. However, some assays have inherent limitations and biases that affect measurement of low-testosterone values. Therefore, we developed a highly specific online mass spectrometry method. Sera were extracted online using high-turbulence flow liquid chromatography coupled to analytical HPLC and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HTLC–APCI-MS/MS). Analyte ions were monitored by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Total analysis time was 1.15 min per sample when using the multiplexing system. Testosterone concentrations were measured directly from 150 μL of serum or plasma without derivatization or liquid–liquid extraction. The lower limit of quantification was 0.3 ng/dL, and the assay was linear up to 2000 ng/dL. The method compared very well with an established RIA: y = 1.02 x + 1.5, r 2 = 0.994. Comparison with a platform immunoassay confirmed the previously reported ICMA positive bias at low concentrations. Male and female adult and pediatric reference ranges were developed for this very sensitive and accurate high-throughput LC–MS/MS method. This method is suitable for measuring the expected low-testosterone concentrations seen in women, children, and hypogonadal males and for monitoring testosterone suppressive therapy in prostate cancer patients.
Perspective: I believe what I remember, but it may not be true

A growing number of research findings have challenged the conception that memory for traumatic events is highly accurate or even indelible in nature. Research involving soldiers indicates that realistic levels of high stress decrease the accuracy of eyewitness memory. In addition, recent findings from several studies show quite clearly that memories for stressful events - including those from combat trauma - are malleable and vulnerable to alteration by exposure to misinformation. Under high stress, our brains facilitate the formation of "gist" memories that allow us to avoid future dangers but which may not contain the detail and precision demanded by the judicial system. Although mental health professionals ought to play a role in educating the courts about mental illness and trauma, it is unwise for them to become advocates for the idea that traumatic memories are indelible, factual accounts of events.
Epidemiology and management of hypertension in the hispanic population: A review of the available literature

Hispanics are the fastest growing ethnic minority in the USA. Among Hispanics, lack of hypertension awareness and lack of effective blood pressure (BP) control are problematic, as are higher incidence rates of hypertension-related co-morbidities compared with non-Hispanic populations. Moreover, there are currently no hypertension treatment guidelines that address the unique characteristics of this ethnic group. This article discusses ethnic differences in hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors and reviews the literature on the efficacy of antihypertensive agents in Hispanic patients, with a focus on the role of renin-angiotensinaldosterone system (RAAS) inhibition in the management of hypertension in these patients. Hypertension in Hispanic patients can be challenging to manage, in part because this population has a higher prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome compared with non-Hispanic whites. The presence of these comorbidities suggests that RAAS-inhibitor-based therapies may be particularly beneficial in this population. However, few studies have evaluated the efficacy of antihypertensive treatments in Hispanic patients. Two outcomes studies in hypertensive patients have shown the benefits of treating Hispanic patients with antihypertensive therapy and included RAAS inhibitors as part of the treatment regimen. In addition, BP-lowering trials have shown the antihypertensive efficacy of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, and direct renin inhibitors, although data on the latter are more limited. Additional studies are needed to more thoroughly evaluate the effects of RAAS inhibitors (and other drug classes) on outcomes and BP lowering in the Hispanic hypertensive population.
Transcriptional profiling develops molecular signatures for ovarian tumors

Of the cancers unique to women, ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate. Over 26,000 women are diagnosed with this disease in the U.S. annually, and 60% of those diagnosed will die of the disease. One of the greatest problems with this disease is the lack of strong early warning signs or symptoms resulting in advanced stage at presentation in most women, followed by the outgrowth of chemotherapy-resistant disease in the majority of patients. The 5-year survival for patients with early stage disease ranges from 50-90%, but it is less than 25% for advanced-stage disease. In collaboration with researchers at Millennium Predictive Medicine (Cambridge, MA), the Ovarian Cancer Program of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center analyzed gene expression in over 50 primary ovarian tumors, as compared with normal ovarian epithelial cells. The technologies utilized included microarray analysis with nitrocellulose filters containing 25,000 arrayed human cDNAs, as well as the construction of subtraction suppression hybridization cDNA libraries and their subsequent sequencing. Our specific focus has been on genes that are underexpressed during the development of ovarian cancer, although this analysis has revealed a large number of consistently up- and down-regulated genes. There were more down-regulated genes in ovarian tumors than up-regulated genes. In addition, the number of genes that had altered expression levels was quite large. For example, we found 409 genes down-regulated at least 5-fold, and 72 genes up-regulated at least 5-fold in 33% of the tumors analyzed. We also observed that most of the expression alterations observed in later stage (Stages III/IV) tumors were also observed in early-stage tumors (Stages I/II). This was corroborated using comparative genomic hybridization analysis on the same tumors that were expression profiled. This analysis revealed that the late-stage tumors had more gene amplification than early-stage tumors, but most regions of change (either increases or decreases) were in common between different stage tumors. We also have verified the altered expression levels of several of these genes using several complementary strategies. Finally, we are taking top candidate genes that are consistently under-expressed in ovarian tumors and attempting to determine their functional role in the development of ovarian cancer.
Fleeting glimpses of lipid rafts: how biophysics is being used to track them.

ABSTRACT Cell membranes are fluid but can exhibit local order that gives rise to lateral inhomogeneities, often referred to as membrane microdomains. Among the best studied yet least well understood of these microdomains are lipid rafts. Lipid rafts are hypothesized to participate in a variety of physiologic and pathologic pathways important to human health by causing the spatial segregation of proteins and lipids within the plane of the membrane. Despite the widespread implications of the raft model, major questions remain about raft size, composition, and life span. This article discusses how recent biophysical measurements of the dynamic properties of rafts and putative raft-associated proteins and lipids are being used to test the hypothesis that confinement of proteins in rafts slows and/or impairs their ability to sample their microenvironment by lateral diffusion.