cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Case of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Encephalopathy Presenting as Mania.

Abstract Mycoplasma pneumoniae is increasingly recognized as an etiology of upper respiratory tract infections; it is best known for causing an atypical pneumonia sometimes called “walking pneumonia”. Mycoplasma pneumoniae may be associated with a variety of other extra-pulmonary manifestations and multiple organ systems can be affected. 1 CNS complications are the most frequent extra-pulmonary manifestation 2 and are especially common in young adults. We present a case of a young woman presenting with psychiatric signs and symptoms mistakenly diagnosed with a primary psychiatric disorder, and subsequently found to have Mycoplasma pneumoniae encephalopathy.
Real-Time Visualization of a Focused Ultrasound Beam Using Ultrasonic Backscatter for Monitoring of Mechanical-Based Therapies

Mechanical-based focused ultrasound (FUS) therapies use mechanical interactions between an ultrasound wave and tissue to produce localized bioeffects. Although it is a promising therapeutic modality, mechanical-based FUS is limited due to a lack of cost-effective techniques to monitor the FUS beam in real-time during therapy. In this study, we present a technique for the real-time visualization of a FUS beam using ultrasonic backscatter, which could used for the qualitative monitoring of mechanical-based FUS therapies. A diagnostic imaging array was used to transmit a focused visualization pulse and the scattered signal was processed to reconstruct the intensity field of the FUS beam. The imaging array then captured a B-mode image that was registered with the beam reconstruction. The FUS beam reconstruction was superimposed onto the co-aligned B-mode image, allowing one to monitor the location of the FUS beam relative to anatomical information in the B-mode image. The effects of the echogenicity of the medium on the FUS beam reconstruction were reduced using an intensity mask derived from the B-mode image. FUS beam visualizations were demonstrated in a tissue-mimicking phantom and in vivo at a frame rate of 25–30 frames per second.
Experimental Investigations of Fire-Damaged RC Columns Retrofitted with CFRP or Steel Jackets

Due to the increasing number of high-rise buildings and long-span bridges, high strength concrete (HSC) has been widely used in the infrastructures. Therefore, HSC occupies the same large amount of share in the construction market as normal strength concrete (NSC). In general, fire-exposed reinforced concrete (RC) structure leads to serious structural problems due to the loss of strength and stiffness for both concrete and steel bars. Carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites (CFRP) and steel jacketing are two common methods applied to strengthen RC structure columns. Therefore, it is valued to investigate the structural behavior of fire exposed and retrofitted RC columns with CFRP and steel jackets. This paper presents the compressive behavior of RC columns exposed to ISO834 standard fire for 2 h, cooled by air and retrofitted with CFRP and steel jackets. Total 8 RC columns (\(\upphi\)300 × 1000 mm) with two different concrete strength, normal and high, were tested. Cross-sectional temperature distribution, load-deflection response were investigated in this studied. It was observed that, temperature gradient was developed in each specimen during fire exposure. HSC columns were more susceptible to spall off compared with NSC columns. CFRP and steel jacket can effectively improve the ultimate capacity and the stiffness for fire damaged RC columns. Repaired fire-damaged RC columns with removing loose concrete has large impact on the stiffness improvement for NSC columns.
Size-dependent steady creeping microfluid flow based on the boundary element method

Summary In order to investigate size-dependent creeping plane microfluidic flow, a boundary element method is implemented that involves the calculation of interior quantities and multi-domain problems. The governing equations are formulated using the skew-symmetric character of the couple-stress tensor and its energy conjugate mean-curvature tensor, as established in consistent couple stress theory. This theoretical formulation includes one characteristic material length scale parameter l that represents the size-dependency of the problem. Here, we present the boundary integral representation and numerical implementation for two-dimensional size-dependent steady state creeping incompressible flow, in which velocities, angular velocities, force- and couple-tractions are the primary variables. Beyond the previously known singular fundamental solution kernels for point force and point couple in the velocity and angular velocity integral equations, here we present the integral equations for calculating internal mean curvatures and couple-stresses, along with their corresponding kernels. The formulation is then applied to solve some computational problems both to investigate the size effects on the response resulting from the theory, and to validate the strength of the numerical method. For this purpose, we study the important effect of different boundary conditions on the flow pattern and consider a multi-fluid domain Couette flow problem.
“The secret knock”: a critical discourse analysis of how recruiters exercise power and privilege in admissions

This inquiry investigates how college recruiters’ understandings of diversity are represented and discussed in their work. Interwoven within this study is an examination of power through the lens o...
Working Towards a Positive Islamic Identity for Muslim American Women

This chapter examines the applicability of Pasha-Zaidi and Odeh’s (Positive psychology in the Middle East/North Africa (pp. 257–284), Springer, 2019) concept of a positive Islamic identity, or PII, to second-generation South Asian Muslim American women in their twenties. PII is a psychological model that allows for an inclusion of Islamic values as a part of an individual’s identity, potentially ultimately leading to positive wellbeing and development. While PII can certainly be a useful psychological and developmental concept for particular populations of Muslims, as the stories in this chapter show, it may be too limited in its scope and nuance to effectively provide a framework for the Muslim Americans in question. Specifically, because Muslim American women must navigate issues of gender and age (among others) in at least two cultural contexts—Muslim and American—not acknowledging the varied cultural weight of certain Islamic values based on these factors silences crucial parts of these women’s experiences. Consequently, rather than adhering to a universal model of PII, I propose different versions of PII be developed for Muslims embedded within different cultural contexts, simultaneously acknowledging the importance of individualized Muslim values but also the importance of non-Muslim cultural values to an individual’s development and wellbeing.
A novel decentralized model for storing and sharing neuroimaging data using ethereum blockchain and the interplanetary file system

Current methods to store and transfer medical neuroimaging data raise issues with security and transparency, and novel protocols are needed. Ethereum smart contracts present an encouraging new option. Ethereum is an open-source platform that allows users to construct smart contracts—self-executable packages of code that exist in the Ethereum state and allow transactions under programmed conditions. The present study developed a proof-of-concept smart contract that stores patient brain tumor data such as patient identifier, disease, grade, chemotherapy drugs, and Karnofsky score. The InterPlanetary file system was used to efficiently store the image files, and the corresponding content identifier hashes were stored within the smart contracts. Testing with a private, proof-of-authority network required only 889 MB of memory per insertion to insert 350 patient records, while retrieval required 910 MB. Inserting 350 patient records required 907 ms. The concept presented in this study exemplifies the use of smart contracts and off chain data storage for efficient retrieval/insertion of medical neuroimaging data.
Differences in Susceptibility to Phomopsis Blight of Seven Eggplant Cultivars with Different Fruit Types

Phomopsis blight caused by Diaporthe vexans is a serious disease on fall eggplant crops in the southeastern United States. The objective was to compare seven eggplant cultivars, representing seven ...
New Gorgons, Still Lives

Death assumes many faces in Macbeth, but the variety of corpses and ghosts which tyrannise the play’s protagonist signals problems larger than one man’s ruthlessness or paranoia. Contemporary ballads often feature similar ontological confusion about where and how life ends, sometimes imagining the dead with the same sense of their vital non-being, moral authority, cunning magic, and important place in the community. Like Macbeth, these ballads also powerfully theorise the way offical power reconfigures social space, reconstructing neighborhoods as places of surveillance and households as sites of neglect, streets as settings where poverty spreads, and families as traps where new life gets put out. In fastening their gaze upon dead bodies which subvert rot and defy decay, Macbeth and contemporary ballads picture the collective social body as something that sprawls and suffers and moves but does not grow, something that the state keeps alive but also near death.
Brain Biochemical Effects of Methylphenidate Treatment Using Proton Magnetic Spectroscopy in Youth with Attention‐Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Controlled Pilot Study

SUMMARY Introduction: This study conducted spectroscopic analyses using proton (1H) Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (at 4 Tesla) in a sample of adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), before and after treatment with extended release methylphenidate (OROS MPH), as compared to a sample of healthy comparators. Aims: The main aim of this study is to use 1H MRS to measure differences in brain biochemistry between adolescents with and without ADHD, and to assess changes in cerebral biochemistry, before and after stimulant treatment in ADHD youth. Results: Subjects with ADHD were medically healthy adolescents treated in an open label fashion with OROS MPH (mean dose: 54 mg/day; 0.90 mg/kg/day). Subjects with ADHD were scanned before and after OROS MPH treatment. Healthy comparators were scanned once. Magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy studies were performed on a 4.0 T Varian Unity/Inova MR scanner; proton spectra were acquired from the Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC). Data were analyzed using MANOVA and repeated measurement ANOVA. Higher metabolite ratios (Glutamate/myo-inositol, Glutamine/myo-inositol, Glutamate + Glutamine/myo-inositol) were observed in the ACC in untreated ADHD subjects as compared to controls, and to treated ADHD youth; these group differences did not reach the a priori threshold for statistical significance. Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest the presence of glutamatergic abnormalities in adolescents with ADHD, which may normalize with MPH treatment. Larger sample, controlled studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
Intravenous alimentation and insensible water loss in low-birth-weight infants.

Insensible water loss (IWL) was measured in six premature infants, between 4 and 21 days of age, by continuous weight monitoring on an electronic balance inside an incubator. Multiple measurements of IWL were made during the sequential infusion of 10% dextrose in 0.225% NaCl, 10% dextrose-amino acid solution, or 10% dextrose-amino acid and a commercial intravenous fat emulsion. Each solution was administered for three hours by constant infusion through a scalp vein needle. The order of the infusion was random and a 30- to 60-minute infusion with 5% dextrose water was given between each solution. During the infusion of 10% dextrose in 0.225% NaCl and 10% dextrose + amino acid solution, IWL was 1.0 +/- 0.8 gm/kg/hr and 1.1 +/- 0.8 gm/kg/hr, respectively. In contrast, IWL increased significantly to 1.6 +/- 0.7 gm/kg/hr when additional calories were given using the 10% dextrose-amino acid with the intravenous fat emulsion (P less than .005). There was a positive correlation between calorie intake and IWL. These data suggest that parenteral nutrition solutions with intravenous fat emulsion are rapidly metabolized and the increase in IWL is probably secondary to an increase in thermogenesis.
Abstract 11642: Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter is Associated With Progression of Subclinical Atherosclerosis: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Individual studies have suggested an association between exposure to fine particulate matter (PM with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5μm [PM2.5]) and atherosclerosis progression using carotid intimal medial thickness (CIMT), but their generalizability is limited. We therefore conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of available literature in order to investigate the association of PM2.5 and atherosclerosis as measured by CIMT across multiple studies. Hypothesis: PM2.5 exposure is associated with atherosclerosis progression by CIMT. Methods: We performed a comprehensive search for studies published up to 3/2014 (Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Environmental Index) that evaluated any association between exposure to PM 2.5 and change in CIMT. Studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria. 5 authors reviewed eligible manuscripts and 2 authors independently extracted the data. We estimated the mean change in CIMT per 10μg/m2 increase in PM 2.5. Using random effects models, pooled...
LipidMiner: a software for automated identification and quantification of lipids from multiple liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry data files.

We have developed a tool for automated, high-throughput analysis of LC-MS/MS data files, which greatly simplifies LC-MS based lipidomics analysis. Our results showed that LipidMiner is accurate and comprehensive in identification and quantification of lipid molecular species. In addition, the workflow implemented in LipidMiner is not limited to identification and quantification of lipids. If a suitable metabolite library is implemented in the library matching module, LipidMiner could be reconfigured as a tool for general metabolomics data analysis. It is of note that LipidMiner currently is limited to singly charged ions, although it is adequate for the purpose of lipidomics since lipids are rarely multiply charged,[14] even for the polyphosphoinositides. LipidMiner also only processes file formats generated from mass spectrometers from Thermo, i.e. the .RAW format. In the future, we are planning to accommodate file formats generated by mass spectrometers from other predominant instrument vendors to make this tool more universal.
Unusual presentation of a Mullerian remnant in an infant with recurrent epididymo-orchitis.

Mullerian duct remnants result from incomplete regression, a defect that occurs during sexual differentiation. Ninety percent of patients with Mullerian remnants also have an associated disorder of sexual differentiation such as hypospadias. Presenting signs and symptoms are recurrent bladder infection, perineal pain, dysuria, or infertility. The purpose of this case report is to recount an unusual presentation of a Mullerian duct remnant with recurrent epididymo-orchitis and to discuss the embryology, diagnosis, and management of this condition.
Analysis of EEG changes with carotid clamping by selective analog filtering, matched inverse digital filtering and automatic adaptive segmentation: A comparative study☆

Abstract A comparative evaluation was made of 3 methods for possible use in a system for automatic evaluation and signaling of significant EEG changes associated with carotid clamping. The methods were: (1) selective analog filtering in two frequency bands (‘fast’ — 4–20 c/sec; and ‘slow’ — 0.8–1.0 c/sec); (2) inverse digital filtering, a computer-based method in which a filter is formed from a pre-clamping EEG baseline such that only frequency components different from the baseline components appear in the filter output; and (3) automatic adaptive segmentation, a computer-based method of detecting and signaling EEG changes by comparison of the autocorrelogram of a pre-clamping reference sample with that from an equal-duration sample ‘seen’ through a progressively moving window in the post-clamping period. For the analyses, portions of ink-recorded monitoring EEGs previously interpreted as showing changes consequent to carotid clamping were transferred to a cassette tape recorder system by means of a multichannel photo-optical scanning system. Of the 3 methods, automatic adaptive segmentation was clearly the best. For selective analog filtering, the thresholds for a significant change were difficult to set. Inverse digital filtering was unsatisfactory because of its insensitivity to changes in the amplitude frequency components already present, although new frequency components could be detected. An incidental finding was that a slow-speed write-out of the analog filter outputs provided a good visual indication of EEG changes.
Radial deformation of carbon nanotubes by van der Waals forces

THE discovery of carbon nanotubes1,2 has stimulated many theoretical studies of their physical properties3–12, and their bulk synthesis13 should soon make possible experimental measurements of these properties14. All studies so far have assumed that the nanotubes have perfect cylindrical symmetry. Here we show that van der Waals forces between adjacent nanotubes can deform them substantially, destroying this cylindrical symmetry. We present transmission electron microscopy images of two adjacent aligned tubes, about 100 A in diameter, which show flattening of the tubes along the contact region. Calculations on two-layer nested nanotubes indicate that these deformations can be explained on the basis of van der Waals interactions. We predict that these effects should be observable at least for tubes as small as 20 A in diameter, and suggest that they may have a significant influence on the tubes' physical properties.
Solubility of Anthracene in Multicomponent Solvent Mixtures Containing Propanol, Butanol, and Alkanes

Experimental solubilities are reported for anthracene dissolved in ternary solvent mixtures 1-propanol + 2-propanol + cyclohexane and 1-butanol + 2-butanol + cyclohexane, for anthracene dissolved in the heptanary solvent mixture 1-propanol + 2-propanol + 1-butanol + 2-butanol + cyclohexane + heptane + 2,2,4-trimethylpentane, and for anthracene dissolved in binary solvent heptane + 2,2,4-trimethylpentane at 298.15 K. For the two ternary solvent systems anthracene mole fraction solubilities are reported at 19 different ternary compositions spanning the entire mole fraction range. In the case of heptanary solvent system, solubility data was measured at eight solvent compositions. Results of these measurements are used to test the predictive ability of the combined nearly ideal multiple solvent (NIMS)/Redlich−Kister and combined NIMS/BAB equations. Computations showed that both solution models provided reasonably accurate predictions for how the mole fraction solubility varied with solvent compositions. Devia...
Classification of temporal sequences via prediction using the simple recurrent neural network

Abstract An approach to classify temporal sequences using the simple recurrent neural network (SRNN) is developed in this paper. A classification problem is formulated as a component prediction problem and two training methods are described to train a single SRNN to predict the components of temporal sequences belonging to multiple classes. Issues related to the selection of the dimension of the context vector and the influence of the context vector on classification are identified and investigated. The use of a different initial context vector for each class is proposed as a means to improve classification and a classification rule which incorporates the different initial context vectors is formulated. A systematic method in which the SRNN is trained with noisy exemplars is developed to enhance the classification performance of the network. A 4-class localized object classification problem is selected to demonstrate that (a) a single SRNN can be trained to classify real multi-class sequences via component prediction, (b) the classification accuracy can be improved by using a distinguishing initial context vector for each class, and (c) the classification accuracy of the SRNN can be improved significantly by using the distinguishing initial context vector in conjunction with the systematic re-training method. It is concluded that, through the approach developed in this paper, the SRNN can robustly classify temporal sequences which may have an unequal number of components.
A note on central limit theorems for lattice models

Abstract An attempt is made to extend the m-dependence concept to two-dimensional lattice processes. A central limit theorem for the stationary (m 1 , m 2 ) -dependent processes is derived. The proof of the weighted central limit theorem for (m 1 , m 2 ) -dependent process is also given. Some simulation results are presented.
Enhancing relationships among dental team members: The application of research on marital interaction

ABSTRACT Background Despite some important differences, relationships among dental team members bear striking similarities to marital relationships. Empirical research on marital interaction can be useful in enhancing relationships among dental team members. Conclusions As with marriage, it is unrealistic to expect that conflict and differences of opinion will never occur among dental team members. However, a set of principles derived from extensive, empirical, behavioral science research on marital interaction can provide dental teams with strategies for strengthening working relationships and managing conflict. Practice Implications Benefits of using these principles may include a reduction in employee turnover, improvements in efficiency and productivity, and the creation of an environment that helps attract and retain patients.
Hierarchical clustering techniques for image database organization and summarization

This paper investigates clustering techniques as a method of organizing image databases to support popular visual management functions such as searching, browsing and navigation. Different types of hierarchical agglomerative clustering techniques are studied as a method of organizing features space as well as summarizing image groups by the selection of a few appropriate representatives. Retrieval performance using both single and multiple level hierarchies are experimented with and the algorithms show an interesting relationship between the top k correct retrievals and the number of comparisons required. Some arguments are given to support the use of such cluster-based techniques for managing distributed image databases.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Revalidation Program for Nuclear Standby Diesel Generators

This paper describes the program which Duke Power Company carried out to revalidate the diesel engines used in diesel generators for nuclear standby service at Unit 1 of the Catawba Nuclear Station. This program included: (1) Performance of extended operation tests to accumulate about 10 million stress cycles on parts (2) Thorough extensive engine disassemblies and inspections. (3) Participation in the TDI diesel Owners Group (4) Completion of regulatory requirements (5) Completion of enhanced Return to Service Tests The diesels operated satisfactorily during the tests, and only relatively minor conditions were noted during the test and inspections, with one exception. This exception was that cracks were detected in the piston skirts. The piston skirts have been replaced with improved design skirts. The diesels have been fully revalidated for their intended service, and have been declared operable.
Why is long-term therapy required to cure tuberculosis?

The authors argue that understanding and countering general bacterial mechanisms of phenotypic antibiotic resistance may hold the key to reducing the duration of treatment of all recalcitrant bacterial infections, including tuberculosis.
Segregation of membrane components using isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gels.

Abstract A method for efficiently fractionating human erythrocyte membranes into their individual components is presented. This procedure employs isoelectric focusing in polyacrylamide gels after solubilization of the membranes in 8M urea, 0.02M EDTA, 0.2% 2-Me. Electrofocusing of membranes affords higher resolution than previous membrane separation procedures. Also, this method is rapid, requiring 72 hours at most to separate, stain and destain the membrane components in the polyacrylamide gels.
Angiotensin Receptor Blocker and Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blocker Combinations: An Emerging Strategy in Hypertension Therapy

Hypertension is a leading contributor to the burden of cardiovascular disease. The importance of lowering blood pressure (BP) to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events has been demonstrated in numerous clinical trials. Most patients require combination antihypertensive therapy utilizing agents from complementary drug classes to achieve BP goals. A calcium channel blocker (CCB)/angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) combination is a rational approach for such an antihypertensive strategy. Benefits of CCB/ARB combination therapy include additive BP-lowering effects and lower incidences of adverse events (AEs). These agents demonstrate benefits associated with their respective drug classes. The ARBs confer stroke protection, renal protection, and tolerability similar to placebo, without dose-related symptomatic and metabolic AEs, while CCBs are beneficial in reducing stroke and treating angina and cardiac ischemia. The efficacy of this combination has been recently investigated in clinical trials wherein amlodipine was combined with olmesartan medoxomil or valsartan. This article discusses the rationale for using CCB/ARB combinations in patients with hypertension.
Biochemical changes in the oviduct of the snake Snake natrix sipedon pictiventris

Abstract 1. 1. Alkaline phosphatase, β-glucuronidase and glycogen were measured in teh oviduct tissues of adult female Natrix sipedon pictiventris throughout the reproductive cycle. 2. 2, Significant changes in all three components occurred which could be correlated with ovarian and oviduct growth. 3. 3. The results are discussed in relation to possible ovarian influences on the oviduct.
Four-channel direct-bit detection receiver for 2-FSK/8-PSK modulated signals

A simple four channel receiver for 2- FSK/8-PSK modulated signals is proposed and its performance evaluated. Using Gray-Code mapping and direct detection of individual bits, the overall receiver performance in terms of bit error rate (BER), is evaluated as a function of Eb/N0 and a variable phase parameter α, under an assumed additive white Gaussian noise interference model. The variable phase parameter can be adjusted according to the intended application, as three out of four bits that constitute a symbol have individual error rates that depend on the value of α as well as Eb/N0. Angle settings for the minimisation of the overall BER can be obtained for different values of Eb/N0. This represents a slight system disadvantage, but it is partly offset by the simplicity with which the receiver is able to deliver deinterleaved data to the intended users, by performing summing and squaring operations on the correlator outputs prior to binary comparisons against zero thresholds. The performance of this scheme can be shown to be superior to equivalent schemes such as 16-PSK and 16-QAM with a small loss in bandwidth efficiency, yet inferior to orthogonal signalling schemes such as 16-FSK, albeit without the corresponding bandwidth utilisation penalties of this latter scheme.
Predicting patterns of prey use from morphology of fishes

Ecomorphological analyses that search for patterns of association between morphological and prey-use data sets will have a greater chance of understanding the causal relationships between form and diet if the morphological variables used have known consequences for feeding performance. We explore the utility of fish body size, mouth gape and jaw-lever mechanics in predicting patterns of prey use in two very different communities of fishes, Caribbean coral reef fishes, and species of the Centrarchidae that live in Lake Opinicon, Ontario. In spite of major differences in the spectrum of potential prey available, the centrarchids of Lake Opinicon show dietary transitions during ontogeny that are very similar to those seen among and within species of Caribbean groupers (Serranidae). The transition from small zooplankton to intermediate sized invertebrates and ultimately to fishes appears to be very general in ram-suction feeding fishes and is probably driven largely by the constraints of mouth size on prey capture ability. The jaw-lever systems for mouth opening and closing represent direct trade-offs for speed and force of jaw movement. The ratio of in-lever to out-lever in the opening system changes during ontogeny in bluegill, indicating that the mechanics and kinematics of jaw movement may change as well. Among 34 species of Caribbean reef fishes, biting species had jaw-closing ratios that favored force translation, while species that employ rapid-strike ram-suction had closing ratios that enhanced speed of closing and mouth opening ratios that favored a more rapid expansion of the mouth during the strike. We suggest that when prey are categorized into functional groups, reflecting the specific performance features that are important in capturing and handling them, and the differences among habitats in the available prey resource are taken into account, general patterns can be found in morphology-diet relations that cross phylogenetic boundaries.
Important Factors in Reliable Determination of Hepatitis C Virus Genotype by Use of the 5′ Untranslated Region

Accurate genotyping of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is important for determining the optimal regimen, dose, and duration of antiviral therapy for chronic HCV infection, as well as for estimating the response rate. The 5' untranslated region (UTR) of HCV RNA is used in commercial genotyping, but the probes and the lengths of the amplicons are proprietary and vary among the assays. In this study, factors involved in the reliable determination of HCV genotypes utilizing the 5' UTR were evaluated. Serum samples from four subjects with chronic HCV infection and disparate results on commercial genotyping and four controls were analyzed. HCV RNA was extracted from serum samples, and the 5' UTR and NS5B region were sequenced. Ten clones from each region were compared to prototype sequences and analyzed for genotype assignment using five programs. The results were compared to those from commercial assays. 5' UTR sequences were sequentially shortened from either the 5' end, the 3' end, or both ends, with genotyping of the resultant fragments. Sequences were obtained for the 5' UTR in all eight subjects and for the NS5B region in five subjects. The genotype assignments were identical between the two regions in the five subjects with complete sequencing. Genotyping by sequencing gave different results than those from the commercial assays in the four experimental samples but agreed in the four controls. Shortening of the sequences affected the results, and the results for sequences of <200 bases were inaccurate. Neither the Hamming distance nor the quasispecies affected the results. Sequencing of the HCV 5' UTR provided reliable genotyping results and resolved discrepancies identified in commercial assays, but genotyping by sequencing was highly dependent upon sequence length.
Column-to-row operations on partitions: Garden of Eden partitions

Conjugation and the Bulgarian solitaire move are the extreme cases of general column-to-row operations on integer partitions. Each operation generates a state diagram on the partitions of n. Garden of Eden states are those with no preimage under the operation in question. In this note, we determine the number of Garden of Eden partitions for all n and column-to-row operations.
Post-earthquake modelling of transportation networks

Transportation networks are critical civil infrastructures susceptible to natural hazards such as earthquakes. It is essential to understand and model the travel demand in emergency situation when considering measures to secure traffic function immediately after the earthquake and to restore the performance of transportation networks. Post-earthquake travel demand is complicated, and the changes of traffic pattern after the event are often coupled with the physical damage of transportation infrastructures. This study develops a scenario-based methodology to model the performance of post-earthquake transportation systems by extending the combined trip distribution and assignment model. Several general assumptions are made on post-earthquake travel behaviour and emergency traffic management measures. The proposed methodology is demonstrated with the Sioux-Falls road network and results are presented. The findings suggest that such scenario-based integrated methodology can capture the post-earthquake travel ...
Numerical modeling of laser shock peening with femtosecond laser pulses and comparisons to experiments

Abstract A physics-based model has been developed for laser shock peening (LSP) with femtosecond (fs) laser pulses (fs-LSP), which has never been reported in literature to the authors’ best knowledge. The model is tested by comparing simulations with measured plume/shock wave front transient propagations and the LSP-induced hardness enhancement layer thickness. Reasonably good agreements have been obtained. The model shows that fs-LSP can produce much higher pressure than LSP with nanosecond (ns) laser pulses (ns-LSP), and it can also generate very large compressive residual stress in the workpiece near-surface layer with a thickness up to ∼100 μm. The developed model provides a powerful guiding tool for the fundamental study and the practical applications of fs-LSP. This study, together with the recently reported work by Nakano et al. [Journal of Laser Micro/Nanoengineering 4(1) (2009) 35–38], has confirmed the feasibility of fs-LSP on both theoretical and experimental sides.
Scheduling an active camera to observe people

Remote identification of people is an important capability for security systems. Automatically controlling a pan-tilt-zoom camera is an effective way to collect high resolution video or images of people in an unconstrained environment. Often there will be more people in an area than cameras available. The cameras must then divide their time among the people in order to view everyone. In this paper, we discuss the challenges involved in scheduling an active camera to observe multiple people. We present some candidate scheduling policies to address these challenges and evaluate their performance. The evaluation was conducted with a simulation based on data collected with our cooperative active camera system.
MO-E-330D-03: Clinical Perspective; Impact of Future Technology Developments; Cardiac CT; Challenges

Computed tomography is not the most frequent radiologic imaging procedure, but is arguably the most important in terms of clinical impact. CT is used extensively for emergencies, cardiovascular, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, endocrine, neurological, orthopedic and other applications ‐ often as the first and only imaging procedure needed for diagnosis. The chances are very high that a patient will have a CT scan in the emergency department, as an outpatient or as an inpatient for a multitude of indications ‐ pain, trauma, suspected infection or malignancy, and frequently to clarify or resolve a question raised by another abnormal test, such as an EKG abnormality or ultrasound finding. Despite the universality of CT in hospitals and clinics as well as free‐standing imaging centers, the technology continues to evolve with greater coverage, faster acquisition and multienergy sources or detectors. The most demanding imaging applications are cardiovascular, where complex motion and small morphologic features coexist, so imaging methods that are very satisfactory elsewhere in the body may not be successful. Clinical cardiacCT consists of administering toxic materials, e.g., contrast media, while monitoring the EKG and illuminating the body with high brightness x‐rays. Larger area detectors and higher frame acquisition rates are welcome improvements, but don't solve all of the problems encountered with variability due to respiratory, random body, and cardiac motion, especially in a spectrum of patients from infant to massively obese adult sizes (< 1 kg to 250 kg or more). The challenges and pitfalls in CT will be delineated and evaluated relative to current and future technology.
Contributions of subtype and spectral frequency analyses to the study of P50 ERP amplitude and suppression in schizophrenia

Abstract Background Poor suppression of P50 event-related potential (ERP) amplitudes to paired-click stimuli may indicate genetic liability for schizophrenia and weak “sensory gating.” Evidence suggests, however, that P50 amplitude is selectively impaired in nonparanoid, but not paranoid, schizophrenia subtypes. Furthermore, paired-click suppression can appear deficient in schizophrenia due to smaller evoked responses to the first stimulus (S1), rather than larger, less effectively “gated” responses to the second (S2). Finally, the P50 ERP is comprised of activity from at least two frequency components that may be distinctly impaired: the gamma band, associated with sensory registration, and the low frequency response, associated with attention/encoding processes. P50 and related frequency subcomponents were examined as a function of illness subtype to further integrate these concepts. Method The standard paired-click paradigm was administered to 38 schizophrenia (27 paranoid, 11 nonparanoid) and 38 age-matched healthy control participants. P50 amplitudes and spectral power of gamma band (GBR; 20–50 Hz) and low frequency (LFR; 1–20 Hz) responses were analyzed. Results P50 analyses revealed smaller S1 amplitude and normal S2 in schizophrenia participants collectively, but no differentiation of schizophrenia subtypes. Spectral analyses revealed smaller magnitude S1 and normal S2 responses in schizophrenia across both the GBR and LFR. The LFR, but not GBR, was found to distinguish nonparanoid from control groups, while paranoid participants evidenced no impairment in either frequency domain. LFR amplitude values correlated with clinical ratings of cognitive symptomatology. Conclusions ERP deficits in the dual-click paradigm were specific to S1 amplitudes and most prominent in the low frequency response. These results replicate previous findings and extend their relevance to schizophrenia subtype distinctions. Implications for the recurrent inhibition model of sensory gating are discussed.
Ventricular fibrillation resulting from synchronized internal atrial defibrillation in a patient with ventricular preexcitation.

VF After Synchronized Internal Atrial Defibrillation. This case describes ventricular proarrhythmia as a result of a synchronized internal atrial defibrillation shock in a 29-year-old man with Ebstein's anomaly referred for radiofrequency ablation of a right posterior accessory pathway. During the electrophysiologic study, atrial fibrillation was induced and 3/3 msec shocks of various strengths were delivered between two decapolar defibrillation catheters in the coronary sinus and right atrial appendage. A 2.0-J biphasic shock synchronized to an R wave after a short-long-short ventricular cycle length pattern with a preshock coupling interval of 245 msec induced ventricular fibrillation, which was externally defibrillated with 200 J. This observation has implications for the development of implantable atrial defibrillators.
Analysis of fatigue crack growth behavior in polymers using the unified approach

Abstract The unified approach for fatigue damage developed by the authors is applied for the analysis of fatigue crack growth in polymers. According to this approach, fatigue requires two load parameters and correspondingly there are two thresholds that must be met simultaneously for a crack to grow. The thresholds manifest in terms of stress intensity range, Δ K and maximum stress intensity, K max . The K max -threshold is normally greater than the Δ K -threshold. It is shown that fatigue crack growth behavior of a polymeric material is analogous to that of any metal or alloy. Typical L-shaped type of curves in the Δ K – K max plots can be seen, defining the two limiting values for each crack growth rate. The variation of these two limiting values provides a trajectory map that reflects the changing crack growth mechanisms involved. In polymers depending on molecular weight and processing conditions, creep crack growth can superimpose on fatigue crack growth. The unified approach shows clearly the degree of such superpositions and how it varies with processing conditions. Understanding of these changing mechanisms is important for development of any reliable fatigue life prediction model.
A neutron spectrometer for neutrons with energies between 1 eV and 10 keV

Abstract Epithermal neutrons with energies between 1 eV and 10 keV are of great interest in neutron capture therapy for treating deep-seated tumors. A new type of neutron spectrometer has been developed to measure neutron spectra in this energy range. Conceptually, this new spectrometer is similar to the Bonner Sphere spectrometry system, in that it has a set of response functions which peak at various positions on the logarithmic energy scale. Therefore, by collecting a set of count rates, one can unfold the neutron spectrum. The performance of the spectrometer was tested in an experiment, and the associated unfolding technique was tested numerically. The results were satisfactory.
Nuclear activities of human fetal brain cells in tissue cultures

Abstract 1. 1. Nuclear material is poured out directly into the cytoplasm in masses and also through long narrow channels between the cytoplasmic granules. 2. 2. Nuclear material is also given off in the form of small globules. 3. 3. The nuclei form buds of different sizes, much larger than the globules, which are pinched off into the cytoplasm. 4. 4. Cells are found with from 2 to 7 nuclei which are often of different sizes. 5. 5. Nuclei in the same cell are usually of equal density and in the same physiological condition as shown by their staining reaction. 6. 6. Mitosis was seen in small cells of the brain, probably glia cells. 7. 7. Mitosis were not seen in large neurons which form many processes and move slowly. The processes are not readily drawn into the cell body, usually a precursor of mitosis in other kinds of cells.
HMO Market Penetration and Hospital Cost Inflation in California

Objective. —Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) have stimulated price competition in California hospital markets since 1983, when the state legislature eliminated barriers to selective contracting by conventional health insurance plans. This study measures the impact of HMO-induced price competition on the rate of inflation in average cost per admission for 298 private, non-HMO hospitals between 1982 and 1988. Data. —HMO market penetration was calculated using discharge abstract data on insurance coverage, ZIP code of residence, and hospital of choice for 3.35 million patients in 1983 and 3.41 million patients in 1988. Data on hospital characteristics were obtained from the American Hospital Association and other sources. Results. —HMO coverage grew from an average of 8.3% of all admissions in local hospital markets in 1983 to 17.0% of all admissions in 1988. The average rate of growth in costs per admission between 1982 and 1988 was 9.4% lower in markets with relatively high HMO penetration compared with markets with relatively low HMO penetration (95% confidence interval, 5.2 to 13.8). Cost savings for these 298 hospitals are estimated at $1.04 billion for 1988. Conclusion. —Price competition between HMOs and conventional health insurers can significantly reduce hospital cost inflation if legislative barriers to selective contracting are removed. The impact of competition in California was modest, however, when evaluated in terms of the 74.5% average rate of California hospital cost inflation during these years. ( JAMA . 1991;266:2719-2723)
Significant measurements for determining the stability of high-temperature magnet-wire insulation

Test methods for evaluating the stability of high-temperature magnet-wire insulation are described. Reduction in dielectric strength during uninterrupted exposure to high temperature is used to define the insulation life which would be obtained with comparatively ideal operating conditions. Moisture resistance, as measured by power factor after humidification, is proposed as a criterion for determining the ability of a material to withstand such adverse operating hazards as moisture absorption or mechanical shock. Results have been obtained which indicate that deterioration rates, calculated from measured reduction in dielectric properties at high temperatures, may be experimentally verified at lower temperatures. When this is true, justification is provided for the extrapolation of data to lower, operating temperatures. Conversely, the absence of similar aging trends at different, accelerated temperatures should serve notice that care must be taken in the extrapolation of data to low temperatures.
Sensitivity reductions in false recognition: a measure of false memories with stronger theoretical implications.

Signal detection analyses of recognition memory indicate that a bias to respond "old" is large for critical words that are centrally related with previously encoded word lists, is small for words that are less related, and is not observed for unrelated words. Also, recognition sensitivity has not been previously shown to differ between those conditions, which has focused debate over how to explain false recognition on the bias differences. In 3 experiments, critical-word sensitivity was lower than sensitivity for other word types, but related-word sensitivity was not lower than sensitivity for unrelated words. Extant models that predict reduced critical-word sensitivity also predict lower sensitivity for related words than for unrelated words. These results provide crucial new constraints on theoretical explanations of false memories.
Communication as Adaptation

Each and every act of communication between human beings can be considered as an adaptive process analogous to biological evolution. The act of communication, both verbal and non-verbal, represents our best attempt to adapt to the specific situation. This communication adaptation made in responye to environmental events affects that same environment which in turn affects again the communicator. This paper is concerned with communication as both a process and an outcome. It is based on the assumption that, like evolution, Communication is never complete. Behavioral acts of communication such as words and gestures once emitted cannot be revoked. Typically, we note and respond to this static aspect of communication and ignore equally important process dimensions. A process approach to communication implies recognition that communication acts are at best approximations of the reality of experience which occurs in and between individuals. The major thesis of this gaper is that, just as in evolutionary biology, there is no foreseeable end-point in communication. The propensity to treat communicative acts as ends, omitting the fact they are also processes, may be a major barrier to man's ability to communicate with his fellows.