cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stable neural control of uncertain multivariable systems

Tracking control of a class of non-linear, uncertain, multi-input, multiple-output systems is addressed in this paper. The control system architecture uses neural networks for function approximation, certainty equivalent control inputs to cancel plant dynamics and smoothed sliding mode control to insure that the trajectories remain bounded. Lyapunov analysis is used to derive equations for the sliding mode control, neural network training, and to show uniform ultimate boundedness of the closed-loop system. Stability analysis results are shown for single-input single-output and two-input two-output systems. Results are then extended to the more general multiple-input multiple-output case where the number of inputs is equal to the number of outputs. Simple simulation examples are used to illustrate control system performance. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determining the constant thermal conductivities of orthotropic materials by inverse analysis

Abstract An inverse analysis is applied to estimate simultaneously the constant thermal conductivity coefficients for orthotropic materials by using both the conjugate gradient and Levenberg—Marquardt methods. Simulated measured input temperature data are generated by adding errors to the exact temperatures.
Sarcosine oxidase activity of rat liver tissue: Effect of folic acid deficiency and induced hyperthyroidism

Abstract The sarcosine oxidase content of hepatic tissue from rats made deficient in folic acid was similar to that of normal rats. This is taken as evidence that sarcosine oxidase activity is not dependent upon the presence of folic acid vitamins. The liver sarcosine content of vitamin B12-deficient rats was decreased below normal values. Since B12 supplementation did not increase the enzyme activity, it could not be ascertained whether the loss in enzyme activity was primarily due to a B12 deficiency or whether it was the result of other conditions imposed by a hyperthyroid state.
A Revised Neutral Gas Shielding Model for Pellet-Plasma Interactions

A revised neutral molecule ablation model is derived to describe the evaporation of a solid hydrogen pellet in a tokamak plasma. The approach taken is based on the theory of Parks, Turnbull, and Foster who postulate that a cloud of molecular hydrogen surrounding the pellet shields the surface from incoming energetic electrons and, in so doing, regulates the evaporation rate. This treatment differs from the earlier model in that the hydrodynamic behavior of the molecular cloud is analyzed without invoking the assumption that the flow of material away from the surface is sonic everywhere. Numerical solutions of the fluid dynamic equations, which include the effects of strong electron heating locally in the gas, reveal that the flow of material away from the pellet is initially retarded relative to the solution of Parks et al., and then rapidly accelerated and rarified. This behavior is more pronounced for higher temperature plasmas and the net effect is that pellet life times might be prolonged slightly at the higher temperatures over those predicted by the approximate sonic flow model. A simple injection depth scaling law is derived and estimates of pellet fueling velocity requirements are made for several tokamaks.
Interdisciplinary faculty-faculty collaborations for the development of learning technologies

Given the ever-increasing use of technology in the teaching of various disciplines, one question that arises is who will develop and make technological teaching tools available to educators? In this paper we make the case for a model where non-computer science faculty provide project ideas to software engineering students and spend time in the role of "customers." In return, faculty members receive tailor-made software products that can be used to enhance teaching effectiveness and to engage students in active learning. Software engineering students benefit by having customers to interact with, a real project to exercise their skills on, and they also gain exposure to the types of software being used in the teaching of various disciplines. We present two case studies in which students enrolled in a semester-long software engineering course collaborated with faculty from the Department of Biomedicai Sciences or the Department of Biological Sciences to develop software that is being used by faculty to enhance learning experiences of medical students and undergraduate biology majors.
The AhpC and AhpD antioxidant defense system of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

The peroxiredoxin AhpC from Mycobacterium tuberculosis has been expressed, purified, and characterized. It differs from other well characterized AhpC proteins in that it has three rather than one or two cysteine residues. Mutagenesis studies show that all three cysteine residues are important for catalytic activity. Analysis of the M. tuberculosis genome identified a second protein, AhpD, which has no sequence identity with AhpC but is under the control of the same promoter. This protein has also been cloned, expressed, purified, and characterized. AhpD, which has only been identified in the genomes of mycobacteria and Streptomyces viridosporus, is shown here to also be an alkylhydroperoxidase. The endogenous electron donor for catalytic turnover of the two proteins is not known, but both can be turned over with AhpF fromSalmonella typhimurium or, particularly in the case of AhpC, with dithiothreitol. AhpC and AhpD reduce alkylhydroperoxides more effectively than H2O2 but do not appear to interact with each other. These two proteins appear to be critical elements of the antioxidant defense system of M. tuberculosis and may be suitable targets for the development of novel anti-tuberculosis strategies.
Would Hedge Fund Investors Benefit From Paying Operating Expenses

The standard hedge fund contract calls for the manager to pay all the expenses, an arrangement that may hurt investors. A profit-maximizing manager would not make some expenditures that might increase total returns, as the manager pays all the costs and gets only some of the benefit. The manager will outsource with prime brokers or accountants even if those services could be provided more efficiently internally. An inefficient risk-sharing creates incentives for the manager to make the wrong investments from the viewpoint of the investors.
Increased 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanosine in Kidney and Liver of Rats Continuously Exposed to Copper

Copper is a ubiquitous metal in the environment, it is a component of dental casting gold alloys and dental amalgams, and it is a main component in some intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs). Since copper materials implanted in the human body corrode and release ions into the surrounding tissue, the potential toxicity caused by contact of this metal with bodily fluids needs to be evaluated. We implanted male Wistar rats with osmotic mini pumps that continuously administered saline, CuCl2, or a copper chelate, cupric nitrilotriacetate (Cu-NTA), at a rate of 4 mg copper/kg body wt/day. This experimental design maintained serum copper concentrations at a level 30-70% (CuCl2) or 100-120% (Cu-NTA) higher than in untreated controls. At different times postimplantation, we measured the levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in DNA of kidney, liver, and tissue surrounding the pump implant, since production of 8-OHdG has been associated with mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. Hepatic and renal levels of 8-OHdG in CuCl2- or Cu-NTA-treated animals were significantly higher than in control animals. In contrast, histopathologic changes in kidneys and livers of rats exposed to CuCl2 and Cu-NTA were limited to mild changes involving hepatic focal necrosis and slightly increased mitotic activity in the renal proximal tubules. These observations suggest that levels of 8-OHdG could be an early marker of copper toxicity. It is unlikely that the high levels of copper at which we observed DNA modification will be encountered after occupational or environmental exposure. A different situation could be found around medical devices that include copper, particularly IUDs, where the amount of copper administered in our experiments could be released in the uterus of women after a few months of continued IUD use.
Solution and bulk properties of branched polyvinyl acetates IV—Melt viscosity

Abstract The melt viscosities of some randomly branched and some comb shaped branched polyvinyl acetate fractions were compared to the viscosities of linear polymer over a range of molecular weights. The melt viscosity of the branched polymer was usually higher than that of linear polymer of the same weight average molecular weight. The extent of this increase was related to the molecular weight of the branches but no correlation could be found which included the number of branches per molecule. This unusual behaviour is believed to be due to the fact that the length of the branches in the polymers of this study was above the critical chain length for polyvinyl acetate which made it possible for the branches to be engaged in intermolecular chain entanglements.
Terahertz absorption by electrons and confined acoustic phonons in free-standing quantum wells

The acoustic phonon confinement in a free-standing quantum well (FSQW) results in an acoustic phonon energy quantization. Typical quantization energies are in the terahertz frequency range. Free electrons may absorb electromagnetic waves in this frequency range if they emit or absorb acoustic phonons. Therefore, the terahertz absorption reveals the characteristic features of the acoustic phonon spectrum in free-standing structures. We have calculated the absorption coefficient of an electromagnetic wave by free electrons in a FSQW in the terahertz frequency range. We took into account a time dependent electric field, an exact form of the acoustic phonon spectrum and eigenmodes, and electron interactions with confined acoustic phonons through the deformation potential. We demonstrate numerical results for GaAs FSQW of width 100 A at low lattice temperatures in the frequency range 0.1-1 THz. The absorption coefficient exhibits several structures at frequencies corresponding to the lowest acoustic phonon modes. These features occur due to absorption of photons by electrons, which is accompanied by the emission of corresponding acoustic phonons.
Evaluation of a forward-sloping chair.

Abstract A methodology of chair evaluation developed earlier was applied to a novel, forward-sloping chair. Two groups of six subjects each were trained to use the chair and then given an evaluation session of 2 1 2 h . The chair elicited mixed responses, with complaints of leg discomfort from terminal users and of entry and egress from typists. Overall, the chair was no better than conventional chairs and could be worse than well-designed conventional office chairs.
Phase-space representation of amplitude-squared squeezing

Phase-space pictures have proven to be useful in analyzing standard squeezing. Here such pictures are developed for amplitude-squared squeezing, a form of higher-order squeezing. They are used to examine amplitude-squared squeezing of the squeezed vacuum state and to suggest a method of producing amplitude-squared squeezed states using a nonlinear interferometer. The phase-space representation of a variable which is a mixture of the usual amplitude-squared squeezing variables is also discussed.
An extensible framework for autonomic analysis and improvement of distributed deployment architectures

A distributed software system's deployment architecture can have a significant impact on the system's properties, which depend on various system parameters, such as network bandwidth, frequencies of software component interactions, and so on. Recent studies have shown that the quality of deployment architectures can be improved significantly via active system monitoring, efficient estimation of the improved deployment architecture, and system redeployment. However, the lack of a common framework for improving a system's deployment architecture has resulted in ad hoc solutions. In this paper, we present an extensible framework that guides the design and development of solutions to this problem, enables the extension and reuse of the solutions, and facilitates autonomic analysis and redeployment of a system's deployment architecture.
Job scheduling and processor allocation for grid computing on metacomputers

Scheduling is a fundamental issue in achieving high performance on metacomputers and computational grids. For the first time, the job scheduling problem for grid computing on metacomputers is studied as a combinatorial optimization problem. A cost model is proposed for modeling communication heterogeneity on computational grids. A processor allocation algorithm is developed which always finds an optimal processor allocation that minimizes the effective execution time of a job when the job is being scheduled. It is proven that the list scheduling (LS) algorithm can achieve reasonable worst-case performance bound in grid environments supporting distributed supercomputing with large applications. We compare the performance of various job scheduling and processor allocation algorithms for grid computing on metacomputers. We evaluate the performance of 128 combinations of two job scheduling algorithms, four initial job ordering strategies, four processor allocation algorithms, and four metacomputers by extensive simulation. It is found that the combination of largest job first (LJF) initial job ordering and minimum effective execution time (MEET) or largest machine first (LMF) processor allocation algorithm yields the best average-case performance, and the choice of FCFS and LS depends on the range of job sizes. It is also observed that communication heterogeneity does have significant impact on schedule lengths.
Laboratory measurements of direct ozone loss on ice and doped-ice surfaces

Laboratory measurements were carried out to test for the possible direct loss of ozone on ice surfaces and solid solutions of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and sodium sulfite over the temperature range 195 to 262 K. Experiments were performed in a vertical flow tube where the reactor wall was coated with the desired surface. Results indicate that loss of ozone on an ice surface is insignificant. A discussion of the possible importance of these results in the stratosphere is given.
High sensitivity capillary zone electrophoresis-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry for the rapid analysis of complex proteomes

The vast majority of bottom-up proteomic studies employ reversed-phase separation of tryptic digests coupled with electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. These studies are remarkably successful for the analysis of samples containing micrograms of protein. However, liquid chromatography tends to perform poorly for samples containing nanogram amounts of protein, presumably due to loss of trace-level peptides within the chromatographic system. Capillary zone electrophoresis provides a much simpler flow system and would appear to be an attractive alternative to liquid chromatography for separation of small peptide samples before electrospray ionization and mass spectrometry detection. However, capillary zone electrophoresis has received very little attention as a tool for analysis of complex proteomes. In 2012, we reported the use of capillary zone electrophoresis for the analysis of the secretome of Mycobacterium marinum, a model system for tuberculosis. Roughly 400 peptides and over 100 proteins were identified from this medium-complexity proteome; this identification required analysis of a set of 11 fractions and occupied three hours of mass spectrometer time. We have recently employed an improved capillary zone electrophoresis system for the analysis of 100 ng of the Escherichia coli proteome and observed over 1300 peptides and nearly 350 proteins in a single separation. More interestingly, analysis of 1 ng of the E. coli proteome yielded over 600 peptide and 140 protein groups. This sample size approaches that of a large eukaryotic cell, suggesting that capillary zone electrophoresis may ultimately be a useful tool for chemical cytometry.
Inhibition of muscarinic receptor-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism by cocaine, norcocaine and cocaethylene in rat brain

Abstract The interaction of cocaine, its metabolites norcocaine and benzoylecgonine, and cocaethylene, which is formed following a combined cocaine and ethanol exposure, with muscarinic receptor binding and phosphoinositide metabolism was investigated in brain from immature rats. Cocaine and norcocaine inhibited binding of [3H]telenzepine and carbachol-stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism in cerebral cortex, while benzoylecgonine was devoid of any inhibitory activity. Cocaethylene was the most potent inhibitor of both binding and phosphoinositide metabolism. The effect of cocaine was more pronounced at the muscarinic receptors, but a small inhibition of histamine — and serotonin — stimulated phosphoinositide metabolism was also observed.
Potential for clinical use of viable pluripotent progenitor cells in blood bank stored human umbilical cord blood

Abstract There are indications that a close HLA match may not be necessary when human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) is used to effect a hematopoietic transplant. This was first suggested in 1972 and was further supported by the ability of HUCB to produce mouse survival following lethal irradiation. In China multiple units of HLA unmatched HUCB was utilized successfully in children to effect transplants. A recent publication indicated that newborn rodent blood cells can engraft in adult mice across the H-2 antigens. Furthermore, there recently have been successful transplants with 3 antigens mismatched HUCB. In this study HUCB was stored in polyolefin blood bank bags at 4 °C. The storage was similar to that used in routine blood banking. Clonogenic assays were performed at Day 1 and 21 utilizing various growth factors. Replating efficiency was determined on colonies obtained from cord blood that was stored (non-frozen) for 21 days. The functional ability of day 21 old HUCB was determined by its ability to produce survival of lethally irradiated mice. It was found that approximately two-thirds (62.5%) of single primary blast cell colonies in day 21 stored HUCB could generate various types of secondary colonies. In some instances the secondary colonies were counted as high as 42 total mean colonies per single primary colony. These blast cell colonies (CFU-BL) were able to form single and multi lineage colonies composed of virtually every hematopoietic cell types. Animal survival studies were utilized in an effort to determine possible functional ability and were successful in producing fifty-day survival in 54% of lethally irradiated SJL/J mice and 100% ALB/C mice. This study holds the potential of making HUCB available for purposes of marrow transplantation to all who need it. It could further remove most of the moral and ethical issues related to HUCB, reduce to a fraction the cost in providing stem cells for marrow transplantation and potentially allow HUCB to be handled by existing blood banks.
Short-Term Treatment with Proton-Pump Inhibitors as a Test for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Test Characteristics

Background A response to proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) is commonly considered to support the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, the accuracy of this diagnostic strategy has not been well established. Objective To estimate the diagnostic test characteristics of successful PPI treatment with objective measures of GERD by performing a meta-analysis based on the published literature. Data sources English-language studies were identified by searching the Cochrane Clinical Trial Register and MEDLINE from 1 January 1980 through 1 July 2003. Study selection Studies in which the clinical response to a short course (1 to 4 weeks) of normal- or high-dose PPI therapy could be compared with objective measures of GERD (24-hour pH monitoring, endoscopy findings, symptom questionnaires). Data extraction Studies were screened for inclusion by 1 author. Final decisions on exclusion were made by consensus with 2 of the other authors. Two investigators independently extracted the data. Information extracted included patient characteristics, study design, setting, specific type and dose of medication, duration of treatment, and definitions of outcomes. Data synthesis Sensitivity and specificity were determined by comparing a clinical response to PPIs with objective measures for GERD. The summary receiver-operating characteristic curve method was used to summarize test characteristics across studies. Sensitivity and specificity were also combined independently by using a random-effects model. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria and provided sufficient data. With 24-hour pH monitoring as the reference standard, the positive likelihood ratio ranged from 1.63 to 1.87, and combined estimates of sensitivity and specificity were 0.78 (95% CI, 0.66 to 0.86) and 0.54 (CI, 0.44 to 0.65), respectively. These values were lower with the other reference standards. Limitations Data were insufficient to determine the effect of various doses of PPIs and duration of therapy on test characteristics. Conclusion Successful short-term treatment with a PPI in patients suspected of having GERD does not confidently establish the diagnosis when GERD is defined by currently accepted reference standards.
Surface structures formed on cobalt oxide during catalytic oxidation: An infrared study

Reaction intermediates formed on cobalt oxide (Co3O4) during catalytic oxidation have been studied using infrared spectroscopy. The adsorption of CO, CO2, ethylene, cyclohexane, cyclohexene, oxygen, H2O, D2O, H2O18, and various mixtures of these gases was investigated. The adsorption of CO or CO2 at room temperature was found to give rise to a bidentate carbonate surface complex which, for the most part, converts to a monodentate species when water is introduced to the sample. No hydrocarbon entities were found to exist on cobalt oxide from infrared analysis, indicating that only minor amounts of these compounds are adsorbed, if at all, on the surface at any specific time. Carbonate reaction intermediates were observed (plus water formed by the oxidation reaction) only when cobalt oxide samples were heated to approximately 325 °C in the presence of a hydrocarbon. The amount of carbonate intermediate found when hydrocarbon-oxygen mixtures were introduced to freshly degassed cobalt oxide samples was quite small at room temperature, increased substantially when the sample was heated to about 200 °C, and showed further increases in adsorbed material when the samples were heated to 325 °C in the hydrocarbon-oxygen mixtures.
Vitamin A, differentiation and cancer

Retinoids, which are derivatives of vitamin A, have a variety of effects on normal cellular differentiation and on the process of carcinogenesis. A number of novel endogenous retinol metabolites have been identified recently. The response of many cell types to retinoid treatment is mediated by retinoid receptors, and involves changes in gene expression, cell growth and cell differentiation. The gene encoding one of the retinoic acid receptors is disrupted by the chromosome translocations associated with acute promyelocytic leukemia, and the expression of another is altered in epithelial tumors; both of these findings have important implications for the use of retinoids as anti-carcinogenic agents. It has been demonstrated recently that certain homeobox genes are regulated by retinoids; these genes may also prove to be useful agents for anti-carcinogenic therapies.
Caspofungin: the first licensed antifungal drug of the novel echinocandin class

Caspofungin is the first echinocandin drug licensed for treatment of fungal infections. The drug is active in vitro and in animal models against both albicans and non-albicans Candida species and Aspergillus species. Results from clinical trials support its efficacy as a first-line therapy for patients with esophageal or invasive candidiasis and salvage therapy for patients with invasive aspergillosis. In all studies, caspofungin has been generally well tolerated; serious drug-related adverse events and adverse events leading to discontinuation of therapy have been infrequent.
The further evolution of hyperparathyroidism: Implications for clinical care.

F t p o a p ( t h r S p m i t f s h t p m d p s i m i v i m t T o t m he portal of entry of primary hyperparathyroidism into the office of the internist and endocrinologist is changing yet again. Gone are the days when paients presented with symptomatic disease: marked hyercalcemia with the protean manifestations now seen nly in patients in whom the hypercalcemia complicates malignant process; clinically overt bone disease; recurent nephrolithiasis; or abdominal pain not always exlainable by peptic ulcer disease. Probably going are the ays when primary hyperparathyroidism was diagnosed fter the serendipitous finding of hypercalcemia on an utomated biochemical profile as part of routine screenng in healthy or unhealthy patients— cost-cutting meaures in many institutions and by third-party payers have rogressively limited the spectrum of tests on these rouine profiles. The new major portal of entry is measurement, not of alcium, but of parathyroid hormone as part of the evalation of patients found to have low bone mineral denity. Purists, this author included, have looked down on his seeming abuse of the system and restricted measureent of parathyroid hormone in patients with osteopoosis/low bone mass (osteopenia) to those in whom an nitial, “appropriate” screening for potentially treatable auses of osteoporosis documented hypercalcemia. Sevral publications over the last few years have proven us urists wrong. Two, possibly three, “new” diseases have merged from the practice of routinely measuring parahyroid hormone in the evaluation of low bone mineral ensity:
Race and Ethnicity During an Economic Transition: The Withdrawal of Puerto Rican Women from New York City's Labour Force, 1960–1980

DAPONTE B. O. (1996) Race and ethnicity during an economic transition: the withdrawal of Puerto Rican women from New York City's Labour Force, 1960–1980, Reg. Studies 30, 151–166. This research shows how broad shifts in the demand for labour can affect racial and ethnic groups differently. Specifically, the paper investigates why, in the 1960s, Puerto Rican women withdrew from the labour force. Using public use files from the 1960, 1970, and 1980 US censuses and focusing exclusively on New York City, the paper demonstrates that rapid changes in the demand for labour in New York City in the 1960s particularly harmed Puerto Rican women. However, within occupational and industrial groupings, the experience of Puerto Rican women did not seem to differ from that of women of other races or ethnicities. What did differ between the racial/ethnic groups were the positions that women held in the labour market in 1960 and their ability to exit declining and enter expanding positions. DAPONTE B. O. (1996) La race et ...
An analysis of the development program in relation to RNA metabolism in the ciliate Stylonychia mytilus

In the ciliate Stylonychia during conjugation and the terminal stages of the division cycle, development is dependent upon presynthesized mRNA. The conjugating animals show complex nuclear and cortical changes in a chronological order. Disturbance of the cortical organization or arrest of nuclear divisions in conjugants and exconjugants does not induce the cells to adjust the developmental program; the nuclear and cortical changes proceed without any reference to each other in a defined course. Similarly the terminal stages of the division cycle are not affected by cortical amputations. In contrast, vegetative animals up to mid S phase show constant RNA turnover in relation to the progress of the division cycle. In these animals, cortical amputation leads to an immediate arrest of the cell-cycle events, which are resumed only after regeneration. Nucleocytoplasmic interactions in relation to RNA metabolism of the ciliate are discussed.
PerCon: a personal digital library for heterogeneous data

Systems are needed to support access to and analysis of large heterogeneous scientific datasets. We developed PerCon, a data management and analysis environment, to support such activities. PerCon processes and integrates data gathered via queries to existing data providers to create a personal digital library of data. Users may then search, browse, visualize and annotate the data as they proceed with analysis and interpretation. Interpretation in PerCon takes place in a visual workspace in which multiple data visualizations and annotations are placed into spatial arrangements based on the current task. The system watches for patterns in the user's data selection and organization and through mixed-initiative interaction assists users by suggesting potentially relevant data from unexplored data sources. PerCon's data location and analysis capabilities were evaluated in a controlled study with 24 users. Study participants had to locate and analyze heterogeneous weather and river data with and without the visual workspace and mixed-initiative interaction, respectively. Results indicate that the visual workspace facilitated information representation and aided in the identification of relationships between datasets. The system's suggestions encouraged data exploration, leading participants to identify more evidence of correlation among data streams and more potential interactions among weather and river data.
Traumatic ureteral injuries with delayed recognition

Review of ureteral injuries treated in the past ten years at the Los Angeles County-University of Souther California Medical Center revealed 9 cases of traumatic injury which escaped immediate recognition. These patients were found to have a poor prognosis with a higher incidence of nephrectomy when compared with those patients with immediate diagnosis and treatment.
Production and secretion of chondroitin sulfates and dermatan sulfate by established mammalian cell lines.

Abstract Ten established mammalian cell lines of different origin (lymphoid, epithelial and fibroblastic) were found to produce and secrete a mixture of chondroitin sulfates A, C and dermatan sulfate into the medium. The rates of production and secretion of the total sulfated mucopolysaccharides as well as the proportion of individual mucopolysaccharides differ strikingly among different cell lines.
Lanthanides in organic synthesis

(1983). LANTHANIDES IN ORGANIC SYNTHESIS. Organic Preparations and Procedures International: Vol. 15, No. 6, pp. 387-424.
Vacuum-Assisted Closure for the Treatment of Abdominal Wounds

Abdominal wall defects pose a significant surgical challenge. The defect may result from trauma, infections, previous major surgery, or some combination of these etiologies. This article describes the Vacuum-Assisted Closure device (VAC, KCI, San Antonio, Texas) and how it can help in treating these defects.
Health Care Advertising and the Scope of Fiduciary Duties

Schenker, Arnold, and London (2014) argue that due to important differences between health care service institutions (HCIs) and non-HCIs, direct-to-consumer advertising by the former should be more...
Impact of Fine Sediment on Egg-To-Fry Survival of Pacific Salmon: A Meta-Analysis of Published Studies

Egg-to-fry survival of salmonids is tempered by habitat degradation, including increased sediment in streams. To best manage multiple salmon species and prioritize scarce habitat restoration funds for the benefit of fish recovery, many studies have described and predicted the relationship between fine sediment deposited in spawning gravels and salmonid egg-to-fry survival. In this article, we used published studies, agency reports, and university theses (N= 14) to create predictive relationships between percent fine sediment and egg-to-fry survival of Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho (O. kisutch) and chum (O. keta) salmon, and steelhead trout (O. mykiss). In our analysis, coho survival tended to decline more rapidly per unit sediment increase and chum survival least rapidly. Threshold effects were observed, with survival dropping rapidly when percent fines less than 0.85 mm was greater than 10%. For other size classes of fines, a threshold was primarily observed only for eyed egg survival when fin...
Topical mitomycin-C for pagetoid invasion of the conjunctiva by eyelid sebaceous gland carcinoma.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the efficacy of topical mitomycin-C for pagetoid invasion of the conjunctiva by sebaceous gland carcinoma. Design Prospective noncomparative consecutive interventional case series. Intervention All patients received topical 0.04% mitomycin-C four times daily for 1 week followed by 1 week off medication. The treatment cycles were repeated until resolution of the conjunctival malignancy was clinically evident. Participants Four patients with histopathologically proven intraepithelial (pagetoid) invasion of the conjunctiva by sebaceous gland carcinoma were managed with this regimen. Results The mean patient age was 78 years. Before treatment, the main tumor site included the upper eyelid in two cases and the lower eyelid in two cases. Previous resection of the tumor had been performed elsewhere in three cases over the prior 6 years. At the time of our examination, map biopsies confirmed pagetoid invasion involving 25% to 90% of the conjunctival surface, with bulbar, forniceal, and tarsal conjunctival involvement in all four cases and corneal extension in one case. There was no evidence of deep tumor within the conjunctival stroma or tarsus in any case. After treatment, medication intolerance and early discontinuation occurred in one patient, and continued tumor progression was documented. Of the remaining three patients, chemotherapy was used for a mean of four cycles with complete resolution of the pagetoid invasion, confirmed histopathologically in two cases, and without recurrence in all three cases over 12 months (mean) follow-up. The medication caused moderate temporary local irritation but no serious intraocular or extraocular complications. Conclusions Preliminary evidence suggests that topical mitomycin-C is effective treatment for pagetoid invasion of the conjunctiva by sebaceous gland carcinoma. Longer follow-up is necessary to assess the duration of tumor control.
Characterization and physiological variation in prostaglandin, prostacyclin and thromboxane synthesis by corpora lutea, non-luteal and uterine tissues during pseudopregnancy in the rabbit

To determine if luteal as well as uterine prostaglandin production is associated with luteal regression, the conversion of (14C) arachidonic acid into prostaglandin (PG) F2α, PGE2, PGD2, prostacyclin (measured as its stable metabolite 6-keto-PGF1α) and thromboxane (measured as its stable metabolite TXB2) was characterized and measured in microsomes from the uterus, corpora lutea and nonluteal tissue of the rabbit on days 8, 12 and 15 of pseudopregnancy. PGF2α production was increased on day 15 compared to days 8 or 12 of pseudopregnancy in corpora lutea and in the uterus. In uterine microsomes, 6-keto-PGF1α production was also elevated on day 15. No significant changes in the production of PGF2α, TXB2 or PGD2 were observed with uterine or luteal microsomes. Arachidonic acid metabolism by microsomes from nonluteal tissue was not significantly different on any day examined. These results suggest that intraluteal, as well as uterine PGF2α production may contribute physiologically to the final phase of luteal regression.
Nuclear feature extraction for breast tumor diagnosis

Interactive image processing techniques, along with a linear-programming-based inductive classifier, have been used to create a highly accurate system for diagnosis of breast tumors. A small fraction of a fine needle aspirate slide is selected and digitized. With an interactive interface, the user initializes active contour models, known as snakes, near the boundaries of a set of cell nuclei. The customized snakes are deformed to the exact shape of the nuclei. This allows for precise, automated analysis of nuclear size, shape and texture. Ten such features are computed for each nucleus, and the mean value, largest (or 'worst') value and standard error of each feature are found over the range of isolated cells. After 569 images were analyzed in this fashion, different combinations of features were tested to find those which best separate benign from malignant samples. Ten-fold cross-validation accuracy of 97% was achieved using a single separating plane on three of the thirty features: mean texture, worst area and worst smoothness. This represents an improvement over the best diagnostic results in the medical literature. The system is currently in use at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals. The same feature set has also been utilized in the much more difficult task of predicting distant recurrence of malignancy in patients, resulting in an accuracy of 86%.
NADH/NADPH Oxidase and Vascular Function

The vascular NADH/NADPH oxidase has been shown to be the major source of superoxide in the vessel wall. Recent work has provided insight into its structure and activity in vascular cells. This enzyme is involved in both vascular smooth muscle hypertrophy and in some forms of impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation. Because oxidative stress in general participates in the pathogenesis of hypertension and atherosclerosis, the enzymes that produce reactive oxygen species may be important determinants of the course of vascular disease. (Trends Cardiovasc Med 1997;7:301-307). © 1997, Elsevier Science Inc.
Toward increased public representation on bioethics committees: lessons from judging the Cold War human radiation experiments.

The process of judging the Cold War Human Radiation Experiments illuminates a need to develop a model for an appropriate public role on bioethics committees. A citizen representative was appointed to the President's Advisory Committee on Human Radiation Experiments, and the Committee solicited broad public participation in their investigation. However, many members of the affected and interested public desired further representation on the Committee, as they tended towards stronger ethical condemnations of the experiments than the Committee expressed. I offer an account of a testimony before the Committee by a radiation experiment subject's survivor to illustrate this contrast in moral perspective. I consider some the contributions that “non‐expert”; public members can add to committee deliberations, and suggest that concerns about public representatives may be overcome with the guidance of clearer principles for selecting public members. Further efforts to increase membership by the general and affected ...
An Exchange in England

Librarians can benefit both personally and professionally from work experience in other countries. Here, Terry Ann Mood describes her experiences in England, and offers advice on planning a job exchange.
Model Americans, Quintessential Greeks: Ethnic Success and Assimilation in Diaspora

To tell stories of ethnic success is to speak about the nation in all its benevolence and generosity. National ideologies such as the American Dream, mobility, openness, and inclusiveness come to l...
Enhancement of benzodiazepine and GABA binding by the novel anxiolytic, tracazolate.

Tracazolate (ICI 136,753) 4-butylamine-1-ethyl-6-methyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4]pyridine-5-carboxylic acid ethyl ester is a non-benzodiazepine with anxiolytic-like activity in animal models. In contrast to the benzodiazepines, it enhances [3H]flunitrazepam binding in rat synaptic membrane fragments. The enhancement is potentiated by chloride ion and is due to an increase in affinity of the receptor. The enhancement of benzodiazepine binding by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is additive with that of tracazolate; however, the GABA antagonist bicuculline blocks the enhancement by both compounds. Tracazolate enhances [3H]GABA binding to frozen and thawed Triton X-100-treated membrane fragments. The enhancement is due to an increase in the number of sites and potentiated by chloride. Benzodiazepines also enhanced GABA binding but the effect was due to an apparent change in affinity and not potentiated by chloride. The rank order of chlordiazepoxide, diazepam and flunitrazepam for enhancement of GABA binding and displacement of [3H]flunitrazepam binding were the same. The enhancement of [3H]GABA binding by flunitrazepam and tracazolate were additive. Possible interactions between these various receptors are discussed.
Flight Control Augmentors for Aft-Center-of-Gravity Launch Vehicles

The author presents the details of the designed  ight control augmentors, the wind tunnel test programs conducted at the NASAMarshall Space Flight Center, and the stability and control analyses results for the augmented launch vehicle. Forward and aft, all-movable, blunt-trailing-edge  ight control augmentors have been designed and wind tunnel tested to provide the required  ight control augmentation for a family of aft-center-of-gravity launch vehicles that could not be adequately controlled using engine gimbaling alone. Previous publications have presented the other parts of this comprehensive research project: the developmental stages of the program, the comprehensive reviews of our national heritage of launch vehicles that have used aerodynamic surfaces and current use of these by other nations, and a state-of-the-art assessment of smart materials and advanced composites directly applicable to the innovativedesign of the  ight control augmentors. It is shown that the blunt-trailing-edge design provides the maximum  ight control augmentation.
The Grandchildren Received Affection Scale: Examining Affectual Solidarity Factors

Because the use of affectionate communication may differ across relational contexts (Mansson & Booth-Butterfield, 2011), the purpose of this study was to develop a measure to assess grandchildren's received affectionate communication from their grandparents. Participants (N = 662) were young adult grandchildren recruited from two public universities. The results of principal component analyses, Pearson correlations, one-sampled t tests, and multiple linear regressions indicate that grandchildren receive four types of affectionate communication from their grandparents: love and esteem; caring; memories and stories; and celebratory affection. The results further indicate that grandchildren's reports of received affection from their grandparents are related positively to, and generally predictive of, their relational characteristics (i.e., liking, relational satisfaction, and communication satisfaction) with their grandparents. These findings provide a valuable contribution to both the affectionate communica...
Behavioral sequence prediction for evolving data stream

Behavioral pattern prediction has many applications, ranging from consumer buying behavior analysis, web surfing prediction to network attack prediction. The traditional behavioral prediction technique works mainly on a fixed dataset. But recent advances in digital technology generates a huge amount of data which contributes to data stream. Data evolves over time due to the concept drift. Stream-based classification also needs to evolve over time. Our goal is not to predict a single action/behavior, but a sequence of actions that can occur later depending on the previous actions. We call this problem “Behavioral Pattern Extrapolation”. In our research, we exploited a stream mining based technique along with Markovian model, where we used an incremental and ensemble based technique for predicting a set of future actions. We have experimented using a number of benchmark datasets and shown the effectiveness of our approach.
The differential information content of earnings announcements: The case of merger*

. The differential information content hypothesis implies that the magnitude of the abnormal return is a function of firm characteristics such as size or quality of reported earnings. Previous studies, however, provide little linkage to the relationship between firm characteristic changes and stock return behavior around the earnings announcement date. This study examines this relationship with 102 sample firms that experienced mergers from 1977 to 1984. For a sample of firms whose future uncertainty (measured by firm variance) was reduced by merger, a significant reduction in the marginal information content of the earnings announcement after merger was observed. This reduction did not occur, however, for variance-increasing merger firms or for pair-matched control firms. Similar results were obtained when the firm's future uncertainty was measured by merger type classified by how closely industries of merging firms were related. Resume. L'hypothese du contenu marginal en information veut que l'ampleur du rendement anormal soit fonction des caracteristiques de l'entreprise telles que la taille ou la qualite des benefices declares. Jusqu'a maintenant, les etudes n'etablissent qu'une faible relation entre l'evolution des caracteristiques de l'entreprise et le comportement du rendement des actions, a proximite de la date de declaration des benefices. Les auteurs examinent cette relation aupres d'un echantillon de 102 entreprises qui ont connu des fusions entre 1977 et 1984. Travaillant sur un echantillon d'entreprises dont l'incertitude relative a leur avenir (mesuree selon la fluctuation rapportee par l'entreprise) a ete reduite a la faveur de la fusion, les auteurs observent une diminution significative du contenu marginal en information de la declaration des benefices apres la fusion. Cependant, cette diminution ne s'est pas produite pour les entreprises issues de fusions qui enregistrent une fluctuation croissante ou pour les entreprises dominantes appariees. Les resultats sont similaires lorsque l'incertitude relative a l'avenir de l'entreprise est mesuree en fonction de la nature de la fusion, classee selon la mesure dans laquelle les secteurs d'activite des entreprises fusionnees sont lies.
Crossing the Evidence Chasm: Building Evidence Bridges from Process Changes to Clinical Outcomes

Objective: Although demand for information about the effectiveness and efficiency of health care information technology grows, large-scale resource-intensive randomized controlled trials of health care information technology remain impractical. New methods are needed to translate more commonly available clinical process measures into potential impact on clinical outcomes. Design: The authors propose a method for building mathematical models based on published evidence that provides an evidence bridge between process changes and resulting clinical outcomes. This method combines tools from systematic review, influence diagramming, and health care simulations. Measurements: The authors apply this method to create an evidence bridge between retinopathy screening rates and incidence of blindness in diabetic patients. Results: The resulting model uses changes in eye examination rates and other evidence-based population parameters to generate clinical outcomes and costs in a Markov model. Conclusion: This method may serve as an alternative to more expensive study designs and provide useful estimates of the impact of health care information technology on clinical outcomes through changes in clinical process measures.
An approach for testing programmable/configurable field programmable gate arrays

This paper presents a new general technique for testing field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) by fully exploiting their programmable and configurable characteristics. A hybrid fault model is introduced based on a physical and behavioral characterization; this permits the detection of a single fault, as either a stuck-at or a functional fault. A general approach which regards testing as can application for the reconfigurable FPGA, is then proposed. It is shown that different arrangements of disjoint one-dimensional arrays with unilateral horizontal connections and common vertical input lines provide a very good solution. A further feature that is considered for array testing, is the relation between the configuration of the logic blocks and the number of I/O pins in the chip. As an example, the proposed approach is applied for testing the Xilinz 4000 family of FPGAs.