cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parasite-directed endocytosis.

Following the attachment of gonococci to human fallopian tube mucosa in organ culture, the gonococci are endocytosed by specialized low columnar epithelial cells, are transported to the base of the epithelial cells, and are subsequently exocytosed into the subepithelial tissues. This transepithelial transport process by which "invasion" of the host occurs appears to be dependent on microbial factors is designated parasite-directed endocytosis to distinguish it from host-directed endocytosis by cells such as macrophages that eventually degrade the parasites. "Invasion" of the host by a number of human pathogens--bacteria (e.g., Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, and Listeria monocytogenes), viruses, or protozoa--appears to be accomplished by parasite-directed endocytosis.
Increasing Student Interest and Understanding in a First Mechanics Course Through Software Modules

Increasing student understanding of engineering mechanics, interest, and readiness for engineering practice are significant concerns of engineering faculty. As a part of an attempt to address these concerns, engineering application software was integrated into a first engineering mechanics course at the sophomore level, Statics and Mechanics of Materials. The course software component is part of an educational initiative across the Mercer University School of Engineering to infuse a common software thread within the curriculum, especially relating to mechanics and design areas. Two course modules using solid modeling and finite element analysis software were included via laboratory sessions and assignments emphasizing visualization and relationships between design and analysis. Descriptions of the modules and their learning objectives as well as results of student surveys taken after each module are presented and discussed.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Control of selective echolalia via the instatement of a general alternative response

Abstract Treatment for echolalic responding has been limited to the training of a small number of correct responses and limited stimulus verbalizations by the experimenter, leaving the possibility that the introduction of novel stimuli could result in the reoccurrence of echolalia. In the present study an 11-year-old severely retarded male's echolalic responding to questions that he could not answer correctly was controlled by instating a general alternative response, “I don't know.” The subject continued to respond correctly to questions that he could answer. indicating that the general alternative response had been appropriately discriminated. A Baseline. Treatment. DRO. Treatment design indicated that the subject's echolalic responding, as well as the appropriate use of the general alternative response, was under experimental control. Generalization of the experimental results to the subject's regular day-care setting was accomplished by having the staff verbally punish all echolalic responses and then restate the question to the subject until a non-echolalic answer had been emitted. Implications of these findings and suggestions for combining previous treatment procedures for echolalia with the general alternative response procedure were offered.
Association of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy and comorbidity in diabetes: results from the Vermont diabetes information system

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) reduce peripheral vascular resistance via blockage of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). ACE inhibitors are commonly used to treat congestive heart failure and high blood pressure, but other effects have been reported. In this study, we explored the association between ACE inhibitor therapy and the prevalence of comorbid conditions in adults with diabetes We surveyed 1003 adults with diabetes randomly selected from community practices. Patients were interviewed at home and self-reported their personal and clinical characteristics including comorbidity. Current medications were obtained by direct observation of medication containers. We built logistic regression models with the history of comorbidities as the outcome variable and the current use of ACE inhibitors as the primary predictor variable. We adjusted for possible confounding by social (age, sex, alcohol drinking, cigarette smoking) and clinical factors (systolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), glycosolated hemoglobin (A1C), number of comorbid conditions, and number of prescription medications). ACE users reported a history of any cancer (except the non-life-threatening skin cancers) less frequently than non-users (10% vs. 15%; odd ratio = 0.59; 95% confidence interval [0.39, 0.89]; P = 0.01); and a history of stomach ulcers or peptic ulcer disease less frequently than non-users (12% vs. 16%, odd ratio = 0.70, [0.49, 1.01], P = 0.06). After correcting for potential confounders, ACE inhibitors remained significantly inversely associated with a personal history of cancer (odds ratio = 0.59, [0.39, 0.89]; P = 0.01) and peptic ulcer disease (odd ratio = 0.68, [0.46, 1.00], P = 0.05). ACE inhibitor use is associated with a lower likelihood of a history of cancer and peptic ulcers in patients with diabetes. These findings are limited by the cross sectional study design, self-report of comorbid diagnoses, and lack of information on the timing and duration of ACE inhibitor use. Further research is needed to confirm these associations and understand their mechanisms.
Synthetic cannabinoid use among patients in residential substance use disorder treatment: prevalence, motives, and correlates.

BACKGROUND: The abuse of synthetic cannabinoids has emerged as a public health concern over the past few years, yet little data exist characterizing the use of synthetic cannabinoids, particularly among patients seeking substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. In a sample of patients entering residential SUD treatment, we examined the prevalence of and motivations for synthetic cannabinoid use, and examined relationships of synthetic cannabinoid use with other substance use and demographic characteristics. METHODS: Patients (N=396; 67% male, 75% White, Mage=34.8) completed self-report screening surveys about lifetime prevalence of synthetic cannabinoid use, route of administration, and motives for use. RESULTS: A total of 150 patients (38%) reported using synthetic cannabinoids in their lifetimes, primarily by smoking (91%). Participants chose multiple motives for use and the most commonly endorsed included curiosity (91%), feeling good/getting high (89%), relaxation (71%), and getting high without having a positive drug test (71%). Demographically, those who used synthetic cannabinoids were younger and more were White. They had higher rates of other substance use and higher scores on measures of depression and psychiatric distress. CONCLUSIONS: Lifetime synthetic cannabinoid use was relatively common in SUD patients and many of those who used it reported doing so because they believed it would not result in a positive drug test. Further research is needed to characterize the extent of synthetic cannabinoid use among SUD treatment samples, and to establish understanding of the longitudinal trajectories of synthetic cannabinoid use in combination with other substance use, psychiatric distress, and treatment outcomes. Language: en
Rat hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing factor: isolation, sequence analysis and total synthesis.

Abstract Growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) was isolated from acid extracts of approximately 35,000 rat hypothalami by means of immunoaffinity chromatography, gel filtration and two steps of reverse-phase HPLC. Amino acid analysis, gas-liquid phases sequencing and peptide mapping established that rat GRF is a 43 amino acid peptide with the amino acid sequence His-Ala- Asp-Ala-Ile-Phe-Thr-Ser-Ser-Tyr-Arg-Arg-Ile-Leu-Gly-Gln-Leu-Tyr-Ala-Arg-Lys- Leu-Leu-His-Glu-Ile-Met-Asn-Arg-Gln-Gln-Gly-Glu-Arg-Asn-Gln-Glu-Gln-Arg-Ser- Arg-Phe-Asn-OH, confirming the primary structure reported earlier (Spiess et al Nature 303 , 532 (1983).
Repression of the CDK activator Cdc25A and cell-cycle arrest by cytokine TGF-β in cells lacking the CDK inhibitor p15

The activity of the cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) that control cell growth and division can be negatively regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation or by the binding of various CDK inhibitors1. Whereas regulation by tyrosine phosphorylation is well documented in CDKs that function during mitosis, little is known about its role in the regulation of CDKs that act in the G1 phase of the cell cycle2. In contrast, much evidence has accumulated on the regulation of G1 CDKs by CDK inhibitors1. The cytokine TGF-β inhibits growth by causing cell-cycle arrest as a result of increasing the concentration of the Cdk4/6 inhibitor p15INK4B/MTS2 (refs 3, 4). Here we report that TGF-β can also cause the inhibition of Cdk4 and Cdk6 by increasing their level of tyrosine phosphorylation. Tyrosine phosphorylation and inactivation of Cdk4/6 in a human mammary epithelial cell line are shown to result from the ability of TGF-β to repress expression of the CDK tyrosine phosphatase Cdc25A. Repression of Cdc25A and induction of p15 are independent effects mediating the inhibition of Cdk4/6 by TFG-β.
Fermentation metabolism and kinetics in the production of organic acids by Propionibacterium acidipropionici

The genusPropionibacterium acidipropionici was grown under pH-controlled batch fermentation conditions for the production of acetic and propionic acids using 19.1 g/L glucose as a carbon source. The optimum pH range was found to be between 5.5 and 6.5. Bacterial metabolism and fermentation pathways were altered at pH values outside this range. Lactic acid was produced as a key intermediate, with the final acetic and propionic acid production entirely dependent on the cell's ability to metabolize the lactic acid. Most of the glucose in the medium was consumed in less than 20 h of fermentation and converted to lactic acid. Batch fermentation at pH 6 showed that lactic acid was completely utilized to produce 8.5 g/L propionic acid and 5.7 g/L acetic acid. However, the bacteria were unable to metabolize lactic acid at pH 7, resulting in 0.7 g/L propionic acid and 7.0 g/L acetic acid in the fermenter. A kinetic study of batch fermentation at pH 6 showed two distinct growth phases during the fermentation. Most of the cell growth was achieved in the exponential growth stage when glucose was consumed as a main substrate. A nonexponential growth stage was observed when lactic acid was utilized as a carbon source, producing propionic and acetic acids as secondary metabolites.
U.S. Readies “Aggressive” Arctic Council Agenda

Admiral Robert Papp, appointed as U.S. special representative for the Arctic on 16 July, has seen climate change firsthand.
Neutrophilic granulocytosis following lead acetate in female mice

Lead induces an abrupt neutrophilic granulocytosis with the peak response detected 4 days after treatment. Using the incorporation of tritiated thymidine as an index of neutrophil production, autoradiographic analysis revealed that only about 16% of the total neutrophil increase is associated with a stimulatory effect on production. The remainder of the increase appears to be linked to the panhistotoxic action of lead, promoting migration of neutrophils from reserve sites in the wake of tissue damage.
Embryogenesis in Hymenolepis diminuta. IV. Distribution of succinic dehydrogenase, reduced form of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide oxido-reductase, and cytochrome oxidase.

High activity of succinic dehydrogenase and NADH-oxido-reductase occurred in gonads and embryos of Hymenolepis diminuta. In embryos the highest enzymatic activity occurred in the inner envelope during the preoncosphere phase. The active layer seems to be connected with the formation of the shell and the embryophore. Toward the end of development, enzymatic activity in the envelope decreased. Succinic dehydrogenase and NADH-oxido-reductase activity demonstrable inside the embryos showed lower activity than was observed in the envelope. Cytochrome oxidase was not demonstrated in the course of embryogenesis, but some traces of this enzyme appeared in the mature oncosphere with varied reaction. The study raises the problem of terminal oxidation processes in cestode embryos.
The square of every two-connected graph is Hamiltonian

Abstract A graph G is a line-critical block if κ(G) = 2 and if for any line e of G the graph G − e has κ(G − e) = 1. If G is a line-critical block, then G is either a DT-block (i.e., G is a two-connected graph in which every line is incident to a point of degree two), or G contains a specific two-connected subgraph which is a DT-block (Theorem 1). Using this result and results of the preceding paper on DT-graphs, a simple proof of the conjecture that the square of every two-connected graph is Hamiltonian is given.
A Constructivist Approach in the Interdisciplinary Instruction of Science and Language Arts Methods

The use of constructivism and its various manifestations in education has been a topic of much interest in recent years. Inquiry into this theoretical framework has resulted in teacher educators' attempts to help their teacher candidates apply constructivist pedagogy in university classrooms, field experiences and student teaching at two US universities. The instructors developed a set of co‐requisite, interdisciplinary methods courses entitled the Schoolyard Lab Program. Composed of two three‐credit courses (science methods and language arts methods) and a one‐credit field experience, the Schoolyard Lab program utilized the Cognitive Process of Instruction (CPOI) as its pedagogical basis. Joan Fulton designed CPOI as a seven‐step process that relies on the learner's ability to describe a concept based on its distinguishing attributes, investigate and compare examples of the concept and, finally, apply the concept in new and authentic contexts. The Schoolyard Lab Program is the result of a 6 year period o...
An O(n2) algorithm for lot sizing with inventory bounds and fixed costs

We present an O(n^2) dynamic programming algorithm for lot sizing with inventory bounds and fixed costs, where n is the number of time periods. The algorithm utilizes a hierarchy of two layers of value functions and improves the complexity bound of an earlier O(n^3) algorithm for concave-cost and bounded inventory.
Seed train development for the fermentation of bagasse from sweet sorghum and sugarcane using a simplified fermentation process.

Abstract A process was developed for seed culture expansion (3.6 million-fold) using 5% of the hemicellulose hydrolysate from dilute acid pretreatment as the sole organic nutrient and source of sugar. Hydrolysate used for seed growth was neutralized with ammonia and combined with 1.0 mM sodium metabisulfite immediately before inoculation. This seed protocol was tested with phosphoric acid pretreated sugarcane and sweet sorghum bagasse using a simplified process with co-fermentation of fiber, pentoses, and hexoses in a single vessel (SScF). A 6 h liquefaction (L) step improved mixing prior to inoculation. Fermentations (L + SScF process) were completed in 72 h with high yields (>80 gal/US ton). Ethanol titers for this L + SScF process ranged from 24 g/L to 32 g/L, and were limited by the bagasse concentration (10% dry matter).
Effect of dexamethasone upon surfactant phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol synthesis in organotypic cultures of type II cells

Abstract Organotypic cultures of pulmonary type II epithelial cells were treated with dexamethasone at concentrations between 10 −10 and 10 −5 M for 48 h followed by a 3 h incubation in 5.6 mM [U- 14 C]glucose. A surfactant and a residual fraction was isolated from the cultures by discontinuous sucrose gradient centrifugation. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol were purified from each fraction and analyzed for total content. The specific activity of each phospholipid was measured as an index of the rate of synthesis. Dexamethasone treatment produced a dose-dependent increase in synthesis and content of surfactant phosphatidylcholine, with a maximum response occurring at 10 −6 M dexamethasone. At concentrations of 10 −5 M, dexamethasone ceased to produce a significant stimulation. Dexamethasone produced an increase in surfactant phosphatidylglycerol synthesis only at a concentration of 10 −7 M and produced a decrease in surfactant phosphatidylglycerol content at concentrations of 10 −8 M and higher. There was not a significant effect upon the content or rate of synthesis of phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylglycerol in the residual fraction at any of the dexamethasone concentrations tested.
Capacitance and phase-angle measurement for estimating moisture content in nuts and grain nondestructively

The design and performance of an electrical instrument that would be useful in estimating the moisture content (mc) of agricultural products such as grain and nuts nondestructively and rapidly is described here. The instrument, here after called the impedance meter, determines the capacitance and phase angle of a sample of the produce (about 100 g), filling the space between two parallel-plate electrodes, at two frequencies 1 and 5 MHz. The measured values were used in a semi-empirical equation to obtain the mc of the sample. In this paper, capacitance and phase angle were determined for in-shell peanuts in the moisture range between 6 and 25% by the impedance meter, and their moisture contents were calculated. The calculated values were compared with the mc values obtained by the standard air-oven method. The estimated values were in good agreement with the standard values. This method is applicable to produce such as corn, wheat and pecans also.
Multicore simulation of an ungrounded power system

An approach to partition power system simulations formulated in mesh currents as variables is presented. Time-domain simulations of large-scale power systems are notoriously slow owing to the system order and amount of time-varying components. A common approach to reduce simulation run-time is to partition power systems using Bergeron's travelling-wave model and to simulate the subsystems on a distributed computer. In this study, power systems are partitioned using a new mesh tearing approach, and the subsystems distributed across the cores of a quad-core computer. A notional shipboard power system model was partitioned using the proposed partitioning approach, which is used to show how the simulation run-time reduces as a function of the number of partitions and number of power converters.
Jew Media: Performance and Technology for the 58th Century

“You know who else is Jewish?” is a question with a long history in American popular culture. How have contemporary forms of media distribution such as Web 2.0 changed the way American Jews ask and answer it? What does this mean for the performance of Jewish American identity?
Mapping of mitochondrial DNA in Xenopus laevis and X. borealis: The positions of ribosomal genes and D-loops☆

Abstract The sequence organization of mtDNA ‡ in Xenopus laevis and X. borealis § has been analyzed and compared. The cleavage sites for several restriction endonucleases were determined as an aid in mapping studies. X. laevis mtDNA was cloned in the form of recombinant plasmids and used in some of the experiments. The locations of the coding sequences for the two mt-RNAs were determined relative to each other and to the restriction map. The D-loop which marks the origin of replication was also positioned on this map. The directions of transcription of rRNA in X. laevis mtDNA and of replication in X. borealis mtDNA were determined. Despite a 25% divergence of primary sequence and differences in restriction maps, the location of rRNA genes and the replication origin in X. laevis and X. borealis mtDNA are very similar. The large and small rRNA genes are close to each other and are separated by a gap of 120 to 160 base-pairs. Transcription proceeds from the small to the large mt-rRNA. The replication origin is 700 to 950 base-pairs distal from the end of the small rRNA gene, and asymmetric replication proceeds away from the rRNA genes. The mtDNA maps are presented in Figure 10. These results together with earlier work on other animal mtDNAs show that the overall anatomy of this DNA molecule is highly conserved in evolution.
The Justification of Deserved Punishment Via General Moral Principles

Rejetant la these de la justification morale de la punition meritee par la reference a des principes moraux generaux, l'A. refute chacune des theories -du choix simple, du consentement tacite, de la decheance d'un droit- qui justifient la punition par le mefait coupable, que ce soit au nom de la justice distributive ou consequentialiste, de la promesse de punition de l'Etat, ou d'une institution reelle ou ideale
SO (3) monopoles as confinement mechanism

Abstract The SU (2) LGT can be rewritten in the form of a Z (2) system coupled to SO (3) monopole currents. Various inequalities are derived that rigorously translate confinement at arbitrarily large β to a condition on monopole excitation probabilities.
Uniformity of Etching in Parallel Plate Plasma Reactors

A two‐dimensional transport and reaction model of a high pressure (~1 torr) high frequency (13.56 MHz) single‐wafer parallel plate plasma reactor was developed. The chemical etching uniformity was studied as a function of reactor operating conditions. The ratio of the reactivity of the surrounding electrode surface as compared to that of the wafer surface, , critically affected uniformity. A bullseye clearing pattern was predicted for , and the reverse pattern for , while etching was uniform for . In the case of , and for the parameter range studied, the absolute uniformity was found to improve by surrounding the wafer with a material of similar reactivity, by increasing the flow rate, or by decreasing the reactor pressure or power. However, such actions also served to decrease the etch rate. The oxygen plasma was used as a model experimental system to test the theoretical predictions. An experimental technique based on spatially resolved optical emission spectroscopy in concert with actinometry and the Abel transform was developed to obtain a three‐dimensional mapping of the reactant (O atom) concentration profile in the plasma reactor. When a reactive film was covering part of the substrate electrode, a profound decrease in the reactant concentration was observed over the film. At the same time, large concentration gradients developed, especially at the boundary of the reactive film with the surrounding electrode. Good quantitative agreement was found between the model predictions and the experimental reactant concentration data for the range of pressure, power, flow rate, and reactive film radius examined.
Deformation of free boundaries in plane viscous creep

The deformation of a cylindrical free boundary lying in a thick infinite viscous body loaded by uniform stresses at infinity has been investigated. It is shown that when the free boundary can be initially conformally mapped onto a circle by a polynomial of degreen, it deforms so that its configuration remains within the family of curves described by a polynomial mapping of exactly degreen. A method of obtaining the exact motion of boundaries in this class is formulated and an example illustrating the calculations is offered; the example shows that a small irregularity on a free boundary may grow when compression is applied at infinity.
Functional, Sensory, and Microbiological Properties of Restructured Beef and Emu Steaks

Beef and emu steaks were restructured with 5% fibrinogen/0.25% thrombin (F), 0.5% algin/0.5% calcium lactate (A), or 0.5% phosphate/1.5% salt (P). P and A treatments had higher cooked binding strengths and cook yields than the F treatments (P < 0.05). The pH and cook yields of restructured emu were higher than beef (P < 0.05). Binding strength of emu was lower than beef in all binding systems (P < 0.05). F solution had an aerobic plate count (APC) of 39,000/g and increased the microbial count in restructured emu steaks from 940 to 7500/g (P < 0.05). Cooking to 60 °C reduced APC to < 250/g (P < 0.05) with progressively greater bacterial kill after cooking to 66 °C or 75 °C.
‘Nostrorum socordiam temporum’: the reforming impulse of Bede’s later exegesis

This paper attempts to provide a synoptic view of the thematic development of Bede’s exergesis. It examines a selection of his commentaries written at different periods in his career and, by placing them against the social and political background of early eighth–century Northumbria, tries to indicate some important differences amongst them. The core of my argument is that, in contrast to his early commentaries, Bede’s mature exegesis is decisively infused by the aims and concerns of his later non–exegetical works such as the Ecclesiastical History and the Letter to Ecgberht. It will be shown, for example, that earlier commentaries such as On the Apocalypse and On Acts devote less attention to pastoral concerns than do such later works as On Ezra and Nehemiah, On the Tabernacle and On the Temple. Further, the earlier commentaries contain fewer topical comments on the social and religious demise of contemporary Northumbria than the later exegesis (especially On Ezra and Nehemiah), comments whose substance and tone align this later work with the reform program of the Ecgberht letter. By considering these and other related issues, my analysis has a twofold aim: to provide a better sense of the overall shape and development of Bede’s commentaries, and to highlight the social investedness and intertextuality of his later writings as a whole.
Mathematical Model of Serine Protease Inhibition in the Tissue Factor Pathway to Thrombin

A mathematical model has been developed to simulate the generation of thrombin by the tissue factor pathway. The model gives reasonable predictions of published experimental results without the adjustment of any parameter values. The model also accounts explicitly for the effects of serine protease inhibitors on thrombin generation. Simulations to define the optimum affinity profile of an inhibitor in this system indicate that for an inhibitor simultaneously potent against VIIa, IXa, and Xa, inhibition of thrombin generation decreases dramatically as the affinity for thrombin increases. Additional simulations show that the reason for this behavior is the sequestration of the inhibitor by small amounts of thrombin generated early in the reaction. This model is also useful for predicting the potency of compounds that inhibit thrombosis in rats. We believe that this is the first mathematical model of blood coagulation that considers the effects of exogenous inhibitors. Such a model, or extensions thereof, should be useful for evaluating targets for therapeutic intervention in the processes of blood coagulation.
Use Of Fiber Optics In The CO2 Laser Fusion Environment

Optical fibers coupled to a scintillator and a photosensitive device are incorporated into our plasma diagnostic instruments to investigate subnanosecond high energy CO2 laser-target interactions. These detectors incorporate features for miniaturization and high temporal resolution. However, we are faced with the serious problem of radiation generated in the fibers by relativistic electrons and high energy x rays. Use of spectral filter and relay optics, and appropriate signal subtraction, it is possible to overcome some of the difficulties and obtain useful information.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Work in progress - Integrated service learning on the Gulf Coast In the Hurricane Katrina aftermath

This paper discusses the implementation of a fully integrated academic/service learning program on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi, a joint effort between the University of Washington (UW) and Alcorn State University (ASU). Students participate both in a service learning component and a formal academic curriculum oriented toward actively participating in rebuilding homes and understanding the Hurricane Katrina Story. This pilot program is a full load (12 quarter credits) program that places the UW students on the Gulf Coast for the entire quarter and the ASU students in service for one week of the semester. The two participating institutions share course materials and address the same objectives across a wide variety of preparations and major interests. Both UW and ASU students, in preliminary feedback, find that actively participating and interacting with Katrina- affected communities in Bay St. Louis and Waveland, Mississippi significantly enriches and improves the value of the academic coursework.
Images in clinical medicine. Doxycycline-induced phototoxicity.

A 32-year-old man consulted his medical care provider in June because of persistent acne. Two months earlier he had been prescribed a benzoyl peroxide wash and doxycycline (100 mg twice daily). Four days after starting a new outdoor job, he noted burning and erythema on his cheeks, nose, and lips. The erythema intensified, blisters appeared on the lower lips, and the pain ranged from moderate to intense. Examination showed erythema on the face that was most intense on the cheeks, nose, and upper lip. The vermilion border of the lower lip appeared to have undergone impetiginization, with erosions and crusting. . . .
The Torus Grating

The torus grating is defined as a calotte of a circular torus bearing a grating ruling on its concave side. In contrast to the spherical grating, the torus grating is capable of eliminating astigmatism, in general, for two points in the spectrum. These two stigmatic points can be adjusted to any desired wave-length within a wide range of the spectrum by choosing suitable values for the angles of incidence and diffraction. In the rest of the spectrum produced by a torus grating, astigmatism is considerably smaller than that prevailing in spectra of spherical gratings. Moreover, astigmatism is negligible in the proximity of the two stigmatic points, giving rise to “quasi-stigmatic” ranges in the torus grating spectrum. The extension of these quasi-stigmatic ranges depends on the size of tolerable astigmatism. If based upon an astigmatism equal to the diffraction width of the spectral images, a quasi-stigmatic range can be wider than 1000A. With light sources of small size a considerable gain in spectral intensity results from the lack of astigmatism. The theory of the torus grating which has been attempted in this paper further demonstrates that coma, aberration, and curvature of spectral lines in the torus grating spectrum are generally smaller than the same image imperfections in the spectrum of the spherical grating.
The terahertz spectrum and quantum chemical assignment of 2,2′-bithiophene in cyclohexane

Abstract The room temperature solution-phase terahertz (THz, 7 to 165 cm −1 ) spectrum of 2,2′-bithiophene in cyclohexane is reported. Density functional theory (B3LYP) and ab initio (MP2) methods employing the 6-311++G(2d,2p) and aug-cc-pVDZ basis sets are used to assign the THz vibrational structure and determine the relative populations of the cis and trans conformations, as well as the trans–trans rotational barrier height and the effects of the cyclohexane solvent on the predicted molecular geometries and vibrational frequencies. Significant differences are seen in the performance of the different theoretical methods, with the best performing method dependent upon the molecular property of interest. The best fit model of the experimental THz spectrum is achieved using MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ, which places the relative trans and cis populations at 54% and 46%, respectively.
MEMS process error characterization using lateral resonant structures

Accurate determination of the as-built geometry of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)is important given the magnitude of the geometric uncertainty relative to the dimensions of these devices. A method for determining geometric process errors in MEMS fabrication from measurements of the resonant frequencies of simple structures is presented. This method provides a way to determine the process offset (the difference between the design width of a structural element and the as-built width) and, in the ideal case, the average angle of the side-walls of the films involved. An important feature of the approach presented is that by using frequency ratios, neither the elastic modulus nor the mass density of the film need be known a priori. This paper also introduces a robust design technique for MEMS subject to the inherent geometric and material uncertainties discussed previously. Although a range of design tools have been developed for MEMS, little has been done to account for the uncertainties associated with MEMS fabrication. The robust design problem we pose is to minimize the expected variance between the specified target system performance and the actual performance that a particular realization would be expected to exhibit. This robust design problem can be written as a constrained minimization. We consider a subset of these problems and develop an algorithm to minimize rational polynomial functions subject to polynomial inequality constraints. The details of the algorithm are presented and we verify its performance by examining the design of lateral resonators with specified resonant frequency. This example shows that the robust design nominally meets the target performance and is significantly less sensitive to geometric uncertainties than typical designs.
Particle filtering on GPU architectures for manufacturing applications

HighlightsWe implemented a particle filter and an auxiliary particle filter on a GeForce GTX TITAN GPU.Both estimators are able to meet real-time operating constraints in a remelting process.The fully adapted auxiliary particle filter is more efficient in this peaked-likelihood case.The auxiliary particle filter is 40 times faster than the particle filter for the same accuracy. Particle filters are nonlinear estimators that can be used to detect anomalies in manufacturing processes. Although promising, their high computational cost often prevents their implementation in real-time applications. Recently, the introduction of graphics processing units (GPUs) has enabled the acceleration of computationally intensive processes with their massive parallel capabilities. This article presents the acceleration of the particle filter and the auxiliary particle filter, two of the most important particle methods, on a GPU using NVIDIA CUDA technology. This is illustrated via simulation for a remelting process where the accelerated algorithms return accurate estimates while still being two orders of magnitude faster than the physical process even for calculations that involve millions of particles.
A dynamic trajectory class model for intensive longitudinal categorical outcome

This paper presents a novel repeated latent class model for a longitudinal response that is frequently measured as in our prospective study of older adults with monthly data on activities of daily living (ADL) for more than ten years. The proposed method is especially useful when the longitudinal response is measured much more frequently than other relevant covariates. The repeated trajectory classes represent distinct temporal patterns of the longitudinal response wherein an individual’s membership in the trajectory classes may renew or change over time. Within a trajectory class, the longitudinal response is modeled by a class-specific generalized linear mixed model. Effectively, an individual may remain in a trajectory class or switch to another as the class membership predictors are updated periodically over time. The identification of a common set of trajectory classes allows changes among the temporal patterns to be distinguished from local fluctuations in the response. An informative event such as death is jointly modeled by class-specific probability of the event through shared random effects. We do not impose the conditional independence assumption given the classes. The method is illustrated by analyzing the change over time in ADL trajectory class among 754 older adults with 70500 person-months of follow-up in the Precipitating Events Project. We also investigate the impact of jointly modeling the class-specific probability of the event on the parameter estimates in a simulation study. The primary contribution of our paper is the periodic updating of trajectory classes for a longitudinal categorical response without assuming conditional independence.
Simulated effects of atmospheric deposition, harvesting, and species change on nutrient cycling in a loblolly pine forest

The effects of atmospheric deposition (current, 50% sulfur (S) deposition, and 200% nitrogen (N) deposition), harvest, and species change (from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) to mixed oak) on nutrient cycling were simulated for Duke Forest, North Carolina, using the Nutrient Cycling Model. Based upon the literature, we hypothesized that: (1) changes in S and N deposition would cause only minor changes in leaching rates and soil exchangeable cation pools because of ecosystem buffering of S and N; (2) replacement of loblolly pine by hardwoods would cause depletion of exchangeable Ca2+, reduced Ca2+ leaching and increased Mg2+ leaching because of high rates of Ca uptake by hardwoods; (3) total Ca export via leaching and whole-tree harvesting in the hardwood and loblolly pine stands would be similar because lower Ca removal in harvest would be offset by greater Ca2+ loss by leaching in the loblolly pine stand. Hypothesis I was supported by the results of the simulations: atmospheric deposition scenarios caused minor (typically < 5%) changes in leaching rates and soil exchangeable cation pools. However, changes in atmospheric deposition did cause large changes in simulated soil solutions and exchangeable cation concentrations in surface horizons, where total pool sizes were relatively small. Thus, although the simulation results suggest that the changes in S and N deposition will have little effect upon total leaching losses and nutrient pool sizes, they do not imply that atmospheric deposition has negligible effects upon exchangeable base cation concentrations. Hypothesis II was supported by the simulation results. At the end of the 20 year simulations, soil exchangeable Ca2+ and Ca2+ leaching were greatly reduced by hardwoods. However, Hypothesis III was not supported: cumulative Ca2+ leaching in the hardwood stand was only slightly (16%) less than in the loblolly stand, and total Ca export via leaching and whole-tree harvesting was considerably greater in the hardwood stand than in the loblolly pine stand. The patterns in Ca and Mg distribution and leaching in the simulations were very similar to the field results from near Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The simulation results suggest that nutrient budget analysis using only a few years of leaching data extrapolated over a full rotation can be very misleading because of changes in leaching rate with time.
Brief Control of nonlinear distributed parameter systems using generalized invariants

A framework is presented to facilitate the formulation of control strategies for nonlinear DPS. The key contribution is the generalized quantitative expression of the stability condition for any nonlinear DPS. The methodology derives from the use of symmetry groups that determine the group-invariant solutions of a differential system. An invariance condition in the prolonged space of the differential system provides the framework for the distributed control law.
Pathoradiologic correlation of pulmonary candidiasis in immunosuppressed patients

The diagnosis of pulmonary candidiasis can only be made with certainty when tissue invasion by the organism is demonstrated histologically. In order to ascertain whether characteristic radiographic patterns are seen in patients with pulmonary candidiasis, antemortem radiographic abnormalities were correlated with autopsy findings in 25 immunosuppressed patients who had histoinvasive pulmonary candidiasis. Pathological analysis enabled division of patients by route of infection into hematogenous and endobronchial groups, characterized by disseminated nodules and patchy bronchopneumonia, respectively. However, no specific radiographic patterns emerged in either patient group due to the small size of lesions and the high frequency of other pulmonary infections, edema, and hemorrhage. Since the radiographic patterns described for other opportunistic fungi do not appear to apply to this organism, a decision to institute antifungal therapy should not await evolution of radiographic changes.
Characterization and Generation of Male Courtship Song in Cotesia congregata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Background: Male parasitic wasps attract females with a courtship song produced by rapid wing fanning. Songs have been described for several parasitic wasp species; however, beyond association with wing fanning, the mechanism of sound generation has not been examined. We characterized the male courtship song of Cotesia congregata (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and investigated the biomechanics of sound production. Methods and Principal Findings: Courtship songs were recorded using high-speed videography (2,000 fps) and audio recordings. The song consists of a long duration amplitude-modulated ‘‘buzz’’ followed by a series of pulsatile higher amplitude ‘‘boings,’’ each decaying into a terminal buzz followed by a short inter-boing pause while wings are stationary. Boings have higher amplitude and lower frequency than buzz components. The lower frequency of the boing sound is due to greater wing displacement. The power spectrum is a harmonic series dominated by wing repetition rate ,220 Hz, but the sound waveform indicates a higher frequency resonance ,5 kHz. Sound is not generated by the wings contacting each other, the substrate, or the abdomen. The abdomen is elevated during the first several wing cycles of the boing, but its position is unrelated to sound amplitude. Unlike most sounds generated by volume velocity, the boing is generated at the termination of the wing down stroke when displacement is maximal and wing velocity is zero. Calculation indicates a low Reynolds number of ,1000. Conclusions and Significance: Acoustic pressure is proportional to velocity for typical sound sources. Our finding that the boing sound was generated at maximal wing displacement coincident with cessation of wing motion indicates that it is caused by acceleration of the wing tips, consistent with a dipole source. The low Reynolds number requires a high wing flap rate for flight and predisposes wings of small insects for sound production.
The MMPI: Development of contemporary norms

The original standardization of the MMPI was completed approximately 40 years ago. These norms were refined in 1957, but no attempt has been made to develop new standards. Therefore, a contemporary random sample of 1,408 persons living in the midwestern states who were similar to the original sample in area of residence and in the absence of significant medical problems were asked to complete the MMPI. The resulting MMPI data by age and sex are presented. In general, responses from this contemporary sample yielded higher mean scores than appeared in the original standardization group. These data suggest a somewhat more conservative approach to profile interpretation, with more careful consideration of the impact of age and sex on profile configurations.
The current classification of urothelial neoplasms

The classification of urothelial neoplasms has been a subject of significant controversy and debate over the last decade. Only recently has a general level of agreement developed on the utility of the classification first proposed by the World Health Organization and the International Society of Urologic Pathology in 1998. Recent adoption of this scheme in therapeutic guidelines indicates the clinical utility of the system. In this review a brief historical perspective is presented, followed by a review of the classification system, the histological criteria for the specific categories and the clinical significance of these diagnoses.
Antenna array design for covariance-based direction-finding methods

Angle-of-arrival estimates based on the analysis of a spatial covariance matrix are particularly vulnerable to error in the presence of coherent signal interference. When this condition exists, the wave interference field is statistically nonstationary, and estimation techniques that are based upon an assumption of stationarity tend to produce poor results. A method is proposed for the design of antenna arrays that exploits the effects of time-averaging and spatial smoothing to approximate the condition of statistical stationarity and thereby enhance the performance of bearing estimation methods. >
An improved spectrophotometric assay for histamine and diamine oxidase (DAO) activity.

Diamine oxidase or its substrates can be measured using a coupled reaction with peroxidase and the chromogen 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolone hydrazone (MBTH) with an appropriate acceptor such as 3-(dimethylamino)benzoic acid (DMAB). This method provides a more rapid and sensitive method of measuring histamine than current colorimetric assays; using this system, histamine was quantitated at concentrations of 10 to 400 μmol/l. TheK m of DAO was determined to be 2.9×10−5 M, a lower value than previously reported.
An artificial neural network case study: prediction versus classification in a manufacturing application

Abstract This paper describes the results of a study in which three different neural architectures were examined to predict/classify product quality of hard disk drives in a manufacturing assembly line process.
Assessment of a behavioral approach in long-term plaque control using a multiple baseline design: The need for relapse research

Abstract A longitudinal study was undertaken to investigate, in a private practice setting, the effectiveness of a complete behavioral approach to plaque control. Seven middleclass adult patients who would benefit from such a program received comprehensive, personalized behavioral treatment. Control subjects received traditional oral hygiene instruction. At data collection sessions, subjects were given disclosing dyes, and intraoral photographs were taken. Six tooth surfaces appearing in the simplified oral hygiene index were digitized, yielding percent plaque scores. Scores were plotted over time for each subject. Results indicated that for each subject in the experimental condition plaque scores decreased and were maintained at six months, but much of the gains were lost at 12 to 18 months. Subjects in the control group did not show consistent patterns of change.
Doing God's Work behind Bars: Chaplains' Reactions to Employment in Prison.

Abstract Although the importance of religion to the philosophy, experience, and practice of imprisonment is widely recognized, little scholarly attention has been given to prison chaplains. The current study addresses this oversight by exploring how a national sample of chaplains experiences their work. Despite persistent cultural and legal doubts about the appropriate role of religion in American prisons and shifting occupational expectations, chaplains are remarkably happy employees who appear to cope well with the demands of their work. Like other prison employees, chaplains' reactions to work were related to job characteristics, most notably role conflict and job dangerousness.
A simplified method for quantitating metallothionein in biological tissues

A new method was modified and evaluated as a simple, sensitive and quantitative procedure for measuring metallothionein (MT) in tissues. Heat denatured cytosolic fractions of tissue homogenates were incubated with 109Cd and bovine hemoglobin was added to scavenge Cd not bound to MT. The hemoglobin and excess Cd were separated from the 109Cd-MT by heating. The Cd remaining in the supernatant was a quantitative measure of the MT present. Analysis of Sephadex G-75 and DEAE-ion exchange fractions of liver supernatants from Cd and Zn-treated rats indicated that the assay is specific for MT. Levels of MT in six rat tissues were quantitated in untreated and Cd-treated rats and were consistent with previous studies on tissue levels of MT. Because of its speed and sensitivity, this assay may be useful for measuring MT in large studies where time and expense are limiting factors.