cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATIONS ON PLASMA CATALYTIC METHANE CONVERSION TO HIGHER HYDROCARBONS OVER ZEOLITES

Abstract Zeolites are an important class of industrial catalyst. In this investigation, the application of zeolites for plasma catalytic methane conversion (PCMC) to higher hydrocarbons at very low gas temperatures (room temperature to 200°C) has been addressed. Zeolites NaY, HY, NaX, NaA, Linde Type 5A and Na-ZSM-5 have been tested for the application in PCMC. The products contain C2 hydrocarbons (acetylene, ethane and ethylene), other carbon species including carbon deposits and trace C+3 hydrocarbons, and syngas (H2+CO), depending upon co-reactant or dilution gases added to the feed. A streamer corona discharge, a cold plasma phenomenon, has been found to be the most effective and efficient at inducing plasma catalytic activity over zeolites. The order of the zeolites tested from good to poor for sustaining the desired streamer discharges is NaY,NaOH treated Y>HY>NaX>NaA>Linde Type 5A>Na-ZSM-5 . Oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen (with or without oxygen added in a small amount), steam and nitrogen have been tested as co-reactants or dilution gases for PCMC over zeolites. Experimental results showed that the selectivity to higher hydrocarbons decreases in the order H2>H2+O2>H2O>N2>N2+O2>CO2>O2, while the methane conversion decreases in the order N2+O2>N2>O2>CO2>H2+O2>H2O>H2. All the co-reactants tested here, except hydrogen, can induce high methane conversions during plasma catalytic reactions. Small amounts of oxygen added to hydrogen can improve significantly the plasma reactivity of hydrogen over zeolites. This has led to a very selective net production of hydrogen and higher hydrocarbons (especially acetylene).
Optical properties of reactive ion etched corner reflector strained-layer InGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs quantum-well lasers

The optical properties of strained-layer InGaAs-GaAs-AlGaAs quantum-well lasers with a cavity comprised of a single cleaved facet and a dry etched corner reflector (CR) is described. For comparison, these data are contrasted with data for Fabry-Perot lasers made from the same material and having either two cleaved facets or one cleaved and one straight-etched facet. The etched CR exhibits higher overall reflectivity than the straight-etched and cleaved facet structures, resulting in lower threshold current density and higher efficiency. However, near-field measurements indicate that improvement in reflectivity from the etched CRs is offset by their tendency to favor off-order transverse modes. >
Responses of dairy cows to dietary aflatoxin: Concentration of blood serum constituents and hormones associated with liver-kidney dysfunction and maintenance of lactation

In the first part of this study, two fistulated Holstein cows in mid-lactation were given 13 mg of impure aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) (aflatoxin B1 plus other aflatoxins and metabolites produced by Aspergillus parasiticus in culture) for 7 days. Animals were bled daily and their blood was analyzed for serum glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase, serum glutamate-pyruvate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, bilirubin, cholesterol, triglycerides, total protein, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and uric acid. Concentrations of these constituents remained relatively unchanged during treatment. In the second part of the study, seven fistulated Holstein cows in mid-lactation were given daily doses of 13 mg of AFB1 for 7 days. Six animals received pure AFB1; one animal received impure AFB1. Amounts of four hormones [cortisol, insulin, thyroxine (T4), and triiodothyronine (T3)], hormone binding capacity for T3 (T3U), and glucose in serum were monitored. The amount of T3 and percent of T3U increased (12%) and decreased (4%), respectively, during treatment. No discernible changes in amounts of T4, cortisol, insulin, and glucose were observed in the animals receiving pure AFB1. However, glucose levels in serum of the animal receiving impure AFB1 decreased by 9% during treatment. This decrease in serum glucose level was accompanied by a reduction in the amount of milk produced. Overt signs indicative of ill-health were not apparent, and thus could not be related to changes in blood constituents measured.
Phonological skills in Puerto Rican and Mexican Spanish‐speaking children with phonological disorders

The effects of dialectal differences upon the speech production skills of children with phonological disorders are poorly understood. One might predict that the phonological profile of children using a radical dialect (e.g., Puerto Rican Spanish, which alters consonants in the syllable rhyme) will differ from that of children who use a conservative dialect (e.g., Mexican Spanish, which preserves such consonants). This study evaluated the impact of such dialectal differences by comparing the phonological skills of two groups of Spanish-speaking children with phonological disorders. Six participants used the Mexican dialect; the other six used the Puerto Rican dialect of North American Spanish. All children were matched on number of segmental errors and age, which ranged from 4;4 to 5;6 (M=4;10). A single-word assessment instrument was used to elicit data, and independent and relational analyses were completed for each child. Measures included phonetic inventory complexity, vowel accuracy, consonant accuracy, sound class accuracy, percentage-of-occurrence of phonological patterns, and frequency and types of substitutions. Significant between-group differences were not found for any measures. These findings do not support the hypothesis of significant phonological differences between phonologically disordered speakers of radical and conservative Spanish dialects.
Screening for Microalbuminuria: A comparison of single sample methods of collection and techniques of albumin analysis

OBJECTIVE To evaluate single-sample urine collections to determine their ability to screen patients for the presence of microalbuminuria. Microalbuminuria in patients with type I diabetes predicts the development of diabetic renal disease. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Cross-sectional analysis of single-sample urine collection techniques (first morning void, random upright void) and methods of albumin analysis (RIA, reagent tablet) were compared with conventional 24-h urine collections (RIA). The study included 94 patients (45 males, 49 females; mean serum creatinine 88 μM) with type I diabetes, selected from a screened population of 301 patients from the University Hospital Subspecialty Clinics. RESULTS A 24-hour urine collection RIA analysis for albumin revealed 36 normal patients ( 300 mg). Random upright urine samples were more sensitive (RIA 89%, tablets 78%) for the detection of microalbuminuria than first morning void specimens (RIA 70%, tablets 60%). Specificity was > 80% with both random and first morning voids. CONCLUSIONS Screening for microalbuminuria can be performed in the clinic by random upright single-sample urine collections. When reagent tablets were used, these results are available immediately. Patients who screen positive should be confirmed by 24-h or other timed urine collections.
A bioactive “self-fitting” shape memory polymer scaffold with potential to treat cranio-maxillo facial bone defects

Abstract While tissue engineering is a promising alternative for treating critical-sized cranio-maxillofacial bone defects, improvements in scaffold design are needed. In particular, scaffolds that can precisely match the irregular boundaries of bone defects as well as exhibit an interconnected pore morphology and bioactivity would enhance tissue regeneration. In this study, a shape memory polymer (SMP) scaffold was developed exhibiting an open porous structure and the capacity to conformally “self-fit” into irregular defects. The SMP scaffold was prepared via photocrosslinking of poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) diacrylate using a SCPL method, which included a fused salt template. A bioactive polydopamine coating was applied to coat the pore walls. Following exposure to warm saline at T > Ttrans (Ttrans = Tm of PCL), the scaffold became malleable and could be pressed into an irregular model defect. Cooling caused the scaffold to lock in its temporary shape within the defect. The polydopamine coating did not alter the physical properties of the scaffold. However, polydopamine-coated scaffolds exhibited superior bioactivity (i.e. formation of hydroxyapatite in vitro), osteoblast adhesion, proliferation, osteogenic gene expression and extracellular matrix deposition.
Commercial infrared: some prospects

The time is ripe. Technological advances promise to permit civilian applications that are both cost effective and easy to use. The cold war is over and much of the enormous capability of the aerospace companies and engineers is available for peaceful exploitation. This discussion covers some of the technologies, applications, and policies that may and can facilitate the expansion of infrared technologies into the civilian economy.
Tax management and investment strategies of property-liability insurers

Abstract The Tax Reform Act (TRA) of 1986 reduced the incentives for institutional investors to participate in the tax exempt bond market. This paper develops a model of profit maximization incorporating the TRA provisions applicable to property-liability (PL) insurers. The theory predicts that PL insurers will use underwriting losses to shelter taxable investment income and invest the balance of their portfolios in tax favored securities. Our empirical evidence reveals that insurers continued to invest in tax exempts following the TRA, suggesting that implicit tax rates are low enough to attract insurers into the long-term tax exempt market. However, insurers reduced the proportions of income derived from tax exempt interest and dividends following the TRA.
Measurement of Volatile Organics at Part per Billion Concentrations Using a Cold Trap Inlet and High Speed Gas Chromatography

Direct inlet gas chromatography (GC) is becoming one of the most frequently used techniques for measurement of volatile organics in air. Although GC is an effective tool, its usefulness as a field method can be limited by retention times of several minutes or more, and by the limits of detection. In order to address these issues, a high speed GC system featuring a capillary cold trap inlet and variable speed electrometeramplifier was developed and tested. The gas cooled inlet was used to collect and focus organic vapors from injection volumes of up to 1 ml. Resistance heating of the metal cold trap produced a narrow injection band that allowed simple separations to be completed in 5 to 20 seconds. Use of a variable speed electrometer-amplifier allowed the response time and noise suppression characteristics to be adjusted to the needs of the specific analysis. Simple mixtures of organics including aromatics, alkanes and chlorinated hydrocarbons were separated in 20 seconds or less. The limits of detection ...
Preparation of Well-Defined Antibody–Drug Conjugates through Glycan Remodeling and Strain-Promoted Azide–Alkyne Cycloadditions

Antibody-drug conjugates hold considerable promise as anticancer agents, however, producing them remains a challenge and there is a need for mild, broadly applicable, site-specific conjugation methods that yield homogenous products. It was envisaged that enzymatic remodeling of the oligosaccharides of an antibody would enable the introduction of reactive groups that can be exploited for the site-specific attachment of cytotoxic drugs. This is based on the observation that glycosyltransferases often tolerate chemical modifications in their sugar nucleotide substrates, thus allowing the installation of reactive functionalities. An azide was incorporated because this functional group is virtually absent in biological systems and can be reacted by strain-promoted alkyne-azide cycloaddition. This method, which does not require genetic engineering, was used to produce an anti-CD22 antibody modified with doxorubicin to selectively target and kill lymphoma cells.
Reciprocity between buyer cost sharing and supplier technology sharing

Abstract Despite the increasing importance of integrating suppliers into buyer product development activities, the majority of the research on supplier integration focuses on total cost reduction and benefits to the buyer rather than cost sharing between a buyer and its suppliers. Total cost reduction does not necessarily imply buyers share cost savings with suppliers, especially when buyers have a power advantage over suppliers. Also, little empirical evidence exists on what impact buyer cost-sharing has on supplier technology innovations. This paper examines the reciprocal relationships between buyer cost sharing and supplier willingness to share and invest in new technology using two-year of data collected from Tier-1 suppliers in the North American automotive industry. Initial buyer cost sharing was found to stimulate supplier sharing one year later and does so more effectively than supplier involvement in the buyer׳s product development activities. Moreover, supplier sharing was found to be reciprocated by the buyers. Furthermore, Japanese OEMs in the North American automotive industry reciprocate supplier sharing with higher levels of cost sharing than do domestic OEMs. The research substantiates buyer cost sharing as an important strategy to generate competitive advantage in managing supplier relations.
Rehabilitation of unilateral spatial neglect: new insights from magnetic resonance perfusion imaging.

Abstract Hillis AE. Rehabilitation of unilateral spatial neglect: new insights from magnetic resonance perfusion imaging. Objective To illustrate how magnetic resonance perfusion imaging has provided insights regarding rehabilitation of different forms of hemispatial neglect. Data Sources Recent studies of different types of neglect and their neural substrates and of rehabilitation strategies that might be differentially effective for different types of neglect. Study Selection Author selected all articles on PubMed that were identified with the key words reference frame or perfusion-weighted imaging plus neglect plus rehabilitation and other relevant articles that were cited therein. Data Extraction An independent reviewer determined if the data presented provided evidence relevant to planning or developing rehabilitation for stroke patients with distinct forms of neglect. Data Synthesis Results from a number of studies converge on the hypothesis that hypoperfusion and/or infarct of right angular gyrus and intraparietal sulcus can cause viewer-centered neglect, whereas hypoperfusion and/or infarct of right superior temporal gyrus can lead to left stimulus-centered neglect. Distinct forms of rehabilitation might be differentially useful for distinct types of spatial neglect, even though an individual patient may have 2 or more types of neglect. Magnetic resonance perfusion imaging has also shown that fluctuations in neglect in the acute-subacute period after stroke are often due to changes in blood flow caused by changes in blood pressure. Conclusions Consideration of neglect type and status of cerebral blood flow can be useful in planning strategies to ameliorate each individual's deficits.
Supercenters, unionized labor, and performance in food retail

This study examines the impact of unionized labor on supermarket performance, as measured by profit and sales, accounting for the competitive presence of supercenters. The results confirm prior research that shows that supercenters have negative effects on supermarket performance. Unionized supermarkets generally outperform nonunionized supermarkets. However this effect disappears when accounting for supercenters, largely because unionized stores are less likely to compete with supercenters. I find no evidence for a significant union effect on supermarket performance. The deleterious effects of supercenters are stronger for unionized stores. Unionized supermarkets utilize less full-time labor and more labor-saving technology than do nonunionized ones.
Influence points for tactical information in navigation meshes

Good artificial intelligence for strategy and first person shooter games requires tactical information. Tactical information assists agents in choosing appropriate places to place vulnerable resources, safe paths for moving through the world, and the most effective places to attack the enemy. Unfortunately, providing this information can be very expensive, as it typically requires keeping one or more full map arrays around. In this paper, we present influence points, a technique for providing tactical information by annotating navigation meshes. This greatly improves the memory cost of storing the information, and reduces the cost of updates as the world changes.
Studying one's own in the Middle East : Negotiating gender and self-other dynamics in the field

This article uses examples of the experience I had in the field as an indigenous researcher in Turkey in order to problematize claims to knowledge. I contend that for researchers who are positioned as relative “insiders,” whether indigenous or bicultural, such aspects of the researcher identity as gender, class, professional and relationship status are made especially salient, perhaps even more so in Middle Eastern contexts. I also argue that while indigenous status can be both empowering and restricting, the insider/outsider position can be employed as a useful vantage point for “rethinking the familiar.” I discuss with examples how this position informed my researcher role and my perspective on what is traditional.
Colloid deposition kinetics with surface-active agents: Evidence for discrete surface charge effects

Interest in the subject of colloid-mediated contaminant transport in porous media has stimulated numerous investigators to define the conditions under which particle movement may be environmentally relevant. Latex particle deposition kinetics in granular quartz beds were compared with and without surface-active agents to evaluate the effects of surface heterogeneities. Hydrophobic regions or metal oxide impurities were masked with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or phosphate, respectively. Deposition rates exhibited a remarkable ionic strength sensitivity in the presence of 10[sup [minus]3] M SDS that was similar to unfavorable filtration predictions using DLVO theory. The strong influence of SDS on particle deposition rates indirectly suggests that particle attachment is enhanced by uncharged, hydrophobic regions of the latex or quartz. Phosphate had little effect on either electrophoretic mobilities or particle deposition rates.
TV Everywhere? The Old Spatial Politics of New Media

Cable has all but disappeared from contemporary media studies. Media scholars have chosen to focus on the specific ways viewers access content on multiple platforms, to the exclusion of the study of the logistics by which that content is produced and delivered to those devices. In this essay, I read the deployment of Cloud-digital video recorder (DVR) systems and the distribution program TV Everywhere. By focusing on the spatial politics involved in programming distribution, I argue that media studies missed a critical series of technological, legal, and economic developments. The study of the ways in which institutions have understood distribution returns cable to center stage offering insights into the production and distribution of television that are lost in new media.
LORE: an infrastructure to support location-aware services

With the advance in wireless Internet and mobile computing, location-based services (LBS)--the capability to deliver location-aware content to subscribers on the basis of the positioning capability of the wireless infrastructure--are emerging as key value-added services that telecom operators can offer. To support efficient and effective development and deployment of innovative location-aware applications, a flexible and resilient middleware should be built as the enabling infrastructure. This paper presents the research and efforts made in the IBM China Research Laboratory toward developing an infrastructure that supports location-aware services. This infrastructure is based on a proposed location operating reference model (LORE), which addresses many major aspects of building location-aware services, including positioning, location modeling, location-dependent query processiug, tracking, and intelligent location-aware message notification. Three key components of the infrastructure--the location server, a moving object database, and a spatial publish/subscribe engine--are introduced in detail. The location server has a common location adapter framework that supports heterogeneous positioning techniques and industry-standard location application program interfaces (APIs). The moving object database manages the location stream and processes the location-based queries. The spatial publish/subscribe engine enables intelligent location-aware message notification. We also present some location-aware application demonstrations that leverage the LORE infrastructure. Part of our work has been tested in pilot projects with leading carriers in China and has been integrated into the IBM WebSphere® Everyplace® Suite.
Weak ferromagnetic exchange and anomalous specific heat in ZnCu3(OH)6Cl2.

Experimental evidence for a plethora of low energy spin excitations in the spin-$1/2$ kagome antiferromagnet ${\mathrm{ZnCu}}_{3}(\mathrm{OH}{)}_{6}{\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$ may be understandable in terms of an extended Fermi surface of spinons coupled to a U(1) gauge field. We carry out variational calculations to examine the possibility that such a state may be energetically viable. A Gutzwiller-projected wave function reproduces the dimerization of a kagome strip found previously by the density matrix renormalization group. Application to the full kagome lattice shows that the inclusion of a small ferromagnetic next-nearest-neighbor interaction favors a ground state with a spinon Fermi surface.
Design for optimum classical filters

Filter optimisation is the improvement of one or more characteristics of a filter. Such improvement is beneficial to the design in some sense. The work request focuses on the magnitude response of classical filters that are polynomial approximations to the ideal ‘brick-wall’ filter. Given a set of passband and stopband frequency requirements, optimisation then becomes the achievement of any combination of the following criteria while maintaining filter order fixed: maximisation of the band-edge selectivity; minimisation of the passband ripple; maximisation of the stopband attenuation. Such optimisation results in new pole/zero locations that implement the above features without increasing filter complexity. A graphical technique for specifying optimum filters in the above sense is presented exploiting the special capability of filter nomographs. Trade-offs in the criteria above are related to critical pole-pair Q and filter delay responses. A design example is presented to illustrate the power and ease of designing classical filters with optimum magnitude responses.
THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF TWO MODELS OF CELL DIFFERENTIATION.

Two models of differentiation in renewal systems have been analyzed, and their capacities to regulate production of differentiated cells in the normal steady state and under conditions of excessive and prolonged growth stimulation have been compared. Decompensation of one model leads to depletion of stem cells, the other to accumulation of stem cells. The histological demonstration of accumulation of stem cells in tissues subjected to chronic hyperstimulation by hormones is well explained by the present extension of one of the models. Such hyperplasia of stem cells accompanying the disequilibrium state induced by hyperstimulation is characteristic of precancerous tissues and may be an important causal mechanism of cancer.
A bio-inspired plume tracking algorithm for mobile sensing swarms in turbulent flow

We develop a plume tracking algorithm for a swarm of mobile sensing agents in turbulent flow. Inspired by blue crabs, we propose a stochastic model for plume spikes based on the Poisson counting process, which captures the turbulent characteristic of plumes. We then propose an approach to estimate the parameters of the spike model, and transform the turbulent plume field detected by sensing agents into a smoother scalar field that shares the same source with the plume field. This transformation allows us to design path planning algorithms for mobile sensing agents in the smoother field instead of in the turbulent plume field. Inspired by the source seeking behaviors of fish schools, we design a velocity controller for each mobile agent by decomposing the velocities into two perpendicular parts: the forward velocity incorporates feedback from the estimated spike parameters, and the side velocity keeps the swarm together. The combined velocity is then used to plan the path for each agent in the swarm. Theoretical justifications are provided for convergence of the agent group to the plume source. The algorithms are also demonstrated through simulations.
A 'good death' for tumor immunology.

A class of cell-killing chemotherapeutic agents seems to have an additional benefit. The drugs help prompt the immune system to turn against the tumor (pages 54–61).
The Digital Origins of Dictatorships and Democracy: Information Technology and Political Islam. By Philip Howard. New York: Oxford University Press, 2010. 304p. $17.20.

Philip Howard's important book offers a timely and thorough treatment of a subject that has been catapulted into the global limelight thanks to recent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt: the impact of the Internet on the political cultures in the Middle East.
Life Insurance Retirement Plans For High Income Individuals

This paper examines the advantages and disadvantages of using life insurance retirement plans for high net worth individuals. Though the advent of financial economics and simulations like Monte Carlo have introduced empirical data to financial planning, most advances are invented, developed, and later copied from the practices of leading advisors. These advisors come from several different areas of focus using their expertise to solve the financial problems of their clients. With methodologies coming from estate/tax attorneys, CPAs, risk management specialists, registered representatives/advisors, and CFPs the path to personal and intergenerational prosperity is not a clear one. As a result, financial planning has developed as more of an art form than a science. The intent of this paper is to bring a controversial, but in certain cases effective, financial instrument to the discussion of financial planning.
Cellular neural networks with nonlinear and delay-type template elements

The cellular neural network (CNN) paradigm is a powerful framework for analog nonlinear processing arrays placed on a regular grid. The authors extend the repertoire of CNN cloning template elements (atoms) by introducing additional nonlinear and delay-type characteristics. With this generalization, several well-known and powerful analog array-computing structures can be interpreted as special cases of the CNN. Moreover, it is shown that the CNN with these generalized cloning templates has a general programmable circuit structure with analog macros and algorithms. The relations with the cellular automaton and the systolic array are analysed. Finally, some robust stability results and the state-space structure of the dynamics are presented. >
Ethanol's behavioral effects may be partly due to increases in brain prostaglandin production

Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors antagonize behavioral responses to ethanol. The dose of inhibitor (e.g., indomethacin or aspirin) required to block ethanol's effects is directly proportional to the ethanol sensitivity of the organism. Animals selectively bred for differential response to ethanol provide a useful tool in exploring the biochemical substrates of ethanol-related behavior. This study shows that ethanol increases brain prostaglandin levels in a dose-, sex-, and genotype-dependent manner consistent with the hypothesis that part of ethanol's mechanism of action is to increase the production of prostaglandins.
Supporting reuse by delivering task-relevant and personalized information

Technical, cognitive and social factors inhibit the widespread success of systematic software reuse. Our research is primarily concerned with the cognitive and social challenges faced by software developers: how to motivate them to reuse software, and how to reduce the difficulty of locating components from a large reuse repository. Our research has explored a new interaction style between software developers and reuse repository systems enabled by information delivery mechanisms. Instead of passively waiting for software developers to explore the reuse repository with explicit queries, information delivery autonomously locates and presents components by using the developers' partially written programs as implicit queries. We have designed, implemented, and evaluated a system called CodeBroker, which illustrates different techniques to address the essential challenges in information delivery: to make the delivered information relevant to the task at hand and personalized to the background knowledge of an individual developer. Empirical evaluations of CodeBroker show that information delivery is effective in promoting reuse.
Support for real-time computing within general purpose operating systems-supporting co-resident operating systems

Distributed multimedia applications are typical of a new class of workstation applications that require real-time communication and computation services to be effective. Unfortunately, there remains a wide gap between the development of real-time computing technology in the research community and the deployment of real-time solutions in commercial systems. We explore technology for allowing two operating systems, a general purpose operating system and a predictable real-time kernel, to co-exist on the same hardware. We discuss the problems of multiplexing shared devices and partitioning shared data structures to accommodate two operating systems, and present a CPU executive that allows the IBM Microkernel (a derivative of the Mach microkernel) with an OSF/1 server to co-exist with a simple real-time kernel we have built. We also extend the traditional theory of scheduling periodic tasks on a uniprocessor to accommodate the case where a real-time kernel is allocated only a fraction of the total CPU capacity.
Evaluation of 99mTc-succimer dosing in pediatric patients.

UNLABELLED Balancing image quality with radiation dose is a goal with every diagnostic procedure requiring radiation. Our institution compared the dosing of (99m)Tc-labeled succimer, commonly referred to as dimercaptosuccinic acid ((99m)Tc-DMSA), to pediatric patients using 2 methods of calculation, body surface area (BSA, the method we used from 2009 to 2010) and body weight (BW, the method we used in 2011). METHODS A retrospective study was conducted in a 230-bed inpatient, tertiary-care academic pediatric hospital to obtain objective data on patients under the age of 17 y who received a renal nuclear medicine procedure with (99m)Tc-DMSA using a 300,000-count parallel image and four 150,000-count pinhole images. Data collection included patient age, sex, height, weight, calculated activity, assayed activity, administered activity, residual syringe activity, imaging time, and notable patient or equipment factors affecting the procedure. RESULTS Calculated activities based on BSA were higher than calculated activities based on BW. (99m)Tc-DMSA adsorption to the plastic syringes was significant, with a range of 3%-82%. Because of the adsorption, an average of 23.7 MBq (SD, ±31 MBq) was added to the patients' calculated dose when the order was placed. Therefore, assayed activities were significantly higher than calculated activities in both groups. Administered activity correlations to BSA and BW calculations were 0.75 and 0.83, respectively. Administered activities from BSA and BW groups were outside the American College of Radiology (ACR)-recommended guidelines 59% and 45% of the time, respectively. Overall, children less than 2 y old were above the ACR recommendations 80% of the time. There was a poor correlation between administered activity and total imaging time (r = 0.23). Average imaging time overall for 5 planar views was 14.8 min (±7.1 min). Patients receiving less than the ACR-recommended administered activities (<1.85 MBq/kg) had an average increase in imaging time of 4.5 min (±3.4 min). CONCLUSION The activity administered to patients was significantly affected by the amount of (99m)Tc-DMSA activity adsorbed to the syringe. Syringe residual should be considered when standardizing (99m)Tc-DMSA imaging protocols and calculating patient dose. Although (99m)Tc-DMSA adsorption was variable, the administered activities correlated with calculated activities. In all but one of our patients, the total imaging time was far less than recommended by the ACR and European Association of Nuclear Medicine guidelines. The study indicates that using the BW calculation of 3.7 MBq/kg resulted in a range of administered activity of 1.85-2.59 MBq/kg. (99m)Tc-DMSA dosing of 3.7 MBq/kg for pinhole imaging should be appropriate for most studies.
Schwann cells express IP prostanoid receptors coupled to an elevation in intracellular cyclic AMP.

We have shown previously that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) are each produced in an explant model of peripheral nerve injury. We report that IP prostanoid receptor mRNA and protein are present in primary rat Schwann cells. IP prostanoid receptor stimulation using prostacyclin produced an elevation in intracellular cyclic AMP concentration ([cAMP]i) in primary Schwann cells. Peak [cAMP]i was observed between 5–15 min of stimulation followed by a gradual recovery toward basal level. Phosphorylation of cyclic AMP-response element binding protein (CREB) on Ser 133 was also detected after IP prostanoid receptor stimulation and CREB phosphorylation was inhibited completely by the protein kinase A inhibitor, H-89. Intracellular calcium levels were not affected by IP prostanoid receptor stimulation. Unlike forskolin, IP prostanoid receptor stimulation did not significantly augment Schwann cell proliferation in response to growth factor treatment. However, IP prostanoid receptor stimulation increased the number of Schwann cells that were able to generate a calcium transient in response to P2 purinergic receptor activation. These findings suggest that signaling via the IP prostanoid receptor may by relevant to Schwann cell biology in vivo. V C 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. {
Construct Validity of Dichotomous and Polychotomous Choice Contingent Valuation Questions

In this note we conduct construct validity tests for dichotomous choice (DC) and polychotomous choice (PC) contingent valuation questions. Contrary to previous results, we find that DC and PC estimates of willingness to pay are theoretically valid, convergent valid, and similar in terms of statistical precision. Similar to previous results, PC respondents are less sensitive to information than DC respondents. We conclude that DC and PC valuation questions are construct valid for this study. Sequential PC valuation questions could be used in studies where obtaining information about the certainty or intensity of respondent preferences would be useful.
A robust tactile shear stress sensor derived from a bio-inspired artificial haircell sensor

This paper reported a robust tactile shear stress sensor derived from a bio-inspired artificial hair-cell (AHC) flow sensor previously developed in our group. Not only owing excellent sensitivity and directional response, the AHC is also a versatile device with potential capability beyond flow sensing. We demonstrated here the AHC sensor is modified into a tough shear stress sensor by casting it into polymer like PDMS. This approach achieves both great sensitivity and robustness. Also it has good directional response over entire 360 degree. Moreover, with polymerpsilas protection, the sensor can endure people direct rub, press on it, which is a nightmare for fragile silicon devices. These good characteristics enable this shear stress sensor promising applications in robotics and virtual operating systems.
Ontology-Based Risk Evaluation in User-Centric Identity Management

Recent trends in the area of identity management have evolved from a traditional identification solution to a distributed user-centric identity management mechanism. The major goal of user-centric identity management is to enable the users to have control over their own digital identities. Even though existing identity management systems attempt to offer user-centricity where users possess complete control on their identity disclosure, however, it does not signify the consequences of the users' behavior. It is necessary to assist the users on the risk involved in disclosing their identity attributes. In this paper, we propose a risk-aware mechanism to help the users decide the degree of identity disclosure risk using ontology-based evaluation and privacy preference evaluation. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach on dynamic online social networks where the user's identity plays a major role for access control and privacy management.
Virulence determinants in a natural butterfly-parasite system

Much evolutionary theory assumes that parasite virulence (i.e. parasite-induced host mortality) is determined by within-host parasite reproduction and by the specific parasite genotypes causing infection. However, many other factors could influence the level of virulence experienced by hosts. We studied the protozoan parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha in its host, the monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus. We exposed monarch larvae to wild-isolated parasites and assessed the effects of within-host replication and parasite genotype on host fitness measures, including pre-adult development time and adult weight and longevity. Per capita replication rates of parasites were high, and infection resulted in high parasite loads. Of all host fitness traits, adult longevity showed the clearest relationship with infection status, and decreased continuously with increasing parasite loads. Parasite genotypes differed in their virulence, and these differences were maintained across ecologically relevant variables, including inoculation dose, host sex and host age at infection. Thus, virulence appears to be a robust genetic parasite trait in this system. Although parasite loads and genotypes had strong effects on virulence, inoculation dose, host sex and age at infection were also important. These results have implications for virulence evolution and emphasize the need for a detailed understanding of specific host-parasite systems for addressing theory.
Quantum-confined Stark effect in intersubband transition in InAs/GaAs quantum dots

Quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE) in intersubband transition in InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QD) is reported. The QCSE induced linear shift of the absorption spectrum was observed and analyzed to be in good agreement with theoretical predication.
Phosphorylation-dependent localization of the response regulator FrzZ signals cell reversals in Myxococcus xanthus.

Summary The life cycle of Myxococcus xanthus includes co-ordinated group movement and fruiting body formation, and requires directed motility and controlled cell reversals. Reversals are achieved by inverting cell polarity and re-organizing many motility proteins. The Frz chemosensory pathway regulates the frequency of cell reversals. While it has been established that phosphotransfer from the kinase FrzE to the response regulator FrzZ is required, it is unknown how phosphorylated FrzZ, the putative output of the pathway, targets the cell polarity axis. In this study, we used Phos-tag SDS-PAGE to determine the cellular level of phospho-FrzZ under different growth conditions and in Frz signalling mutants. We detected consistent FrzZ phosphorylation, albeit with a short half-life, in cells grown on plates, but not from liquid culture. The available pool of phospho-FrzZ correlated with reversal frequencies, with higher levels found in hyper-reversing mutants. Phosphorylation was not detected in hypo-reversing mutants. Fluorescence microscopy revealed that FrzZ is recruited to the leading cell pole upon phosphorylation and switches to the opposite pole during reversals. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the Frz pathway modulates reversal frequency through a localized response regulator that targets cell polarity regulators at the leading cell pole.
Reissner-Mindlin Legendre spectral finite elements with mixed reduced quadrature

Legendre spectral finite elements (LSFEs) are examined through numerical experiments for static and dynamic Reissner-Mindlin plate bending and a mixed-quadrature scheme is proposed. LSFEs are high-order Lagrangian-interpolant finite elements with nodes located at the Gauss-Lobatto-Legendre quadrature points. Solutions on unstructured meshes are examined in terms of accuracy as a function of the number of model nodes and total operations. While nodal-quadrature LSFEs have been shown elsewhere to be free of shear locking on structured grids, locking is demonstrated here on unstructured grids. LSFEs with mixed quadrature are, however, locking free and are significantly more accurate than low-order finite-elements for a given model size or total computation time.
A Variance Components Model for Measurement Procedures Associated with a Table of Specifications

Although many tests are developed according to a table of specifications, the literature contains little guidance to measurement specialists for considering the measurement properties of tests developed in this manner. Rather, most of the literature makes the simplistic assumption that the entire set of items are drawn from (or represent) a common undifferentiated domain or universe. This paper presents a variance components model for many measurement procedures that are associated with a table of specifications. In addition, simple procedures are provided for estimating the model parameters (variance components and category means) and functions of them (e.g., composite universe score variance and error variances).
Wolbachia Infection Differs Among Divergent Mitochondrial Haplotypes of Bactericera cockerelli (Hemiptera: Triozidae)

ABSTRACT Four mitochondrial (cytrochrome oxidase I) haplotypes of the potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae), have been identified in North America: western, central, northwestern, and southwestern. A recent study found that females of the northwestern haplotype mated by males of the western or central haplotypes failed to produce viable eggs. Our goal was to determine whether these patterns in reproductive incompatibility are associated with differences among haplotypes in the presence of cytoplasmic incompatibility-inducing bacteria, Wolbachia or Cardinium. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed that psyllids of the western and central haplotypes were both simultaneously infected with two strains of Wolbachia, but Wolbachia was not detected in psyllids of the northwestern haplotype. PCR using archived DNA from field-collected psyllids confirmed patterns in Wolbachia infection among the western, central, and northwestern haplotypes, and also indicated that Wolbachia was no...
The Hartree Energy of Simple Metals

The Hartree energy is the energy eigenvalue of an electron in the potential field of an ion and the other electrons. This eigenvalue is computed numerically for seventeen metals. For divalent and monovalent metals, the eigenvalue is very small, of the order of a few hundreths of a Rydberg. Die Hartree-Energie ist der Energieeigenwert eines Elektrons im Potentialfeld eines Ions und der anderen Elektronen. Dieser Eigenwert wird fur siebzehn Metalle numerisch be-rechnet. Fur einwertige und zweiwertige Metalle ist der Eigenwert sehr klein (im Bereich einiger Hundertstel Rydberg).
Discrete Hodge Theory on Graphs: A Tutorial

Hodge theory provides a unifying view of the various line, surface, and volume integrals that appear in physics and engineering applications. Hodge theory on graphs develops discrete versions of the differential forms found in the continuous theory and enables a graph decomposition into gradient, solenoidal, and harmonic components. Interpreted via similarity to gradient, curl, and Laplacian operators on vector fields, these components are useful in solving certain ranking and approximations problems that arise naturally in a graph context. This tutorial develops the rudiments of discrete Hodge theory and provides several example applications.
Reliability of auditory brainstem responses from sequenced high-frequency (≥ 8 khz) tonebursts

An auditory brainstem response method is described for evoking responses to 4 high-frequency (8, 10, 12 and 14 kHz) tonebursts in the same amount of time normally required to obtain responses to single tonebursts. Reliability of responses to high-frequency toneburst stimuli presented in the conventional manner (one at a time) has been previously documented. In the present study, high-frequency tonebursts were presented to 20 normal-hearing subjects singly and in a 4-stimulus sequence. The reliability of resulting responses did not differ significantly between single- and multiple-stimulus test conditions. It is concluded that this sequenced-stimulus concept could be developed for use in serial monitoring of individuals receiving ototoxic agents as well as being broadly applicable to clinical situations in which patients cannot or will not respond voluntarily.
Abstract 218: Do Weekends Influence Time to Treat?

In emergency cardiovascular care, time to treat is a key system goal to improve patient outcomes. In patients experiencing ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), reducing delays requires continuous quality improvement at PCI hospitals to reduce door to balloon (D2B) times. Yet, many of the hospital operational processes are not well situated to accommodate variability in patient presentation patterns. In this study, we questioned whether the day of week influences time to treat, since this could have an effect on hospital staffing, personnel mix, and resource utilization. We analyzed the entire population of 1,247 STEMI patients that presented in all of the PCI facilities in Dallas County Texas during a 24-month period (2010-2012), to assess relationships between arrival patterns and treatment delays. Specifically, we examined the differences in D2B times of patients presenting on weekends versus weekdays. To control for confounding factors, we developed a robust generalized linear model (GLM) regression and relied on estimated marginal means analyses to assess the impact of weekday vs. weekend on hospital D2B, and controlled for a variety of confounding factors. There was a statistically significant difference in the D2B times between patients who arrived at the hospital on weekends (75 minutes) compared to those who arrived on weekdays (65 minutes) (KW=48.9; df=1; p<.001). Seventy two percent of patients who arrived on weekends or holidays achieved a D2B time of <90 minutes, compared to 79.5% for those who arrived on weekdays. GLM regression results confirmed that arriving on weekends or holidays is associated with statistically significantly higher D2B time (p=0.000), controlling for confounding variables (gender, age, presence of heart failure, cardiac arrest, shock at first medical contact, EMS transportation, and cardiac cath lab activation by EMS). Based on these findings, we recommend careful evaluation and update of hospital activation protocols and staffing policies for weekends. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif