cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three-dimensional finite-element based deformable image registration for evaluation of pleural cavity irradiation during photodynamic therapy

Purpose Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is used after surgical resection to treat the microscopic disease for malignant pleural mesothelioma and to increase survival rates. As accurate light delivery is imperative to PDT efficacy, the deformation of the pleural volume during the surgery is studied on its impact on the delivered light fluence. In this study, a three-dimensional finite element-based (3D FEM) deformable image registration is proposed to directly match the volume of lung to the volume of pleural cavity obtained during PDT to have accurate representation of the light fluence accumulated in the lung, heart and liver (organs-at-risk) during treatment. Methods A wand, comprised of a modified endotrachial tube filled with Intralipid and an optical fiber inside the tube, is used to deliver the treatment light. The position of the treatment is tracked using an optical tracking system with an attachment comprised of nine reflective passive markers that are seen by an infrared camera-based navigation system. This information is used to obtain the surface contours of the plural cavity and the cumulative light fluence on every point of the cavity surface that is being treated. The lung, heart, and liver geometry are also reconstructed from a series of computed tomography (CT) scans of the organs acquired in the same patient before and after the surgery. The contours obtained with the optical tracking system and CTs are imported into COMSOL Multiphysics, where the 3D FEM-based deformable image registration is obtained. The delivered fluence values are assigned to the respective positions (x, y, and z) on the optical tracking contour. The optical tracking contour is considered as the reference, and the CT contours are used as the target, which will be deformed. The data from three patients formed the basis for this study. Results The physical correspondence between the CT and optical tracking geometries, taken at different times, from different imaging devices was established using the 3D FEM-based image deformable registration. The volume of lung was matched to the volume of pleural cavity and the distribution of light fluence on the surface of the heart, liver and deformed lung volumes was obtained. Conclusion The method used is appropriate for analyzing problems over complicated domains, such as when the domain changes (as in a solid-state reaction with a moving boundary), when the desired precision varies over the entire domain, or when the solution lacks smoothness. Implementing this method in real-time for clinical applications and in situ monitoring of the under- or over- exposed regions to light during PDT can significantly improve the treatment for mesothelioma.
Inferring latent states in a network influenced by neighbor activities: An undirected generative approach

The problem of inferring the hidden state of individual nodes in social/sensor networks in which node activities affect their neighbors is growing in importance. We present an undirected generative model, a type of probabilistic model that has so far not been used for modeling latent variables influenced by neighbors in a network. We also propose an efficient inference method based on variational inference principles which, in contrast to sampling methods used in most existing models, is scalable to larger networks. While training is intractable in general, by using stochastic methods to approximate the intractable derivative, we show that our model can be trained using the maximum likelihood method by formulating the model as an exponential family distribution. The results demonstrate that the proposed undirected model can accurately infer latent states compared to baseline methods.
Meta-analysis: Glycosylated hemoglobin levels are useful for diagnosing diabetes

Source Citation Peters AL, Davidson MB, Schriger DL, Hasselblad V, for the Meta-analysis Research Group on the Diagnosis of Diabetes Using Glycated Hemoglobin Levels. A clinical approach for the di...
A quasi-experimental evaluation of the impact of bike-sharing stations on micro-level robbery occurrence

To examine if the implementation of bike-sharing stations is linked to robbery occurrence in micro-level street corner units in Cincinnati, OH, USA. Propensity score matching was used to select comparison street corner units. The effect of bike-sharing station implementation on robbery occurrence across weekly, biweekly, and monthly observations was estimated using repeated measures multi-level logistic regression models. Bike-sharing stations did not statistically significantly link to robbery occurrence in immediate or nearby street corner units after implementation. Numerous explanations consistent with Crime Pattern Theory may explain the null effect of bike-sharing stations on robbery occurrence. Future research should continue to examine how changes in the urban backcloth, such as bike-sharing stations, impact geographic crime patterns.
Determinants of Government Receipts

A model of savings was developed and tested; the three key variables found to affect government receipts were income, unemployment, and inflation levels.
Building a market simulation to teach business process analysis: effects of realism on engaged learning

The emphases of student involvement and meaningful engagement in the learner-centered education model have created a new paradigm in an effort to generate a more engaging learning environment. This...
Multi-resolution simulation of focused ultrasound propagation through ovine skull from a single-element transducer

Transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS) is emerging as a non-invasive brain stimulation modality. Complicated interactions between acoustic pressure waves and osseous tissue introduce many challenges in the accurate targeting of an acoustic focus through the cranium. Image-guidance accompanied by a numerical simulation is desired to predict the intracranial acoustic propagation through the skull; however, such simulations typically demand heavy computation, which warrants an expedited processing method to provide on-site feedback for the user in guiding the acoustic focus to a particular brain region. In this paper, we present a multi-resolution simulation method based on the finite-difference time-domain formulation to model the transcranial propagation of acoustic waves from a single-element transducer (250 kHz). The multi-resolution approach improved computational efficiency by providing the flexibility in adjusting the spatial resolution. The simulation was also accelerated by utilizing parallelized computation through the graphic processing unit. To evaluate the accuracy of the method, we measured the actual acoustic fields through ex vivo sheep skulls with different sonication incident angles. The measured acoustic fields were compared to the simulation results in terms of focal location, dimensions, and pressure levels. The computational efficiency of the presented method was also assessed by comparing simulation speeds at various combinations of resolution grid settings. The multi-resolution grids consisting of 0.5 and 1.0 mm resolutions gave acceptable accuracy (under 3 mm in terms of focal position and dimension, less than 5% difference in peak pressure ratio) with a speed compatible with semi real-time user feedback (within 30 s). The proposed multi-resolution approach may serve as a novel tool for simulation-based guidance for tFUS applications.
Communities of Practice: a Conceptual Framework for Inclusion of Students with Significant Disabilities

ABSTRACTInclusion of students with severe intellectual disabilities in general education classrooms remains a major challenge in education systems around the world. This is despite the manifest val...
Aging well: toward a way of life for all people.

The world's population as a whole is living longer. Population aging is a trend that will bring new social, political, and economic demands to countries throughout the world (1). Without proactive steps to create individual and environmental changes that promote aging well, the escalating costs of health and social support systems for an aging population will be unsustainable both domestically and worldwide (2).
Vitamin C and the Immune Response in Health and Disease

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) appears to affect various aspects of the immune process. Its high concentration in leukocytes, its rapid utilization during infection, and its depression in clinical situations associated with reduced immunologic function have suggested a role for the vitamin in the immune response. There is evidence from animal experimentation that ascorbic acid is involved in a number of neutrophil functions, including chemotactic responses, phagocytosis, hexose monophosphate shunt activity, myeloperoxidase function, and cyclic GMP levels. Ascorbic acid also appears to affect other facets of the immune response, including delayed hypersensitivity and monocyte-macrophage reactivity. The introduction of ascorbic acid as an antiviral and antibacterial agent has further stimulated study on the possible immunologic mechanisms involved in its protective role.
Social and Cultural Anthropology in Perspective: Their Relevance in the Modern World

Social anthropology is, in the classic definition, dedicated to the study of distant civilizations in their traditional and contemporary forms. But there is a larger aspiration: the comparative study of all human societies in the light of those challengingly unfamiliar beliefs and customs that expose our own ethnocentric limitations and put us in our place within the wider gamut of the world's civilizations. Thematically guided by social setting and cultural expression of identity, Social and Cultural Anthropology in Perspective is a dynamic and highly acclaimed introduction to the field of social anthropology, which also examines its links with cultural anthropology. A challenging new introduction critically surveys the latest trends, pointing to weaknesses as well as strengths.Presented in a clear, lively, and entertaining fashion, this volume offers a comprehensive and up-to-date guide to social anthropology for use by teachers and students. Skillfully weaving together theory and ethnographic data, author Ioan M. Lewis advocates an eclectic approach to anthropology. He combines the strengths of British structural-functionalism with the leading ideas of Marx, Freud, and Levi-Strauss while utilizing the methods of historians, political scientists, and psychologists. One of Lewis' particular concerns is to reveal how insights from ""traditional"" cultures illuminate what we take for granted in contemporary industrial and post-industrial society. He also shows how, in the pluralist world in which we live, those who study ""other"" cultures ultimately learn about themselves. Social anthropology is thus shown to be as relevant today as it has been in the past.
Outcome of gastrointestinal cancer patients (pts) after ICU admission: The Abington Memorial Hospital (AMH) experience.

e18108Background: Based on prior studies, cancer pts admitted (atd) to ICU have poor outcome but gastrointestinal(GI) cancers have not been studied separately. We evaluated outcomes of GI cancer pt...
Gamble v. U.S.: Brief of Amici Curiae Law Professors in Support of Petitioner

In this case currently before the U.S. Supreme Court, petitioner Gamble's brief demonstrates that there was no dual sovereignty doctrine before the mid-19th century. At the Founding and for several decades thereafter, a prosecution by one sovereign was understood to bar a subsequent prosecution by all other sovereigns. Dual sovereignty is thus contrary to the original meaning of the Double Jeopardy Clause. Defendants today enjoy a weaker form of double jeopardy protection than they did when the Bill of Rights was ratified. But that fact only raises three further questions. First why did the Court erroneously conclude in Bartkus v. Illinois, 359 U.S. 121, 131 (1959), that the English and early American sources are “totally inconclusive” as to whether dual sovereignty existed at the Founding? Second, how, when, and why did the dual sovereignty doctrine come to exist? Third, given this history, why did the Court hold in United States v. Lanza, 260 U.S. 377 (1922), that a state prosecution does not bar a subsequent federal prosecution for the same conduct? This amicus brief answers these three questions. First, in Bartkus the Court simply misunderstood the English and early American sources. Second, dual sovereignty grew out of the intense controversy over slavery in the period immediately before the Civil War. The Court invented dual sovereignty largely to prevent free states from blocking the recapture of fugitive slaves. Third, by the time of Lanza, the dual sovereignty doctrine had been restated so often that the original meaning of the Double Jeopardy Clause had been forgotten. In Lanza, in any event, the Court was less concerned with original meaning than with rampant disregard for Prohibition. One purpose of dual sovereignty was to prevent “wet” localities from nullifying the Volstead Act. In short, dual sovereignty is an accident of history. It was not part of the constitutional design.
Probing the running of primordial bispectrum and trispectrum using CMB spectral distortions

We compute the impact of the running of higher order density correlation functions on the two point functions of CMB spectral distortions (SD). We show that having some levels of running enhances all of the SDs by few orders of magnitude which might make them easier to detect. Taking a reasonable range for $ |n_{f_{NL}} |\lesssim 1.1$ and with $f_{NL} = 5$ we show that for PIXIE like experiment, the signal to noise ratio, $(S/N)_{i}$, enhances to $\lesssim 4000$ and $\lesssim 10$ for $\mu T$ and $yT$ toward the upper limit of $n_{f_{NL}}$. In addition, assuming $ |n_{\tau_{NL}}|< 1$ and $\tau_{NL} = 10^3$, $(S/N)_{i}$ increases to $\lesssim 8\times 10^{6}$, $\lesssim 10^4$ and $\lesssim 18$ for $\mu\mu$, $\mu y$ and $yy$, respectively. Therefore CMB spectral distortion can be a direct probe of running of higher order correlation functions in the near future.
On Extended Guttman Condition in High Dimensional Factor Analysis

It is well-known that factor analysis and principal component analysis often yield similar estimated loading matrices. Guttman (Psychometrika 21:273–285, 1956) identified a condition under which the two matrices are close to each other at the population level. We discuss the matrix version of the Guttman condition for closeness between the two methods. It can be considered as an extension of the original Guttman condition in the sense that the matrix version involves not only the diagonal elements but also the off-diagonal elements of the inverse matrices of variance-covariances and unique variances. We also discuss some implications of the extended Guttman condition, including how to obtain approximate estimates of the inverse of covariance matrix under high dimensions.
Quantile-Specific Heritability of Intakes of Alcohol but not Other Macronutrients

Genetic heritability (h2) of alcohol use is reported to be greater in rural dwellers, distressed marriages, low socioeconomic status, in girls who are unmarried or lacking closeness with their parents or religious upbringing, in less-educated men, and in adolescents with peers using alcohol. However, these are all risk factors for heavy drinking, and the greater heritability could be due to quantile-dependent expressivity, i.e., h2 dependent upon whether the phenotype (alcohol intake) is high or low relative to its distribution. Quantile regression showed that h2 estimated from the offspring-parent regression slope increased significantly from lowest to highest gram/day of alcohol consumption (0.006 ± 0.001 per percent, P = 1.1 × 10−7). Heritability at the 90th percentile of the sample distribution (0.557 ± 0.116) was 4.5-fold greater than at the 10th percentile (0.122 ± 0.037). Heritabilities for intakes of other macronutrients were not quantile-dependent. Thus quantile-dependent expressivity may explain the higher estimated heritability associated with risk factors for high alcohol consumption.
Comparison of Fresh Tissue Incubation Assay and the in Vivo Localization of Monoclonal Antibodies to Renal Cell Carcinoma

Few in vitro tests currently available are able to accurately predict the in vivo localization of monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) to cancer. We report on a fresh tissue incubation assay (FTIA) and compare the results of this assay to the in vivo localization of renal cell carcinoma (RCC)-reactive Mab A6H and control Mab AFP-22 to RCC and non-RCC xenografts implanted in nude mice. Both the FTIA and in vivo localization study demonstrated highly selective uptake of A6H in RCC but not in non-RCC xenografts. Radioimmunoscintigraphy using A6H clearly visualized RCC xenografts in every attempt, while AFP-22 did not highlight any of the tumor xenografts. The results demonstrate that FTIA may be a useful in vitro assay for selecting Mabs for in vivo application, and that radioimmunoscintigraphy is a potentially useful tool in detecting cancer sites.
A Technological Perspective on Net Neutrality.

This paper serves as a brief technical examination of Net Neutrality and the Internet fundamentals relevant to the discussion. This document seeks to provide sufficient technical perspective that it may inform the political and economic debate surrounding the issue in the United States. Further, this research demonstrates that existing Internet economics are based strictly on usage, and that this model can account for all uses. Finally, I will argue that there should be some legislation and regulation of ISPs with regard to Net Neutrality in the U.S.
Caudal duplication syndrome: Complete duplication of the hindgut and genitourinary system

Abstract Caudal duplication syndrome is a very rare anomaly and poses a major challenge for surgeons. The term caudal duplication syndrome is used to describe the association between hindgut duplication, duplication of the genitourinary, and malformations of the spinal cord and vertebrae. A 5-year-old girl is reported with complete duplication of the entire large bowel, cecum, appendix, about 2 cm of the terminal ileum, bladder, urethra, vagina, uterus, and vertebral body deformities. After an extensive evaluation phase, a laparotomy was performed and the duplicated colon was excised completely without removing the adjacent native colon.
Toward a Common Configurative Impulse

Brazilian art critic Mario Pedrosa’s theorization of art’s affective power, whereby the relational contract with the spectator is neither rational nor purely visual but is infused with feeling, was decisive for understandings of geometric abstraction as expressive in the 1950s. “Toward a Common Configurative Impulse” turns to another modernism, nestled alongside the geometric ones that would come to define the aesthetic of artists associated with Concrete Art in these years. Beyond Concrete Art, Pedrosa’s modernism also encompassed the creative production of diverse practitioners, among them, popular artists, self-taught artists and psychiatric patients (the latter is the subject of my book Learning from Madness: Brazilian Modernism and Global Contemporary Art). With this in mind, this essay tracks the historical and discursive origins for such an inclusive modernism and how Pedrosa’s embrace of different artistic subjectivities calls for a necessary shift in the historiography of Brazilian modernism at mid-century.
Relationship between Puberty and Inhibitory Control: Computational Modeling of the Drift-diffusion Process.

Previous work relies largely on the simple reaction time measures in inhibitory control tasks. The goal of the current study was to provide a better understanding the relationship between puberty, sex, and inhibitory control utilizing and contrasting two popular drift diffusion models. A sample of 103 adolescents (Mage = 14.49, SD = 1.69) self-reported their pubertal development and completed a flanker task. Utilizing Bayesian regressions, we found that the interaction between puberty and sex were significant predictors of the A/B parameter, conceptualized as the amount of information considered for a decision during the task.
Distributed Control for Modular Multilevel Converters Operated in Switching-cycle Balancing Mode

Modular multilevel converters (MMC) with conventional control are subjected to large capacitor voltage ripples, especially at low-line-frequencies. It is proved that with appropriate arm current shaping in the timescale of switching period, referred as the switching-cycle control (SCC), such line-frequency dependence can be eliminated and MMCs are enabled to work even in dc-dc mode. Yet the SCC demands precise arm-current shaping in each switching cycle, posing great challenges on digital implementation. In this paper, SCC features are carefully investigated and based on control functions and timing constraints, SCC is separated into multiple control layers. A distributed control architecture and accordingly a custom-build controller system are designed, granting the system with enhanced flexibility and scalability. Detailed timing chart is presented to visualize the temporal cooperation among distributed controller units. Digital delays in the distributed system are identified and minimized to optimize the control performance. The proposed distributed digital implementation is verified in dc-dc operations with a custom-build SiC-based MMC prototype under 6 kV dc-link voltage.
Comparative Study of Two Index Two Methods Applied to Original ADAMS Computer Program

Improving the quality of the results by lowering the numerical integration index requires that the velocity constraints be used together with the corresponding geometrical constraints. An STF (Sparse Tableaux Formulation) implemented in the original ADAMS increases the size of the problem, and therefore, the size of the Dynamic Jacobean Matrix in a BDF (Backwards Difference Formula) scheme. The sparse matrix technique increases the number of operations by N1.3–1.7, where N is the number of rows, of the structured Dynamic Jacobeans. Hence, reducing the number of equations, at the same time maintaining a reasonable sparsity and ignoring some small value terms, will improve the computation speed during numerical integration.
Mesoscale Dynamics of the Adriatic Sea

Abstract : LONG-TERM GOALS: A better understanding of oceanic variability via modeling studies of circulation, entrainment, mixing and convection in the coastal ocean. Development and use of high-resolution models for the study of dynamic processes and for the investigation of specific oceanic regions. Transition of these models to the US Navy. OBJECTIVES: The particular objective of this project is to understand the physics of the mesoscale motions across the Adriatic Sea well enough to simulate them faithfully in high-resolution models.
Finite Time Problems and Nonlinear Filtering

The problems considered in Chapters 10 and were of interest over an unbounded time interval, and one did not need to keep track of the actual value of the current time. The cost functions were all over an unbounded interval, whether of the discounted form, of the form where control stops when a set is first exited, or of the average cost per unit time type. Time did not enter explicitly into the stopping criterion. All of the results and problem formulations (except for the average cost per unit time formulation) can be readily extended to problems of interest over a given bounded interval only. Owing to the explicit use of a bounded time interval, there are several variations of the locally consistent approximating Markov chains which might be used. They can all be easily derived from those of Chapter 5. The approximating chains are loosely divided into the “explicit” and “implicit” classes, depending on the treatment of time, somewhat analogous to the classification in classical numerical analysis. Section 12.1 contains an example to motivate the general form of the “explicit” method, and the general case is dealt with in Section 12.2. A motivating example for the “implicit” method appears in Section 12.3, and the general case is given in Section 12.4. Various combinations of these methods can be used. An optimal control problem is formulated in Section 12.5, and the numerical questions as well as the convergence of the algorithms are dealt with in Section 12.6. It turns out that the natural analogues of all of the models of control problems of the previous chapters (with the above cited “ergodic” exception) can be dealt with by the previous proofs with little change. But only the essential points will be covered. The methods are developed as direct extensions of the Markov chain approximation ideas of the previous chapters.
Leucine/isoleucine/valine-binding protein contracts upon binding of ligand

Small-angle x-ray scattering and computer modeling have been used to study the effects of ligand binding to the leucine/isoleucine/valine-binding protein, an initial component of the high-affinity active transport system for branched-chain aliphatic amino acids in Escherichia coli. Measurements were made with no ligand present and with either L-leucine or L-valine present. Upon binding of either leucine or valine, there is a decrease in the radius of gyration, from 23.2 +/- 0.2 to 22.2 +/- 0.2 A, and in the maximum particle dimension, from 82 +/- 3 to 73 +/- 3 A. The x-ray structure of the unbound form has been determined and gives a radius of gyration and a maximum dimension consistent with the values found for the solution structure in this study (Sack, J. S., Saper, M. A., and Quiocho, F. A. (1989) J. Mol. Biol. 206, 171-191). The reduction in the radius of gyration and maximum dimension upon ligand binding can be accounted for by a substrate-induced cleft closure in a combined "hinge-twist" motion. Modeling of the substrate-bound state was done by comparison of this protein with another periplasmic binding protein (L-arabinose-binding protein), which possesses a similar two-lobe structure and for which the x-ray structure is known in its ligand-bound form.
Repensando la lucha armada en América Latina

El presente articulo fue traducido del ingles al espanol por Lucia Abbattista y Agustin Franchella, y fue revisado por los profesores Laura Lenci y Hernan Sorgentini. El original se encuentra publicado como “Rethinking the Armed Struggle in Latin America”, en: Boundary 2, Duke University Press, Primavera de 2009; Numero 36, pp. 47-59
A Rare Case of Microcephaly-Capillary Malformation Syndrome Diagnosed via Whole Exome Sequencing (P6.018)

Objective: To describe the role of Whole Exome Sequencing in diagnosing a rare case of Microcephaly-Capillary Malformation (MIC-CAP) Syndrome. Background: MIC-CAP Syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by profound microcephaly, cutaneous capillary malformations, severe developmental delay and intractable epilepsy. To date, there have been approximately 12 cases described world-wide. In this abstract, we describe the role of whole exome sequencing in uncovering this rare neurogenetic syndrome. Design/Methods: Clinical data were extracted via detailed chart review. Whole exome sequencing was performed and independently verified at two institutions. Results: The proband, a 2 day old male infant was born at 39 weeks. Prenatal care was unremarkable. Apgars were 9 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. He was noted to have several macules on his body. At 24 hours of life, he developed clinical and subclinical seizures, refractory to anti-epileptic drugs. Testing was ultimately carried out at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Inc. Simultaneously, whole genome sequencing was initiated at the Baylor College of Medicine. At age 5 months, results were received from the research laboratory confirming 2 mutations in the STAMBP gene. The first mutation c299T>A results in a p.Phe100Tyr occurs at a highly conserved amino acid position and has been reported before by the lab as a mutation in another affected individual. The second mutation is a c.753_754insT and creates a nonsense mutation. These findings were verified by whole exome sequencing at Baylor College of Medicine. Both parents were confirmed as carriers. Discussion: Whole exome sequencing (WES) was successful in identifying 2 mutations known to result in MIC-CAP Syndrome, a rare neurogenetic syndrome characterized by severe microcephaly, developmental delay, intractable epilepsy, and cutaneous hemangiomas. WES appears to be a promising tool for identifying rare neurogenetic syndromes for which more targeted sequencing is unavailable. Though the process is lengthy (15 weeks), WES offers families and providers a valuable tool in diagnosing rare neurogenetic syndromes. Disclosure: Dr. Zecavati has nothing to disclose. Dr. Saadeh-Haddad has nothing to disclose. Dr. Santos has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kozma has nothing to disclose.
Spectroscopic Evidence for Methyl Spillover on Silica-Supported Copper Catalysts

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy has been used to investigate the bonding and chemistry of methyl groups, from the dissociative adsorption of methyl iodide, adsorbed on silica-supported copper catalysts. After reaction of methyl iodide on Cu/SiO 2 at room temperature, the infrared data show the presence of at least two different types of adsorbed methyl groups that differ in their thermal stability. The data suggest that methyl iodide initially dissociates on the Cu surface to form methyl groups and iodine atoms. Some of the methyl groups remain adsorbed on the copper particles whereas others migrate, or spillover, on to the nearby support where they react with SiOH to form SiOCH 3 . This is the first study to provide spectroscopic evidence for alkyl group spillover on an oxide-supported metal catalyst. Spillover of alkyl fragments has important implications for hydrocarbon catalysis.
Review: Short-course antibiotics in hospital-acquired pneumonia do not affect mortality

Source Citation Pugh R, Grant C, Cooke RP, Dempsey G. Short-course versus prolonged-course antibiotic therapy for hospital-acquired pneumonia in critically ill adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2...
Fretting corrosion in electric connectors induced by axial vibration

Vibration-induced fretting corrosion is a major cause of failure in electrical connector systems. To date, most work in this area has been mainly concerned with vibration orthogonal to the line of the connector and wire harness set (transverse vibration). The present study considers the effects of vibration parallel to the connector/wire harness line (axial vibration) A series of studies using single blade/receptacle connector pairs were conducted in order to investigate the driving mechanisms for this phenomenon. Variation in finish type, friction force, spring force, and cable length are considered. Experimental results for variations in natural frequencies and a variety of vibration input levels for fretting threshold are presented. In addition, a series of corresponding 3-D FEA simulation are presented using ANSYS and ABAQUS. The experimental and FEA simulation results are compared and insights into the indicators of fretting corrosion discussed.
Velocity Statistics of Plane Self-Preserving Buoyant Turbulent Adiabatic Wall Plumes

Measurements of the velocity properties of plane buoyant turbulent adiabatic wall plumes (adiabatic wall plumes) are described, emphasizing conditions far from the source where self-preserving behavior is approximated. The experiments involved helium/air mixtures rising along a smooth, plane, and vertical wall. Mean and fluctuating streamwise and cross-stream velocities were measured using laser velocimetry. Self-preserving behavior was observed 92-156 source widths from the source, yielding smaller normalized plume widths and larger near-wall mean velocities than observations within the flow development region nearer to the source. Unlike earlier observations of concentration fluctuation intensities, which are unusually large due to effects of streamwise buoyant instabilities, velocity fluctuation intensities were comparable to values observed in nonbuoyant turbulent wall jets. The entrainment properties of the present flows approximated self-preserving behavior in spite of continued development of the wall boundary layer. Measurements of temporal power spectra and temporal and spatial integral scales of velocity fluctuations are also reported
Strategic market planning in a turbulent business environment

Abstract This study investigates the relationship between business environment and strategic market-planning procedures. The study results are based on the responses of 149 marketing executives of the Fortune 1000 companies. The results indicate that as the business environment becomes turbulent, the strategic market plans become more complete and more long-term orientated. The companies facing a turbulent environment emphasize decentralization in developing the strategic market plans. These companies use a variety of risk-reduction methods such as the usage of conceptual models, consultants, and computer-mathematical models in their strategic market-planning process.
Effect of preexisting surface cracks on the interfacial thermal fracture of thermal barrier coatings : an experimental study

Abstract The presence of a population of long surface pre-cracks with large crack density in thermal barrier coatings has been shown to increase the coating thermal strain tolerance, thus leading to the reduced crack driving force and less crack propagation at the TBC–bondcoat interface. Laser thermal shock tests were performed to experimentally study the effects of the pre-crack length and density. A high power CO2 laser was utilized to apply the concentrated high heat flux on the top surface of the 8 wt.% YSZ beam specimens with pre-crack length of 15, 50 and 100% of the coating thickness. The lengths of surface and interface cracks forming after the thermal shock were measured. The results showed that, depending on the coating thickness, the shortest and longest pre-cracks resulted in longer interface cracks. The results suggest that an optimum pre-crack length exists which would minimize the coating interface fracture.
New methods for characterization of supercritical fluid solutions

The dependence of the solvating power of a supercritical fluid on pressure allows this property to be continuously changed from that of a gas to approaching that of a liquid. This ability has led to the development of new analytical, separation, and extraction methods. These methods include open tubular capillary column supercritical fluid chromatography, direct fluid injection-mass spectrometry, and the direct combination of these techniques. The direct fluid injection process enables the transfer of nonvolatile or thermally labile compounds to the gas phase allowing the use of mass spectrometry and other analytical techniques. In addition, the rapid development of capillary column supercritical fluid chromatography now allows the high resolution separation of complex mixtures. Several examples are given to demonstrate the application of these methods for the characterization of complex supercritical fluid solutions and extracted mixtures.
The Innovation Diffusion Paradox in Undergraduate Information Technology Student Outcomes

Information technology (IT) graduates and professionals must be prepared with the social skills required to communicate, advance, and enable technologies to influence or enable transformative and innovative change. This study examines the context of innovation in 4-year colleges and industry, finding that industry needs graduates able to innovate, while colleges are producing graduates who are risk-averse, tend to favor the status quo, and have not been trained in innovation. It presents a framework that addresses how IT undergraduate programs can formulate student outcomes to successfully generate, incubate, grow, and integrate innovation into the workplace.
Hematite nanospheres of possible colloidal origin from a precambrian banded iron formation.

Exceptionally small spheres (nanospheres) of hematite (diameters between 120 and 200 nanometers) occur in the Marra Mamba Iron Formation of the Hamersley Basin, Australia. The nanospheres are clustered into small aggregates and may have formed by structural ordering and dehydration of colloidal iron hydroxide particles. Individual spheres consist of numerous thin, curved hematite platelets surrounding a central void that is approximately half the diamter of the sphere; this texture suggests that they formed by a volume reduction of the original colloidal particles by ∼12.5%. The occurrence of hematite nanospheres supports the hypothesis that some ofthe iron was deposited colloidally during the development ofbanded iron formations, approximately 2.5 billion years ago.
Verteporfin photodynamic therapy of six eyes with retinal capillary haemangioma

Acta Ophthalmol. 2010: 88: e334–e340 Abstract. Purpose: Single-centre consecutive interventional case series by retrospective chart review to evaluate the efficacy of verteporfin (Visudyne™) photodynamic therapy (PDT) of retinal capillary haemangioma (RCH). Methods: Following an initial period of observation, six eyes of five patients with RCH (juxtapapillary 3 and extrapapillary (EP) 3) received 1–3 sessions of standard verteporfin PDT upon the development of progressive vision-threatening complications. Four of the five patients had von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease. Follow-up included documentation of best-corrected Snellen visual acuity (BCVA), tumour regression, and presence or absence of subretinal fluid (SRF) and/or lipid exudation as assessed by dilated fundus examination (DFE), fundus photos, and optical coherence tomography (OCT). These parameters were documented at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months following each PDT session and up to 32 months following the first PDT. Results: All eyes showed favourable response to PDT as defined by tumour regression or stabilization as well as improvement of SRF and lipid exudation. BCVA improved or stabilized in three eyes. Three eyes required PDT retreatment for recurrent SRF. Epiretinal membrane (ERM) worsened in three eyes, requiring vitreoretinal surgery at a median of 6 months following PDT. Conclusions: PDT is a moderately effective treatment for juxtapapillary and EP RCH. In this series, PDT resulted in tumour regression or stabilization as well as in the improvement of SRF and lipid exudation in all cases. However, stabilization or improvement of visual acuity was observed in only 50 per cent of the cases. The treatment benefits may be limited by pre-existing macular changes and worsening of ERM. A larger prospective study is necessary to validate these findings.
An algebraic version of Tamano's theorem for countably compact spaces

Abstract We show that if X is countably compact but not compact then one can find a compact space K such that X ⊕ K does not embed closedly into any normal topological group.
Direct and mediated effects of perceived father criticism and sarcasm on females' perceptions of relational partners' disconfirming behavior

Extending previous theory and research, a causal mode! was tested in which adult males’ perceptions of criticism and sarcasm from their fathers were exogenous variables and males’ perceived confirmation and relational partners’ reports of male partners’ disconfirming behavior were endogenous variables. Consistent with expectations based on the men's literature, confirmation theory, and previous research, perceptions of both criticism and sarcasm contributed significantly, explaining 44.8 percent of the variance, to the prediction of adult sons’ perceived confirmation scores. Furthermore, 75.87 percent of the variance in females’ assessment of relational partners’ disconfirming communication was explained by the model. Perceived criticism and sarcasm demonstrated direct in addition to indirect effects mediated by perceived confirmation.
Application of IGT/COMFET to zero-current switching resonant converters

The problems associated with IGT/COMFET devices in PWM converters, such as turn-off current tailing and turn-off latching are largely avoided in a zero current switching resonant converter. Dv/dt induced phenomena, such as the power losses and latching, are identified as the predominant problems in using IGT/COMFET devices for very high frequency resonant operation.
The role of disulfide reduction in chromatin release from equine sperm

The induced expulsion of a condensed chromosomal strand from equine sperm head pieces by the combined action of guanidine HCl (0.35M) and β-mercaptoethanol (5 × 10−3M) is documented by scanning electron microscopy. The circular dichroism spectrum of a disordered gel state of this expelled sperm chromatin is shown and suggests that the DNA component of this chromosomal material may be in the compact ψ-DNA state, The possible role of -S-S-reductive breakdown in the sperm chromatin expulsion mechanism during fertilization is discussed.
Testing for Behavioral Lateralization in Observational Data: a Monte Carlo Approach Applied to Neck-looping in American Flamingos

Abstract We applied a Monte Carlo approach to test for both individual and group level laterality preferences in neck looping by American Flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber ruber) at rest. We found no evidence of individual or group-level preferences, contrary to the results of previous studies. In the present data, the appearance of bias tended to decrease as the number of observations increased, suggesting that apparent lateral bias may be largely because of stochastic error. Pair members tended to loop the neck to the same side on the same day to a greater extent than expected by chance, implying that social factors can act contrary to any individual lateral preference that may exist in this species.
Some recoil corrections to the hydrogen hyperfine splitting.

We compute all of the recoil corrections to the ground-state hyperfine splitting in hydrogen, with the exception of the proton polarizability, that are required to achieve an accuracy of 1 ppm. Our approach includes a unified treatment of the corrections that would arise from a pointlike Dirac proton and the corrections that are due to the proton's non-QED structure. Our principal new results are a calculation of the relative order-${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{2}$(${m}_{e}$/${m}_{p}$) contributions that arise from the proton's anomalous magnetic moment and a systematic treatment of the relative order-\ensuremath{\alpha}(${m}_{e}$/${m}_{p}$) contributions that arise from form-factor corrections. In the former calculation we introduce some new technical improvements and are able to evaluate all of the expressions analytically. In the latter calculation, which has been the subject of previous investigations by other authors, we express the form-factor corrections in terms of two-dimensional integrals that are convenient for numerical evaluation and present numerical results for the commonly used dipole parametrization of the form factors. Because we use a parametrization of the form factors that differs slightly from the ones used in previous work, our numerical results are shifted from older ones by a small amount.
Embryology and pathologic features of Ebstein's anomaly

Ebstein’s malformation of the right-sided tricuspid valve will be discussed with regard to definition, embryology, demographics, pathology, and differential diagnosis. Pathologic features include not only the primary valvular lesions and their secondary effects on the adjacent rightand left-sided cardiac structures, but also the secondary extracardiac lesions and the complications of surgical interventions. The left-sided variants of Ebstein’s anomaly will also be described.
Relationships among Burnout, Death Anxiety, and Social Support in Hospice and Critical Care Nurses:

The present study was undertaken to compare the occupational stress, levels of burnout, death anxiety, and the social support of a national sample of 376 hospice and critical care nurses. t tests indicated that critical care nurses reported significantly more occupational stress, showed higher burnout, and experienced more death anxiety than hospice nurses. The two nursing groups differed significantly when the three components of the Maslach Burnout Inventory were compared: hospice nurses reported feeling less emotional exhaustion, utilized the technique of depersonalization less frequently, and experienced a greater sense of personal accomplishment. The two nursing groups did not differ in social support when both the quantity and quality of that construct were examined. Pearson coefficients indicated positive associations between burnout and occupational stress and between burnout and death anxiety, with a negative relationship between burnout and social support.
Mechanism-Guided Improvements to the Single Molecule Oxidation of Carbon Nanotube Sidewalls

Real-time monitoring of carbon nanotube conductance during electrochemical and chemical etching reveals the electronic signatures of individual bond alteration events on the nanotube sidewall. Tracking the conductance of multiple single-molecule experiments through different synthetic protocols supports putative mechanisms for sidewall derivatization. Insights gained from these mechanistic observations imply the formation of sidewall carboxylates, which are useful as handles for bioconjugation. We describe an electronic state required for efficacious chemical treatment. Such real-time monitoring can improve carboxylate yields to 45 % or more. The experiments illustrate the power of molecular nanocircuits to uncover and direct the mechanisms of chemical reactions.
The use of SU(3) in the elimination of spurious center of mass states

Abstract SU(3) recoupling techniques are used to give explicit constructions of the spurious states in the SU(3) scheme of the harmonic oscillator shell model. A compact formula is derived for all spurious states of excitation 1Zhω in 1p shell nuclei. Spurious states of excitation 1Zhω in heavier nuclei can be written down from a general formula whenever the needed fractional parentage coefficients are known. Calculation of spurious states of excitation 2Zhω are illustrated with the simple example, 16 O. It is shown how the purely non-spurious parts can be projected out of specific core excited states such as those of the weak coupling model for hole and particle states of high SU(3) symmetry. Most of the SU(3) recoupling coefficients needed for the construction of spurious states can be simply related to ordinary SU(2) Racah coefficients.
Isolation and preliminary characterization of bovine cementum collagen.

A method for the isolation of dental cementum is described. Amino acid analysis of the insoluble matrix of cementum, and chromatography of the CNBr peptides derived therefrom, strongly suggest that this material is mainly collagen with the chain composition α1[(I)]2α2.
Synchronous benign and malignant salivary gland tumors in ipsilateral glands: a report of two cases and a review of literature.

Background Ipsilateral salivary gland tumors of different histologic types are rare and make up less than 0.3% of all salivary gland neoplasms. Only nine cases of synchronous benign and malignant ipsilateral parotid gland tumors have been described in the literature. Methods Two additional cases of synchronous benign and malignant neoplasms in the parotid gland are reported and discussed with a review of literature. Results Our first case describes a pleomorphic adenoma and a salivary duct carcinoma, an entity not previously reported in the literature. The second case documents the most common benign and malignant ipsilateral parotid gland neoplasm reported in this case series, a Warthin's tumor and a mucoepidermoid carcinoma. Conclusions Synchronous salivary gland tumors exhibiting both benign and malignant components are uncommonly observed, with only nine cases published to date. We describe two additional cases of a synchronous benign and malignant ipsilateral parotid gland tumor. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 24: 301–306, 2002; DOI 10.1002/hed.10048