cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic mechanical analysis of carbon/epoxy composites for structural pipeline repair

Abstract The viscoelastic behavior of a carbon fiber/epoxy matrix composite material system used for pipeline repair has been evaluated though dynamic mechanical analysis. The effects of the heating rate, frequency, and measurement method on the glass transition temperature ( T g ) were studied. The increase in T g with frequency was related to the activation energy of the glass transition relaxation. The activation energy can be used for prediction of long term performance. The measured tan delta peak T g ’s of room temperature cured and post-cured composite specimens ranged from 60 to 129 °C. Analysis of T g data at various cure states was used to determine use temperature limits for the composite repair system.
Toward a low-jitter 10 GHz pulsed source with an optical frequency comb generator

We demonstrate low residual timing jitter of 10 GHz pulses from a 1.55 ?m optical frequency comb generator based on a doubly-resonant electro-optic modulator. The comb spectral phase is shown to be linear but of different slopes for the two sides of the optical spectrum. The linear phase delay predicts well the measured timing delay of the two pulse trains from the comb generator. The pulse timing jitter is analyzed, and we illustrate that the pump laser's linewidth plays a dominant role in the timing jitter. For Fourier frequencies from 1 Hz to 10 MHz, integrated residual timing jitter at 10 GHz was reduced from approximately 94 fs to approximately 8 fs when the pump laser's linewidth was reduced from approximately 10 MHz to approximately 1 kHz. An electronic servo was then used to stabilize the Fabry-Perot cavity in the comb generator. Integrated residual timing jitter was further reduced to approximately 6 fs, and the corresponding residual phase noise power density is -105 dBc/Hz at 1 Hz frequency offset from the 10 GHz pulse carrier.
Can coupling with remote conduction bands cause a sufficient normal-incidence absorption in n-type direct-gap semiconductor quantum wells?

Surprisingly, several experiments have reported that normal- incidence light absorption due to inter-conduction-subband transitions in direct-gap semiconductor quantum wells is a s strong as in-plane-incidence absorption.In contrast to other models, a recent theoretical study claimed that a 14-band k.p model including multiband coupling terms due to remote- conduction bands is able to explain the experimental results. In the percent work, a concise formulation extends the model beyond 14 bands. Nevertheless, after re-deriving the optical transition matrix elements, this analysis clearly shows that the oscillator strength for the in-plane polarized optical intersubband transition due to the multiband coupling effects is much smaller than the oscillator strength for the normal-to-plane polarized optical intersubband transition. These results indicate that the multiband coupling effects due to remote-conduction bands cannot cause a sufficient in-plane polarized optical intersubband transition to produce the observed normal- incidence absorption in the desirable n-type III-V compound semiconductor quantum wells.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Decision by Single Women to Conceive by Artificial Donor Insemination

Single women are frequently denied artificial insemination with donor sperm (AID) by U.S. physicians. Reasons include the fear that any child lacking married parents will suffer psychological damage, the belief that an unmarried woman's motivation is probably purely selfish, and the concern that single women will be unable to cope with the stresses of parenthood. Psychiatric interviews with 12 single applicants for AID were conducted to examine the validity of the latter two objections. The findings were then compared to Merritt and Steiner's recent non-psychiatric descriptive study of 100 single mothers, almost all of whom either became pregnant by intercourse or adopted children.With AID, applicants sought to eliminate paternal obligations, emotional entanglements, and custody questions. All had given careful considerations to the demands of childrearing, social supports, finances, babysitting, and health insurance. They were unconcerned about social stigma associated with unwed pregnancy and motherhood...
Acute mental status change due to acute confusional migraine.

Pediatric patients frequently present to the emergency department (ED) with the chief complaint of headache. Migraine headache is responsible for many of these cases. Acute confusional migraine headache can also cause acute mental status changes in children, as illustrated in the following 2 cases. CASE 1 An 11-year-old girl presented to the ED after awakening from sleep with vomiting and headache. She was well before going to bed that evening, and there had been no changes in her appetite or behavior that day. Upon awakening, the patient vomited several times and was disoriented, not recognizing her mother or her surroundings. Her mother then called 911, and paramedics transported her to the ED at Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital. The patient’s past medical history was significant for a fall down a flight of steps in which she struck her head 4 months earlier. A computed tomography scan of the brain was conducted and was normal. She also was being treated for conjunctivitis with a topical ophthalmic antibiotic ointment. The patient’s mother had depression and was currently taking an antidepressant of which none was missing. The patient’s mother and grandmother had migraine headaches, but neither was treated for such at the time. On arrival to the ED, the patient was somnolent but responsive to verbal command. She was able to speak but was dysarthric. She was not oriented to person, place, or time. Her vital signs were as follows: temperature, 37.68C; heart rate, 128 beats/min; respiratory rate, 22 breaths/min; and blood pressure, 119/69 mm Hg. Examination of the head, ears, oropharynx, neck, chest, abdomen, and skin were normal. Her pupils were equal, round, and reactive to light, and her extraocular muscle movements were normal. No nystagmus was noted. Her optic disc margins were sharp, and there were no abnormalities of the retinal vessels. Her face was symmetric, her tongue was at midline, and her palate elevated symmetrically. Deep tendon reflexes were brisk and symmetric in both the upper and lower extremities. Babinski reflexes were plantar bilaterally. No pronator drift was noted. Upper and lower extremity muscle strength was 5+ and symmetric. Sensation to touch and pinprick was intact and symmetric. She did not follow 1-step commands and was dysarthric. She could not consistently name simple objects such as a pen or a piece of paper. She could not recall the names of family members or their ages. In the ED, laboratory studies were obtained, including serum electrolytes, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, glucose, and ammonia,
Fine‐needle aspiration of chondroblastic osteosarcoma of the skull: Report of a case in an 11‐year‐old girl

We describe an unusual case of chondroblastic osteosarcoma of the skull in an 11-yr-old girl in whom a preoperative diagnosis was made by fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy, followed by histologic confirmation of tissue biopsy and the surgically resected specimen. FNA cytology revealed pleomorphic oval cells with prominent nucleoli along with spindle cells, tumor giant cells, and a chondromyxoid background. The cell block of the aspirated material showed osteoid associated with the malignant cells. Immunocytochemical stains revealed S-100 and vimentin positivity; actin, myoglobin, and cytokeratin stains were negative. Electron microscopy revealed neoplastic cells with chondrocytic differentiation. This case demonstrates the value of FNA biopsy combined with immunocytochemical and ultrastructural studies performed on the aspirated material in diagnosing osteosarcoma from an unusual location such as the base of the skull. Diagn Cytopathol 1996;14:51–55. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Estimating cerebral blood volume with expanded vascular space occupancy slice coverage.

A model for quantifying cerebral blood volume (CBV) based on the vascular space occupancy (VASO) technique and varying the extent of blood nulling yielding task-related signal changes with various amounts of blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) and VASO weightings was previously described. Challenges associated with VASO include limited slice coverage and the confounding inflow of fresh blood. In this work, an approach that extends the previous model to multiple slices and accounts for the inflow effect is described and applied to data from a multi-echo sequence simultaneously acquiring VASO, cerebral blood flow (CBF) and BOLD images. This method led to CBV values (7.9 ± 0.3 and 5.6 ± 0.3 mL blood/100 mL brain during activation and rest, respectively) consistent with previous studies using similar visual stimuli. Furthermore, an increase in effective blood relaxation (0.65 ± 0.01) compared to the published value (0.62) was detected, likely reflecting inflow of fresh blood. Finally, CMRO2 estimates using a multiple compartment model without assumption of CBVREST led to estimates (18.7 ± 17.0 %) that were within published ranges.
The impact of integrated water management on the Space Station propulsion system

The water usage of elements in the Space Station integrated water system (IWS) is discussed, and the parameters affecting the overall water balance and the water-electrolysis propulsion-system requirements are considered. With nominal IWS operating characteristics, extra logistic water resupply (LWR) is found to be unnecessary in the satisfaction of the nominal propulsion requirements. With the consideration of all possible operating characteristics, LWR will not be required in 65.5 percent of the cases, and for 17.9 percent of the cases LWR can be eliminated by controlling the stay time of theShuttle Orbiter orbiter.
A posterior region for parallel profile differentials

A simple Bayesian solution for the joint estimation of several parallel profile differentials for multivariate normal populations is obtained. This generalizes a previous result for a single profile differential.
TEM study of structural evolution in a copper mold cast Cu46Zr54 bulk metallic glass

A gradient of crystallization was observed in the microstructure of Cu46Zr54 due to cooling through the use of transmission electron microscopy. The micrographs suggest that the observed plasticity in CuZr alloys is not caused by partial crystallization but rather a yet unknown internal feature of the glass.
The Day of Atonement in the Late Second Temple Period: Sadducees’ High Priests, Pharisees’ Norms, and Qumranites’ Calendar(s)

This chapter explores the difference between the Sadducees and Pharisees regarding the rite of Yom Kippur in the late Second Temple period. It illustrates the intellectual, spiritual, and moral level of an average high priest who was responsible for the ritual performance of the holiest and very unique day in Hebrew and human culture. The chapter exemplifies how the Pharisees overcame some problematic issues in order to fulfill halachic norms, and the complications this caused. It discusses the attempt of a Jerusalem high priest to impose his religious and civic authority on the Qumranites concerning Yom Kippur and the calendar. A number of Dead Sea Scrolls teach that the Qumranites celebrated Yom Kippur on a different day than the one in mainstream Jewish communities, either because of their different calendar or a different reckoning of the same calendar. Keywords:high priest; Jerusalem; Pharisees; Qumranites; Sadducees; Yom Kippur
Influences of stress on the measurement of mechanical properties using nanoindentation: Part I. Experimental studies in an aluminum alloy

The influence of applied stress on the measurement of hardness and elastic modulus using nanoindentation methods has been experimentally investigated using special specimens of aluminum alloy 8009 to which controlled stresses could be applied by bending. When analyzed according to standard methods, the nanoindentation data reveal changes in hardness with stress similar to those observed in conventional hardness tests. However, the same analysis shows that the elastic modulus changes with stress by as much as 10%, thus suggesting that the analysis procedure is somehow deficient. Comparison of the real indentation contact areas measured optically to those determined from the nanoindentation data shows that the apparent stress dependence of the modulus results from an underestimation of the contact area by the nanoindentation analysis procedures.
Interventions for the prevention of falls in older adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials

Objective To assess the relative effectiveness of interventions to prevent falls in older adults to either a usual care group or control group. Design Systematic review and meta-analyses. Data sources Medline, HealthSTAR, Embase, the Cochrane Library, other health related databases, and the reference lists from review articles and systematic reviews. Data extraction Components of falls intervention: multifactorial falls risk assessment with management programme, exercise, environmental modifications, or education. Results 40 trials were identified. A random effects analysis combining trials with risk ratio data showed a reduction in the risk of falling (risk ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.82 to 0.95), whereas combining trials with incidence rate data showed a reduction in the monthly rate of falling (incidence rate ratio 0.80, 0.72 to 0.88). The effect of individual components was assessed by meta-regression. A multifactorial falls risk assessment and management programme was the most effective component on risk of falling (0.82, 0.72 to 0.94, number needed to treat 11) and monthly fall rate (0.63, 0.49 to 0.83; 11.8 fewer falls in treatment group per 100 patients per month). Exercise interventions also had a beneficial effect on the risk of falling (0.86, 0.75 to 0.99, number needed to treat 16) and monthly fall rate (0.86, 0.73 to 1.01; 2.7). Conclusions Interventions to prevent falls in older adults are effective in reducing both the risk of falling and the monthly rate of falling. The most effective intervention was a multifactorial falls risk assessment and management programme. Exercise programmes were also effective in reducing the risk of falling.
DNA polymerase beta: multiple conformational changes in the mechanism of catalysis.

Stopped-flow fluorescence assay was applied to identify conformational changes in the catalytic cycle of DNA polymerase β (Pol β), using a synthetic DNA primer/template containing 2-aminopurine (2-AP) at the template position opposite the incoming dNTP. Two phases of fluorescence change were observed in the stopped-flow fluorescence assay of the incorporation of the correct nucleotide dTTP. The rate of the slow phase corresponds to that of product formation. This slow phase was identified as the result of a rate-limiting conformational change step before chemistry because this slow phase was also observed with a dideoxynucleotide at the 3‘ end of the primer which prevents chemical bond formation. The fast phase was also attributed to a conformational change step since its dependence on [dTTP] is hyperbolic. The rates of the two phases and their dependence on [dTTP] and [Mg2+] suggest that the fast conformational change is induced by the binding of MgdNTP and the slow conformational change is induced by th...
Global regular solutions for the dynamic antiplane shear problem in nonlinear viscoelasticity

Here A is the two-dimensional Laplacian, g is a scalar function, and Uo, u~, f are given functions. Equation (1) occurs in the description of antiplane shear motions of certain viscoelastic solids; for background material, the reader is referred to [-20]. Let y(~, t) denote the position of a particle with reference position ~ at time t, and consider an infinite column ~2 • R consisting of a homogeneous isotropic incompressible solid with the semilinear constitutive equation
Photo-induced hole transfer from base to sugar in DNA : Relationship to primary radiation damage

Abstract Adhikary, A., Kumar, A. and Sevilla, M. D. Photo-induced Hole Transfer from Base to Sugar in DNA: Relationship to Primary Radiation Damage. Radiat. Res. 165, 479–484 (2006). This work presents the hypothesis that photo-excitation of G·+ in DNA and model systems results in the same electronic states expected from direct ionization of the sugar phosphate backbone and that these states lead to specific sugar radicals on the DNA sugar phosphate backbone. As evidence we show that visible photo-excitation of guanine cation radicals (G·+) in the dinucleoside phosphate TpdG results in high yields (about 85%) of deoxyribose sugar radicals at the C1′ and C3′ sites. Further, we have calculated transition energies of hole transfer from G·+ in TpdG using time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) at the B3LYP/6–31G(d) level in gas phase as well as in a solvated environment. These calculations clearly predict that visible excitation of G·+ in TpdG causes transitions from only inner-shell filled molecula...
13C NMR study of ortho-, meta- and para- substituted phenyldiphenylamines: Substituent effect correlations

The 13C chemical shifts of 11 substituted triphenylamines have been determined and the assignment of these resonances made using intensities, 1H and 19F couplings and predictions from bond additivity relationships. 13C chemical shifts at carbons bearing the substituent and at carbons ortho to the substituent correlated reasonably well with the Q parameter. A multiple regression analysis of chemical shifts with the field and resonance parameters of Swain and Lupton and the Q parameter produced significantly better correlations than those obtained when Q was omitted for these positions. 13C chemical shift correlations for carbons meta and para to the substituent were not significantly better than when Q was omitted. Significant correlations were obtained between field and resonance parameters and 13C chemical shifts of C-o and C-p, and C-i, C-o, C-m and C-p of the non-substituent bearing phenyl rings in ortho- and para-substituted phenyldiphenylamines, respectively.
In defense of phage: Viral suppressors of CRISPR-mediated adaptive immunity in bacteria

Viruses that infect bacteria are the most abundant biological agents on the planet and bacteria have evolved diverse defense mechanisms to combat these genetic parasites. One of these bacterial defense systems relies on a repetitive locus, referred to as a CRISPR (clusters of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats). Bacteria and archaea acquire resistance to invading viruses and plasmids by integrating short fragments of foreign nucleic acids at one end of the CRISPR locus. CRISPR loci are transcribed and the long primary CRISPR transcript is processed into a library of small RNAs that guide the immune system to invading nucleic acids, which are subsequently degraded by dedicated nucleases. However, the development of CRISPR-mediated immune systems has not eradicated phages, suggesting that viruses have evolved mechanisms to subvert CRISPR-mediated protection. Recently, Bondy-Denomy and colleagues discovered several phage-encoded anti-CRISPR proteins that offer new insight into the ongoing molecu...
Novel Neoadjuvant Therapy Paradigms for Bladder Cancer: Results from the National Cancer Center Institute Forum

Abstract Objective To bridge gaps in translational science and develop the concepts for 2 novel biomarker-driven clinical trials: one in the presurgical setting and the other in the setting of bladder preservation with chemoradiation. Methods and materials The National Cancer Institute sponsored a forum, “Novel Neoadjuvant Therapy for Bladder Cancer,” which brought leading clinical and laboratory-based scientists together with the advocacy community. Results The group designed a neoadjuvant clinical trial to compare the clinical efficacy of the two frontline chemotherapy regimens (gemcitabine plus cisplatin versus MVAC) and the ability of a gene expression profiling-based algorithm (CoXEN) to predict complete pathological response. The trial was recently opened under the leadership of the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG, S1314), receiving support for the biomarker studies from the NCI’s BISQFP resource. A second clinical trial was planned that will examine the relationship between expression of the DNA repair protein MRE11 and complete response in patients treated with concurrent 5-flurouracil/mitomycin C plus radiation. Conclusion The meeting provided a unique opportunity to launch a collective effort to establish molecular-based therapies for muscle-invasive urothelial cancer. The goal is to use this framework to develop comparable trials with immunotherapy in non-muscle invasive cancers and to exploit the neoadjuvant platform to develop targeted therapy in muscle-invasive disease.
ESTIMATING THE UNRECOVERED STRAIN DURING A CREEP RECOVERY TEST FROM THE MATERIAL'S VOLUMETRIC-FLOW RATE

The present work demonstrates a more simple method to obtain the unrecovered strain during a repeated creep and recovery test with a Superpave pavement design, and uses the material's volumetric-flow rate (MVR) to acquire this information. While the repeated creep and recovery test as well as the new Superpave pavement design parameter are obtained from dynamic shear rheometer, the MVR is obtained from a simple flow measurement device (FMD). The FMD is a relatively inexpensive portable piece of equipment with low operational costs, and, through minimal training, the MVR data can be generated with a low level of variability. Thus, the proposed method of estimating the unrecovered strain during a repeated creep and recovery test from the MVR is greatly advantageous.
A New Species of Eimeria from the Golden‐Mantled Ground Squirrel, Spermophilus lateralis, in Northern Colorado

Oocysts of Eimeria morainensis n. sp. are described from the golden-mantled ground squirrel, Spermophilus lateralis. in Northern Colorado. The oocysts of E. morainensis are double-walled and subspherical, 20.3 × 19.8 (18.7–26.2 × 17.5–21.2) μm; and the sporocysts are ellipsoid, 12.1 × 6.9 (8.7–13.7 × 6.2–8.7) μm. Oocyst residuum and micropyle are absent, but a polar granule is present. Sporocyst residuum and Stieda body are present. Differences in oocyst characteristics provide the basis for recognition of this new species of Eimeria.
The treatable dementia of sjögren's syndrome

Progressive dementia developed during a 15-month period in a 56-year-old woman with serologically and clinically documented primary Sjogren's syndrome. Findings from magnetic resonance imaging and angiography were normal, but a brain biopsy disclosed perivascular lymphocytic inflammation in leptomeningeal and parenchymal vessels. Treatment with high-dose corticosteroids produced rapid and nearly complete resolution of the dementia.
Neonatal alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma with skin and brain metastases.

BACKGROUND Approximately 5–10% of patients with rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) are diagnosed during the first year of life, and their clinical characteristics have been well documented. However, because RMS rarely occurs during the neonatal period, little is known about neonatal RMS. METHODS Four patients with neonatal RMS were treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital between 1962 and 1999. The authors report the results of a review of these patients and of cases described in the literature. Clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features of these patients and their outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS One patient with embryonal RMS was treated successfully with a combination of systemic chemotherapy and local control measures. The other three patients had alveolar RMS. Two of them had multiple skin and subcutaneous metastatic nodules at the time of diagnosis and developed brain metastases early in their course. In one of these patients, the PAX3-FKHR fusion transcript was detected. Three other similar cases of neonatal alveolar RMS with metastases to the skin and brain have been reported in the literature. CONCLUSIONS A distinct syndrome of neonatal RMS is described. This syndrome is characterized by alveolar histology, multiple skin and subcutaneous metastases, and fatal outcome as the result of early brain metastasis. Cancer 2001;92:1613–20. © 2001 American Cancer Society.
Emergency Mosquito Control on a Selected Area in Eastern North Carolina After Hurricane Irene

Natural disasters such as hurricanes may contribute to mosquito abundance and, consequently, arbovirus transmission risk. In 2011, flooding from Hurricane Irene in eastern North Carolina (NC) resulted in increased mosquito populations that hindered recovery efforts. Budget shortfalls in NC have reduced the functionality of long-term mosquito surveillance and control programs; hence, many counties rely on the Federal Emergency Management Agency for post-disaster mosquito control. This pilot study examines mosquito abundance pre- and post-aerial insecticide spraying at eight study sites in Washington and Tyrrell Counties in rural eastern NC after Hurricane Irene. Percent change was calculated and compared for traps in areas that received aerial pesticide application and those that did not. Traps in spray zones show decreases in mosquito abundance when compared to control traps (treatment: -52.93%; control: 3.55%), although no significant differences (P = 0.286) were found in mosquito abundance between groups. Implications of reactive rather than proactive mosquito control responses are discussed.
Rotator-Cuff Failure

A 63-year-old woman presents with a 2-year history of progressive weakness and discomfort in her right shoulder, especially when she puts dishes on the top shelf in her kitchen. She is otherwise healthy and has had no injuries. Physical examination shows some atrophy of the muscles in the right shoulder and weakness when the right arm is elevated. Magnetic resonance imaging shows a large defect in the rotator cuff. How should her case be managed?
Time-resolved electron dynamics and transport imaging

The transport of electronic carriers in gold films excited by femtosecond laser pulses is observed to contain both a ballistic and an interactive component and is, accordingly, well outside thermal equilibrium. The ballistic component is observed to traverse up to 400 nm through the film at near the Fermi velocity. The interactive component undergoes various scattering events and requires a correspondingly longer time to traverse the film. The carriers which originate through laser excitation at the 'front' surface of the film arrive at the 'back' surface and influence the reflectivity. The relative reflectivity, (Delta) R/R, at the back surface is measured with a time delayed probe beam which produces information on the temporal evolution of the coupled dynamics and transport of the carriers. Experimental results are compared to a theoretical basis in terms of the Fermi-liquid theory and 1D carrier transport. Agreement between experiment and theory is remarkably good. Electron transport is also influenced by the presence of multiple metallic layers, for example, the carrier arrival profile at the back surface in gold differs from that of a corresponding Au-Ti-Au multilayer. The difference permits observation of an 'image' of the gold and multilayer interface.
Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve: angiocardiographic diagnosis.

Abstract Angiocardiograms are described which are believed to be characteristic of Ebstein's anomaly of the tricuspid valve, and the other clinical features in one case are presented. The division of the right ventricle into a proximal atrialized portion and a distal functioning portion is demonstrable by angiocardiography in this case.
Siblicidal Aggression and Resource Monopolization in Birds

In Texas, great egret Casmerodius albus chicks attack younger nestmates, often fatally (siblicide). By contrast, the young of neighboring great blue herons Ardea herodias seldom strike or kill siblings. These interspecific differences seem related to prey size: only fish provided by egret parents are small enough for chicks to monopolize (a process facilitated by aggression). Experimentally cross-fostered heron chicks raised on small prey by egret parents became siblicidal, but the reverse procedure of cross-fostering egret chicks did not reduce aggression or siblicide.
Strength properties of light-cured dental restorative composites

The compressive strength of dental restorative composites was studied in this research. Cylindrical specimens were made according to manufacturers' recommendations and stored for two weeks in distilled water at 37 °C. Compressive strength was measured using a mechanical test machine with a cross-head speed of 0.5 mm/min; then, acquired data were analyzed using ANOVA and Weibull statistics. Among the studied composites, Filtek® Z350 exhibited the highest compressive fracture strength which could be due to its filler fraction and proper combination of aggregated zirconia/silica cluster fillers in a uniform nanostructure.
High-level delay estimation for technology-independent logic equations

A simple model is presented for estimating the delay of a multi-level combinational logic description prior to a technology-dependent mapping phase. The model proposes that delay through a node varies logarithmically with both the complexity and the fanout of the node's logic equation. This is a consequence of the observation that in high performance circuits, both the fan-in and fan-out of cells are bounded by small numbers. Model parameters are derived for three different CMOS ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) libraries, and the authors show how the predicted delays compare with the actual delays for three different industrial designs in each library. This model can serve as a proxy for delay during technology-independent logic optimization, much as literal counts serve as proxies for area. >
Tailorable integrated optofluidic filters for biomolecular detection

Spectral filtering is an essential component of biophotonic methods such as fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy. Predominantly utilized in bulk microscopy, filters require efficient and selective transmission or removal of signals at one or more wavelength bands. However, towards highly sensitive and fully self-contained lab-on-chip systems, the integration of spectral filters is an essential step. In this work, a novel optofluidic solution is presented in which a liquid-core optical waveguide both transports sample analytes and acts as an efficient filter for advanced spectroscopy. To this end, the wavelength dependent nature of interference-based antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide technology is exploited. An extinction of 37 dB, a narrow rejection band of only 2.5 nm and a free spectral range of 76 nm using three specifically designed dielectric layers are demonstrated. These parameters result in an 18.4-fold increase in the signal-to-noise ratio for on-chip fluorescence detection. In addition, liquid-core waveguide filters with three operating wavelengths were designed for Forster resonance energy transfer detection and demonstrated using doubly labeled oligonucleotides. Incorporation of high-performance spectral processing illustrates the power of the optofluidic concept where fluidic channels also perform optical functions to create innovative and highly integrated lab-on-chip devices.
In Sight, Out of Mind: When Object Representations Fail

Models of human visual memory often presuppose an extraordinary ability to recognize and identify objects, based on evidence for nearly flawless recognition of hundreds or even thousands of pictures after a single presentation (Nickerson, 1965, Shepard, 1967, Standing, Conezio, & Haber, 1970) and for storage of tens of thousands of object representations over the course of a lifetime (Biederman, 1987) However, recent evidence suggests that observers often fail to notice dramatic changes to scenes, especially changes occurring during eye movements (e g, Grimes, 1996) The experiments presented here show that immediate memory for object identity is surprisingly poor, especially when verbal labeling is prevented However, memory for the spatial configuration of objects remains excellent even with verbal interference suggesting a fundamental difference between representations of spatial configuration and object properties
Maintaining the life-long vitality and integrity of skeletal tissue

Abstract Although decreased bone strength and a consequent increase in fragility fractures has been regarded as an inevitable consequence of aging, there is great variability in this process. Moreover there are new findings concerning the mechanisms by which the skeleton maintains it vitality and integrity that should change this view. There are four basic mechanisms that can lead to decreased bone mass and strength and an increase in fragility fractures. 1) Genetic and lifestyle factors that impair the ability to achieve optimal peak bone mass and strength during childhood and adolescence. 2) Loss of bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration due to increased bone resorption, for which estrogen deficiency is probably the most important cause. 3) Inadequate bone formation during remodeling, which appears to be age related but for which the specific causes are not known. 4) Increased propensity to fall and decreased mobility that may be associated both with age related impairment in neuromuscular function and the use of drugs that impair balance. Substantial advances have been made in our understanding of the bone remodeling cycle, particularly the interaction of osteoblasts and osteoclasts that initiates resorption. Inflammatory cytokines may be involved in this process, but their specific role in human osteoporosis has not been resolved. New information on the roles of osteocytes and the Wnt signaling pathway in the regulation of bone formation indicate that these may be critical in the regulation of skeleton vitality and integrity. Hence new interventions that affect regulators of bone growth and remodeling may be developed that can maintain skeletal tissue and prevent the development of osteoporosis and fragility fractures.
Extended‐matching items: A practical alternative to free‐response questions

This article describes an item format, termed extended matching, that is currently used for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE). Extended‐matching items are organized in sets that include several items with a single option list. In one common form of extended‐matching items, each item in a set describes a patient with the same chief complaint and requires the examinee to select the most likely diagnosis from a list of diagnoses associated with that chief complaint. This article outlines procedures for writing and reviewing these items, discusses the test development and psychometric advantages of the format, and reviews practical issues that arise in test administration and scoring. If items provide fairly detailed descriptions of patient situations and require examinees to make a diagnosis or specify the next step in patient care, the extended‐matching format can be used to challenge important clinical decision‐making skills. With its long option list, the format provides a good compr...
Neisseria gonorrhoeae Coordinately Uses Pili and Opa To Activate HEC-1-B Cell Microvilli, Which Causes Engulfment of the Gonococci

This study was undertaken to examine concomitant roles of pili and colony opacity-associated proteins (Opa) in promoting Neisseria gonorrhoeae adherence to and invasion of human endometrial HEC-1-B cells. Adherence of N. gonorrhoeae to cultured HEC-1-B cells was saturable, even though organisms adhered to <50% of the cells. During 4 to 6 h of incubation, adherent mono- and diplococci formed microcolonies on the surfaces of the cells. Microvilli of the HEC-1-B cells adhered by their distal ends to individual cocci within the microcolonies. When the microcolonies grew from isogenic pilus-negative (P-) Opa-, P- Opa+, or P+ Opa- gonococci, microvilli did not elongate, and the colonies were not engulfed. In contrast, the microvilli markedly elongated during exposure to P+ Opa+ gonococci. The microvilli adhered to the organisms along their full lengths and appeared to actively participate in the engulfment of the microcolonies. Internalized microcolonies, with P+ Opa+ gonococci, contained dividing cocci and appeared to be surrounded by cell membrane but were not clearly within vacuoles. In contrast, degenerate individual organisms were within vacuoles. Low doses of chloramphenicol, which inhibits protein synthesis by both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, prevented the microvillar response to and internalization of the P+ Opa+ gonococci; higher doses caused internalization without microvillus activation. Cycloheximide and anisomycin, which inhibit only eukaryotic protein synthesis, caused dose-dependent enhancement of uptake. Cytochalasins reduced engulfment; colchicine had no effect. These results show that gonococci must express both pili and Opa to be engulfed efficiently by HEC-1-B cells.
Translational Medicine - doing it backwards

In recent years the concept of “translational medicine” has been advanced in an attempt to catalyze the medical applications of basic biomedical research. However, there has been little discussion about the readiness of scientists themselves to respond to what we believe is a required new approach to scientific discovery if this new concept is to bear fruit. The present paradigm of hypothesis-driven research poorly suits the needs of biomedical research unless efforts are spent in identifying clinically relevant hypotheses. The dominant funding system favors hypotheses born from model systems and not humans, bypassing the Baconian principle of relevant observations and experimentation before hypotheses. Here, we argue that that this attitude has born two unfortunate results: lack of sufficient rigor in selecting hypotheses relevant to human disease and limitations of most clinical studies to certain outcome parameters rather than expanding knowledge of human pathophysiology; an illogical approach to translational medicine. If we wish to remain true to our responsibility and duty of performing research relevant to human disease, we must begin to think about fundamental new approaches. NIH is the nation’s medical research agency - making important medical discoveries that improve health and save lives. NIH is the steward of medical and behavioral research for the Nation. Its mission is science in pursuit of fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability [1].
Tuberculosis latente en niños: llamamiento para revisar las directrices de tratamiento

Fundamento: Las directrices para la tuberculosis latente no consideran los patrones de resistencia a antimicrobianos cuando se recomienda el tratamiento para ninos inmigrantes. Objetivos: El objetivo de la presente investigacion fue decidir a que tasa de resistencia a isoniacida debe considerarse una pauta diferente de este antituberculoso administrado durante 9 meses. Metodos: Construimos un algoritmo de decision mediante el uso de los datos publicados. Estudiamos tres pautas consideradas eficaces para microorganismos sensibles: 1) isoniacida durante 9 meses, 2) rifampicina durante 6 meses, 3) isoniacida durante 9 meses mas rifampicina durante 6 meses. El caso base del presente estudio fue un nino de 2 anos de edad procedente de Rusia con una prueba intradermica de la tuberculina cuya reaccion fue de 12 mm. Asumimos una perspectiva social y expresamos los resultados como coste y coste por caso de tuberculosis prevenido. Efectuamos analisis de sensibilidad para probar la estabilidad de nuestro modelo. Resultados: En nuestro analisis basal, la rifampicina fue la pauta terapeutica de menor coste para cualquier nino procedente de un area con una tasa de resistencia a isoniacida . 11%. El tratamiento con isoniacida mas rifampicina fue el mas eficaz pero su coste seria de mas de un millon de dolares por caso de reactivacion prevenido. La isoniacida seria la pauta de menor coste si se cumpliera cualquiera de los umbrales siguientes: resistencia a rifampicina dada resistencia a isoniacida de mas del 82%; resistencia a rifampicina dada resistencia a isoniacida no > 9%; coste de rifampicina de mas de 47 $/mes; eficacia de rifampicina menor del 63%; eficacia de isoniacida mayor del 74%; y coste de la tuberculosis pulmonar de menos de 7.661 $. La isoniacida y la rifampicina durante 3 meses fueron el tratamiento de menor coste para todos los casos procedentes de areas con resistencia a isoniacida 50% para bacterias sensibles. Sin embargo, esta presuncion sigue por demostrar. Conclusion: Debido a la elevada prevalencia de resistencia a isoniacida, la rifampicina debe considerarse para ninos con tuberculosis latente oriundos de paises con resistencia a isoniacida > 11%.
Long-Term Outcomes in Simultaneous Kidney–Pancreas Transplantation

SUMMARY Simultaneous kidney pancreas transplantation is a safeand effective method to treat advanced diabetic nephropathyand is associated with stable metabolic function, low morbid-ity and mortality after the 1st year, and improved rehabili-tation over time. Chronic rejection, although poorly under-stood, causes late graft loss in approximately 10–15% ofpatients. SKPT may delay or prevent the development ofdiabetic complications because the glucose control is betterthan what can be achieved with intensive insulin adminis-tration. Serum cholesterol levels and hypertension seem toimprove with increased follow-up after SKPT. SKPT shouldbe considered in all patients with type 1 IDDM undergoingevaluation for kidney transplantation. REFERENCES1. Harris M, Hadden WC, Knowles WC, Bennett PH. Prevalence ofdiabetes and impaired glucose tolerance and plasma glucoselevels in the U.S. population aged 20–74 years. Diabetes 1987;36: 523.2. Libman I, Songer T, Laporte R. How many people in the U.S.have IDDM? Diabetes Care 1993; 16: 841.3. USRDS 1995 Annual Data Report. 1995.4. Najarian JS, Kaufman DB, Fryd DS. Long-term survival follow-ing kidney transplantation in 100 type 1 diabetic patients.Transplantation 1989; 47: 106.5. Sutherland DER, Gruessner A. Long-term function (.5 years) ofpancreas grafts from the international pancreas transplantregistry database. Transplant Proc 1995; 27: 2977.6. D’Alessandro AM, Stratta RJ, Kalayoglu M. Use of UW solutionin pancreas transplantation. Diabetes 1989; 38: 7.7. Sollinger HW, Pirsch JD, D’Alessandro AM. Advantages of blad-der drainage in pancreas transplantation. Clin Transplant1990; 4: 32.8. D’Alessandro AM, Sollinger HW, Stratta RJ, Kalayoglu M, Pir-sch JD, Belzer FO. Comparison between duodenal button andduodenal segment in pancreas transplantation. Transplanta-tion 1989; 47: 120.9. Melzer JS, D’Alessandro AM, Kalayoglu M, Pirsch JD, BelzerFO, Sollinger HW. The use of OKT3 induction and aggressiveintra-operative management in combined pancreas-kidney al-lotransplantation. Transplant Proc 1990; 22: 634.10. Sollinger HW, Stratta RJ, Kalayoglu M, Pirsch JD, Belzer FO.Pancreas transplantation with pancreaticocystostomy andquadruple immunosuppression. Surgery 1987; 102: 674.11. Sollinger HW, Knechtle SJ, Reed A, et al. Experience with 100consecutive simultaneous kidney-pancreas transplants withF
Humans use continuous visual feedback from the hand to control fast reaching movements

How visual feedback contributes to the on-line control of fast reaching movements is still a matter of considerable debate. Whether feedback is used continuously throughout movements or only in the "slow" end-phases of movements remains an open question. In order to resolve this question, we applied a perturbation technique to measure the influence of visual feedback from the hand at different times during reaching movements. Subjects reached to touch targets in a virtual 3D space, with visual feedback provided by a small virtual sphere that moved with a subject's fingertip. Small random perturbations were applied to the position of the virtual fingertip at two different points in the movement, either at 25% or 50% of the total movement extent. Despite the fact that subjects were unaware of the perturbations, their hand trajectories showed smooth and accurate corrections. Detectable responses were observed within an average of 160 ms after perturbations, and as early as 60% of the distance to the target. Response latencies were constant across different perturbation times and movement speed conditions, suggesting that a fixed sensori-motor delay is the limiting factor. The results provide direct evidence that the human brain uses visual feedback from the hand in a continuous fashion to guide fast reaching movements throughout their extent.
Maximum multiplicity distributions for length prediction driven placement

In this paper a new interconnect prediction based VLSI design flow is proposed. The novelty of this flow lies in the use of a unique wire length distribution called the maximum multiplicity distribution (MMD) to predict individual wire lengths in a logical netlist, which is then later used to drive the placement during physical design. In this paper, it is shown that these wire length predictions can be used to predict the capacitive loads of individual gates with an average error of 6.5%. In addition, this MMD-based length prediction driven placement (LPDP) methodology also results in an average reduction of the number of global interconnects by 32%, the length of global interconnects by 40%, and maximum length of interconnects by 15% when compared with a traditional placement that minimizes total wire length.