cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shear Band Characterization of Mixed Mode I and II Fully Plastic Crack Growth.

Fully plastic crack growth in singly-grooved plane strain tensile specimens is here characterized by the directions and amounts of fracture and slip on three planes. This model gives the crack growth ductility, defined as the axial displacement per unit ligament reduction (of practical importance in determining the stiffness of the surrounding structure that is needed to prevent unstable fracture) in terms of the fracture surface lengths and directions, as well as the deformation of the back surface. It also gives the directions and magnitudes of slip and fracture. Applied to six different structural alloys with strain-hardening exponents from 0.1 to 0.2, the model gave crack growth ductilities within 10 percent of the observed ones for the symmetrical configurations, where the values ranged from 0.25 to 0.40 and were unrelated to the strain-hardening exponent. For the asymmetrical configurations (that could occur near welds or shoulders), the crack growth ductility for the low hardening materials drops from 0.07 to 0.11. The predicted values (larger for the higher hardening alloys) were within 30 percent of the observed ones. Thus this slip plane model of fully plastic crack growth provides a useful correlation between macroscopic measurements made on the specimens after fracture, and the important loss of crack growth ductility that occurs in fully plastic asymmetric configurations with low strain-hardening materials.
Nutritional assessment in children and adolescents.

Accurate nutritional assessment of a child is a complex task involving simultaneous evaluation of several parameters, eg, nutrient intake and requirement and physical and anthropometric examination, including body composition and biochemical markers. Several of these tests are not readily available
Regulation of Glucose Metabolism by Altered Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Activity. I. Potential Site of Insulin Resistance in Sepsis

Regulation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) complex has been demonstrated to be a key mechanism in the control of carbohydrate oxidation and conservation of glucose carbon. The effect of sterile inflammation and chronic sepsis (small and large abscess) on the activity of the PDH complex was examined in liver and skeletal muscle. Sepsis altered the proportion of PDH in the active, dephosphorylated form. In hepatic tissue, sterile inflammation leads to a 2.5-fold increase in the proportion of active PDH complex compared to fed control. The same increase in the proportion of active PDH complex was observed in rats with a small septic abscess. However, when the severity of septic episode was increased, the proportion of active PDH complex decreased relative to sterile inflammation or small septic abscess animals. A different pattern in the response to sterile inflammation and sepsis on the proportion of active PDH complex was observed in skeletal muscle compared to liver. In contrast to liver, sterile inflammation did not alter the proportion of active PDH in skeletal muscle. In addition, sepsis (either small or large septic abscess) resulted in a 3-fold decrease in the proportion of active PDH relative to fed control or sterile inflammatory animals. The decrease in the proportion of active PDH complex in sepsis was associated with a corresponding increase in the skeletal muscle acetyl-CoA/CoA ratio. The mechanism responsible for lowered PDH complex activity may have been due to increased PDH kinase activity, secondary to increased skeletal muscle acetyl-CoA/CoA ratios.
Charges for Criminal Exposure to HIV and Aggravated Prostitution Filed in the Nashville, Tennessee Prosecutorial Region 2000–2010

This paper examines comprehensive data on arrests for HIV-specific crimes within a single jurisdiction, the Nashville Tennessee prosecutorial region, over 11 years. There were 25 arrests for HIV exposure and 27 for aggravated prostitution. Eleven of the arrests for HIV exposure involved nonsexual behaviors; none alleged transmission. Sixteen of the arrests for HIV exposure involved sexual behavior; three alleged transmission. Aggravated prostitution cases (i.e. prostitution while knowing one has HIV) often involved solicitation of oral sex; none alleged transmission. Maximum sentences for HIV-specific crimes ranged from 5 to 8 years. We conclude that enforcement of US HIV-specific laws is underestimated. Fifty-two arrests over 11 years were recorded in one jurisdiction. Over half of the arrests involved behaviors posing minimal or no HIV transmission risk. Despite concerns about malicious, intentional HIV transmission, no cases alleged malice or intention.
X-ray natural dichroism and chiral order in underdoped cuprates

The origin of the Kerr rotation observed in the pseudogap phase of cuprates has been the subject of much speculation. Recently, it has been proposed that this rotation might be due to chiral charge order. Here, I investigate whether such order can be observed by x-ray natural circular dichroism (XNCD). Several types of charge order were considered, and they can give rise to an XNCD signal depending on the stacking of the order along the $c$ axis.
Thermal Wave Based Measurement of Liquid Thermal Conductivities

This work develops an experimental technique capable of determining thermal conductivity of liquids with application to nanofluids. A periodic current passing through a thin stainless steel strip generates a periodic Joule heating source and an infrared detector measures the temperature response at the front surface of the stainless steel strip. An open chamber is machined out of a delrin plate with the stainless steel strip acting as the sealing cover. This resulting closed chamber contains the test liquid. The phase and magnitude of the temperature response were measured using a lock-in amplifier at various frequencies from 22 to 502 Hz. A one-dimensional, two-layered transient heat conduction model was developed to predict the temperature response on the front surface of the stainless steel strip. This temperature response, including phase and magnitude, is a function of the thermal properties of the liquid. The phase information shows high sensitivity to thermal properties of the liquid layer and is employed to match experimental data to find thermal conductivities. The measured thermal conductivities of water and ethylene glycol agree well with data from the literature and support the validity of this measurement technique. An aqueous fluid consisting of gold nanoparticles was tested. Anomalous thermal conductivity enhancement was observed. Our measurement results also show a divergence of thermal transport behavior between nanofluids and pure liquids. This suggests the need to carefully examine the role of measurement techniques in the study of nanofluid heat transfer phenomena.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Providing culturally sensitive care: intervention by a consultation-liaison team.

Conclusions Findings reveal that although most patients do not look forward to the resident rotations, the majority adjust with minimal complications. There is, however, a subgroup who experience distress. For these patients, the general agreement between their reports of adjustment difficulties and therapists’ ratings of compbications indicates that patients do not exaggerate their difficulties in adjustment aften the rotation. The increased rate of hospitalization during the three months after the notation for patients not participating in the study and the suicide of a nonparticipating patient suggest that a predictor of patient distress is an unwillingness to talk about the transfer, as evidenced by refusal to participate in the study. Although the study did not identify other predictors of patient distress, this back of communication should alert us to the potential problems in all patients. We should not expect patients at risk to be skillful in telling us they are experiencing difficulties as a result of the rotation. It is necessany for therapists to be especially careful during the period sunrounding rotations even if patients exhibit no immediate warning signs. However, it is also necessary to avoid being overly pessimistic about the effect of changing therapists. Although patients may be apprehensive about therapist rotations, we can assure patients that most will have little difficulty with the change and, within a short period of time, will feel satisfied with their new therapy and therapist.
Uptake and utilization of metabolites in specific brain sites relative to feeding status

Two experiments were conducted to assess potential alterations in fatty acid and glucose metabolism within specific brain sites in relation to the feeding status of the rat. An in vivo serial analysis of brain palmitate and glucose uptake demonstrated that hypothalamic uptake of these substrates was reciprocally altered with respect to satiety. Hypothalamic uptake of palmitate was increased by 300% and uptake of glucose was decreased by 30% in fasted compared with fed rats. Other regional differences were observed and discussed in the text. An in vitro analysis showed that hypothalamic fatty acid oxidation was affected by feeding status. The ventrolateral hypothalamus (VLH) of fasted rats had 45% greater rates of fatty acid oxidation than VLH of fed rats. No alterations were observed for VLH glucose oxidation and ventromedial hypothalamic glucose and fatty acid oxidation when comparing fed and fasted rats. Other brain sites did not show variance for glucose and fatty acid metabolism relative to feeding status. Fatty acid uptake and subsequent metabolism in the hypothalamus and other brain sites may be one component of food intake control and energy balance regulation.
EXPERIMENTAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SPLITTING TENSILE STRENGTH AND COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF GFRC AND PFRC

Abstract This paper describes an experimental investigation into the relationship between the splitting tensile strength and compressive strength of glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) and polypropylene fiber reinforced concrete (PFRC). The splitting tensile strength and compressive strength of GFRC and PFRC at 7, 28 and 90 days are used. Test results indicate that the addition of glass and polypropylene fibers to concrete increased the splitting tensile strength of concrete by approximately 20–50%, and the splitting tensile strength of GFRC and PFRC ranged from 9% to 13% of its compressive strength. Based on this investigation, a simple 0.5 power relationship between the splitting tensile strength and the compressive strength was derived for estimating the tensile strength of GFRC and PFRC.
Flow Partitioning in Fully Saturated Soil Aggregates

Microbes play an important role in facilitating organic matter decomposition in soils, which is a major component of the global carbon cycle. Microbial dynamics are intimately coupled to environmental transport processes, which control access to labile organic matter and other nutrients that are needed for the growth and maintenance of microorganisms. Transport of soluble nutrients in the soil system is arguably most strongly impacted by preferential flow pathways in the soil. Since the physical structure of soils can be characterized as being formed from constituent micro-aggregates which contain internal porosity, one pressing question is the partitioning of the flow among the “inter-aggregate” and “intra-aggregate” pores and how this may impact overall solute transport within heterogeneous soil structures. The answer to this question is particularly important in evaluating assumptions to be used in developing upscaled simulations based on highly resolved mechanistic models. In our synthetic model of soils, firstly we statistically generated a number of micro-aggregates containing internal pores. Then we constructed a group of diverse multi-aggregate structures with different packing ratios by stacking those micro-aggregates and varying the size and shape of inter-aggregate pore spacing between them. We then performed pore-scale flow simulations using computational fluid dynamics methods to determine the flow patterns in these aggregate-of-aggregates structures and computed the partitioning of the flow through intra- and inter-aggregate pores as a function of the spacing between the aggregates. The results of these numerical experiments demonstrate that soluble nutrients are largely transported via flows through inter-aggregate pores. Although this result is consistent with intuition, we have also been able to quantify the relative flow capacity of the two domains under various conditions. For example, in our simulations, the flow capacity through the aggregates (intra-aggregate flow) was less than 2 % of the total flow when the spacing between the aggregates was larger than $$18\,\upmu \hbox {m}$$ . Inter-aggregate pores continued to be the dominant flow pathways even at much smaller spacing; intra-aggregate flow was less than 10 % of the total flow when the inter- and intra-aggregate pore sizes were comparable. Although the results may not be exactly the same as those obtained from actual soil systems, such studies are making it possible to identify which model upscaling assumptions are realistic and what computational methods are required for detailed numerical investigation of hydrodynamics and microbial carbon cycling dynamics in soil systems.
A Kinetic Approach to Food Quality Prediction Using Full-History Time-Temperature Indicators

A mathematical model based on the theory of chemical kinetics was derived to predict food quality change from the response of a full-history time-temperature indicator. A first-order kinetic reaction (n = 1) was used to describe both indicator response and changes in food quality. A storage investigation of mature green tomatoes showed that the quality prediction model satisfactorily predicted changes in tomato firmness induced by variable temperature storage. Tomato firmness as predicted from the response of a LifeLines model 57 time-temperature indicator was not significantly different from the observed changes (F = 1.99, p = 0.18) for 28 days of storage. The mathematical derivation was extended to develop a quality-based interpretation of the shelf life of perishable foods.
Neurochemical Profile of Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Measured by 1H-MRS at 4 T

The impact of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) on a comprehensive neurochemical profile of the human brain has not been reported yet. Our previous proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) studies on T1DM were focused exclusively on the assessment of brain glucose levels. In this study, we reexamined our previously acquired data to investigate concentration differences of a broad range of neurochemicals in T1DM subjects relative to nondiabetic controls. We selected MRS data from 13 subjects (4 F/9 M, age=41±11 years, body mass index=26±3 kg/m2) with well-controlled T1DM (disease duration=22±12 years, A1C=7.5%±2.0%) and 32 nondiabetic controls (14 F/18 M, age=36±10 years, body mass index=27±6 kg/m2) acquired during a hyperglycemic clamp (target [Glc]plasma=300±15 mg/dL). The 1H-MR spectra were collected from two 15.6-mL voxels localized in gray-matter-rich occipital lobe and in white-matter-rich parieto-occipital region using ultra-short echo-time STEAM at 4 T. LCModel analysis allowed reliable quantification of 17 brain metabolites. Lower levels of N-acetylaspartate (by 6%, P=0.007) and glutamate (by 6%, P=0.045) were observed in the gray matter of T1DM patients as compared with controls, which might indicate a partial neuronal loss or dysfunction as a consequence of long-term T1DM. No other differences in metabolites were observed between subjects with T1DM and controls.
The effect of electric fields on the absorption of pure sulfur dioxide by water drops

Abstract The effect of an electric field on the absorption of sulfur dioxide by pure water drops is examined experimentally. Field strength is varied up to 8.0 kV/cm, and nozzle Reynolds number is varied between 26 and 78. Drop surface charge density, size, shape, shape oscillation, acceleration and total sulfur dioxide uptake are measured directly. Significant reduction in drop size and increase in acceleration with increasing field strength are the major effects observed, while alteration in drop shape and oscillation are slight. Calculated average mass transfer coefficients increase with both field strength and nozzle velocity, but total sulfur dioxide uptake decreases with field strength due to reductions in drop-gas contact time. The results suggest that the design of scrubbers with electric fields concentrated in the region of drop formation but absent elsewhere show the greatest promise for improved efficiency.
Modal Analysis and Forced Response of Coupled Mistuned Cyclic Systems: A Singular Perturbation Approach

The effect of small deterministic parameter perturbations on the forced response of nearly periodic structures with cyclic symmetry has been investigated. The general theory developed herein is applicable to any nth order strongly coupled cyclic system with two arbitrary and independent variations in system parameters that destroy the cyclic symmetry. The specific system studied may be regarded as a simplified model of a strongly coupled bladed-disk assembly. Singular perturbation methods along with modal expansion analysis are applied to gain a physical insight into the effects of perturbations on the eigenvalues, the eigenvectors as well as the forced response amplitudes. The study shows that, under appropriate conditions, the splitting and veering of eigenvalues due to mistunings or small parameter variations increases the amplitude of vibration of some blades quite significantly than would be predicted on the basis of an analysis of the perfectly tuned system. Further, the modal bifurcations lead to uneven vibration amplitudes irrespective of the stiffness of the coupling springs. The variation in blade amplitudes are also found to be strongly dependent on the type of engine order excitation for the same set of mistuning parameter.© 1993 ASME
Sphere Mapping: A Method for Responsive Surface Rationalization

The method proposed in this project addresses the parametric manipulation of a given pattern to respond directly to a parametric surface. The research attempts to propose a method for attaching fixed sized objects to a free flowing surface or "blanket." The model can be used to interrogate a series of shapes and forms with the same componentry. Continuing the research of Kevin Rotheroe, Yale University and founder of FreeForm Design. Rotheroe and his students developed a series of studies in material and surface properties. By utilizing a proven pattern, the proposed method sets parameters derived from the formal properties of the original pattern and produces a new pattern that is responsive to the curvature of a complex surface. The workflow developed in this research consists of a complex blending of tools in Rhino Grasshopper and Gehry Technologies Digital Project. The intent is to achieve the aesthetics and structure offered by Rotheroe's original research and to add a responsive precision that provi...
Analysis of mixing in modified single screw extruders

A numerical model of mixing in single-screw extrusion is developed which uses a two-dimensional unsteady analogue to three-dimensional continuous mixing. This two-dimensional unsteady analogue uses the transverse and axial velocities to calculate an apparent transverse streamline velocity which is used to simulate mixing. The mixing calculations are rigorously correct for continuous mixing of well-metered streams of equal-viscosity Newtonian fluids in continuous mixers of constant envelope. This scheme is applied to the analysis of singlescrew extruders with stepwise varying cross-section, particularly beginning and ending flights. The numerical simulation produces patterns qualitatively similar to those observed in mixing experiments and predicts behavior for unmodified extruders in close quantitative agreement with experiments.
Investigation of the electronic structures and associated properties including hyperfine interactions for halogen-adsorbed silicon surfaces: fluorine through iodine

First-principles self-consistent-field Hartree-Fock cluster investigations have been carried out for the halogen atoms, fluorine through iodine, adsorbed on Si(111) surface. Clusters involving 5, 14, and 27 atoms were employed, where for the first two clusters both all-electron and pseudopotential procedures and for the third cluster pseudopotential procedure alone have been used. The Si-X bond distances for these clusters have been obtained from the minimization of the total energy as a function of adatom position and have been found to compare very well with the available experimental results by surface extended x-ray-absorption fine-structure (SEXAFS) and x-ray standing-wave techniques and with earlier theoretical results. The five-atom cluster corresponds to the ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{3}$X molecule for which the calculated Si-X bond distance and the nuclear quadrupole hyperfine coupling constants (${e}^{2}$qQ) are in good agreement with the experimental values obtained from microwave measurements. For the surface-adsorbed systems, the location of the adatom, the local density of states (LDOS), the frequencies and the amplitudes associated with the Si-X vibrations, and the quadrupole coupling constants for $^{19}\mathrm{F}^{\mathrm{*}}$ (I=(5/2), $^{20}\mathrm{F}$, $^{35}\mathrm{Cl}$, $^{79}\mathrm{Br}$, and $^{127}\mathrm{I}$ nuclei have been studied for the various adsorbed systems. Satisfactory agreement is found between available ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) data for the Cl-adsorbed system and the predictions from our calculated LDOS. Our calculated vibrational amplitude for Br on Si compares well with the available data for Br on Ge surface. It will be very helpful to have experimental data in the future to test our predictions for a number of properties not currently available, especially for the LDOS through UPS measurements and for the ${e}^{2}$qQ by the beam-foil and radiative techniques to verify the interesting trends in both these properties in going from F through I and also the significant decrease in ${e}^{2}$qQ in going from the ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{3}$X molecules to the surface-adsorbed systems.
Warfarin embryopathy and urinary tract anomalies: possible new association.

L'exposition a la warfarine 7 mois avant la grossesse et pendant le premier trimestre serait a l'origine des malformations urinaires d'un fœtus presentant une hypoplasie renale et un macrophallus
Topographic mapping of brain potentials in the newborn infant: the establishment of normal values and utility in assessing infants with neurological injury.

Aim: To demonstrate that quantitative EEG (qEEG) can be used as a non-invasive measure of brain injury by establishing normative data in term infants and contrasting it with other modalities of brain imaging. Design: qEEG during quiet sleep was performed on 13 healthy full-term infants comprising a normal group and on 10 infants with neurological abnormalities identified on brain imaging studies (abnormal group) at 36–47 wk postconceptional age. Quantitative analysis was performed and topographic maps were produced for each patient. The EEG data from the normal group, after spectral analysis, yielded power data in the delta, theta, alpha, and beta frequency bands and coherence information, which then formed the normative database. qEEG from the infants in the abnormal group was then compared to this normative data. Results: The normal group's mean absolute power in the delta, theta, alpha, and beta bands for all EEG leads combined were 278.48 ± 83.83, 31.71 ± 10.12, 29.20 ± 2.04, and 35.76 ± 11.35 uv2, respectively. The median frequency was 1.49 ± 0.07, 5.45 ± 3.46, 9.74 ± 5.11, and 18.01 ± 3.38 Hz, respectively. The qEEG was abnormal in all 10 study infants, while abnormalities were noted in the clinical EEG in 4 of 10, in the neuroultrasound in 5 of 10, in the CT in one of 6, and in the MRI in 2 of 2 tested. Conclusions: qEEG appears to be a usefd non-invasive method for measuring brain injury as it correlates well with other modalities of brain imaging and, if corroborated by further study, may, in fact, be more sensitive in determining abnormalities in brain function.
Ovarian Intestinal Type Mucinous Borderline Tumors: Are We Ready for a Nomenclature Change?

At a National Cancer Institute-sponsored workshop it was proposed that the borderline category of ovarian intestinal-type mucinous tumors (OInMTs) could be eliminated if the apparent benign behavior of these tumors could be confirmed. We reviewed 33 cases of borderline OInMT, with either optimal or adequate sampling and with at least 5 years of follow-up, to investigate their behavior. Optimal sampling and adequate sampling were defined as at least 1 section per centimeter of maximum tumor dimension and at least 1 section per 2 cm of maximum tumor dimension, respectively. The patients' age ranged from 16 to 89 years (mean 49 yr). Tumor size ranged from 8 to 39 cm (mean 20 cm). The sampling of the ovarian tumor was optimal in 28 cases and adequate in 5 cases. The patients were treated surgically as follows: cystectomy (1), unilateral oophorectomy or unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without total abdominal hysterectomy (13), and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without total abdominal hysterectomy (19). Complete or partial staging was obtained in 26 patients. All of them had Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I disease. Thirty-one patients with a follow-up ranging from 5 to 18 years (mean 10 yr) had no recurrences. Two patients had recurrences 12 and 14 months after their initial surgery. The first patient underwent a left salpingo-oophorectomy and limited staging for a borderline OInMT adherent to the ileum and sigmoid. The tumor was incompletely removed and recurred in the pelvis 1 year later. It was again incompletely excised. Ten months later, the tumor re-recurred in the pelvis and could only be drained because of the patient's advanced age and her poor medical status. She died of other causes 5 years later. The second patient with recurrent tumor had undergone a cystectomy and full staging for a borderline OInMT. Fourteen months later, she developed a recurrence in the residual ovary. She underwent a right salpingo-oophorectomy and total abdominal hysterectomy and has been without evidence of disease for 11 years. In this study of 33 Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage I borderline OInMTs that were optimally or adequately sampled to exclude intraepithelial carcinoma, microinvasion, or invasive carcinoma, there were only 2 cases with recurrence, secondary to incomplete excision or cystectomy, and no deaths from disease. However, borderline OInMTs are usually large and heterogeneous, and the standard sampling protocol for them is not evidence based. As indicated by one of our consultation cases, there remains the potential for a sampling artifact in which a focus of carcinoma is missed. Caution dictates retaining the current nomenclature to ensure the follow-up of patients affected by this disease until uncertainty regarding the extent of sampling needed to exclude the presence of carcinoma is resolved.
Isotopically Labeled Oxygen Studies of the Exchange Behavior of Nox Over La2cuo4

The harmful nature of nitrogen oxides (NOx) to environmental systems necessitates sensors to detect their presence. One effective means is the use of solid state sensors. These sensors are compact, rugged, and can be inexpensively fashioned, making them a viable option for measuring gas concentration. A non-Nernstian potentiometric sensor can be used to detect low concentrations of NOx gas in multiple regions of oxygen concentration. Understanding the mechanism for this behavior can assist in optimizing the sensor couple for a given application. Previous studies using Temperature Programmed Reaction and Desorption (TPR/TPD), along with IR and XPS analysis, have identified the formation of charge-building compounds that establish voltage on the sensing electrode when exposed to NOx gas. To further evaluate the mechanism, TPR and TPD were performed using isotopically labeled oxygen with simultaneous exposure to NOx.
Intervention in end stage of multiple sclerosis: a case study

Assessment and application of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) techniques in a two-phase process are described. The patient is a 35-year-old male with advanced multiple sclerosis. Emphasis is placed on special considerations for intervention in the end stages of progressive conditions.
Microsystems technology in radiation therapy

In this paper, we present several implantable micro-devices targeted towards improving the efficacy of radiation therapy. Three micro-devices are discussed: a self-biased solid state dosimeter to be used for wireless monitoring of the delivered dose, an electromagnetic tracking system to locate the position of tumor in real-time, and a Guyton-chamber-embedded capacitive pressure sensor for wireless measurement of interstitial pressure inside a tumor. Dosimeter and tracking systems are developed to be integrated together to achieve a track-able radiation sensor. Guyton chamber of the pressure sensor will eliminate the sensor drift due to the interaction of cells and fibrous tissue with sensor's membrane. The dosimeter has a sensitivity of up to 9 kΩ/Gy and a dynamic range of 10 Gy, when operating with a zero bias voltage. The tracking system is able to track a tumor that is 60 cm away with a resolution of 2 mm and a dynamic range of up to 5 cm. Finally, the capacitive pressure sensor has a sensitivity of 75 fF/kPa and a dynamic range of 60 mmHg.
Poxvirus in scaled quail and prevalences of poxvirus-like lesions in northern bobwhites and scaled quail from Texas.

Prevalences of poxvirus-like lesions were determined for 177 northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) and 24 scaled quail (Callipepla squamata) trapped in southern Texas from 1976 to 1979 and for 190 northern bob-whites and 105 scaled quail shot at five locations in southern Texas from 1980 to 1981. None of the northern bobwhites trapped in 1976–1977 was infected, but 54% of the trapped scaled quail were infected; 17% of the northern bob-whites and 34% of the scaled quail shot in 1980–1981 had pox lesions, primarily on the wings. Prevalence was unrelated to sex or age of birds. For both species, prevalence was greatest during late spring and early summer. Histologic and electron microscopic examination confirmed poxvirus in two scaled quail, which constituted the first report of poxvirus in this species.
Structure Determination of Antibodies and Antibody-Antigen Complexes by Molecular Replacement

Abstract Three-dimensional structures of antibody and antibody-antigen complexes that have been solved to date exhibit highly conserved folding motifs, and the main structural differences between antibodies are restricted to the interdomain angles and the antigen-binding site. This knowledge has been successfully used to solve a large number of crystal structures of antibody fragments by molecular replacement. This paper reviews approaches that have been used in solving these crystal structures.
Toward a Sub-Decibel Noise Figure Broadband Monolithic LNA in Silicon

This paper reports a first attempt toward realization of a single-chip silicon-based broadband (BW-3dB > 5 GHz) low-noise amplifier (LNA) with a noise figure (NF) of less than 1 dB across the band. A differential common-emitter amplifier with active feedback and neutralization capacitance is adopted without using passives at the input that consume chip area and deteriorate NF due to their loss. Design tradeoffs for NF, gain, and bandwidth versus device size, bias current, and process corners are discussed in detail. The circuit was implemented in a 0.13-mum SiGe BiCMOS process with fT = 200 GHz and fmax = 244 GHz for an HBT with emitter length of 6 mum and bias current of 7.6 mA. The differential probed measurement of the LNA shows a gain of 27.5 dB with -3-dB bandwidth from 0.5 to 5.5 GHz. The NF varies from 1.35 to 1.85 dB within the band. The chip is also packaged in a high-frequency package with subminiature A connectors for inputs and outputs. The single-ended packaged measurement of the LNA shows a gain of 25.2 dB with -3-dB bandwidth from 0.5 to 6.0 GHz. The NF varies from 1.2 to 1.7 dB within the band. The chip draws 24 mA from a 2-V supply and occupies 0.88 mm times 0.83 mm.
Large-Eddy Simulations of Turbulent Incompressible Flows on GPU Clusters

A dual-level parallel incompressible flow solver accelerates turbulent flow computations on GPU clusters. This approach solves the pressure Poisson equation with a full-depth, amalgamated parallel geometric multigrid method, and implements a Lagrangian dynamic model for subgrid-scale turbulence modeling.
State of Practice of Building Information Modeling in the Mechanical Construction Industry

AbstractThe North American construction industry has seen a decline in productivity for decades due to underlying problems such as lack of team collaboration, less initial design input, and higher building systems complexity. These problems are most visible in labor-intensive trades, such as mechanical contractors. Within the last decade, building information modeling (BIM) has emerged as a potential solution to these problems. This paper highlights the state of BIM practice in the mechanical construction industry. Through an extensive survey and interview process, this research resulted in three key outcomes. The first is that 58% of mechanical contractors have less than three years of BIM experience and consider themselves as beginners in the use of BIM. Second, BIM implementation cost for these contractors is 1% to 2% of their total project cost estimate. Third, more than 70% of mechanical contractors agree that BIM reduces field conflicts and improves coordination. These factors can assist mechanical ...
In Vivo Cardiovascular Pharmacology of 2',3'-cAMP, 2'-AMP, and 3'-AMP in the Rat

The naturally occurring purine 2′,3′-cAMP is metabolized in vitro to 2′-AMP and 3′-AMP, which are subsequently metabolized to adenosine. Whether in vivo 2′,3′-cAMP, 2′-AMP, or 3′-AMP are rapidly converted to adenosine and exert rapid effects via adenosine receptors is unknown. To address this question, we compared the cardiovascular and renal effects of 2′,3′-cAMP, 2′-AMP, 3′-AMP, 3′,5′-cAMP, 5′-AMP, and adenosine in vivo in the rat. Purines were infused intravenously while monitoring mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), heart rate (HR), cardiac output, and renal and mesenteric blood flows. Total peripheral (TPR), renal vascular (RVR), and mesenteric vascular (MVR) resistances were calculated. Urine was collected for determination of urine excretion rate [urine volume (UV)]. When sufficient urine was available, the sodium excretion rate (Na+ER) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were determined. 2′,3′-cAMP, 2′-AMP, and 3′-AMP dose-dependently and profoundly reduced MABP, HR, TPR, and MVR with efficacy and potency similar to adenosine and 5′-AMP. These effects of 2′,3′-cAMP, 2′-AMP, and 3′-AMP were attenuated by blockade of adenosine receptors with 1,3-dipropyl-8-(p-sulfophenyl)xanthine. 2′,3′-cAMP, 2′-AMP, 3′-AMP, adenosine, and 5′-AMP variably affected RVR, but profoundly (nearly 100%) decreased UV at higher doses. GFR and Na+ER could be measured at the lower doses and were suppressed by 2′,3′-cAMP, 2′-AMP, and 3′-AMP, but not by adenosine or 5′-AMP. 2′,3′-cAMP increased urinary excretion rates of 2′-AMP, 3′-AMP, and adenosine. 3′,5′-cAMP exerted no adverse hemodynamic effects yet increased urinary adenosine as efficiently as 2′,3′-cAMP. Conclusions: In vivo 2′,3′-cAMP is rapidly converted to adenosine. Because both cAMPs increase adenosine in the urinary compartment, these agents may provide unique therapeutic opportunities.
Retrovirus-polymer complexes increase virus binding and the efficiency of gene transfer

We have previously shown that the efficiency of retrovirus-mediated gene transfer is enhanced by the addition of cationic and anionic polymers to virus stocks. In this study we have begun to investigate the mechanism by which the polymers enhance gene transfer. We found that the polymers form complexes with the viruses, causing the viruses to rapidly sediment onto the cells. The size of the complexes, as well as their rate of sedimentation, increased with increasing concentrations of the polymers. Gene transfer efficiency increased several-fold and correlated with the enhanced rate at which the viruses were transported-by sedimentation-to the surfaces of the cells. These results demonstrate that a key rate-limiting step of retrovirus-mediated gene transfer is the slow rate at which viruses are transported to the surfaces of the cells and illustrates a novel means to overcome this limitation.
Philadelphia Fed Forecasting Surveys: Their Value for Research

For almost 20 years, the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia has conducted both the Survey of Professional Forecasters and the Livingston Survey. Both surveys of private-sector forecasters provide researchers, central bankers, news media, and the public with detailed forecasts of major macroeconomic variables. The surveys have proved helpful for people who are planning for the future, and they have also provided useful input into the decisions of policymakers at the Federal Reserve and elsewhere. In “Philadelphia Fed Forecasting Surveys: Their Value for Research,” Dean Croushore provides an overview of the survey and discusses the ways in which researchers have used the survey.
Modification of the Syme Amputation to Prevent Postoperative Heel Pad Migration

The Syme amputation (ankle disarticulation level amputation) can be a valuable procedure for properly selected patients but might be underused owing to the problem of postoperative migration of the heel pad cushion. The present report presents a modification of the Syme amputation technique to prevent postoperative heel pad migration. The technique was performed in 12 patients, most of whom were male patients with diabetic foot infections. At an average follow-up of 7 years, the soft tissue cushion remained in a stable position, without ulceration. Also, patient satisfaction was high with the Syme level of amputation using the modified technique.
Efficient and robust model-to-image alignment using 3D scale-invariant features

This paper presents feature-based alignment (FBA), a general method for efficient and robust model-to-image alignment. Volumetric images, e.g. CT scans of the human body, are modeled probabilistically as a collage of 3D scale-invariant image features within a normalized reference space. Features are incorporated as a latent random variable and marginalized out in computing a maximum a posteriori alignment solution. The model is learned from features extracted in pre-aligned training images, then fit to features extracted from a new image to identify a globally optimal locally linear alignment solution. Novel techniques are presented for determining local feature orientation and efficiently encoding feature intensity in 3D. Experiments involving difficult magnetic resonance (MR) images of the human brain demonstrate FBA achieves alignment accuracy similar to widely-used registration methods, while requiring a fraction of the memory and computation resources and offering a more robust, globally optimal solution. Experiments on CT human body scans demonstrate FBA as an effective system for automatic human body alignment where other alignment methods break down.
Some sensor network elements for ubiquitous computing

Ubiquitous computing applications often use a user's context to automatically adjust their behavior to the situation. We have developed three types of wireless sensor nodes that can be worn, carried, or embedded in the environment that can provide interesting contextual information: a rich multi-sensor node to infer human activity that can be worn by a person or be part of a sensing environment, a portable wireless node for reading and writing short-range radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, and a small wrist-watch-sized wireless display device that can serve as an easily accessible and 'glanceable' user interface. We report on our experiences in building these platforms and using them in some initial applications. We conclude with suggestions for future work in creating platforms that help blend sensor networks into ubiquitous computing.
Condensation of DNA by multivalent cations: considerations on mechanism.

DNA is generally found within viruses and cells in a tightly packaged state, typically occupying only 10(-4)-10(-6) of the volume of the uncondensed DNA wormlike coil. Condensation can be induced in vitro at low salt by the naturally occurring polyamines spermidine3+ and spermine4+, by hexammine cobalt(III), and even by Mg2+ in methanol-water mixtures. These condensates generally have an orderly, toroidal, or rodlike shape and size similar to that of DNA gently lysed from phage heads. It is also striking that the condensate size distribution is independent of DNA molecular length from 400 to 40,000 base pairs (bp), but that shorter DNA molecules (e.g., 150-bp mononucleosomal DNA) cannot condense in this fashion. We have constructed a successive association equilibrium theory to attempt to explain these results, using an equation devised by Tanford for micelle formation. Most of the obvious attractive and repulsive free energy contributions (mixing, bending, hydration, and other nearest-neighbor interactions) are linear in the amount of DNA incorporated, but the net attractive delta G0 grows nonlinearly because of the increasing average number of nearest neighbors of each duplex as the particle grows. In order that the size distribution have a maximum, a quadratic repulsive free energy is also required, arising from the electrostatic self-energy of the incompletely neutralized particles. The net attractive free energy per base pair interaction is tiny, on the order of 10(-3) kT. Despite the apparent generally correct order of magnitude of the various free energy terms, the calculated size distribution is smaller and narrower than observed experimentally. It appears that the size distribution of condensed particles is determined kinetically rather than thermodynamically. Very short DNA molecules cannot nucleate stable aggregates because they cannot develop adequate overlap, either internally or intermolecularly. A substantial fraction of rodlike condensates is observed in aqueous solutions only with a rather inefficient condensing agent, permethylated spermidine. This suggests that slow condensation kinetics may be required to overcome the high activation energy of highly distorted DNA bends or kinks at the turning points of rods. Evidence is reviewed that condensation may be associated with localized helix structure distortion provoked by condensing agents.
Evaluation of design strategies for stochastically assembled nanoarray memories

A key challenge facing nanotechnologies is learning to control uncertainty introduced by stochastic self-assembly. In this article, we explore architectural and manufacturing strategies to cope with this uncertainty when assembling nanoarrays, crossbars composed of two orthogonal sets of parallel nanowires (NWs) that are differentiated at their time of manufacture. NW deposition is a stochastic process and the NW encodings present in an array cannot be known in advance. We explore the reliable construction of memories from stochastically assembled arrays. This is accomplished by describing several families of NW encodings and developing strategies to map external binary addresses onto internal NW encodings using programmable circuitry. We explore a variety of different mapping strategies and develop probabilistic methods of analysis. This is the first article that makes clear the wide range of choices that are available.
Gender differences in salary and practice ownership expectations of matriculating veterinary students.

Objective—To examine gender differences in initial and long-term salary and practice ownership expectations among first-year veterinary students. Design—Survey. Sample—First-year veterinary students at the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine during 2000 through 2003 and 2005 through 2009. Procedures—A 1-page survey was distributed to students during orientation exercises or on the first day of a first-year course on ethics and jurisprudence. Students were asked to indicate their expected salary at graduation and in 5-year increments after graduation and to indicate whether they expected to own a practice after graduation. Results—Responses were obtained from 567 female and 120 male students. There was no significant difference in initial salary expectations between male and female students. However, men had higher expectations for salary increases over the course of their career, so that expected salary was significantly higher for men than for women 5 years after graduation and...
Comparative Life-cycle Analysis of Photovoltaics Based on Nano-materials: A Proposed Framework

Life cycle analysis becomes especially important for characterizing new material forms in new energy generation technologies intended to replace or improve the current infrastructure of energy production. We propose a comparative life-cycle analysis framework for investigating the effect of introducing nanotechnology in the life cycle of new photovoltaics, which focuses on the differences between the new technologies and the ones that they may replace. The following parameters are investigated within this framework: methods of synthesizing nanoparticles, physicochemical specifications of the precursors, material utilization rates, deposition rates, energy-conversion efficiencies, and lifetime expectancy of the final product. We introduce the application of this framework in comparing nano-structured cadmium telluride and silicon films with their nano- and amorphous- structured equivalents.
The relationship between perioperative blood transfusion and overall mortality in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer

Objectives The relationship between perioperative blood transfusion (PBT) and oncologic outcomes is controversial. In patients undergoing surgery for colon cancer and several other solid malignancies, PBT has been associated with an increased risk of mortality. Yet, the urologic literature has a paucity of data addressing this topic. We sought to evaluate whether PBT affects overall survival following radical cystectomy (RC) for patients with bladder cancer.
Experimental Investigation of the Near Wake of a Pick-up Truck

The results of an experimental investigation of the flow over a pickup truck are presented. The main objectives of the study are to gain a better understanding of the flow structure in near wake region, and to obtain a detailed quantitative data set for validation of numerical simulations of this flow. Experiments were conducted at moderate Reynolds numbers (~3×105) in the open return tunnel at the University of Michigan. Measured quantities include: the mean pressure on the symmetry plane, unsteady pressure in the bed, and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements of the flow in the near wake. The unsteady pressure results show that pressure fluctuations in the forward section of the bed are small and increase significantly at the edge of the tailgate. Pressure fluctuation spectra at the edge of the tailgate show a spectral peak at a Strouhal number of 0.07 and large energy content at very low frequency. The velocity field measurements in the symmetry plane show that shear layers form at the top of the cab and the underbody flow region. The cab shear layer evolves more slowly than the underbody flow shear layer and does not interact strongly with the tailgate for the present geometry. Behind the tailgate there is no recirculating flow region in the symmetry plane believed to be due to downwash from streamwise vorticity in the near wake. There are small recirculating regions on the sides of the tailgate symmetry plane extending approximately one tailgate height downstream.