cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Molecular Weight and Degree of Deacetylation of Chitosan on the Formation of Oil-in-Water Emulsions Stabilized by Surfactant-Chitosan Membranes

The objective of this study was to establish the influence of polyelectrolyte characteristics (molecular weight and charge density) on the properties of oil-in-water emulsions containing oil droplets surrounded by surfactant-polyelectrolyte layers. A surfactant-stabilized emulsion containing small droplets (d32 approximately 0.3 microm) was prepared by homogenizing 20 wt% corn oil with 80 wt% emulsifier solution (20 mM SDS or 2.5 wt% Tween 20, 100 mM acetate buffer, pH 3) using a high-pressure valve homogenizer. This primary emulsion was then diluted with various chitosan solutions to produce secondary emulsions with a range of chitosan concentrations (3 wt% corn oil, 0-1 wt% chitosan). The influence of the molecular characteristics of chitosan on the properties of these emulsions was examined by using chitosan ingredients with different molecular weights (MW approximately 15, 145, and 200 kDa) and degree of deacetylation (DDA approximately 40, 77, and 92%). The electrical charge and particle size of the secondary emulsions were then measured. Extensive droplet aggregation occurred when the chitosan concentration was below the amount required to saturate the droplet surfaces, but stable emulsions could be formed at higher chitosan concentrations. The zeta-potential and mean diameter (d32) of the particles in the secondary emulsions was not strongly influenced by chitosan MW, however the chitosan with the lowest DDA (40%) produced droplets with smaller mean diameters and zeta-potentials than the other two DDA samples examined. Interestingly, we found that stable multilayer emulsions could be formed by mixing medium or high MW chitosan with an emulsion stabilized by a non-ionic surfactant (Tween 20) due to the fact the initial droplets had some negative charge. The information obtained from this study is useful for preparing emulsions stabilized by multilayer interfacial layers.
MK-591 acutely restores glomerular size selectivity and reduces proteinuria in human glomerulonephritis.

MK-591 acutely restores glomerular size selectivity and reduces proteinuria in human glomerulonephritis. Background Leukotrienes are 5-lipoxygenated (5-LO) metabolites of arachidonic acid that mediate some of the glomerular hemodynamic and structural changes in experimental and human glomerulonephritis. Methods We conducted an open-label, pilot study of the short-term effects of leukotriene biosynthesis inhibition using an orally active 5-LO activating protein (FLAP) antagonist (MK-591) on glomerular function in patients with glomerulonephritis. Eleven adult patients (seven women, median age 38 years) with glomerulonephritis (5 lupus nephritis, 2 IgA nephropathy, 1 membranoproliferative, 1 membranous, 1 C1q-deficiency, and 1 idiopathic crescentic) and moderate renal insufficiency [glomerular filtration rate (GFR) 62 ± 9 ml/min/1.73 m 2 ] were given MK-591 at a dose of 100 mg orally twice a day for four days. Results MK-591 reduced proteinuria (albumin and IgG excretion rates) from 3233 ± 1074 to 1702 ± 555 μg/min and from 196 ± 78 to 148 ± 55 μg/min for albumin and IgG, respectively ( P 52 A) dextrans as compared with healthy controls. Treatment with MK-591 caused a selective improvement in the enhanced passage of large (>58 A) dextrans without affecting the handling of smaller dextrans, indicating an improvement in glomerular size selectivity. MK-591 was well tolerated, and no adverse effects were observed. Conclusions Short-term therapy with MK-591 reduces proteinuria by restoring glomerular size selectivity and thus reduces transglomerular protein trafficking. These benefits may result from glomerular leukotriene biosynthesis inhibition, but other MK-591-specific actions cannot be excluded.
Press portrayal of African American and white United States representatives

This content analysis examines nine major metropolitan daily newspapers to determine how they portrayed African American and white members of the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1983. Discriminant analysis reveals that in several areas of press portrayal, newspapers differentiate the way they present African American and white political incumbents.
Science and technology with a human face: A goal of US-USSR cooperation

Abstract Science and technology have played major roles in bringing “the new thinking” behind perestroika to the Soviet Union. Nuclear weapons have caused major shifts in foreign policy, telecommunications technologies have made censorship an increasingly hopeless policy, industrial technology has created an environmentalist movement fostering political pluralism, biomedical technologies have raised issues of ethics demonstrating the inadequacy of Marxist values, and the dominance of narrowly-educated engineers among the old Soviet elite has revealed the failure of a technocratic approach to economic planning. A new social sensitivity has come to the USSR as it struggles with new technologies. Opportunities now exist for the USSR and the West to cooperate in creating “Science and Technology With a Human Face.”
Screening commercial surfactants suitable for remediating DNAPL source zones by solubilization.

Surfactants can enhance the removal of nonaqueous-phase-liquids (NAPLs) from porous media by two very different mechanisms: (1) increased solubilization that occurs in the presence of surfactant micelles and (2) mobilization of NAPL ganglia held by capillary forces. Solubilization technologies pose less risk of uncontrolled NAPL migration and are less complex to design. Since dense-NAPLs, like PCE, pose the greatest risk of migration, there is a need for more information on surfactants that are capable of solubilizing DNAPLs and removing them as water continuous, low viscosity, microemulsion without mobilization. Forty-two commercial, water-soluble surfactants were screened for PCE solubilization in batch experiments and one nonionic (Brij 97) and one anionic (SDS) surfactant were further evaluated in column experiments. Of the 42 surfactants that were screened, 12 nonionic surfactants with HLB values between 10.8 and 13.2 solubilized the most PCE. However, as PCE solubilization exceeded {approximately}40,000 mg/L, macroemulsion stability became a problem. Addition of IPA did not affect the amount of PCE solubilized but decreased macroemulsion stability, resulting in more rapid formation of Winsor Type 1 microemulsions. The most efficient surfactants were Brij 97 and Ritoleth 10, both being ethoxylated oleyl alcohol ethers, At 3 wt % IPA and surfactant, these surfactants solubilizedmore » >70,000 mg PCE/L. In column experiments, Brij 97/IPA removed >92% of the residual PCE in 11 pore volumes without mobilizing the PCE. An SDS/pentanol/IPA system removed 98% in {approximately}9.5 pore volumes, but about 30% of the PCE was mobilized. Removal of PCE was rate-limited with Brij 97/IPA, suggesting that flow interruption may be an effective remediation strategy.« less
Contrasting effects of noradrenergic β-receptor blockade within the medial septal area on forebrain electroencephalographic and behavioral activity state in anesthetized and unanesthetized rat

Abstract The locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system participates in the modulation of behavioral state. Previous studies demonstrated that β-receptors located within the general region encompassing the medial septum/vertical limb of the diagonal band of Broca (medial septal area) exert arousal-enhancing actions in both anesthetized and unanesthetized animals. These studies also demonstrated that, under conditions of limited locus coeruleus discharge rates, blockade of β-receptors within this region decreased forebrain electroencephalographic indices of arousal. The current studies assess the extent to which medial septal area β-receptors contribute to the maintenance of electroencephalographic and/or behavioral indices of arousal, under conditions associated with elevated locus coeruleus discharge rates. In the halothane-anesthetized rat, bilateral, but not unilateral, blockade of β-receptors within this area prevented forebrain (cortical and hippocampal) electroencephalographic activation elicited by activation of locus coeruleus neurons. Placement of β-antagonist immediately adjacent to the medial septal area had no effect on locus coeruleus-dependent cortical and hippocampal electroencephalographic activation. In contrast, in unanesthetized rat, bilateral pretreatment of the medial septal area did not alter either electroencephalographic or behavioral measures in animals tested in an arousal-enhancing, brightly-lit novel environment, which has been demonstrated to elicit an activation of the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system. The results obtained in anesthetized animals are consistent with previous studies demonstrating potent modulatory actions of noradrenergic systems on actions of general anesthetics, and suggest that β-receptors may be an appropriate target for pharmacological adjuncts to general anesthetics. In contrast to that observed in anesthetized animals, medial septal β-receptors alone do not contribute significantly to the maintenance of an activated forebrain in unanesthetized animals. It is presumed that actions of other noradrenergic receptors and/or other neurotransmitter systems located within or outside the medial septal area make the arousal-modulating actions of medial septal area β-receptors redundant, in the unanesthetized, alert animal.
Strength of theory and theory of strength

Abstract Strength of treatment or intervention has been neglected as an important determinant of the outcomes of evaluations. We need to develop ways of quantifying interventions so that strength may be related to outcome and so that results of different interventions may be more usefully compared. Better, more systematic theory is required in order to derive measures of strength. Only if theory is incorporated at the very beginning into planning of interventions and their evaluation can we expect to benefit from the many advantages that good estimates of the strength of interventions would bring.
Beta-chain human chorionic gonadotropin-producing leiomyosarcoma of the small intestine.

A 22-year-old patient with primary leiomyosarcoma of the small bowel presented with symptoms including nausea and vomiting, a symptom complex similar to hyperemesis gravidarum in the pregnant female. She was found to have elevated levels of serum beta-HCG which were localized to the leiomyosarcoma cells utilizing an immunoperoxidase staining technique. Thus, this patient presents evidence that beta-HCG may be produced by sarcoma cells and, therefore, that beta-HCG may be used as a tumor marker in some sarcoma patients. Cancer 58:131–135, 1986.
Dexmedetomidine and ketamine: an effective alternative for procedural sedation?

Objectives:Although generally effective for sedation during noninvasive procedures, dexmedetomidine as the sole agent has not been uniformly successful for invasive procedures. To overcome some of the pitfalls with dexmedetomidine as the sole agent, there are an increasing number of reports regardin
Systematic generation of thermochemical cycles for water splitting

Abstract Based on the observation that a thermochemical cycle is tantamount to a reaction route (RR) we employ the well-developed concepts of response reactions (RERs) and direct reaction routes (RRs) to develop an algorithm for a systematic enumeration of thermodynamically feasible thermochemical cycles for water splitting. The input is a set of chemical species along with their thermodynamic characteristics. A unique set of reactions is next generated from a list of species using the formalism of RERs. These are further screened and reduced to a subset of thermodynamically favorable RERs. Alternatively, the reactions may be selected from a separately build database of chemical reactions. The reactions are next assembled into direct RRs (thermochemical cycles), i.e., linear combinations of reactions that produce the desired overall reaction (OR), i.e., 2H 2 O = 2H 2 + O 2 . Only the direct RRs that satisfy the thermodynamic feasibility condition are further retained. The proposed algorithm is a new powerful tool for automatic generation and screening of thermodynamically feasible thermochemical cycles.
Monetary Policy, Bank Lending, and the Risk‐Pricing Channel

THIS PAPER IDENTIFIES A monetary policy channel that operates through the risk pricing of uninsured bank debt. Testing for the endogeneity of risk pricing to policy shocks is the main focus of this paper. We test for the relation between monetary policy shocks and changes in risk pricing in the market for jumbo certificates of deposit (jumbo CDs) 1 .
Characterization of high temperature deformation behavior of INCONEL 617

Abstract INCONEL 617 (UNS N06617, also referred as Alloy 617) is an austenitic Ni–22Cr–12Co–9Mo alloy, which is a candidate structural material for next generation high temperature nuclear reactors. High temperature deformation behavior of Alloy 617 has been investigated as a function of strain rate ranging from 10 −3 to 10 −6 s −1 at 600 and 800 °C. Increase in the temperature and decrease in the strain rate decreased the flow stress of the material. Serrated flow was observed at both the test temperatures. The amplitude of serration increased with decrease in the strain rate and increase in the temperature. Microstructural analysis showed that deformation at slow strain rates increased both the grain size and volume fraction of second phase precipitation. Furthermore at slower strain rates, increase in the carbides size and a continuous network of carbides along the grain boundary could be observed. Scanning Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (SKPFM) was performed on the tested specimen to observe variation in surface potential as a result of microstructural degradation during high temperature deformation at different strain rates. The second phase precipitates of the specimens deformed at higher strain rate (10 −3 s −1 ) showed more positive surface potentials than that of the specimens deformed at slower strain rate.
Assessing Equivalence: An Alternative to the Use of Difference Tests for Measuring Disparities in Vaccination Coverage

Eliminating health disparities in vaccination coverage among various groups is a cornerstone of public health policy. However, the statistical tests traditionally used cannot prove that a state of no difference between groups exists. Instead of asking, "Has a disparity--or difference--in immunization coverage among population groups been eliminated ?," one can ask, "Has practical equivalence been achieved?" A method called equivalence testing can show that the difference between groups is smaller than a tolerably small amount. This paper demonstrates the method and introduces public health considerations that have an impact on defining tolerable levels of difference. Using data from the 2000 National Immunization Survey, the authors tested for statistically significant differences in rates of vaccination coverage between Whites and members of other racial/ethnic groups and for equivalencies among Whites and these same groups. For some minority groups and some vaccines, coverage was statistically significantly lower than was seen among Whites; however, for some of these groups and vaccines, equivalence testing revealed practical equivalence. To use equivalence testing to assess whether a disparity remains a threat to public health, researchers must understand when to use the method, how to establish assumptions about tolerably small differences, and how to interpret the test results.
Theory of Finite Disturbances in a Centrifugal Compression System With a Vaneless Radial Diffuser

A previous small perturbation analysis of circumferential waves in circumferential compression systems, assuming inviscid flow, is shown to be consistent with observations that narrow diffusers are more stable than wide ones, when boundary layer displacement effect is included. The Moore-Greitzer analysis for finite strength transients containing both surge and rotating stall in axial machines is adapted for a centrifugal compression system. Under certain assumptions, and except for a new second order swirl, the diffuser velocity field, including resonant singularities, can be carried over from the previous inviscid linear analysis. Nonlinear transient equations are derived and applied in a simple example to show that throttling through a resonant value of flow coefficient must occur in a sudden surge-like drop, accompanied by a transient rotating wave. This inner solution is superseded by an outer surge response on a longer time scale. Surge may occur purely as result of circumferential wave resonance. Numerical results are shown for various parametric choices relating to throttle schedule and the characteristic slope. A number of circumferential modes considered simultaneously is briefly discussed.
Learning for Autonomous Navigation

Autonomous navigation by a mobile robot through L natural, unstructured terrain is one of the premier k challenges in field robotics. Tremendous advances V in autonomous navigation have been made recently in field robotics. Machine learning has played an increasingly important role in these advances. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) UGCV-Perceptor Integration (UPI) program was conceived to take a fresh approach to all aspects of autonomous outdoor mobile robot design, from vehicle design to the design of perception and control systems with the goal of achieving a leap in performance to enable the next generation of robotic applications in commercial, industrial, and military applications. The essential problem addressed by the UPI program is to enable safe autonomous traverse of a robot from Point A to Point B in the least time possible given a series of waypoints in complex, unstructured terrain separated by 0.2-2 km. To accomplish this goal, machine learning techniques were heavily used to provide robust and adaptive performance, while simultaneously reducing the required development and deployment time. This article describes the autonomous system, Crusher, developed for the UPI program and the learning approaches that aided in its successful performance.
Challenges to evaluation of CO 2 impacts of intelligent transportation systems

ITS systems can help reduce CO 2 emissions in three different ways, which need to be evaluated using different modeling paradigms. The ITS systems that reduce demand for vehicle travel should be analyzed using regional transportation planning models that explicitly represent modal choice and pricing sensitivity of travel choices. The ITS systems that improve vehicle operating efficiency should be evaluated using microscopic models of the effects on individual vehicles, and the results should be extrapolated to the system level based on travel statistics. ITS systems that improve infrastructure efficiency will generally require use of microscopic traffic simulation models, combined with new data representing how driver behavior is influenced by these systems in practice. Finally, concerns about latent and induced demand effects of transportation improvements need to be addressed with new research that reveals the real elasticities of travel demand.
Contra-directional two-beam coupling by use of a single input beam in an iron-doped lithium niobate multimode fiber.

Experimental results are presented for 180° contra-directional two-beam coupling (TBC) measurements in a single crystal fiber of LiNbO3:Fe using a single incident beam and its Fresnel reflection off the back surface of the fiber. To our knowledge, this is the first time that volume gratings have been written in a fiber using this beam coupling geometry. At small f-numbers, the TBC efficiency has been predicted to decrease in bulk LiNbO3:Fe due to the erasure of the weak gratings by the dark conductivity. We present experimental results validating the published theory and show experimentally that confinement of the interfering beams in a fiber geometry overcomes this limitation.
Lipidomic approaches to measuring isoprostanes and other markers of oxidative stress

Oxidative stress shifts the normal physiological balance between the rate of formation and removal of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and leads to oxidative modification of a large number of macromolecules including lipids. Oxidative stress has been invoked as a potential mechanism in a wide variety of disease processes. One requirement for understanding the contribution of oxidative stress to disease is to quantitatively assess the resulting products during disease processes and potential interventions. ROS trigger a myriad of alterations in macromolecules, so that accurately measuring every possible alteration induced by oxidative stress is currently untenable. Therefore, quantifying specific products that are both representative of the formation of other products and that potentially directly participate in the disease process is a rational approach. This review focuses on one of the most commonly used biomarkers of oxidative stress, the F 2 -isoprostanes, and then discusses the value of simultaneously measuring other related lipid peroxidation products.
Modeling Brain Injury Response for Rotational Velocities of Varying Directions and Magnitudes

An estimated 1.7 million people in the United States sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) annually. To investigate the effects of rotational motions on TBI risk and location, this study modeled rotational velocities of five magnitudes and 26 directions of rotation using the Simulated Injury Monitor finite element brain model. The volume fraction of the total brain exceeding a predetermined strain threshold, the Cumulative Strain Damage Measure (CSDM), was investigated to evaluate global model response. To evaluate regional response, this metric was computed relative to individual brain structures and termed the Structure Cumulative Strain Damage Measure (SCSDM). CSDM increased as input magnitude increased and varied with the direction of rotation. CSDM was 0.55–1.7 times larger in simulations with transverse plane rotation compared to those without transverse plane rotation. The largest SCSDM in the cerebrum and brainstem occurred with rotations in the transverse and sagittal planes, respectively. Velocities causing medial rotation of the cerebellum resulted in the largest SCSDM in this structure. For velocities of the same magnitude, injury risk calculated from CSDM varied from 0 to 97% with variations in the direction of rotation. These findings demonstrate injury risk, as estimated by CSDM and SCSDM, is affected by the direction of rotation and input magnitude, and these may be important considerations for injury prediction.
Trypanosoma brucei encodes a bifunctional capping enzyme essential for cap 4 formation on the spliced leader RNA

The 5' end of kinetoplastid mRNA possesses a hypermethylated cap 4 structure, which is derived from standard m7GpppN (cap 0) with additional methylations at seven sites within the first four nucleosides on the spliced leader RNA. In addition to TbCe1 guanylyltransferase and TbCmt1 (guanine N-7) methyltransferase, Trypanosoma brucei encodes a second cap 0 forming enzyme. TbCgm1 (T. brucei cap guanylyltransferase-methyltransferase) is a novel bifunctional capping enzyme consisting of an amino-terminal guanylyltransferase domain and a carboxyl-terminal methyltransferase domain. Recombinant TbCgm1 transfers the GMP to spliced leader RNA (SL RNA) via a covalent enzyme-GMP intermediate, and methylates the guanine N-7 position of the GpppN-terminated RNA to form cap 0 structure. The two domains can function autonomously in vitro. TbCGM1 is essential for parasite growth. Silencing of TbCGM1 by RNA interference increased the abundance of uncapped SL RNA and lead to accumulation of hypomethylated SL RNA. In contrast, silencing of TbCE1 and TbCMT1 did not affect parasite growth or SL RNA capping. We conclude that TbCgm1 specifically cap SL RNA, and cap 0 is a prerequisite for subsequent methylation events leading to the formation of mature SL RNA.
Structural and functional consequences of alveolar cell recognition by CD8(+) T lymphocytes in experimental lung disease.

CD8 1 T cells infiltrate the lung in many clinical conditions, particularly in interstitial lung disease. The role(s) that CD8 1 T cells might be playing in the pathogenesis of in- flammatory lung disease is unclear at present, as is the di- rect contribution of CD8 1 T cell effector activities to lung injury. This report describes a transgenic model used to evaluate the impact, on respiratory structure and function, of CD8 1 T lymphocyte recognition of a target antigen ex- pressed endogenously in alveolar epithelial cells. We found that adoptive transfer of cloned CD8 1 cytotoxic T lympho- cytes (CTLs) specific for an alveolar neo-antigen (influenza hemagglutinin) leads to progressive lethal injury in trans- genic mice, which dramatically affects lung structure and function. Transgenic recipients of CD8 1 CTLs exhibited tachypnea and progressive weight loss, becoming moribund over a period of several days. Concomitantly, the animals developed a progressive interstitial pneumonitis character- ized initially by lymphocytic infiltration of alveolar walls and spaces, followed by an exuberant mononuclear cell in- filtration that correlated with restrictive pulmonary me- chanics and a progressive diffusion impairment. These re- sults indicate that antigen-specific CD8 1 T cell recognition of an alveolar epithelial "autoantigen" is, in and of itself, sufficient to trigger an inflammatory cascade that results in the histological and physiological manifestations of intersti- tial pneumonia. ( J. Clin. Invest. 1998. 102:1653—1661.) Key words: T lymphocyte ¥ alveolar cell ¥ interstitial pneumonia ¥ lung injury ¥ diffusion
Antibody-structure-based design of pharmacological agents

The well-studied antigen-combining sites of antibody molecules hold considerable promise as a model system for the design of bioactive peptides. These small, immunoglobulin-derived peptides can be used in the development of alternative treatments for disease and in diagnostic strategies. The general principles derived from the design of small pharmacological agents based on the structural features of antibodies may also be extended to the design of other bioactive peptides.
Structured to Collaborate: The Emergence of Cross-sector Collaboration in Disaster Response

Emergency preparedness and response is moving from a specialized circle of emergency management professionals and select nonprofit organizations (such as the Red Cross and other national relief org...
‘We're Better Off Outside Our Country’: Diasporic Ecuadorian Women in Spain Since the Mid-1990s

Increasing sociopolitical and economic instability – stemming, in part, from the adoption of neoliberal policies – has compelled at least two million (2 percent of total population) Ecuadorians to migrate to the United States and member states of the European Union in search of jobs and a means to survive. It is estimated that more than half a million Ecuadorians live in Spain, and constitute one of the largest immigrant national groups in this country, alongside Moroccans. Women, who have often migrated without their families, make up half of this diaspora.This transdisciplinary study is based on interviews with Ecuadorian women in Spain and Ecuador, and informed by feminist methodologies. It situates the epistemological standpoints of women from (lower) middle and professional classes within recent Ecuadorian migrations, while analyzing the impact of Ecuadorian women's migration to Spain on the sociocultural life of Ecuador, as well as on key aspects of Ecuadorian women's lives in Spain. Despite the dis...
Traditional Urinary Biomarkers in the Assessment of Hospital-Acquired AKI

Traditional biomarkers, such as urine chemistries and urine microscopic elements, are used in the diagnosis and care of patients with AKI. Urine chemistries, such as fractional excretion of sodium and fractional excretion of urea, are useful for differentiating prerenal AKI from acute tubular necrosis only in select patients. Urine microscopy using a quantitative evaluation of the urine sediment for renal tubular epithelial cells, renal tubular epithelial cell casts, and granular casts has recently been shown to differentiate prerenal AKI from acute tubular necrosis and also provide prognostic information. Urine microscopy has also been noted to compare favorably with new urine biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis of AKI. Thus, current information on urine diagnostics suggests that urine chemistries have a limited role in differential diagnosis of AKI, whereas urine microscopy and new urine biomarkers may be used together to differentiate prerenal AKI from acute tubular necrosis and predict such outcomes as worsened AKI, acute dialysis, and death.
1/f fluctuations in fetal breathing rates

Fluctuations in fetal breathing rates (FBRs) have been investigated using spectral analysis techniques. Fetal breathing movements were recorded with chronically implanted diaphragmatic EMG electrodes in fetal lambs. Burst-burst intervals were determined using a template recognition method. The distribution of FBR over a long time series can be approximated by log-normal distribution. The power spectral density was found to be inversely proportional to Fourier frequency below 0.06 Hz, suggesting long-range density modulation. Analysis in the time domain revealed that self-similarity is preserved over different time scales, and that bursts tend to be bunched in clusters within which intervals between bursts are roughly uniform. Sequential distribution histograms over short time series revealed multiple peaks that vary over time. >
Comparison of approximations for effective parameters of artificial dielectrics

Formulas available in the literature for approximating the effective permittivity and permeability of a periodic array of (possibly lossy) dielectric rods of arbitrary cross section are assessed for their accuracy by comparing them with precise numerical values for special forms of the arrays. The literature on effective properties of arrays of dielectric rods is reviewed, covering what is known about general bounds, as well as the numerical results that are available for two specific arrays of square rods. It is found that while no single formula is capable of very high precision in every case, it is possible to construct good approximate formulas in individual cases as a result of this comparison. >
Antithrombotic Therapy in Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease

Abbreviations: ACD 5 absolute claudication distance; CI 5 confidence interval; INR 5 international normalized ratio; LMWH 5 low-molecular-weight heparin; MI 5 myocardial infarction; NASCET 5 North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial; PGE1 5 prostaglandin E1; PGI2 5 prostaglandin I2; PTFE 5 polytetrafluoroethylene; rtPA 5 recombinant tissue plasminogen activator; tPA 5 tissue plasminogen activator; UFH 5 unfractionated heparin (CHEST 2001; 119:283S–299S)
Use of vancomycin pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic properties in the treatment of MRSA infections

Vancomycin is a commonly used antimicrobial in patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Increasing vancomycin MIC values in MRSA clinical isolates makes the optimization of vancomycin dosing pivotal to its continued use. Unfortunately, limited data exist regarding the optimal pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic (PK–PD) goal to improve bacterial killing and clinical outcomes with vancomycin. The hallmark study in this area suggests that achieving an AUC to MIC ratio of over 400 improves the likelihood of achieving these outcomes. Challenges in the implementation of PK–PD-based dosing for vancomycin include current methodologies utilized in microbiology laboratories, as well as intra- and interpatient pharmacokinetic variability. Individualized dosing based on MIC and specific patient factors is important to achieve optimal outcomes from vancomycin therapy.
Optimization of the thermomechanical behavior of a poly(chromium(III) trisphosphinate)

A two-component reactive system consisting of a poly(chromium(III) bisphosphinate) and dioctylphosphinic acid reacts to form a poly(chromium(III) trisphosphinate). Extensive thermomechanical hysteresis is displayed throughout the temperature range −180°C to >300°C by specimens containing filaments of glass. Thermal pretreatment to about 400°C (the limit of thermal stability) eliminated these instabilities. These results correlate with the reported brittle and tough character of films of the poly(chromium (III) bisphosphinate) and poly(chromium (III) trisphosphinate), respectively. Regardless of thermal history (between 200°C and 400°C), the polymer system displayed three major transition regions: the glass transition centered at about 0°C, another centered at about 230°C, and a third at about −200°C.
Finasteride and High-Grade Prostate Cancer

To the Editor: In the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial, an increased rate of high-grade cancer was observed in the finasteride group ([1][1]). The recently published analysis by Redman et al. ([2][2]) suggests that this observation was the result of detection bias rather than a true increase.
A Software Framework for the Analysis of Complex Microscopy Image Data

Technological advances in both hardware and software have made possible the realization of sophisticated biological imaging experiments using the optical microscope. As a result, modern microscopy experiments are capable of producing complex image datasets. For a given data analysis task, the images in a set are arranged, based on the requirements of the task, by attributes such as the time and focus levels at which they were acquired. Importantly, different tasks performed over the course of an analysis are often facilitated by the use of different arrangements of the images. We present a software framework that supports the use of different logical image arrangements to analyze a physical set of images. This framework, called the Microscopy Image Analysis Tool (MIATool), realizes the logical arrangements using arrays of pointers to the images, thereby removing the need to replicate and manipulate the actual images in their storage medium. In order that they may be tailored to the specific requirements of disparate analysis tasks, these logical arrangements may differ in size and dimensionality, with no restrictions placed on the number of dimensions and the meaning of each dimension. MIATool additionally supports processing flexibility, extensible image processing capabilities, and data storage management.
A spectral-element time-domain solution of Maxwell's equations

A spectral-element time-domain (SETD) method based on Gauss–Lobatto–Legendre (GLL) polynomials is presented to solve Maxwell's equations. The proposed SETD method combines the advantages of spectral accuracy with the geometric flexibility of unstructured grids. In addition, a 4th-order Runge–Kutta method for time integration provides high-order accuracy and thus reduces the temporal discretization errors. The numerical results demonstrate its spectral accuracy with the order of basis function and show the high efficiency of the proposed method due to its exponential convergence. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technical Lett 48: 673–680, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21440
New insights into the pathogenesis and prevention of acute coronary syndromes.

Abstract Several recent studies have shown that 60–0% of coronary occlusions that cause acute coronary syndromes (such as unstable angina, myocardial infarction, or sudden ischemic death) evolve from atherosclerotic plaques that are only mildly to moderately obstructive. Numerous studies have demonstrated that coronary thrombosis, the immediate cause of acute coronary syndromes, is a consequence of plaque disruption. Most thrombotic events are related to deep plaque fissure, while superficial plaque erosion is the cause in a significant minority of cases. Thus, the mechanisms by which stable coronary artery disease (CAD) evolves into an unstable and potentially lethal acute coronary syndrome are related to plaque disruption and thrombosis. The vulnerability of a plaque to disruption appears to be determined by the presence of a large lipid-rich core, a thin fibrous cap, and an inflammatory cellular infiltrate, rather than by the size of the plaque or the severity of stenosis caused by a plaque before disruption. In addition to plaque disruption and thrombosis, enhanced vasoconstriction—a characteristic feature of CAD and dyslipidemia—may contribute to the clinical manifestations of CAD. Angiographic studies have demonstrated that risk factor modification produces a disproportionately greater reduction in ischemic clinical events than in anatomic regression of plaque, suggesting “plaque stabilization” may be the major mechanism of such clinical benefit. The relatively rapid attenuation of endothelial-mediated vasomotor dysfunction with the treatment of dyslipidemia lends credence to this concept.
Posteruption suspended sediment transport at Mount St. Helens: Decadal‐scale relationships with landscape adjustments and river discharges

Received 11 December 2002; revised 30 September 2003; accepted 18 November 2003; published 17 January 2004. [1] Widespread landscape disturbance by the cataclysmic 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens abruptly increased sediment supply in surrounding watersheds. The magnitude and duration of the redistribution of sediment deposited by the eruption as well as decades- to centuries-old sediment remobilized from storage have varied chiefly with the style of disturbance. Posteruption suspended sediment transport has been greater and more persistent from zones of channel disturbance than from zones of hillslope disturbance. Despite the severe landscape disturbances caused by the eruption, relationships between discharge magnitudes and frequencies and suspended sediment transport have been remarkably consistent. Discharges smaller than mean annual flows generally have transported <5%, but locally 15%, of the annual suspended sediment loads, and infrequent (p < 0.01), large floods have transported as much as 50% of the annual suspended sediment loads in a single day. However, moderate-magnitude discharges (those greater than mean annual flows but less than 2-year floods) have transported the greatest amounts of sediment from all disturbance zones. Such discharges have transported, on average, 60% to 95% of the annual suspended sediment loads, usually within cumulative periods of 1–3 weeks each year. Although small-magnitude and largemagnitude discharges have locally and episodically transported considerable amounts of suspended sediment, there has not been any notable change in the overall nature of the effective discharges; moderate-magnitude flows have been the predominant discharges responsible for transporting the majority of suspended sediment during 20 years of posteruption landscape adjustment. INDEX TERMS: 1824 Hydrology: Geomorphology (1625); 1815 Hydrology: Erosion and sedimentation; 1860 Hydrology: Runoff and streamflow; KEYWORDS: sediment yield, suspended sediment transport, Mount St. Helens, erosion, volcano, geomorphology
Targeted agents in AML: much more to do

To what degree has targeted therapy succeeded in acute myeloid leukemia (AML)? Targeted therapy has become a buzzword, with its meaning lost from overuse. In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), gastrointestinal stromal cell tumor, and a small subset of patients with non-small cell lung cancer, a validated target has been identified and a highly specific therapeutic agent has been developed. Targeted therapy generally requires a pathophysiological Achilles heel in a tumor that can be exploited by nontoxic therapy. In most cases, the validated target has been a tyrosine kinase enzyme critical for tumor growth and survival. Are similar "drugable" targets available in AML? While our understanding of the pathophysiology of AML has advanced over the past decade, and some potential targets have been identified, no single agent will likely produce a significant proportion of remissions. On the other hand, nascent attempts with mild success have been achieved, yielding hope that this strategy will bear real fruit in the future.
R factors in Rietveld analysis: How good is good enough?

!Received 19 December 2005; accepted 27 January 2006 "The deÞnitions for important Rietveld error indices are deÞned and discussed. It is shown that whilesmaller error index values indicate a better Þt of a model to the data, wrong models with poor qualitydata may exhibit smaller values error index values than some superb models with very high qualitydata. © 2006 International Centr e for Diffraction Data. #DOI: 10.1 154/1.2179804 $
Automated processor specification and task allocation for embedded multicomputer systems: The packing-based approaches

This paper considers the coupled design problems of processor specification and task allocation for embedded multicomputer systems. A packing-based representation is proposed that allows the problems to be solved concurrently. An algorithm based on this representation is described that utilizes a new heuristic packing technique coupled with an incremental design advisor. This algorithm, named IDAT, was benchmarked against three baseline algorithms on a combination of real and synthetic test cases with respect to two figures of merit: hardware cost and run-time. The real test cases are based on commercially developed automotive electronic applications and the baseline algorithms represent a mixture of search, heuristic and simulated annealing approaches. For all test cases, the IDAT algorithm was found to generate near-optimal solutions with up to three orders of magnitude improvement in run-time compared to the baseline algorithms.
Independence of the Chairman and Board Composition: Firm Choices and Shareholder Value:

This paper examines the role of leadership structure and board composition in the context of poison pill adoptions. We distinguish, for the first time, independent, separated leadership structures from non-independent, separated leadership structures. Our results suggest that there is an important interaction effect between board composition and the independence of the board Chairman, and that while there is a critical monitoring role for outside directors, inside directors also provide a critical informational role in board decision-making.
Combining Computational Fluid Dynamics and Agent-Based Modeling: A New Approach to Evacuation Planning

We introduce a novel hybrid of two fields—Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Agent-Based Modeling (ABM)—as a powerful new technique for urban evacuation planning. CFD is a predominant technique for modeling airborne transport of contaminants, while ABM is a powerful approach for modeling social dynamics in populations of adaptive individuals. The hybrid CFD-ABM method is capable of simulating how large, spatially-distributed populations might respond to a physically realistic contaminant plume. We demonstrate the overall feasibility of CFD-ABM evacuation design, using the case of a hypothetical aerosol release in Los Angeles to explore potential effectiveness of various policy regimes. We conclude by arguing that this new approach can be powerfully applied to arbitrary population centers, offering an unprecedented preparedness and catastrophic event response tool.
Mechanisms for cosmological baryon production

General formulas are given for the mean net baryon number produced in the decay of superheavy scalar or vector bosons. These results are used to make rough numerical estimates of the cosmological baryon abundance that would result from such decay processes in the very early universe.
Vortex Induced Auto-Rotation of a Hinged Plate: A Computational Study

Numerical simulations have been used to study the phenomenon of autorotation of a flat plate hinged about its center in a freestream. The focus of the paper is on examining the effect of Reynolds number and plate thickness ratio on vortex induced rotation. The numerical solver employed is based on a sharp interface, Cartesian grid method that allows us to simulate flow with moving boundaries on stationary Cartesian grids. Simulations indicate that vortex shedding is the primary instigator of the plate motion and the transition from fluttering to autorotation depends on both these parameters.
Carbonic anhydrases and anion transport in mosquito midgut pH regulation

Mosquito larvae use a digestive strategy that is relatively rare in nature. The anterior half of the larval mosquito midgut has a luminal pH that ranges between 10.5 and 11.5. Most other organisms, both large and small, initiate digestion in an acid medium. The relative uniqueness of the highly alkaline digestive strategy has been a long-standing research focus in larval lepidopterans. More recently, the disease vector potential of mosquitoes has fueled specific interest in larval mosquito biology and the alkaline digestive environment in the midgut. The probable principle anion influencing the highly alkaline gut lumen is bicarbonate/carbonate. Bicarbonate/carbonate is regulated at least in part by the activity of carbonic anhydrases. Hence, we have focused attention on the carbonic anhydrases of the mosquito larva. Anopheles gambiae, the major malaria mosquito of Africa, is an organism with a published genome which has facilitated molecular analyses of the 12 carbonic anhydrase genes annotated for this mosquito. Microarray expression analyses, tissue-specific quantitative RT-PCR, and antibody localization have been used to generate a picture of carbonic anhydrase distribution in the larval mosquito. Cytoplasmic, GPI-linked extracellular membrane-bound and soluble extracellular carbonic anhydrases have been located in the midgut and hindgut. The distribution of the enzymes is consistent with an anion regulatory system in which carbonic anhydrases provide a continuous source of bicarbonate/carbonate from the intracellular compartments of certain epithelial cells to the ectoperitrophic space between the epithelial cells and the acellular membrane separating the food bolus from the gut cells and finally into the gut lumen. Carbonic anhydrase in specialized cells of the hindgut (rectum) probably plays a final role in excretion of bicarbonate/carbonate into the aquatic environment of the larva. Detection and characterization of classic anion exchangers of the SLC4A family in the midgut has been problematic. The distribution of carbonic anhydrases in the system may obviate the requirement for such transporters, making the system more dependent on simple carbon dioxide diffusion and ionization via the activity of the enzyme.