cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LQG control with an H ∞ performance bound: a riccati equation approach

An LQG control-design problem involving a constraint on H∞ disturbance attenuation is considered. The H∞ performance constraint is embedded within the optimization process by replacing the covariance Lyapunov equation by a Riccati equation whose solution leads to an upper bound on L2 performance. In contrast to the pair of separated Riccati equations of standard LQG theory, the H∞-constrained gains are given by a coupled system of three modified Riccati equations. The coupling illustrates the breakdown of the separation principle for the H∞-constrained problem. Both full- and reduced-order design problems are considered with an H∞ attenuation constraint involving both state and control variables. An algorithm is developed for the full-order design problem and illustrative numerical results are given. A more complete version of this paper is given in [41].
Late Complications of Aortic Valve Replacement with Cloth-Covered, Composite-Seat Prostheses: A Six-Year Appraisal

Abstract Advanced actuarial techniques are used to analyze early and late results in a closely followed series of 396 patients who received a cloth-covered, composite-seat aortic prosthesis. Late mortality and various complications are carefully assessed, and most late deaths are seen to be unrelated to the prosthesis. One hundred sixteen patients with Model 2310–2320 prostheses who received warfarin postoperatively had no thromboembolic complications in 360 patient-years of follow-up (average, 3.1 years per patient); 134 patients who had the same prosthesis but did not receive warfarin had 9 emboli per 100 patient-years (average follow-up, 1.7 years per patient; total, 228 patient-years). By comparison, in 9 years' experience with non-cloth-covered Model 1200–1260 valves, 132 patients had 4.0 emboli per 100 patient-years (average follow-up, 5.1 years; total, 673 patient-years). The safety of cloth-covered valves is clearly enhanced by concomitant use of anticoagulants; the possibility that antiplatelet drugs may suffice has not yet been demonstrated. Strut cloth wear was found at reoperation in 10 patients. The Model 2400 composite strut ("track") valve with a narrow metal track on the inner surface of each strut prevents this complication.
Fault-tolerant distributed transactions for partitioned oltp databases

This thesis presents Dtxn, a fault-tolerant distributed transaction system designed specifically for building online transaction processing (OLTP) databases. Databases have traditionally been designed as general purpose data processing tools. By being designed only for OLTP workloads, Dtxn can be more efficient. It is designed to support very large databases by partitioning data across a cluster of commodity servers in a data center. Combining multiple servers together allows systems built with Dtxn to be cost effective, highly available, scalable, and fault-tolerant. Dtxn provides three novel features. First, it provides reusable infrastructure for building a distributed OLTP database out of single machine databases. This allows developers to take a specialized backend storage engine and use it across multiple machines, without needing to re-implement the distributed transaction infrastructure. We used Dtxn to build four different applications: a simple key/value store, a specialized TPC-C implementation, a main-memory OLTP database, and a traditional disk-based OLTP database. Second, Dtxn provides a novel concurrency control mechanism called speculative concurrency control, designed for main memory OLTP workloads that are primarily composed of transactions with a single round of communication between the application and database. Speculative concurrency control executes one transaction at a time, with no concurrency control overhead. In cases where there may be stalls due to network communication, it speculates future transactions. Our results show that this provides significantly better throughput than traditional two-phase locking, outperforming it by a factor of two on the TPC-C benchmark. Finally, Dtxn supports live migration, allowing part of the data on one server to be moved to another server while processing transactions. Our experiments show that our approach has nearly no visible impact on throughput or latency when moving data under moderate to high loads. It has significantly less impact than the best commercially available systems when the database is overloaded. The period of time where the throughput is reduced is less than half as long as failing over to another replica or using virtual machine migration.
Multiscale modeling of the response and life prediction of composite materials

This chapter outlines a multiscale computational modeling framework for predicting the response and life of composites. The proposed multiscale model is based on the computational homogenization theory, which is generalized to space–time in order to answer the life prediction problem. We discuss the differences between classical homogenization-based spatial multiscale modeling and its application to the multiple time scales. Reduced order modeling in space and time is introduced to alleviate one of the most formidable challenges in multiscale modeling, namely, computational complexity. We describe the eigendeformation-based reduced-order homogenization theory for spatial model reduction and quasi-linear microchronological equilibrium approximation for temporal reduction. The proposed multiscale framework is used to investigate the failure response of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites subjected to monotonic and cyclic loads. The framework is calibrated and validated against experimental data. The investigations reveal the potential and power of the proposed approach in predicting the complex failure mechanisms in composites.
Pulmonary Complications After Bone Marrow Transplantation: An Autopsy Study From a Large Transplantation Center

Abstract Context.—Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is used to treat various malignant and nonmalignant disorders. Pulmonary complications are some of the most common causes of mortality in BMT recipients. Poor general health and bleeding tendency frequently preclude the use of definitive diagnostic tests, such as open lung biopsy, in these patients. Objective.—To identify pulmonary complications after BMT and their role as the cause of death (COD). Design.—The autopsy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) slides and microbiology studies of BMT recipients from a 7-year period were reviewed. Results.—Pulmonary complications were identified in 40 (80%) of the 50 cases. The most common complications were diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) and diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH). Pulmonary complications were the sole or 1 of multiple CODs in 37 cases (74%). All complications were more common in allogeneic BMT recipients. In 19 (51%) of the 37 cases in which pulmonary complications contributed to the death, cultures were ...
Abruptio placentae and perinatal death: A prospective study

Abstract Abruptio placentae caused 3.96 perinatal deaths per 1,000 births in a large prospective study. Intrapartum but not prepartum maternal hypertension was observed in the fatal cases. Decidual necrosis at the placental margin and large placental infarcts were the most characteristic placental abnormalities. The decidual necrosis was correlated with maternal cigarette smoking and low pregnancy weight gains in the abruption placentae cases. The tetuses and neonates who died had a pattern of growth retardation characteristic of antenatal undernutrition, indicating that poor maternal nutrition during pregnancy may have contributed to the genesis of the abruptio placentae.
Biotunable acoustic node assembly of organoids.

Many tissues in the human body are composed of densely-packed cells and minimal extracellular matrix (ECM). The resulting close cell proximity is important to retain cell viability and function[1]. The ability to generate three-dimensional (3-D) tissues with high-cell packing density and predefined complex structures is of interest to mimic diverse tissues such as liver, cardiac or brain for therapeutics, diagnostics and drug screening applications[2]. The controlled assembly and organization of multi-cellular systems to mimic native tissues is critical to tissue engineering. Many technologies have been proposed to engineer 3-D tissue constructs with control over geometry and spatial cell distribution. Most of these existing technologies are based on assembling cell encapsulating microscale hydrogels[3], scaffold seeding techniques[4] and extrusion/laser-based bioprinting[5]. These scaffold-based techniques are useful for wide applications such as gene delivery[6], bone regeneration[7] and cell differentiation[8]. However, these methods cannot provide physiologically-relevant cell-packing density and control over the cell proximity for bioengineering tissues with low ECM. Scaffold-free tissue engineering focuses on generating highly organized cell constructs, promoting direct cell-cell interactions and interfering with autologous ECM alignment. In this context, spheroid assembly is a recently introduced a strategy of scaffold-free tissue engineering, which provides the most viable method to build larger tissue constructs[9]. Cell spheroids are spherical cell aggregates that provide the highest possible initial cell packing density for bottom-up tissue engineering and are therefore useful as 3-D building blocks for scaffold-free assemblies. Spheroid assembly technologies include spheroid printing[10] via micronozzles and magnetic cell spheroid assembly[11], which requires loading magnetic nanoparticles into cell spheroids. While spheroid printing can produce highly complex tissue constructs, it suffers from long assembly time that prohibits building large, centimeter-scale, constructs. On the other hand, magnetic approach provides rapid assembly for building large structures but it is severely limited by the geometry of tissue structures -dictated by the geometry of the magnet- it can produce and potential adverse effects of magnetic nanoparticles on cell physiology and metabolism[12].
The Genus Strychnos in Colombia

Although the genus Strychnos is very well represented in Colombia, especially on the eastern lowlands drained by the tributaries of the Amazon, until recently, exceedingly few specimens of this genus from Colombia were available in the major herbaria of Europe and of the U. S. A. There appears to be no published record of the species that occur in Colombia.
Long-range angular-intensity correlations: The influence of time-reversal symmetry.

La fonction de correlation de la reflexion est calculee a l'aide d'une approche diagrammatique de Feynman en regime faiblement localise. On prend en compte une nouvelle classe de diagrammes representant une symetrie reversible dans le temps
Some uses and limitations of fuzzy logic in artificial intelligence reasoning for reactor control

Abstract This paper describes some potential uses for Fuzzy Logic as well as its limitations based on experience designing a small prototype expert system that can be used in a computer laboratory to study a government research reactor. The expert system designed in this study diagnoses problems in the interface between the heat exchanger and the core. Engineers who had first-hand experience with the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory suggested logical relations incorporated in the knowledge base. The expert system has a production rule backward-chaining-based architecture, and the knowledge base incorporates four kinds of information. First, the structural relationship between causes and consequences are given by nuclear engineering experts. Second, numerical values for the initiating events can be taken from observed performance of the HFIR during normal conditions. Third, the causes of particular events are ordinally ranked by their expected chance of occuring based on a combination of knowledge about the reactor design and actual experiences with the reactor in operation. Fourth, Bellman-Zadeh Fuzzy Logic is introduced to maintain truth values for expert system parameter values that can be true with some degree of certainty.
Effects of War and Civil Strife on Wildlife and Wildlife Habitats

Historically, the no-man's land created by human warfare often protected wildlife and habitats by limiting human incursions and human population densities within disputed territories. Relatively few exam- ples of this phenomenon have been identified in conjunction with recent and ongoing wars in developing countries, however. Modern wars and civil strife are typically associated with detrimental effects on wildlife and wildlife habitats. Most cited instances of contemporary war-zone refuges refer to military security areas that are functionally and geographically distinct from actual battlefields or areas subject to armed civil con- flicts. The disappearance of the war-zone refuge effect is attributable to modern trends in the scale, intensity, or technologies associated with military conflicts and violent civil strife. Munitions and chemical agents exert both immediate and residual effects, direct and indirect, on wildlife and habitats. Overharvesting of wildlife and vegetation in conflict zones exacerbates existing constraints on the access to natural resources, threaten- ing both the resource base and the livelihoods of local communities dependent on these resources. Socioeco- nomic studies have identified causative linkages between environmental degradation and violent civil strife, with the scarcity of natural resources fostering the emergence of war and civil conflicts in developing coun- tries. Wars and civil strife create positive feedback that reinforces and amplifies interactions between and among ecosystem vulnerability, resource availability, and violent conflict. Strong and flexible partnerships between local communities, nongovernmental organizations, and international institutions may be a criti- cal factor in mitigating the effects of war on wildlife by helping to maintain continuity in conservation ef- forts during periods of political instability.
Conjugate heat transfer analysis with subcooled boiling for an arc-heater wind tunnel nozzle

A method for unsteady, axisymmetric, conjugate heat transfer analysis has been developed. The conjugate heat transfer domain comprises co-flowing high-temperature air and subcooled water coolant on opposite sides of a copper-zirconium, converging nozzle. Heat transfer through the nozzle wall is characterized by solid-body conduction with convection boundary conditions along the air side and water side of the nozzle wall. The air-side heat transfer is characterized by forced convection with a turbulent boundary layer. The water-side heat transfer is characterized by forced-convection, subcooled, nucleate boiling. Convective heat transfer coefficients on each side of the nozzle wall are functions of the wall temperature and the respective flow properties, thus coupling the three regions of the domain. The solution method marches in time, solving, at each time step for the nozzle wall temperature distribution, the flow properties on each side of the nozzle wall, and for the convective heat transfer coefficie...
Effects of dilute acid pretreatment conditions on enzymatic hydrolysis monomer and oligomer sugar yields for aspen, balsam, and switchgrass.

Abstract The effects of dilute acid hydrolysis conditions were investigated on total sugar (glucose and xylose) yields after enzymatic hydrolysis with additional analyses on glucose and xylose monomer and oligomer yields from the individual hydrolysis steps for aspen (a hardwood), balsam (a softwood), and switchgrass (a herbaceous energy crop). The results of this study, in the form of measured versus theoretical yields and a severity analysis, show that for aspen and balsam, high dilute acid hydrolysis xylose yields were obtainable at all acid concentrations (0.25–0.75 wt.%) and temperatures (150–175 °C) studied as long as reaction time was optimized. Switchgrass shows a relatively stronger dependence on dilute acid hydrolysis acid concentration due to its higher neutralizing mineral content. Maximum total sugar (xylose and glucose; monomer plus oligomer) yields post-enzymatic hydrolysis for aspen, balsam, and switchgrass, were 88.3%, 21.2%, and 97.6%, respectively. In general, highest yields of total sugars (xylose and glucose; monomer plus oligomer) were achieved at combined severity parameter values (log CS) between 2.20 and 2.40 for the biomass species studied.
Simulated deposition rates for SO2 on a southeastern U.S. landscape

Abstract Atmospheric transport and deposition of SO 2 are simulated over a circular area (22 km in radius) of representative landscape in East Tennessee. Data from aerial photographs were used to determine surface parameters which in turn allowed us to estimate deposition rates on the different ground cover types by taking account of both aerodynamic and surface related components of the process. Patterns of deposition rates are shown and are compared with spatial patterns of ground cover type. Area averaged values of deposition velocity are deduced for representative times of the year. We speculate on the influence of various physical factors as they bear upon the perceived sensitivity of different species to SO 2 damage.
Diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma in an urban hospital: Clinical spectrum and trend in incidence over time

This retrospective analysis reviews the clinical experience of a major urban referral hospital with diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma during the 14-year period from 1973 through 1986. Seventy-five cases of definite or equivocal mesothelioma were identified. There were four cases of primary malignant peritoneal mesothelioma, seven cases of benign fibrous mesothelioma, and 64 cases of diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma. In 43 cases (67%) of diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma, there was historic evidence of asbestos exposure. In 21 cases (33%), there was no known history of asbestos exposure. An increase in annual incidence of diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma was observed over the study period, from three cases in 1973 to ten cases in 1986. Despite greater awareness of this disease, the diagnosis remains a difficult one to establish given the nonspecific symptoms, signs and radiographic appearance, variable histologic appearance, and poor diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of thoracentesis and closed pleural biopsy. Thoracotomy, thoracoscopy, and CT-guided needle biopsies gave higher yields and are the diagnostic measures of choice when diffuse malignant pleural mesothelioma is suspected.
Contractility assessment in enzymatically isolated cardiomyocytes

The use of enzymatically isolated cardiac myocytes is ubiquitous in modern cardiovascular research. Parallels established between cardiomyocyte shortening responses and those of intact tissue make the cardiomyocyte an invaluable experimental model of cardiac function. Much of our understanding regarding the fundamental processes underlying heart function is owed to our increasing capabilities in single-cell stimulation and direct or indirect observation, as well as quantitative analysis of such cells. Of the many important mechanisms and functions that can be readily assessed in cardiomyocytes at all stages of development, contractility is the most representative and one of the most revealing. The purpose of this review is to provide a survey of various methodological approaches in the literature used to assess adult and neonatal cardiomyocyte contractility. The various methods employed to evaluate the contractile behavior of enzymatically isolated mammalian cardiac myocytes can be conveniently divided into two general categories—those employing optical (image)-based systems and those that use transducer-based technologies. This survey is by no means complete, but we have made an effort to include the most popular methods in terms of reliability and accessibility. These techniques are in constant evolution and hold great promise for the next generation of breakthrough studies in cell biology for the prevention, treatment, and cure of cardiovascular diseases.
On the maximum temperature in double-layered journal bearings

Thermohydrodynamic analysis of a full journal bearing with a realistic model for the bushing made of two distinct layers is presented. The governing equations and an efficient numerical solution technique are discussed. It was found that the maximum bearing temperature is more sensitive to the thermal conductivity of the bearing liner than that of the backing metal. Results are provided for estimating the maximum bearing temperature.
Fermi superfluids at a rough surface.

This paper gives the boundary conditions for the quasiclassical theory of static superfluid Fermi systems in contact with an arbitrary reflecting surface. We demonstrate the application of the final closed circle of equations by displaying a self-consistent numerical solution of /sup 3/He-B in contact with a ''randomly rough'' wall. The results exhibit how great the sensitivity of p-wave pairing is to surface scattering.
Parental Report of Pediatric Tracheostomy Care

Abstract Objective: There are little data on the actual care given pediatric tracheostomy patients in their homes. Information on the use of supplies and on techniques and frequency of care is valuable for a better understanding of the needs of this population. Design: Questionnaires were distributed by mail or at clinic visits from May 1995 to June 1996 to a convenience sample of tracheotomized patients at the University of Michigan Pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic. Setting: Tertiary care clinic. Results: Clean technique for suctioning was reported by 96.7% of subjects and the rest reported sterile technique. Fifty percent of subjects reported reusing suction catheters. Cleaning solutions used to clean suction catheters for reuse varied. Tracheostomy tube reuse was reported by 55% of subjects. Sixty percent of those who reused tracheostomy tubes had had pneumonia within the previous year, whereas only 25% of those who never reused the tracheostomy tube had pneumonia in the same time period. Conclusions: Suctioning frequency, suction catheter, and tracheostomy tube reuse and cleaning methods are variables that warrant further investigation of safety and efficacy.
Role of adenosine as mediator of bradyarrhythmias during hypoxia in isolated guinea pig hearts

Tissue concentrations of adenosine, an endogenous metabolite with negative chronotropic and dromotropic actions, are known to increase when myocardial oxygen supply is reduced. In this study the concentrations of endogenous adenosine released during a period of hypoxic perfusion were measured to determine whether they are sufficient to account for the effect of hypoxia on atrioventricular conduction in isolated perfused guinea pig hearts. In addition, the efficacy of competitive adenosine antagonism in reversing the effect of hypoxia on atrioventricular conduction and atrial automaticity were compared. Effluent samples for adenosine were collected at the onset of spontaneous and atrial pacing induced second degree atrioventricular block during hypoxic perfusion (Po2 3.07 kPa) and during the combined infusion of adenosine plus the nucleoside transport blocker, dipyridamole (Po2 71.1 kPa). The mean (SEM) atrial cycle lengths associated with the onset of atrioventricular block were 333(10) and 297(2) ms respectively. Effluent concentrations of adenosine associated with atrioventricular block during hypoxia (2342(160) pmol·min−1·g−1 heart weight) were approximately equal to those obtained during the infusion of adenosine plus dipyridamole (2538(256) pmol·min−1·g−1 heart weight) (no statistically significant difference). During hypoxic perfusion, among hearts showing spontaneous atrioventricular block and those in which atrial slowing prevented the onset of spontaneous block, the competitive adenosine antagonist aminophylline (60 μmol·litre−1) reversed either spontaneous or atrial pacing induced block without any effect on spontaneous atrial cycle length. In conclusion, the production and release of endogenous adenosine are sufficient to account for the effects (negative chronotropic and dromotropic) of hypoxia. Moreover, the effect of endogenously released adenosine during hypoxia is greater on atrioventricular conduction than on atrial automaticity. There may be an important role for adenosine antagonists in the treatment of atrioventricular block.
REPLY TO CATANIA, CANCHOLA, AND POLLACK

Catania, Canchola, and Pollack's response to my review of the National Health and Social Life Survey (NHSLS) is largely a response to the NHISLS itself. It appears that they have read my review as an apology for the NHSLS and a criticism of the National AIDS and Behavioral Surveys (NABS), of whilch Catania was principal investigator. On the chance that others shared thfis inference, their reply offers a welcome opportunity to clear up the misconception and to discuss further some of the issues raised in my revlew. To, set the record straight, the purpose in comparing the NHSLS and the NABS was not to uphold one and reject the other, but to put the NHSLS into an explanatory context. I juxtaposed the designs and findings of these studies (along with NATSAL [the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles], the British national sex survey) to elucidate some methodological, political, and social issues involved in surveys that focus on sexual behavior. I made some judgments-positive and negative-abouw methods employed in the NHSLS and arguments made in The Sociat 0rganization of Sexuality (Laumann et al. 1994). I used the NAIRS as a point of comparison but did not examine it thoroughly nor offer any judgment about its methodological quality.
SRD5A3: A surprising role in glycosylation.

The steroid 5α-reductase (SRD5A) family of enzymes produces steroid hormones that regulate male sexual development. Now, Cantagrel et al. (2010) identify a member of this family, SRD5A3, as a polyprenol reductase with a crucial role in N-linked protein glycosylation and pinpoint SRD5A3 mutations as the cause of a rare Mendelian disease.
Care of Accidental Wounds

In wound management, the first consideration is first aid, and the primary aim must be to minimize further tissue damage. Definitive care includes cleaning, debridement, and repair procedures. Saline solution is the key to cleaning; antibiotics and antiseptics are not always indicated. Debridement should be done surgically. The wound is then managed by primary closure or delayed primary closure, or it is left open to heal by contraction and epithelialization.
Molybdenum sources and transport in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak

Abstract Atomic molybdenum influxes in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak have been monitored using visible spectroscopy. Measured source rates from the outer divertor, the largest source location, are compared to rates calculated from a standard physical sputtering model utilizing divertor Langmuir probe data. Comparison of the sputtering model with the measured molybdenum source rate shows good agreement during the Ohmic phase of the discharges examined. During the RF phase, the sputtering model consistently underestimates the molybdenum source rate. Analysis of a number of discharges shows no strong dependence of the divertor source on the plasma density for both L-modes and H-modes. The same source rates can be used to follow the screening of Mo from the core plasma. The penetration factor, PF ≡ Ncore/Φ, i.e. the ratio of the total number of Mo ions in the plasma core to the particle source rate, is higher for limited than diverted portions of discharges. The PF for Mo is found to be lower than another non-recycling impurity, nitrogen, during L-mode diverted plasmas.
A potential analytical assessment of cheddar cheese flavor defects

Abstract Proteolysis assessment, total acidity, pH, and determination of lactose and organic acids by HPLC, as well as descriptive sensory evaluation by an expert cheese judge were used to evaluate eight 60-day-old commercial Cheddar cheeses from a local processor. Samples of acceptable and defective Cheddar cheese quality were identified in a blind test on the basis of statistically different organic acid profiles and lactose levels. Proteolysis levels were not conclusive: however, total acidity and pH appeared to follow the quality differences identified by HPLC analysis. This study suggests that objective measurements could complement subjective tests and thus facilitate the detection of Cheddar cheese flavour quality problems.
Alice Walker – The Color Purple: A Reader’s Guide to Essential Criticism

By Rachel Lister (Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010), v + 175 pp. $24.00/£14.99 paper In Alice Walker – The Color Purple: A Reader’s Guide to Essential Criticism, Rachel Lister undertakes the...
No wonder social workers feel uncomfortable in court

The present article assesses the adversary systemper se and asks the question, Is there any place for courtroom antics and histrionics in cases involving children? Social workers are uncomfortable before the august body of thecourt, not because of any lack of education or knowledge on their part but because of the nature of the adversary process itself.
Tomexanthin, an oxepane diterpene from montanoa tomentosa

Abstract Chemical analysis of Montanoa tomentosa yielded an oxepane diterpene, tomexanthin, which was characterized by spectral comparison with the previously established zoapatanol.
Neuroendocrine-related effects of long-term, 'binge' cocaine administration: diminished individual differences in stress-induced corticosterone response.

Acute cocaine administration activates behavioral and neuroendocrine processes associated with the stress response. However, much less is known about the effects of chronic, long-term cocaine administration on neuroendocrine adaptations and individual vulnerability to stress. We hypothesized that chronic ‘binge’ cocaine administration may serve as a chronic pharmacological stressor leading to a hyperactivity of the stress-responsive hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and alterations in its feedback mechanisms. In order to test this hypothesis, the effects of long-term (3 and 6 weeks) ‘binge’ pattern cocaine administration (3×15 mg/kg cocaine, i.p., daily, during the early phase of the light cycle) on body weight, adrenal gland weight, basal and stress-induced activity of the corticosterone (CORT) and basal plasma testosterone (T) levels were measured. Both 3 and 6 weeks ‘binge’ cocaine administration decreased body weight gain, increased the weight of adrenal glands and increased basal CORT levels. Plasma T levels were suppressed by both 3 and 6 weeks of cocaine treatment. No correlation was found between elevated CORT and low T levels at any time point. Neither chronic saline nor cocaine administration altered stress-induced CORT secretion. CORT levels 60 min following the restraint stress (recovery) were significantly lower than pre-stress basal levels after 3 and 6 weeks of cocaine, but not saline, administration. Moreover, initial individual differences in stress-induced CORT response, i.e. low and high responsivity to restraint prior to any saline or cocaine injections, were maintained in control rats but became diminished in cocaine-treated rats. These results indicate that chronic binge cocaine administration leads to sustained activation of the HPA axis and alters processes underlying individual vulnerability to stress.
A modern aspect of engineering education

An engineering education will Fail in its purpose if it gives mere formulaic information; it must build a man who can accept the responsibilities a modern world thrusts upon him, says this engineering-college dean who describes the program established at one university to give the young engineer not only the technical knowledge his profession demands, but also that broader education required to enable him to meet the demands of this modern world.
The Microtubule Binding Properties of CENP-E's C-Terminus and CENP-F

CENP-E (centromere protein E) and CENP-F (centromere protein F), also known as mitosin, are large, multi-functional proteins associated with the outer kinetochore. CENP-E features a well-characterized kinesin motor domain at its N-terminus and a second microtubule-binding domain at its C-terminus of unknown function. CENP-F is important for the formation of proper kinetochore-microtubule attachment and, similar to CENP-E, contains two microtubule-binding domains at its termini. While the importance of these proteins is known, the details of their interactions with microtubules have not yet been investigated. We have biochemically and structurally characterized the microtubule-binding properties of the amino- and carboxyl-terminal domains of CENP-F as well as the carboxyl-terminal (non-kinesin) domain of CENP-E. CENP-E's C-terminus and CENP-F's N-terminus bind microtubules with similar affinity to the well-characterized Ndc80 complex, while CENP-F's C-terminus shows much lower affinity. Electron microscopy analysis reveals that all of these domains engage the microtubule surface in a disordered manner, suggesting that these factors have no favored binding geometry and may allow for initial side-on attachments early in mitosis.
Null controllability of nonlinear neutral differential equations

Abstract In this paper we show under very general conditions that the null controllability of a nonlinear neutral differential system is implied by the null controllability of its linear approximation. It has been previously shown that an analogous result is not in general true for retarded systems but that when certain restrictions are made on the retarded system such an inference can be made. For neutral systems, these further restrictions are not necessary. The essential difference lies in the fact that many controllable neutral systems can be “backed out” of the origin.
Virile Nation: Figuring History in Galdo´s' Trafalgar

(2003). Virile Nation: Figuring History in Galdo´s' Trafalgar. Bulletin of Spanish Studies: Vol. 80, No. 2, pp. 183-202.
“Chevrons” are not mega-tsunami deposits—A sedimentologic assessment

Since the introduction of the term “chevron” for large v- or u-shaped bed forms in Egypt and the Bahamas, others have adopted the term to describe large-scale coastal bed forms in Australia, Madagascar, and elsewhere. These authors interpret “chevron” bed forms as deposits of mega-tsunamis resulting from Holocene oceanic asteroid impacts. We reason that chevron-type bed forms are common and are present far enough from the coast to preclude tsunami genesis. Moreover, we argue that “chevrons” are not mega-tsunami deposits by modeling tsunami behavior and evaluating sediment-transport conditions under which such features formed. We model the southern Madagascar case, with an impact source in the Indian Ocean, and show that a modeled wave approach is inconsistent with “chevron” orientation. We then evaluate sediment-transport conditions under which these “chevron” bed forms could persist, i.e., bed-load transport. In our analysis, no conditions specified generate pure bed-load transport, and most result in pure suspended-load transport.
CryptStream: Cryptographic Access Controls for Streaming Data

With data becoming available in larger quantities and at higher rates, new data processing paradigms have been proposed to handle large and fast data. Data Stream Processing is one such paradigm wherein transient data flows as streams through sets of continuous queries, only returning results when data is of interest to the querier, allowing uninteresting data to be ignored. To process these data streams, users are employing third party computational platforms or large private platforms to reduce the individual cost for querying and computing over data streams. Utilizing third parties for outsourcing computation means data being processed is available to the third party as well, which could violate the data provider's privacy. There has been research done into access control for streaming data, and these works provide a good first step, but fall short of a complete system. In this paper, we introduce CryptStream for cryptographically enforcing access controls over streaming data. CryptStream combines data providers access control policies with ones prescribed by the data consumer and the server as well. We show that CryptStream improves over earlier work in the same design space while providing smaller overheads and more flexibility.
Estimating Tissue Deformation between Functional Images Induced by Intracranial Electrode Implantation Using Anatomical MRI

Abstract This paper examines a solution to the general problem of accurately relating points within functional data acquired before and after subdural intracranial electrode implantation. We develop an approach based on nonrigid registration of high resolution anatomical MRI acquired together with the functional data. This makes use of a free-form B-Spline deformation model and registration is recovered by maximizing the normalized mutual information between the preimplant MRI and the postimplant MRI. We apply the approach to estimate the tissue deformation induced by the presence of intracranial electrodes over 15 patient studies. Maximum tissue displacements of 4 mm or greater were observed in all cases either in the cortex or around the ventricles due to CSF loss. In studies involving larger 4 × 4 grids, local tissue displacement estimates exceeded 10 mm from the preimplant brain shape. The key issue with this approach is whether the deformation estimates are contaminated by the presence of susceptibility-induced imaging artifacts. We therefore evaluate the deformation estimates in recovering alignment of essentially identical SPECT studies of eight patients acquired before and after electrode placement. An ROI-based analysis of the variance of resulting subtraction values between pre- and postimplant SPECT was carried out in regions of tissue below electrode grids. Results indicate for all cases a substantial reduction in residual SPECT subtraction artifacts to a level comparable to that in an equivalent region of undeformed tissue.
Repair of a diaphragmatic injury during hand assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy using an onlay patch of polypropylene and polyglactin mesh.

Purpose: We describe a simple and time efficient technique for repairing a diaphragmatic injury occurring during right hand assisted laparoscopic radical nephrectomy.Materials and Methods: A dual layer polypropylene and polyglactin mesh was created extracorporeally by sewing a 2 × 2 piece of polypropylene mesh to a 2 × 2 piece of polyglactin mesh with 4, 4-zero interrupted polyglactin sutures. This dual layer was then positioned manually over the diaphragmatic rent and secured with a laparoscopic stapling device. A 16Fr chest tube was placed at the conclusion of the procedure.Results: Overall operative time was 3.5 hours with an estimated blood loss of 100 cc. Repair of the diaphragmatic injury extended operative time by 25 minutes. Extubation was done at the conclusion of the case and the chest tube was removed within 36 hours of the procedure. The patient was discharged home on postoperative day 3. At 14 months of followup the patient remained disease-free on radiography and without pulmonary or gastroi...
Pathogenesis of Asthma: Neurophysiology and Pharmacology of Bronchospasm

Asthma results from variable and often sudden changes in airway smooth muscle tone. Allergy is not an essential component of the asthmatic response; however, mediator release plays an important role in the human asthmatic response. Histamine may act directly to cause bronchoconstriction by stimulating the H1-receptor on airway smooth muscle or indirectly by stimulation of afferent vagal fibers in airways. Histamine may also act locally on airways to augment cholinergic and, possibly, alpha-adrenergic constrictor effects, or to antagonize beta-adrenergic relaxation of airway smooth muscle. Cholinergic neural output promotes bronchoconstriction in non-atopic asthma, but parasympathetic reflexes are not a major component of human bronchial responses to inhaled allergen. The physiologic significance of the sympathetic nervous system in relaxing airway smooth muscle is incompletely defined. Recent studies suggest that direct sympathetic innervation of airways is relatively unimportant and that purinergic fibers may be the predominant inhibitory neurons in human airways. Investigations focusing on intracellular calcium metabolism in airway smooth muscle have implicated the adenyl cyclase-cyclic adenosine monophosphate system in the regulation of bronchomotor tone. Cyclic nucleotides may modulate but do not mediate respiratory muscle contraction, and their precise role in regulating bronchomotor tone remains uncertain.
High prevalence of plateau iris configuration in family members of patients with plateau iris syndrome.

Purpose The purpose of the study was to ascertain the prevalence of plateau iris syndrome in the first-degree relatives of those patients affected with plateau iris syndrome. Methods All patients seen with plateau iris syndrome over a 5-year period were identified. These patients were approached for participation and first-degree family members above 18 years of age were screened. All people identified with plateau iris configuration underwent ultrasound biomicroscopy to document and confirm the angle configuration and subsequent gonioscopy after laser iridotomies. Results Sixteen patients were identified; 3 refused to participate, 2 were unable to be contacted, and 1 withdrew after initially consenting to participate. In this case, the patient agreed to participate, but all her living first-degree family members refused to be screened. Among the 10 patients whose living first-degree relatives were screened, we found 5 families with at least 1 additional first-degree family member having plateau iris syndrome. Conclusions Some families have more than 1 member with plateau iris syndrome. The pattern of inheritance resembles an autosomal dominant pattern with incomplete penetrance.
Surface analysis studies on the corrosion resistance of Mo implanted Al alloys

Abstract The effect on corrosion resistance by Mo additions into Al alloys is examined. Two different doses of Mo are implanted into alloy surfaces by ion beam mixing. The unimplanted and implanted alloys are subjected to general and localized corrosion testing using sulfate and sulfate plus chloride solutions. Electrochemical properties obtained from potentiostatic polarization curves are correlated to the Mo content and the surface chemistry as measured by Auger Electron Spectroscopy. The results show that Mo implantation forms a complex oxide within the top 1000 A of the Al surface and inhibits pitting attack of these alloys.
A methodological review of statistical methods for handling multilevel non-nested longitudinal data in educational research

As applications of multilevel modelling in educational research increase, researchers realize that multilevel data collected in many educational settings are often not purely nested. The most common multilevel non-nested data structure is one that involves student mobility in longitudinal studies. This article provides a methodological review of three statistical methods for handling student mobility in longitudinal studies: a multilevel approach, a cross-classified approach, and a cross-classified multiple membership approach. The strengths and weaknesses of each approach and the essential differences between the three approaches are discussed. The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Cohort data are analysed to demonstrate the differences in parameter estimates and statistical inference between the three approaches. Potential applications of the three approaches in educational research and beyond and directions for further methodological investigations are discussed.
196 PROCAINAMIDE ELIMINATION KINETICS IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS

Procainamide (PA) is a common antiarrhythmic used in pediatrics, yet little is known about its kinetics in children. We examined PA elimination kinetics following a single intravenous dose (range 4-30 mg/kg) in 5 patients (pts), ages 6-16 yrs, (ventricular tachycardia 3 pts, atrial flutter 2 pts). Serial blood samples were analysed for PA and N-acetyl procainamide (NAPA) by a gas chromatographic assay. PA concentration-time curves fit a two compartment model and the following pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated: distribution half-life, T½α = 0.16 ± 0.09 (mean ± S.D.) hr; elimination half-life, T½β = 1.99 ± 0.37 hr; apparent volume of distribution, VD = 2.34 ± 0.42 L/Kg; elimination rate constant, KE = 1.23 ± 0.54 hr−1 and plasma clearance, PCL = 14.97 ± 4.51 ml/min/kg. NAPA levels peaked 2.04 ± 1.21 hr after PA administration and the elimination half-life was 3.5 ± 1.1 hr. The elimination half-life for PA in our patients is significantly lower than that reported in healthy adult volunteers (1.99 ± 0.37 vs 2.80 ± 0.44 hr; p < 0.05) whereas, the volume of distribution is higher (2.34 ± 0.42 vs 1.98 ± 0.84 L/Kg, p < 0.05). The short PA elimination half-life appears to be related to a significantly higher plasma clearance in children (14.97 ± 4.51 vs 5.86 ± 1.26 ml/min/kg, p < 0.02). Thus, pediatric patients should require relatively higher doses and/or shorter dosing intervals, as compared to adults, to achieve therapeutically effective blood levels of PA.
The global nature of solar cycle variations of the solar wind dynamic pressure

The solar wind dynamic pressure measured near the ecliptic varies over the solar cycle. A major unanswered question has been whether this variation is a global feature or restricted to low latitudes and thus perhaps a consequence of the changing heliospheric current sheet configuration. We use plasma data from IMP-8, Ulysses and Voyager 2 to show that the large-scale variation of the solar wind dynamic pressure is the same at all latitudes. Thus the solar wind source varies globally over the solar cycle, with important implications for the source mechanism and motions of the heliospheric boundaries.
The link between monetary uncertainty and GNP: Some direct estimates

Mascaro and Meltzer (1983) have implied, but not tested, the proposition that increased uncertainty about monetary policy will reduce real income. This proposition is tested directly by adding a Kalman filter estimate of monetary uncertainty to a St. Louis-type GNP equation. The results indicate that increased uncertainty about monetary policy has long-run negative effects on both the level and growth rate of GNP.
Detection and quantitation of ischemic left ventricular dysfunction using a new video intensity technique for regional wall motion evaluation

Eighty patients with ischemic heart disease and 17 normal subjects were evaluated for left ventricular regional wall motion by means of a new method. The wall motion analysis is based on video intensity. This technique uses a temporally sliding analysis to evaluate the cardiac cycle in 100 msec intervals. Presence of coronary artery disease was defined as more than 50% measured diameter stenosis. Wall motion abnormalities in regions perfused by stenotic vessels were most common in early diastole (76%). Sensitivity of this method at rest in patients with coronary artery disease was 79.7% (p less than 0.0001) and overall accuracy was 84.2% (p less than 0.0001). Abnormalities in both systole and diastole were more common in regions perfused by severe lesions (greater than 75%) than in those perfused by moderately stenotic (less than 75%) vessels (p less than 0.05). A comparison of the new method with phase and amplitude analysis was performed in 15 patients and with two-frame analysis in 40 patients. This new method yielded a higher sensitivity than either of the other two methods.