cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Monitoring and alarm management in transparent optical networks

Rapid fault identification and localization in optical networks are crucial due to high data rates. These problems are more challenging than in traditional electronic networks because of optical transparency. In a transparent optical network which does not regenerate optical signals, a fault may propagate to various parts of the network from the origin, and multiple alarms can be generated for a single failure. In order to reduce the number of redundant alarms, simplify fault localization, and reduce the fault localization time, the number and location of fault monitors that are turned on should be optimized for a given network. In this paper, we formulate a problem on the optimal activation of network monitoring devices and propose a solution approach. First, we provide a brief summary of available physical-layer monitoring devices, and then present a scheme for optimal monitor activation. We show the NP-completeness of the problem and present a mixed-integer-linear-program (MILP) formulation of it. We also present a heuristic, whose performance is evaluated through comparisons with the solutions to the MILP, as well as a naive monitor activation approach.
The influence of oxygen vacancy on the optical transmission of an yttria–magnesia nanocomposite

A fully dense Y2O3–MgO nanocomposite with a grain size below 100 nm was successfully sintered using a sol–gel-processed nanopowder with a grain size below 30 nm. The nanocomposite has an excellent transmission (∼80%) in the infrared range. The nanocomposite is highly sensitive to the annealing environment in air or vacuum. The optical transmission is reversible by changing the annealing atmosphere from vacuum to air. Based on this combined with X-ray diffraction analysis, it is reasoned that oxygen vacancy is responsible for the optical properties of the composite.
Asymmetric spreading across the Juan de Fuca and Gorda rises as obtained from a detailed magnetic survey

Abstract Marine magnetic data collected along 37 east-west lines off the Washington and Oregon coast between 42°N and 48°N westward to 144°W have been interpreted. Our interpretation shows that decrease in the offsets of the anomalies across the Surveyor fracture zone and the presence of undisturbed north-south lineations east of it are the result of continuous asymmetric spreading along the Surveyor fracture zone. The survey has delineated the extension of the Blanco fracture zone north-westward to about 133°W. Movement along the Blanco fracture zone was initiated about 15 million years ago. The undisturbed north-south trend of the magnetic anomalies between latitudes 42°N and 48°N and longitudes 133°W and 136°W is interpreted as the interval (22 to 15 my) during which the Juan de Fuca and Gorda rises were one continuous structure. West of 137° the Surveyor, Sedna and three minor fracture zones are mapped.
Longitudinal momentum transfers in the multiperipheral model

Abstract The inclusion of longitudinal momentum transfers in the multiperipheral model is investigated. As recently pointed out by Jadach and Turnau, these longitudinal momentum transfers, if present, have a very large effect on properties of the model. In this paper we find that data rules out such effects. Furthermore, if the longitudinal momentum effects were present, they would in no way solve the serious problem with the multiperipheral model, that average multiplicity and elastic slope ought to be proportional, but experimentally are not. A multiperipheral model using transverse momentum transfers has fewer phenomenological difficulties than one using total momentum transfer.
Production and selection of mutants of Leuconostoc mesenteroides constitutive for glucansucrases.

Abstract After chemical mutagenesis using ethyl methane sulfonate, we isolated mutants constitutive for glucansucrases from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-512FM, B-1142, and B-1355. Those mutants produced glucansucrases when grown on d -glucose as well as on sucrose. They produced higher glucansucrase activities (3 to 22 times) when grown on d -glucose than the parent strains grown on sucrose. Glucansucrases from mutants B-1355C and B-1142C grown on glucose formed glucans that were highly resistant to Penicillium dextranase hydrolysis. Mutant B-512FMC dextransucrase formed the same kind of dextran as the parent strain; however, it showed higher thermal stability, even when dextran was absent.
The Mormon University on the Mount of Olives: A Case Study in LDS Public Relations

This article explores the use of media by small anti-missionary organizations in Israel to block construction of Brigham Young University's Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies on the Mount of Olives in the mid-1980s. These groups defined Mormons in the public square as aggressive proselytizers with no regard for law or Jewish sensibilities. They felt that Mormons were enemies to Judaism because of their purported interest to convert Jews. The anti-missionary groups were highly organized and effectively employed communitarian arguments couched in spiritual and concrete conceptions of Judaism. To counter these attacks, Mormons hired an Israeli public relations firm to redefine public perceptions of Mormons among Israelis. They created a campaign that focused on public reasons (the appeal to arguments that resonate across sectarian lines) over faith-based justifications for the Mormon construction project. The campaign was based in historicity, political expediency, and legalism. In this way, Mormons s...
Endovascular AAA repair in patients with renal insufficiency: strategies for reducing adverse renal events.

Abstract Vascular imaging, usually employing nephrotoxic contrast agents is relied upon for all aspects of endovascular AAA repair causing some to consider renal insufficiency a relative contraindication. We sought to determine if endovascular AAA evaluation and repair could be successfully accomplished by minimally or non-nephrotoxic modalities. Records and results for 98 consecutive patients undergoing endovascular AAA repair were reviewed. Patients requiring dialysis preoperatively were excluded ( N =3). The average volume of iodinated contrast agent employed for intraoperative imaging was 152 cc (35–420 cc). Twenty patients (20%) had baseline renal insufficiency (serum creatinine ≥1.3 mg/dl). A rise in serum creatinine above baseline was observed in 23 (24%) patients following repair; for 15 (16%) this was permanent. Creatinine rise occurred in patients with both normal (15) and abnormal (8) baseline values ( P =0.09). Rise in creatinine was independent of contrast volume employed and of the use of infrarenal vs suprarenal device fixation ( P >0.05). Two (2%) patients required permanent dialysis, one of which had a normal baseline creatinine and unclear etiology for renal failure, the other had a baseline creatinine of 2 and required device placement over an accessory renal artery. Strategies to minimize the use of nephrotoxic contrast for patients with renal insufficiency included the use of MRA, rather than contrast-CT for pre and postoperative imaging (7, 35%) and use of Gadolinium rather than iodinated contrast for performance of intraoperative arteriography (5, 25%). Endovascular grafts were successfully designed and implanted based upon MRA as the sole preoperative imaging modality in every case in which it was attempted (7). Mortality was not significantly different between those with and without abnormal baseline renal function ( P >0.05). Adverse events (access failures, arterial injuries, blood loss, endoleaks) were not significantly correlated with baseline renal insufficiency, rise in creatinine from baseline, use of MRA or intraoperative Gadolinium angiography ( P >0.05). Pre- and postoperative evaluation and performance of endovascular AAA repair can be accomplished in patients with renal insufficiency without increasing the rate of mortality or adverse events employing a strategy which minimizes the use of nephrotoxic contrast agents, relying upon Gadolinium arteriography and MRA. Endovascular grafts can be successfully planned and followed employing MRA as the sole imaging modality.
Cyclotron Production of No-Carrier-Added Medical Radionuclides

Charged-particle accelerators, particularly cyclotrons, are presently the source of the majority of the radionuclides used for the synthesis of radioactive drugs. These drugs are then used in clinical research and in diagnostic nuclear medicine. The physical properties of the accelerator-made radionuclides (i.e., half life, type and energy of its emissions), the chemical characteristics of their drug formulations (i. e., radiochemical and chemical purities, specific activity and concentration), and their biological properties (i.e., biospecificity, organ distribution, in vivo stability) are significant factors affecting the radioactive drug's quality and effectiveness in the diagnostic procedure. Because of their ultimate application in nuclear medicine, both cyclotron and radiochemical methods used in their production, purification, and formulation must be suited to render a radioactive drug of the highest purity, in terms of radionuclidic, radiochemical, chemical, and biological quality.
Fast Adaptive Unsharp Masking with Programmable Mediaprocessors

Unsharp masking is a widely used image-enhancement method in medical imaging. Hardware-based solutions can be developed to support high computational demand for unsharp masking, but they suffer from limited flexibility. Software solutions can easily incorporate new features and modify key parameters, such as filtering kernel size, but they have not been able to meet the fast computing requirement. Modern programmable mediaprocessors can meet both fast computing and flexibility requirements, which will benefit medical image computing. In this article, we present fast adaptive unsharp masking on two leading mediaprocessors or high-end digital signal processors, Hitachi/Equator Technologies MAP-CA and Texas Instruments TMS320C64x. For a 2k × 2k 16-bit image, our adaptive unsharp masking with a 201 × 201 boxcar kernel takes 225 ms on a 300-MHz MAP-CA and 74 ms on a 600-MHz TMS320C64x. This fast unsharp masking enables technologists and/or physicians to adjust parameters interactively for optimal quality assurance and image viewing.
FPGA based efficient architecture for image watermarking using Wavelet Co-efficients Quantization

In this work, FPGA based pipelined architecture for blind and robust image watermarking algorithm has been presented using Wavelet Co-efficients Quantization. The architecture is designed using new hardware accelerator tool of Xilinx System Generator. The goal of this work is to utilize the option of System Generator for the designing of signal processing algorithm on FPGA and to optimize the design in terms of latency and hardware resources. The latency of the architecture is reduced by exploiting the concurrent execution capability of the device and with reduction in significant areas of the design. In addition, hardware resources are reduced by the use of pipeline registers in the place of input and output buffers that cost no extra hardware. The results demonstrate the successful implementation of the proposed design with the PSNR value of 42dB. The maximum design frequency is 141.9 MHz with watermark embedding delay of 25.2 µsec.
Axial patterning and the establishment of polarity in the frog embryo

We review the early development of the frog Xenopus laevis, concentrating on events that lead to the establishment of the body plan. Recent molecular and embryological experiments suggest that peptide growth factors and homeobox genes interact to specify cell fates and pattern during early development of this vertebrate.
Accounting for fluctuations in a lattice model of microemulsions

Abstract A statistical mechanical analysis of an isotropic, spatially frustrated Ising model is presented. Information from Monte Carlo simulation, low-temperature series and the ϵ-expansion is used to construct the global phase diagram of the model. Whilst this combination of statistical mechanical techniques has been helpful, we also stress the limitations in studies of this type. We discuss the techniques of parallelization and vectorization as applied to simulations of lattice spin models. Where possible, we have made suggestions which may be of help in further elucidating the properties of the lattice model of microemulsions.
Use of thin-layer preparations for gynecologic smears with emphasis on the cytomorphology of high-grade intraepithelial lesions and carcinomas

Thin-layer (TL) technology can improve the detection rate for squamous lesions of the uterine cervix. Studies to date have under-represented high grade lesions and malignancies. The present study utilized a patient population at high risk for such lesions in order to analyze the performance of TL procedures in this group, and in addition, to assess the similarities and differences in morphologic appearances of specimens prepared by the two methods. Conventional (CS) and thin-layer smears (TLS) were made in parallel from the same specimen. Each slide was examined in a blinded fashion. Diagnoses were compared and morphologic observations made. Two hundred fifty-nine cases were included, of which 32 (12%) were high grade dysplasias (11) or carcinomas (21). Thirty five (14%) were atypical or low grade dysplasias. There was exact correlation between Bethesda classification in 231 cases (89%). Of the 21 carcinomas identified, 19 (91%) were present on each preparation. Two cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma were missed on unsatisfactory or negative TLS. One case of squamous cell carcinoma was called high grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HGSIL) on TLS while the CS was unsatisfactory. Three cases called atypical glandular cells (AGCUS) on TLS, and negative on CS, showed HGSIL (1) or no lesion (2) on follow-up. Morphologic features of low grade lesions were virtually identical on both preparations. Distinct features were noted on TLS in the high grade lesions. These included smaller appearing nuclear areas, less distinct nuclear chromatin, thicker three-dimensional groupings, and more isolated cells. Such findings were most pronounced in the glandular lesions. With training and experience, these features were easily identified in TL preparations, further documenting the utility of this procedure for use in routine practice.
A modeling approach for robotic catheters: effects of nonlinear internal device friction

Recently, robotic surgery systems using passive flexible catheters have been developed for minimally invasive surgical applications – such as in the treatment of atrial fibrillation – where catheter control in the open chamber of the heart is required. The soft, atraumatic construction of these devices help reduce injury to delicate cardiac structures while providing a means of tool placement and control. To provide kinematic and control relationships, various models of continuous catheters have been developed. However, these approaches cannot explain the nonlinear behavior of the catheter when the effect of internal friction is considered. In this paper, we describe a lumped-parameter modeling approach which directly accounts for the effects of internal device friction. The nonlinear model is validated against experimental results from a prototype robotic catheter and is shown to correctly predict the variations in curvature and path-dependent instantaneous behavior observed. Finally, the validated model...
Cloning, heterologous expression, and characterization of a phenylalanine aminomutase involved in Taxol biosynthesis.

Abstract Biosynthesis of the N-benzoyl phenylisoserinoyl side chain of the anticancer drug Taxol starts with the conversion of 2S-α-phenylalanine to 3R-β-phenylalanine by phenylalanine aminomutase (PAM). A gene cloning approach was based on the assumption that PAM would resemble the well known plant enzyme phenylalanine ammonia lyase. A phenylalanine ammonia lyase-like sequence acquired from a Taxus cuspidata cDNA library was expressed functionally in Escherichia coli and confirmed as the target aminomutase that is virtually identical to the recombinant enzyme and clone from Taxus chinensis, acquired recently by a reverse genetics approach (Bristol-Myers Squibb (August 14, 2003) U. S. Patent WO 03/066871 A2). The full-length cDNA has an open reading frame of 2094 base pairs and encodes a protein of 698 residues with a calculated molecular mass of 76,530 Da. The recombinant mutase has a pH optimum of 8.5, a kcat value of 0.015 s–1, and a Km of 45 ± 8 μm for 2S-α-phenylalanine. The stereochemical mechanism of PAM involves the removal and interchange of the pro-3S hydrogen and the amino group, which rebonds at C-3 with retention of configuration. The recombinant enzyme appears to catalyze both the forward and reverse reactions with specificity for both 2S-α-phenylalanine and 3S- or 3R-β-phenylalanine substrates, respectively, whereas the related phenylpropanoids 2S-aminocyclohexanepropanoic acid, 2R-α-phenylalanine, and 2S-α-tyrosine are not converted to their β-isomers by the mutase.
Effects of oral L-tyrosine administration of CSF tyrosine and homovanillic acid levels in patients with Parkinson's disease

To determine whether 1-tyrosine administration can enhance dopamine synthesis in humans as it does in rats, we measured levels of tyrosine and the major dopamine metabolite, homovanillic acid, in lumbar spinal fluids of 23 patients with Parkinson's disease before and during ingestion of 100 mg/kg/day of tyrosine. Nine patients took 100 mg/kg/day of probenecid in six divided doses for 24 hours prior to each spinal tap; 14 patients did not receive probenecid. L-tyrosine administration significantly increased CSF tyrosine levels in both groups of patients (p less than .01) and significantly increased homovanillic acid levels in the group of patients pretreated with probenecid (p less than .02). These data indicate that l-tyrosine administration can increase dopamine turnover in patients with disorders in which physicians wish to enhance dopaminergic neurotransmission.
Multiphase hemodynamic simulation of pulsatile flow in a coronary artery

A multiphase transient non-Newtonian three-dimensional (3-D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation has been performed for pulsatile hemodynamics in an idealized curved section of a human coronary artery. We present the first prediction, to the authors' knowledge, of particulate buildup on the inside curvature using the multiphase theory of dense suspension hemodynamics. In this study, the particulates are red blood cells (RBCs). The location of RBC buildup on the inside curvature correlates with lower wall shear stress (WSS) relative to the outside curvature. These predictions provide insight into how blood-borne particulates interact with artery walls and hence, have relevance for understanding atherogenesis since clinical observations show that atherosclerotic plaques generally form on the inside curvatures of arteries. The buildup of RBCs on the inside curvature is driven by the secondary flow and higher residence times. The higher viscosity in the central portion of the curved vessel tends to block their flow, causing them to migrate preferentially through the boundary layer. The reason for this is the nearly neutrally buoyant nature of the dense two-phase hemodynamic flow. The two-phase non-Newtonian viscosity model predicts greater shear thinning than the single-phase non-Newtonian model. Consequently, the secondary flow induced in the curvature is weaker. The waveforms for computed hemodynamic parameters, such as hematocrit, WSS, and viscosity, follow the prescribed inlet velocity waveforms. The lower oscillatory WSS produced on the inside curvature has implications for understanding thickening of the intimal layer.
Protons at the Gate: DEG/ENaC Ion Channels Help Us Feel and Remember

The DEG/ENaC ion channel family contributes to channels of striking functional diversity. Neuronally expressed family members include the C. elegans degenerins that mediate touch and are thought to be mechanically gated, and the mammalian ASICs, which are gated by protons. ASICs affect a range of sensory functions that includes perception of gentle touch, harsh touch, heat, sour taste, and pain. Family member ASIC1 is now implicated in long-term potentiation, suggesting that minute fluxes in synaptic pH may activate ASICs to enhance learning.
Differential and selective antagonism of the slow-inhibitory postsynaptic potential and slow-excitatory postsynaptic potential by gallamine and pirenzepine in the superior cervical ganglion of the rabbit

Abstract Two cholinergic antagonists, gallamine and pirenzepine, agents that have been shown to bind selectively to different subpopulations of the muscarinic receptor, were found to antagonize selectively and differentially the amplitudes of the slow-inhibitory and slow-excitatory postsynaptic potentials in the superior cervical ganglion of the rabbit. Incubation of ganglia with gallamine resulted in a concentration-dependent suppression of the slow-inhibitory postsynaptic potential. The pharmacological action of gallamine was highly specific. At concentrations which reduced the amplitude of the slow-inhibitory postsynaptic potential by as much as 70–90%, there was no reduction of the amplitudes of the muscarinic slow-excitatory postsynaptic potential, the nicotinic fast-excitatory postsynaptic potential, noncholinergic slow-slow-excitatory postsynaptic potential, or post-stimulus hyperpolarizing afterpotentials. The amplitude of the slow-excitatory postsynaptic potential was actually facilitated in the presence of gallamine, presumably as a result of suppression of the overlapping slow-inhibitory postsynaptic potential. In contrast to the action of gallamine, pirenzepine produced a selective suppression of the amplitude of the slow-excitatory postsynaptic potential. Pirenzepine had very little influence on the amplitude of the slow-inhibitory postsynaptic potential at concentrations sufficient to reduce the amplitude of the slow-excitatory postsynaptic potential by as much as 50%, and had no effect on the amplitudes of the nicotinic fast-excitatory postsynaptic potential or noncholinergic slow-slow-excitatory postsynaptic potential. The evidence presented suggests that multiple muscarinic recognition sites, previously identified by-studies of the affinities of pharmacological agents for the muscarinic receptor, may actually be involved in synaptic transmission and functionally coupled to cellular effector mechanisms.
AUTOANTIBODY-CONTAINING CELLS IN THE GASTRIC MUCOSA IN PERNICIOUS ANÆMIA

Abstract In gastric biopsies taken from patients with pernicious anaemia, mononuclear inflammatory cells have been shown to contain antibodies against two constituents of human gastric parietal cells—namely, a microsomal component, and Castle's intrinsic factor.
Combined heart and liver transplantation: a single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Simultaneous combined orthotopic heart and liver transplantation (CHLTx) remains a lifesaving procedure for the patients suffering from coincident end-stage heart and liver disease and several metabolic disorders. We analyze the long-term outcome of the patients undergoing CHLTx. METHODS: Between January 1992 and May 2007, 15 CHLTx were attempted at the Mayo Clinic including two combined heart, liver, and kidney transplantations and one combined heart, lung, and liver transplantations. Pretransplant cardiac diagnoses were familial amyloidosis (11), hemochromatosis (1), restrictive cardiomyopathy and cardiac cirrhosis (1), previously operated congenital heart disease and cardiac cirrhosis (1), and primary pulmonary hypertension with primary biliary cirrhosis (1). RESULTS: Heart and liver transplantation were performed as a single combined procedure in 13 (93%) hemodynamically stable patients, and there was no perioperative mortality. Survival rates for the CHLTx recipients at 1 year, 5 years, and 10 years were 100%, 75%, and 60%, respectively, and did not differ from survival after isolated heart transplantation (93%, 83%, and 65%, respectively, P=0.39). Freedom from cardiac allograft rejection (ISHLT > or =grade 2) for CHLTx was 83% at 1 month, did not change with time, and was lower than after isolated heart transplantation (P=0.02). At the mean follow-up of 61.6+/-53.6 months, normal left ventricular ejection fraction and good liver allograft function were demonstrated. Three patients developed end-stage renal failure secondary to calcineurin nephrotoxicity. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous heart and liver transplantation is feasible and achieved excellent results for selected patients.
Optimal Power-Delay Tradeoffs in Fading Channels—Small-Delay Asymptotics

When transmitting stochastically arriving data over fading channels, there is an inherent tradeoff between the required average transmission power and the average queueing delay experienced by the data. This tradeoff can be exploited by appropriately scheduling the transmission of data over time. In this paper, we study the behavior of the optimal power-delay tradeoff for a single user in the regime of asymptotically small delays. In this regime, we first lower bound how much average power is required as a function of the average queueing delay. We show that the rate at which this bound increases as the delay becomes asymptotically small depends on the behavior of the fading distribution near zero, as well as the arrival statistics. We lower bound this rate for two different classes of fading distributions: one class that requires infinite power to minimize the queueing delay and one class that requires only finite power. We then show that for both classes, the bounds can essentially be achieved by a sequence of simple “channel threshold” policies, which only transmit when the channel gain is greater than a given threshold. We also consider several other transmission scheduling policies and characterize their convergence behavior in the small-delay regime.
Status Beliefs and the Spirit of Capitalism: Accounting for Gender Biases in Entrepreneurship and Innovation

In this article, I develop and empirically test the theoretical argument that widely shared cultural beliefs about men’s and women’s abilities in entrepreneurship (i.e., “gender status beliefs”) systematically influence the social interactions during which an entrepreneur, particularly an innovative entrepreneur, seeks support from potential stakeholders for his or her new organization. To evaluate this argument, I conducted three experimental studies in the United Kingdom and the United States in which student participants were asked to evaluate the profiles of two entrepreneurs and to make investment decisions for each. The studies manipulated the gender of the entrepreneur and the innovativeness of the business plan. The main finding is consistent across studies: gender status beliefs disadvantage typical women entrepreneurs vis-a-vis their male counterparts, but innovation in a business model has a stronger and more positive impact on ratings of women’s entrepreneurial ability and overall support for their business ideas than it does for men’s. However, the strength of these patterns varies significantly depending on the societal and industry context of the new venture in question. Findings indicate that gender status beliefs can be understood as an important “demand-side” mechanism contributing to gender inequality in aggregate entrepreneurship rates and a micro-level factor affecting the likelihood that a new and novel organization will emerge and survive.
Self-Esteem of Gifted, Normal, and Mild Mentally Handicapped Children.

The Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI) Form B was administered to 450 elementary children identified as gifted, normal, and mild mentally handicapped (MiMH). The teachers also rated the children's levels of self-esteem, using the Self-Esteem Rating Scale for Children (SERSC). The results showed that, on the SEI Form B, both the gifted and normal children had significantly higher self-esteem than did the MiMH children, but there were no differences between the gifted and normal children. On the SERSC, teacher ratings of self-esteem were significantly higher for the gifted than for the normal and the MiMH children, and significantly higher for the normal than for the MiMH children.
On the characterization of the ω-phase in Zr0.8Nb0.2 from intensities of b.c c. Bragg reflections

Abstract A reanalysis of the study of Keating and LaPlaca [J. Phys. Chem, Solids 35,879 (1974)] shows that the Bragg reflection integrated intensities can be fit almost equally well by quite different models and thus do not suffice to characterize the ω-phase in this alloy without other data. This limitation should be expected for other alloys in which the ω-particles are not large.
Programmed Cell Death in Drosophila

During Drosophila development, large numbers of cells undergo natural cell death. Even though the onset of these deaths is controlled by many different signals, most of the dying cells undergo common morphological and biochemical changes that are characteristic of apoptosis in vertebrates. We have surveyed a large fraction of the Drosophila genome for genes that are required for programmed cell death by examining the pattern of apoptosis in embryos homozygous for previously identified chromosomal deletions. A single region on the third chromosome (in position 75C1,2) was found to be essential for all cell deaths that normally occur during Drosophila embryogenesis. We have cloned the corresponding genomic DNA and isolated a gene, reaper, which is capable of restoring apoptosis when reintroduced into cell death defective deletions. The reaper gene is specifically expressed in cells that are doomed to die, and its expression precedes the first morphological signs of apoptosis by 1–2 h. This gene is also rapidly induced upon X-ray irradiation, and reaper deletions offer significant protection against radiation-induced apoptosis. Our results suggest that reaper represents a key regulatory switch for the activation of apoptosis in response to a variety of distinct signals.
Complete Decongestive Physical Therapy in a Patient With Secondary Lymphedema Due to Orthopedic Trauma and Surgery of the Lower Extremity

Background and Purpose This case report describes a patient who developed lower-extremity lymphedema secondary to orthopedic trauma and surgery and reports the response to complete decongestive physical therapy (CDP), with 8 treatment sessions over 3 months. Case Description The patient was a 56-year-old man who sustained a right ankle displaced fibular fracture, underwent open reduction internal fixation surgery 12 days later, and developed lymphedema 4 months postinjury. The patient's impairments of the right lower extremity included increased girth, decreased ankle range of motion, and increased pain. Due to these impairments and the inability to fit into normal footwear, the patient limited activities such as ambulating long distances and climbing stairs. This limited activity restricted him from participating in his normal lifestyle activities such as walking his dog in the community and performing all necessary work duties. Outcomes Using the truncated cone formula to measure limb volume, the limb volume of the right (involved) lower extremity decreased 368 mL as a result of CDP. The percentage of difference in limb volume between the right and left lower extremities at the initial examination was 9%, and it was reduced to less than 1% at discharge. He was independent with his home program in order to maintain the results of therapy. Discussion Physical therapist management of secondary lymphedema due to orthopedic trauma and surgery of the lower extremity was effective in decreasing circumferential girth measurements and decreasing limb volume, thereby improving gait and allowing the patient to fit into his work and leisure shoes. The patient reported improvement in his ability to perform all work activities, and he returned to his prior level of participation in the community.
Developing a theoretical foundation for the laws of conservation

Finite divisibility of general systems is shown. Based on this result, Lavoisier’s Axiom, introduced in 1789, is verified by using the concept of basic particles, where a basic particle is one particle which can no longer be divided into smaller ones. The conservation principle of ancient atomists is recasted and proved mathematically, based on which the law of conservation of matter‐energy can be seen clearly. A brief history of atoms, elements, and laws of conservation is given and some important open questions are posed.
Oxide Structures formed on Silver Single Crystals due to Hyperthermal Atomic Oxygen Exposure

Silver (100) and (111) single crystals were exposed to a unique laser detonation atomic oxygen source, which produces a high flux of 5 eV atomic oxygen, for seven hours at 220°C. The resultant oxide and oxide-metal interfaces were characterized by optical, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HREM). The oxide scale was more than 10-micron thick and very weakly attached to the Ag substrate. The silver oxides were complex and surprising, differ in their thickness and the oxide phases due to the orientation of the Ag single crystals. The cross-section TEM studies revealed complex microstructures with many defects, such as micro-twins, porosity and irregular shaped grains.
Order-Optimal Data Collection in Wireless Sensor Networks: Delay and Capacity

Data collection is one of the most important functions provided by wireless sensor networks. In this paper, we study theoretical limitations of data collection and data aggregation in terms of delay and capacity for a wireless sensor network where n sensors are randomly deployed. We consider different communication scenarios (single sink or multiple sinks, regularly-deployed or randomly-deployed sinks, with or without aggregation) under protocol interference model. For each scenario, we first propose a new collection/aggregation method and analyze its performance in terms of delay and capacity, then theoretically prove that our method can achieve the optimal order (i.e., its performance is within a constant factor of the optimal). Particularly, with a single sink, the capacity of data collection is in order of Θ(W) where W is the fixed data-rate on individual links. With k sinks, the capacity of data collection is increased to Θ(kW) when k = O(n/log n) or Θ(n/log n W) when k = Ω(n/log n). If each sensor can aggregate its receiving packets into a single packet to send, the capacity of data collection with a single sink is also increased to Θ(n/log n W).
Effects of molecular architecture on two-step, melt-spun poly(lactic acid) fibers

Fibers of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) produced by two-step melt spinning have been studied. The PLA resins used contain a 96:04 ratio of L:D stereochemical centers; however, one of the materials is branched by a peroxide treatment. The thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of the fibers are compared for the two different molecular architectures. In the branched material, at least some of the branches exceed the entanglement molecular weight. The branched material is accordingly characterized by greater shear and extensional viscosity than the linear material. Fiber properties are highly influenced by the draw ratio; both branched and linear materials reach a plateau of about 35% crystallinity. The branched polymer reaches the plateau at a lower draw ratio, and this is indicative of faster crystallization kinetics. Both materials shrink in boiling water, and the amount of shrinkage decreases with increasing draw ratio. At an intermediate draw ratio of 6, the branched material is characterized by significantly larger shrinkage. With small-angle X-ray scattering and atomic force microscopy, the morphology is found to be fibrillar. Microfibril diameters range from approximately 20 to 30 nm and are almost identical for the two molecular architectures studied. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 2839–2846, 2002
Analog Sky Condition Forecasting Based on a k-nn Algorithm

Abstract Very short-range, cloudy–clear sky condition forecasts are important for a variety of military, civil, and commercial activities. In this investigation, an approach based on a k-nearest neighbors (k-nn) algorithm was developed and implemented to query a historical database to identify historical analogs matching the features of a specific instance. This ensemble of analogs was then used to make a probabilistic, clear-sky condition forecast for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 h into the future, for local and regional target types in two geographically distinct regions within the continental United States. The analogs were identified in a database comprised of a multiyear, half-hourly time series of atmospheric features that included cloud features identified in weather satellite imagery and meteorological variables extracted or derived from data-assimilation-based model analyses generated by NCEP’s Eta Data Assimilation System. The analog forecast scheme’s performance exceeded persistence at all five forecast i...
Institutional Perspective on the Impact of Positive Blood Cultures on the Economic and Clinical Outcomes of Patients With Complicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections: Focus on Gram-Positive Infections

Abstract Background Traditionally, skin and skin structure infections (SSSIs) have been viewed as having a lower risk of mortality, morbidity, and cost compared with other types of infection. The influence of secondary bacteremia on the medicoeconomic outcomes of patients with SSSIs has not been well described. Objective The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of bacteremia complicating SSSIs on length of hospital stay and costs. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study involving 579 patients with culture-positive SSSIs who were admitted to Barnes-Jewish Hospital, a major academic medical center, between April 1, 2005, and December 31, 2007. The outcomes evaluated in this analysis included hospital mortality, length of stay, hospital costs, and hospital readmission. Results Secondary bacteremia was present in 277 (47.8%) patients. Hospital mortality was statistically greater among patients with bacteremia (7.9% vs 1.0%; P P P P P P Conclusions Bacteremia complicating SSSIs occurred in almost 50% of patients infected with gram-positive bacteria in our institution. Beyond its impact on mortality, bacteremia is associated with increased length of stay, hospital costs, and readmission. However, these data are from a single academic medical center and may not be adjusted for all applicable confounders.
Pancreatic islets activate portal vein endothelial cells in vitro

This study assessed the active role of the portal vein endothelium in the functional loss of pancreatic islet (PI) grafts, considered in the context of PI transplantation for treatment of type I diabetes mellitus. We hypothesized that PI engraftment may be jeopardized by portal vein endothelial cell-induced activation of host T cells. We designed an in vitro system using portal vein endothelial cells (PVEC) from Lewis (Lew) rats and PI from Brown-Norway (BN) and Lew rats. PI were co-cultured with Lew PVEC for three days. The PI were removed and trypsinized PVEC were divided into three groups: (A) PVEC not exposed to PI; (B) PVEC exposed to syngeneic PI; and (C) PVEC exposed to allogeneic PI. The groups were analyzed by flow cytometry for ICAM-1 and MHC Class I and Class II molecules. Functional assays of lymphocytes (ie, lymphocyte proliferation assay, 51 Cr release assay, and cytokine release assay) were also performed. We observed MHC Class I and ICAM-1 upregulation on PVEC after PI contact. MHC Class II molecule was not upregulated on PVEC after PI exposure. IL-6 production was increased non-specifically following PI coculture with PVEC. TNF-α was increased only after allogeneic PI-PVEC coculture. PVEC exposed to either allogeneic or syngeneic PI could not stimulate naive splenocyte proliferation or cytotoxicity. We conclude that PVEC allo-PI interaction results in increased ICAM-1 and MHC Class I expression on the PVEC. Neither lymphocyte proliferation nor cytotoxicity could be enhanced in response to enhanced MHC Class I and ICAM-1 expression, which was associated instead with non-specific inflammatory cytokine release. (received 26 April 2002; accepted 8 June 2002)
Thermomechanics of monolayer graphene: Rippling, thermal expansion and elasticity

Thermomechanical properties of monolayer graphene with thermal fluctuation are studied by both statistical mechanics analysis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. While the statistical mechanics analysis in the present study is limited by a harmonic approximation, significant anharmonic effects are revealed by MD simulations. The amplitude of out-ofplane thermal fluctuation is calculated for graphene membranes under both zero stress and zero strain conditions. It is found that the fluctuation amplitude follows a power-law scaling with respect to the linear dimension of the membrane, but the roughness exponents are different for the two conditions due to anharmonic interactions between bending and stretching modes. Such thermal fluctuation or rippling is found to be responsible for the effectively negative in-plane thermal expansion of graphene at relatively low temperatures, while a transition to positive thermal expansion is predicted as the anharmonic interactions suppress the rippling effect at high temperatures. Subject to equi-biaxial tension, the amplitude of thermal rippling decreases nonlinearly, and the in-plane stress-strain relation of graphene becomes nonlinear even at infinitesimal strain, in contrast with classical theory of linear elasticity. It is found that the tangent biaxial modulus of graphene depends on strain non-monotonically, decreases with increasing temperature, and depends on membrane size. Both statistical mechanics and MD simulations suggest considerable entropic contribution to the thermomechanical properties of graphene, and as a result thermal rippling is intricately coupled with thermal expansion and thermoelasticity for monolayer graphene membranes.
Dataflow: A Complement to Superscalar

There has been a resurgence of interest in dataflow architectures, because of their potential for exploiting parallelism with low overhead. In this paper we analyze the performance of a class of static dataflow machines on integer media and control-intensive programs and we explain why a dataflow machine, even with unlimited resources, does not always outperform a superscalar processor on general-purpose codes, under the assumption that both machines take the same time to execute basic operations. We compare a program-specific dataflow machine with unlimited parallelism to a superscalar processor running the same program. While the dataflow machines provide very good performance on most data-parallel programs, we show that the dataflow machine cannot always take advantage of the available parallelism. Using the dynamic critical path we investigate the mechanisms used by superscalar processors to provide a performance advantage and their impact on a dataflow model
A Note on the Specific Heat of the Hydrogen Molecule

In a recent article F. Hund has treated the problem of the specific heat of the hydrogen molecule on the basis of the wave mechanics. The total number of rotational states are divided due to the homopolar character of the molecule into two groups, to the one of which belong wave functions symmetrical in the two nuclei, and to the other wave functions which are antisymmetrical in the nuclei. Hund has suggested that the presence of both groups in hydrogen may be accounted for by assuming that the nuclei possess a spin, in which case transitions between symmetrical or between antisymmetrical states will have their usual intensity but transitions between symmetrical and antisymmetrical states will be very weak, of the order of the coupling of the nuclear spins. He then writes the following expression for the rotational specific heat, Cr/R = σ2 d 2/ d σ2 log Q, Q = β [1 + 5 e -6σ + 9 e -20σ + ...] + 3 e -2σ + 7 e -12σ + 11 e -30σ +...., (1) where σ = h 2/8π2I k T and β is the ratio of the weights of the symmetrical group of states to the antisymmetrical group. Hund has found that he obtains a close agreement between (1) and the observed specific heat curve only when β has about the value 2, that is when the symmetrical states have twice the weight of the antisymmetrical. He further obtains for this case I = 1·54 × 10-41 gm. cm.2, the moment of inertia of the H2 molecule.
Error correcting CDMA communication system

Gold codes are used to obtain sequences for a CDMA (code-division multiple-access) system. The interference between users is minimized owing to the low cross correlation values of the sequences of the Gold codes. In many cases the number of CDMA users is considerably less than the number of sequences in a Gold code. Thus, not all of the Gold code sequences are used and some reduction in interference between users can be obtained. A more reliable CDMA system is achieved by error correction coding methods that utilize multiple Gold code sequences for individual CDMA users. The sequences considered in the paper are restricted to binary sequences. >
Key Issues in the Developing Synergism between Cardiovascular Imaging and Biomarkers

Background: Sophisticated methods of cardiac imaging have the potential to revolutionize the care of patients with cardiovascular disease. The benefits of these state-of-the art imaging techniques can be enhanced by their use in combination with new cardiac biomarkers. This review addresses potentially useful interactions between imaging and biomarkers. Content: Areas were defined in which the combined use of novel imaging techniques and biomarkers would be most beneficial. This review addresses multiple cardiovascular conditions for which the useful aspects of imaging and biomarkers are likely to be positively synergistic, including acute and chronic ischemic heart disease, heart failure, myocarditis, hypertension, and atherosclerosis. Conclusions: The synergistic use of imaging techniques and biomarkers will enhance the investigation of many key issues and questions and will be an important resource in the future.
Model for the temperature dependent transmission of optically transparent poly(methyl methacrylate) composites

An infinite cylinder model was used to predict the optical transmission of transparent composites containing unidirectionally aligned glass fibers. The parameters used in the model are the volume content and diameter of the glass fibers, the refractive index of the fiber and matrix, the nonwet fiber content, the thickness of the composite, and the temperature coefficient of the refractive index of the matrix. The transmission calculated from the model agreed well with the measured temperature-dependent transmission of a composite from 20 to 70 °C for thin specimen (<1.0 mm) containing fiber less than 10 vol. %. The model showed that a small amount of nonwet fiber (0.7% of fiber content) could cause a substantial reduction in the maximum transmission. The content of nonwet fibers should be as small as possible for making a highly transparent composite.