cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lasers for scars: a review

Summary Many articles have been published on improving the appearance of scars; however, there are no definitive management protocols. Our objective was to review the literature on laser therapy for various types of scars. There are multiple laser modalities that have been studied with certain features that may be indicated for specific scar types. Suggestions are given for further studies.
Structure and electrochemical characterization of LiNi0.3Co0.3Mn0.3Fe0.1O2 cathode for lithium secondary battery

A lithium insertion material having the composition LiNi0.3Co0.3Mn0.3Fe0.1O2 was synthesized by simple sol-gel method. The structural and electrochemical properties of the sample were investigated using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) and the galvanostatic charge-discharge method. Rietvelt analysis of the XRD patterns shows that this compound can be classified as α-NaFeO2 structure type (R3m; a=2.8689(5) A and 14.296(5) A in hexagonal setting). Rietvelt fitting shows that a relatively large amount of Fe and Ni ion occupy the Li layer (3a site) and a relatively large amount of Li occupies the transition metal layer (3b site). LiNi0.3Co0.3Mn0.3Fe0.1O2 when cycled in the voltage range 4.3–2.8 V gives an initial discharge capacity of 120 mAh/g, and stable cycling performance. LiNi0.3Co0.3Mn0.3Fe0.1O2 in the voltage range 2.8–4.5 V has a discharge capacity of 140 mAh/g, and exhibits a significant loss in capacity during cycling. Ex-situ XRD measurements were performed to study the structure changes of the samples after cycling between 2.8–4.3 V and 2.8–4.5 V for 20 cycles. The XRD and electrochemical results suggested that cation mixing in this layered structure oxide could be causing degradation of the cell capacity.
Generation of defective interfering particles in picornaviruses

Abstract We have extensively searched for defective interfering (DI) particles in several picornaviruses. Contrary to expectations, only the originally described poliovirus type I strain ( C. N. Cole, D. Smoller, E. Wimmer, and D. Baltimore, 1971 , J. Virol. 7 , 478–485) gave rise to DI separable in CsCl density gradients. However, by using high resolution gel analysis of glyoxal-denaturated RNAs, we detected small deletions (4–6%) in the virus particle genomes from long-term undiluted passage of mengovirus and two independent strains of poliovirus type I. Virus stocks enriched for these smaller RNAs were shown to interfere with the replication of standard virus. DI generation appears to be strain dependent since a third isolate of poliovirus type I does not give rise to detectable genome deletions even after 100 passages. Furthermore, a cloned stock of the Cole et al. strain regenerates a low density DI as observed originally. We also present evidence suggesting that host cell factors modulate both generation and interference level of a picornavirus DI (mengovirus). Vaccine reference strains of poliovirus did not contain detectable deleted genomes in contrast to a preliminary report from this laboratory. These studies have important implications for the possible role of DI in human or other picornavirus infections.
Percolation approach to initial stage effects in high energy collisions

Abstract Possible phase transition of strongly interacting matter from hadron to a quark–gluon plasma state have in the past received considerable interest. The clustering of color sources provides a framework of the partonic interactions in the initial stage of the collisions. The onset of deconfinement transition is identified by the spanning percolation cluster in 2D percolation. In this talk results are presented both for the multiplicity and the elliptic flow at RHIC and LHC energies. The thermodynamic quantities temperature, equation of state and transport coefficient are obtained in the framework of clustering of color sources. It is shown that the results are in excellent agreement with the recent lattice QCD calculations (LQCD).
Duodenogastric reflux causes growth stimulation of foregut mucosa potentiated by gastric acid blockade

We investigated whether duodenogastric reflux (DGR) together with gastroesophageal reflux causes growth stimulation of the foregut mucosa and if additional gastric acid suppression enhances the effect of DGR. DGR was induced in rats using a split gastroenterostomy. A cardiomyotomy was performed across the gastroeophageal junction in order to enhance reflux into the esophagus. DGR rats were divided into six subgroups: DGR, DGR + truncal vagotomy, DGR + omeprazole, DGR + gastrin receptor blockade, DGR + omeprazole + gastrin receptor blockade, and DGR + gastrin. Two sham groups, one with and one without omeprazole treatment, served as controls. DGR significantly increased the weight and DNA content of the esophageal and gastric mucosa, which was further enhanced by vagotomy or omeprazole. Histology revealed foveolar hyperplasia in the stomach and esophageal mucosal hyperplasia in these groups. In addition, severe esophagitis was found in the DGR group receiving omeprazole. Omeprazole without DGR had no growth-stimulating effect on the foregut mucosa. DGR-induced growth stimulation was accompanied by hypergastrinemia. Increased growth in the stomach but not the esophagus was inhibited by gastrin receptor blockade. Gastrin administration did not result in enhancement of DGR-induced growth stimulation of the foregut mucosa. It is concluded that DGR, often present in severe reflux esophagitis, causes mucosal growth of the foregut of rats. This trophic response may explain why severe reflux esophagitis is associated with an increased risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. DGR-induced growth stimulation of the foregut is potentiated by gastric acid suppression, suggesting that chronic antisecretory medication in gastroesophageal reflux may not always be advisable. Omeprazole + DGR caused severe esophageal damage, which may explain why antisecretory medication may fail to heal severe reflux esophagitis.
Lost in the Margins? Intersections between Disability and Other Nondominant Statuses with Regard to Peer Victimization.

This study examined the extent to which disability status, alone and in combination with other social identities, was associated with differential levels of exposure to peer victimization. Logistic analyses of survey responses from eleventh graders completing the 2008 Oregon Healthy Teen survey (N = 7,091) utilized an intersectional, intercategorical method. Findings revealed that youth with disabilities were significantly more likely to report exposure to peer victimization, compared to youth without disabilities. The highest odds of exposure to peer victimization were found among disabled sexual minority males (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 10.8 [5.84, 19.9]) and females (AOR = 4.0 [3.06, 5.25]). In order to effectively address the problem of peer victimization, it will be important to focus on youth with multiple marginalized identities including disability.
Segmentation of multidimensional cardiac images

One of the initial steps in the analysis of three-dimensional (3D)/four-dimensional (4D) images is Segmentation, which entails partitioning the images into relevant subsets such as object and background. In this paper, we present a multidimensional segmentation algorithm to extract object surfaces from Multidimensional Cardiac Computed Tomography (CT) scans. We propose the Generalized Morphological operators for segmentation in multidimensions. A priori knowledge of the approximate location of the object surface is communicated to the algorithm via the definition of the Search Space. The algorithm uses this definition of the Search Space to obtain the Surface Candidate elements. The search space specification reduces the computational cost and increases the reliability of the detected features.
THE COMPARISON OF RADIATION AND ANTIMETABOLITE RESPONSES OF GENETICALLY ALTERED MURINE LEUKEMIC CELLS.

Abstract By clonal isolation from diploid P815Y cells, two hyperdiploid lines and one hypertetraploid line were selected for study. Cell-reproduction studies demonstrated that the hypertetraploid line was sensitive to chronic γ-irradiation and to cytosine arabinoside, but was unaltered in sensitivity to all other agents investigated, when compared with the diploid and hyperdiploid lines. Different leukemic cell lines (P815Y, L5178Y, and MLSY) could be characterized in culture by differences in sensitivity to antimetabolites. Drug-resistant clones isolated from sensitive populations of L5178Y cells, with but one exception, were unaltered in sensitivity to other antimetabolites.
Splinting strategies and controversies

Splinting is a common burn care intervention strategy based on logical anatomic and biomechanical principles. The persistence of scar contraction requires countermeasures, frequently splints, and most clinicians would concur that splints are valuable in opposing these contraction forces. Clinical decisions about splinting are often made on respected opinion, leading mainly to design and application options. Variables that affect splinting strategy include the risk-to-benefit ratio of the splint, the timing of the application, the choice of splint design, and duration of the splinting intervention. The most common of these variables reported in the literature is simply unique designs for splints. Although there are different splint designs for similar problems, no data exist to favor one design over another. Controversy about splinting in burn care is not based on the rationale for and success of splinting but exists because of the paucity of validation of its use.
Sequential extraction analysis of heavy metals using a chelating agent (NTA) to counteract resorption

The geochemical partitioning of Pb, Ni and Zn in contaminated quartz-rich sediment and soil samples was characterized by sequential extraction analysis in the presence and absence of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA). With NTA, levels of metals recovered are higher in the earlier steps and lower in the later steps of the procedure. This suggests that post-extraction resorption is effectively counteracted by chelation, thereby improving the accuracy of the method. An NTA concentration of 200 mg liter(-1) appears to be sufficient for counteracting resorption without causing significant dissolution of non-targeted phases in the samples studied. However, experiments using reference materials spiked with solutions containing Pb, Ni, Cu and Zn suggest that resorption will remain a problem when large amounts of strong sorbents such as organic matter are present. The results also show that although post-extraction resorption does occur in the absence of NTA, the magnitude of resorption is small (<20 to 30% of the summed total of metal present in the sample) in quartz-rich sediments.
Blood glucose levels in alloxan-diabetic rats under combined insulin and ergot alkaloid therapy.

SummaryA series of alloxan-diabetic rats under insulin therapy was treated with ergo-tamine tartrate, Hydergine (CCK 179) and dihydroergocornine (DHO 180). The following results are recorded: Ergotamine tartrate lowered the average blood glucose value during a period of 3-10 hours after the regular 24-hour insulin injection; dihydrogenated ergot alkaloids, (dihydroergocornine or Hydergine, which is a mixture of dihydroergocornine, dihydroergokryptine and dihydroergocristine) on the other hand, seem to have little effect on the blood glucose level as regulated by insulin therapy.
Vibration of a pinned dislocation segment in an atomistic model

The dynamic behavior of a freely-vibrating straight edge dislocation, pinned at equal distances along its length, in an idealized, atomistic crystal model is studied by computer simulation. The model, which represents the slip plane of the crystal, is a two-dimensional version of the Frenkel-Kontorowa model as modified by Kratochvil and Indenbom, and by Weiner and Sanders to be piecewise quadratic, and was utilized by Sanders in his study of dislocation kinks. By use of the convolution theorem, it is found possible to simulate an infinite strip of the slip plane while treating explicitly only a finite number of atoms. The model contains no phenomenological damping or viscosity; the dislocation loses energy solely by energy transfer to other lattice modes. The damping of the dislocation motion is determined by observing the decay in its amplitude of vibration. The behavior of the atomistic model is compared, based on a limited number of computer-simulation runs, with the string model of Koehler and of Granato and L\"ucke. In agreement with that model, it is found that the frequency of free vibration, ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}_{0}$, is proportional to the square root of the shear modulus and inversely proportional to the loop length. For the case of model parameters leading to zero Peierls stress (${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{P}=0$), the amplitude of dislocation vibration in the atomistic model for sufficiently large loop length decays exponentially as in the string model with linear damping. Furthermore, it is found that the logarithmic decrement, $\ensuremath{\Delta}$, of the decay of free vibrations in independent of ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{0}$. A few runs with suitably-generated random initial atomic velocities simulate, on the basis of classical statistics, the effect of temperature, $T$. It is found that $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ decreases with increasing $T$, apparently due to the phenomenon of thermal energy trapping by the moving dislocation. For parameters leading to ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{P}g0$ it is found that at $T=0$ the vibrating dislocation becomes trapped in a single Peierls valley and, in this model with piecewise quadratic potential, ceases to lose energy.
Using decision trees to measure activities in people with stroke

Improving community mobility is a common goal for persons with stroke. Measuring daily physical activity is helpful to determine the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions. In our previous studies, a novel wearable shoe-based sensor system (SmartShoe) was shown to be capable of accurately classify three major postures and activities (sitting, standing, and walking) from individuals with stroke by using Artificial Neural Network (ANN). In this study, we utilized decision tree algorithms to develop individual and group activity classification models for stroke patients. The data was acquired from 12 participants with stroke. For 3-class classification, the average accuracy was 99.1% with individual models and 91.5% with group models. Further, we extended the activities into 8 classes: sitting, standing, walking, cycling, stairs-up, stairs-down, wheel-chair-push, and wheel-chair-propel. The classification accuracy for individual models was 97.9%, and for group model was 80.2%, demonstrating feasibility of multi-class activity recognition by SmartShoe in stroke patients.
Electrically-induced epileptogenesis in rabbit olfactory bulb: Electrophysiological plasticity in a simple cortical system

Sustained seizure activity can be induced in rabbit olfactory bulb by application of brief low-level current via chronically implanted micro-electrodes. Sensitivity to such stimulation is markedly augmented by prior surgical isolation of the ipsilateral or contralateral bulb. The isolated rabbit olfactory bulb apparently possesses an intrinsic system sufficient to acquire and retain altered neuronal excitability of an epileptiform kind. The preparation described here offers promise as a model for further studies of electrophysiological plasticity in a simple cortical system.
Characteristics of ion-excited silicon L-shell Auger spectra

Abstract Ion-excited Auger electron emission from silicon has been investigated for 2 to 30 keV noble gas ion bombardment. It was found that Si L shell excitation is mostly due to symmetric SiSi collisions. The Auger spectrum is characterized by several relatively narrow (but Doppler broadened) L 2, 3 MN lines originating from sputtered atoms and a broad bulk-like L 2, 3 V ∗ V ∗ line. Comparison between the L 2, 3 V ∗ V ∗ line and the electron-excited L 2, 3 VV line indicates that the density and/or the population of states in a collision cascade is markedly different from the unperturbed case.
Susceptibility of digital ICs to ringing EMI events

This study examines the susceptibility of idealized digital devices subjected to nondamaging rings at microwave frequencies. The device considered is a CMOS inverter whose susceptibility is linked to ring time of occurrence, frequency, amplitude and attenuation. The treatment considers unwanted excursions across the logic threshold as single logic breaches. In this paper, the device is considered to be in the logic input low state. Pulse overdrive specifications for commercial type AC devices are quantified via curve-fitting and the results extended to the case of the ring. It is shown that the voltage amplitude of the first positive ring peak required to cause a logic breach is approximately linear with increasing ring frequency. As ring frequency decreases, this susceptibility curve is shown to be asymptotic to the threshold voltage V/sub t/.
Democritus, Fragment 156

Received interpretation. As far as I have been able to determine, all scholars who have dealt with this fragment have followed Plutarch (to whom the preservation of the fragment is due) in holding (i) that and are synonyms for ‘body’ and ‘void’ respectively, and (ii) the purport of the pronouncement is simply that ‘even void has a nature and substantiality of its own’ (). But (i) is included in Aristotle's dictionary of Atomist jargon, while (ii) is put better in the celebrated Fragment 125 . In consequence, Fragment 156 has been deemed more curious than important. Despite the extreme scarcity of Democritean fragments other than moralizings, Kirk and Raven do not even print it. No doubt this assumed unimportance explains why it has not been noticed how unsatisfactory Plutarch's exegesis is.
Low-voltage, four-quadrant, analogue CMOS multiplier

A CMOS four quadrant analogue multiplier that can operate from a supply voltage of 1.5 V is described. The multiplier requires two linear transconductors whose input transistors are operated in their linear region. Simulation results indicate that the nonlinearity can be kept below 0.8%, across the entire differential input voltage range of +or-400 mV.
Watermelon extract supplementation reduces ankle blood pressure and carotid augmentation index in obese adults with prehypertension or hypertension

Background Ankle-brachial index (ABI) and ankle blood pressure (BP) are associated with increased carotid wave reflection (augmentation index, AIx). Oral l-citrulline and l-arginine from synthetic or watermelon sources have reduced brachial BP, aortic BP, and aortic AIx. A directly measured carotid AIx (cAIx) rather than aortic AIx has been proposed as a better measurement of central AIx. We evaluated the effects of watermelon extract on ankle BP and cAIx in individuals with normal ABI and prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension. Methods Ankle and brachial systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), cAIx, ABI, and heart rate (HR) were evaluated in the supine position in 14 adults (11 women/3 men, age 58 ± 1 years) with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension (153 ± 4 mm Hg). Subjects were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of watermelon extract supplementation ( l-citrulline/l-arginine, 6 g daily) or placebo followed by a 2-week washout period and then crossover.
Customer satisfaction in a large urban fire department emergency medical services system.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine if emergency medical services (EMS) customer satisfaction could be assessed using telephone-survey methods. The process by which customer satisfaction with the EMS service in a large, fire department-based EMS system is reported, and five month results are presented. METHODS: Ten percent of all patients transported during the period of October 15, 2001, through March 15, 2002, were selected for study. In addition, during the same period, all EMS incidents in which a patient was not transported were identified for contact. Customer-service representatives contacted patients via telephone and surveyed them from prepared scripts. RESULTS: A total of 88,528 EMS incidents occurred during the study period. Of these, 53,649 resulted in patient transports and 34,879 did not. Ten percent of patients transported (5,098) were selected for study participation, of which 2,498 were successfully contacted; of these, 2,368 (94.8%) reported overall satisfaction with the service provided. Of the 34,879 incidents without transport, only 5,859 involved patients who were seen but not transported. All of these patients were selected for study. Of these, 2,975 were successfully contacted, with 2,865 (96.3%) reporting overall satisfaction. The most common reason given for nonsatisfaction in both groups was the perception of a long response time. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to conduct a survey of EMS customer satisfaction using telephone-survey methods. Although difficulties exist in contacting patients, useful information is made available with this method. Such surveys should be an integral part of any EMS system's quality-improvement efforts. In this survey, the overwhelming majority of patients, both transported and not transported, were satisfied with their encounter with EMS. Language: en
Automated path planning for integrated assembly design

Abstract A technique is described for finding a collision-free path for a free component relative to a reference stationary component or subassembly, to facilitate automated assembly design. Given a part mating sequence and total assembly transformation matrices for each component, a method is presented to decompose the transformations into a sequence of motions such that the physical assembly process can be realized. The assembly paths are generated in reverse order beginning with the final free component in assembled configuration. A visibility map is employed to find an initial separation direction. The magnitude of the translation necessary to separate the parts is determined by projecting the vertices of both components onto the separation direction vector. Subsequent direction vectors are generated by comparing the current position of the free component to its initial position. At each step an interference check is performed to determine whether the free component can reach its initial position without interfering with the stationary component. If this is the case, the disassembly steps are written in reverse order as the assembly plan. The technique is sufficiently general to be implemented within geometric modelling systems with typical contemporary functionality and geometric utilities. An implementation of the technique in a prototype 2D system is described to demonstrate its capabilities.
Satellite observations of upwelling on the continental shelf south of Madagascar

We report on upwelling seen in satellite AVHRR sea surface temperature imagery over the continental slope and shelf of southern Madagascar during February and March 2000. The upwelling is concurrent with anomalously high pseudo wind-stress over the region during this period. However, the western boundary East Madagascar Current, which is seen over the continental slope region, may contribute to the upwelling effect. The upwelling covers an area of 2° longitude by 1° latitude and at its peak is about 3–5°C cooler than the local ambient sea surface temperature. The paucity of in situ wind and current data in the region, however, prohibit a quantitative assessment of the relative forcing.
F2-Isoprostanes and Adiposity in Older Adults

We examined whether a systemic marker of oxidative stress, F2-isoprostanes (F2-IPs), was associated with total and regional adiposity, adipocytokines, and change in adiposity. Using data from 726 participants enrolled in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition (Health ABC) study, F2-IPs and adipocytokines were measured from baseline plasma samples. Total adiposity was measured by whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and regional adiposity by abdominal and thigh computed tomography scans at baseline and 5-year follow-up. ANOVA models were estimated to examine associations between F2-IP tertiles and baseline adiposity and changes in body composition. Median F2-IPs was 54.3 pg/ml; women had significantly higher levels than men (61.5 vs. 48.9 pg/ml, P < 0.001). F2-IPs were associated with higher levels of adiponectin, leptin, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Positive associations were found between F2-IPs and all measures of total and regional adiposity among women. In linear regression models, adipocytokines mediated associations among women. Over 5 years of follow-up, women in the highest vs. lowest F2-IP tertile exhibited significant loss of weight (lowest tertile: −1.1 kg, highest tertile: −2.7 kg, P < 0.05). In conclusion, F2-IPs were associated with measures of total and regional adiposity in women alone and these associations were partially explained by adipocytokines. F2-IPs predicted loss of total adiposity over time among women.
Radio-Frequency Ablation as Treatment for Cardiac Arrhythmias

Radio-frequency catheter ablation has replaced antiarrhythmic-drug therapy for the treatment of many types of cardiac arrhythmia. This article reviews the biophysics and results of radio-frequency catheter ablation and the clinical indications for its use. Catheter-ablation procedures are performed in an electrophysiology laboratory. Usually both the diagnosis and the catheter ablation can be accomplished in a single session.1 Three or four electrode catheters are inserted percutaneously into a femoral, internal jugular, or subclavian vein and positioned within the heart to allow pacing and recording at key sites. The efficacy of catheter ablation depends on the accurate identification of the site of . . .
Bill spurs efforts to improve forecasting of inland flooding from tropical storms

Newly-enacted U.S. legislation to reduce the threat of inland flooding from tropical storms could provide a “laser beam“ focus to dealing with this natural hazard, according to Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-N.C.), the chief sponsor of the bill. The Tropical Cyclone Inland Forecasting Improvement and Warning System Development Act, (PL. 107-253), signed into law on 29 October, authorizes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's U.S. Weather Research Program (USWRP) to improve the capability to accurately forecast inland flooding from tropical storms through research and modeling.
TU‐C‐330D‐01: Advances in Breast Imaging

Despite development and advances of new modalities, x‐ray mammography remains the main screening tool for early detection of breast cancers. It also continues to play an important role in the diagnosis and management of breast cancers. X‐ray mammography has relied on the use of high resolution screen/film combinations. Such techniques, although improved over the years, have the drawbacks of all the inconveniences and inflexibility associated with the use of film for image acquisition, storage and display. Motivated by search for better image quality and a general move towards filmless radiology, various digital mammography techniques have been developed, investigated and commercialized. These techniques can be largely divided into four types: amorphous silicon and selenium flat panel detector,amorphous silicon and cesium iodide flat panel detector, CCD and cesium iodide based slot scanning system, and storage phosphor imaging technique with dual‐side image read out. Each of these systems has its unique advantages and disadvantages and achieves various degrees of clinical implementation. Typical of all digital mammography techniques is the potential compatibility with digital image archival, retrieval and distribution systems. Furthermore, the acquisition of breast images in digital format has begun to facilitate the development and investigation of many advanced imaging techniques. Among them, dual‐energy mammography techniques have been developed to quantify breast tissue composition or to separate calcifications from the overlying tissue structures. Stereo‐mammography has been developed to use two projection views to provide a 3‐D perspective of the breast tissue structures, thus reducing the problem of overlapping structures. Tomosynthesis imaging pushes the idea of 3‐D imaging further by acquiring 10–25 projection views and use them to synthesize images to depict the breast structures as a number of thick layers. More recently, cone beam breast CT has been developed and investigated to scan the breast in a dedicated manner and provide true 3‐D images of the breast. Along a different direction, the development and investigation of various contrast mammography techniques have allowed x‐ray imaging to be used to image and study breast vasculatures as possible indication of breast cancer. In this presentation, we will try to achieve the following educational objectives: 1. Review the development and investigation of major digital mammography techniques. 2. Review the development and investigation of various advanced breast x‐ray imaging techniques. Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.
CryptVMI: a flexible and encrypted virtual machine introspection system in the cloud

Virtualization has demonstrated its importance in both public and private cloud computing solutions. In such environments, multiple virtual instances run on the same physical machine concurrently. Thus, the isolation in the system is not guaranteed by the physical infrastructure anymore. Reliance on logical isolation makes a system vulnerable to attacks. Thus, Virtual Machine Introspection techniques become essential,since they simplify the process to acquire evidence for further analysis in this complex system. However, Virtual Machine Introspection tools for the cloud are usually written specifically for a single system and do not provide a standard interface to work with other security monitoring systems. Moreover, this technique breaks down the borders of the segregation between multiple tenants, which should be avoided in a public cloud computing environment. In this paper, we focus on building a flexible and encrypted Virtual Machine Introspection system, CryptVMI, to address the above concerns. Our approach maintains a client application on the user end to send queries to the cloud, as well as parse the results returned in a standard form. We also have a handler that cooperates with an introspection application in the cloud infrastructure to process queries and return encrypted results. This work shows our design and implementation of this system, and the benchmark results prove that it does not incur much performance overhead.
Ethnic Differences in Trajectories of Family Cohesion for Mexican American and Non-Hispanic White Adolescents

This study examined gender, family structure, SES and language usage as predictors of cultural orientation and family cohesion. Ethnic differences in trajectories of family cohesion were tested within a hierarchical linear modeling framework. The sample consisted of 4156 adolescent respondents, measured at three time points during three consecutive years. The three study groups consisted of Mexican Americans oriented to Mexican culture (N = 738), Mexican Americans oriented to majority American culture (N = 867), and Non-Hispanic Whites (N = 2551). Family cohesion was assessed using the cohesion subscale of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale (FACES III). Analyses consisted of hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) in which a linear trajectory of family cohesion for the three groups was computed followed by a test for the effects of ethnicity with the inclusion of control variables. Thus, ethnic differences in the trajectories of family cohesion over time were examined. Neither group of Mexican Americans was significantly different from Non-Hispanic Whites in initial status. However, Mexican Americans oriented to Mexican culture showed a significant increase in family cohesion at mid adolescence.
Reduced cortical surface area in multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Objective: To assess utility of cortical surface area as a measure of disease progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: We measured two-dimensional flattened cortical surface area on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans obtained in 15 subjects with clinically definite MS and ten normal subjects. Results and discussion: Single hemisphere cortical area was reduced in MS patients compared with controls (96,451 versus 71,710 mm2). We found no significant relationship of cortical surface area to disability or disease duration. T2 lesion load was negatively correlated with two-dimensional cortical surface area (r=−0.62). Conclusion: Cortical surface area is decreased in MS and may be a useful measure of disease progression.
"terratex''-A thin flexible inorganic insulation

A limited number of inorganic insulations has been available to the designer, as compared with the variety of organic materials on the market today. The development of terratex, a thin, totally inorganic paper-like sheet, fills a gap in the inorganic insulation field. Laboratory tests and four years of service experience indicate that its excellent high-temperature characteristics and other properties may be utilized wherever it is advantageous to use inorganic insulation.
Climatology of persistent deep stable layers in Utah's Salt Lake Valley, USA

Abstract. The characteristics of winter season persistent deep stable layers (PDSLs) over Utah's Salt Lake Valley are examined using 30-year twice daily rawinsonde soundings. The results highlight the basic climatological characteristics of the PDSLs, including the strengths of the inversion, the frequency of the occurrence, and the duration of the events. The data analyses also reveal linear trend, interannual variability, as well as the relationship between the interannual variability of PDSLs and the variability of large-scale circulations. Finally, the study investigates the large-scale atmosphere conditions accompanying the formation and destruction of the PDSL episodes.
NBD-labeled phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine are internalized by transbilayer transport across the yeast plasma membrane.

The internalization and distribution of fluorescent analogs of phosphatidylcholine (M-C6-NBD-PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (M-C6-NBD-PE) were studied in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. At normal growth temperatures, M-C6-NBD-PC was internalized predominantly to the vacuole and degraded. M-C6-NBD-PE was internalized to the nuclear envelope/ER and mitochondria, was not transported to the vacuole, and was not degraded. At 2°C, both were internalized to the nuclear envelope/ER and mitochondria by an energy-dependent, N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive process, and transport of M-C6-NBD-PC to and degradation in the vacuole was blocked. Internalization of neither phospholipid was reduced in the endocytosis-defective mutant, end4-1. However, following pre-incubation at 37°C, internalization of both phospholipids was inhibited at 2°C and 37°C in sec mutants defective in vesicular traffic. The sec18/NSF mutation was unique among the sec mutations in further blocking M-C6-NBD-PC translocation to the vacuole suggesting a dependence on membrane fusion. Based on these and previous observations, we propose that M-C6-NBD-PC and M-C6-NBD-PE are transported across the plasma membrane to the cytosolic leaflet by a protein-mediated, energy-dependent mechanism. From the cytosolic leaflet, both phospholipids are spontaneously distributed to the nuclear envelope/ER and mitochondria. Subsequently, M-C6-NBD-PC, but not M-C6-NBD-PE, is sorted by vesicular transport to the vacuole where it is degraded by lumenal hydrolases.
Visual shape recognition with contour propagation

A neural architecture is presented that encodes the visual space inside and outside of a shape. The contours of a shape are propagated across an excitable neuronal map and fed through a set of orientation columns, thus creating a pattern which can be viewed as a vector field. This vector field is then burned as synaptic, directional connections into a propagation map, which will serve as a “shape map”. The shape map identifies its own, preferred input when it is translated, deformed, scaled and fragmented, and discriminates other shapes very distinctively. Encoding visual space is much more efficient for shape recognition than determining contour geometry only.
Vitamin A Intake and Status in Populations Facing Economic Stress

Dietary quality and diversity reflect adequacy of vitamin A. Both can deteriorate in response to economic crises. Although the nutritional consequences of the 2008 world food price crisis remain unclear, past studies of diet, status, and socioeconomic standing under usual (deprived) and unusually disruptive times suggest dietary quality and vitamin A status decline in mothers and young children. This is presumably the result of shifting diets to include less preformed vitamin A-rich animal source foods and, to a lesser extent, vegetables and fruits. Cross-sectional assessments of diet, deficiency, and socioeconomic status in a number of countries and surveillance data collected during the Indonesian economic crisis of 1997-8 indicate that the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency, night blindness, and other related disorders (e.g., anemia) may have increased during the 2008 crisis, and that it might not have necessarily recovered once food prices waned later in 2008. Lost employment may be a factor in slow nutritional recovery, despite some easing of food prices. Vitamin A deficiency should still be preventable amid economic instabilities through breast feeding promotion, vitamin A supplementation, fortification of foods targeted to the poor, and homestead food production that can bolster income and diversify the diet.
133Cs and 35Cl NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics modeling of Cs+ and Cl− complexation with natural organic matter

Abstract Interaction of dissolved aqueous species with natural organic matter (NOM) is thought to be important in sequestering some species and enhancing the transport of others, but little is known about these interactions on a molecular scale. This paper describes a combined experimental 133 Cs and 35 Cl nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and computational molecular dynamics (MD) modeling study of the interaction of Cs + and Cl − with Suwannee River NOM. The results provide a detailed picture of the molecular-scale structure and dynamics of these interactions. Individual NOM molecules are typically hundreds to thousands of Daltons in weight, and on the molecular scale their interaction with small dissolved species can be investigated in ways similar to those used to study the interaction of dissolved aqueous species with mineral surfaces. As for such surface interactions, understanding both the structural environments and the dynamics over a wide range of frequencies is essential. The NMR results show that Cs + is associated with NOM at pH values from 3.4 ± 0.5 (unbuffered Suwannee River NOM solution) to 9.0 ± 0.5. The extent of interaction increases with decreasing CsCl concentration at constant pH. It also decreases with increasing pH at constant CsCl concentration due to pH-dependent negative structural charge development on the NOM caused by progressive deprotonation of carboxylic and phenolic groups. The presence of NOM has little effect on the 133 Cs chemical shifts, demonstrating that its local coordination environment does not change significantly due to interaction with the NOM. Narrow, solution-like line widths indicate rapid exchange of Cs + between the NOM and bulk solution at frequencies of >10 2 Hz. The MD simulations support these results and show that Cs + is associated with the NOM principally as outer sphere complexes and that this interaction does not reduce the Cs + diffusion coefficient sufficiently to cause NMR line broadening. The 35 Cl NMR data and the MD results are consistent in demonstrating that there is no significant complexation between Cl − and NOM in the pH range investigated, consistent with negative structural charge on the NOM.
Crossing signals: relationships between β-adrenergic stimulation and CaMKII activation.

CaMKII is a ubiquitous and pleiotropic serine threonine kinase. The predominant isoform of CaMKII in the heart is CaMKII delta (CaMKIIδ). CaMKII phosphorylates and regulates a number of cardiac proteins involved in excitation-contraction coupling and Ca++ handling including the cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2), phospholamban (PLN), the L-type Ca++ channel α1C- and β2a-subunits, and the Na channel (1). Studies using animal models have increasingly linked CaMKII activation and its effects on these targets to the development of heart failure and arrhythmogenesis. There is also considerable evidence that CaMKII expression and activity are increased in human heart failure (1).
The Advantages of Magnetic Field Control of Charge within Diluted Magnetic Semiconductor Superlattices

This paper discusses the results of Wigner simulation studies of spin and charge transport in diluted magnetic semiconductors superlattice.
Structure, genomic organization and transcription of the bifunctional dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase gene from Crithidia fasciculata

Abstract The bifunctional dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS) gene from the monogenetic kinetoplastid protozoan, Crithidia fasciculata , was isolated and characterized. The gene is located on a single chromosome of approximately one megabase, and shows significant sequence similarity to other eukaryotic and prokaryotic DHFR and TS genes. There is a single low-abundance polyadenylated DHFR-TS transcript of approximately 3100 nt. One major miniexon splice site was identified by primer extension analysis. The 5′ flanking region of the gene is divergently transcribed and shows strong similarities to a consensus DHFR promoter as well as to other eukaryotic ‘housekeeping’ gene promoter regions. A sequence downstream of the DHFR promoter consensus region is complementary to the 3′ end of the C. fasciculata miniexon-derived RNA. This suggests a means by which the two separately transcribed RNAs may be juxtaposed for trans -splicing. In the 3′ flanking region of the DHFR-TS gene, there is a sequence that is present in all of the chromosomes from this species and also from Leishmania tarentolae .
Programming structure into 3D nanomaterials

Programming three dimensional nanostructures into materials is becoming increasingly important given the need for ever more highly functional solids. Applications for materials with complex programmed structures include solar energy harvesting, energy storage, molecular separation, sensors, pharmaceutical agent delivery, nanoreactors and advanced optical devices. Here we discuss examples of molecular and optical routes to program the structure of three-dimensional nanomaterials with exquisite control over nanomorphology and the resultant properties and conclude with a discussion of the opportunities and challenges of such an approach.
A double-polysilicon self-aligned npn bipolar process (ADRF) with optional NMOS transistors for RF and microwave applications

A silicon bipolar process for RF and microwave applications, which features 25-GHz double-polysilicon self-aligned npn bipolar transistors with 5.5-V BV/sub CEO/, optional 0.7-/spl mu/m NMOS transistors with p/sup +/ polysilicon gate for switch applications, lateral pnp transistors, high and low valued resistors, and p/sup +/ polysilicon-to-n/sup +/ plug capacitors, is described. The npn transistors utilize nitride-oxide composite spacers formed using sacrificial TEOS spacers. The RF and microwave capabilities of the process up to several GHz are demonstrated by fabricating and characterizing RF amplifiers, low noise amplifiers, and RF switches.
A thermostable, chromatographically purified Ebola nano-VLP vaccine

Background Filovirus virus-like particles (VLP) are strong immunogens with the potential for development into a safe, non-infectious vaccine. However, the large size and filamentous structure of this virus has heretofore made production of such a vaccine difficult. Herein, we present new assays and a purification procedure to yield a better characterized and more stable product.
Accelerating the return to work (RTW) chances of coronary heart disease (CHD) patients: part 2 - development and validation of a vocational rehabilitation programme

Purpose : This paper, part 2 of the two-part paper, reviews return-to-work outcomes among individuals with coronary heart disease, who participated in an experimental field study reported in part 1 of the two-part paper. Study results reflected specific job stressors associated with physical and mental demands among various job tasks. Trends suggest that personality characteristics commonly associated with 'type a' personalities and cardiac disease risk factors may also serve as positive forces that influence return-to-work activity. Methods/Results : Relatively high levels of job satisfaction were reported among most experimental subjects. Despite having high return-to-work expectations, these patients lacked specific strategies and resources to facilitate a concrete return to work action plan. Conclusion : The researchers conclude that it is essential for cardiac rehabilitation staff, when creating a return to work transition for their cardiac patients, to explore the physical and psychosocial dimension...
Act: an easy-to-use and dynamically extensible 3D graphics library

The paper presents Act, an object oriented library for projects from specialized 3D graphics applications to simple interactive educational programs. Act meets the needs of both occasional and expert graphics programmers, offering a high level access to the OpenGL library and additional features including object creation, manipulation, and interaction. An interpreted language allows the Act library to be extended easily and dynamically.
The phase flow method

This paper introduces the phase flow method, a novel, accurate and fast approach for constructing phase maps for nonlinear autonomous ordinary differential equations. The method operates by initially constructing the phase map for small times using a standard ODE integration rule and builds up the phase map for larger times with the help of a local interpolation scheme together with the group property of the phase flow. The computational complexity of building up the complete phase map is usually that of tracing a few rays. In addition, the phase flow method is provably and empirically very accurate. Once the phase map is available, integrating the ODE for initial conditions on the invariant manifold only makes use of local interpolation, thus having constant complexity. The paper develops applications in the field of high frequency wave propagation, and shows how to use the phase flow method to (1) rapidly propagate wave fronts, (2) rapidly calculate wave amplitudes along these wave fronts, and (3) rapidly evaluate multiple wave arrival times at arbitrary locations.
DDDAS-based multi-fidelity simulation for online preventive maintenance scheduling in semiconductor supply chain

This research intends to augment the validity of simulation models in the most economic way using the DDDAS (Dynamic Data Driven Application Systems) paradigm. Implementation of DDDAS requires automated switching of model fidelity and incorporating selective, dynamic data into the executing simulation model. Comprehensive system architecture and methodologies are proposed, where the components include 1.) RT (Real Time) DDDAS simulation, 2.) grid computing modules, 3.) Web Service communication server, 4.) database, 5.) various sensors, and 6.) real system. Four algorithms are developed to facilitate integration of the various components in the DDDAS system. They are 1.) data filtering algorithm using control charts, 2.) preliminary fidelity selection algorithm using Bayesian belief network, 3.) fidelity assignment algorithm using integer programming and 4.) simulation model reconstruction algorithm using multiple linear regression. A prototype DDDAS simulation was successfully implemented for preventive maintenance scheduling in a semiconductor supply chain. The initial results look quite promising.