cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beyond Recognition, Beholden: Toward a Pedagogy of Privilege

L'A., professeur du theâtre, examine des pieces de theâtre de facon a reconfigurer l'identite comme trop situationnelle et relationnelle pour etre rapprochee a travers les categories fixes de race, genre et classe et plaide en faveur des positions multiples et alliances transformatives a travers toutes ces categories
A new time treatment for solving partial integro-differential equations of radiative transport

A new nonmarching time treatment is offered for solving nonlinear weakly singular, partial integro-differential equations of the type that appear in transient, conductive and radiative transport. Unlike conventional methods that involve time marching for solving transient problems, the proposed concept simultaneously resolves the entire space-time domain. The present context involves transient cooling of a medium in which volumetric radiative effects are present. This example illustrates the methodology and its salient features without undue complication to either the physics or mathematics. The approach begins by reformulating the original mathematical description into a form conducive to collocation. Cumulative variables are developed in order to readily apply the recently proposed method of Kumar & Sloan. This formalism allows for the efficient utilization of collocation in both space and time. The expansions for the unknown functions of interest are expressed in terms of global basis functions composed of Chebyshev polynomials of the first kind. The proposed method illustrates that a nonmarching temporal treatment produces accurate and stable numerical results.
Concentrations of Highly Sensitive Cardiac Troponin-I Predict Poor Cardiovascular Outcomes and Adverse Remodeling in Chronic Heart Failure

Highly sensitive troponin (hsTn) assays may predict cardiovascular (CV) events and left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with heart failure (HF). In this study, 99 subjects with LV systolic dysfunction (LVSD) were followed 10 ± 3 months with serial measurement of hsTnI by a novel method. hsTnI was detectable in all subjects and was above the 99th percentile of a normal population in 56.7 %. Supramedian baseline hsTnI concentration was associated with higher-risk clinical features and shorter time-to-first event (p = 0.008). Across serial measurements, more time spent ≤10.9 pg/mL was associated with a lower CV event rate after adjustment (odds ratio (OR) = 0.81; p = 0.008); rising hsTnI also predicted progressive LV remodeling. In conclusion, hsTnI detected significant myocardial necrosis in a majority of patients with chronic HF due to LVSD and when measured serially, provided independent risk information for poor CV outcomes and deleterious LV remodeling.
Faunal and solution patterns of planktonic foraminifera in surface sediments of the North Pacific

Abstract Planktonic foraminifera in the sediments on the North Pacific sea floor follow the distribution patterns of their living counterparts. Left- and right-coiling N. pachyderma, G. bulloides, G. quinqueloba, G. ruber , and G. inflata are important in identifying four major faunal assemblages. These taxa dominate the faunas in various samples. Their distribution is closely related to either temperature or nutrient patterns of surface waters, or both. Multivariate statistical techniques, cluster, factor, and discriminant analysis, group samples from less than 3300 m into a variety of spatial patterns. The group separations generated by a discriminant analysis are readily interpreted in terms of the environment because samples were coded according to their respective zooplankton province, and because those provinces correspond to the major water masses of the North Pacific Ocean. Factor analysis created seven assemblages that map in overlapping patterns. Three of the seven assemblages show little relationship with surface water temperature. Dissolution obscures the record of faunal provinciality in core top samples from depths greater than 3300 m. The degree of dissolution affects percent similarity of samples measured relative to centroids, mean assemblages, for each faunal province. Plotted against depth, values of similarity indices follow trends much like those of percent carbonate. Groupings determined from sample to sample similarity matrices correspond to trends recorded by dissolution indices based on susceptibility rankings. Both measures illustrate a step-like response of foraminiferal assemblages to increasing dissolution. Dissolution can introduce systematic bias into temperature estimates derived from paleoecological transfer functions. The direction of the bias varies according to the temperature aspect of an assemblage. Temperature estimates based on dissolved samples are generally too low for central and equatorial regions and too high for transitional regions (winter conditions).
Radiation therapy compared with chemotherapy for consolidation of chemotherapy-induced remission of advanced Hodgkin lymphoma: a study by the Eastern Co-operative Oncology Group (E1476) with >20 years follow-up

MOPP-Bleo (nitrogen mustard, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone and bleomycin) induction therapy was given to 253 evaluable patients with Hodgkin lymphoma, stages IIIB, IIIs, or IV. Complete response (CR) occurred in 145 patients (57%) and partial response (PR) in 93 (37%). Of those 238 responders, 178 were randomized to consolidation therapy, and 164 were eligible and analyzable, including 114 CRs [55 patients randomized to ABVD and 59 to radiation therapy (RT)] and 50 partial responders (PRs) (25 each randomized to ABVD and RT). Among the 50 patients with PR, 34 (68%) converted to CR (16 with ABVD and 18 with RT). Therefore, of 253 patients, 182(72%) achieved CR and 56 (22%), PR. Median follow-up for all patients is 22.3 years and the estimated overall survival (OS) rate at 20 years is 48%. Of the 148 eligible, analyzable patients with CR, the estimated proportion remaining in CR at 20 years is 62%. OS at 20 years was significantly greater for patients receiving ABVD consolidation (66%) when compared...
Synthesis of μ-Diborolyl Triple-Decker Complexes by Electrophilic Stacking. Similar Bonding Properties of Anions [CpCo(1,3-C3B2H5)]− and Cp− toward Transition Metals†

Triple-decker complexes with a bridging diborolyl ligand CpCo(μ-1,3-C3B2Me5)M(ring) (M(ring) = RuCp, 4; RuCp*, 5; Co(C4Me4), 6) were synthesized by electrophilic stacking of the sandwich anion [CpCo(1,3-C3B2Me5)]− with the [(ring)M(MeCN)3]+ cations. Structures of 4−6 were confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical behavior of the complexes prepared was studied. DFT calculations of the redox potentials were also performed. Similar bonding properties of anions [CpCo(1,3-C3B2R5)]− and [C5R5]− (R = H, Me) toward [M(ring)]+ cations were established both experimentally (synthesis, electrochemistry, and X-ray diffraction) and theoretically (energy decomposition and Mulliken population analysis).
Basic Aspects of Combustion Stability and Pollutant Emissions of a CO2 Decomposition-Based Power-Generation Cycle

Results are reported on an investigation of the technical feasibility of separating and decomposing CO2 within the context of power/energy-generation. The power/energy-generation environment is wel...
Transient Ischemic Attacks and Risk of Stroke in an Elderly Poor Population

The significance for stroke and correlates of transient ischemic attacks (TIA) were studied prospectively in a population of 2,772 persons aged 65 to 74. The prevalence of TIA at the beginning of the study was 63 per 1,000. TIA prevalence was substantially higher among blacks and women than among whites and men. Only 13% of those with TIA were free from any other major evidence of cardiovascular disease. White men, black men and black women with TIA had higher observed incidence rates of stroke than those without TIA. White women were a notable exception to this trend. There was a positive association between frequency of TIA and risk of stroke. Those with TIA and hypertension experienced higher stroke incidence rates than normotensive persons with TIA.
Variation of structure with input energy during laser surface engineering of ceramic coatings on aluminum alloys

Abstract Surface modification of metal alloys using laser has become a unique tool to reduce surface related failure mechanisms such as wear, corrosion, erosion or high temperature oxidation. Laser surface engineered (LSE) ceramic coatings have been proved to enhance surface properties of Al alloys such as hardness and wear resistance. This technique has been shown to be capable of producing a wide variety of interesting metallurgical microstructure in the coating as well as in the adjoining substrate. These microstructures provide novel properties, which cannot be produced by any conventional processing technique. In addition, these coatings are metallurgically bonded, thus providing a sound and adherent interface between the coating and the substrate. In this present investigation, laser surface engineering technique has been employed to deposit ceramic (TiC) coating on aluminum alloy substrate. TiC coating was deposited on two types of aluminum substrates, alloy 2024 and 6061 using an Nd-YAG laser beam. The effect of laser processing parameters, such as power intensity and speed on the thickness, microstructure and morphology of both the coating and the heat-affected zone have been evaluated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results of experiments in this study show that by controlling the process parameters it is possible to produce varied microstructures according to the surface requirement of the application.
Anatomic, functional, and pathologic changes from internal ureteral stent placement

The anatomic, hydrodynamic, functional, and pathologic changes associated with unilateral internal ureteral stenting were evaluated in 20 female canines. Selective glomerular filtration rates (GFR) were measured with technetium 99m diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) renal scans (N = 14) prior to and several weeks after unilateral internal stent placement. Cystometry and cystography were done at weekly intervals to determine if reflux occurred and to measure the intravesical pressure to produce this reflux (N = 16). Ureteral lumenal capacities of mid 6-cm ureteral segments of stented and unstented ureters were compared. The mid-ureteral lumenal volumes were three times greater in the stented ureters (p < 0.002). There were no significant differences in the selective GFR before and after stenting. Low-pressure vesicoureteral reflux occurred at a mean intravesical pressure of 13.7 cm of water and was present in 84.6 percent (11/13) of the canines whose stents did not migrate or obstruct from encrustation. There were no significant alterations in serum chemistries or blood counts. Fluoroscopic imaging also showed ineffective ureteral peristalsis. This study confirms that internal ureteral stents cause vesicoureteral reflux and significant lumenal dilation without altering renal function.
Hydrolysis kinetics of the monophosphate ester triclofos sodium

The hydrolysis kinetics of the monophosphate ester triclofos sodium were studied in the pH 0.00--7.80 range, the 80.1--98.4 degrees range, and ionic strengths of 0.02--1.50. The pK1 and pK2 values for triclofos were 1.00 +/- 0.05 and 5.80 +/- 0.05, respectively. The pH dependency observed was consistent with a theory in which the hydrolysis rates of the triclofos species follow the order: monoanion greater than unionized greater than dianion. The apparent first-order rate constants at 80.1 degrees associated with each species were 6.4 +/- 0.6 X 10(-3), 28.0 +/- 0.5 X 10(-3), and 0.3 +/- 0.1 hr-1, respectively, Different Arrhenius activation energies were observed at pH 0.00, 3.50, and 7.80, at which values the unionized, monoanion, and dianion forms were the dominant species present, respectively. The reaction showed a modest positive kinetic salt effect at pH 3.50 and a modest negative effect at pH 7.80. Various mechanistic possibilities are discussed.
Characterization and Dielectric Properties of Fluorinated Amorphous Carbon Measured by Capacitance-Voltage Response and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry

This paper describes a comparison between capacitance-voltage (CV) and spectral ellipsometry (SE) measurements of the dielectric constant of fluorinated amorphous carbon films. Whereas CV measurements require the construction of metal-insulatorsemiconductor (MIS) structures, SE measurements can be made on as-deposited films, and are much easier to implement. An examination of the results indicate that under certain conditions, the SE measurements give values that are in reasonable agreement with the more direct measurements based on the electrical (CV) response of the dielectric layer. The films reported on here had dielectric constants ranging from 3 – 5, and, in some cases, show promising characteristics for use as low-k dielectrics in semiconductor devices.
Effects of concentrate level on carcass traits of Boer crossbred goats

Abstract Boer crossbred goats ( n = 46) were used to assess the effects of dietary concentrate on carcass composition, primal cut yield, sensory properties, and fatty acid (FA) composition. Goats were fed diets ad libitum, with no concentrate (range) or with one of three levels of concentrate (low, 50%; medium, 70%; high, 90%) for 126 days before slaughter. Carcass measurements were taken at 24 h postmortem, before carcasses were fabricated according to Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications (Hotel Style). Sensory properties, cooking loss, shear force, and fatty acid (FA) composition were determined on longissimus samples. No differences ( P > 0.05) were observed for carcass, subprimal, and longissimus sensory traits among the three levels of concentrate feeding, except that carcasses from goats fed a low-concentrate diet had a higher ( P P Longissimus muscles from goats fed concentrate had greater ( P a * , b * , hue angle, and chroma values than did those fed range diets. Chops from goats fed concentrate diets had less ( P P Longissimus samples from goats fed concentrate diets had higher ( P n − 6 FA; but lower percentages of n − 3 FA, compared to longissimus samples from range-fed goats. Overall, goats fed concentrate-based diets had heavier carcasses and primal weights, but lower percentages of trimmed primal cuts and less off-flavor intensity compared to range-fed goats.
Mode III crack in a linear hardening solid in general yielding

Abstract A dislocation based solution is found for the stationary mode III crack (in antiplane strain) in a solid whose elastic-plastic stress-strain curve is linear. The yield stress is taken to be equal to zero and thus the solid is in general yielding. The crack tip is not shielded if the hardening is linear to infinite stress and strain. The crack tip is perfectly shielded if the elastic-plastic stress-strain curve is linear only to a limiting finite stress and infinite strain can occur at this limiting stress. Also considered in this paper are the stationary mode I and mode II cracks (in perfect plane strain) in the same type of solid. The mode I and mode II crack solutions, although developed in the same manner as that for the mode III crack and although mathematically identical to the solutions for a linear elastic solid, fail because they require reverse plastic deformation. Mode I and mode II crack solutions that do not require reverse slip are presented in the following paper.
Digital beamforming synthetic aperture radar (DBSAR): Single-pass interferometry for forest structure estimation

Digital Beamforming permits the implementation of non-conventional measurement techniques, which can overcome fundamental limitations of conventional radar systems. In SAR systems, this technique can enable three-dimensional measurements using a single radar platform. A split phase center technique is implemented with NASA's digital beamforming SAR. The technique has the potential to provide volume structure estimates in tall forests and glaciers using a single radar platform.
Corticotectal projections in the cat: anterograde transport studies of twenty-five cortical areas.

Retrograde transport studies have shown that widespread areas of the cerebral cortex project upon the superior colliculus. In order to explore the organization of these extensive projections, the anterograde autoradiographic method has been used to reveal the distribution and pattern of corticotectal projections arising from 25 cortical areas. In the majority of experiments, electrophysiological recording methods were used to characterize the visual representation and cortical area prior to injection of the tracer. Our findings reveal that seventeen of the 25 cortical areas project upon some portion of the superficial layers (stratum zonale, stratum griseum superficiale, and stratum opticum, SO). These cortical regions include areas 17, 18, 19, 20a, 20b, 21a, 21b, posterior suprasylvian area (PS), ventral lateral suprasylvian area (VLS), posteromedial lateral suprasylvian area (PMLS), anteromedial lateral suprasylvian area (AMLS), anterolateral lateral suprasylvian area (ALLS), posterolateral lateral suprasylvian area (PLLS), dorsolateral lateral suprasyvian area (DLS), periauditory cortex, cingulate cortex, and the visual portion of the anterior ectosylvian sulcus. While some of these corticotectal projections target all superficial laminae and sublaminae, others are more discretely organized in their laminar-sublaminar distribution. Only the corticotectal projections arising from areas 17 and 18 are exclusively related to the superficial layers. The remaining 15 pathways innervate both the superficial and intermediate and/or deep layers. The large intermediate gray layer (stratum griseum intermedium; SGI) receives projections from almost every cortical area; only areas 17 and 18 do not project ventral to SO. All corticotectal projections to SGI vary in their sublaminar distribution and in their specific pattern of termination. The majority of these projections are periodic, or patchy, and there are elaborate (double tier, bridges, or streamers) modes of distribution. We have attempted to place these findings into a conceptual framework that emphasizes that the SGI consists of sensory and motor domains, both of which contain a mosaic of connectionally distinct afferent compartments (Illing and Graybiel, '85, Neuroscience 14:455–482; Harting and Van Lieshout, '91, J. Comp. Neurol. 305:543–558). Corticotectal projections to the layers ventral to SGI, (stratum album intermediale, stratum griseum profundum, and stratum album profundum) arise from thirteen cortical areas. While an organizational plan of these deeper projections is not readily apparent, the distribution of several corticotectal inputs reveals some connectional parcellation.
Comparison of soluble starch synthases and branching enzymes from developing maize and teosinte seeds

Abstract Soluble starch synthases and branching enzymes were purified from developing seeds of the maize inbreds W64A and Ia5125, annual teosintes cv. Galinat's Northern Teosinte and race “Nobogame” and diploid perennial teosinte. Two fractions of starch synthase were obtained by DEAE-cellulose chromatography in all purifications. Starch synthase I fractions had citrate stimulated activity and were most active in primed reactions containing glucogen. Starch synthase II fractions were more active in primed reactions with amylopectine and showed no citrate stimulated activity. Three fractions of branching enzymes were similar kinetically and chromatographically. In addition, antibodies prepared against maize branching enzymes cross reacted with teosinte enzymes. Precipitation lines double diffusion experiments and similar neutralizations of enzymes. precipitation lines of identity in double diffusion experiments and similar neutralization of enzyme activity wiyh increasing levels of antiserum, support the conclusion that maize and teosinte enzymes are highly homologous.
Abstract IA21: Long noncoding RNAs as drug targets

Abstract Much of the mammalian genome is transcribed into non-coding RNAs of different categories. This lecture will primarily be concerned with natural antisense transcripts (NATs) most of which are long noncoding RNAs. NATs are found in most gene loci and regulate gene expression through several distinct mechanisms including chromatin modifications. Inhibition/perturbation of endogenous NATs by modified oligonucleotides called AntagoNATs, in vitro or in vivo, reveals concordant or discordant regulation and results in down- or up-regulation of conventional (protein-coding) gene expression, respectively. Evidence will be presented that AntagoNATs can potently induce locus-specific and reversible modulation of gene expression associated with alterations in chromatin marks. Citation Format: Claes Robert Wahlestedt. Long noncoding RNAs as drug targets [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Noncoding RNAs and Cancer; 2012 Jan 8-11; Miami Beach, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(2 Suppl):Abstract nr IA21.
The Origins of Alcohol Studies: E. M. Jellinek and the documentation of the alcohol research literature

Summary The beginning of a modem field of alcohol studies based on multidisciplinary research and treatment for alcohol problems is described. The role of E. M. Jellinek in the creation of this field is analysed in terms of his activities to identify, gather, and disseminate alcohol research information. This work influenced the direction, and laid the foundation, for alcohol research for the next several decades.
Differing Effects of Representative Bureaucracy in Charter Schools and Traditional Public Schools

The authors examine the influence of teacher and administrator representation by race and ethnicity on disciplinary tools and standardized test scores within traditional public elementary schools a...
The interviewing computer: A technology for gathering comprehensive treatment information

The interviewing computer is a practical device for gathering comprehensive information on mental health patients. The complex decisions of a treatment science will require a large body of patient facts and an automated interviewing system to elicit such facts, covering the patient’s intake assessment, therapeutic progress, and follow-up stages of treatment. Evidence suggests that the computer interview may equal or excel the interview accomplishments of some clinicians who are unknowledgeable about asking certain clinical questions, forget to ask these questions, or fail to record crucial patient facts. The documentation of each patient’s treatment episode is essential for a treatment science, and the computer interview may represent a technology for achieving this information goal.
Febrile, nonhemolytic transfusion reactions and the limited role of leukoagglutinins in their etiology.

In more than ten thousand transfusions given over a four-year period to 1,649 patients, the incidence of urticarial reactions was 1.1 per cent. There were no hemolytic transfusion reactions and none due to bacterial contamination or to bacterial pyrogens. There were 276 “Febrile Nonhemolytic” reactions for an incidence of 2.5 per cent. The clinical picture described for reactions due to leukocyte incompatibility was extremely rare. Eighteen per cent of patients responding with fever to transfusion did so following their very first transfusion. Many patients had only one transfusion reaction despite many further transfusions and others had many successive reactions followed by numerous reaction-free transfusions of blood from which leukocytes had not been removed. A prospective study was made to investigate the relationship between the presence of leukoagglutinins and incidence of “Febrile Nonhemolytic” transfusion reactions. In 185 individuals who were tested and then transfused without regard to leukocyte compatibility, we did not demonstrate any correlation between the presence of leukoagglutinins and the occurrence of transfusion reactions.
On the temperature jump in liquid-liquid direct-contact heat exchangers

Abstract Experimental results on the flow mechanism of the dispersed phase during drop formation and release in a liquid-liquid system are presented. The strong circulation patterns during the formation and release process, the possible turbulent flow conditions and the mixing in the rest drop encountered in the experiments provide a qualitative explanation for the high heat and mass transfer rates which have been consistently found in experimental investigations. On the other hand, the large variety of possible flow fields experienced during drop formation and release account for the difficulty in predicting transfer processes during this process.
Spontaneous cervical lymphocele.

Background. Primary (spontaneous) cervical lymphoceles in adults are extremely rare. More frequently occurring acquired cervical lymphoceles have been described in the setting of a neck trauma or after a neck dissection. We report a case of a spontaneous left cervical lymphocele in a previously asymptomatic female. Methods and Results. A 44-year-old woman presented with a 2-month history of a left neck mass initially noted by her physician during a routine physical examination. She denied prior head and neck surgery or neck trauma. CT scan of the neck revealed a left cystic mass. Fine-needle aspiration of the cyst yielded chylous material and lymphocytes. The surgical specimen grossly and microscopically was consistent with a lymphocele. The diagnosis was confirmed using D2-40 antibody targeting lymphatic endothelial cells lining the cyst. Conclusion. Primary cervical lymphocele should be included in the differential diagnosis of a solitary neck mass in an adult. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 2007
Grain count distributions in labeled cell populations

Abstract A quantitative mathematical formalism for the grain count distribution in radio-autographs of cells prepared at various times following exposure to radioactive thymidine is developed. The theory is formulated in the context of a particular model of cell proliferation proposed by Lajtha. The connection between the distribution of tritium atoms among the cells calculated from the theory and observable quantities such as the labeling index, median grain count, etc., are worked out in detail. Various possible extensions of the model are discussed and these appear to be sufficiently flexible so that they would correctly represent observations such as those of Clarkson and others on leukemic myeloblast cell populations. The time evolution of this cell population following an arbitrary initial state is also presented.
Use of carboxypeptidase A for simultaneous assessment of purity and assignment of human Bence Jones proteins and light chains to K and L classes.

Abstract A simple and rapid method involving the use of carboxypeptidase A was developed to assess the purity of human Bence Jones proteins and light chains and simultaneously to assign them to their principal antigenic class (K- or L-type). Only serine was released from purified L-type proteins by the action of the enzyme, while no amino acids were liberated from K-type proteins. The heavy chain of a human myeloma IgG protein was also not susceptible to hydrolysis, but serine was released from the L-type light chain of the intact myeloma protein.
Unrestrained Molecular Dynamics of Photodamaged DNA in Aqueous Solution

The structural impact of photolesions on DNA was investigated by carrying out molecular dynamics simulations of the T5/T6 cis-syn dimer (A), T5/T6 6-4 adduct (B), and native decamer (C) of d(CGCATTACGC)2. For the cis-syn dimer containing decamer the simulations provided a structure very similar to that derived with experimental NOE data. Specifically, distortions of the simulated cis-syn dimer duplex (A) were primarily localized at the lesion site and had an overall bend similar to that of the refined NMR structure. For the simulated 6-4 adduct duplex (B), although there was considerable coincidence with the NMR derived structure, an intact hydrogen bond/dipole−dipole interaction between the T6 pyrimidone carbonyl oxygen and A15/NH2 was observed, which was not found in the NMR derived structure. This hydrogen bond leads to a structure that seems to better account for some of the unusual experimental NOEs than the refined NMR structure. In addition, for the 6-4 adduct (B), the overall bend was significantl...
On the structure of collision and detachment frequencies in flotation models

New explicit analytical expressions are obtained for both the collision frequency and the bubble/particle detachment frequency which enter flotation separation models. The expression for the collision frequency takes into account both the particle settling velocity and the bubble rise velocity while that for the detachment frequency is motivated by analogous results for floc disruption in a turbulent flow field. In all the cases considered, it is shown that the inclusion of the particle settling velocity increases the collision frequency by a factor of approximately 1.5 and that the most significant factor affecting the collision frequency is the bubble radius.
Adhesion and contact modeling and experiments in microelectromechanical systems including roughness effects

The intermolecular adhesive forces in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) applications are very significant and can hinder normal operation of sensors and actuators as well as micro-engines where catastrophic adhesion and high friction could be promoted. It has been experimentally shown that surface texturing (roughening) decreases the effect of these forces. In this paper, a model that predicts the effects of roughness, on the adhesion and contact forces in MEMS interfaces is presented. The three key parameters used to characterize the roughness, the asymmetry and the flatness of a surface topography are the root-mean-square roughness (RMS), skewness and kurtosis, respectively. It is predicted that surfaces with high RMS, high kurtosis and positive skewness exhibit lower adhesion and are thus less prone to collapsing when they come into contact or near contact. Moreover, polysilicon films with different levels of roughness, asymmetry and peakiness (sharpness) were fabricated. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the adhesive pull-off forces associated with these films. The roughness characteristics of these films were also used in the model to predict the adhesive pull-off forces. Good agreement was obtained between the theoretical and experimental results. Such a model could be used to determine the critical characteristics of a microstructure prior to fabrication to prevent adhesion and lower friction in terms of surface roughness, mechanical properties and environment.
Geometrical phase and surface plasmon focusing with azimuthal polarization.

Owing to a geometric phase effect, an isosceles triangular aperture etched into thin metal film leads to constructive or destructive interference of surface plasmons excited at the two equal sides under linearly polarized illumination. Through appropriate spatial arrangement of an array of triangles, a highly confined focal spot beyond the diffraction limit can be achieved at the geometric center under azimuthally polarized excitation with field enhancement comparable to a bull’s eye plasmonic lens under radially polarized illumination. Through simply rotating the orientation of each triangle aperture by 90°, the plasmonic structure defocuses the same azimuthal polarization illumination due to destructive interference caused by a geometric π-phase difference between the two sides of the triangle and between the adjacent triangles.
Laser-fabricated fiber optical taps for interconnects and optical data processing devices

A CW CO2 laser is used to etch micron-scale taps in the cladding of multimode silica optical fibers. The smooth surfaces of the etched grooves directionaly radiate a small fraction of the propagating light energy which can be easily and precisely controlled via the laser parameters. The radiation pattern from the tap is in reasonably good agreement with initial theoretical calculations. This technique allows computer controlled rapid and inexpensive fabrication of high quality fiber optical taps which are needed to realize new fiber optical systems.
Solution of Circular Sandwich Ring under Two Forces Acting along Diameter

In perhaps the first nontrivial application of an alternative interfacial compatibility condition, the elasticity solution of a circular three-layer sandwich ring under two forces acting along a diameter is obtained. Within each layer, the material property is linearly elastic and isotropic. The difficulty in treating the concentrated load at the outer boundary is overcome by using a solid disk solution in combination with a general series solution. A parametric study is carried out to quantitatively establish the beneficial effects in the mechanical sense of adding the cover layers to the core layer. The solution is applicable to sandwich pipes used in wastewater systems. The solution is also useful in providing a benchmark for numerical methods to compare with.
Three-Part Auctions versus Self-Commitment in Day-ahead Electricity Markets

We examine the economic consequences of a bid-based security-constrained centralized unit commitment paradigm based on three-part offers, which is the prevalent day-ahead market-clearing mechanism in restructured electricity markets in the United States. We then compare this approach with an energy-only auction with self-commitment (such as in Australia) addressing efficiency and pricing as well as the tradeoff between coordination losses and incentives to bid truthfully.
Observations on Activity of Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole in the Prostate

Trimethoprim (TMP) is highly effective against most gram-positive and gramnegative bacteria. The chemical properties of this drug meet all theoretical requirements for diffusion and concentration in prostatic fluid relative to the level of plasma. Experimental work in dogs by three groups of investigators has confirmed a ratio of TMP in prostatic fluid to that in plasma of at least 3:1. Synergistic antibacterial activity results when TMP is combined with a sulfonamide. Thirteen male volunteers who had reproducible laboratory evidence of chronic bacterial prostatitis were given two tablets of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) twice daily for 14 days. Two patients were cured, nine patients were significantly improved, and two patients were unchanged by therapy. These results suggest that TMP-SMZ may assume an important role in the management of patients who have chronic bacterial prostatitis.
Single-shot sonogram generation for femtosecond laser pulse diagnostics by use of two-photon absorption in a silicon CCD camera.

We present an experimental technique capable of single-shot recording of an ultrashort laser pulse sonogram by use of two-photon absorption in a conventional silicon CCD camera. The quadratic spectral phase, introduced into a 100-fs pulse by a grating stretcher, was measured and found to be in good agreement with the analytically calculated value. The nonlinear response of silicon allows sonogram characterization in a wavelength range from 1 to 2 µm.
Augmenting outcomes in patients with advanced heart failure.

This editorial refers to ‘A prospective comparison of alginate-hydrogel with standard medical therapy to determine impact on functional capacity and clinical outcomes in patients with advanced heart failure (AUGMENT-HF trial)’, by S.D. Anker et al ., on page doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehv259. There are two ways of being happy—we must either diminish our wants or augment our means—either may do. Benjamin Franklin Designing and conducting early phase studies of novel interventions is a challenging aspect of heart failure research. Such studies are typically underpowered to demonstrate conclusively improvement in ‘hard’ clinical outcomes such as mortality or hospitalization, and must therefore rely on either other clinically relevant endpoints (such as functional capacity or quality of life) or ‘surrogate endpoints’, typically physiological endpoints intended to predict outcome benefit in larger studies. Unfortunately, the history of heart failure research suggests that surrogate endpoints in smaller trials have frequently failed to predict benefit in larger studies.1 Remodelling is a fundamental mechanism by which the heart responds at the structural and cellular level to the chronic haemodynamic load and altered neurohormonal milieu of heart failure.2 Among available surrogates, favourable changes in remodelling have been the most consistently predictive of improved clinical outcomes in larger studies.3 Given the known association of pathological remodelling with poor outcomes in heart failure, the concept of intervening directly to reshape the failing ventricle is inherently attractive. Despite its theoretical appeal, previous studies of interventions designed to remodel or restrain ventricular dilation mechanically have either failed to show substantial clinical benefits or have not been accepted into routine clinical use.4,5 In this context, Anker and colleagues present the intriguing results of the AUGMENT-HF trial …
How practical is optical packet switching in core networks

A fundamental issue in packet switching is contention resolution, because distinct packets from different input ports can be destined to the same output port at the same time. Optical packet switching is no exception. In this paper, we perform throughput analysis on large optical packet switches under heavy traffic load. We also run simulations to validate our analysis. Results from our performance evaluation indicate that throughput of large optical packet switches is not satisfactory under heavy traffic load. Both analysis and simulations reveal that optical packet switching in core networks would not be practical without a breakthrough in the research area of optical buffering technology.
Survivor: Women's Stories of Navigation and Tensions in a Domestic Violence Shelter

Analysis of field notes and interviews with 28 survivors at an empowerment-based domestic violence shelter revealed that life at “Harbor Safe House” is complicated by three tensions: the complementary dialectic of independence versus dependence, the paradox of narrative accuracy versus narrative efficacy, and the contradiction of sufficiency versus deficiency of the system. Both empowerment and disempowerment are located within each tension. Insight into the processes of identifying tensions and their navigation is among the theoretical implications. Calls for flexibility and balance among tensions, as well as between empowerment and case management approaches, are among the pragmatic suggestions for domestic violence organizations.
Rate-controlled static-priority queueing

The authors propose a service discipline, called the rate-controlled static-priority (RCSP) queuing discipline, that provides throughput, delay, delay jitter, and loss free guarantees in a connection-oriented packet-switching network. The RCSP queuing discipline avoids both time-framing and sorted priority queues; it achieves flexibility in the allocation of delay and bandwidth, as well as simplicity of implementation. The key idea is to separate rate-control and delay-control functions in the design of the server. Applying this separation of functions results in a class of service disciplines of which RCSP is an instance. >
Autonomous Trajectory Planning by Convex Optimization

The objective of this dissertation is to use second-order cone programming (SOCP) for autonomous trajectory planning of optimal control problems arisen from aerospace applications. Rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) of spacecraft in any general orbit include various constraints on acquisition of docking axis point, approach corridor, plume impingement inhibition, relative velocity, and rate of change of thrust. By a lossless relaxation technique, this highly constrained RPO problem (non-convex) is transformed into a relaxed problem the solution of which is proven to be the same as that of the original problem. Then a novel successive approximation method, forming a sequence of subproblems with linear and time-varying dynamics, is applied to solve the relaxed problem. Each subproblem is a SOCP problem which can be solved by state-of-the-art primal-dual interior point method. Constraints on collision avoidance, or more generally concave inequality state constraints, from any aerospace application also make a problem non-convex. A successive linearization method is employed to linearize the concave inequality constraints. It is proven that the successive solutions from this method globally converge to the solution of the original problem and the converged solution has no conservativeness. Further non-convex constraints include nonlinear terminal constraints which are handled by first approximated with first-order expansions, and then compensated with second-order corrections to improve the robustness of the approach. The effectiveness of the methodology proposed in this dissertation is supported by various applications in highly constrained RPO, finite-thrust orbital transfers, and optimal launch ascent.
Altered Pathways of Urinary Corticosteroid Excretion in Liver Disease Studied by a Clinical Laboratory Method

A method of sequential extraction of β-glucuronidase-hydrolyzed urine, which permits the assessment of alternative pathways of corticosteroid excretion, was employed to study urine samples from normal subjects and from patients with hepatic cirrhosis. In patients with hepatic cirrhosis there is a decrease in the excretion of methylene dichloride-soluble 17-hydroxycorticosteroids; this decrease is due to significantly lower levels of tetrahydrocortisone, with moderately low levels of tetrahydrocortisol. A significant increase was observed in the levels of 17-OH,20,21-glycols, confined mainly to cortols in the urine of patients with cirrhosis; a less marked increase in this fraction was also observed in patients with fatty metamorphosis of the liver. Urinary 17-ketosteroids were decreased in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. The intravenous infusion of adrenocorticotropin to normal subjects was followed by increased 17-hydroxycorticosteroids in all solvent fractions of the urine. In patients with hepatic cirrhosis similarly treated, there was no significant rise in the level of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids extracted with methylene dichloride, but significant increases in polar 17-hydroxycorticosteroids were found. The relative magnitudes of the alternate pathways of corticosteroid excretion were determined by calculation of the ratios of (1) total ketols to total glycols, (2) polar ketols to total glycols, and (3) less polar ketols to polar ketols; it was shown that in hepatic cirrhosis there are significant alterations in the excretory pathways of cortisol metabolites, with relative decreases in the excretion as tetrahydrocortisone and increases in the excretion as cortols. Based on these data it is clear that values of routine 17-hydroxycorticosteroid and 17-ketosteroid excretion should be evaluated carefully as to whether they represent abnormal adrenal function or alterations in the peripheral metabolism of cortisol. The method is sufficiently simple to be employed in the clinical laboratory.
The effect of synaptic plasticity on the stability of place fields under graded environmental perturbations

We developed a parallel computational model of a network of entorhinal and hippocampal cells influenced by synaptic plasticity to examine the stability of CA3 place fields under graded environmental perturbations. Place cells form single firing fields within an environment and are located in the CA1 and CA3 subregions of the hippocampus. They receive the majority of their spatial input from grid cells, which are located in the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) and fire in hexagonal patterns within an environment [1]. We designed the model in the context of the “double rotation” experiment in which a rat circles a track with various local and distal cues that are rotated in opposite directions. In response to this rotation, some CA1 cells follow local cues, some follow distal cues, and some remap. In contrast, CA3 place fields are more coherently dominated by local cues [2]. This CA3 response is puzzling given that grid cells are more strongly controlled by distal cues [3]. Because local cues were rotated in a direction opposite to the rat’s movement, the backward shift of place fields [4] may affect the CA3 response. Cells in the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) show a slight tendency to follow local cues [3], and we used the model to investigate whether the backward shift couples with weak LEC input to cause CA3 cells to rotate with the local cues. In the model the MEC contains grid cells, and LEC cells are weakly tuned to local cues. CA1 and CA3 cells are governed by the integrate and fire model, which provides no bias for spiking at one location over another. Rate-based plasticity [5] applied to the connections from grid cells to hippocampal cells enables place fields to form, and spike-timing-dependent plasticity [6] applied to the connections among CA3 cells enables place fields to shift backward, as seen experimentally. We implemented the model in PETSc (Portable, Extensible Toolkit for Scientific Computation), a suite of data structures and routines for parallel computation. This implementation greatly increased both the number of tractable variables and the speed of computation. We simulated networks of up to 20,000 cells, and the computational time reduces by a factor of 15 as we move from one processor to 64 processors. Because the model is efficient, modular, and capable of simulating large networks, it is an efficient tool for examining the effect of synaptic plasticity on place field dynamics.
Hepatocyte Culture as an In Vitro Model for Evaluating the Hepatotoxicity of Food-Borne Toxicants and Microbial Pathogens: A Review

Hepatocyte culture is a well-established, well-characterized, and widely used in vitro tool for pharamacological and toxicological studies. The hepatocytes of a wide range of species, including humans, can be maintained in culture with a high metabolizing capacity for several days under closely controlled and easily manipulated conditions. Numerous studies have reported good correlation between in vitro hepatocytes and in vivo siutations. They have been widely used for studies of the metabolism and of the toxicity and mechanisms of action of chemicals and drugs, for the screening of mutagens, carcinogens, and micotoxins, for virulence assessment of microbial pathogens and viruses, for qualitative and quantitative interspecies comparison, and for genomics and proteiomics studies. Hepatocytes, especially human hepatocytes, are used for preclinical drug evaluation and screening as well as for studies of drug metabolism, toxicity, interactions, and structure-activity relationships. They can be used for evaluating the hepatotoxicity of herbal products, dietary supplements, food additives, food-borne toxicants, and microbial pathogens. The results obtained from such in vitro screenings can be used for in vivo studies to asses the safety of test materials of interest. At the present time, there is insufficient evidence for their use in quantitative risk assessment. However, they are suitable for use in qualitative hazard assessment, which may be used for quantitative risk analysis.