cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SOUND TRANSMISSION THROUGH MULTI-PANEL STRUCTURES LINED WITH ELASTIC POROUS MATERIALS

Abstract Theory and measurements related to sound transmission through double panels lined with elastic porous media are presented. The information has application to the design of noise control barriers and to the optimization of aircraft fuselage transmission loss, for example. The major difference between the work described here and earlier research in this field relates to the treatment of the porous material that is used to line the cavity between the two panels of the double panel structure. Here we have used the porous material theory proposed by Biot since it takes explicit account of all the wave types known to propagate in elastic porous materials. As a result, it is possible to use the theory presented here to calculate the transmission loss of lined double panels at arbitrary angles of incidence; results calculated over a range of incidence angles may then be combined to yield the random incidence transmission loss. In this paper, the equations governing wave propagation in an elastic porous material are first considered briefly and then the general forms for the stresses and displacements within the porous material are given. Those solutions are expressed in terms of a number of constants that can be determined by application of appropriate boundary conditions. The boundary conditions required to model double panels having linings that are either directly attached to the facing panels or separated?!from them by air gaps are presented and discussed. Measurements of the random incidence transmission loss of aluminium double-panel structures lined with polyurethane foam are presented and have been found to be in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Both the theoretical predictions and the measured results have shown that the method by which an elastic porous lining material is attached to the facing panels can have a profound influence on the transmission loss of the panel system. It has been found, for example, that treatments in which the lining material is not directly attached to the facing panels are generally to be preferred to those in which the lining is directly bonded to the panels. These effects may be explained by considering the degree to which the various wave types within the elastic porous material are excited, which in turn can be related to the method by which the lining is mounted to the facing panels.
Licensing professional software engineers: seize the opportunity

Professional organizations should be in the forefront of the ongoing discussion about licensing professional software engineers.
The inverse problem of radiography

Abstract Radiography is a common diagnostic tool in the field of medicine. The physical process by which a radiograph is formed imposes fundamental limits on the resolution of a radiograph, however. The problem of increasing the resolution of a radiograph can be formulated as the solution of a convolution-type integral equation, but solving this integral equation is extremely difficult if noise is present in the data. A technique for solving integral equation problems was discovered several years ago, but it requires matrix inversion and is unwieldy for data sequences of hundreds or thousands of points. In this article it is shown how this existing technique can be adapted to solving convolution-type integral equations. By using the convolution properties of discrete Fourier transforms and the fast Fourier transform, it is possible to solve convolution-type integral equations even when the data sequences consist of hundreds or thousands of points.
Clustering of Cyclic-Nucleotide-Gated Channels in Olfactory Cilia

Olfactory cilia contain the known components of olfactory signal transduction, including a high density of cyclic-nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels. CNG channels play an important role in mediating odor detection. The channels are activated by cAMP, which is formed by a G-protein-coupled transduction cascade. Frog olfactory cilia are 25–200 μm in length, so the spatial distribution of CNG channels along the length should be important in determining the sensitivity of odor detection. We have recorded from excised cilia and modeled diffusion of cAMP into a cilium to determine the spatial distribution of the CNG channels along the ciliary length. The proximal segment, which in frog is the first 20% of the cilium, appears to express a small fraction of the CNG channels, whereas the distal segment contains the majority, mostly clustered in one region.
Effects of dispersion conditions of single-walled carbon nanotubes on the electrical characteristics of thin film network transistors.

To facilitate solution deposition of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) for integration into electronic devices they need to be purified and dispersed into solutions. The vigorous sonication process for preparing these dispersions leads to large variations in the length and defect density of SWNTs, affecting the resulting electronic properties. Understanding the effects of solution processing steps can have important implications in the design of SWNT films for electronic applications. Here, we alter the SWNTs by varying the sonication time, followed by deposition of sub-monolayer SWNT network films onto functionalized substrates. The corresponding electrical performance characteristics of the resulting field effect transistors (FETs) are correlated with SWNT network sorting and morphology. As sonication exposure increases, the SWNTs shorten, which not only affects electrical current by increasing the number of junctions but also presumably leads to more defects. The off current of the resulting trans...
sound in Songhay cultural experience

This paper considers the “inner” dimension of sound in Songhay cultural experience. For the Songhay of the Republic of Niger, sound is a dimension of experience separate from the domains of human, animal, and plant life. They believe that sounds carry forces that can penetrate an object. More specifically, like many peoples of the world, the Songhay believe that the sounds of praisenames, magical words, and sacred musical instruments create an auditory presence that can transform a person morally, politically, and magically. Given the spatialized view of reality so engrained in the Western philosophical tradition, it is argued that a deeper appreciation of sound in and of itself could open anthropological ears to a penetrating comprehension of cultural sentiment.
Evaluation of patient participation in a patient empowerment initiative to improve hand hygiene practices in a Veterans Affairs medical center.

Background In patient empowerment initiatives, patients are encouraged to ask caregivers if they have washed their hands. However, relatively little is known about the willingness of patients to participate in such initiatives. Methods Patients were presented with a "Partners in Your Care" script asking them to remind health care workers to wash their hands, and follow-up interviews were conducted. Compliance was reassessed using a modified script in which patients were asked to thank health care workers for washing and/or to display a sign stating "Thanks for Washing." Results Of the 193 patients presented with the initial script, 5 (3%) stated that they had reminded health care workers to wash, and 15 (8%) had not commented despite observing health care workers failing to wash in their presence. Of the 38 patients given the modified script instructing them to thank health care workers for washing, 17 (45%) reported mentioning hand hygiene to health care workers (13 of whom thanked the caregivers), and 6 (16%) did not comment despite observing health care workers failing to wash in their presence. Most patients displayed a sign thanking caregivers for washing; however, no patients were observed to comment on hand hygiene during physician work rounds, and only 2 of 30 (7%) nurses on the study wards reported being thanked for washing. Conclusion In this Veterans Affairs hospital, patients were unlikely to remind health care workers to wash their hands. Patient empowerment initiatives may be more effective if patients are encouraged to provide positive reinforcement and/or display prompting visual reminders.
Mechanism of Antibody Synthesis: Size Differences between Mouse Kappa Chains.

Structural analysis of immunoglobulin light chains has been carried out in an attempt to elucidate the genetic mechanisms involved in antibody synthesis. Analysis of two mouse kappa-chain proteins is almost complete. The differences are localized in one-half of the molecules, and do not reflect the operation of any one mutational mechanism. The peculiar character of the differences is discussed with reference to various theories of antibody formation. The finding that the two proteins differ in size is incompatible with certain proposed theories.
Effect of adrenergic agents on α-amylase release and adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate accumulation in rat parotid tissue slices

Abstract The role of cyclic AMP in stimulus-secretion coupling was investigated in rat parotid tissue slices in vitro. Isoproterenol and norepinephrine stimulated a rapid intracellular accumulation of cyclic AMP, which reached a maximum level of 20–30 times the control value by 5 to 10 min after addition of the drug. Isoproterenol was approximately ten times more potent in stimulating both α-amylase release and cyclic AMP accumulation than were norepinephrine and epinephrine, which had nearly equal effects on these two parameters. Salbutamol and phenylephrine were less effective. A parallel order of potency and sensitivity was observed for the stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity in a washed particulate fraction. The results suggest that these drugs are acting on the parotid acinar cell through a β 1 -adrenergic mechanism. At the lowest concentrations tested, each of the adrenergic agonists stimulated significant α-amylase release with no detectable stimulation of cyclic AMP accumulation. Even in the presence of theophylline, phenylephrine at several concentrations increased α-amylase release without a detectable increase in cyclic AMP levels. However, phenylephrine did stimulate adenylate cyclase. These data suggest that, under certain conditions, large increases in the intracellular concentration of cyclic AMP may not be necessary for stimulation of α-amylase release by adrenergic agonists. Also consistent with this idea was the observation that stimulation of cyclic AMP accumulation by isoproterenol was much more sensitive to inhibition by propranolol than was the stimulation of α-amylase release by isoproterenol. Stimulation of α-amylase release by phenylephrine was only partially blocked by either α- or β-adrenerg blocking agents, whereas stimulation of adenylate cyclase by phenylephrine was blocked by propranolol and not by phentolamine. Phenoxybenzamine and phentolamine potentiated the effects of norepinephrine and isoproterenol on both cyclic AMP accumulation and α-amylase release. However, phenoxybenzamine also potentiated the stimulation of α-amylase release by N 6 , O 2′ -dibutyryl adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate. These observations may indicate a non-specific action of phenoxybenzamine, and demonstrate the need for caution in interpreting evidence obtained using α-adrenergic blocking agents as tools for investigation of α- and β-adrenergic antagonism.
Update on Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Endovascular repair is feasible in a large percentage of internal aneurysms. Multiple prototype devices have been inserted during clinical trials in the United States and Europe. This procedure can be performed in high risk patients with initial low morbidity and mortality. Endoleak is a complication specific to endovascular repair. Many endoleaks resolve spontaneously and others can be treated with additional endovascular procedures. Delayed rupture with endoleak can occur. Long-term results for endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms are not yet available. The procedure has excellent patient acceptance and decreased recovery time as well as shortened hospitalization.
SU-FF-T-606: Improvement of Patient Setups with Cone Beam CT Using Contour-Assisted Matching in Radiotherapy

Purpose: To improve consistency and efficiency of patient setups in image‐guidedradiotherapy using contour‐assisted image matching. Method and Materials: It is onerous to evaluate accuracy of image registration in the Elekta kV cone beam CT (CBCT)‐based patient setups due to lack of quantitative measures. A technique of automatic contour detection of bone and cavity structures was developed in the Philips Pinnacle3system. Contours of the structures with 2 mm (bone) to 3 mm (trachea and prostate seeds) expansion in each 3‐D direction were employed to evaluate image registration between planning CT and CBCT for patient setup correction. In the contour‐assisted matching, the image registration was performed such that all bony and cavity structures of CBCTimages were confined within contours of their structures with 2 mm and 3 mm expansion (3.4 mm and 5.1 mm in 3‐D) from the planning CT. 5 prostate, 3 head and neck, and 1 lung patients were selected for this study. Efficacy and efficiency of the contour‐assisted image registration was examined in terms of setup evaluation time and inter‐user variations in actual clinical environment. Results: The automatic contour detection of bone and cavity structures required additional 10 minutes during treatment planning, which was reasonably acceptable compared to the whole planning time. Initial setup verification by physicians with the contour‐assisted matching took generally no more than 5 minutes in actual clinical situations. Inter‐user variations were 1.1 ± 0.4 mm and 2.8 ± 1.0 mm for prostate and H&N cases, respectively. The expanded contours also provided a great quantitative tool to evaluate the registration accuracy with maximum 3.4 mm (2 mm expansion) and 5.1 mm (3 mm expansion) uncertainty in 3D space. Conclusion: The contour‐assisted image registration has high potential to improve efficiency of setup verification and reduce inter‐user variations of patient setup in image‐guidedradiotherapy.
Sequential order under MA

Abstract It is shown that it follows from Martin's Axiom that there is a compact sequential space with sequential order at least four.
Residual strength of centrally cracked metal/fiber composite laminates

Abstract The residual strength of metal/fiber composite laminates (MFCLs) with a central crack is studied. The laminate is a sandwich with a fiber reinforced epoxy ply (prepreg) in the middle and an aluminum alloy layer on each of the outer surfaces. Dugdale strip yielding zones in the aluminum layers at the crack tip are assumed to take into account ductile deformations of the metal layers. It is also assumed that a strip damage zone in the prepreg layer is developed at the crack tip reflecting matrix cracking and fiber breakage and pull-out. Residual strengths for the centrally cracked laminates are calculated numerically. It is found that the residual strength of CARALL (carbon fiber reinforced polymer/aluminum laminate) is always higher than that of ARALL® (using aramid fiber instead of carbon fiber) for both infinite and finite width plates in the range of initial crack lengths considered. The strengths of CARALL with high elongation (HE) fiber are also higher than those of their metal counterparts. The results for ARALL predicted from the present model agree well with the existing experimental observations. The residual strength results for cracked MFCLs suggest that CARALL, especially with HE fibers, may replace aluminium alloys in lower aircraft wings and fuselage because of its higher residual strength and lower density. However, its fatigue resistance, impact residual properties and resistance to corrosion and other environmental effects need to be studied thoroughly.
Differential expression of urinary inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor trimers and dimers in normal compared to active calcium oxalate stone forming men.

AbstractPurpose: We determine if the immunoreactive profile of urinary inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor can be used to distinguish between normal individuals and individuals with calcium oxalate stone disease.Materials and Methods: Urinary proteins were dialyzed against water (15 kDa. molecular weight cutoff), lyophilized and resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (6% acrylamide, reducing conditions) followed by Western blot. Inter-alpha-trypsin immunoreactive proteins were detected by enhanced chemiluminescence. Stone formation was confirmed to be active radiologically or passed as stone or gravel within 12 months of the sample. Stone composition was confirmed crystallographically. Normal individuals had no personal or familial history of urolithiasis and matched stone forming patients regarding race (white) and age (23 to 71 years old). Urine from a total of 101 individuals was analyzed.Results: The intact inter-alpha-trypsin trimer ([approximately] 220 to 240 kDa.) and heavy...
The business value of information technology and inputs substitution: the productivity paradox revisited

The business value of information technology (IT) is an extremely important but highly controversial issue that has sparked a great deal of research during the past two decades. Closely related to the issue are the productivity paradox of information systems and the substitutability of IT stock for both traditional capital and labor. Numerous studies have been undertaken to either explain or dispel the paradox. This paper represents one significant extension to previous work and is a further effort to jointly investigate the business value issue, the paradox, and the potential of the substitution between IT capital and ordinary capital and labor, by estimating the IT business value in terms of the impact of IT on technical efficiency, based on the constant elasticity of substitution (known as CES) stochastic production frontier model, at three levels: firm, industry, and sector. The major findings include: the relationship between technical efficiency and IT investment is not robust with respect to the specifications of production frontiers; the productivity paradox is still existent, inconsistent with conventional wisdom, IT has substantial impacts on the five parameters associated with the CES production process; IT stock, traditional capital, and traditional labor are not pairwise substitutable; IT stock appears to be as important as capital, but it is not possible to use IT stock to replace the role of labor entirely; decreasing returns to scale are found irrespective of the levels of IT investments, and technical efficiency tends to decrease as IT investments increase; the industry-level analysis suggests that IT capital is more important for the services industries than for the manufacturing industries; and the sector analysis seems to indicate that the services sector is just slightly less technically efficient than the manufacturing sector.
High temperature combined with carbon dioxide enriched or reduced oxygen atmospheres for control of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Abstract Heat combined with controlled atmospheres increased mortality of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) larvae when temperatures of ≥38°C were combined with carbon dioxide enriched or oxygen deficient atmospheres. Preconditioning of larvae to treatment temperature for 24 or 48 hr prior to controlled atmosphere treatments at 38°C significantly reduced larval mortality relative to a 1 hr preconditioning. Heat combined with controlled atmospheres can significantly reduce treatment time. However, if heat is applied prior to the application of controlled atmospheres, the time of treatment must be extended.
Microstructural evolution and thermal stability of precipitation-strengthened Cu8Cr4Nb alloy

Abstract The microstructural changes that occur during age hardening of a precipitation-strengthened copper alloy with 8 at.% Cr and 4 at.% Nb (Cu8Cr4Nb) alloy were studied by TEM technique and correlated to the corresponding mechanical properties at room and elevated temperatures. The thermal stability of Cu8Cr4Nb alloy was attributed to the fine distribution of secondary precipitates and their slow coarsening rate upon aging. These secondary precipitates provide strengthening by the Orowan mechanism and restrict grain growth upon aging. The experimental values of mechanical properties are compared to the results anticipated from Orowan and Hall-Petch strengthening models to account for the main strengthening mechanisms of the present alloy.
LC-MS/MS for the detection of DNA interstrand cross-links formed by 8-methoxypsoralen and UVA irradiation in human cells.

DNA interstrand cross-links (ICLs) are induced by many carcinogens and anitcancer drugs. ICL is a covalent linkage of both strands of DNA, preventing DNA strand separation during transcription and replication; thus, it is extremely cytotoxic in vivo. Psoralen and its derivatives are widely applied for the clinical treatment of several skin diseases and cutaneous T cell lymphoma, and they are also commonly used as model compounds for the study of ICL. Upon UVA photoactivation, 8-methoxypsoralen alkylates both strands of DNA at the 5,6-double bond of thymidines at the 5‘-TpA-3‘ site, generating monoadducts and ICLs. Here we developed a method utilizing HPLC−tandem mass spectrometry, combined with nuclease P1 digestion, to assess the formation of ICL in DNA of human skin melanoma cells exposed to 500 ng/mL 8-methoxypsoralen and UVA irradiation. We were able to quantify ICL, in the form of tetranucleotide, at the level of 1 lesion/106 unmodified nucleobases using a low-microgram quantity of DNA. In addition, ...
Image processing software for imaging spectrometry data analysis

Imaging spectrometers simultaneously collect image data in hundreds of spectral channels, from the near-UV to the IR, and can thereby provide direct surface materials identification by means resembling laboratory reflectance spectroscopy. Attention is presently given to a software system, the Spectral Analysis Manager (SPAM) for the analysis of imaging spectrometer data. SPAM requires only modest computational resources and is composed of one main routine and a set of subroutine libraries. Additions and modifications are relatively easy, and special-purpose algorithms have been incorporated that are tailored to geological applications.
Mechanical characterization of chemical-vapor-deposited polycrystalline 3C silicon carbide thin films

A promising material for microelectromechanical system devices is silicon carbide (SiC) because of its excellent thermal, mechanical and chemical properties. In this study, nanoindentation was first used to evaluate the elastic properties and homogeneity of a polycrystalline 3C–SiC film. Subsequently, free-standing film curvature measurements were used to evaluate the residual stresses in the film. The Young’s modulus was found to be 373 ± 39 GPa and the residual stress was 26.9 ± 1.7 MPa.
The crystal structure of catena-μ-bis-(1,2-diphenylphosphinyl)ethane-dichlorocopper(II)

Abstract The crystal structure of the compound with stoichiometry CuCl 2 . bis(1,2-diphenylphosphinyl)ethane has been determined from three dimensional X-ray diffraction data collected on a General Electric XRD-6 automatic diffractometer, using Cu-Kα radiation and the stationary crystal-stationary counter technique. The monoclinic cell for the greenish-blue crystals has dimensions of a = 12.206(2), b = 20.172(4), c = 10.559(1) A and β = 97.26(2) A. The space group is C2/c and, with 4 molecules per unit cell, D c 1.454 g/cm 3 and D m is 1.46 g/cm 3 . The structure was determined by the heavy atom method and refined by full matrix least-squares techniques to a final R of 0.047 for the 2161 observed reflections used in the analysis. The Cu atom lies on a 2-fold axis and the bis(1,2-diphenylphosphinyl) ethane ligand lies on a center of symmetry. The crystal consists of infinite chains of CuCl 2 units linked by the phosphine oxide which is functioning as a bridging rather than chelating ligand. A comparison of the Cu-O distance of 1.959(3) A with the value in other oxo-adducts reveals a remarkable consistency of Cu-O bonds lengths, while the Cu-Cl distances (2.195(1) A in the present complex) vary depending on the nature of the oxomolecule. The fact the Cu-O distance is independent of the nature of the oxo donor molecule but that the Cu-Cl distances vary has not been noted previously.
The long term effects of varying dietary protein, lipid and vitamin E on intestinal and serum amylase

Dietary corn starch was maintained at a constant 15% (gm/100gm diet) while varying protein (casein) or lipid (corn oil) at the expense of glucose for up to 24 weeks in BALB/c mice. These studies confirm the previous reports that animals must have adequate dietary protein to produce pancreatic amylase-2 and that amylase secretion correlates with the amount of complex carbohydrate in the diet. However, our study with long term exposure to diets of 4, 20 or 50% protein found some normalizing of amylase secretion into the intestines which approached control levels after 3 months. In contrast, serum amylase was only depressed after the third month in samples from mice fed both the high or low protein diets. Intestinal amylase at first did not increase from mice fed both the high fat (20%) and fat-free diets as fast as controls but then became higher than controls after 4 months. However, there was no significant difference in serum levels. Alpha tocopherol at 200,000 IU/100 g of diet had no effect on intestinal amylase but decreased the serum amylase level.
Immunological sensitization of opossum gallbladder by naturally acquired stomach roundworm infection

Abstract 1. The opossum gallbladder develops an immediate type hypersensitivity as a result of chronic infection with the gastric nematode, Physaloptera turgida . 2. Hypersensitization is evident from a change in net transepithelial ion transport in response to parasite-derived antigen. 3. The antigen-induced change in ion transport involves mediation by histamine and possibly prostaglandins and is independent of intrinsic neural modulation. 4. The functions of the gallbladder epithelium are influenced by reactions of local immune elements that are part of the common mucosal immune system.
Pore Formation in Laser-Assisted Powder Deposition Process

Pore formation remains a concern in the area of rapid manufacturing by the laser engineered net shaping process. Results usually conflict on the origin of these pores; whether it should stem from an effect due to the physical/mechanical properties of the material or from an effect purely related to the processing parameters. We investigated this problem spanning a range of process parameters for deposition and using three different material powders, namely, an AISI 410 grade stainless steel, AISI 316L grade stainless steel, and AISI 4140 grade medium-carbon low alloy steel. The volume fraction, number density, and size distribution of pores were quantified using X-ray computed tomography and optical microscopy. Pores formed both at the interface between the adjacent layers and within the bulk of the layer. They were systematically sensitive to both the powder material composition and the process parameters.
Breakthroughs in Cell Therapy for Heart Disease: Focus on Cardiosphere-Derived Cells

The clinical reality of cell therapy for heart disease dates back to the 1990 s, when autologous skeletal myoblasts were first transplanted into failing hearts during open-chest surgery. Since then, the focus has shifted to bone marrow-derived cells and, more recently, cells extracted from the heart itself. Although progress has been nonlinear and often disheartening, the field has nevertheless made remarkable progress. Six major breakthroughs are notable: (1) the establishment of safety with intracoronary delivery; (2) the finding that therapeutic regeneration is possible; (3) the increase in allogeneic cell therapy; (4) the effect of increasing mechanistic insights; (5) glimmers of clinical efficacy; and (6) the progression to phase 2 and 3 studies. This article individually reviews these landmark developments in detail and concludes that the field has reached a new phase of maturity where the prospect of clinical impact is increasingly imminent.
Breath ethane and pentane as measures of vitamin E protection of Macaca radiata against 90 days of exposure to ozone.

Abstract Bonnet monkeys, Macaca radiata , were exposed to 0, 0.5, or 0.8 ppm of O 3 for 7 days (one/group), 28 days (two/group) or 90 days (three/group). Ethane and pentane, hydrocarbon gases that derive from decomposition of ω3- and ω6-fatty acid hydroperoxides, respectively, were measured in expired breath within 2–3 hr following the exposures. There were no significant differences in the levels of ethane and pentane produced by the monkeys in the three O 3 -concentration groups or in the three exposure-time groups as would be expected had not vitamin E provided protection. Blood plasma and lung tissue vitamin E levels were 0.69 ± 0.34 mg/100 ml and 1.42 ± 0.48 mg/100 g wet wt, respectively. Analysis of the diet showed that the monkeys were consuming 85 mg of vitamin E/kg of diet, a level about eight times the minimum requirement based upon linoleic acid content of the diet. It was concluded that this high dietary level of vitamin E provided ample protection against O 3 -induced lipid peroxidation in the lungs.
Transmission Scheduling for Routing Paths in Cognitive Radio Mesh Networks

Nodes in a cognitive radio mesh network may select from a set of available channels to use provided they do not interfere with primary users. This ability can improve overall network performance but introduces the question of how best to use these channels. This paper addresses the following specific problem: given a routing path P, choose which channels each link in P should use and their transmission schedule so as to maximize the end-to-end data flow rate (throughput) supported by the entire path. This problem is relevant to applications such as streaming video or data where a connection may be long lasting and require a high constant throughput. The problem is hard to due the presence of both intraflow and inter-flow interference. We have developed a new constant-factor approximation algorithm for this problem. If certain natural conditions on the path are met, the performance guarantee is 1/4 of optimal. It has been shown by simulation results that the end-to-end throughput given by the proposed algorithm is often within 90% or better of optimal.
Quaternary faulting in Trans-Pecos Texas

Faults that displace Quaternary units can be observed in scarps in Trans-Pecos Texas and are restricted to two north-trending zones in contrast to late Tertiary faults that cover the region and strike north, northwest, and west. The western zone of Quaternary faults, near El Paso, is usually included as the southern part of the Rio Grande rift. The eastern zone of Quaternary faults extends for 300 km from southern New Mexico along the Salt Basin graben through Van Horn, Texas; its probable extensions and subparallel associates extend southward to Presidio, Texas. This belt of faults is parallel to the Rio Grande rift zone and should be considered a southeast extension of that zone. These fault zones die out southward into the edge of the Chihuahua tectonic belt, a region underlain by a thick Mesozoic carbonate and clastic section that in turn rests on a thick layer of evaporites. The evaporite zone may mask Cenozoic normal faulting and thus may define a zone of no data rather than a southern limit of basin-and-range or Rio Grande graben tectonics. All Quaternary and most Tertiary faults trend parallel to pre-existing structures. The map pattern of Quaternary scarps suggest a maximum extension oriented about S80°W; however, first-motion studies of the 1931 Valentine, Texas earthquake show a maximum elongation direction of S50° to 55° W. This difference may be unique to this one earthquake or may be due to the pre-existing lines of weakness that control the location of presently active faults.
A stable colorimetric assay to measure toxin elevation of inorganic phosphate in bile

A modified assay for the measurement of nanomole amounts of Pi in 50 microliters of bile is described. The assay is based on the formation of a complex between malachite green dye and phosphomolybdate under acidic conditions. Only three simple steps are required to produce a colored complex which remains stable for at least 3 h; these steps are precipitation with acid, addition of color reagent containing dye and surfactant, and incubation at 37 degrees C. Analysis of bile samples collected from a rat given the toxin 1,1-dichloroethylene demonstrated that the assay is well suited to routine assays of biliary Pi as an endogenous indicator of aberrant hepatobiliary function.
Antecedents and correlates of visual detection and awareness in macaque prefrontal cortex

We have investigated the neural basis of visual detection in monkeys trained to report the presence or absence of a visual stimulus that was rendered intermittently detectable by backward masking. Neurons were recorded in the frontal eye field (FEF), an area located in prefrontal cortex that is involved in converting the outcome of visual processing into a command to shift gaze. The behavioral and neuronal data were analyzed in terms of signal detection theory. We found that the initial visual responses in FEF provided signals that could form the basis for correct or erroneous detection of the target. A later phase of prolonged elevated activity occurred in many visual neurons and all movement neurons that was highly correlated with the monkey’s report of target presence. When observed in movement cells that project to oculomotor structures, this period of activation is interpreted as a motor command leading to the behavioral response. When observed in visual cells that do not project to oculomotor structures, the later period of activation does not admit to the motor command interpretation. Because the visual neurons likely contribute to the feedback pathway to visual cortical areas, we hypothesize that the later selective activation in the prefrontal visual neurons interacts with ongoing activity in visual cortical areas contributing to the process by which a particular sensory representation receives enhanced activation and thereby engages attention and awareness. © 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Three-dimensional wavelet transform and multiresolution surface reconstruction from volume data

Multiresolution surface reconstruction from volume data is very useful in medical imaging, data compression and multiresolution modeling. This paper presents a hierarchical structure for extracting multiresolution surfaces from volume data by using a 3-D wavelet transform. The hierarchical scheme is used to visualize different levels of detail of the surface and allows a user to explore different features of the surface at different scales. We use 3-D surface curvature as a smoothness condition to control the hierarchical level and the distance error between the reconstructed surface and the original data as the stopping criteria. A 3-D wavelet transform provides an appropriate hierarchical structure to build the volume pyramid. It can be constructed by the tensor products of 1-D wavelet transforms in three subspaces. We choose the symmetric and smoothing filters such as Haar, linear, pseudoCoiflet, cubic B-spline and their corresponding orthogonal wavelets to build the volume pyramid. The surface is reconstructed at each level of volume data by using the cell interpolation method. Some experimental results are shown through the comparison of the different filters based on the distance errors of the surfaces.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Rapid and precise measurement of flatband voltage

A simple circuit using commonly available IC’s for rapid, precise, and automatic measurement of the flatband voltage of MOS capacitors is described.
An evolutionary optimization strategy using graphics processing units to efficiently investigate gene-gene interactions in genetic association studies

The analysis of gene-gene interactions related to common complex human diseases is complicated by the increasing scale of genetic association analysis. Concurrent with the advances in genetic technology that led to these large data sets, improvements have been made in parallel computing with graphics processing units (GPUs). The data-intensive nature of genetic association analysis makes this problem particularly suitable for improved computation with the powerful computing resources available in GPUs. In this study, we present a GPU-accelerated discrete optimization strategy to improve the computational efficiency of multi-locus association analysis. We implemented an adaptive evolutionary algorithm that takes advantage of linkage disequilibrium to reduce the need for exhaustive search for combinations of genetic markers. The proposed GPU algorithm was shown to have improved efficiency and equivalent power relative to the CPU version.
Transitory hypomegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia: aetiological association with ethanol abuse and implications regarding regulation of human megakaryocytopoiesis.

Summary. We studied a patient with a long history of ethanol abuse who presented to the hospital with profound weakness, anaemia and thrombocytopenia. Evaluation of these problems revealed the patient's bone marrow to be hypercellular but severely iron depleted and almost totally devoid of morphologically recognizable megakaryocytes. However, we were able to detect the presence of non-morphologically recognizable, immature megakaryocytes in the same sample using an immunochemical detection technique. This circumstance allowed us to study the relative importance of both megakaryocyte maturation and peripheral blood platelet count on the production of megakaryocyte colony stimulating activity (Meg-CSA), a putative regulator of the megakaryocyte colony forming unit (CFU-M). The results of our investigations disclosed a rapid decline in serum Meg-CSA levels which preceded recovery of the platelet count and appeared to coincide with the maturation of megakaryocytes into the morphologically recognizable pool. The effect of ETOH on the patient's CFU-M cloning efficiency was also studied. ETOH in amounts up to 454 mg/dl did not inhibit cloning of the patient's peripheral blood CFU-M in plasma clot cultures. Our results suggest that regulation of Meg-CSA production is a complex function which appears to be dependent on a number of factors including the level of megakaryocyte maturation in the marrow. We also speculate that ethanol associated thrombocytopenia may occasionally be brought about by a disruption in the process of megakaryocyte maturation at the level of a progenitor more mature than the CFU-M.
The heart of the story: Peripheral physiology during narrative exposure predicts charitable giving

Emotionally laden narratives are often used as persuasive appeals by charitable organizations. Physiological responses to a narrative may explain why some people respond to an appeal while others do not. In this study we tested whether autonomic and hormonal activity during a narrative predict subsequent narrative influence via charitable giving. Participants viewed a brief story of a father's experience with his 2-year-old son who has terminal cancer. After the story, participants were presented with an opportunity to donate some of their study earnings to a related charity. Measures derived from cardiac and electrodermal activity, including HF-HRV, significantly predicted donor status. Time-series GARCH models of physiology during the narrative further differentiated donors from non-donors. Moreover, cardiac activity and experienced concern were found to covary from moment-to-moment across the narrative. Our findings indicate that the physiological response to a stimulus, herein a narrative, can predict influence as indexed by stimulus-related behavior.
Cross-ethnic measurement equivalence of measures of depression, social anxiety and worry.

Although study of clinical phenomena in individuals from different ethnic backgrounds has improved over the years, African American and Asian American individuals continue to be underrepresented in research samples. Without adequate psychometric data about how questionnaires perform in individuals from different ethnic samples, findings from both within and across groups are arguably uninterpretable. Analyses based on item response theory (IRT) allow us to make fine-grained comparisons of the ways individuals from different ethnic groups respond to clinical measures. This study compared response patterns of African American and Asian American undergraduates to White undergraduates on measures of depression, social anxiety, and worry. On the Beck Depression Inventory-II, response patterns for African American participants were roughly equivalent to the response patterns of White participants. On measures of worry and social anxiety, there were substantial differences, suggesting that the use of these measures in African American and Asian American populations may lead to biased conclusions.
Cancer-free survival after impendence-based radiofrequency ablation of biopsy proven renal cell carcinomas: minimum one year follow-up

Purpose As new ablation technologies evolve, RFA of renal cell carcinoma (RCCa) may provide durable cancer free survival. Many reported series lack histologic confirmation of malignancy, use various RFA systems, and indicate tumor destruction by different ablation endpoints. This study examines the outcomes of CT guided, impedance-based RFA of pathologically proven renal cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods This retrospective study identified patients who underwent renal RFA since May 2005. Patients without biopsy proven RCCa were excluded. Of the patients who met these criteria, evaluation was limited to patients with a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. Data collected from the patient’s electronic medical and radiologic record included: demographic data, tumor related data, procedural details, and clinical follow-up. Results 39 patients (46 lesions) met the inclusion criteria. Mean tumor diameter was 2.6 cm (range, 1.2 - 4.0 cm). The most common histologies were clear cell (27) and papillary (16). Lesion location was equally divided between upper pole (16), mid pole (16), and lower pole (14). Eighty-three percent of the tumors were exophytic. No residual or recurrent tumor was identified in the ablation bed on post-RFA imaging during the mean follow-up period of 33.5 months (range, 12 - 78). All patients were treated in a single encounter and no lesion required a second ablation; technical success (absence of residual tumor) on the initial post-RFA imaging study, was 46/46 (100%). Clinical success was achieved in 45/46 lesions (98%); residual, viable tumor was found in a pre-transplant nephrectomy specimen on post procedure day 127. Comparison of pre- and post-ablation renal function found no statistically significant change. Three peri-procedural complications were noted- 2 patients with upper pole lesions had pneumothoraces requiring overnight chest tube placement. One patient experienced an episode of self-limited gross hematuria that did not require intervention or transfusion. Conclusion Impedance based RFA of RCCa less than 4 cm in diameter is a reliable treatment option with disease-free survival rates that are comparable to partial nephrectomy.
Further studies on periodic limb movement disorder and restless legs syndrome in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Fourteen consecutive children who were newly diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and who had never been exposed to stimulants and 10 control children without ADHD underwent polysomnographic studies to quantify Periodic Limb Movements in Sleep (PLMS) and arousals. Parents commonly gave both false-negative and false-positive reports of PLMS in their children, and a sleep study was necessary to confirm their presence or absence. The prevalence of PLMS on polysomnography was higher in the children with ADHD than in the control subjects. Nine of 14 (64%) children with ADHD had PLMS at a rate of >5 per hour of sleep compared with none of the control children (p 20 per hour of sleep. Many of the PLMS in the children with ADHD were associated with arousals. Historical sleep times were less for children with ADHD. The children with ADHD who had PLMS chronically got 43 minutes less sleep at home than the control subjects (p = 0.0091). All nine children with ADHD who had a PLMS index of >5 per hour of sleep had a long-standing clinical history of sleep onset problems (>30 minutes) and/or maintenance problems (more than two full awakenings nightly) thus meeting the criteria for Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD). None of the control children had a clinical history of sleep onset or maintenance problems. The parents of the children with ADHD were more likely to have restless legs syndrome (RLS) than the parents of the control children. Twenty-five of 28 biologic parents of the children with ADHD and all of the biologic parents of the control children were reached for interview. Eight of twenty-five parents of the children with ADHD (32%) had symptoms of RLS as opposed to none of the control parents (p = 0.011). PLMS may directly lead to symptoms of ADHD through the mechanism of sleep disruption. Alternative explanations for the association between ADHD and RLS/PLMS are that they are genetically linked, they share a common dopaminergic deficit, or both.
Neuroaudiological effects in a case of fatal dimethylmercury poisoning.

Objective The audiological examination of this patient was to determine the degree and type of hearing loss that was incurred from apparent dimethylmercury poisoning. Design This was a single subject case study design. Audiologic tests were selected to help determine sensory from neural and/or central auditory system dysfunction. Results This patient demonstrated an inability to understand speech, both in formal and informal assessments, yet relatively good hearing sensitivity for pure tones bilaterally. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions showed only minimal deficits in each ear. The auditory brain stem response was abnormal bilaterally, indicating neural and/or central involvement. Conclusion Dimethylmercury poisoning, in this case, resulted in compromise of the auditory neural system with little effect on the sensory (cochlea) mechanism.
Decision methods in risk analysis

Abstract Measurement of risk in terms of the frequency and severity of events is discussed, and some attributes of risk are mentioned. Next, some of the approaches available for estimating event frequency and severity are explored. Several ideas and methods appropriate for application to decisions in reliability and risk analysis are presented. These include optimization methods, trade-off studies, statistical decision theory, sensitivity studies, breakeven studies and cost-benefit studies. Comparisons of the methods and the kind of decision problems for which each is appropriate are briefly covered. It is concluded that methods are available for treatment of the simpler engineering risk decisions, but further development and education are required for more complex problems.
Alterations in the non-neuronal acetylcholine synthesis and release machinery in esophageal epithelium.

Aims A non-neuronal cholinergic system has been described in epithelial cells including that of the urinary bladder (urothelium) and the upper gastrointestinal tract (esophagus). Epithelial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathophysiology of persistent pain conditions such as painful bladder syndrome as well as functional heartburn. For example, alterations in the ability to synthesize and release acetylcholine may contribute to changes in epithelial sensory and barrier function associated with a number of functional genitourinary and intestinal disorders.