cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Production quotas as bounds on interplant JIT contracts

We consider the situation of a supplier plant whose customer plants desire just-in-time JIT deliveries. Randomness in both the production and demand processes make satisfying every demand that might occur in true JIT fashion impossible. Therefore, supplier plants typically negotiate bounds on JIT contracts with their customers. In this paper, we focus on the use of "quotas" or "target inventory levels" as a mechanism for establishing such bounds. That is, the supplier firm is responsible for meeting periodic demands up to the quota, but not beyond. In this paper, we consider the problem of setting an appropriate quota from the perspective of the supplier plant and interpret our results in the context of the negotiation process between the supplier and its customers. Under the assumption that "safety capacity" i.e., overtime or a vendoring option is available, we develop two models that address this problem. The first model assumes that quota shortfalls cannot be carried over to the next regular time production period and are made up with overtime/vendoring, which incurs fixed plus variable costs. The second model assumes that shortages can be backlogged to the next regular time production period at a cost. We use numerical examples to demonstrate how the models we developed were used by a clutch supplier to a large auto manufacturer to negotiate its JIT contracts.
Augmented extracellular ATP signaling in bladder urothelial cells from patients with interstitial cystitis

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is an idiopathic hypersensory condition of the bladder associated with increased urinary ATP and increased stretch-activated ATP release by bladder urothelial cells (BUCs...
Achromatic holographic configuration for 100-nm-period lithography

For the fabrication of large-area, spatially coherent gratings with periods of 100 nm or less, a grating interferometer is preferred over a conventional holographic configuration because of the limited coherence of available sources. Using a configuration that employs two matched fused silica phase gratings and an ArF excimer laser, we obtain high-quality 100-nm gratings in polymethyl methacrylate. We analyze the conditions for achieving high-contrast fringes with such an achromatic holographic configuration and show that the depth of focus depends only on the spatial coherence of the source. We also describe a highly accurate method for calculating the diffraction efficiency of the phase gratings as a function of polarization, incidence angle, and grating structure.
Using Model Checking Techniques For Evaluating the Effectiveness of Evolutionary Computing in Synthesis of Distributed Fault-Tolerant Programs

In most applications using genetic programming (GP), objective functions are obtained by a terminating calculation. However, the terminating calculation cannot evaluate distributed fault-tolerant programs accurately. A key distinction in synthesizing distributed fault-tolerant programs is that they are inherently non-deterministic, potentially having infinite computations and executing in an unpredictable environment. In this study, we apply a model checking technique - Binary Decision Diagrams (BDDs) - to GP, evaluating distributed programs by computing reachable states of the given program and identifying whether it satisfies its specification. We present scenario-based multi-objective approach that each program is evaluated under different scenarios which represent various environments. The computation of the programs are considered in two different semantics respectively: interleaving and maximum-parallelism. In the end, we illustrate our approach with a Byzantine agreement problem, a token ring problem and a consensus protocol using failure detector S. For the first time, this work automatically synthesizes the consensus protocol with S. The results show the proposed method enhances the effectiveness of GP in all studied cases when using maximum-parallelism semantic.
Salvage robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection after cryotherapy failure

We report the first case of post-cryotherapy salvage radical prostatectomy for local recurrence performed laparoscopically with the da Vinci robot. Total operative time was 210 minutes and blood loss was 50ml. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. The hospital stay was 24 hours and the Foley catheter was removed on postoperative day 7. The patient achieved a pad free status 4 weeks postoperatively. Pathology showed extensive disease, pT3bN0, Gleason score of 5+3 and positive margins. The patient continued on complete androgen deprivation therapy and his follow up PSA at 10 months was <0.1. Further studies are needed to evaluate both functional and oncological results with this approach.
Reflections, diffractions, and surface waves for an interior impedance wedge of arbitrary angle

The asymptotic-impedance wedge solution for plane-wave illumination at normal incidence is examined for interior wedge diffraction. An efficient method for calculating the diffraction coefficient for arbitrary wedge angle is presented, as previous calculations were very difficult except for three specific wedge angles for the uniform geometrical theory of diffraction (UTD) expansion. The asymptotic solution isolates the incident, singly reflected, multiply reflected, diffracted, surface wave, and associated surface wave transition fields. Multiply reflected fields of any order are considered. The multiply reflected fields from the exact solution arise as ratios of auxiliary Maliuzhinets functions; however, by using properties of the Maliuzhinets functions, this representation can be reduced to products of reflection coefficients which are much more efficient for calculation. A surface-wave transition field is added to the surface wave boundaries. Computations are presented for interior wedge diffractions although the formulation is equally valid for both exterior and interior wedges with uniform but different impedances on each face for both soft and hard polarizations. In addition, the accuracy of the high-frequency asymptotic expansion is examined for small diffraction distances by direct comparison of the exact and asymptotic solutions. >
Big Injun oil and gas production in north-central West Virginia

The Big Injun oil and gas reservoir of Early and Middle Mississippian ages had produced 200 million bbl of oil by 1962. In N.-central West Virginia, the Big Injun usually is in the lower 20 to 60 ft of the Greenbrier Formation of Middle Mississippian age. Study of the Big Injun reservoir rock in both subsurface cores and outcrops established a uniform shallow-water, high-energy depositional environment in a large area. Such conditions are favorable for reef-growth, and at least one oil-saturated fossil reef has been found. The reservoir rocks in the Vadis and Spruce Creek pools and the New Milton field are very much alike in the 3 cores studied. In these 3 districts alone, proved reserves as large as 88 million bbl of oil have been discovered since 1959. Hydraulic fracturing made the production of oil profitable in these areas. If combined primary and secondary recovery methods can produce half of this oil, an ultimate recovery of 100 million bbl of more new oil (since 1959) from this one reservoir is not unreasonable. (16 refs.)
Development of visual design steering as an aid in large-scale multidisciplinary design optimization. Part I: method development

A modified paradigm of Computational Steering (CS), termed Visual Design Steering (VDS), is developed in this paper. The VDS paradigm is applied to optimal design problems to provide a means for capturing and enabling designer insights. VDS allows a designer to make decisions before, during or after an analysis or optimization via a visual environment, in order to effectively steer the solution process. The objective of VDS is to obtain a better solution in less time through the use of designer knowledge and expertise. Using visual representations of complex systems in this manner enables human experience and judgement to be incorporated into the optimal design process at appropriate steps, rather than having traditional black box solvers return solutions from a prescribed input set. Part I of this paper focuses on the research issues pertaining to the Graph Morphing visualization method created to represent an n-dimensional optimization problem using 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional visualizations. Part II investigates the implementation of the VDS paradigm, using the Graph Morphing approach, to improve an optimal design process. Specifically, the following issues are addressed: impact of design variable changes on the optimal design space; identification of possible constraint redundancies; impact of constraint tolerances on the optimal solution; and smoothness of the objective function contours. It is demonstrated that Graph Morphing can effectively reduce the complexity and computational time associated with some optimization problems.
The Risk of Myocardial Infarction Associated With the Combined Use of Estrogens and Progestins in Postmenopausal Women

Background: While observational studies have suggested that unopposed estrogens reduce the incidence of coronary disease in postmenopausal women, there are few data on the effect of combined therapy with estrogens and progestins—a regimen adopted in recent years to minimize the risk of endometrial hyperplasia and cancer. In clinical trials, the addition of progestins has an adverse effect on serum lipid levels, and these lipid effects have raised the question of whether combined estrogen-progestin therapy increases the risk of coronary disease compared with the use of estrogen alone. Methods: We conducted a population-based, case-control study among enrollees of Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound. Cases were postmenopausal women who sustained an incident fatal or nonfatal myocardial infarction in 1986 through 1990. Controls were a stratified random sample of female Group Health Cooperative enrollees frequency matched to the cases by age and calendar year. We reviewed the medical records of the 502 cases and 1193 controls and conducted brief telephone interviews with consenting survivors. The health maintenance organization's computerized pharmacy database was used to ascertain the use of postmenopausal hormones. For the primary analysis of current use, we classified women into one of three groups: (1) nonusers of hormones; (2) users of estrogens alone; or (3) users of combined therapy including both estrogens and progestins. Each group of hormone users was compared with nonusers. Results: After adjustment for potential confounding factors, the risk ratio of myocardial infarction associated with current use of estrogens alone was 0.69 (95% confidence interval, 0.47 to 1.02); and the risk ratio of myocardial infarction associated with current use of combined therapy was 0.68 (95% confidence interval, 0.38 to 1.22). Duration of combined-therapy use was relatively short, averaging less than 2 years in cases and controls. Conclusions: In this case-control study, the reduced risk of myocardial infarction associated with the use of estrogens alone was consistent with previous observational studies. Although the 95% confidence interval only excluded a risk above 1.22, the current use of combined therapy was not associated with an adverse effect on the incidence of myocardial infarction in postmenopausal women. (Arch Intern Med. 1994;154:1333-1339)
Design of Optimal Tracking Discrete Control System.

Abstract Output feedback with a series compensator is considered for controlling SISO discrete systems. The MSE criterion of design is used in tracking a given input sequence. The plant can be unstable and/or non-minimum phase, while the compensator is constrained to be physically realizable and the closed-loop configuration is both stable and physically realizable. Using variational methods the required compensator is found, and shown to be the necessary and sufficient optimal solution.
Child and Caregiver Involvement and Shared Decision-Making during Asthma Pediatric Visits

Objective. The purpose of this study was to examine () the extent to which caregivers and children asked asthma management questions during pediatric asthma visits; () the extent to which providers engaged in shared decision-making with these caregivers and children; and () the factors associated with question asking and shared decision-making. Methods. Children aged 8–16 years with mild persistent asthma, moderate persistent asthma, or severe persistent asthma and their caregivers were recruited at five pediatric practices in non-urban areas of North Carolina. All of the medical visits were audio tape recorded. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the data. Results. Only 13% of children and 33% of caregivers asked one or more questions about asthma management. Caregivers were more likely to ask questions about their child’s medications. Providers obtained child input into their asthma management plan during only 6% of encounters and caregiver input into their child’s asthma management pl...
Hypersensitive carotid sinus syncope treated by implantable demand cardiac pacemaker

Abstract A patient with hypersensitive carotid sinus syncope was treated by implantation of a permanent demand cardiac pacemaker. The observations suggest the value of demand pacing for persons whose major manifestation is significant bradycardia followed by hypotension. The potential value of this form of therapy can be tested in the individual case by temporarily stimulating the carotid sinus and electrically pacing the heart while monitoring both rhythm and mean arterial pressure.
Effects of Lighting Conditions and Melatonin Supplementation on the Cellular and Humoral Immune Responses in Japanese Quail Coturnix coturnix japonica

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of lighting conditions and melatonin supplementation on the cellular and humoral immune responses in Japanese quail. The first experiment was designed to evaluate differing light regimes as immune modulators in both adult and juvenile quail. The cellular and humoral immune responses were determined for three lighting conditions; short days (8:16LD), long days (16:8LD), and constant light (LL). In the second experiment, melatonin was administered in varying doses to adult quail placed in LL. The doses used in this experiment were 0.0, 0.5, 5.0, and 50.0 microg/ml melatonin given in the drinking water for 16 h per day for 2 weeks. The cellular and humoral immune responses were evaluated after 1 week of melatonin treatment. In both experiments, a cutaneous basophil hypersensitivity reaction to phytohemagglutinin (PHA-P) was measured to evaluate the cellular immune response. To evaluate the humoral immune response, primary antibody titers were calculated 7 days postintravenous injection with a Chukar red blood cell suspension. In the adult birds of experiment 1, both the 8:16LD and 16:8LD treatments produced similar cellular and humoral immune responses but these responses were significantly greater than those observed in LL. The juvenile birds held under 8:16LD also had significantly greater cellular and humoral immune responses as compared to juvenile birds held in LL. In experiment 2, there was a clear melatonin dose response on immune function in LL. The humoral immune response increased to a peak at the 5.0 microg/ml dose while the cellular immune response increased across all dose levels. From the present study it was clear that quail placed in daily light-dark cycles (LD), possessing a diurnal rhythm of melatonin, had significantly elevated immune responses as compared to those birds in LL. Furthermore, melatonin supplemented to birds exposed to LL was immuno-enhancing. This suggests that melatonin may be a mediator of the differences seen between LD and LL lighting conditions and may have important immune modulating properties.
Aus der Zwickmühle zur Innovation

Wie kann die Forschung widerspruchlich scheinenden Erwartungen — kurzfristig Wert schaffen und langfristig Neues hervorbringen — gerecht werden? Ein Blick auf das strategische Forschungsmanagement bei IBM zeigt, wie der Spagat als Antrieb genutzt werden kann.
Requirements engineering support technique (REQUEST): a market driven requirements management process

Prior to consuming resources for product development, whether for a new product or enhancements to an existing product, the requirements of the product must be determined. This requirements process must be 'market driven' allowing product organizations to capture the 'Voice of Customer', and it must describe the requirements in understandable and measurable terms to be analyzed in order to identify solutions for the requirements. It must be a definable, repeatable, and predictable process. This paper is a synopsis of the requirements engineering support technique (REQUEST). REQUEST is a process for use by the planning and product development organizations of IBM Lines of Business (LOBs), which introduces technical and managerial discipline into the requirements process. It transforms systematically the many 'Voices of Customers' through various stages to a set of plan candidates by means of analysis, validation, and prioritization. It tracks and relates original requirements to plan items and vice versa. >
The Establishment of Genetically Engineered Canola Populations in the U.S.

Concerns regarding the commercial release of genetically engineered (GE) crops include naturalization, introgression to sexually compatible relatives and the transfer of beneficial traits to native and weedy species through hybridization. To date there have been few documented reports of escape leading some researchers to question the environmental risks of biotech products. In this study we conducted a systematic roadside survey of canola (Brassica napus) populations growing outside of cultivation in North Dakota, USA, the dominant canola growing region in the U.S. We document the presence of two escaped, transgenic genotypes, as well as non-GE canola, and provide evidence of novel combinations of transgenic forms in the wild. Our results demonstrate that feral populations are large and widespread. Moreover, flowering times of escaped populations, as well as the fertile condition of the majority of collections suggest that these populations are established and persistent outside of cultivation.
Polycentric Regions: Comparing Complementarity and Institutional Governance in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Randstad and Emilia-Romagna:

A gap in the literature that remains largely unfilled is a discussion of how polycentrism relates to broader tensions between strategies of specialised industrial agglomeration economies and divers...
Application of gain scheduling to design of active suspensions

One of the main advantages of active vehicle suspensions (with respect to conventional passive) is that they can adapt to different road, speed and handling conditions. The present study proposes one approach towards a gain scheduling technique based on the estimated road profiles and optimal control laws developed previously. The effectiveness of the approach is illustrated through simulation results with the help of white noise and actual, measured road profiles. >
Electron Microscope Study of the Normal Rat Aorta

The fine structure of the normal rat aorta is described. The presence of a sub-endothelial layer, the oblique orientation of the smooth muscle cells with respect to the aortic axis, and the occurrence of desmosomes between these cells and adjacent elastic laminae, are emphasized. Lead-stained collagen presented a characteristic signet-ring appearance on cross-section. The rats examined were the pair-fed controls for the lathyritic series described in a separate communication.
Skilled Deaf Readers Have an Enhanced Perceptual Span in Reading

Recent evidence suggests that, compared with hearing people, deaf people have enhanced visual attention to simple stimuli viewed in the parafovea and periphery. Although a large part of reading involves processing the fixated words in foveal vision, readers also utilize information in parafoveal vision to preprocess upcoming words and decide where to look next. In the study reported here, we investigated whether auditory deprivation affects low-level visual processing during reading by comparing the perceptual span of deaf signers who were skilled and less-skilled readers with the perceptual span of skilled hearing readers. Compared with hearing readers, the two groups of deaf readers had a larger perceptual span than would be expected given their reading ability. These results provide the first evidence that deaf readers' enhanced attentional allocation to the parafovea is used during complex cognitive tasks, such as reading.
The Influence of Plasma Excitation Frequency on the Properties of a-SiC:H Produced in a Glow Discharge Plasma

We have deposited a-SiC:H thin films from a silane-methane glow discharge plasma in a planar reactor using high (13Mhz and low (12kHz) frequency plasma excitation. Films produced at these two frequencies have significantly different properties as measured by vacuum UV reflectivity measurements, XPS, and infrared spectroscopy. Samples produced at the low excitation frequencies, where higher ion fluxes and energies are expected, have higher VUV reflectivities, higher bulk plasmon energies, and fewer IR bands due to organic fragments. In order to relate the VUV reflectivity data to the material properties, it was fitted to a simple Lorentz model using parameters taken from XPS data. We will discuss our interpretation of these data and also the dependence of film properties on the reactant gas composition.
Adaptive rate control scheme for video streaming over wireless channels

Providing continuous video playback with graceful quality degradation over wireless channels is fraught with challenges. Video applications require stringent delay guarantees and a relatively high throughput. Wireless channels are error prone, time varying, and bandwidth limited. To improve the reliability of the wireless link, forward error correction (FEC) and automatic repeat request (ARQ) are often used. If designed for the worst channel conditions, FEC can provide constant throughput and bounded delay. However, this causes unnecessary overhead and reduces the maximum achievable throughput when the channel is in good conditions. On the other hand, it is difficult to achieve strict delay guarantees using ARQ schemes alone, especially when the channel is in deep fading. Playback buffer occupancy plays a major role in the target video quality. The retransmission of erroneous packets and the reduction in throughput due to FEC overhead can lead to playback buffer starvation as well as transmitter buffer fullness. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the bit rate of the transmitted video signal and increase error protection when the channel is anticipated to be bad or the receiver playback buffer starvation is predicted. In this study, we introduce a scalable and adaptive source-channel rate control scheme for video transmission over wireless packet networks. In this scheme, the level of adaptiveness is optimized to reduce the bandwidth requirement while guaranteeing delay and loss bounds. Simulation and numerical investigations are carried out to study the interactions among various key parameters and verify the adequacy of the analysis.
Regulatory T cells control NK cells in an insulitic lesion by depriving them of IL-2

Regulatory T (T reg) cells control progression to autoimmune diabetes in the BDC2.5/NOD mouse model by reining in natural killer (NK) cells that infiltrate the pancreatic islets, inhibiting both their proliferation and production of diabetogenic interferon-γ. In this study, we have explored the molecular mechanisms underlying this NK–T reg cell axis, following leads from a kinetic exploration of gene expression changes early after punctual perturbation of T reg cells in BDC2.5/NOD mice. Results from gene signature analyses, quantification of STAT5 phosphorylation levels, cytokine neutralization experiments, cytokine supplementation studies, and evaluations of intracellular cytokine levels collectively argue for a scenario in which T reg cells regulate NK cell functions by controlling the bioavailability of limiting amounts of IL-2 in the islets, generated mainly by infiltrating CD4+ T cells. This scenario represents a previously unappreciated intertwining of the innate and adaptive immune systems: CD4+ T cells priming NK cells to provoke a destructive T effector cell response. Our findings highlight the need to consider potential effects on NK cells when designing therapeutic strategies based on manipulation of IL-2 levels or targets.
Human Hippocampal Neurons Predict How Well Word Pairs Will Be Remembered

What is the neuronal basis for whether an experience is recalled or forgotten? In contrast to recognition, recall is difficult to study in nonhuman primates and rarely is accessible at the single neuron level in humans. We recorded 128 medial temporal lobe (MTL) neurons in patients implanted with intracranial microelectrodes while they encoded and recalled word paired associates. Neurons in the amygdala, entorhinal cortex, and hippocampus showed altered activity during encoding (9%), recall (22%), and both task phases (23%). The responses of hippocampal neurons during encoding predicted whether or not subjects later remembered the pairs successfully. Entorhinal cortex neuronal activity during retrieval was correlated with recall success. These data provide support at the single neuron level for MTL contributions to encoding and retrieval, while also suggesting there may be differences in the level of contribution of MTL regions to these memory processes.
Regulation of surfactant protein gene transcription.

Abstract Surfactant protein concentrations are precisely maintained during fetal development and postnatally controlled, at least in part, by the regulation of gene transcription and/or mRNA stability. Together, these mechanisms contribute to the unique temporal-spatial distribution of surfactant protein synthesis that is characteristic of the mammalian lung. Surfactant proteins A, B and C are expressed primarily in subsets of respiratory epithelial cells, wherein their expression is modified by developmental, physiological, humoral and inflammatory stimuli. Cell specific and humoral regulation of surfactant protein transcription is determined by the interactions of a number of nuclear transcription proteins that function in combination, by binding to cis-acting elements located in the 5′ regulatory regions of each of the surfactant protein genes. The unique combination of distinct and shared cis-acting elements and transcriptional proteins serves to modulate surfactant protein synthesis in the lung. The present review will summarize efforts to identify the mechanisms contributing to the regulation of surfactant protein gene transcription in the lung, focusing to the nuclear transcription factor, TTF-1 (or thyroid transcription factor-1), a member of the Nkχ2 family of nuclear transcription proteins. A complete review of regulatory aspects of surfactant homeostasis is beyond the scope of the present summary.
Model sensitivity analysis in environmental emergency management: a case study in oil spill modeling

When simulation models are used as decision support systems in environmental emergency response, it is important to know the confidence of simulation results generated by a model. The Hazardous Material Response Division (HAZMAT) at NOAA uses the oil weathering software package named 'Automated Data Inquiry for Oil Spills' (ADIOS) to investigate the oil weathering process. This model combines a database of the physical and chemical properties of oils with a simulation model for computing the mass losses, density, viscosity and water content of an oil spill due to evaporation, dispersion and emulsification. The sensitivity analysis of the ADIOS model with respect to environmental conditions and oil physical parameters is discussed in this paper. To perform the sensitivity analysis, the Object-Oriented Modeling System was used, together with the Sensitivity Analysis Laboratory, both being developed at NOAA. Preliminary results of the sensitivity analysis of the evaporation process are presented. According to these preliminary results, it is expected that it will be possible to provide a taxonomy of oils with respect to the reliability of the results generated by the ADIOS model. A sensitivity analysis of the complete ADIOS model is in progress.
Hostility and cigarette use: a comparison between smokers and nonsmokers in a matched sample of adolescents

INTRODUCTION: We examined the association between hostility-a personality trait reflective of negativity and cynicism toward others-and smoking in adolescents, by measuring: (a) several subcomponents of hostility, and (b) facial emotion processing ability, which has been previously linked to hostility. METHODS: Participants (N = 241, aged 14-19) were 95 smokers and 95 demographically matched nonsmokers, as well as 51 nonmatched smokers. All participants completed the Cook-Medley (C-M) hostility scale, which provides a general hostility score and three component scores (cynicism, hypersensitivity, and aggressive responding), and a facial emotion processing task. This task, designed to assess emotion recognition, requires quickly identifying the emotion of faces that gradually morph from neutral to high intensity happy, angry, or fearful. RESULTS: Independent sample t tests indicated that matched smokers scored significantly higher in cynicism and aggressive responding than nonsmokers. Among smokers, age of smoking onset was negatively correlated with general hostility and aggressive responding. All hostility scales were positively correlated with the intensity needed to recognize happy faces. Counterintuitively, smokers required a greater intensity to recognize angry faces than nonsmokers. No other relations between hostility/smoking status and facial emotion processing were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Aspects of hostility, particularly aggressive responding, may be a risk factor for early onset smoking. Although hostile participants exhibited a deficiency in their ability to recognize happiness in facial pictures, these results did not translate to differences in smoking status. This study elucidates some of the complex interrelations between hostility, emotion processing, and adolescent smoking, which may have implications for teen smoking prevention. Language: en
Dissimilation of [13C]methanol by continuous cultures of Bacillus methanolicus MGA3 at 50 °C studied by 13C NMR and isotope-ratio mass spectrometry

Using a continuous culture of Bacillus methanolicus MGA3 limited by 100 mM methanol in the feed and growing at a dilution rate D=0·25 h−1, transients in dissolved methanol were studied to determine the effects of methanol toxicity and the pathway of methanol dissimilation to CO2. Steady-state cultures were disturbed by pulses of methanol resulting in a rapid change in concentration of 6·4–12·8 mM. B. methanolicus MGA3 responded to a sudden increase in available methanol by a transient decline in the biomass concentration in the reactor. In most cases the culture returned to steady state between 4 and 12 h after pulse addition. However, at a methanol pulse of 12·8 mM, complete biomass washout occurred and the culture did not return to steady state. Integrating the response curves of the dry biomass concentration over a 12 h time period showed that a methanol pulse can cause an average transient decline in the biomass yield of up to 22%. 13C NMR experiments using labelled methanol indicated that the transient partial or complete biomass washout was probably caused by toxic accumulation of formaldehyde in the culture. These experiments also showed accumulation of formate, indicating that B. methanolicus possesses formaldehyde dehydrogenase and formate dehydrogenase activity resulting in a methanol dissimilation pathway via formate to CO2. Studies using isotope-ratio mass spectrometry provided further evidence of a methanol dissimilation pathway via formate. B. methanolicus MGA3, growing continuously under methanol limitation, consumed added formate at a rate of approximately 0·85 mmol l−1 h−1. Furthermore, significant accumulation of 13CO2 in the reactor exhaust gas was measured in response to a pulse addition of [13C]formic acid to the bioreactor. This indicates that B. methanolicus dissimilates methanol carbon to CO2 in order to detoxify formaldehyde by both a linear pathway to formate and a cyclic mechanism as part of the RuMP pathway.
Detection and prediction of lung tumor motion with fluoroscopy

A new radiotherapy adjunct system capable of tracking tumor motion due to breathing has been proposed. The properties of tumor motion with breathing were determined from fluoroscopic video recorded during patient simulation. Real-time patient motion during treatment was detected with noninvasive motion sensing and the immediate-future tumor position was predicted in correlation with the pre-determined motion properties to guide the treatment field. Here, the authors report their solutions to some critical problems with this system. The pincushion distortion of the fluoroscopic imaging system was corrected with a 5/sup th/ order two-dimensional polynomial unwarping function based on the measurement with a fine lead-grid phantom. Temporal Fourier transformation of the fluoroscopic video provided a static view of the motion field. Regions with different motion ranges can be quickly measured. In order to obtain real time tumor position with noninvasive motion sensing, a calibration technique has also been developed. Phantom simulations revealed that the motion monitoring system with prediction capability can minimize phase-introduced errors and allow more conformal treatment fields. Accurate calibrations of the radiographic imaging system and the motion detection system can significantly improve the systematic uncertainties.
Anesthesia for Insertion of Implantable Cardioverter Defibdilators

The use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) for patients at risk for sudden death from ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation has steadily in creased since the 1980s. ICD...
The effects of three social decision schemes on decision group process

Abstract An experimental study compared the effects of three group decision-making schemes. A nominal voting scheme produced the highest satisfaction with the group decision-making process, and the lowest amount of expressed negative socio-emotional behaviors, but also produced the lowest feelings of personal participation. A consensus scheme produced nearly the opposite results—with high felt participation, but also a high degree of negative socio-emotional behaviors, and low satisfaction with the group decision-making process. Apparently the more structured nominal voting scheme reduces the interpersonal give-and-take that can lead to negative socio-emotional behavior, but that also gives a feeling of participation.
Worst-case Static Design of Diode-transistor Logic by Digital Computer†

ABSTRACT A computer programme for the static worst-case design of a diode-transistor logic element is described. The approach adopted permits the designer to take into account the possible existence of voltage and current-operated loads other than identical logic elements which the element may be called upon to drive. The computer results comprise a complete listing of all sets of standard resistor values capable of providing a specified fan-out factor for given supply line and resistor tolerances and given diode and transistor parameters. By eliminating much tedious calculation and narrowing the field these solutions form useful starting points from which the engineer may proceed to a final design satisfying all the imposed conditions.
The Effect of Vertical Air Motions on Rain Rates and Median Volume Diameter Determined from Combined UHF and VHF Wind Profiler Measurements and Comparisons with Rain Gauge Measurements

Abstract Two different frequency radar wind profilers (920 and 50 MHz) were used to retrieve rain rates from a long-lasting rainfall event observed near Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, during the 1993–94 wet season. In this technique, 50-MHz data are used to derive the vertical air motion parameters (vertical velocity and spectral width); the 920-MHz data are then used to obtain the precipitation characteristics with the vertical air motion corrections. A comparison of the retrieved rain rates with rain gauge measurements shows excellent agreement. A detailed examination of the mean vertical velocity and spectral width corrections in the rain retrieval shows that the error due to an uncorrected mean vertical velocity can be as large as 100%, and the error for an uncorrected spectral width was about 10% for the range of mean vertical velocity and spectral width considered. There was a strong functional dependence between the retrieved mean vertical velocity and percentage difference between observed...
Using a Simulation Exercise to Enrich an Education Policy Course

A simulation exercise in an education policy and politics course offers a unique opportunity for students to explore a range of policy issues and better understand local school district operations. This course involves students in role playing activities tied to the annual budget process in a local school district setting. The exercise which extends over multiple weeks, allows students to experience firsthand the tough choices faced by school boards and interest groups, and learn about framing and coalition building to assert their issue positions. Student performance in the course suggests that this exercise offers a valuable tool with which to explore issues of educational policy, finance and governance.
A Control Strategy for an Active Alignment Transtibial Prosthesis

This paper presents a control approach for an experimental transtibial prosthesis that can actively realign the residual limb in relation to prosthetic foot during the stance phase of gait. The realignment objective is to inject positive power into the gait cycle while actively reducing the magnitude of the sagittal moment transferred to the residual limb. The altered gait dynamics of this new type of prosthesis require a control approach that coordinates its function with a user’s gait cycle. This paper overviews the mechanical design of the prosthesis development, the proposed finite-state adaptive controller, and presents experimental results for constant cadence walking and adaptation while changing walking speeds.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Pathogenic effects of glucosyltransferase from Clostridium difficile toxins

The glucosyltransferase domain ofClostridium difficiletoxins modifies guanine nucleotide-binding proteins of Rho family. It is the major virulent domain of the holotoxins. Various pathogenic effects ofC. difficiletoxins in response to Rho glucosylation have been investigated including cytoskeleton damage, cell death and inflammation. The most recent studies have revealed some significant characteristics of the holotoxins that are independent of glucosylating activity. These findings arouse discussion about the role of glucosyltransferase activity in toxin pathogenesis and open up new insights for toxin mechanism study. In this review, we summarize the pathogenic effects of glucosyltransferase domain of the toxins in the past years.
Flow Cytochemical Study of Acute Leukemia of Childhood With the Technicon H•1

The peripheral blood of 43 children with acute leukemia was examined with the Technicon H•1, an automated cell analyzer that combines flow cytometry technology and cytochemistry and generates a complete blood count and white cell differential count in 60 seconds. The purpose of the study was to determine if a preliminary characterization of acute leukemias of childhood could be obtained from this instrument. Two cytograms were produced for white cell evaluation based upon peroxidase content of the cell and nuclear complexity as determined from laser analysis. The diagnosis of leukemia was confirmed by bone marrow aspiration (BMA) and classified according to FAB criteria. Immunophenotyping was also performed in all but three cases. Nine children had acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL). Correlation between blast detection by the instrument and manual differential count was 100%. The mean myeloperoxidase index (MPXI) was high or normal in 55% of these cases. Moreover, cytograms suggestive of mixed leukemia were generated twice and confirmed by immunophenotypic analysis. Thirty-four of the patients had acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Correlation between blast and/or atypical cell detection by the instrument and manual differential was 91.1%. In ALL the lymphocyte counts were above 50% in all but two patients, and the mean peroxidase activity was 0 in 70% of the samples. Cytograms generated by the Technicon H•1 were found to be beneficial for quick preliminary characterization of leukemias, were diagnostically valid, and facilitated the immunophenotypic categorization of these childhood leukemias.
PASSIVE SERUM PROTECTION OF THE INFANT RABBIT AGAINST EXPERIMENTAL CHOLERA.

The recent spread of cholera throughout Southeast Asia has re-emphasized the devastating nature of the disease and the importance of effective techniques for its prevention. Uncertainty still exists as to the effectiveness of cholera vaccine, since it has never been subjected to strictly controlled field studies. Administration of a properly prepared cholera vaccine results in a rise of serum agglutinating antibodies in nearly all recipients (Goodner, 1963), but there is some doubt that serum antibody can be effective against an infection which appears confined mainly to the lumen of the gut (Pollitzer, 1959). FYeter (1956) reported that coproantibody rather than circulating antibody was of importance in protection of the guinea pig against fatal enteric infection with Vibrio cholerae. Jenkin and Rowley (1960) showed that active or passive immunization protects adult rabbits against V. cholerae infection in the ligated intestinal loop and concluded that coproantibodies play a role in protection by functioning as opsonins. Metchnikoff (1894) induced a choleralike diarrheal disease in infant rabbits by means of oral administration of V. cholerae and described the disease in terms which can hardly be improved
COMPUTATION OF ALONGSHORE ENERGY AND LITTORAL TRANSPORT

This work encompasses a study of the littoral regime of a section of the coastline of the city and county of San Francisco, California The study included a complete refraction analyses of all applicable deep water wave directions and periods, the determination of breaker locations, and a computation of alongshore energy and potential littoral transport for seven stations located just offshore along the thirty foot depth contour The waves are refracted from deep water locations to the shoreline using the Stanford Wave Refraction computer program Wave breaking is assumed to take place whenever the computed wave height exceeds 0 78 times the local water depth The effect of limiting the refraction coefficient is explored since the refraction theory, in analogy with its parent theory of geometric optics, fails along caustic curves and predicts unreasonably large values for the refraction coefficient.
Senses of Place in Ceremony

Countless human beings disappear each day all over the world. Knowledge countless centuries old, formed generation after generation by the laboring beauty of bodies in all their languages, disappears. In Central America whole peoples are being exterminated by government death squads; Quiche Maya are machinegunned in Guatemala, their lands burned. Even in Mexico mahogany forests that "hold together the Lacondon Maya community as well as the ecological stability of the environment" are bulldozed.1
A nonparametric approach to measuring the sensitivity of an asset’s return to the market

In the market model the return on an asset is modeled as a linear function of the return on a market index with slope parameter beta. The coefficient beta is often used as a measure of the sensitivity of the asset’s return to the market and to measure the component of the variance of the return that is explained by the market. However, both of these interpretations require the additional assumption that the error term in the market model has mean 0 conditional on the return on the market index, an assumption that is often difficult to verify in practice. In this paper, a nonparametric version of the market model is proposed that does not require such an assumption. This nonparametric model replaces the beta coefficient of the market model with a “beta curve” describing the relationship between the asset’s return and that of the market locally near a given value of the market return. The proposed model is applied to stock returns, as well as to returns on mutual funds. Corresponding tests of the market model are given and it is shown that the nonparametric model often provides an improvement over the standard parametric market model.
Ultrafast laser inscribed fiber Bragg gratings for sensing applications

Because of their small size, passive nature, immunity to electromagnetic interference, and capability to directly measure physical parameters such as temperature and strain, fiber Bragg grating sensors have developed beyond a laboratory curiosity and are becoming a mainstream sensing technology. Recently, high temperature stable gratings based on femtosecond infrared laser-material processing have shown promise for use in extreme environments such as high temperature, pressure or ionizing radiation. Such gratings are ideally suited for energy production applications where there is a requirement for advanced energy system instrumentation and controls that are operable in harsh environments. This tutorial paper will present a review of some of the more recent developments.
Fluorogenic assay for rapid detection of Escherichia coli in chilled and frozen foods : collaborative study

A collaborative study was conducted to compare a proposed LST-MUG method with the AOAC official method for Escherichia coli detection. E. coli produces an enzyme, beta-glucuronidase, which cleaves the substrate, 4-methyl-umbelliferyl-beta-D-glucuronide (MUG), to yield a fluorescent end product. Incorporation of the MUG substrate into lauryl tryptose broth (LST) enables a rapid quantitative method for screening E. coli, which is detected by fluorescence of the medium under longwave UV light. In this collaborative study, 5 food samples, 2 frozen (entree sauce/gravy and dairy topping) and 3 chilled (hamburger, pork sausage, and cheese), were tested for E. coli detection by 17 collaborating laboratories. Results indicate that the LST-MUG method is equal to or better than the current AOAC method for detecting E. coli. The LST-MUG method has been adopted official first action.
The Detection of Deception

In clinical situations, patient honesty and self-interest usually coincide; however, in legal circumstances patients may be motivated to skillfully deceive physicians. Research raises doubt concerning the capacity of health providers to detect malingering, particularly when there is less known about conditions and expected symptom patterns. This article reviews research on malingering detection, and methods are discussed that can supplement medical examination and increase the accuracy of malingering detection.