cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Convergence technology in cancer medicine

The field of convergence technology may be defined as an area of technologic innovation in which multiple devices or functionalities are combined within a single platform in a way that adds functional, operational or economic synergies. Within the field of medical devices, this concept embodies many different types of novel combinations representing syntheses of therapeutic, diagnostic and digital information technologies. In the current era of healthcare reform, such combinatorial technologies will be pressed to demonstrate improvements in comparative effectiveness compared with the use of separate independent components. Moreover, the new more stringent regulatory environment will require much greater levels of pre- and post-market safety reviews conducted under the auspices and authority of the US FDA Office of Combination Products. This branch of the FDA scrutinizes submissions and divides them into drugs, devices and biological products and includes many submissions previously regulated by disparate ...
Necrotizing enterocolitis: Laboratory indicators of surgical disease

Abstract The timely distinction between infants with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) who need surgery and those who are likely to recover with medical management is important, but it may be difficult clinically. Because pneumoperitoneum is not always present, additional markers of bowel gangrene are needed. Among 73 babies managed for NEC over the study period, 49 (67%) met the study criteria of Bell's stage > 1, and their records were reviewed to determine the usefulness of common laboratory tests in predicting outcome. The patients were divided into three groups based on management. Group 1 (7 patients) required surgery at the time of initial presentation because of pneumoperitoneum. The remaining 42 patients were initially managed medically, 19 of whom (group 2) recovered successfully; the other 23 (group 3) required surgery. The combination of certain laboratory tests, ie, white blood cell count (WBC), immature: total neutrophil ratio (I:T), platelet count (PLT), and base excess (BE), was of significance in distinguishing between infants who would need surgery and those who would recover with medical therapy (group 3 v group 2) 4 to 12 hours or 12 to 24 hours after the diagnosis of NEC was established. A scoring scale was developed, with a point for each of the following: WBC 3 , I:T >.5, PLT 3 , and BE ≤ −2. A score of ≥3 during 4 to 12 hours after diagnosis of NEC strongly predicted the presence of surgical disease (positive predictive value, 100%; negative predictive value, 76%; specificity, 100%; sensitivity, 64%). This scoring scale, along with clinical course, can assist in determining the need for surgery in a timely manner.
Patency of neck veins following ultrasound-guided percutaneous Hickman line insertion

Venous occlusion following permanent central venous catheter (CVC) insertion by open cutdown or the landmark percutaneous technique has been reported between up to 25 %. However, there are no published data on the equivalent rate following ultrasound-guided percutaneous CVC insertion. The purpose of this study was to document the rate of venous occlusion associated with ultrasound-guided percutaneous CVC insertion in children. From 1 April 2010 to 1 December 2011, all children having elective or emergency removal of a Hickman line by the vascular access team had a Doppler ultrasound of their neck veins. Only Hickman lines inserted by the ultrasound-guided percutaneous route were included. Internal jugular, innominate and subclavian veins were scanned and recorded as patent, reduced or absent. We identified 100 consecutive children. Median age was 6 years (range 21 days to 16 years). Indication for insertion was chemotherapy (60), parenteral nutrition (15), blood products (12), renal replacement (3) and other indications (10). Three children had absent flow at the time of line removal (median age 4 months, range 3–6 months), with 2 out of 3 requiring removal for infection. The venous occlusion rate following ultrasound-guided insertion of CVC is 3 % in our study. We conclude that (1) complete venous occlusion is associated with younger age and CVC infection. (2) In our study, the venous occlusion rate of 3 % is significantly lower than the published series of either open cutdown or the landmark technique.
Combination of interleukin-2 and irradiation in therapy of murine tumors.

Experiments were designed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of interleukin-2 (IL-2) combined with radiotherapy. The effect of IL-2 and local thoracic irradiation (LTI) was determined on 4-day-old lung micrometastases, generated by i.v. injection of tumor cells into mice. IL-2 alone reduced the number of lung nodules more effectively when given from 1 to 4 than 4 to 7 days after tumor cell injection. The combination of IL-2 and LTI reduced the number of lung nodules more than did the individual treatments alone. When IL-2 therapy was combined with local irradiation of 8-mm leg tumors, there was no change in the TCD50 (radiation dose yielding 50% local tumor control). However, the combination of IL-2 treatment on days 1-4 with irradiation of tumor-bearing legs on day 1 after inoculation of tumor cells reduced the TCD50 by a factor of 1.3. These results show that IL-2 improves tumor radiotherapy, but that the improvement depends on anatomic localization and tumor size at the time of treatment.
Parallel versus serial processes in multidimensional stimulus discrimination

Although considerable effort has been devoted to the description of processes underlying discriminations along single dimensions, there have been few attempts to determine whether or how these elementary processes are combined when discrimination requires the consideration of more than one stimulus dimension. In the present experiment, Ss were required to indicate whether two simultaneously presented multidimensional visual stimuli were identical or different. The response measure was reaction time, and Ss had a monetary incentive to respond both quickly and accurately. It was concluded that the most appropriate model for this task is one that assumes that dimensions are compared serially, and that the order in which dimensions are compared varies from trial-to-trial. Further, when a pair differs along several dimensions, Ss do not necessarily examine every dimension before initiating the response “Different.”
Bell and LaPadula axioms: a “new” paradigm for an “old” model

Ideally secure systems must, be provable secure, so they are all defined by mathematical models. Most of current systems are based on the Bell and LaPadula Model (BLM), however, many usages are not logically sound. In this paper, a new paradigm is proposed to reinterpret the BLM. BLM is treated as axioms to define the multilevel security, in the same spirit as Hilbert axioms to the Euc1idean geometry. Absolutely no violations are tolerated. So many usual trusted subjects are no longer admissible in this new BLM. Three layer architecture is proposed to accommodate such requirements.
Alternative Agents for Humanitarian Intervention

The use of private security companies by national governments is met with widespread skepticism. Less understood is the role these companies can play in international humanitarian interventions in the service of international organizations. I argue here that despite valid concerns about the use of such private entities, we should nonetheless see them as legitimate participants in efforts to secure human rights protection around the globe. In order to assess their legitimacy, we need to ensure, among other things, that they can adhere to ethical standards when serving in humanitarian missions, that they can be held accountable when they fail to uphold the standard of justice enshrined in international law, and that their for-profit status does not have implications detrimental to humanitarian concerns.
Metabolism of Uniformly Labeled Glucose-C14 Introduced into the Rumen of a Lactating Cow. I. Transfer of C14 to Respired Air, Volatile Fatty Acids, and Major Milk Constituents,

Summary To study the metabolic fate of dietary glucose in the lactating cow, uniformly C 14 -labeled glucose (G-U-C 14 ) was introduced through a fistula into the rumen. Continuous samples of respired CO 2 were collected and assayed for carbon-14; in addition, samples of rumen and duodenal contents, jugular and ruminal vein blood, and milk were collected at frequent intervals and assayed for Carbon-14. Following the administration of G-U-C 14 , the specific activity reached a maximum in respired CO 2 at 45min and in blood volatile fatty acids (VFA) at 15min, but the maximum was not reached in plasma glucose until 2 hr had elapsed. The first sample of rumen VFA, collected 1 hr after G-U-C 14 administration, had the highest specific activity and later samples decreased in specific activity by approximately one-half each 4–5 hr. Carbon-14 was not detected in rumen VFA after 24 hr. The specific activity of milk constituents after rumen administration of G-U-C 14 was different from that observed after intravenous injection of G-U-C 14 , but was similar to results obtained after intravenous injection of C 14 -labeled short-chain fatty acids. These results indicate that glucose was rapidly converted to short-chain fatty acids in the rumen before its absorption and utilization in the tissues of the cow for synthesis of milk components and oxidation to carbon dioxide. This study presents new information on the difference in metabolic fate of dietary glucose compared to intravenously administered glucose in the ruminant and shows the rapid transfer of carbon from dietary glucose to blood VFA, which had not been previously demonstrated.
Stimulation of food intake by muscimol and beta endorphin

Abstract Muscimol, a GABA agonist, or beta-endorphin, an endogenous opiate receptor agonist, stimulated food intake in satiated rats when injected into the ventromedial hypothalamus. A similar effect was elicited by norepinephrine. Eating induced by muscimol was inhibited by bicuculline but not by naltrexone or phentolamine. In contrast, norepinephrine-induced eating was terminated by both phentolamine and bicuculline, whereas beta-endorphin-induced eating was blocked by both naltrexone and bicuculline. These observations implicate GABA in the regulation of food intake and suggest that this putative transmitter may be involved also in the increased food intake induced by norepinephrine or opiate receptor agonists.
Synthetic Materials in the Study of Cell Response to Substrate Rigidity

While it has long been understood that cells can sense and respond to a variety of stimuli, including soluble and insoluble factors, light, and externally applied mechanical stresses, the extent to which cells can sense and respond to the mechanical properties of their environment has only recently begun to be studied. Cell response to substrate stiffness has been suggested to play an important role in processes ranging from developmental morphogenesis to the pathogenesis of disease states and may have profound implications for cell and tissue culture and tissue engineering. Given the importance of this phenomenon, there is a clear need for systems for cell study in which substrate mechanics can be carefully defined and varied independently of biochemical and other signals. This review will highlight past work in the field of cell response to substrate rigidity as well as areas for future study.
COMPARISON OF THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF VACCINES AND INSECTICIDE IMPREGNATION OF MOSQUITO NETS FOR THE PREVENTION OF MALARIA

The cost-effectiveness of two different methods of prevention of morbidity and mortality due to Plasmodium falciparum malaria, vaccination and impregnation of mosquito nets with permethrin, was compared. The analysis was performed with reference to the cohort of all children born in The Gambia in 1990 and protected for 5 years, using estimates of costs from studies in The Gambia. The vaccine was assumed to be given in three doses before the age of 6 months, through the Expanded Programme of Immunization, and to remain effective up to the age of 5 years. The bednets were assumed to be impregnated at 6-monthly intervals over the 5-year period. The expected number of deaths and attacks due to P. falciparum in the first 5 years of the 1990 cohort's lives were estimated from published literature. The numbers of deaths and attacks averted by the two strategies were then estimated by decision analysis, using the best estimates of effectiveness available in the literature. The vaccine strategy would have averted an estimated 743 deaths and 50,502 malaria attacks, whereas the net impregnation would have averted 1537 deaths and 69,415 attacks. The estimated cost per death averted was U.S. $252 for the vaccine and U.S. $711 for net impregnation. The estimated cost per P. falciparum attack averted was U.S. $3.71 for the vaccine and U.S. $15.75 for net impregnation. Sensitivity analysis, examining the effect of varying the vaccine cost or insecticide cost, the efficacy of the vaccine or net impregnation, and the percentage coverage of the population, confirmed the greater cost-effectiveness of the vaccine strategy for either of the outcomes examined under the conditions of the model. However, limitations on the absolute number of deaths and malaria attacks which can averted by currently available vaccines demonstrate that a vaccine of higher efficacy would be highly desirable.
Route to chaos in the magnetic garnets

Abstract Since the initial growth of the magnetic garnets in 1956, they have contributed significantly to the study of microscopic and macroscopic interactions in magnetism as well as materials for applications. With the recent growth of the field of nonlinear dynamics, the magnetic garnets have become a fruitful material for the observation of instabilities that include regular oscillations, period doubling, irregular period oscillations, intermittency, chaos and periodic windows. The microscopiHamiltonian describing the magnetic system includes the nonlinear interaction parameters between the normal modes of the magnetic vector. The comparison between the experimental system and the numerical results obtained from the Hamiltonian are found to give good results, especially for the case of magnetostatic modes associated with thin films.
Underlying mechanics of active nanocomposites with tunable properties

This paper proposes the development of a new class of nanotube-based piezoelectric polymeric composites with controllable bond expansion and contraction in the interface of nanotube and matrix for use in next-generation structural vibration control systems. It is theoretically shown that through applying external electrical field, the quality of adhesion between nanotube and the matrix at nanoscale can be imparted to result in novel engineered composites at macroscale with tunable mechanical properties ranging from stiffer structure to better damper, the attributes that are essential for structural vibration control. Along this line, two classes of nanotubes; namely, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), are investigated. It is demonstrated that BNNTs possess better tunability compared to CNTs due to their outstanding molecular crystalline structure. More specifically, it is shown that mechanical properties of BNNT-based structures are more sensitive to the variation of separation distance in the interphase zone, and the stick-slip mechanism, which is responsible for damping change, can easily occur in BNNT-reinforced piezoelectric polymers.
Exploring individual opinions of potential evaluators in a 360-degree assessment: Four distinct viewpoints of a competent resident

Background: Despite the highly acclaimed psychometric features of a 360-degree assessment in the fields of economics, military, and education, there has been increased interest in developing 360-degree instruments to assess competencies in graduate medical education only in the past recent years. Most of the effort to date, however, has focused on developing instruments and testing their reliability and feasibility. Insufficient attention has gone into issues of construct validity and particularly understanding the underlying constructs on which the instruments are based as well as the phenomena that affect ratings. Purpose: In preparation for developing a 360-degree assessment instrument, we explored variations in evaluators' opinion type of a competent resident and offer observation about evaluator's professional background and opinions. Method: Evaluators from two residency programs ranked 36 opinion statements, using a relative-ranking model, based on their opinion of a competent resident. By-person f...
The effect of causal knowledge on individuals' perceptions of nonfinancial performance measures in profit prediction

Abstract Although organizations commonly report nonfinancial performance measures (NFPMs) associated with profitability, prior research does not address the extent to which the provision of causal knowledge affects individuals' perceptions of the predictive content of such measures. This study examines how providing NFPMs together with different types of causal knowledge (i.e., strong, weak, or none) affects the perceived usefulness of the measures in a profit prediction context. Weak causal knowledge is defined as the direction of the relationship between an NFPM and earnings, while strong causal knowledge is a complete explanation underlying the relationship. The results provide evidence that providing weak causal knowledge increases individuals' perceptions of the predictive content of an NFPM compared to providing no causal knowledge; however, providing strong causal knowledge does not incrementally affect perceptions beyond providing only weak causal knowledge. These findings have implications for the type of information organizations report concurrently with NFPMs.
Theory of Raman scattering from charge-density-wave phonons

A recent microscopic theory of two-phonon Raman scattering by anomalous phonons in transition-metal compounds is extended to one-phonon scattering from phonons associated with a charge density wave (CDW). To lowest order in the CDW distortion the two-phonon results can be used directly. For layered transition-metal dichalcogenides the Raman intensities of the CDW modes result mainly from intralayer interactions. To understand observed intensities in $2H$-Ta${\mathrm{Se}}_{2}$ anharmonicity and higher-order Raman coefficients are included within a Landau theory. For stronger distortions a general theory is possible, but a simple solution can only be given for a very simple model with a single conduction band and a single CDW wave vector. The simple solution for the Raman amplitude can be made analytic for the case of one dimension. Some conclusions are also drawn for more general cases.
GEOGRAPHY AND THE LAW OF THE SEA

The Law of the Sea may be defined as the specialized set of decisions dealing with the nature and extent of control exercised over the marine environment. Of particular concern to geographers are three aspects: the distribution of controls which are exercised in the marine environment, the bases for establishing certain controls, and the impact the controls have on the utilization of the sea's resources. The marine environment differs from that on land because of its three-dimensional nature, the mobility of many of its resources, and the fact that various forms of activity can be carried on simultaneously in one small sector of the sea. The resources of the high seas are the common property of all countries, although coastal states exercise jurisdiction over narrow bands of water adjacent to their shorelines. Over the years a complex body of international law has grown up concerning jurisdiction over the world ocean; much of this law is embodied in the four Geneva Conventions adopted in 1958. But with changing technologies and changing political and economic conditions, the Conventions have proven to be of limited value in resolving international conflicts over access to the sea's resources. Individual countries continue to press unilateral claims for which there are no bases in law or custom, yet against which there is little attractive counter force. At a time when the potential wealth of the marine environment is slowly being unlocked, it is essential to develop a composite view of the world ocean and its administration, to relate the controls exercised in the sea to the milieu in which they are operative, to compare maritime controls in one area with those in effect in other areas, and to move from national and multinational interests in marine resource management toward the identification of world interests in the rational control and management of the marine environment.
Evaluation of Enzyme Testing for the Detection of Myocardial Infarction Following Direct Coronary Surgery

The serial measurement of postoperative serum enzymes has been proposed as an important method for identifying myocardial infarction following aortocoronary graft surgery. Serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, creatine phosphokinase and lactic dehydrogenase levels were determined during the initial five days following direct coronary artery surgery in 112 patients. Enzyme test results were analyzed by frequency distribution plots. Twelve patients (10.7%) developed definite electrocardiographic evidence of myocardial infarction within two weeks of surgery, seven on the first postoperative day. A general correlation of higher serum enzyme values and electrocardiographic evidence for myocardial infarction was established. However, the use of arbitrarily selected 90th percentile enzyme levels yielded a substantial number of false-negative and false-positive results as compared with electrocardiographic diagnosis. The 90th percentile levels were substantially higher following multi-vessel surgery, compared with single-vessel surgery. Thus, analysis of serum enzymes following coronary surgery was found to be a useful, but not definitive adjunct in identifying patients suspect for operative infarction.
Could ozonation technology really work for mitigating air emissions from animal feeding operations

Abstract Among various mitigation technologies for ammonia (NH3) emission control at animal feeding operations (AFOs), room ozonation technology is the most controversial. This paper aims to present full perspectives of ozonation techniques through a literature review and a series of laboratory experiments. In the literature review, ozone chemistry was summarized to address (1) ozone and NH3 reactions, (2) ozone and odor reactions, (3) ozone and particulate matter reactions, and (4) ozone and microorganism reactions. A series of laboratory experiments were conducted in a dual large outdoor aerosol smog chamber (270 m3). NH3 and fine particle number concentrations from ozone-treated and control experiments were compared. The experimental results indicated that (1) ozone has no significant effect on NH3 emissions concentrations or NH3 decay of an outdoor chamber; and (2) with ozone treatment, high concentration of particles in the “high-risk” respiratory fraction (in submicron range) are generated.
Clinical application of thermal isoeffect dose.

Clinically, there is strong rationale for developing a method which will provide a scientific basis for comparing the efficacy of one hypothermia treatment with another. In order to accomplish this goal, methods must first be developed which will allow the clinician to know the three-dimensional temperature distribution in heated tissue. In this paper, examples of how this goal can be achieved are presented. Techniques for compensating for various modifiers of hyperthermia effectiveness are proposed. The limitations and advantages of these approaches are described and directions for future research are discussed.
Comparison of pulpal blood flow in dog canine teeth determined by the laser Doppler and the 133xenon washout methods

Abstract Pulpal blood flow measurements by laser Doppler flowmetry were compared with those made simultaneously and on the same teeth by the 133 Xe washout method. Pulpal blood flow in the resting state was 82.4 ml/min per 100 g as calculated from the fast component of the 133 Xe washout, whereas laser Doppler flowmetry recorded 263 mV. The close intra-arterial (i.a.) injection of the vasoconstrictor norepinephrine (10 −2 –10 −1 μg/kg) caused a reduction of pulpal blood flow by 20.2% with the 133 Xe washout and by 9.7% with the laser Doppler flowmetry in 6 observations in 4 dogs. The laser Doppler flowmetry measurements of these norepinephrine-induced changes correlated significantly with changes measured by the 133 Xe washout method as analysed by linear regression ( p = 0.004).
The relation of locus-of-control orientation and task structure to problem-solving performance of sixth-grade student pairs

This study investigated the relationship of locus-of-control orientations and task structure to the science problem-solving performance of 100 same-sex, sixth-grade student pairs. Pairs performed a four-variable problem-solving task, racing cylinders down a ramp in a series of trials to determine the 3 fastest of 18 different cylinders. The task was completed in one of two treatment conditions: the structured condition with moderate cuing and the unstructured condition with minimal cuing. Pairs completed an after-task assessment, predicting the results of proposed cylinder races, to measure the ability to understand and apply task concepts. Overall conclusions were: (1) There was no relationship between locus-of-control orientation and effectiveness of problem-solving strategy; (2) internality was significantly related to higher accuracy on task solutions and on after-task predictions; (3) there was no significant relationship between task structure and effectiveness of problem-solving strategy; (4) solutions to the task were more accurate in the unstructured task condition; (5) internality related to more accurate solutions in the unstructured task condition.
Particle Velocimetry and Photoelasticity Applied to the Study of Dynamic Sliding Along Frictionally-Held Bimaterial Interfaces: Techniques and Feasibility

A laser interferometry-based technique was developed to locally measure the in-plane components of particle velocity in dynamic experiments. This technique was applied in the experimental investigation of dynamic sliding along the incoherent (frictional) interface of a Homalite–steel bimaterial structure. The bimaterial specimen was subjected to uniform compressive stress and impact-induced shear loading. The evolution of the dynamic stress field was recorded by high-speed photography in conjunction with dynamic photoelasticity. The combination of the full-field technique of photoelasticity with the local technique of velocimetry was proven to be a very powerful tool in the investigation of dynamic sliding. A relatively broad loading wave with an eye-like structure emanated from the interface. The particle velocity measurements established that sliding started behind the eye-like fringe pattern. It propagated with supershear speed with respect to Homalite. A shear Mach line originating from the sliding tip is visible in the photoelastic images. A vertical particle velocity measurement revealed the existence of a wrinkle-like pulse traveling along the bimaterial interface. The wrinkle-like pulse followed the initial shear rupture tip and propagated at a specific subshear speed.
The stability of short ragweed pollen extract as measured by skin test and antigen E

Abstract A short ragweed pollen extract stored at 4 °C was shown to retain its skin reactivity for 18 mo, although 60% of the antigen E was lost. When stored at higher temperatures, the extracts had a markedly reduced skin reactivity for some individuals, but retained full reactivity in others even though the antigen E was markedly diminished. Thus, some ragweed-sensitive individuals are very sensitive to antigen E, which is heat-labile, but some have a major sensitivity to other allergens, which are heat-stable. During the 18-mo course of this study, skin test reactions to a similar extract did not show significant variability.
Flaw tolerance and toughness curves in two-phase particulate composites: SiC/glass system

Abstract Flaw-tolerance and associated toughness-curve ( T -curve) characteristics in SiC/glass particle/matrix composites are studied. Two glass compositions, chosen to produce composites at extremes of high (H) and low (L) thermal expansion mismatch relative to the SiC particles, are investigated. In-situ observations of crack extension from indentation flaws reveal widely different responses: in the L composite the path is relatively undistorted from the planar geometry, with trans-particle fractures; in the H composite the path deflects strongly around the particles, with consequent interfacial bridge formation and activity in the crack wake. Surface fracture patterns produced by spherical indenters confirm the implied transition from trans-particle to inter-particle fracture with increasing internal residual stress, and point to a potential degradation in short-crack properties like wear and fatigue. Indentation-strength measurements also show different characteristics in the two composites: minor flaw tolerance in the L material, consistent with a single-valued, ‘rule of mixtures’ toughness; major tolerance in the H material, consistent with a pronounced T -curve. The T -curves themselves are deconvoluted from the indentation-strength data for each composite and analyzed.
Decision-theoretic control of crowd-sourced workflows

Crowd-sourcing is a recent framework in which human intelligence tasks are outsourced to a crowd of unknown people ("workers") as an open call (e.g., on Amazon's Mechanical Turk). Crowd-sourcing has become immensely popular with hoards of employers ("requesters"), who use it to solve a wide variety of jobs, such as dictation transcription, content screening, etc. In order to achieve quality results, requesters often subdivide a large task into a chain of bite-sized subtasks that are combined into a complex, iterative workflow in which workers check and improve each other's results. This paper raises an exciting question for AI — could an autonomous agent control these workflows without human intervention, yielding better results than today's state of the art, a fixed control program? We describe a planner, TURKONTROL, that formulates workflow control as a decision-theoretic optimization problem, trading off the implicit quality of a solution artifact against the cost for workers to achieve it. We lay the mathematical framework to govern the various decisions at each point in a popular class of workflows. Based on our analysis we implement the workflow control algorithm and present experiments demonstrating that TURKONTROL obtains much higher utilities than popular fixed policies.
Design and performance of an octave band 11 watt power amplifier MMIC

The design and performance of a two-stage 3.0 to 6.0 GHz MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit) power amplifier that has established a new standard for power output and bandwidth in MMIC form are reported. The amplifier produces 11 W+or-1 dB from 3.0 to 6.0 GHz, with maximum power outputs of 13.5 W and 10.5 W at S and C radar bands respectively, and a minimum power of 9 W. This benchmark eclipses the best power levels reported for both two-stage (8 W at S-band) and single-stage (10 W at C-band) narrowband MMIC power amplifiers with a continuous bandwidth coverage of 67%. The yield of this two-stage 40 mm gate periphery MMIC, based on 0.5 mu m gate length selective-implant MESFET technology, averaged 43%, with a 57% yield from the best wafer. >
Role of persons with a disability in the design process.

AbstractPeople with disabilities are profoundly affected by what is built around and for them, yet far too often they are not consulted during the various phases of a product’s life cycle. People with disabilities need to be strong self-advocates and demand relevance to ensure that researchers ask the right questions and that engineers and designers develop products that will meet their needs. This article discusses the need for consumer involvement in all aspects of the design process, from initial concept to research and development and to influencing technology transfer and marketing.
Pilotless carrier phase-synchronization via LDPC code feedback

This paper addresses the carrier-phase estimation problem under the low SNR conditions often encountered in turbo and LDPC-coded applications. In [1] a decision-directed carrier synchronization (DDCS) circuit that uses soft information from an iterative LDPC decoder was presented for BPSK and QPSK constellations with constant phase offsets. In this work, we present a method that is able to handle arbitrary constellations with a random-walk phase noise process. Loop SNR equations are derived and the performance for different constellations is shown. An extension of the DDCS algorithm is described that uses a search and tracking method based on measuring the number of satisfied LDPC constraint-node equations equations at the decoder and is able to track arbitrary carrier phase.
Single Polypyrrole Nanowire Ammonia Gas Sensor

We report the synthesis, electrical characterization and ammonia gas sensing with single nanowire of conducting polypyrrole. Three hundred nanometer in diameter and 50 to 60 mm long polypyrrole nanowires were synthesized by chemical polymerization inside SiO2 coated alumina membranes. Temperature dependent electrical resistance studies established that the chemically synthesized nanowires were more ordered compared to electrochemically synthesized nanowires. We further demonstrated that gas sensors based on single polypyrrole nanowire exhibited good sensitivity towards ammonia, and provided a reliable detection at concentration as low as approximately 40 ppm.
P3L-2 The Evaluation of Nonpermanent Acoustic Bonding Agents

Nonpermanent acoustic bonding agents are important for the transfer of acoustic energy between materials. Their use extends over a wide range of applications which encompass industrial, medical, and research applications. One important use has been the characterization of the acoustic properties of solids by bonding transducers or a transducer block configuration to the solid under study. The work reported here characterizes the transfer efficiency of four selected nonpermanent bonding agents in the frequency region from 200 MHz to 800 MHz using two fused quartz blocks with zinc oxide transducers formed at each end and the bond material sandwiched between the blocks. The transfer efficiency is compared to an optical bond condition without the presence of the bond material. The nonpermanent bonding materials studied were glycerol, hysol resin, quartz wax, and black wax with which it was possible to obtain transfer efficiencies near 3 dB of the optically bonded blocks
Effect‐of Processing Varcables on Interfacial Properties of an SiG‐Fiber‐Reinforced Reaction‐Bonded Si3N4 Matrix Composite

Fiber/matrix interfacial debonding and frictional sliding stresses were evaluated by single-fiber pushout tests on unidirectional continuous silicon-carbide-fiber-reinforced, reaction-bonded silicon nitride matrix composites. The debonding and maximum pushout loads required to overcome interfacial friction were obtained from load-displacement plots of pushout tests. Interfacial debonding and frictional sliding stresses were evaluated for composites with various fiber contents and fiber surface conditions (coated and uncoated), and after matrix densification by hot isostatic pressing (HIPing). For as-fabricated composites, both debonding and frictional sliding stresses decreased with increasing fiber content. The HIPed composites, however, exhibited higher interfacial debonding and frictional sliding stresses than those of the as-fabricated composites. These results were related to variations in axial and transverse residual stresses on fibers in the composites. A shear-lag model developed for a partially debonded composite, including full residual stress field, was employed to analyze the nonlinear dependence of maximum pushout load on embedded fiber length for as-fabricated and HIPed composites. Interfacial friction coefficients of 0.1--0.16 fitted the experimental data well. The extremely high debonding stress observed in uncoated fibers is believed to be due to strong chemical bonding between fiber and matrix.
Transmembrane-4 Superfamily Proteins Associate with Activated Protein Kinase C (PKC) and Link PKC to Specific β1 Integrins

Translocation of conventional protein kinases C (PKCs) to the plasma membrane leads to their specific association with transmembrane-4 superfamily (TM4SF; tetraspanin) proteins (CD9, CD53, CD81, CD82, and CD151), as demonstrated by reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation and covalent cross-linking experiments. Although formation and maintenance of TM4SF-PKC complexes are not dependent on integrins, TM4SF proteins can act as linker molecules, recruiting PKC into proximity with specific integrins. Previous studies showed that the extracellular large loop of TM4SF proteins determines integrin associations. In contrast, specificity for PKC association probably resides within cytoplasmic tails or the first two transmembrane domains of TM4SF proteins, as seen from studies with chimeric CD9 molecules. Consistent with a TM4SF linker function, only those integrins (alpha(3)beta(1), alpha(6)beta(1), and a chimeric "X3TC5" alpha(3) mutant) that associated strongly with tetraspanins were found in association with PKC. We propose that PKC-TM4SF-integrin structures represent a novel type of signaling complex. The simultaneous binding of TM4SF proteins to the extracellular domains of the integrin alpha(3) subunit and to intracellular PKC helps to explain why the integrin alpha3 extracellular domain is needed for both intracellular PKC recruitment and PKC-dependent phosphorylation of the alpha(3) integrin cytoplasmic tail.
Can neurobiological pathogenic mechanisms of depression facilitate the development of seizure disorders

Summary People with epilepsy have a high risk of developing depressive disorders, and people with primary depressive disorders have a high risk of developing epilepsy. Furthermore, a lifetime history of depressive disorders has been associated with a poor response of the seizure disorder to pharmacotherapy and epilepsy surgery. The aim of this Review is to identify the principal neurobiological pathogenic mechanisms of depressive disorders with the potential to facilitate the epileptogenic process or cortical hyperexcitability in experimental animal studies or those that can aggravate known pathogenic mechanisms of epilepsy in human beings. These mechanisms include (1) a hyperactive hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis; (2) structural and functional abnormalities of cortical structures; (3) increased glutamatergic and decreased GABAergic and serotonergic activity; and (4) immunological abnormalities. The data presented in this Review provide experimental evidence that might begin to explain the bidirectional relation between depressive disorders and epilepsy and that can be regarded as a source for future research.
Distortion free, high delay-bandwidth product data buffer using fast-light based white light cavities

We propose a distortion-free data buffering system using a fast-light based white light cavity. This system offers a breakthrough in overcoming the delay-bandwidth product constraint in dispersion-based buffers, and can be realized using optical fibers.
Prime and maximal ideals in subrings of C(X)

The structure of ideals in the ring C(X) of continuous functions on a completely regular space X and its subring C∗(X) consisting of the bounded functions is well known. In this paper we study the prime and maximal ideals in subrings A(X) of C(X) that contain C∗(X). We show that many of the results known separately for C(X) and C∗(X), often by different methods, are true for any such A(X). Our results put the problems of C(X) and C∗(X) in a common setting by exhibiting these as special instances of the subrings A(X). We characterize prime and maximal ideals in any A(X) in terms of their residue class rings and in terms of certain z-filters on X that correspond to these ideals. We also characterize the intersection of the free ideals and the free maximal ideals in any A(X).
Sense-making—A case study using the movie Jurassic park

In this ecological age, communicating information on environmental issues is extremely important. Yet, problems exist in communication models where knowledge is seen as absolute and the individual envisioned as an empty receptacle. What happens when a person assimilates knowledge? How does this knowledge relate to a person's view of the world (reality)? This paper is a brief introduction to Sense-Making, an alternative methodology which allows an insight into a person's perception of reality. Interviews were conducted with science teachers following a viewing ofJurassic Park to investigate the relationship of the movie to their ontological view of science, society and self. The Sense-Making methodology may be very beneficial in helping educators and communicators to understand the assimilation of knowledge by people and consequently the development of future communication models on scientific and environmental issues.
Functional consequences of attenuating mutations in the haemagglutinin neuraminidase, fusion and polymerase proteins of a wild-type mumps virus strain.

Wild-type mumps viruses (MuVs) are highly neurotropic and, prior to widespread vaccination programmes, were a major cause of viral meningitis and encephalitis in most developed countries. At present, there are no markers for virus attenuation, apart from the failure of a passaged isolate to produce clinical symptoms in vaccinees. Indeed, some MuV vaccines have retained residual neurovirulence properties and have caused aseptic meningitis in vaccinees. Three amino acid changes associated with the neuroattenuation of a wild-type MuV strain were identified previously. This study evaluated the impact of these changes on the function of the respective proteins. The data demonstrated that the Ser→Asp amino acid substitution at position 466 in the haemagglutinin–neuraminidase protein resulted in decreased receptor binding and neuraminidase activity, the Ala/Thr→Thr selection in the fusion protein resulted in decreased fusion activity, and the Ile→Val substitution in the polymerase resulted in increased replicative/transcriptional activity. These data suggest a polygenic component (i.e. specific and inter-related roles of these amino acid changes) to MuV neuroattenuation.
The electronic structure of silicon nitride

Abstract The electronic structure of amorphous silicon nitride is discussed within the framework of a Linear Combination of Atomic Orbitals (LCAO) calculation. This is the first reported treatment of the electronic structure of Si 3 N 4 . The calculation is set up to highlight the salient features of the electronic structure by predicting band edges for an idealized structural model. The results of this calculation are compared with an analogous calculation of the electronic structure of silicon dioxide, a material which has been the subject of many theoretical and experimental investigations. In addition, the static effective charge and the optical dielectric constant are calculated for both silicon dioxide and silicon nitride. The results are also compared to available experimental data. The present calculation provides a semiquantitative description of the electronic structure of silicon nitride and is a useful starting point for interpreting experiments.
A 193-Amino Acid Fragment of the SARS Coronavirus S Protein Efficiently Binds Angiotensin-converting Enzyme 2

Abstract The coronavirus spike (S) protein mediates infection of receptor-expressing host cells and is a critical target for antiviral neutralizing antibodies. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a functional receptor for the coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV) that causes SARS. Here we demonstrate that a 193-amino acid fragment of the S protein (residues 318–510) bound ACE2 more efficiently than did the full S1 domain (residues 12–672). Smaller S protein fragments, expressing residues 327–510 or 318–490, did not detectably bind ACE2. A point mutation at aspartic acid 454 abolished association of the full S1 domain and of the 193-residue fragment with ACE2. The 193-residue fragment blocked S protein-mediated infection with an IC50 of less than 10 nm, whereas the IC50 of the S1 domain was ∼50 nm. These data identify an independently folded receptor-binding domain of the SARS-CoV S protein.
Human Cytomegalovirus Protein pp71 Induces Daxx SUMOylation

Proteins that participate in a diverse array of cellular processes can be modified covalently and reversibly on lysine residues by the small ubiquitin-like modifier proteins termed SUMOs. In some instances, such modification profoundly affects protein function, but the biological significance of many SUMOylation events remains unknown. Protein SUMOylation is modulated during many viral infections. Here we demonstrate that the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) pp71 protein promotes the SUMOylation of its cellular substrate, Daxx. A component of promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies, Daxx is a transcriptional corepressor that silences the expression of viral immediate-early (IE) genes at the start of both lytic and quiescent HCMV infections. pp71 is a tegument component delivered directly to cells by infecting HCMV virions. At the start of lytic infections, it travels to the nucleus and stimulates viral IE gene expression by displacing the chromatin remodeling protein ATRX from Daxx and by mediating Daxx degradation through a rare ubiquitin-independent, proteasome-dependent process. Here we report that pp71 also substantially increases the basal level of SUMOylated Daxx observed in cells. To date, consequences of Daxx SUMOylation have not been observed for cellular promoters, and we detected no qualitative change in viral IE gene expression in the absence of pp71-induced Daxx SUMOylation. Thus, while pp71 enhances the basal level of SUMOylated Daxx, the role that this modification plays in regulating Daxx activity in uninfected or HCMV-infected cells remains an enigma.
Addressing hyperglycemia from hospital admission to discharge

AbstractBackground:This review examines glycemia management practices in hospitalized patients. Optimal glycemic control remains a challenge among hospitalized patients. Recent studies have questioned the benefit of tight glycemic control and have raised concerns regarding the safety of this approach. As a result, medical societies have updated glycemic targets and have published new consensus guidelines for management of glycemia in hospitalized patients. This review highlights recent inpatient glycemic trials, the new glycemic targets and recommended strategies for management of glycemia in hospitalized patients.Methods:Medline and PubMed searches (diabetes, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, intensive therapy insulin, tight glycemic control, and hospital patients) were performed for English-language articles on treatment of diabetes, insulin therapy, hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia in hospitalized patients published from 2004 to present. Earlier works cited in these papers were surveyed. Clinical studies, revi...