cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Retrospective analysis of outcome in patients with nodal metastases from transitional cell carcinoma of lower urinary tract

Abstract Objective. To determine the outcome in patients with nodal metastases from transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) using currently available surgical and chemotherapeutic techniques. Methods. A retrospective analysis of all patients with TCC of the lower urinary tract who underwent radical cystectomy or lymph node dissection at our institution since 1980 was performed. Thirty-one patients were identified who had documented pelvic lymph node metastases prior to or at the time of radical cystectomy. These patients' records were reviewed in-depth with regard to treatment approach, presenting features, and outcome. Results. Outcome was poor despite the treatment approach taken, including whether or not chemotherapy was administered prior to or after cystectomy. Median survivals of patients receiving no chemotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy were 14.5, 9.5, and 15.0 months, respectively. Only 4 of 28 patients survived more than three years, and only one of these received chemotherapy. Conclusions. Survival of patients with lymph node metastases from transitional cell carcinoma remains poor despite aggressive surgical therapy and the use of adjuvant or neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy.
Towards a framework for pattern experimentation: Understanding empirical validity in requirements engineering patterns

Despite the abundance of information security guidelines, system developers have difficulties implementing technical solutions that are reasonably secure. Security patterns are one possible solution to help developers reuse security knowledge. The challenge is that it takes experts to develop security patterns. To address this challenge, we need a framework to identify and assess patterns and pattern application practices that are accessible to non-experts. In this paper, we narrowly define what we mean by patterns by focusing on requirements patterns and the considerations that may inform how we identify and validate patterns for knowledge reuse. We motivate this discussion using examples from the requirements pattern literature and theory in cognitive psychology.
Examining IT professionals' adaptation to technological change: the influence of gender and personal attributes

This paper examines the challenge of adapting to technological changes in IS departments. It develops a set of hypotheses about how two personal attributes (tolerance of ambiguity and openness to experience) will be associated with IT professionals' ability to adapt to a technological innovation. It also examines the literature on gender in the IT profession, positing that women IT employees will exhibit some differences in job performance (relative to men), but no differences in terms of job satisfaction or turnover intentions. Based on a mixed-method study of two firms that were adopting client/server development, the paper first describes the different implementation strategies employed by each firm, and then analyzes employees' responses to the change. In combining the insights from both case studies and surveys, the results showed that four out of eight hypotheses were fully supported and two received partial support. Women reported lower job satisfaction on a dimension that captures job stress, and this effect was exacerbated in the firm that expected its IT employees to demonstrate considerable initiative to master the innovation. In contrast, the women at the second firm, while showing no differences in job stress (relative to their male peers), nevertheless exhibited a very different pattern of job skills and performance than the men. Finally, the personal attribute that was strongly associated with employees' job satisfaction (openness to experience) was negatively correlated with one aspect of job performance - directly opposite to what was hypothesized. The paper concludes with insights for IS researchers and managers interested in IS personnel and technology implementation.
Interaction between isolated human myocardial mast cells and cultured fibroblasts.

Introduction. Previously, we reported an increase in interstitial collagen and total mast-cell numbers in heart failure versus normal myocardium. A secondary increase, primarily in chymase-negative mast cells, occurred following LVAD support compared to matched pre-LVAD tissue samples and was associated with a decrease in interstitial collagen and bFGF. To further elucidate the changes in interstitial collagen, we investigated the direct interaction between mast cells, isolated from failing myocardium with or without previous LVAD support, and human fibroblasts in a coculture model. Additionally, the expression of HSP-47, the pro-collagen-specific chaperone protein, was determined in the particular myocardium. Materials and methods. Myocardial tissue was obtained from 10 patients with end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) at the time of transplantation. Five patients were transplanted following LVAD support, five patients without previous LVAD support. Mast cells were isolated according to a standard protocol, including collagenase digestion and cell separation. The isolated mast cells were co-cultured with human fibroblasts for 12 h, with or without stimulation of degranulation, and protein synthesis was measured by [ 3 H]-proline incorporation. HSP-47 immunostaining was performed in the different myocardial samples and the positive cells were quantified. Results. Stimulated mast cells isolated from DCM tissue (without previous LVAD support) caused a 92% increase in [ 3 H]-proline incorporation and consequently in protein production in fibroblasts compared to mast-cell free culture (P < 0.01), while conversely stimulated mast cells isolated from LVAD supported myocardium decreased the [ 3 H]-proline incorporation by 63% (P < 0.01) below baseline. Nonstimulated mast cells did not significantly alter the protein production over baseline. There was also a significant increase in the number of HSP-47-positive cells in DCM myocardium compared to normal (P < 0.01) and there was a shift toward normal after LVAD support (P < 0.01). Conclusion. We demonstrate that fibroblast protein production in vitro is significantly altered by mast cells and that the direction of change is dependent on whether myocardium was supported by LVAD. We suggest that under long-term LVAD support there is a phenotypic alteration in myocardial mast cells, which leads to a change in concentration and/or composition of mediators, capable of re-remodeling the myocardial matrix.
Find the picture of eight turtles: A link between children’s counting and their knowledge of number-word semantics

An essential part of understanding number words (e.g., eight) is understanding that all number words refer to the dimension of experience we call numerosity. Knowledge of this general principle may be separable from knowledge of individual number word meanings. That is, children may learn the meanings of at least a few individual number words before realizing that all number words refer to numerosity. Alternatively, knowledge of this general principle may form relatively early and proceed to guide and constrain the acquisition of individual number word meanings. The current article describes two experiments in which 116 children (2½- to 4-year-olds) were given a Word Extension task as well as a standard Give-N task. Results show that only children who understood the cardinality principle of counting successfully extended number words from one set to another based on numerosity-with evidence that a developing understanding of this concept emerges as children approach the cardinality principle induction. These findings support the view that children do not use a broad understanding of number words to initially connect number words to numerosity but rather make this connection around the time that they figure out the cardinality principle of counting.
A novel optically driven electrokinetic technique for manipulating nanoparticles

We utilize a simple parallel electrode setup on which intense holographic optical landscapes are shone. Intense optical illumination creates high local gradients in the dielectric properties of the fluid, which in the presence of an electric field results in a fluid body force. This leads to the creation of toroidal microvortices, which aid the particle concentration process. Fluid drag aiding low frequency AC electrokinetic forces leads to an aggregation of particles on the illuminated regions of the electrode surface. With a fine balance of these forces, we show that such optically driven electrokinetic mechanisms can capture and aggregate nanoparticles (50nm and 100 nm). Particle aggregation is a function of the AC frequency and by using fluorescent particles we characterize the technique as a function of the applied AC frequency. Relatively low optical powers (~20 mW) are utilized in this technique.
The Reliability of A Colorimetric Test in Determining Gingival Inflammation

Abstract This investigation was undertaken to compare the Gindex saliva test scores with the Gingival Index scores and crevicular fluid flow scores, as proposed by Loe and Holm-Pedersen. Eighty-one patients were tested using the Gindex chemical analysis kit. Crevicular fluid was collected from the six teeth advocated by Ramfjord, followed by a clinical assessment of these teeth using the G.I. Of the original 81 subjects tested, 11 were given a prophylaxis consisting of scaling, root planing, polishing, and oral hygiene instruction; and were retested 14 days later. Results of the two-sample t test show that there were no significant differences between males and females in any of the three tested parameters. The sample was pooled and tested for multiple correlations between the G.I., crevicular fluid, and Gindex scores. Nonparametric rank correlation coefficient tests indicated a statistically significant correlation between the three parameters. A pair wise "t" test for the pre- and post-treatment sample demonstrated a significant reduction in the three parameters. A pair wise rank analysis also showed a significant reduction in the G.I., crevicular fluid, and Gindex scores.
Hyperinflation, the exchange rate and endogenous money: post-World War I Germany revisited

Abstract We re-examine the interaction of domestic and external factors in the German hyperinflation by extending Frenkel's monetary model of the exchange rate to incorporate: (1) endogeneity of the money supply with respect to government debt, expected inflation and money wages; (2) the direct impact of exchange rate depreciation on the domestic price level; and (3) endogenous wage determination. Four-equation estimates support each extension of the monetary model. It appears that government deficit finance, the collapse of the exchange rate and the monetary transmission of the wage-price spiral were all crucial contributors to the price explosion.
Adiponectin and cancer: a systematic review

Recent studies have demonstrated that obesity is a significant risk factor for the development of several malignancies, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain to be fully elucidated. Adiponectin, an adipocyte secreted endogenous insulin sensitizer, appears to play an important role not only in glucose and lipid metabolism but also in the development and progression of several obesity-related malignancies. In this review, we present recent findings on the association of adiponectin with several malignancies as well as recent data on underlying molecular mechanisms that provide novel insights into the association between obesity and cancer risk. We also identify important research questions that remain unanswered.
The influence of alcohols on the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels in diffusion flames

Abstract A theoretical and experimental investigation of the influence of alcohols on the critical conditions of extinction of diffusion flames burning hydrocarbon fuels is outlined here. Experiments were performed on diffusion flames stabilized between the vaporizing surface of a liquid fuel and an oxidizing gas mixture. Liquid fuels tested were heptane, toluene, methanol, ethanol, and butanol, and a number of homogeneous solutions of these fuels in different proportions. Experimental results were interpreted by use of an asymptotic theory in the limit for a large value for the activation energy characterizing the gas-phase chemical reaction between each component of the fuel in fuel solution and the oxidizer when compared with the thermal energy in the flame. The theory was used to compare the relative reactivities of pure fuels and fuel mixtures. The influence of alcohols (methanol, ethanol, and butanol) on the reactivities of hydrocarbon fuel solution was evaluated by this method. Results show that methanol is more reactive than ethanol or butanol. Results on pure fuels show that toluene is less reactive than heptane, ethanol, butanol, and methanol. It was observed that the reactivity of a fuel solution containing heptane and toluene increased with increasing proportion of methanol.
The Beginnings of Piezoelectricity: A Study in Mundane Physics

Shaul Katzir, The Beginnings of Piezoelectricity: A Study in Mundane Physics. Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science, Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Springer, 2006. xiii + 273 pp. 26 figs. 5 tabl...
Determination of the concentration of free Ca2+ in the presence of magnesium (or manganese) and chelating effectors of the NAD+-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase.

Abstract An equation was formulated that enabled the calculation of the concentration of free Ca 2+ in a reaction medium containing calcium, magnesium (or manganese), and up to five metal chelators. The concentrations of all ionic and chelating species present in the incubation mixture could also be estimated. The equation, a polynomial to the sixth power with respect to free Ca 2+ , is expressed in terms of known equilibrium (formation) constants and concentrations of reactants. The calculated values of free Ca 2+ were compared with those determined experimentally, using a calcium ion-specific electrode, and the two were found to be in excellent agreement. To illustrate the usefulness of the technique, we examined the inhibition by calcium of NAD + -linked isocitrate dehydrogenase, in the presence of ethylene glycol bis(β-aminoethyl ether) N,N′ -tetraacetic acid (EGTA), ADP, ATP, isocitrate, citrate, and magnesium. The effect of manganese on the concentration of free Ca 2+ in solutions of calcium and EGTA was also deseribed. It was found that manganese, but not magnesium, displaced calcium from the Ca-EGTA cholate resulting in a much higher than expected concentration of free Ca 2+ . This raises questions about the inhibition of the isocitrate dehydrogenase by physiological concentrations of calcium previously reported.
Primary sclerosing cholangitis: evolving concepts in diagnosis and treatment

Primary sclerosing cholangitis is an increasingly recognized cause of chronic cholestatic liver disease. The etiology is unknown, although a number of immunologic and nonimmunologic factors have been considered. The most important diagnostic findings are diffuse irregularity and narrowing of extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts. The prognosis varies, and a number of relatively unique complications may develop. No adequate treatment exists, although a number of potential treatments have been evaluated. Liver transplantation still remains the most appropriate treatment for end-stage disease. These various topics related to primary sclerosing cholangitis are reviewed.
The Long-Term Light Curves of X-Ray Binaries Contain Simultaneous Periodic and Random Components

LMC X-3 and Cyg X-2 show large amplitude X-ray fluctuations that have been attributed to a warped accretion disk. Cyg X-3 displays high amplitude, apparently non-periodic oscillations. We reanalyze these systems using RXTE ASM data and time-frequency decomposition techniques. We find that the long-term variations in Cyg X-2 can be completely characterized by excursions whose durations are integer multiples of the orbital period, including one essentially identical to the reported "period" of 78 days. Cyg X-3 can be characterized in terms of integer multiples of a 71-day fundamental period unrelated to the 4.8 day orbital period, but suggestively close to the approximately equal to greater than 60 day reported precession period of the relativistic jet inferred from recent radio observations. The long-term excursions of LMC X-3 are related to each other by rational fractions, suggesting the characteristic time scale is 10.594 days, shorter than any observed excursion to date. We explore the phase space evolution of the light curves using a natural embedding and find that all three systems possess two rotation centers that organize the phase space trajectories, one of low luminosity and the other of high luminosity. The implications of this repeatable behavior on generic models of accretion disk dynamics and mass transfer variability are explored.
Semiempirical correlations of NO(x) emissions from utility combustion turbines with inert injection

Semiempirical models describe the dominant subprocesses involved in pollutant emissions by assigning specific times to the fuel evaporation, chemistry, and turbulent mixing. Linear ratios of these times with model constants established by correlating data from combustors with different geometries, inlet conditions, fuels, and fuel injectors can then be employed to make a priori predictions. In this work, NOX emissions from two heavy-duty, dual-fuel (natural gas and fuel oil no. 2) diffusion-flame combustors designated A and B are examined. The data are first predicted and then correlated using the existing Semiempirical characteristic tune model. Heterogeneous effects are found to be significant, in contrast to previous results with aircraft engine combustors. Inert injection for NOX control is modeled as thermal, and two limiting cases are proposed that bound the measured data. An empirically selected effective inert injection flame temperature was substituted for the stoichiometric flame temperature used to estimate the thermal NO formation rate in the model. This procedure correlated all of the measured NOXEI with a standard deviation of 1.02 g NO2/kg fuel that results from a curvature in the emissions index vs load data for combustor B. Removing the curvature empirically improves the combined correlation to a standard deviation of 0.28 g/kg (approximately 3.2 parts per million volume dry at 15% O2).
The Periodicity of Pricing

Abstract Retail pricing data combine multiple decisions (e.g., regular pricing and discounting) that are possibly made by multiple decision makers (e.g., retailers and manufacturers). For example, temporary price reductions (high-frequency price changes) can be used to price discriminate in the short run, whereas regular price adjustments (low-frequency price changes) might reflect changes in long-term costs or demand. Time disaggregation cannot disentangle these factors, because frequency aggregation exists even when data are analyzed at the lowest possible level of temporal aggregation. Because little is known about the nature of pricing interactions across various planning cycles, this article develops several empirical generalizations about the role of periodicity in pricing. Using week–store stockkeeping-unit-level price data in 35 grocery categories, the authors find that (1) cross-brand correlation in prices occurs at multiple planning horizons, and the planning horizon of the predominant interacti...
Geochemical applications of the simple salt approximation to the lattice energies of complex materials

The lattice energies for a variety of compounds that can be classified as double salts are calculated by summing the lattice energies of the constituent simple salts. A comparison with the lattice energies obtained from the Born-Haber or other thermodynamic cycles shows that the simple salt approximation reproduces these values generally to within 1.2%, even for compounds that have considerable covalent character. Application of this method to the calculation of the lattice energies of silicates, using the sum of the lattice energies of the constituent oxides are, on average, within 0.2% of the value calculated from the experimental enthalpies of formation. The implications of the simple salt approximation for the thermodynamics of geochemically important processes are discussed.
Formation of nanometer-scale InAs islands on silicon

Three dimensional islands of InAs have been grown on Si (100) by using molecular-beam epitaxy to obtain nanometer-scale quantum dots. Morphological examination by atomic force microscopy revealed the formation of islands with narrow size distributions and high densities. For an approximate coverage of 1.2 monolayers of lnAs beyond the growth mode transition, our observations of a rapid evolution of island morphology are explained in terms of strain relaxing mechanisms in the early stages of InAs/Si heteroepitaxy.
An Experiential Exercise in Service Environment Design.

A new experiential exercise affords marketing students the opportunity to learn to design service environments. The exercise is appropriate for a variety of marketing courses and is especially beneficial in teaching services marketing because the proposed activity complements two other exercises widely used in this course. Service journal and blueprinting exercises are commonly assigned to examine the impact of “people” and “process” decisions; the exercise proposed in this article offers an opportunity to examine the influence of “physical evidence” on the customer experience. Thus, these three exercises expose students to hands-on activities related to all three of the additional Ps related to services marketing. In addition to explaining how to carry out the exercise, this article provides evidence of how it actively engages students in all four steps of the experiential learning cycle (concrete experience, abstract conceptualization, reflective observation, and active testing). Finally, the ability of...
Postosuchus, a New Thecodontian Reptile from the Triassic of Texas and the Origin of Tyrannosaurs

Postosuchus kirkpatricki (n.g., n.sp.) is a large, gracile, carnivorous thecodontian from the late Triassic Dockum Group of Texas. The species is characterized by its erect and facultative bipedal gait, highly advanced pelvis with slightly open acetabulum and footed pubis. The teeth are large, highly serrated, deeply set in sockets, and show a wave-like replacement pattern. Some flexibility in the palate and the lower jaw permitted the animal to swallow large chunks of flesh. Postosuchus was the arch predator of its time, and lived in the interfluves or upland regions along with aetosaurs, coelurosaurs, and ictidosaurs. The quarry's thanatocoenose probably reflects autochthonous burials of a Dockum community, perhaps in consequence of a catastrophic event such as a flash flood. Although Postosuchus exhibits many carnosaurian traits, its ankle joint is of \`crocodile-normal' pattern, which suggests its pseudosuchian affinity. All Triassic reptiles previously thought to be carnosaurs are considered herein as advanced thecodontians; true carnosaurs probably appeared in post-Triassic time. Postosuchus is grouped with Poposaurus, Teratosaurus, Arizonasaurus and the unnamed \`Warwick archosaur' in the family Poposauridae. The Poposauridae and Rauisuchidae are placed in the infraorder Rauisuchia. Tyrannosaurs probably evolved from poposaurids, as indicated by the correlation between skull, pelvis and ankle structure.
Moving discommensurations interacting with diffusing impurities.

We present an analytical description of the interaction between moving discommensurations and diffusing impurities for a realistic form of the impurity-discommensuration interaction energy. This interaction energy is derived within the framework of the modified sine-Gordon model with either misfit impurities (coupling to the gradient of the order parameter) or elastic-modulus impurities (coupling directly to the order parameter). This interaction potential is then employed in calculating the steady-state impurity concentration profile about the moving discommensuration for arbitrary discommensuration velocity and impurity diffusivity. The impurities provide a drag force on the moving discommensuration, which may lead to hysteresis in the relation between the applied force and the discommensuration velocity. Analytic results for the onset of hysteresis, as well as for the velocities and forces delimiting the hysteretic regime, are presented. Finally, we apply these results to charge-density waves, ferroelectric domain walls, and grain boundaries.
Summation in autoshaping

Pigeon subjects received Pavlovian conditioning with stimulus elements and were then tested with compounds of those elements. Experiments 1–3 used localized keylight elements and found no evidence for greater responding to the compound than to the elements. Experiments 4A–4D found evidence for greater second-order conditioning by a compound of two elements than by the elements themselves when the elements consisted of two diffuse stimuli or one diffuse stimulus and one localized keylight. No greater second-order conditioning resulted from a compound of two localized keylight elements, suggesting the possibility of perceptual interactions that reduce identification of the elements in the compound. Experiment 6 found evidence of summation when that interaction was reduced by sequential presentation. However, one attempt to capture this interaction in terms of configural conditioning (Pearce, 1987) failed to receive confirmation. These results suggest that the localized stimuli conventionally employed in autoshaping experiments may show such substantial perceptual interaction as to recommend against their routine use for studying conditioning in compounds.
A nationwide look at the immigrant neighborhood effect on travel mode choice

Immigrants to the United States walk, bicycle, and use transit and carpools more than U.S.-born residents do. These differences persist over time and across income groups. The differences appear strongest when immigrants reside in immigrant neighborhoods with high concentrations of other immigrants. This analysis uses a large, geocoded national dataset to analyze these differences and finds that living in an immigrant neighborhood has a strong influence on mode choice for immigrant residents and a much weaker effect on non-immigrant residents of immigrant neighborhoods. These effects are strongest for walking and bicycling, and particularly for shopping-related travel, and they persist after controlling for a number of variables. That these effects are considerably stronger for immigrants than for their U.S.-born neighbors suggests that social factors of the neighborhoods may play a role in structuring travel decisions.
Effects of Jerk Limiting on the Stability of Automated Transit Vehicles

In this paper a method is presented for estimating the effects of jerk limiting on the stability of the longitudinal dynamic response of automated transit vehicles.
An Inductive Energy Storage System Using Ignitron Switching

Previous work in the field of inductive energy storage and control is described. The need for a fast, reliable switch for the control of such systems is pointed out. A new inductive energy storage switching system that fulfills this need is described. The new system utilizes an ignitron bridge circuit and a capacitor to invert from the unidirectional current of an inductive source to an alternating voltage of triangular waveform. The alternating voltage is used to charge and periodically recharge a small capacitor. This capacitor in its turn supplies energy to the load. Thus, by the use of two capacitors, whose maximum stored energy is very small compared to the total energy to be transferred, the stored energy may be transferred to the load in discrete parcels. The disassociation of storage and load circuit allows the transfer of all stored energy to the load, with the exception of the usual resistive energy loss imparted by circuit elements, a quantity that can be kept small. Therefore, the energy efficiency is higher than heretofore attained by inductive energy storage systems. The above-described switching system does not depend upon moving contacts or mechanical devices. The system results in significant reductions in initial cost per joule of energy stored as compared to the cost of capacitive energy storage systems. The inherent low energy efficiency of earlier inductive energy storage systems is discussed and it is pointed out that the theoretical energy efficiency of the bridge scheme is much higher.
The genetics of cardiomyopathies: what clinicians should know

Primary myocardial diseases, or cardiomyopathies, affect millions of individuals worldwide. Although there are sizable environmental contributors to the etiology of these diseases, many cardiomyopathies have a high degree of heritability and, thus, genetic aspects of diagnosis and therapy warrant special consideration. The past two decades have seen enormous progress in elucidating the epidemiology, genetic architecture, and pathophysiology of these diseases. In this review, we focus on translating advances in the genetics of cardiomyopathies to clinical care. We discuss the underlying genetic and phenotypic complexity of these disorders, highlighting the implications for diagnosis, treatment, screening, and prognosis of patients and their family members.
Adenoidectomy techniques for sleep disordered breathing

Adenoidectomy is routinely performed in children with adenoid enlargement and sleep disordered breathing (SDB). An adenoidectomy can be performed as an isolated procedure or as part of an adenotonsillectomy. This article describes a number of transnasal and transoral techniques that can be used successfully for removal of the adenoids in children with SDB.
Aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan: the imminent epidemic of waterborne illnesses in Leyte, Philippines.

Our small medical team composed of 2 doctors, 1 nurse, and a communications expert arrived in Manila 11 days after Super Typhoon Haiyan hit landfall. The Philippines is one of the largest archipelagos in the world—composed of more than 7000 islands, most of which are small and uninhabitable. Leyte, one of the larger islands, is located in the southern region and is home to one of the most densely populated cities: Tacloban.
The Impact of the Prevailing Synoptic Situation on the Lake-Aggregate Effect

Abstract The effects of a group (aggregate) of relatively warm circular meso-β-scale lakes on different flow regimes were investigated by conducting a series of idealized numerical experiments. This investigation was motivated by the observed behavior of synoptic-scale cyclones moving through the Great Lakes region during winter. Three with-lake (WL) and three corresponding no-lake (NL) simulations were initialized with 1) zonal flow, 2) a solitary trough, and 3) continuous sinusoidal waves, respectively. The WL experiments were intercompared to examine the importance of a preexisting disturbance and preconditioning. The NL simulations were compared to the corresponding WL simulations to study the contributions of the lake aggregate. The simulation results suggest that the lake aggregate induced or enhanced warm fronts when there were preexisting disturbances. They also suggest that a perturbation mesoscale aggregate vortex was generated in each of the three different flow scenarios even though the lake a...
Imaging morphogenesis of Candida albicans during infection in a live animal

Candida albicans is an opportunistic human fungal pathogen that requires an intact host immune response to prevent disease. Thus, studying host-pathogen interactions is critical to understanding and preventing this disease. We report a new model infection system in which ongoing C. albicans infections can be imaged at high spatial resolution in the ears of living mice. Intradermal inoculation into mouse ears with a C. albicans strain expressing green fluorescent protein results in systemic C. albicans infection that can be imaged in vivo using confocal microscopy. We observed filamentous growth of the organism in vivo as well as formation of microabscesses. This model system will allow us to gain significant new information about C. albicans pathogenesis through studies of host-C. albicans interactions in the native environment.
Mammography Surveillance and Mortality in Older Breast Cancer Survivors

Purpose There are more than 2,000,000 breast cancer survivors in the United States today. While surveillance for asymptomatic recurrence and second primary is included in consensus recommendations, the effectiveness of this surveillance has not been well characterized. Our purpose is to estimate the effectiveness of surveillance mammography in a cohort of breast cancer survivors with complete ascertainment of surveillance mammograms and negligible losses to follow-up. Patients and Methods We enrolled 1,846 stage I and II breast cancer patients who were at least 65 years old at six integrated health care delivery systems. We used medical record review and existing databases to ascertain patient, tumor, and therapy characteristics, as well as receipt of surveillance mammograms. We linked personal identifiers to the National Death Index to ascertain date and cause of death. We matched four controls to each breast cancer decedent to estimate the association between receipt of surveillance mammogram and breast...
Teaching Programming to the Net Generation of Software Engineers

This paper provides an overview of work being done in the EntryPoint project, which is examining the first course work in computing degrees. A key goal of this project is to move away from the traditional CS1/CS2 programming courses as the start of a computing degree. In addition, the project team is looking at how these ideas might be extended to BSSE degree programs. As such, this paper will discuss implications of this approach for SE.
Thermosets synthesized by thermal polyesterification for tissue engineering applications

Synthetic polyesters have become an integral part of various biomedical and engineering fields, such as tissue scaffolding and therapeutic delivery. While polymer and copolymers derived from lactide, glycolide, e-caprolactone, and p-dioxanone still dominate the biomedical industry, many new polymerization strategies and materials are being explored, including thermal polycondensation. Adjusting curing conditions and monomer feed ratios allows for easy control over the macromolecular properties of polymers resulting from thermal polyesterification. In terms of mechanical versatility, crystallinity, hydrophobicity, and biocompatibility, polyesters synthesized thermally have displayed a wide range of properties. These properties allow for materials to be tailored according to the needs of a particular application. Additionally, several natural metabolites—some endogenous to human biochemical pathways—are able to serve as precursors for a significant number of these polyester thermosets. While many starting materials have been reused and reformulated to produce novel polyesters, new small molecules are continually being introduced to the materials community as promising monomer candidates to continue the growth of this research area. To date, polyesters synthesized with thermal polycondensation have already produced a tremendous amount of in vitro and in vivo success.
First Report of a New Leaf Blight Caused by Phacidiopycnis washingtonensis on Pacific Madrone in Western Washington and Oregon

In recent years, a leaf blight disease, consisting of browned, desiccated leaves occurring mainly in the lower parts of the canopy, has been observed during wet springs on Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) in western Washington and Oregon. In May 2009 and 2011, severe outbreaks occurred and symptomatic leaves from madrones growing in the region were sampled to determine the causal agent. Two symptoms, leaf necrosis or blotching along the edges and tips of the leaves, and leaf spot, were observed. Small segments of diseased tissue were cut from the leaves, surface-disinfected, rinsed, and plated on malt extract agar. Fifty percent of the leaf blotch and 30% of leaf spot samples yielded a fungus that was fast-growing (20 mm diameter in 4 days at 25°C) and produced colonies that were a pale gray with dark gray reverse and a felty texture. On potato dextrose agar (PDA), pycnidia formed and exuded conidia in peach-colored droplets after 2 weeks under room temperature and light conditions. Pycnidia were spher...
The Interaction of Nonheme Iron with Immature Red Cells

It was seen in Chapter 2 that circulating iron can find its way into the bone marrow cells, liver cells, and cells of other organs. Iron, in turn, can enter the circulation from the reticuloendothelial system, parenchymal storage sites, mucosal cells, and a variety of other systems. All such processes involve cell membrane transport mechanisms, and most involve serotransferrin and ferritin as well, either directly or indirectly. In this chapter we shall be concerned with the mechanisms whereby nonheme iron can find its way into the immature red cells and the pertinent intracellular iron metabolic pathways.
Invited Paper Integrated Acousto-Optic Device Modules For Communication, Signal Processing, And Computing

A great deal of advancements were made previously in planar guided-wave acousto-optic devices. These advancements include analytical treatment of complex interaction geometry, design and fabrication of wideband Bragg modulators and deflectors (Bragg cells), and demonstration of applications in spectral analysis and correlation of wideband RF signals. The continuing progress in the fabrication and performance of other components including new types of optical waveguides and waveguide lenses, diode laser sources and photodetector arrays, and their integration has significantly advanced the prospects for realization of integrated AO device modules and circuits. In this paper, a new planar-channel AO device module as well as a spherical waveguide AO device module in LiNb03 that are being developed at the author's institution are reported. The results obtained thus far have shown that such AO device modules will take up small substrate dimensions along the optical path and are also inherently of high modularity and versatility. Consequently, such integrated AO device modules should find novel applications in wideband multichannel integrated- and fiber-optic communication, signal processing, and computing systems. Some of these potential applications are also discussed.
A state space approach for constructing MDS rate 1/n convolutional codes

In this paper we provide a state space approach for constructing convolutional codes of rate 1/n and complexity /spl delta/, whose free distance is n(/spl delta/+1), the maximal possible free distance.
Effects of ramp shortening during linear phase of relaxation on [Ca2+]i in intact skeletal muscle fibers

The effects of shortening distance at V u, the unloaded shortening speed, and filament overlap on the amount of extra Ca2+ released during relaxation in muscle, as indicated by the bump area, were ...
A comparison of the cyclic durability, ease of disassembly, repair, and reuse of parts of wooden chair frames

Abstract Simple, statically-determinate wooden chair frames constructed with seven types of joints were subjected to cyclic front to back load tests to determine joint durability, chair reparability, and parts' reuse. Knockdown joints, namely, screw, bed bolts (with dowel nuts), pinned round mortise and tenon, and pinned rectangular mortise and tenon joints; and glued joints, namely, dowel, round mortise and tenon, and rectangular mortise and tenon joints were included in the study. Glued round and rectangular mortise and tenon joints had the highest levels of cyclic load durability whereas bed bolts had the least. Chairs constructed with knockdown joints were easiest to repair, whereas chairs constructed with glued joints were the most difficult to repair. Parts' recovery with rectangular mortise and tenon joints was high when tenons were replaced with inserted tenons. Likewise, recovery was high with dowel joints since the failed dowels were replaced with larger dowels. Parts' recovery with metal knockdown fasteners was low because of side rail splitting; however, parts' recovery with pinned round and rectangular mortise and tenon joints was high.
Fospropofol Disodium for Procedural Sedation: Emerging Evidence of its Value?

Background: Fospropofol is a phosphate-ester water soluble prodrug of propofol approved in the United States for the short-term sedation of adults undergoing diagnostic or therapeutic procedures with monitored anesthesia care. Fospropofol may be advantageous for procedural sedation because it is not a lipid formulation, it lacks pain on injection, it possesses a different pharmacokinetic profile due to in vivo conversion of fospropofol to propofol, and it offers rapid recovery from sedation. Objective: To review published pharmacokinetic data, clinical trials, and the safety profile of fospropofol and provide comment on its use for sedation. Clinical trials: Fospropofol has been studied for sedation in colonoscopy and bronchoscopy with fentanyl for analgesia. Results indicate that a 6.5 mg/kg bolus dose with repeated doses of 25% of the original bolus dose up to every 4 minutes produces an effective and safe level of sedation. Fospropofol comparisons to midazolam were not assessed. Patient satisfaction is high for those treated with the recommended dosage regimen. Most commonly reported adverse effects included pruritus and paresthesia. Sedation related side effects such as hypoxia and apnea were rarely reported and generally mild in scope. Conclusion: Fospropofol represents an alternative sedative agent to midazolam and propofol for short-term sedation. However, the efficacy and safety of fospropofol compared to midazolam or propofol has not been assessed, therefore use will be based on practitioner preference. Restrictive package labelling requiring MAC poses medico-legal and cost-benefit issues thereby not conferring a benefit over propofol which caries similar labelling. Additional studies designed to compare fospropofol to propofol and/or midazolam for procedural sedation are needed.
Research on Examination and Approval Flow in Concurrent Process Planning System

Discussed examination and approval flow technology of CAPP system. It can improve capability of the Concurrent Process Planning System (CPPS) and reduce technologist labor intensity of writing technical documents. Introduced establishing method of userinfo in PDM, and then explained how to link the userinfo table with overall process information table by using database technology, and introduced how to use the userinfo database to realize examination and approval flow in CPPS.
50 years of biometric research

Biometric recognition refers to the automated recognition of individuals based on their biological and behavioral characteristics such as fingerprint, face, iris, and voice. The first scientific paper on automated fingerprint matching was published by Mitchell Trauring in the journal Nature in 1963. The first objective of this paper is to document the significant progress that has been achieved in the field of biometric recognition in the past 50 years since Trauring's landmark paper. This progress has enabled current state-of-the-art biometric systems to accurately recognize individuals based on biometric trait(s) acquired under controlled environmental conditions from cooperative users. Despite this progress, a number of challenging issues continue to inhibit the full potential of biometrics to automatically recognize humans. The second objective of this paper is to enlist such challenges, analyze the solutions proposed to overcome them, and highlight the research opportunities in this field. One of the foremost challenges is the design of robust algorithms for representing and matching biometric samples obtained from uncooperative subjects under unconstrained environmental conditions (e.g., recognizing faces in a crowd). In addition, fundamental questions such as the distinctiveness and persistence of biometric traits need greater attention. Problems related to the security of biometric data and robustness of the biometric system against spoofing and obfuscation attacks, also remain unsolved. Finally, larger system-level issues like usability, user privacy concerns, integration with the end application, and return on investment have not been adequately addressed. Unlocking the full potential of biometrics through inter-disciplinary research in the above areas will not only lead to widespread adoption of this promising technology, but will also result in wider user acceptance and societal impact.
Ending Congestion by Refinancing Highways

Although gasoline taxes have long been the main source of funding for building, maintaining, and operating America’s network of highways, roads, and streets, the tax is at best an imperfect user fee. As such, Congress and the states should take action to transition from gas taxes to more efficient vehicle-mile fees. One of the major failings of gas taxes is that they fail to price congested roads properly. As a result, travelers suffer from more than $100 billion worth of annual delays, and the costs to businesses are tens of billions of dollars more. A second problem is that gas taxes fail to pay for all road costs. While gas taxes collected by federal and state governments cover all or nearly all state highway costs, local governments spend about $30 billion a year out of general funds on local roads and streets. A third problem is that inflation and increasingly fuel-efficient cars rapidly erode gas tax revenues. After adjusting for inflation, drivers today pay only a third as much for each mile they drive as they did in 1956, when Congress created the Interstate Highway System. To fix these and other problems with gas taxes, this paper proposes an affordable vehicle-mile fee system that preserves traveler privacy, eliminates nearly all traffic congestion, adequately funds all federal, state, and local roads, and does so in a revenue-neutral manner after eliminating gas taxes and local road subsidies. In fact, in the long run the proposal may even reduce total road costs and fees because it would give road agencies incentives to operate more efficiently. The replacement of gas taxes with vehiclemile fees should take place as quickly as possible. This means Congress should immediately begin to phase out federal gas taxes, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials should write standards that would allow vehicle-mile fee systems to work across state lines, and individual state legislatures should set target dates for complete conversion from gas taxes to vehicle-mile fees in their states.
Relation of induced sulfonamide resistance to biochemical properties in alpha streptococci.

SummaryPeroxide production by 5 strains of greening streptococci was reduced with the acquisition of resistance to sulfathiazole. Other biochemical changes indicated an overall increase in metabolism in the resistant cells. The resistant cells did not acquire the ability to produce catalase, nor a cytochrome c-cytochrome oxidase system, but did acquire the ability to synthesize riboflavin. The possible relation of these changes to respiration is discussed.