cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a 7 kV 80 kA SGTO Module

This work was undertaken to investigate the switching performance of Super GTO's (SGTO) under conditions of fast rise times up to 25 kA/us, high peak current up to 80 kA, blocking voltage of 7 kV and pulse width of 100 us. The device under test is a switch that is made of two 3.5 kV modules placed in series; each containing eight SGTO die in parallel. The SGTO die developed by Silicon Power Corporation (SPCO) have a very small gate structure of approximately 10 mum. The benefit of this small gate structure is that it allows the device to reach full conduction faster than a conventional thyristor and is therefore optimized for fast turn-on (high di/dt). The SGTO die is a very efficient device having a current density of 29.7 A/mm2 at 10 kA. Each SGTO die can hold of 3.5 kV and can conduct 10 kA. The efficiency of the SGTO die warrants evaluation of this dual module SGTO switch that is rated at 7 kV and 80 kA. The evaluation of the dual module will also determine its overall ability to be used in other voltage and current configurations for various applications by determining its safe operating area (SOA). We have evaluated the switch at 6 kV at a maximum current of 86 kA over a 120 mus pulse width and with a di/dt of 25 kA/mus.
Short-circuit recovery from spinal injury

Propriospinal neurons, whose axons never leave the spinal cord, aid in recovery after spinal cord injury—even when all axons from the brain have been damaged (pages 69–74 ).
mRNA for interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP): distribution and size diversity in vertebrate species.

Abstract Northern blots of total retinal RNA from a number of different vertebrate species were probed with a cDNA fragment corresponding to translated portions of bovine IRBP mRNA. A hybridizing band was detected in normal human retina (4·6 kb), Y-79 human retinoblastoma cells (4·4 kb), and in retinas of monkey (4·6 kb), guinea-pig (4·9 kb), mouse (6·1 kb), rat (two bands at 5·4 kb and 6·6 kb), rabbit (6·3 kb), cow (6·5 kb), and hamster (7·6 kb). Thus, the IRBP gene is expressed in the retinas of a wide variety of mammalian species. The mRNAs could be readily detected in about 20 μg of total RNA, suggesting that, in these species, IRBP message is relatively abundant. In contrast, only very weak hybridization was detected on northern blots of the three bird species examined (chicken, duck, quail). IRBP mRNA is thus relatively well expressed in mammals, but not in birds.
A demonstration of stereophotogrammetry with combined SIR-B and Landsat TM images

Shuttle Imaging Radar-B (SIR-B) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images can be viewed stereoscopically if the illumination geometries are compatible. To create the stereoscopic effect points must be coregistered. Simplified stereophotogrammetric equations permit the height of an object above a reference plane to be crudely calculated from the target offset toward the SIR-B radar antenna with reference to its position on a TM image. Precision is limited by pixel resolution and target correlation. Future spaceborne imaging radar missions will offer the potential for topographic mapping in many areas where TM coverage is available.
On the rate-dependent endochronic theory of viscoplasticity and its application to plastic-wave propagation

Abstract The constitutive equations for strain-hardening metallic materials with strain-rate effects are presented in the framework of the endochronic theory of viscoplasticity using the improved intrinsic time measure. The derived constitutive equations are then applied to the viscoplastic wave-propagation problem of a thin-walled tube subjected to impact loading. Numerical results using the improved endochronic time and theoretical results using conventional plasticity together with the experimental results are compared. It is shown that they are in good agreement qualitatively. In summary, the improved intrinsic time measure does predict both loading and unloading behavior in accordance with the observed phenomena.
Contextual effects in understanding indirect requests

Subjects were presented with sentences like “Must you open the window?” either embedded within a story context or as an isolated sentence. Within the story context, the sentence could have its literal meaning, “Is it necessary that you open the window?” or its indirect or conveyed meaning, “Do not open the window.” Subjects gave comprehension responses and paraphrase judgments for the sentences. In a story context subjects take longer to understand literal sentences than conveyed ones. Without context the conveyed requests take longer than the literal sentences. A second experiment found that in a story context subjects take as long to understand a direct request, “Do not open the window,” as to verify an indirect request, “Must you open the window.” The data from these experiments suggest that a person understanding an indirect request in context need not construct the literal interpretation before deriving the conveyed request.
1046 THE DETECTION OF ANTIBODY AGAINST CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) USING LATEX AGGLUTINATION (LA)

Transfusion acquired CMV infections should be prevented for seronegative (SN) premature infants by providing blood products from SN donors. In order to provide laboratories with a very simple and rapid method for detecting antibody against CMV, latex beads were coated with CMV antigen, incubated for 8 minutes at room temperature with 25ul of sera, and examined for agglutination. The sensitivity and specificity of LA was compared to indirect hemagglutination (IHA, Cetus) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA) using 316 sera from random blood donors. Of 177 sera SN by EIA and IHA, 177 had a LA titer of <1:4 (specificity=100%). Of 119 sera with detectable antibody by EIA and IHA, 115 had a LA titer of 1:4 or greater (sensitivity = 97%). Plasma (EDTA, heparin, and citrate) did not effect LA. LA was also used quantitatively to detect 4 fold or greater rises in antibody in paired sera from 10 patients with posttransfusion CMV infections. LA is a sensitive and specific assay that is extremely rapid and simple to perform.
Periodontal status of older Floridians attending senior activity centers.

Abstract Older adults attending senior activity centers in Florida cooperated for a questionnaire and an oral examination. The 671 ambulatory dentate seniors in this report had a mean of 17.0 teeth. The mean attachment loss was 3.5 mm from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ), and the mean pocket depth was 2.1 nun. 24% of the sample had at least 1 site with attachment loss of 7 or more mm; the majority of these persons had only 1 or 2 severely-involved sites. The extent and severity index of attachment loss (2 mm or more threshold) was (88%. 3.7 mm). Use of pocket depths alone would have substantially underestimated prevalence of periodontitis in this older sample. Sites with severe attachment loss were typically not accompanied by severe pockets. Evidence of a history of moderate disease in this cross-sectional study was prevalent (62% of persons had a maximum attachment loss of 4–6 mm), as was evidence of a history of severe disease (24% had at least 1 site with attachment loss of 7 mm or more).
Prehospital cardiac arrest treated by urban first-responders: Profile of patient response and prediction of outcome by ventricular fibrillation waveform

Study objectives: To determine the speed and characteristics of patient response to urban first-responder defibrillation and to determine whether amplitude of ventricular fibrillation (VF) can predict outcome in these patients. Type of participants: All adult patients in prehospital VF treated by fire department first-responders (265). Design and interventions: A prospective observational study occurring between February 1, 1989, and January 1, 1991. Patients were defibrillated according to advanced cardiac life support and first-responder protocols. ECG and time data were recorded digitally. Main results: Sixty-five percent of patients converted from VF to a more stable rhythm at least once during first-responder monitoring. Fifty-four percent of converted patients refibrillated at least once, and 42% of all stable conversions occurred after at least one episode of refibrillation. Seventy percent of all refibrillations occurred less than six minutes after the defibrillator was turned on, and 23% occurred after more than ten minutes. The proportion of stable conversions decreased from 30% on first conversion to 2% on fourth conversion. With each successive conversion the interval to refibrillation grew shorter, and development of a pulse or blood pressure became less likely. Presence of blood pressure or pulse after conversion had a sensitivity for hospital discharge of 54% and a specificity of 98%. Maximum VF amplitude before countershock was highly predictive of post-shock rhythm, stable conversion in the field, time interval before refibrillation, inpatient admission, and hospital discharge. VF amplitude was unrelated to response interval or interval to defibrillation but was positively related to bystander CPR. Logistic regression identified VF amplitude as the most important predictor of hospital discharge; traditional variables such as response interval and bystander CPR were not predictive once amplitude had been accounted for. Changes in VF amplitude during the course of resuscitation efforts were frequent and also predictive of outcome.
Limits on the hadronic production of D(1865) charmed mesons

Our published measurements have shown that lepton pairs account for the bulk of the single prompt muons produced in $p$-nucleus collisions. We now use our results to set limits on the cross section ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{D\overline{D}}={\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{{D}^{0}{\overline{D}}^{0}}+{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{{D}^{+}{D}^{\ensuremath{-}}}$, finding with 95% confidence that ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{D\overline{D}}l26$ \ensuremath{\mu}b at $\sqrt{s}=19.4$ GeV, and ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{D\overline{D}}l59$ \ensuremath{\mu}b at $\sqrt{s}=27.4$ GeV. These limits are at the level of the recently reported cross sections for charmed particles observed in neutrino "beam-dump" experiments, and are 10 times higher than ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{D\overline{D}}$ expected from a simple extrapolation of the cross section for $\frac{J}{\ensuremath{\psi}}$ production.
Exploration of factors affecting the onset and maturation course of follicular lymphoma through simulations of the germinal center.

Genetic mutations frequently observed in human follicular lymphoma (FL) B-cells result in aberrant expression of the anti-apoptotic protein bcl-2 and surface immunoglobulins (Igs) which display one or more novel variable (V) region N-glycosylation motifs. In the present study, we develop a simulation model of the germinal center (GC) to explore how these mutations might influence the emergence and clonal expansion of key mutants which provoke FL development. The simulations employ a stochastic method for calculating the cellular dynamics, which incorporates actual IgV region sequences and a simplified hypermutation scheme. We first bring our simulations into agreement with experimental data for well-characterized normal and bcl-2+ anti-hapten GC responses in mice to provide a model for understanding how bcl-2 expression leads to permissive selection and memory cell differentiation of weakly competitive B-cells. However, as bcl-2 expression in the GC alone is thought to be insufficient for FL development, we next monitor simulated IgV region mutations to determine the emergence times of key mutants displaying aberrant N-glycosylation motifs recurrently observed in human FL IgV regions. Simulations of 26 germline VH gene segments indicate that particular IgV regions have a dynamical selective advantage by virtue of the speed with which one or more of their key sites can generate N-glycosylation motifs upon hypermutation. Separate calculations attribute the high occurrence frequency of such IgV regions in FL to an ability to produce key mutants at a fast enough rate to overcome stochastic processes in the GC that hinder clonal expansion. Altogether, these simulations characterize three pathways for FL maturation through positively selected N-glycosylations, namely, via one of two key sites within germline VH region gene segments, or via a site in the third heavy chain complementarity-determining region (CDR-H3) that is generated from VDJ recombination.
RING domains: master builders of molecular scaffolds?

Intense interest in the RING domain has arisen because of its widespread occurrence and involvement in human disease. Several intriguing characteristics evident from the study of this cysteine-rich, zinc-binding domain have made it difficult to establish a single defining biochemical function for RINGs. These proteins are found throughout the cell and mediate diverse cellular processes, e.g. oncogenesis, apoptosis, development and viral infection. Recent developments indicate that RING-mediated protein interactions are critical for transcriptional repression and for ubiquitination. These data are in addition to previously established functions for RINGs in RNA processing, cell-cycle control and peroxisomal biogenesis, to name a few. At first glance, there appears to be little to link such disparate actions. Collectively, these results suggest that RINGs function in formation and architecture of large protein complexes that contribute to diverse cellular processes. Here, new developments, in the context of previous results, are discussed in an attempt to establish a unifying theory for RING function.
Enterococcus osteomyelitis secondary to pyelonephritis

We report a case of enterococcus lumbar osteomyelitis that developed after post-operative pyelonephritis. A 78-year-old G2P2 with Stage III uterovaginal prolapse and genuine stress urinary incontinence who underwent laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy, high uterosacral ligament suspension, tension-free vaginal tape-obturator approach, and cystoscopy presented with post-operative back pain. Work-up of her back pain revealed enterococcus pyelonephritis. She continued to have back pain despite outpatient antibiotic treatment and further work-up revealed enterococcus lumbar osteomyelitis at the level of L1–L2. Enterococcus vertebral osteomyelitis is a rare infection that can occur by hematogenous spread from an infection of the urinary tract.
Reaction of a cationic cyclopentadienyliron isocyanide complex with methylamine

Methylamine adds to an isocyanide ligand in (π-C5H5)(RNC)3Fe+, where R = p-CH3OC6H4, to give a complex with an amidinium ligand group: (π-C5H5)(RNC)3Fe+ + CH3NH2 → (π-C5H5)(RNC)2Fe[C(NHCH3)NHR]+ The proton NMR spectrum indicates that the compound exists as two isomers which result from restricted rotation around the CN bonds in the amidinium ligand.
Role for the mammalian Swi5-Sfr1 complex in DNA strand break repair through homologous recombination.

In fission yeast, the Swi5-Sfr1 complex plays an important role in homologous recombination (HR), a pathway crucial for the maintenance of genomic integrity. Here we identify and characterize mammalian Swi5 and Sfr1 homologues. Mouse Swi5 and Sfr1 are nuclear proteins that form a complex in vivo and in vitro. Swi5 interacts in vitro with Rad51, the DNA strand-exchange protein which functions during HR. By generating Swi5−/− and Sfr1−/− embryonic stem cell lines, we found that both proteins are mutually interdependent for their stability. Importantly, the Swi5-Sfr1 complex plays a role in HR when Rad51 function is perturbed in vivo by expression of a BRC peptide from BRCA2. Swi5−/− and Sfr1−/− cells are selectively sensitive to agents that cause DNA strand breaks, in particular ionizing radiation, camptothecin, and the Parp inhibitor olaparib. Consistent with a role in HR, sister chromatid exchange induced by Parp inhibition is attenuated in Swi5−/− and Sfr1−/− cells, and chromosome aberrations are increased. Thus, Swi5-Sfr1 is a newly identified complex required for genomic integrity in mammalian cells with a specific role in the repair of DNA strand breaks.
Variation Diminishing Transformations: A Direct Approach to Total Positivity and its Statistical Applications

Abstract Karlin has shown that the variation diminishing property possessed by totally positive distributions allows a unified and straightforward presentation of many basic properties of hypothesis tests. His work in fact reveals that total positivity is equivalent to a suitably formulated variation diminishing property. This largely expository article begins with the latter concept and consequently gives a more direct account of the theory. This approach avoids the extensive mathematical preliminaries previously required and isolates the more important statistical property.
Search for X-Ray Induced Acceleration of the Decay of the 31-Yr Isomer of 178Hf Using Synchrotron Radiation

Releasing the energy stored in an isomeric nuclear state in a controlled way with an atomic or electromagnetic trigger is an attractive speculation: the energy gain may be on the order of the ratio of nuclear/atomic energies - MeV/keV. (Nuclear isomers are loosely defined as excited nuclear states with lifetimes longer than 10{sup -9} s.) Nuclear isomers, therefore, represent an opportunity for a stand-alone energy source if suitable schemes for trigger and control of the energy release can be found. Potential applications include space drive, as well as very bright {gamma}-ray sources. The nucleus {sup 178}Hf has a nuclear isomer with excitation energy E{sub x} = 2.447 MeV. The 2.447-MeV isomeric state decays slowly (t{sub 1/2} = 31 y) to the nearby state at 2.433 MeV. The J{sup {pi}} = 13{sup -} state loses energy in a rapid (t {approx} 10{sup -12} s) {gamma}-ray cascade ending at the 8{sup -} rotational band head which in turn decays via the ground-state rotational band cascade. The {gamma}-ray cascade is delayed at the 8{sup -} state at 1.147 MeV, since the 8{sup -} state is also isomeric, with t{sub 1/2} = 4 s. Very scarce quantities of the 16{sup +}, 31-yr isomer aremore » available for research ({approx} 10{sup 15} atoms). Reports of triggered decay of the {sup 178}Hf isomer induced by x-rays delivered by a dental x-ray machine have been made [2,3]. Enhancements of {approx} 1 - 2% in the isomer decay rate (dN/dt = - (1 + {var_epsilon})N/{tau}) had been reported for various {gamma}-rays in the cascade (distinguished by red and vertical lines in Figure 1). The reported integrated cross section for triggering the decay is cm{sup 2} keV, so large as to demand new physics. We have sought to verify these reports taking advantage of the intense photon flux available at the Advanced Photon Source.« less
TU-C-I-609-04: Optimization of Radiographic Imaging Using Simulated Radiography and Electronic Observers

Purpose:Software incorporating an anatomical radiograph simulator, effective dose calculator, and image quality analysis has been developed to determine the optimal balance between patient dose and image quality. Method and Materials:Radiograph simulation is divided into the primary and scattered portions of an x‐ray interaction. A tomographic phantom, VIP‐Man, is used to simulate the scattered portion using the ESGnrc Monte Carlo code. The primary portion is simulated using the projection ray‐tracing method through the Visible Human CT data set. To produce a realistic radiograph, the software simulates quantum noise, blurring effects, lesions, detector absorption efficiency, and other imaging artifacts. The primary and scattered portions of the simulated radiograph are combined to form an image for simulated observer studies and image quality analysis. Absorbed doses in the VIP‐Man phantom were also obtained from the Monte Carlo simulations. Once radiographs are produced, they are analyzed using several simulated observer filters including; non‐prewhitening matched filter with eye, Hotelling, and channelized Hotelling. Using the VIP‐Man phantom as a representative patient, a CsI flat panel detector and a small lesion in the left lung was examined as a test case. Energy was varied mono‐energetically while fluence was varied. Approximately 2000 simulated images and 200,000 data files were analyzed.Results: Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves and the corresponding Area Under Curve (AUC) charts were developed for the 2000 simulated images. For the patient size considered, the energy at which the minimum effective dose required to obtain an AUC of 0.85 was determined to be 70 keV. Conclusion: Coupling an imaging simulator with a computerized simulated observer represents a new avenue for maintaining image quality while minimizing patient dose. Rescaling the VIP‐Man phantom will extend the database of representative patients for a verity of imaging tasks.
Coexistence in the unstirred chemostat

We consider a rather general system of reaction diffusion equations containing multiple parameters and prove existence of positive solutions for some sets of parameters. The problem models long term coexistence of competing microorganisms in an unstirred chemostat with diffusion and flow. The proof, as in previous work, depends on a bifurcation argument using a Crandall-Rabinowitz theorem. Since stability of these steady states, as well as the more general question of persistence is unresolved, we include some numerical results which shed light on these questions.
Ultrasonic characterization of the curing process of hydroxyapatite-modified bone cement.

Ultrasonic parameters such as velocity of sound and broad-band ultrasonic attenuation (BUA) are sensitive to changes in the viscoelastic properties of a material. Bone cement undergoes changes is these properties as it cures. By monitoring the propagation of ultrasonic pulses through a sample of curing bone cement, the curing reaction of polymethylmethacrylate-based (PMMA) bone cement was investigated for hydroxyapatite (HA) concentrations of 0, 10, and 30% (by weight). As the material hardens, the velocity of sound increases by 70%. BUA shows a large peak at the midpoint of the velocity transition. These data are used to compare the cure time and cure duration for PMMA bone cement mixed with hydroxyapatite particles. Measurements of the final sound velocity and BUA were also performed to investigate the mechanical properties of the fully cured cement, and to compare to compression testing data. This is the first time the curing process of bone cement has been investigated as a function of hydroxyapatite concentration. Results indicate that the cure time is not significantly affected by the addition of HA particles, and that both velocity of sound and BUA are sensitive to the curing process.
Inferring models of multiscale copy number evolution for single-tumor phylogenetics

Motivation: Phylogenetic algorithms have begun to see widespread use in cancer research to reconstruct processes of evolution in tumor progression. Developing reliable phylogenies for tumor data requires quantitative models of cancer evolution that include the unusual genetic mechanisms by which tumors evolve, such as chromosome abnormalities, and allow for heterogeneity between tumor types and individual patients. Previous work on inferring phylogenies of single tumors by copy number evolution assumed models of uniform rates of genomic gain and loss across different genomic sites and scales, a substantial oversimplification necessitated by a lack of algorithms and quantitative parameters for fitting to more realistic tumor evolution models. Results: We propose a framework for inferring models of tumor progression from single-cell gene copy number data, including variable rates for different gain and loss events. We propose a new algorithm for identification of most parsimonious combinations of single gene and single chromosome events. We extend it via dynamic programming to include genome duplications. We implement an expectation maximization (EM)-like method to estimate mutation-specific and tumor-specific event rates concurrently with tree reconstruction. Application of our algorithms to real cervical cancer data identifies key genomic events in disease progression consistent with prior literature. Classification experiments on cervical and tongue cancer datasets lead to improved prediction accuracy for the metastasis of primary cervical cancers and for tongue cancer survival. Availability and implementation: Our software (FISHtrees) and two datasets are available at ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pub/FISHtrees. Contact: ude.umc.werdna@sllessur Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
In vitro and in vivo characterization of [125I]iodomethyllycaconitine in the rat.

The in vitro and in vivo binding characteristics of [ 1 2 5 I]iodomethyllycaconitine ([ 1 2 5 I]iodoMLA) were determined in the rat. [ 1 2 5 I]iodoMLA binding to rat cerebral cortex membranes was saturable and reversible andits specific binding represented approximately 70-80% of the total binding. [ 1 2 5 I]iodoMLA labeled a single site with K d = 1.8 ′ 0.4 nM and B m a x = 68 ′ 3 fmol/mg protein. Kinetic analysis revealed a t 1 / 2 for association and dissociation of 10.5 ′ 3.1 and 10.3 ′ 1.6 min, respectively. Pharmacological characterization of [ 1 2 5 I]iodoMLA binding indicated that it was specific for the α 7 nAChR. In vitro brain region binding studies revealed greater binding in regions known to contain high numbers of α 7 nAChRs. The analysis of the biodistribution of intravenously administered [ 1 2 5 I]iodoMLA indicated that it was rapidly cleared and exhibited poor brain penetration; nevertheless, the levels of [ 1 2 5 I]iodoMLA in α 7 nAChR-rich target regions were significantly increased compared to the nontarget region (cerebellum) 60-120 min after administration. No metabolism of MLA by human liver S9 fraction was detected. Our results suggest that [ 1 2 5 I]iodoMLA will be a useful radioligand to study the α 7 nAChR in vitro and in vivo.
Top Quark Rapidity Distribution and Forward-backward Asymmetry

I present results for the top quark rapidity distribution at Large Hadron Collider and Tevatron energies, including higher-order corrections from threshold resummation. Approximate next-to-next-to-leading-order (NNLO) results are obtained by adding the NNLO soft-gluon corrections at next-to-next-to-leading-logarithm level to the exact next-to-leading-order calculation. Theoretical predictions are shown for the rapidity distribution, including the scale dependence of the distributions. The forward-backward asymmetry at the Tevatron is also calculated.
Failure of Electric Shock Treatment for Rattlesnake Envenomation

The use of high-voltage electric shock therapy for the treatment of snake venom poisoning has recently gained popularity in the United States. We present a case that documents the dangerous, ineffective application of electric shock to the face of a patient envenomated by a Great Basin rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis lutosus). The successful use of antivenin in this critically ill, antivenin-allergic patient is described.
Monitoring and Debugging DryadLINQ Applications with Daphne

Debugging and optimizing large-scale applications is still more art than engineering discipline. This document describes our experience in building a set of tools to help DryadLINQ application developers understand and debug their programs. par The core infrastructure for our tools is a portable library which provides a DryadLINQ job object model (i.e., a local representation of the distributed state of an executed application). Layered on the job object model we have built a variety of interactive and batch tools for: performance data collection and analysis, distributed state visualization, failure diagnostics, debugging, and profiling.
Morrow Valley Fill Sandstone Reservoir Characterization With 3-D, 3-C Reflection Seismology

Three dimensional, multicomponent (3-D, 3-C) reflection seismology is the technology of the future for reservoir characterization. Application of this emerging technology provides quantitative solutions for porosity and permeability determinations within both clastic and carbonate reservoirs which is unattainable from compressional (P) wave data alone. A 3-D, 3-C seismic survey over a clastic valley fill reservoir in the Pennsylvanian Morrow Formation of southeastern Colorado demonstrates the application of this technology. Morrow valley fill sandstone deposits in southeastern Colorado, are prolific oil reservoirs that are not commonly detected with compressional seismic data. A multicomponent 3-D seismic survey acquired over a portion of the Sorrento field, Cheyenne County, Colorado identifies the reservoir sandstone and its spatial variability. Velocity ratio (Vp/Vs), anisotropy, and shear wave amplitude mapping of the three dimensional, multicomponent seismic survey reveal reservoir sandstone distribution and discontinuities, and a local gas cap is characterized by these data. New evidence of tectonic influence on sandstone deposition and reservoir compartmentalization is presented. These results are achieved in a noisy data environment and are verified by subsurface geological and production data. The findings demonstrate the robust nature of 3-D, 3-C seismic technology and its usefulness for reservoir characterization.
Case report. lontophoretic delivery of steroids in the treatment of Peyronie's disease: case reports of three successful outcomes

SummaryPeyronie's disease is a condition with an obscure etiology mainly occurring in middle-aged men. Treatment reports to date are anecdotal and there have been no controlled trials. When treatment is necessary, it entails an invasive surgical procedure. We report successful outcomes of the initial three patients treated with non-invasive iontophoretic delivery of cortisone.
Trends in oxidative aging theories

The early observations on the rate-of-living theory by Max Rubner and the report by Gershman that oxygen free radicals exist in vivo culminated in the seminal proposal in the 1950s by Denham Harman that reactive oxygen species are a cause of aging (free radical theory of aging). The goal of this review is to analyze recent findings relevant in evaluating Harman's theory using experimental results as grouped by model organisms (i.e., invertebrate models and mice). In this regard, we have focused primarily on recent work involving genetic manipulations. Because the free radical theory of aging is not the only theorem proposed to explain the mechanism(s) involved in aging at the molecular level, we also discuss how this theory is related to other areas of research in biogerontology, specifically, telomere/cell senescence, genomic instability, and the mitochondrial hypothesis of aging. We also discuss where we think the free radical theory is headed. It is now possible to give at least a partial answer to the question whether oxidative stress determines life span as Harman posed so long ago. Based on studies to date, we argue that a tentative case for oxidative stress as a life-span determinant can be made in Drosophila melanogaster. Studies in mice argue for a role of oxidative stress in age-related disease, especially cancer; however, with regard to aging per se, the data either do not support or remain inconclusive on whether oxidative stress determines life span.
Nanoparticle Incorporation of Melittin Reduces Sperm and Vaginal Epithelium Cytotoxicity

Melittin is a cytolytic peptide component of bee venom which rapidly integrates into lipid bilayers and forms pores resulting in osmotic lysis. While the therapeutic utility of free melittin is limited by its cytotoxicity, incorporation of melittin into the lipid shell of a perfluorocarbon nanoparticle has been shown to reduce its toxicity in vivo. Our group has previously demonstrated that perfluorocarbon nanoparticles containing melittin at concentrations <10 µM inhibit HIV infectivity in vitro. In the current study, we assessed the impact of blank and melittin-containing perfluorocarbon nanoparticles on sperm motility and the viability of both sperm and vaginal epithelial cells. We found that free melittin was toxic to sperm and vaginal epithelium at concentrations greater than 2 µM (p<0.001). However, melittin nanoparticles were not cytotoxic to sperm (p = 0.42) or vaginal epithelium (p = 0.48) at an equivalent melittin concentration of 10 µM. Thus, nanoparticle formulation of melittin reduced melittin cytotoxicity fivefold and prevented melittin toxicity at concentrations previously shown to inhibit HIV infectivity. Melittin nanoparticles were toxic to vaginal epithelium at equivalent melittin concentrations ≥20 µM (p<0.001) and were toxic to sperm at equivalent melittin concentrations ≥40 µM (p<0.001). Sperm cytotoxicity was enhanced by targeting of the nanoparticles to the sperm surface antigen sperm adhesion molecule 1. While further testing is needed to determine the extent of cytotoxicity in a more physiologically relevant model system, these results suggest that melittin-containing nanoparticles could form the basis of a virucide that is not toxic to sperm and vaginal epithelium. This virucide would be beneficial for HIV serodiscordant couples seeking to achieve natural pregnancy.
Role for PKCβ in enhanced endothelin-1-induced pulmonary vasoconstrictor reactivity following intermittent hypoxia

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) resulting from sleep apnea causes both systemic and pulmonary hypertension. Enhanced endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced vasoconstrictor reactivity is thought to play a central ro...
The Impact of Special Education Mediation on Parent—School Relationships Parents' Perspective

Finding ways to productively manage conflict in a manner that protects parent—school relationships has become an issue of growing concern in special education. Special education mediation has been promoted as a valuable process, in part, because of its promise for resolving such conflicts in a way that prevents the escalation of adversarial relationships and fosters norms of collaboration among parents and schools. However, despite the growing interest in the impact of mediation on the continuing relationship between parents and schools, empirically, we know very little about the nature of its impact. This study begins to address this gap by qualitatively exploring how parents of special needs students perceive their participation in special education mediation to have affected their ongoing relationship with the school. The findings suggest that mediation has the ability to affect both the interpersonal relationship between parents and school personnel and parents' overall sense of efficacy in their abil...
Curing and Caring: The Work of Primary Care Physicians With Dementia Patients

The symbolic framework guiding primary care physicians’ (PCPs) practice is crucial in shaping the quality of care for those with degenerative dementia. Examining the relationship between the cure and care models in primary care offers a unique opportunity for exploring change toward a more holistic approach to health care. The aims of this study were to (a) explore how PCPs approach the care of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and (b) describe how this care unfolds from the physicians’ perspectives. This was a cross-sectional study of 40 PCPs who completed semistructured interviews as part of a dementia caregiving study. Findings show that PCPs recognize the limits of the cure paradigm and articulate a caring, more holistic model that addresses the psychosocial needs of dementia patients. However, caring is difficult to uphold because of time constraints, emotional burden, and jurisdictional issues. Thus, the care model remains secondary and temporary.
Product Management in Less Developed Countries

A case study is presented of a Dutch multinational′s introduction of a consumer product to rural Ethiopia based on the author′s direct experiences as an employee of the company. How the company stimulated the demand for sugar by effectively responding to the unique environmental conditions with a particular focus on the creative approaches it utilised to penetrate the rural markets is described. Useful lessons learnt by the company in Ethiopia may be provided to other multinationals and entrepreneurs who may be considering the production and marketing of basic consumer products in less developed countries.
Everyday Borders of Transnational Students: Composing Place and Space with Mobile Technology, Social Media, and Multimodality

Abstract Students living and attending institutions of higher education near the border of Mexico and the United States use mobile devices, multimodality, and social media to challenge institutional spaces in a number of ways. The study presents the results of mixed-method research designed to examine how students living in this context employ mobile devices and social media to negotiate this idea of space when doing writing work. The article also examines how the uses of mobile technologies affect writing practices including student awareness of popular modes of writing, academic genres, and rhetorical concepts affecting writing practices. Through examining such issues, the author argues for the development of multimodal pedagogies that can supplement and validate the lived experiences of the writing student who regularly move between different national, cultural, and educational contexts.
Supervised clustering - algorithms and benefits

This work centers on a novel data mining technique we term supervised clustering. Unlike traditional clustering, supervised clustering assumes that the examples are classified and has the goal of identifying class-uniform clusters that have high probability densities. Four representative-based algorithms for supervised clustering are introduced: a greedy algorithm with random restart, named SRIDHCR, that seeks for solutions by inserting and removing single objects from the current solution, SPAM (a variation of the clustering algorithm PAM), an evolutionary computing algorithm named SCEC, and a fast medoid-based top-down splitting algorithm, named TDS. The four algorithms were evaluated using a benchmark consisting of four UCI machine learning data sets. In general, it seems that "greedy" algorithms, such as SPAM, SRIDHCR, and TDS, do not perform particularly well for supervised clustering and seem to terminate prematurely too often. We also briefly describe the applications of supervised clustering.
An Observational Study of an Employer Intervention for Children's Healthy Weight Behaviors

OBJECTIVE: This observational study was undertaken to assess whether changes in healthy weight behaviors could be advanced in a short-term intervention involving parents and children at IBM. METHODS: IBM9s Children9s Health Rebate offered a cash incentive for parents to complete a 12-week program of self-selected activities in family food planning and meals, family physical activity, and sedentary time related to electronic entertainment (“screen time”). A preprogram/postprogram comparison of self-reported activities was used to assess behavior change. RESULTS: A total of 22 265 (52.3%) employees elected to participate, 11 631 (52.2%) of whom completed all program requirements and earned a $150 cash rebate. Families completing the program reported significant changes in levels of physical activity, amount of entertainment screen time, and proportion of healthy meals. For example, family physical activity >3 times per week increased by 17.1 percentage points (from 23.2% to 40.3%), eating healthy dinners ≥5 days/week increased by 11.8 percentage points (from 74.9% to 86.7%), and entertainment screen time CONCLUSIONS: The results of this short-term observational study suggest that healthy weight behaviors in children, adolescents, and parents can be improved by using a Web-based intervention linked with a cash incentive. The results also show that employers can activate parents and support a role for employers in community-based strategies for obesity prevention in children. Experimental designs with biometric data would strengthen the suggestion of positive impact.
What is answer set programming to propositional satisfiability

Propositional satisfiability (or satisfiability) and answer set programming are two closely related subareas of Artificial Intelligence that are used to model and solve difficult combinatorial search problems. Satisfiability solvers and answer set solvers are the software systems that find satisfying interpretations and answer sets for given propositional formulas and logic programs, respectively. These systems are closely related in their common design patterns. In satisfiability, a propositional formula is used to encode problem specifications in a way that its satisfying interpretations correspond to the solutions of the problem. To find solutions to a problem it is then sufficient to use a satisfiability solver on a corresponding formula. Niemela, Marek, and Truszczynski coined answer set programming paradigm in 1999: in this paradigm a logic program encodes problem specifications in a way that the answer sets of a logic program represent the solutions of the problem. As a result, to find solutions to a problem it is sufficient to use an answer set solver on a corresponding program. These parallels that we just draw between paradigms naturally bring up a question: what is a fundamental difference between the two? This paper takes a close look at this question.
Hypothesis behavior in a multidimensional oddity problem

Three groups of college students attempted to solve an oddity problem in which stimuli were varied along five bi-leveled dimensions. Knowledge of results was given only when a S was correct on all three trials of a block of trials. The group receiving “oddity” instructions gave significantly higher proportions of response sequences which fit the assumed use of an oddity hypothesis than did the other two instruction groups.
Analysis of Gurney Flap Effects on a NACA 0012 Airfoil/Wing Section

This report outlines the effects of a Gurney Flap on a NACA 0012 airfoil and wing section. This data was obtained using the 32-by-45 inch wind tunnel at the Prescott campus of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. The tests were performed at several different angles of attack with three differing Gurney Flap lengths of 1%, 2.5%, and 5% of the airfoil chord length. The testing showed drastic increases in the lift to drag ratios of as much as 104% for both the airfoil and 3-D wing configurations.
Temporal trends in human TCDD body burden: decreases over three decades and implications for exposure levels

Data on lipid levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in the general population in the United States, Canada, Germany, and France over the past 30 years were compiled from the literature. Mean lipid levels of TCDD exhibited a steady decrease by nearly a factor of 10 over this time period, with lipid-adjusted TCDD levels in 2000 about 2 parts per trillion (ppt). Pharmacokinetic modeling using a one-compartment model indicated that absorbed intake levels of TCDD must have decreased by more than 95% from levels in 1972 to result in the observed decrease in human lipid levels, with the bulk of this decrease occurring before 1980. Based on this modeling and the pharmacokinetic properties of TCDD in humans, we conclude that mean levels of TCDD in the general population are likely to decrease further over the next 15 years, to between 0.5 and 1 ppt, even if intake levels do not decrease further. Fewer data over a shorter time period are available for other dioxin and furan congeners in human lipid, but these data indicate substantial decreases as well, with general population TEQ lipid levels currently at least fourfold lower than in 1970 and still decreasing. Food sampling data are limited, but support these trends.
Legal Aspects of End-of-Life Care in Severe Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness. Its management can be complicated as people with the condition can resist efforts to enable them to eat and drink. Ethical, medico-legal and psychological issues need careful exploration when considering compulsory treatment. This article summarises the judgment from the High Court case of a 32-year-old woman, ‘E’, with severe anorexia nervosa, emotionally unstable personality disorder, alcohol and opiate dependence and physical complications of malnutrition. Her death was imminent and she was placed on an end-of-life care pathway. Despite two advance directives refusing life-sustaining treatment, and her parents’ skepticism about further intervention, the judge declared that it was lawful and in her best interests for her to be fed, forcibly if necessary. This unique and complex case was heavily dependent on the detailed application of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Respect for personal independence was balanced against the right to life to make a decision about E’s best interests. Conflicts of interest: none
Incorporation of the biological marker rubidium in gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) and its transfer to the predator Carabus nemoralis (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), adults and fourth instars reared from first instar on diet enriched with 3 g rubidium cloride (RbCl) per liter acquired the rubidium (Rb) tag without -affecting their phenology or survival. The tag was retained in fourth instars at significant levels for 5 d after removal from the Rb-enriched diet. Loss of Rb after transfer from Rb-enriched diet to diet without Rb was described by a nonlinear regression model of the log of Rb concentration against days after transfer. Adult Carabus nemoralis Muller that consumed Rb-tagged fourth instars acquired the tag. Rb concentration in the beetles was positively correlated with the number of larvae eaten and negatively correlated with the number of days since feeding
Field Evaluation of Four Insecticides for the Prevention of Lettuce- Yellows Disease with Known Populations of Viruliferous Six-Spotted Leafhoppers

Artificially reared viruliferous six-spotted leafhoppers, Macrosteles fascifrons (Stal), were caged over small areas of lettuce in the field to test the effectiveness of four insecticides (DDT, demeton, malathion, and parathion) applied as emulsion sprays for lettuce-yellows prevention. This leafhopper is the only known vector for the eastern strain of the virus Chlorogenus callistephi var. vulgaris Holmes, causing lettuce-yellows disease in New York State. Differences were found between sprayed and unsprayed lettuce in the incidence of disease, and in the residual effectiveness of insecticides tested. Differences between insecticides were significant but not readily apparent by mere visual inspection. The use of known populations of viruliferous leafhoppers permitted evaluation of sprays where ordinary small-plot and large-field experiments had failed.
“Payback for Pearl Harbor” Racist Ideologies Online of Karmic Retribution for White America and Postracial Resistance

Immediately following news coverage of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011, anti-Japanese users attributed the disasters to karmic “payback for Pearl Harbor.” As Klein no...
Improved Algorithm Based on MVSSLMS and Its Application in Speech Enhancement

A improved variable step size algorithm is presented,which uses the estimation of the autocorrelation about error signal e(n)e(n-1) and means square error e2(n) to adjust the step of adaptive algorithm μ(n).Computer simulation result verifies the improved algorithm has faster convergence rate than MVSSLMS and can be applied to adaptive systems effectively.Finally,the technology of realization is studied in the speech enhancement systems,and retrieves clear speech.
The Lectotype of CVT in UHV AC Pilot Demonstration Project

According to the characteristic of the China 1 000 kV AC UHV pilot project,this paper analyzes the features of voltage transformer used in the UHV projects both at home and abroad,and compares the disadvantages and advantages of column type capacitive voltage transformer(CVT),electromagnetic voltage transformer and electronic voltage transformer.Hence the voltage transformer for the 1 000 kV AC UHV pilot project is selected.In addition,the CVT working mechanism,the parameters selection and the structure requirement of the 1 000 kV CVT are introduced.