cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure of Turbulence Around the Trailing Edge of a Rotor Blade

This paper focuses on the structure of turbulence around the trailing edge of a rotor blade operating behind a row of Inlet Guide Vanes (IGVs) located upstream of the rotor. High resolution, two-dimensional Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurements are conducted in a refractive index matched turbomachinery facility that provides unobstructed view of the entire flow field. We focus on a small region around the rotor blade trailing edge, extending from 0.04c upstream of the trailing edge to about 0.1c downstream of it, c being the blade chord length. We examine the phase dependent distribution of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and its in-plane components of production rate. Impingement of an IGV wake on the suction surface of a rotor blade, near the trailing edge region, reduces the thickness of the boundary layer within the region impinged by the wake. The resulting increase in phase averaged shear strain rate increases the production rate and causes a striking increase in peak turbulent kinetic energy in the near wake. Streamwise velocity gradients, i.e. compression, also contribute to turbulence production, especially when the boundary layer at trailing edge is relatively thick, i.e. when it is not impinged by the IGV wake.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
International information-exchange activities on dioxins

Abstract A project promoting the exchange of information on polychlorinated dibenzo- para -dioxins and related chemicals has been initiated on an international basis. The project is being conducted under the auspices of the Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization with representation from the following nations: Canada, Denmark, Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom, and United States. Areas being studied include exposure and hazard assessment, technology assessment, and management of accidents.
“It All Fell in on Him”: Masculinities in Raymond Carver's Short Stories and American Culture during the 1970s and 1980s

This article locates Carver's stories in the context of discourses of masculinity predominant in American culture during the 1970s and 1980s. During these decades, traditional constructions of masculinity were increasingly questioned, creating spaces for alternative forms of masculinity. This essay also locates a transformation in representations of masculinity in Carver's oeuvre: representations of masculinity in crisis are transformed in later stories into alternate constructions of masculinity characterized by optimism and growth. This essay concludes that Carver's stories provide a window into the intense gender conflict of these decades.
Commissioning of the Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator: a multi-institutional study.

Purpose: Latest generation linear accelerators (linacs), i.e., TrueBeam (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) and its stereotactic counterpart, TrueBeam STx, have several unique features, including high-dose-rate flattening-filter-free (FFF) photon modes, reengineered electron modes with new scattering foil geometries, updated imaging hardware/software, and a novel control system. An evaluation of five TrueBeam linacs at three different institutions has been performed and this work reports on the commissioning experience. Methods: Acceptance and commissioning data were analyzed for five TrueBeam linacs equipped with 120 leaf (5 mm width) MLCs at three different institutions. Dosimetric data and mechanical parameters were compared. These included measurements of photon beam profiles (6X, 6XFFF, 10X, 10XFFF, 15X), photon and electron percent depth dose (PDD) curves (6, 9, 12 MeV), relative photon output factors (Scp), electron cone factors, mechanical isocenter accuracy, MLC transmission, and dosimetric leaf gap (DLG). End-to-end testing and IMRT commissioning were also conducted. Results: Gantry/collimator isocentricity measurements were similar (0.27–0.28 mm), with overall couch/gantry/collimator values of 0.46–0.68 mm across the three institutions. Dosimetric data showed good agreement between machines. The average MLC DLGs for 6, 10, and 15 MV photons were 1.33 ± 0.23, 1.57 ± 0.24, and 1.61 ± 0.26 mm, respectively. 6XFFF and 10XFFF modes had average DLGs of 1.16 ± 0.22 and 1.44 ± 0.30 mm, respectively. MLC transmission showed minimal variation across the three institutions, with the standard deviation <0.2% for all linacs. Photon and electron PDDs were comparable for all energies. 6, 10, and 15 MV photon beam quality, %dd(10)x varied less than 0.3% for all linacs. Output factors (Scp) and electron cone factors agreed within 0.27%, on average; largest variations were observed for small field sizes (1.2% coefficient of variation, 10 MV, 2 × 2 cm2) and small cone sizes (<1% coefficient of variation, 6 × 6 cm2 cone), respectively. Conclusions: Overall, excellent agreement was observed in TrueBeam commissioning data. This set of multi-institutional data can provide comparison data to others embarking on TrueBeam commissioning, ultimately improving the safety and quality of beam commissioning.
Outcomes of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock Patients on Chronic Antiplatelet Treatment: A Historical Cohort Study

Background. Sepsis is characterized by dysfunctional activation of platelets, and antiplatelet therapy could improve the outcomes of septic patients. Methods. We performed a retrospective cohort study of severe sepsis or septic shock adult patients. Outcomes of patients on antiplatelet therapy were compared to those that were not taking antiplatelet therapy by univariate analysis followed by a propensity score analysis based on the probability of receiving antiplatelet therapy. Results. Of 651 patients included in the study 272 (42.8%) were on antiplatelet therapy before the development of severe sepsis or septic shock. After adjusting for important confounding variables antiplatelet therapy was not associated with a decreased risk of hospital mortality (odds ratio 0.73, 95% confidence interval 0.46–1.16). Antiplatelet therapy was associated with a decreased incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome/acute lung injury (odds ratio 0.50, 95% confidence interval 0.35–0.71) and reduced need of mechanical ventilation (odds ratio 0.62, 95% confidence interval 0.45–87). Incidence of acute kidney injury was similar between both groups (odds ratio 1.08, 95% confidence interval 0.73–1.59). Conclusions. The use of antiplatelet therapy before the diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock was not associated with decreased hospital mortality. Antiplatelet therapy was associated with a decreased incidence of acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Not all aggressions are created equal: a multifoci approach to workplace aggression.

Types of perpetrators of workplace aggression can vary considerably, and recent research has demonstrated that aggression from different perpetrator categories has different implications for victims. We extended research on multifoci aggression and explored affective and cognitive pathways linking verbal aggression from four perpetrator types-supervisors, coworkers, customers, and significant others-and employee morale and turnover intention. Data from a sample of 446 working adults indicated that both emotional strain and employees' corresponding judgments of their social exchange relationships with these perpetrators served as the mechanisms for the association between aggression from supervisors, coworkers, and customers and morale and turnover intention. Coworker aggression had a direct association with turnover intention and significant other aggression was related to turnover intention only through emotional strain. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Placental alpha-microglobulin-1 and combined traditional diagnostic test: a cost-benefit analysis.

Objective We sought to evaluate if the placental alpha-microglobulin (PAMG)-1 test vs the combined traditional diagnostic test (CTDT) of pooling, nitrazine, and ferning would be a cost-beneficial screening strategy in the setting of potential preterm premature rupture of membranes. Study Design A decision analysis model was used to estimate the economic impact of PAMG-1 test vs the CTDT on preterm delivery costs from a societal perspective. Our primary outcome was the annual net cost-benefit per person tested. Baseline probabilities and costs assumptions were derived from published literature. We conducted sensitivity analyses using both deterministic and probabilistic models. Cost estimates reflect 2013 US dollars. Results Annual net benefit from PAMG-1 was $20,014 per person tested, while CTDT had a net benefit of $15,757 per person tested. If the probability of rupture is 38%, CTDT is more cost-beneficial. Monte Carlo simulations of 1 million trials selected PAMG-1 as the optimal strategy with a frequency of 89%, while CTDT was only selected as the optimal strategy with a frequency of 11%. Sensitivity analyses were robust. Conclusion Our cost-benefit analysis provides the economic evidence for the adoption of PAMG-1 in diagnosing preterm premature rupture of membranes in uncertain presentations and when CTDT is equivocal at 34 to
Noninvasive Imaging Modalities and Sudden Cardiac Arrest in the Young: Can They Help Distinguish Subjects With a Potentially Life-Threatening Abnormality From Normals?

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in the young is always tragic, but fortunately it is an unusual event. When it does occur, it usually happens in active individuals, often while they are participating in physical activity. Depending on the population's characteristics, the most common causes of sudden cardiac arrest in these subjects are hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, congenital coronary abnormalities, arrhythmia in the presence of a structurally normal heart (ion channelopathies or abnormal conduction pathways), aortic rupture, and arrhythmogenic right-ventricular cardiomyopathy. Two-dimensional echocardiography (2-DE) has been proposed as a screening tool that can potentially detect four of these five causes of SCA, and many groups now sponsor community-based 2-DE SCA-screening programs. "Basic" 2-DE screening may include assessment of ventricular volumes, mass, and function; left atrial size; and cardiac and thoracic vascular (including coronary) anatomy. "Advanced" echocardiographic techniques, such as tissue Doppler and strain imaging, can help in diagnosis when the history, electrocardiogram (ECG), and/or standard 2-DE screening suggest there may be an abnormality, e.g., to help differentiate those with "athlete's heart" from hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging or cardiac computed tomography can be added to increase diagnostic sensitivity and specificity in select cases when an abnormality is suggested during SCA screening. Test availability, cost, and ethical issues related to who to screen, as well as the detection of those with potential disease but low risk, must be balanced when deciding what tests to perform to assess for increased SCA risk.
Techniques for Combining American and British Food Composition Data on Specific Carbohydrates

Abstract To examine associations between intakes of specific carbohydrates and cancer, we added values for three monosaccharides, three disaccharides, total sugar, and starch to our food composition table for the multi-ethnic population of Hawaii. For U.S. foods, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published limited data for individual sugars and total sugar. For the majority of British foods, data for sugars and starch are included in McCance and Widdowson (1988–1993). However, data from these two sources are difficult to combine because of differing units and definitions for the various carbohydrate fractions. The following techniques were followed when merging data from these two sources: • Determination of food equivalencies. • Conversion of monosaccharide equivalents in the British data to gram weights for comparability with the U.S. data. • Recalculation of Hawaiian recipes from individual foods. Two methods were compared for imputing starch values for Hawaiian foods: • Direct calculation of starch by subtracting dietary fiber and total sugar from total carbohydrate (all in gram weights). • Indirect calculation of starch by determining the ratio of starch to total carbohydrate in the British food, and applying the same ratio to the equivalent Hawaiian food.
Phase I combination trial of gemcitabine, paclitaxel, and carboplatin in patients with advanced malignancy.

We performed a phase I trial of carboplatin and paclitaxel in combination with gemcitabine in order to determine the tolerability of this triplet. Enrolled in the study were 26 patients with advanced cancer, most with non-small cell lung cancer. The patients received escalating doses of carboplatin and paclitaxel on day 1 and gemcitabine (30-min infusion) on days 1, 8, and 15 of a 28-day treatment cycle. The doses of each drug ranged from an area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of 5 to 6 for carboplatin, 135 to 175 mg/m2 for paclitaxel, and 300 to 1000 mg/m2 for gemcitabine. Hematologic toxicity was the most commonly observed toxicity and was dose-limiting. During the first cycle at the recommended phase II dose, there were two instances of grade 4 neutropenia and one instance of grade 4 thrombocytopenia among six patients, none of which was dose-limiting. Cumulative hematologic toxicity emerged in subsequent cycles. Non-hematologic toxicities were mild. Five patients, all with previously untreated non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), had a partial response. Nine patients with NSCLC or upper gastrointestinal malignancies experienced stable disease. Based on significant neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, the regimen recommended for further study consists of carboplatin AUC 5, paclitaxel 175 mg/m2, and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 on a 28-day cycle. The antitumor activity noted suggests that further investigation of this well-tolerated combination in specific tumor types, especially NSCLC, is warranted.
Choledochotomy and primary repair of extrahepatic biliary duct rupture in seven dogs and two cats

Objective: To report clinical findings and outcome in dogs and cats undergoing choledochotomy or primary repair of extrahepatic biliary duct rupture. Methods: Retrospective study of dogs (n=7) and cats (n=2) that had choledochotomy or primary bile duct repair. Results: Extrahepatic biliary obstruction was confirmed at surgery in all cases. The underlying cause in four dogs and both cats was choledocholithiasis, two dogs had gall bladder mucocoeles with associated bile duct rupture, and one dog had inspissated bile obstructing the bile duct secondary to gall bladder carcinoid tumour. Three dogs and both cats had choledochotomies performed to relieve extrahepatic biliary obstruction, and four dogs with bile duct rupture underwent primary repair of the defect. One dog with a bile duct rupture was re-explored four days postoperatively and had suffered dehiscence of the repair; this rupture was re-repaired. All animals were discharged from the hospital, and did not have clinical recurrence of extrahepatic biliary obstruction. Clinical Significance: Choledochotomy and primary repair of extrahepatic biliary duct rupture were associated with low perioperative morbidity and no mortality in this small cohort of cases. These techniques are reasonable options either alone or in conjunction with other procedures when bile duct patency cannot be re-established by catheterisation or bile duct discontinuity exists.
Intensified UV Imager For Space Applications

An intensified UV imaging system covering the wavelength range 120 to 330 nm has been built and tested for space flight. A six-position fil-ter wheel divides the range into four narrow bands of interest, provides an ND1 filter for increased dynamic range, and provides a calcium fluo-ride window for maximum sensitivity and good rejection of Lyman al-pha. The optical path includes a reflective telescope, a cesium telluride image intensifier, a fiber-optic reducer, and a 380 by 488 pixel CCD sen-sor. The overall field of view is approximately 2.4° x 1.8°, with an angular spatial resolution exceeding 125 μrad. The system includes digitiz-ing electronics, associated memory, and a microprocessor-controlled AGC system. The maximum sensitivity of the system to a point source ex-ceeds 20 photons/cm 2 -s in the photon counting mode; with the use of the AGC and ND1 filter, the dynamic range exceeds 10 7 .
Bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy: a new treatment for difficult cases of congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Abstract Purpose: In difficult cases of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), often the child may have normal cortisol levels and elevated androgen levels, or normal androgen levels and elevated cortisol levels, but not normal levels of both. Because bilateral adrenalectomy removes the source of the abnormal androgen production, the authors felt that in some cases it might be more efficacious than conventional medical therapy. Methods: Three children with CAH and suboptimal response to medical management underwent bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Parents were counseled extensively regarding the experimental nature of this treatment and the potential long-term complications. Results: All children recovered quickly after a mean hospital stay of 1.8 days. Pathologic examination of the removed adrenal glands showed persistent cortical hyperplasia. Follow-up at 6 months indicated marked reduction in abnormal androgen production, which allowed lowering of the steroid dosing to physiologic levels. Conclusion: In children with CAH refractory to medical management, bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy can be performed safely with almost trivial morbidity. Although early results are very encouraging, the anticipated long-term beneficial effects on growth, short stature, and adult infertility will require years to assess. J Pediatr Surg 35:1586-1590. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Mechanical Response of Tissue Constructs Fabricated From Self-Adhering Cellularized Microcarriers

Understanding how soft tissues behave in response to mechanical loading is essential in the field of biomechanics. Therefore, when a new tissue construct is fabricated, it is necessary to characterize its mechanical response using an appropriate test to quantify the material properties while minimizing error and artifact. To fully understand the behavior of the tissue construct, one should then be able to describe the behavior using a mechanical model.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
The Influence of Dietary Energy on the Performance of Broilers Reared Under Different Lighting Regimes

Abstract Body weights and feed conversions of male broilers reared under different light regimes and fed diets containing varying nutrient densities were compared. Broilers subjected to continuous light with alternate intervals of high and low-intensity had significantly lower 49-day body weights when compared with broilers subjected to continuous low-intensity or intermittent light regimes. Feed conversion comparisons followed a similar pattern. Intermittent light regimes improved neither body weight nor feed conversion when compared to continuous low-intensity illumination. Broilers fed diets containing 3080 kcal of metabolizable energy per kg of starter diet (24.0% protein) and 3135 kcal per kg of finisher diet (22.0% protein) had significantly poorer body weights and feed conversions than did broilers fed diets containing metabolizable energy levels of 3160 (24.8% protein), 3300 (25.6% protein), and 3410 (26.4% protein) kcal per kg of starter diet and 3245 (22.8% protein), 33 55 (23.6% protein), and 3465 (24.4% protein) kcal per of finisher diet. There was also a significant light regime-nutrient density interaction for body weight. Diets containing higher nutrient densities resulted in increased body weights when fed to broilers reared under continuous low-intensity light but did not increase the performance of broilers subjected to the other light regimes.
Metabolic Activation of Sulfur Mustard Leads to Oxygen Free Radical Formation

Abstract We recently published electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin trapping results that demonstrated the enzymatic reduction of sulfur mustard sulfonium ions to carbon-based free radicals using an in vitro system containing sulfur mustard, cytochrome P450 reductase, NADPH, and the spin trap α-(4-pyridyl-1-oxide)- N - tert -butylnitrone (4-POBN) in buffer (A.A. Brimfield et al., 2009, Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 234:128–134). Carbon-based radicals have been shown to reduce molecular oxygen to form superoxide and, subsequently, peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals. In some cases, such as with the herbicide paraquat, a cyclic redox system results, leading to magnified oxygen free radical concentration and sustained tissue damage. Low mustard carbon radical concentrations recorded by EPR in our in vitro system, despite a robust (4.0 mM) sulfur mustard starting concentration, led us to believe a similar oxygen reduction and redox cycling process might be involved with sulfur mustard. A comparison of the rate of mustard radical–POBN adduct formation in our in vitro system by EPR at atmospheric and reduced oxygen levels indicated a sixfold increase in 4-POBN adduct formation (0.5 to 3.0 μM) at the reduced oxygen concentration. That result suggested competition between oxygen and POBN for the available carbon-based mustard radicals. In parallel experiments we found that the oxygen radical-specific spin trap 5- tert -butoxycarbonyl-5-methylpyrroline- N -oxide (BMPO) detected peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals directly when it was used in place of POBN in the in vitro system. Presumably these radicals originated from O 2 reduced by carbon-based mustard radicals. We also showed that reactive oxygen species (ROS)–BMPO EPR signals were reduced or eliminated when mustard carbon radical production was impeded by systematically removing system components, indicating that carbon radicals were a necessary precursor to ROS production. ROS EPR signals were completely eliminated when superoxide dismutase and catalase were included in the complete in vitro enzymatic system, providing additional proof of oxygen radical participation. The redox cycling hypothesis was supported by density functional theory calculations and frontier molecular orbital analysis.
Photodichroic recording and storage material

Three techniques for recording information on NaF are reviewed. H-D exposure curves for several samples are used to record, store, and reconstruct imagery.
Pharmacokinetics and safety of high-dose oral acyclovir for suppression of cytomegalovirus disease after renal transplantation.

The pharmacokinetics and safety of high-dose oral acyclovir for suppression of cytomegalovirus disease were evaluated in 12 patients undergoing renal transplantation. A 12-week course beginning 24 hours before transplantation was administered in doses of 800 to 3200 mg/day based on renal function. Acyclovir plasma concentrations were measured by RIA on posttransplant days 1 or 2 and 5, 6, or 7. Mean peak and trough concentrations on days 5, 6, or 7 were 25 and 18 μmol/L, respectively. The pharmacokinetic model predicted acyclovir concentrations with a precision of 4.1 μmol/L and bias of —1.19 μmol/L. Estimates of individual pharmacokinetic parameters were consistent with literature and a priori values. Two of six adverse events were attributable to acyclovir; both resolved with dose modification. The dosage adjustment scheme and pharmacokinetic model performed well, allowing us to safely administer high-dose oral acyclovir immediately after renal transplantation. We are proceeding with a placebo-controlled study to assess efficacy for suppression of posttransplant cytomegalovirus disease. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1988) 44, 158–163; doi:10.1038/clpt.1988.131
Magnetic field orientation control of GPS occultation observations of equatorial scintillation

[1] We use GPS occultation measurements from three satellites in 2002 to quantify the occurrence probability of equatorial scintillation. The occultations with the highest S4 values are almost exclusively seen near the equator and in the post-sunset sector in agreement with the known MLAT and MLT distribution of equatorial scintillation. Occultations with high S4 values are much more likely to occur when the ray paths are more nearly aligned with the magnetic field. This is attributed to the geometry of the ionospheric bubbles associated with equatorial scintillation. As bubbles are distended in the magnetic field direction, a ray path that is parallel to the magnetic field incorporates a greater path length in depleted regions containing plasma density irregularities. Since scintillation strength increases with irregularity slab thickness, the scintillation occurrence increases for field-aligned conditions.
Gifted students' individual differences in distance-learning computer-based calculus and linear algebra

We examine student performance in computer-based calculus and linear algebra courses offered by Stanford University to pre-college students of high mathematical ability. Our analysis puts special emphasis on modeling student performance over time and on capturing long-term trend effects. The sequential nature of students' responses to course exercises is characterized through the use of stochastic and nonlinear models. We find that student performance varies widely within this group for a variety of different measures, including error rates, times to completion, progress rates, and latency of response. In addition, we measure the informational efficiency of the courses through a Markov order analysis of student response sequences. For the performance measures studied, the 75th and the 25th percentile of sampled values differ by a factor of approximately two. We also find that there is little correlation among the performance measures, which suggests that student performance in this ability range may not be well characterized by any single performance measure or ability parameter.
Flexible printed monopole antennas for WLAN applications

In this paper, we present two thin/flexible printed monopole antennas for Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) applications. The first design is a single band antenna which operates at 2.4 GHz while the second one is a dual band antenna operates at 2.5 GHz and 5.2 GHz. The dimensions of the proposed antennas are: (26.5 mm × 25) and (35 mm × 25) mm for the single band and dual band respectively. Antenna properties, such as gain, far-field radiation patterns, coupling coefficient, expressed in terms of the scattering parameter S11 are provided. Design and simulations are performed using CST Microwave Studio software which is based on the Finite Integration Technique (FIT). Moreover, the effect of folding the antenna was performed experimentally on both designs to study its influence on the antenna performance. The achieved gain for the single band antenna is 1.8 dB with a measured bandwidth of 270 MHz. The dual band antenna achieved a gain of 1.8 dB and 4 dB at 2.5 GHz and 5.2 GHz respectively, and measured bandwidths of 305 MHz and 480 MHz at the first and second band respectively. The proposed thin and flexible designs along with antennas characteristics are suitable for integration into flexible technologies for WLAN applications.
Lentigo maligna melanoma of the head and neck

Historically, lentigo maligna melanoma has been considered a "favorable" histological type of melanoma, and treatment by wide local excision was considered curative. A retrospective multivariate analysis of 143 head and neck patients with stage I lentigo maligna melanoma was performed from a database of 1067 head and neck patients followed at Duke Medical Center. Fifty-six percent of all lentigo maligna melanomas presented with lesions deeper than 0.76 mm, and 8% presented with stage II or III disease. Recurrent disease occurred in 45% of stage I patients, with a 5-year disease-free interval of 6 years and a median survival time of 10 years. Multivariate analysis demonstrated no significant difference in disease-free interval or survival by histological subtype. The data suggest that treatment should be based on tumor thickness and not histologic subtype.
Three-dimensional hydrogel constructs for exposing cells to nanoparticles.

AbstractIn evaluating nanoparticle risks to human health, there is often a disconnect between results obtained from in vitro toxicology studies and those from in vivo activity, prompting the need for improved methods to rapidly assess the hazards of engineered nanomaterials. In vitro studies of nanoparticle toxicology often rely on high doses and short exposure periods due to the difficulty of maintaining monolayer cell cultures over extended time periods as well as the difficulty of maintaining nanoparticle dispersions within the culture environment. In this work, tissue-engineered constructs are investigated as a platform for providing doses of nanoparticles over different exposure periods to cells within a three-dimensional environment that can be tuned to mimic in vivo conditions. Uptake of quantum dots (QDs) by model neural cells was first investigated in a high-dose exposure scenario, resulting in a strong concentration-dependent uptake of carboxyl-functionalised QDs. Poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogel ...
Surface reconstruction from serial cross sections

This paper deals with the problem of the surface reconstruction of 3D objects from their contours in a family of cross-sectional images. Several techniques for both contour extraction and 3D surface reconstruction are surveyed. Application of some of these techniques on MRI slices of human head is presented.
Development and characterization of 30 novel microsatellite markers for Grant’s gazelle (Nanger granti)

We isolated and characterized a set of 30 novel microsatellite loci for Grant’s gazelle (Nanger granti). Loci were screened in 24 individuals from a population in Laikipia County, Kenya. The mean number of alleles per locus was 3.73 (range 1–10), and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.00 to 0.870 (mean 0.404). The Grant’s gazelle is currently listed as a species of least concern by the IUCN, but declining numbers across a large part of its range are a cause for concern. These new loci will facilitate basic behavioral, ecological, and population genetic studies of a species facing declining populations.
Exploration of Defect Relaxation Dynamics in Hydrogenated Amorphous Silicon using Temperature Switching Experiments

We have carried out a series of charge transient measurements on a-Si:H in which we insert a double temperature step during the period when electrons are being emitted from deep defects. The behavior of this emitted defect charge is completely inconsistent with any density of states that remains static during the emission; that is, defect relaxation must be invoked. Such measurements allow us to separate the temperature dependence of relaxation from that of thermal emission. In particular, we demonstrate that the emission itself exhibits thermally activated behavior in spite of the ongoing relaxation processes.
Histidine-functionalized water-soluble nanoparticles for biomimetic nucleophilic/general-base catalysis under acidic conditions

Cross-linking the micelles of 4-dodecyloxybenzyltripropargylammonium bromide by 1,4-diazidobutane-2,3-diol in the presence of azide-functionalized imidazole derivatives yielded surface-cross-linked micelles (SCMs) with imidazole groups on the surface. The resulting water-soluble nanoparticles were found, by fluorescence spectroscopy, to contain hydrophobic binding sites. The imidazole groups promoted the photo-deprotonation of 2-naphthol at pH 6 and catalyzed the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenylacetate (PNPA) in aqueous solution at pH ≥ 4. Although the overall hydrolysis rate slowed down with decreasing solution pH, the catalytic effect of the imidazole became stronger because the reactions catalyzed by unfunctionalized SCMs slowed down much more. The unusual ability of the imidazole–SCMs to catalyze the hydrolysis of PNPA under acidic conditions was attributed to the local hydrophobicity and the positive nature of the SCMs.
Alkyl Transition Metal Compounds IX. Synthesis and structure of [(Me3SiCH2)2Cr(bipy)2] I†

Bis(trimethylsilylmethyyl)-bis-(2,2′-bipyridyl)chromium(III) iodide has been synthesized and its structure determined; the Cr-C(sp3) bond length is 2.107(9) A.
REINSTATEMENT OF THE FISSURELLID SUBFAMILY HEMITOMINAE, WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF NEW GENERA, AND PROPOSED EVOLUTIONARY LINEAGE, BASED ON MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS OF SHELL AND RADULA (GASTROPODA: VETIGASTROPODA)

ABSTRACT The fissurellid subfamily Hemitominae Kuroda, Habe & Oyama, 1971, has been synonymized under the subfamily Emarginulinae by recent authors. Here it is redefined and characterized by a shell with either a short slit and selenizone, or a small notch without selenizone, and a radula synapomorphy, in which the rachidian and adjacent lateral teeth are of nearly the same size, the central field partitioned by a “transverse ridge.” A generic review treating nine genera, including three new genera, is provided. Three new genera — Hemimarginula, Octomarginula, and Variegemarginula — are considered basal, differing from the Mesozoic stem genus Emarginula Lamarck, 1801, in lower profile and by the shorter slit and radula synapomorphy. The genus Montfortula Iredale, 1915, is also basal, having a selenizone and notch visible in anterior view. The earliest basal member of the hemitomine lineage is the extinct Loxotoma Fischer, 1885, which arose in the Late Jurassic. Derived genera are Montfortia Recluz, 1843; ...
Viability and infectivity of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts are retained upon intestinal passage through a refractory avian host.

Six Cryptosporidium-free Peking ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) were each orally inoculated with 2.0 x 10(6) Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts infectious to neonatal BALB/c mice. Histological examination of the stomachs jejunums, ilea, ceca, cloacae, larynges, tracheae, and lungs of the ducks euthanized on day 7 postinoculation (p.i.) revealed no life-cycle stages of C. parvum. However, inoculum-derived oocysts extracted from duck feces established severe infection in eight neonatal BALB/c mice (inoculum dose, 2.5 x 10(5) per mouse). On the basis of acid-fast stained direct wet smears, 73% of the oocysts in duck feces were intact (27% were oocyst shells), and their morphological features conformed to those of viable and infectious oocysts of the original inoculum. The fluorescence scores of the inoculated oocysts, obtained by use of the MERIFLUOR test, were identical to those obtained for the feces-recovered oocysts (the majority were 3+ to 4+). The dynamics of oocyst shedding showed that the birds released a significantly higher number of intact oocysts than the oocyst shells (P 0.05). The retention of infectivity of C. parvum oocysts after intestinal passage through an aquatic bird has serious epidemiological and epizootiological implications. Waterfowl may serve as mechanical vectors for the waterborne oocysts and may enhance contamination of surface waters with C. parvum. As the concentration of Cryptosporidium oocysts in source waters is attributable to watershed management practices, the watershed protection program should consider waterfowl as a potential factor enhancing contamination of the source water with C. parvum.
Maî Idrîs of Bornu and the Ottoman Turks, 1576–78

In the course of a visit to Libya in 1964, the writer was informed by the Archivist at the Libyan Government Archives in Tripoli, Sayyid Muhammad al-Usta, of the existence of Ottoman documents in Istanbul concerning a sixteenth-century embassy to Turkey from the West African state of Bornu.
The Disablement in the Physically Active Scale, Part II: The Psychometric Properties of an Outcomes Scale for Musculoskeletal Injuries

Abstract Context: Outcomes assessment is an integral part of ensuring quality in athletic training, but few generic instruments have been specifically designed to measure disablement in the physica...
Asymptotic distributions and peak power analysis for uplink OFDMA signals

Statistical characterization of complex baseband signals for multicarrier multiuser systems is studied. In particular, we derive rigorously the asymptotic distribution of uplink orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) baseband signals for different subcarrier allocation schemes. This allows us to establish some useful statistical properties of the power process of the corresponding baseband signals. We show that, in most scenarios, the power process converges to a /spl chi//sup 2/ process. This result allows us to characterize the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) for OFDMA signals, a parameter considered critical to real system implementation. Specifically, we are able to compare, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the PAPR for different subcarrier allocation schemes. We show first that the contiguous subcarrier allocation and equally spaced interleaving share identical PAPR. Further, we show that random interleaving, which is implemented in the existing OFDMA standard, has a larger PAPR than that of an equally spaced interleaving scheme. The complementary cumulative distribution function of PAPR for random interleaving is shown to be greater than that of equally spaced interleaving by a factor that is identical to the number of users in the OFDMA system.
A Novel Muscle-Specific β1 Integrin Binding Protein (Mibp) That Modulates Myogenic Differentiation

Myogenesis is regulated by cell adhesion receptors, including integrins of the β1 family. We report the identification of a novel muscle-specific β1 integrin binding protein (MIBP). MIBP binds to the membrane-proximal cytoplasmic region shared by β1A and β1D integrins, and the binding occurs in vivo as well as in vitro. Furthermore, we show that MIBP is abundantly expressed by C2C12 myogenic cells before fusion, and the expression of MIBP is dramatically downregulated during subsequent differentiation. Finally, we show that overexpression of MIBP in C2C12 cells resulted in a suppression of fusion and terminal differentiation, suggesting that MIBP may play a key role in controlling the progression of muscle differentiation.
Comments regarding the recent OAST article.

To the Editor: A recent article by the Optimizing Reanalysis of Stroke Trials (OAST) Collaboration analyzed 55 stroke datasets with multiple tests and ranked them in order of the standardized test statistic; these ranks were then analyzed with a 2-way ANOVA.1 Although this article raises important issues, we have concerns regarding the methods. Firstly, ANOVA assumes approximate normality of the response outcome, which the ordinal ranks are not. ANOVA also assumes that the responses are independent, but this is not the case here, unless we have misunderstood the method. Analyzing the same datasets with multiple tests will induce a positive correlation among the test results; ignoring this correlation generally results in smaller probability …
Hematology in the Regressive Phase of Bovine Psoroptic Scabies

Hereford calves were infested with Psoroptes ovis. Hemograms were evaluated weekly for 7 weeks during progressively extensive dermatitis and compared to uninfested control calves. Calves were treated with ivermectin and weekly hemograms were compared for 4 weeks during regression of clinical disease. They developed extensive dermatitis and marked decreases in total white blood cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes. Infested calves also had moderate anemia, increased plasma proteins, and increased plasma fibrinogen. Some calves developed marked eosinophilia. Within 1 week after ivermectin treatment, nearly all hematologic parameters returned or began to return to normal values, even though scabs remained on the calves at 4 weeks. Peak eosinophilia in calves which responded occurred 1 to 2 weeks after treatment. The findings indicate that most of the hematologic changes occurring with psoroptic scabies in cattle are associated with living mites and not with toxic substances in the scab on the skin surface.
Formation of an entrepreneurial eco-system: the interaction of a research university and its city

The Boston area is a hotbed of entrepreneurial companies spinning out of the region's universities and research hospitals, with MIT playing a leading role in the development of these technology clusters. The Institute's long history of interactions with industry and of professors founding companies has led to the development of a culture in which university researchers, industrial scientists and entrepreneurs, and venture investors interact on a continuing basis. This continuing interaction, coupled with state-of-the-art academic research, has led to an entrepreneurial ferment that has transformed the region's industrial landscape.
Use of internal stent, external transanastomotic stent or no stent during pediatric pyeloplasty: a decision tree cost-effectiveness analysis.

Purpose: Copious studies exist regarding the use of stents in pediatric pyeloplasty. Most surgeons use either no stent, an internal (Double-J®) stent or an external transanastomotic pyeloureteral stent. We propose the first known study to compare all 3 methods using a decision tree model that incorporates success rates, complications, patient discomfort and costs.Materials and Methods: We created a deterministic decision tree model. We conducted a literature search querying urinary diversion in pediatric pyeloplasty. We used the largest studies for base inputs and remaining studies for sensitivity analysis. Direct costs from actual patients seen at the University of California San Francisco populated cost inputs.Results: Total quality adjusted life-years during a 16-year period for no stents was 12.70851 with a total cost of $6,122. Total quality adjusted life-years for external stents was 12.71098 at a total cost of $5,702. Internal stents resulted in total quality adjusted life-years of 12.69983 and cos...
Highly compact AC-AC converter achieving a high voltage transfer ratio

This paper reports a new, highly integrated modular design approach for pulsewidth-modulation AC-AC converters based on a modular phase-bank structure. Novel high-power 3-in-1 integrated bi-directional power modules (IBPM) rated at 1200-V AC and 150 A and the 3-to-1 phase bank circuits have been successfully developed, fabricated and tested. This enables the modularity design of the multiphase converter systems and reduces the critical parasitic inductance. A theoretical analysis of the IBPM's silicon utilization for this new breed of direct power converters has been outlined. A lab prototype at medium power level has been successfully designed, implemented, and tested with good results. A nearly 460-VRMS out voltage at a 1:0.955 voltage transfer ratio, which, perhaps, is the highest performance reported so far in the literature, has been achieved by the novel two-side modulation control system. The converter-fed AC motor system is able to operate over the 0-240 Hz range with inherent regenerative capability and four-quadrant operation. Potential industrial applications are also briefly highlighted in this paper.
The Inward Path: Mysticism and Creativity

This article explores the relation of mystical experience to creative discovery. The similarities and the differences are described in relation to process-based concepts in microgenetic theory. The differences are attributed to cognitive “depth”; the similarities reflect a common pattern of inward retreat. The withdrawal that is essential to both creative and mystical experience is shown to recapture phases in a common process through which an act of cognition, and its associated feeling, are generated.
Branch with masked squashing in superpipelined processors

The performance of a superpipeline processor heavily relies on its branch performance. Traditional branch strategies used in pipelined processors are delayed branches and branch with squashing. Delayed branches use safe instructions to fill delay slots. However, for a deeply pipelined processor, a compiler may not be able to find sufficient safe instructions to fill the branch delay slots. Branch with squashing takes advantage of using instructions in target basic blocks to fill the branch delay slots. However, the penalty of branch misprediction is large in superpipelined processors.In this paper, we proposed a novel branch scheme, named branch with masked squashing, which takes advantage of both delayed branch and branch with squashing. The basic idea is to fill delay slots with safe instructions which may come from above or after the branch. For the remaining unfilled delay slots, we fill with instructions from the predicted target path. In the case of misprediction, only unsafe instructions are annulled. The safe instructions in branch delay slots are always executed. Simulation results show that this branch strategy performs better than traditional delayed branch and branch with squashing.
Arachidonic acid potentiates the feedback response of mesangial BKCa channels to angiotensin II

The influence of arachidonic acid (AA) on the feedback regulation of mesangial contraction by large Ca2+-activated K+ channels (BKCa) was determined through single-channel analysis using the patch clamp method. The mesangial BKCa is a low-gain negative feedback inhibitor of contraction that is activated in response to agonist-induced Ca2+ transients and membrane depolarization. AA activated BKCa in cell-attached patches in a dose-dependent manner with a maximal effect at 400 nM and a half-maximal response at 49 nM. In inside-out patches, AA directly activated BKCa with a maximal effect at 400 nM. BKCa was activated significantly in response to addition of 100 nM ANG II in the presence but not the absence of AA. Since it was shown previously that fatty acids stimulated both soluble and membrane-bound guanylyl cyclase, we determined whether AA activated BKCa by interfering with cGMP-mediated signal transduction pathways. It was previously shown that 10 μM cGMP, via cGMP-dependent protein kinase, activated BKCa in a biphasic manner with an early increase in probability of a channel existing in an open state ( P o) and a subsequent inactivation mediated by protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). We found that 10 μM dibutyryl-cGMP enhanced BKCa activity in an additive manner with saturating concentrations (400 nM) of AA. Moreover, the inactivation phase mediated by PP2A was not abolished. Thus AA does not affect the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation regulatory cycle for BKCa. It is concluded that AA potentiates the ANG II feedback response of BKCa by a mechanism that is independent of the phosphorylation cycle.
Imagination and Creativity: Lectures at the College de France, 1: Imagination and the Brain (L'Imagination et la creativity: Conferences au College de France: L'imagination et le cerveau)

The first of four lectures at the Coll?ge de France in 2000 on the subject of conceptual mappings and conceptual structure.
Pulsed Laser Cutting of Magnesium-Calcium for Biodegradable Stents

Abstract There is growing interests in the use of biodegradable magnesium implants for cardiovascular and pulmonary applications such as stents. Magnesium is a metal that has the ability to gradually dissolve and absorb into the human body after implantation. There is very little work discussing the relationship between process parameters and cut quality of magnesium stents by laser cutting. The objective of this research is to determine the effect of laser cutting conditions including peak laser power and cutting speed of a millisecond range pulsed laser on kerf geometry, surface topography, surface roughness, and microstructure. An assessment on the experimental work discussing laser cutting of magnesium alloys is also presented.