cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Algorithm Dependence of the Weak Turbulent Solution in Porous Media Convection

The details of multiple solutions for porous media convection within the weak turbulent regimes are being investigated. The sensitivity of the results to very small changes in an algorithm using the same method of solution is particularly sought. Analytical as well as computational results identifying the reason behind this sensitivity beyond the obvious known fact of diverging near-by trajectories, are presented. The issue of lack of predictability of the results obtained in the weak turbulent regime is dealt with as well. The latter indicates a way to use the results in all practical engineering applications despite this lack of predictability of detail.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Experimental study of syphon suntrap

A technique for experimental study of the syphon suntrap is described. The application of this suntrap allows rather simple provision of the consumer with the preassigned temperature without using circulation pumps or automation and control systems.
CRYSTALLINE HEXOKINASE (HETEROPHOSPHATESE) : METHOD OF ISOLATION AND PROPERTIES.

1. Crystalline hexokinase has been isolated from baker's yeast. 2. Crystalline hexokinase is a protein of albumin type of a molecular weight of 96,000. Its isoelectric point is at about pH 4.8. 3. The method of isolation consists in separating the proteins of an aqueous extract of toluene-treated yeast by means of fractional precipitation with ammonium sulfate and with alcohol. 4. The procedure involves also the separation of several crystalline proteins, including one yellow crystalline protein, which do not possess hexokinase activity. The biological and the physicochemical properties of these proteins are still under investigation. 5. The crystallization of hexokinase proceeds at about 5°C. in the presence of ammonium sulfate and dilute phosphate buffer pH 7.0. 6. Crystalline hexokinase becomes relatively pure after 2 or 3 recrystallizations as tested by solubility, sedimentation in the ultracentrifuge, and electrophoresis. The enzymatic activity remains constant on repeated crystallization. 7. The enzymatic activity is associated with the protein nature of the material. Inactivation is accompanied by denaturation of the protein. 8. Crystalline hexokinase is relatively stable when stored in the form of crystalline filter cake. Solutions of hexokinase in dilute buffers are most stable at pH 5.0. 9. Crystalline hexokinase requires the presence of magnesium ions for its catalytic activity.
Flooring Materials for Caged Broilers and Their Effect Upon Performance

Abstract Three experiments were conducted to determine broiler performance on various flooring materials. In Experiment 1 the caged reared broilers were heavier than the litter reared broilers. Broilers had a higher incidence of breast blisters when reared on wire (P
Molecular simulation of temperature-programmed desorption

Abstract We use accelerated molecular dynamics to probe the thermal desorption of n -alkanes from the Au(1 1 1) and C(0 0 0 1) surfaces. Studying an alkane series ranging from CH 4 to C 16 H 34 , we find that the desorption prefactor increases with increasing chain length for the short chains until a certain chain length is reached when it becomes essentially constant and independent of chain length. We can understand the dependence of the preexponential factor on alkane chain length in terms of conformational changes within the alkane molecules. For the shorter molecules, the desorption temperatures probed in experimental temperature-programmed desorption studies lie below those for which torsional motion is activated. Thus, the short alkanes can be treated as rigid rods, and the loss in translational and rotational entropy upon adsorption leads to a preexponential factor that increases with increasing chain length. As the alkane chain length increases, the binding energy and the experimental desorption temperatures also increase. Thus, torsional motion is activated to an extent that increases with increasing chain length. This torsional activation increases the entropy of adsorption and counteracts the entropy decrease due to a loss of translation and rotation. This leads to a virtually constant prefactor for sufficiently long chains. Our findings are consistent with experimental data for the thermal desorption of alkanes from the Au(1 1 1), Pt(1 1 1), MgO(1 0 0) and C(0 0 0 1) surfaces.
Functional outcome after brain tumor and acute stroke: A comparative analysis

Abstract Objective: To compare the functional outcome, length of stay, and discharge disposition of patients with brain tumors and those with acute stroke. Design: Case-controlled, retrospective study at a tertiary care medical center inpatient rehabilitation unit. Subjects: Sixty-three brain tumor patients matched with 63 acute stroke patients according to age, sex, and location of lesion. Main Outcome Measures: The functional independence measure (FIM) was measured on admission and discharge. The FIM change and FIM efficiency were also calculated. The FIM was analyzed in three subsets: activities of daily living (ADL), mobility (MOB), and cognition (COG). Discharge disposition and rehabilitation length of stay were compared. Results: Demographic variables of race, marital status, and payer source were comparable for the two groups. No significant difference was found between the brain tumor and stroke populations with respect to total admission FIM, total discharge FIM, change in total FIM, or FIM efficiency. The admission MOB-FIM was found to be higher in the brain tumor group (13.6 vs 11.1, p = .04), whereas the stroke group had a greater change in ADL-FIM score (10.8 vs 8.3, p = .03). The two groups had similar rates of discharge to community at greater than 85%. The tumor group had a significantly shorter rehabilitation length of stay than the stroke group (25 vs 34 days, p Conclusion: Brain tumor patients can achieve comparable functional outcome and rates of discharge to community and have a shorter rehabilitation length of stay than stroke patients.
An evidence-based approach to postpartum use of depot medroxyprogesterone acetate in breastfeeding women.

This article reviews the evidence and safety of immediate depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) use in lactating postpartum women. It presents the benefits for mothers and infants the concerns the safety issues and states that existing data are not sufficient to limit DMPA use postpartum in women at high risk for unintended pregnancy.
Soft and hard classification by reproducing kernel Hilbert space methods

Reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) methods provide a unified context for solving a wide variety of statistical modelling and function estimation problems. We consider two such problems: We are given a training set {yi, ti, i = 1, … , n}, where yi is the response for the ith subject, and ti is a vector of attributes for this subject. The value of yi is a label that indicates which category it came from. For the first problem, we wish to build a model from the training set that assigns to each t in an attribute domain of interest an estimate of the probability pj(t) that a (future) subject with attribute vector t is in category j. The second problem is in some sense less ambitious; it is to build a model that assigns to each t a label, which classifies a future subject with that t into one of the categories or possibly “none of the above.” The approach to the first of these two problems discussed here is a special case of what is known as penalized likelihood estimation. The approach to the second problem is known as the support vector machine. We also note some alternate but closely related approaches to the second problem. These approaches are all obtained as solutions to optimization problems in RKHS. Many other problems, in particular the solution of ill-posed inverse problems, can be obtained as solutions to optimization problems in RKHS and are mentioned in passing. We caution the reader that although a large literature exists in all of these topics, in this inaugural article we are selectively highlighting work of the author, former students, and other collaborators.
Decomposing Biochemical Networks Into Elementary Flux Modes Using Graph Traversal

Elementary Flux Mode (EFM) analysis is a fundamental network decomposition technique used for cellular pathway analysis in Systems Biology and Metabolic Engineering. EFM analysis has been utilized to examine robustness, regulation and microbial stress responses, to increase product yield, and to assess plant fitness and agricultural productivity. An EFM is a thermodynamically feasible path operating at steady state in a biochemical network, and is independent of other EFMs in the sense that it cannot be generated as a non-negative linear combination of other EFMs. We present in this paper a pathway analysis algorithm, termed graphical EFM or gEFM, based on graph traversal. Graph theoretical approaches were previously assumed to be less competitive than techniques based on the double-description method, a computational technique used for enumerating the extreme rays of a pointed cone. Importantly, we show that a practical graph-based traversal approach for computing EFMs is competitive with existing techniques. Applied to several biochemical networks, we show runtime speedups in the range of 2.5 × to 31 × when compared to the state-of-the-art tool (EFMTool).
Critical analysis and correction of the rate equation for the injection laser

A critical examination of the conventional rate equation connecting the photon density, the spontaneous emission and the gain parameter reveals an internal inconsistency; while the first two quantities are pro-rated over the spectrum of the mode, the last is evaluated at the mode centre. Because interference between incident and reflected waves rapidly reduces the rate of stimulation as the optical frequency departs from resonance, pro-rating the net gain parameter over the spectral line gives a power-dependent first-order correction to its effective value. Examination of treatments of the optical noise amplifier as a lumped-element classical device and as a classical travelling-wave amplifier suggests ways to modify the conventional rate equation. If the usual concept of the spontaneous emission factor is retained in the equation, the net gain parameter is replaced by its square root. Alternative modifications redefine the dependent variable describing the output or the spontaneous emission factor. One result of the correction of the rate equation is a strong reduction in the predicted damping of the noise amplifier.
Examining student constructed explanations of thermodynamics using lexical analysis

Thermodynamics can be challenging to students, thus improving thermodynamics instruction and assessment is an important area of science and engineering education research. Constructed response assessments can reveal the complexity of students' ideas about thermodynamics. We investigate the use of lexical analysis software for examining students' constructed responses using a group of three questions related to reaction thermodynamics. These questions were administered to students in a large enrollment undergraduate introductory science course and examined learning at two levels of Bloom's Taxonomy: comprehension and application. Our results show that students are able to identify correct statements about thermodynamics in a multiple choice context but fail to construct correct explanations using thermodynamic concepts. Lexical analysis revealed that students who provided correct explanations incorporated more correct concepts and/or made more connections among these concepts than did students with incorrect explanations. Lexical analysis provided insight into student understanding by revealing heterogeneous ideas that were masked in multiple choice versions of the assessment.
Experimental myocardial infarction triggers canonical Wnt signaling and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

Despite available therapies, myocardial infarction (MI) remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Better understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate cardiac repair should help to improve the clinical outcome of MI patients. Using the reporter mouse line TOPGAL, we show that canonical (β-catenin-dependent) Wnt signaling is induced 4 days after experimental MI in subepicardial endothelial cells and perivascular smooth muscle actin (SMA)-positive (SMA+) cells. At 1 week after ischemic injury, a large number of canonical-Wnt-positive cells accumulated in the infarct area during granulation tissue formation. Coincidently with canonical Wnt activation, endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) was also triggered after MI. Using cell lineage tracing, we show that a significant portion of the canonical-Wnt-marked SMA+ mesenchymal cells is derived from endothelial cells. Canonical Wnt signaling induces mesenchymal characteristics in cultured endothelial cells, suggesting a direct role in EndMT. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that canonical Wnt activation and EndMT are molecular and cellular responses to MI and that canonical Wnt signaling activity is a characteristic property of EndMT-derived mesenchymal cells that take part in cardiac tissue repair after MI. These findings could lead to new strategies to improve the course of cardiac repair by temporal and cell-type-specific manipulation of canonical Wnt signaling.
Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome and cavernous malformations.

A 74-year-old woman with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS) presented to the emergency room with 3 days of right arm and leg ataxia, gait instability, dysphagia and intermittent occipital headaches. Her physical examination was notable for left upper and lower extremity hemihypertrophy and multiple cutaneous port-wine stains. A head CT without contrast revealed a 1.1 cm×1.4 cm hyperdense focus adjacent to the distal right vertebral artery with extension into the caudal medulla, concerning for a partially thrombosed right vertebral artery aneurysm (figure 1). Diagnostic cerebral …
Alopecia areata as a paraneoplastic syndrome of Hodgkin's lymphoma: A case report

Alopecia areata (AA) has been classically associated with several autoimmune disorders. However, AA as a paraneoplastic syndrome of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) remains a rare entity and our understanding of this phenomenon is limited to a few case reports. This is the case report of a 46-year-old male patient who was diagnosed with AA several months prior to the onset of B symptoms and the diagnosis of stage IVB classical HL. The patient was subsequently treated with 6 cycles of adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine and experienced a complete response and resolution of his AA. In our case, the onset of AA preceded the onset of systemic manifestations and diagnosis of HL, whereas in other cases AA was shown to occur concurrently with the clinical manifestations of HL. In all the cases, however, treatment of the HL subsequently led to resolution of the AA. The present case report highlights the significance of AA as a herald of underlying malignancy, although AA in classical HL remains poorly characterized in the literature.
G2-Phase Chromosomal Radiosensitivity of Primary Fibroblasts from Hereditary Retinoblastoma Family Members and Some Apparently Normal Controls

Abstract We previously described an enhanced sensitivity for cell killing and γ-H2AX focus induction after both high-dose-rate and continuous low-dose-rate γ irradiation in 14 primary fibroblast strains derived from hereditary-type retinoblastoma family members (both affected RB1+/− probands and unaffected RB1+/+ parents). Here we present G2-phase chromosomal radiosensitivity assay data for primary fibroblasts derived from these RB family members and five Coriell cell bank controls (four apparently normal individuals and one bilateral RB patient). The RB family members and two normal Coriell strains had significantly higher (∼1.5-fold, P < 0.05) chromatid-type aberration frequencies in the first postirradiation mitosis after doses of 50 cGy and 1 Gy of 137Cs γ radiation compared to the remaining Coriell strains. The induction of chromatid-type aberrations by high-dose-rate G2-phase γ irradiation is significantly correlated to the proliferative ability of these cells exposed to continuous low-dose-rate γ i...
Social support processes in early childhood friendship: A comparative study of ecological congruences in enacted support

Examined congruences between children's friendships and classroom social ecologies in three distinct settings, and poses that such congruences or social adaptations are aptly characterized as a process of enacted social support; i.e., an interpersonal transaction involving the reduction or evasion of stress. Data were derived from Corsaro's recent ethnographics of children's friendship and peer culture in a University Preschool (Corsaro, 1985) and Head Start center (Corsaro, 1994), and from Rizzo's (1989) ethnography of friendship development among first-grade children. Despite vast differences across settings, the nature and activities of children's friendships appeared consistently linked with specific organizational features in their life-worlds and in this way may constitute significant interpersonal and individual adaptations to that world. In this view, friendship is best seen not as a static entity, which children appropriate in a consistent fashion, but as a general and malleable concept, which they modify and use in a collaborative fashion to address shared psychosocial concerns. Findings are related to research on the link between perceived and enacted support, and on the interplay between relational and social support processes.
Assessment of Patient Simulation Use in Selected Baccalaureate Nursing Programs in the United States

Introduction:Newly graduated nurses are expected to possess clinical skills and the ability to critically judge quality in patient care. There are an increasing number of baccalaureate nursing (BSN) schools that are integrating the use of patient simulation (PS) in the educational experience of thei
Solving Kepler's Equation with High Efficiency and Accuracy

We present a method for solving Kepler's equation for elliptical orbits that represents a gain in efficiency and accuracy compared with those currently in use. The gain is obtained through a starter algorithm which uses Mikkola's ideas in a critical range, and less costly methods elsewhere. A higher-order Newton method is used thereafter. Our method requires two trigonometric evaluations.
Leaf longevity of western red cedar (Thuja plicata) increases with depth in the canopy.

Leaf longevity determines the annual cost of replacing foliage biomass and influences water and nutrient budgets. Longevity is readily estimated in most evergreen species by annual bud scars along the shoot. However, some species with indeterminate growth do not show these annual markers, making estimation of longevity difficult. One of these species is the widespread and economically valuable western red cedar (Thuja plicata J. Donn ex D. Don), for which no dependable estimates of leaf longevity exist. In this study, we estimated leaf longevity for western red cedar by counting growth rings in shoots at the point of leaf abscission. Estimates were obtained on 26 dominant or codominant trees growing in natural stands in a montane forest in northern Idaho, USA. Leaf longevity averaged 8.9 (SE = 0.2) years, but it strongly increased with depth in the canopy (0.3 year m −1 ; mean crown depth was 15 m), increasing from a mean of 6.8 years in the upper third of the canopy to 10.6 years in the lower third. The increase in longevity with depth in the crown is consistent with many reports showing that longevity increases in resource-limiting environments. Longevity did not vary significantly with altitude or solar insolation in these montane forests. Among stand-level variables, longevity was correlated only with leaf area index: it increased slightly in stands with high leaf area indices. This approach to longevity estimation may be useful for any species that produces annual rings but no obvious bud scars, including many Cupressaceae species.
Parameters affecting process efficiency of peroxide‐initiated controlled degradation of polypropylene

Parameters affecting the process efficiency of the peroxide-initiated controlled degradation of polypropylene, such as concentration of peroxide, reaction temperature, and reaction time, are investigated under in situ uniform, microsegregation, and macrosegregation conditions. Reactions were carried out under static (no mixing) and dynamic conditions on model samples and samples processed in batch mixers, respectively. As expected, MW and MWD decrease with increasing peroxide concentration. Low- and mid-MW fractions increase at the expense of the high-MW fractions. Localization of peroxide occurs under macrosegregation conditions and causes overall loss of peroxide efficiency and side reactions. MW and MWD undergo no further change after three to four times the half-life of the peroxide. A kinetic model developed using the quasisteady-state approximation on free radicals successfully simulates the degradation reaction kinetics for peroxide uniformly mixed. The method of moments is used to calculate the molecular weight averages. The results of this work confirm the importance of mixing uniformity as a parameter controlling the product characteristics in reactive processing.
Development of the zona pellucida in the rat oocyte

Ovaries of weanling and juvenile rats were studied by electron microscopic and cytochemical techniques, with particular reference to the role of the Golgi complex in the formation of the zona pellucida. The zona pellucida type of material first appears in the perivitelline space at the stage when the oocyte acquires a single layer of flattened and cuboidal granulosa cells, and is completely formed when the granulosa cells attain a cuboidal shape. The intimate association of the Golgi complex with the oocyte plasmalemma and the presence of mucopolysaccharide in its saccules and vesicles suggests that the Golgi complex of the oocyte plays an important role in the synthesis of the zona pellucida. The zona pellucida of the rat egg consists of a single layer of acid mucopolysaccharide which is structurally distinguishable from the liquor folliculi. Formation of the primary liquor folliculi is attributed to the Golgi complexes in granulosa cells.
Chaplaincy in Action … and Inaction

Abstract This paper reflects the experience of two people, one who ministers and one who received the ministration. The paper presents personal experiences of ministry in acute and rehabilitation facilities, from a woman hospitalized for some fifteen months and a chaplain who ministered to her. The chaplains, or ministers, in the two hospitals included men and women, Catholic and Protestant. The styles and the messages of the chaplains varied; so also did the patient's ability to respond to them. We hope that by presenting two real-life experiences of ministry, we can help those in ministry to better understand the patients' needs and strengthen their own ministries.
Narrower focus may be more efficient.

In his Report “Electronic publication and the narrowing of science and scholarship” (18 July, p. [395][1]), J. A. Evans expresses dismay that electronic publication narrows scholarship. He found that more recent articles included fewer, more recent citations. However, Evans gives us no reason to believe that this is actually detrimental to science. Indeed, he suggests that the integration of science in the days of paper-only journals may have been an unintended consequence of poor indexing. Contrary to what Evans claims, we may find that scientists' narrower focus on the literature is a good sign. Science has frequently been compared to evolution by natural selection ([1][2]). In some species, relatively few offspring reproduce. Similarly, in science, relatively few papers affect subsequent scholarship. The citation norms that are emerging as a result of the growth of electronic publication may be making the scientific community more efficient. Scientists may be spending less time reading literature that is extraneous to their research. Before we bemoan the changes in citation patterns that Evans has discovered, we should examine more carefully the causes and effects of such changes. 1. 1.[↵][3]1. D. L. Hull , Science and Selection (Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, 2001). [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1150473 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1. in text"
The Angiotensin II-dependent Nuclear Translocation of Stat1 Is Mediated by the Jak2 Protein Motif231YRFRR *

In response to angiotensin II, Jak2 autophosphorylates and binds the angiotensin II AT1 receptor. By studying a variety of Jak2 deletion proteins, we now show that the Jak2 protein motif231YRFRR is required for the co-association of this kinase with the AT1 receptor. We also used a full-length Jak2 protein containing a 231FAAAA amino acid substitution. Although this protein still autophosphorylated in response to angiotensin II, it did not co-associate with the AT1receptor. This uncoupling indicates that AT1/Jak2 co-association is not necessary for angiotensin II-induced Jak2 autophosphorylation and that Jak2 autophosphorylation per se is insufficient for AT1 receptor co-association. In response to angiotensin II, the Jak2-231FAAAA mutant will tyrosine phosphorylate Stat1. However, in the absence of AT1/Jak2 co-association, Stat1 did not translocate into the cell nucleus and failed to mediate gene transcription. This notable result indicates that Stat1 tyrosine phosphorylation alone is insufficient for Stat1 nuclear translocation. In summary, we now show that, although Jak2-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat1 is independent of receptor co-association, Jak2-mediated recruitment of Stat1 to the AT1 receptor is critical for Stat1 nuclear translocation and subsequent gene transcription.
Retrospective Study of Pulmonary Function Tests in Patients Presenting With Isolated Reduction in Single-Breath Diffusion Capacity: Implications for the Diagnosis of Combined Obstructive and Restrictive Lung Disease

OBJECTIVE To examine the frequency and spectrum of diseases associated with isolated reduction in the diffusing capacity of lung for carbon monoxide (Dlco). PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively identified all potentially dyspneic patients who had pulmonary function tests (PFTs) performed at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla, between January 1, 1990, and June 30, 2000, that showed reduced Dlco ( 80% and 80% of predicted and forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity ratio >70% of predicted). Only patients who had also undergone chest computed tomography (CT) and echocardiography within 1 month of PFTs were studied. RESULTS Of the 38,095 patients who underwent PFTs during the study period, 179 (0.47%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.40%-0.54%) had isolated Dlco abnormalities. The 27 patients (15.1%; 95% CI, 10.2%-21.2%) who had also undergone chest CT and echocardiography within 1 month of PFTs form the study cohort reported herein. Their mean Dlco was 50%±15% (95% CI, 45%-56%) with average normal pulse oxygen saturation at rest and mild hypoxemia with activity. Thirteen of the 27 patients (48%; 95% CI, 28.7%-68.1%) had underlying emphysema evident on CT. Eleven of these 13 patients had emphysema associated with a restrictive lung process. The 14 patients without emphysema had interstitial lung disease, pulmonary vascular disease, and other isolated findings. Six patients with combined emphysema and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis accounted for the largest percentage (22%) of patients with isolated Dlco reduction. The mean ± SD smoking history of the 27 patients in the study cohort was 36±33 pack-years (range, 0-116 pack-years). CONCLUSION Dyspneic patients with respiratory symptoms and normal lung volumes and airflows associated with isolated reduction in Dlco should be evaluated for underlying diseases such as emphysema, with or without a concomitant restrictive process, and pulmonary vascular disease.
Glucose, insulin and potassium (GIK) during reperfusion mediates improved myocardial bioenergetics

Previous studies suggest glucose, insulin and potassium (GIK) infusion during ischemia reduces infarct size and improves post-ischemic myocardial function in acute myocardial infarction and following surgical revascularization of the heart. The potential use of GIK when given only during reperfusion after a period of global ischemia, as might occur during cardiac arrest, is unclear. To test the hypothesis that GIK reperfusion improves post-ischemic myocardial bioenergetics and function, we utilized a perfused heart model. Hearts from Sprague-Dawley rats (350-450 g) were perfused at 85 mmHg with oxygenated Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate containing 5.5 mM glucose and 0.2 mM octanoic acid. Following 20 min of global ischemia, hearts were reperfused for 30 min with original solution (control) or GIK in two different doses (10 or 20 mM glucose each with insulin 10 U/l and K(+) 7 meq/l). Hearts perfused with GIK solutions had significantly higher ATP, creatine phosphate, energy charge, and NADP(+) and lower AMP and inosine levels compared with control after 30 min of reperfusion. Hearts reperfused with GIK had significantly higher developed pressure and higher dP/dt than control reperfused hearts. Reperfusion with GIK improved post-ischemic recovery of both contractile function and the myocardial bioenergetic state. GIK may be a viable adjunctive reperfusion therapy following the global ischemia of cardiac arrest to improve post-resuscitation cardiac dysfunction.
Thai Grapheme-Based Speech Recognition

In this paper we present the results for building a grapheme-based speech recognition system for Thai. We experiment with different settings for the initial context independent system, different number of acoustic models and different contexts for the speech unit. In addition, we investigate the potential of an enhanced tree clustering method as a way of sharing parameters across models. We compare our system with two phoneme-based systems; one that uses a hand-crafted dictionary and another that uses an automatically generated dictionary. Experiment results show that the grapheme-based system with enhanced tree clustering outperforms the phoneme-based system using an automatically generated dictionary, and has comparable results to the phoneme-based system with the hand-crafted dictionary.
A high-order cut-cell method for numerical simulation of hypersonic boundary-layer instability with surface roughness

Laminar-turbulent transition of hypersonic boundary layers can be affected significantly by the existence of surface roughness. Currently many important mechanisms of roughness-induced transition are not well understood. In recent years, direct numerical simulation (DNS) has been extensively applied for investigating instability and transition mechanisms of hypersonic boundary layers. Most of the past DNS studies, however, have been based on body-fitted grids for smooth surfaces without roughness. Due to complex geometry of embedded roughness, the use of body-fitted grids can be very difficult for flow with arbitrary surface roughness. In this paper, we present a new high-order cut-cell method to overcome the natural complexities in grid generation around arbitrary surface of roughness. The new method combines a non-uniform-grid finite-difference method for discrete grid points near the solid boundary and a shock-fitting method for the treatment of the bow shock. The non-uniform-grid finite-difference formulas are expressed in a general explicit form so that they can be applied to different multi-dimensional problems without any modification. The computational accuracy of new algorithms of up to O(h^4) are tested on several one- and two-dimensional elliptic equations in irregular domains. In addition, the new method is applied to the simulation of the receptivity process of a Mach 5.92 flow over a flat plate under the combined effect of an isolated surface roughness element and surface blow and suction. A good agreement is found between the unsteady flow results and those obtained by a Linear Stability Theory (LST).
Placental vascular responses to leukotriene receptor antagonist FPL 55712.

Abstract We have previously shown that FPL 55712, a specific leukotriene receptor antagonist, potentiates estrogen induced uterine hyperemia in nonpregnant rabbits. We therefore chose to investigate the vascular responses of pregnant rabbits to leukotriene blockade. Nine unanesthetized animals carrying 46 viable fetuses were used in this study. Regional blood flows were measured by the radioactive microsphere technique. In 5 rabbits control blood flows were measured after vehicle administration and FPL 55712, 1 mg/kg bolus, followed by infusion of 100 ug/kg/min was given via the jugular vein. Regional blood flows were measured again after 10 minutes of infusion. The procedural order was reversed in the remaining 4 animals. Resistance was calculated as mean arterial pressure divided by total flow to an organ. FPL 55712 decreased the blood pressure from 83 ± 2 to 76 ± 3 mmHg (P −1 ·min·gm), but renal resistance fell from 18.5 ± 1.1 to 15.1 ± 1.2 mmHg·ml −1 ·min·gm (P −1 ·min·gm (P
Scaling numerical models for hypervelocity test sled slipper-rail impacts

Hypervelocity test sled slipper-rail impacts have been simulated numerically using the finite volume hydrocode, ChartD to the Three-Halves (CTH). This study addresses the difficulties of applying CTH model solutions to real test sled runs. Past CTH models using dimensions different than actual test sleds have been used to study phenomenological aspects of the problem. However, quantitative results from the CTH model solution do not apply directly to actual test sled runs due to strain rate effects and time scale differences. The Buckingham Pi Theorem is applied to two potential hypervelocity gouging models. Validity of the invariant products is tested using sample CTH hypervelocity gouging models that are scaled up to simulate dimensions of a real test sled. Real test sled dimensions are desired in order to more closely simulate actual test sled runs. Invariant products developed from application of the Buckingham Pi Theorem can be used as guidelines for determining whether a CTH model is applicable to a test sled with specific dimensions. Strain rate effects are investigated to study whether deviations between scaled CTH models may be reduced by modifying the constitutive model.
Preventing attribute information leakage in automated trust negotiation

Automated trust negotiation is an approach which establishes trust between strangers through the bilateral, iterative disclosure of digital credentials. Sensitive credentials are protected by access control policies which may also be communicated to the other party. Ideally, sensitive information should not be known by others unless its access control policy has been satisfied. However, due to bilateral information exchange, information may flow to others in a variety of forms, many of which cannot be protected by access control policies alone. In particular, sensitive information may be inferred by observing negotiation participants' behavior even when access control policies are strictly enforced.In this paper, we propose a general framework for the safety of trust negotiation systems. Compared to the existing safety model, our framework focuses on the actual information gain during trust negotiation instead of the exchanged messages. Thus, it directly reflects the essence of safety in sensitive information protection. Based on the proposed framework, we develop policy databases as a mechanism to help prevent unauthorized information inferences during trust negotiation. We show that policy databases achieve the same protection of sensitive information as existing solutions without imposing additional complications to the interaction between negotiation participants or restricting users' autonomy in defining their own policies.
Stabilization of time-varying linear system using a new time-varying eigenvalue assignment technique

A unified (time-varying) eigenvalue theory was developed for linear time-varying systems of the form y/sup (n)/+ alpha /sub n/(t)y/sup (n-1)/+...+ alpha /sub 2/(t)y+ alpha /sub 1/(t)y=u. The theory is used to develop a new breed of self-tuning adaptive controller based on the assignment of a certain kind of mean value for the unified time-varying eigenvalues in the complex plane. Detailed design procedures for general second-order time-varying linear systems are presented, and some simulation results are shown. Comparisons of the new controller with other control techniques for time-varying linear systems, such as those based on optimal control, adaptive control, and frozen-time eigenvalue techniques, are also discussed. Based on the simulation results presented, the new controller appears to be very powerful, and easy to master. >
Bacterial Pneumonia in Hospitalized Patients With HIV Infection: The Pulmonary Complications, ICU Support, and Prognostic Factors of Hospitalized Patients With HIV (PIP) Study

Study objectives To describe the causative organisms and factors associated with bacterial pneumonia and to assess its impact on the outcome of hospitalized patients with HIV. Design Prospective, observational. Setting A university-affiliated medical center. Methods We included 1,225 consecutive hospital admissions, from April 1995 through March 1998, of 599 adults with HIV. We collected data on APACHE II (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II) score, leukocyte and CD4+ lymphocyte counts, length of hospital stay, ICU admission rate, and case-fatality rate. Chest radiographs and laboratory results were reviewed. The presence of bacterial pneumonia was noted. Results Bacterial pneumonia was diagnosed in 111 hospitalizations (9%): 80 (72%) were community-acquired infections. The CD4+ lymphocyte count was lower (median, 38 vs 66/μL, p = 0.0027), APACHE II score higher (17 vs 13, p Pseudomonas aeruginosa (32 admissions), followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae (22 admissions), Staphylococcus aureus (16 admissions), and Haemophilus influenzae (11 admissions). Thirty-three (30%) of the pneumonias were bacteremic. Bacteremia was more common in pneumococcal than in pseudomonal pneumonia (95% vs 9%, p Conclusions P aeruginosa is becoming a common cause of both community-acquired and nosocomial bacterial pneumonia in hospitalized patients with HIV, especially in those with low leukocyte and CD4+ lymphocyte counts.
A real time fault analysis tool for monitoring operation of transmission line protective relay

This paper proposes an integrated real time fault analysis tool for transmission line. The two primary techniques used in the fault analysis tool, fuzzy adaptive resonance theory (ART) neural network and synchronized sampling, can offer accurate fault detection, classification, internal/external fault differentiation, and fault location. The paper makes several extensions of the two techniques so that they can fit well in the realistic situations. The hardware configuration and software implementation are proposed in the paper. A comprehensive evaluation study is implemented to compare the proposed fault analysis tool with the traditional distance relay. Simulation results indicate that the integration exemplifies the advantages of both techniques and that the integrated solution has much better performance in different system conditions compared to distance relay. Both dependability and security of transmission line protection system are improved by using the proposed tool.
Study on the Teaching Methods of Theory and Practice in Communications Principles Course Based on Teaching Materials

The currently facing problems of the teaching of communications principles course are summerized and analyzed in this paper. For the teaching of theoretical knowledge, a series of effective measures are taken to improve teaching effectiveness, including organizing appropriate course contents, designing excellent multimedia coursewares, and selecting valid teaching methods. On the other hand, the teaching of practical skills is successfully enhanced by taking full advantage of curriculum experiments, integrated course project for communication systems, graduation design, and so on. Students’ practical skills and innovative ability are strengthened by applying EDA tools, such as Matlab and FPGA, to design and implement communication systems and function modules.
Incorporating Target Strength Into Environmentally-Adaptive Sonar Tracking

This paper discusses an extension to existing methods for tracking underwater targets in multistatic active sensor fields using the Probabilistic Data Association Filter with Amplitude Information (PDAFAI). Target strength distributions as a function of aspect of expected targets are used to develop a new characterization of the signal-plus-noise probability density function that can account for knowledge of a target's aspect as a track develops or for the lack of such knowledge for newly created tracks. These density functions are then used in the amplitude likelihood ratio to provide more accurate data association.
An Eulerian Description of Fluids Containing Visco-Elastic Particles

Equations governing the flow of fluid containing visco-hyperelastic particles are developed in an Eulerian framework. The novel feature introduced here is to write an evolution equation for the strain. It is envisioned that this will simplify numerical codes which typically compute the strain on Lagrangian meshes moving through Eulerian meshes. Existence results for the flow of linear visco-hyperelastic particles in a Newtonian fluid are established using a Galerkin scheme.
Dipping and Chewing Behavior Among University Students: Prevalence and Patterns of Use

: Identifying the prevalence and patterns of smokeless tobacco use among students at a midwestern university was the purpose of this study. Since smokeless tobacco sales have increased 52% since 1978, and since a youth market has developed, identifying why and when young people use these products can assist health educators in developing strategies to discourage initiation and promote cessation. A 25–item questionnaire completed by 676 undergraduate students indicated that 14% of males and 0.5% of females were regular snuff dippers or tobacco chewers. More than one-third of the users began use at or before age 16. The influence of a “friend” was the major reason cited for initiating use, while “fun/relaxation” was cited as the principal reason for continuing. Fewer than one-third of users successfully identified the health risks associated with snuff and chewing tobacco.
Uterine Artery Doppler and Its Value in Predicting Preeclampsia

Prematurity is the leading cause of fetal morbidity and mortality. One of the most common reasons for women to have preterm delivery is due to a condition called preeclampsia. Early detection of pr...
Manetho: transparent roll back-recovery with low overhead, limited rollback, and fast output commit

Manetho is a new transparent rollback-recovery protocol for long-running distributed computations. It uses a novel combination of antecedence graph maintenance, uncoordinated checkpointing, and sender-based message logging. Manetho simultaneously achieves the advantages of pessimistic message logging, namely limited rollback and, fast output commit, and the advantage of optimistic message logging, namely low failure-free overhead. These advantages come at the expense of a complex recovery scheme. >
Parallelized radix-2 scalable Montgomery multiplier

This paper describes the FPGA implementation of a parallelized scalable radix-2 Montgomery multiplier. It improves upon previous designs by rearranging previously sequential calculations to take place in parallel. On a Virtex-II FPGA, this design can perform 1024-bit modular exponentiation in 6.3 ms using 6006 lookup tables, a 17 % speed improvement over the previously fastest scalable radix-2 Montgomery multiplier.
ADAPTATION OF A METHIONINE AUXOTROPH ESCHERICHIA COLI GROWTH ASSAY TO MICROTITER PLATES FOR QUANTITATING METHIONINE

A rapid microtiter methionine assay was developed using a methionine auxotroph E. coli strain. The bacterial strain was first grown on rich media to promote extensive bacterial growth and the cells were depleted to exhaust all endogenous methionine. After depletion, cells were transferred to minimal media with increasing concentrations of methionine and microtiter plates were incubated at 37C for 6 h. Methionine microtiter standard curves yielded linear growth responses to increasing concentrations of methionine in the range of 0 to 26.8 μM. Addition of different antibiotic and antifungal agents to the media did not significantly alter the linear growth response observed in the microtiter assay. This microtiter plate E. coli methionine assay has potential as a rapid in vitro assay method for quantifying methionine.
Accumulation of Norepinephrine by Tissue Slices from Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Accumulation of 3H-1-norepinephrine (3H-1-NE) by heart and spleen slices from different aged spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) was compared with accumulation by slices from comparably aged normotensive rats (Wistar-Kyoto, WKY). Between weeks 4 and 9 there was a significant increase in accumulation by heart slices of the WKY; there was no further increase at weeks 13 and 16. The developmental pattern in slices of WKY spleen was different. Accumulation was the same at weeks 4 and 9; subsequently, there were significant increases at weeks 13 and 16. Slices of heart from SHR showed the same pattern of development as those from WKY. However, accumulation by slices of SHR spleen was significantly different from that by slices of WKY spleen. At all ages studied, SHR slices accumulated less H-1-NE. Furthermore, there was no significant increase in accumulation with age. The data show: 1. the course of development of the adrenergic neuron transport system is different in heart and spleen, and 2. accumulation o...
Tomaculous neuropathy: A clinical and electrophysiological study in patients with and without 1.5-Mb deletions in chromosome 17p<11.2

Tomaculous neuropathy is the descriptive term for the "sausagelike" swellings of myelin characteristic of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP). A 1.5-Mb deletion in chromosome 17p11.2 is present in the majority but not all cases of HNPP. We reviewed the clinical and electrophysiological features of 18 patients with tomaculous neuropathy and compared these features between patients with and without the typical large deletion. Patients presented with a variety of pressure-induced nerve palsies and brachial plexopathies. Two patients presented with generalized symmetric sensorimotor polyneuropathies. Four patients were older than their respective probands but were as yet asymptomatic. Nerve conduction studies demonstrated prolonged distal latencies out of proportion to slowing of conduction velocities, suggesting a distally accentuated myelinopathy. DNA analysis revealed the 1.5-Mb deletion in all the familial cases and in 3 of the sporadic patients. The clinical and electrophysiological features were similar between patients with and without the 1.5-Mb deletion in chromosome 17p11.2.