cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prediction of steady‐state bioequivalence relationships using single dose data I‐linear kinetics

Two nonlinear pharmacokinetic models were simulated to investigate the relationship between single and multiple dose bioequivalency parameters for drugs such as phenytoin and propranolol which exhibit either saturable elimination kinetics or a capacity limited first pass effect. Mean Tmax, Cmax and area under the plasma-concentration time curve values from 0 to infinity (AUC 0-infinity) were compared after a single and multiple dose(s) of a test or reference drug. The aim was to determine if there were systematic changes in the limits of the single dose confidence interval at steady state that would limit the usefulness of confidence intervals following a single dose in accurately predicting bioavailability following multiple dosing. The 90 per cent confidence interval expressed as a percentage of the reference mean for Tmax, Cmax, and AUC 0-infinity showed model dependent changes from single to multiple dosing in response to the level of data error and changes in absorption. Changes in clearance also seemed to have a marked effect on the observed limits of the single and multiple dose confidence intervals especially for Cmax which showed a characteristic change in the intervals as a function of the clearance ratio. The model used to describe phenytoin had confidence intervals for Cmax and AUC 0-infinity from single to multiple dosing that were similar to that seen for the experimental data. However, the model predictions for Tmax confidence intervals following single and multiple dosing was at variance with the experimental data for formulations A and B.
Sintering of palladium on alumina model catalyst in a hydrogen atmosphere

Abstract The sintering behavior of Pd crystallites supported on γ-alumina in 1 atm flowing hydrogen as a function of time and temperature is reported. Model catalysts consisting of Pd crystallites supported on thin films of alumina are heated at 650, 725, and 800 °C for various time intervals. The same region of a specimen is examined with a transmission electron microscope after each heat treatment to follow the changes of each Pd crystallite. The various events which occur during short, intermediate, and long durations of heating, are identified. The possible mechanisms are outlined and discussed.
Distribution of nitrate, phosphate and silicate in the world oceans

Abstract This study describes the global horizontal distributions of the plant nutrients phosphate, nitrate and silicic acid, with depth, on a one-degree latitude-longitude grid. The source of the data is a subset of the National Oceanographic Data Center. Nutrients in surface waters are enriched in upwelling and high latitude regions and are generally depleted at mid-latitudes. The depletion at mid-latitudes is associated with the subtropical anticyclonic gyre systems. With increasing depth, the nutrient content increases in the water column. At depths of more than 1000m, the nutrient distributions are associated with different water masses which have their own inherent characteristics.
Distributional and L2 boundary values on the topological boundary of tubes

Holomorphic functions in tubes which generalize the Hardy H p functions are shown to have boundary values on the topological boundary of the tube. The boundary values are obtained restrictedly and unrestrictedly in L 2 and in the strong topology of the distribution space ′r the r ⩾1 the Fourier transform space of the distributions of exponential growth.ℋ′r.
Kinetics and Mechanisms of Action of Antibiotics on Microorganisms I: Reproducibility of Escherichia coli Growth Curves and Dependenc Upon Tetracycline Concentration

A method which minimizes the lag period of measuring growth rates of bacterial cultures using plate counts has been devised. The standard deviation, expressed as a percentage of the mean among replicate growth rate determinations for this strain of Escherichia coli , was 3.7 per cent. It has been shown that the apparent growth rate constants in the absence of antibiotic were independent of inoculum size. Growth rates and rates of kill have been obtained with cells in the constant growth phase in the presence of graded concentrations of tetracycline hydrochloride. Although low concentrations of antibiotic merely reduced the growth rate, increased concentrations had a definite bactericidal effect. After the initial kill with bactericidal concentrations of tetracycline, survivors multiplied at rates which appeared to be a function of the antibiotic concentration. The growth rate of the numbers of viables, X , can be quantitatively expressed as a function of tetracycline concentration, D , and the growth rate constant, k o , so that dx/dt = ( k o - kD n ) X . For a net increase in viables, the rate is a function of the first power of the antibiotic concentration, whereas a dependence upon the concentration to the one-third power best describes the initial rate of change of numbers of viables when the bactericidal activity is experimentally manifested.
Utilising action learning for fostering developmental capacity: an application in the graduate school setting

This paper makes the case for an increasing emphasis on incorporating practices drawn from constructive developmental theory (Kegan, 1994, 2000) and developmental action inquiry (Fisher et al., 2003) into action learning programmes: in a sense the increase in emphasis is a developmental turn in the application of critical reflection and experiential learning forms of action learning (O’Neil,1999). The increase in emphasis involves the ongoing evolution of action learning programmes extending the practice in response to new demands and challenges confronting both individuals and organisations embedded in societal changes. More specifically, this paper makes the case for and discusses this application of critical reflection and experiential learning as pedagogical components in professional graduate schools. One such application is described in detail to illustrate the potential of this pedagogical adaptation as a contribution to the conversation about utilising action learning in the education setting.
Bringing Down the U.S. Prison Population

This article discusses how, after about 50 years of displaying an impressively stable incarceration rate, the United States in the late 1970s began a dramatic prison population increase of about 6%...
Radium removal by a home water softener

Abstract The efficiency of radium removal by a home water softener was evaluated in a manually-operated unit that had been in service for about 10 years. The concentrations of calcium, magnesium, and radium in the water provided during a 100-day period averaged 70·2 ± 0·6 mg liter −1 , 24·8 ± 0·6 mg liter −1 , and 0·355 ± 0·007 Bq liter −1 , respectively. The concentration of radium in the effluent remained at 1·3 ± 1·0% of the input level throughout the entire 100-day period. In contrast, the concentration of magnesium began to increase by 30 days. By 40 days, the hardness had increased so much that the homeowner would have initiated another recharge cycle. However, the experiment was allowed to continue until the magnesium content had reached 80% of the influent level. There is no indication that the efficiency of radium removal by this water softener was affected by age or past use. Radium was removed even after the effluent had become hard and a recharge cycle was needed.
CD36 in the periphery and brain synergizes in stroke injury in hyperlipidemia.

Objective Hyperlipidemia exacerbates ischemic stroke outcome and increased CD36 expression in the post-ischemic brain as well as in peripheral monocytes/macrophages. By exchanging bone marrow-derived cells between CD36-expressing and –deficient mice, this study investigates the contribution of peripheral CD36 vs brain CD36 to stroke pathology in hyperlipidemia.
Binaural sound segregation for multisource reverberant environments

We present a novel method for binaural sound segregation from acoustic mixtures contaminated by both multiple interference and reverberation. We employ the notion of an ideal time-frequency binary mask, which selects the target if it is stronger than the interference in a local time-frequency (T-F) unit. As opposed to classical adaptive filtering, which focuses on the suppression of noise, our model employs an adaptive filter that performs target cancellation. T-F units dominated by a target are largely suppressed at the output of the cancellation unit when compared to units dominated by noise. Consequently, the actual input-to-output attenuation level in each T-F unit is used to estimate an ideal binary mask. A systematic evaluation in terms of automatic speech recognition performance shows that the resulting system produces masks close to ideal binary ones.
Low power memory design

In this paper, we present a novel design procedure for multi-module, multi-port memory design that satisfies area and/or energy/timing constraints. Our procedure consists of (i) use of storage bandwidth optimization (SBO) techniques to simplify the conflict graph and (ii) use of memory exploration techniques to determine the best memory configuration (number of modules, size and number of ports per module) with the minimum area if the energy and timing are bounded or with the minimum energy/timing if the area is bounded. Here the simplest conflict graph implies more possibilities for the arrays assigned to the same module without the penalty in an increase of the number of ports for each module. Our benchmark shows that the heuristic algorithm is very efficient to decide the best memory configuration for the system constraints (timing, area, or energy). In addition, the CACTI tool (Premkishore Shivakumar and N.P. Jouppi, 2001) is modified to estimate the timing, area, and energy for each module in different CMOS technologies (0.8 /spl mu/m, 0.35 /spl mu/m, and 0.18 /spl mu/m). Furthermore, we consider the lifetime for arrays; this results in significant reduction in timing, area, and energy for the arrays executed in different cycles sharing the same memory module.
Modeling resonator frequency fluctuations induced by adsorbing and desorbing surface molecules

Resonator frequency fluctuations due to adsorption and desorption of molecules on plate electrodes are studied using the principle of mass-loading effects of adsorbed molecules. The study is based on a 525 MHz, AT-cut quartz resonator enclosed in a small crystal holder. Equations relating the surface adsorption rates of the crystal holder to pressure were derived and found to be quadratic polynomial functions of the adsorption rates. Calculations based on these equations show that a contaminant gas with a higher desorption energy creates larger changes in pressure when the temperature is varied. The function describing the frequency fluctuations due to any one contaminant site is a continuous-time Markov chain. Kolmogorov equations and an autocorrelation function for the Markov chain are derived. The autocorrelation and spectral density function of resonator frequency fluctuations are derived. The spectral density of frequency fluctuations at 1 Hz is studied as a function of pressure, temperature, and desorption energy of molecules. The noise levels for a contaminant gas with one type of molecules are found to be lower for lower desorption energies, and higher at lower pressures. >
Can the clinical and mammographic findings at presentation predict the presence of an extensive intraductal component in early stage breast cancer

Abstract The presence or absence of an extensive intraductal component (EIC) in early stage infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma has been considered to be an important factor in determining the extent of breast resection required prior to radiation therapy. It would therefore be useful if the presence of an extensive intraductal in a breast tumor could be predicted pre-operatively. To determine whether selected radiographic features might be correlated with whether or not a cancer is EIC+, we reviewed the findings in 105 cases of Stage I and II infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Forty-one cases were EIC+ and 64 were EIC-. Both EIC+ and EIC- tumors were commonly detectable by mammography (93% and 83%, respectively, p = NS). EIC+ cancers, however, were significantly more likely to show microcalcifications with or without a mass compared to EIC- cases (83% vs 27%, p p = 0.0002). Conversely, a soft tissue mass without microcalcifications was seen mammographically in 56% of EIC- cases, compared to only 10% of EIC+ cases ( p
Thermomagnetic fluctuations and hysteresis loops of magnetic cantilevers for magnetic resonance force microscopy

We have used frequency-shift cantilever magnetometry to study individual nickel magnets patterned at the end of ultra-sensitive silicon cantilevers for use in magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM). We present a procedure for inferring a magnet's full hysteresis curve from the response of cantilever resonance frequency versus magnetic field. Hysteresis loops and small-angle fluctuations were determined at 4.2 K with an applied magnetic field up to 6 T for magnets covering a range of dimensions and aspect ratios. Compared to magnetic materials with higher anisotropy, we find that nickel is preferable for MRFM experiments on nuclear spins at high magnetic fields.
Editorial: The First Rothkopf Rankings of Nonacademic Organizations

This paper presents the first rankings of nonacademic organizations according to their contributions to the INFORMS practice literature. Two rankings are given, each based on a different metric: visibility is the number of authors who list an organization as their primary affiliation; yield is the equivalent number of INFORMS practice papers attributable to each organization based on author primary affiliation. For the visibility rankings, IBM comes in first place, followed by Hewlett-Packard in second, the US Government in third, and General Electric in fourth place. These are followed by Sasol, Procter & Gamble, and Merrill Lynch. For the yield rankings, the US Government comes in first place, followed by General Electric and IBM tied for second, and Hewlett-Packard in fourth place. They are followed by Intel in fifth, Procter & Gamble in sixth, and Merrill Lynch in seventh place.
The Pathogenesis of Canalicular Laceration

Abstract Canalicular lacerations are seen commonly in ophthalmic practice, but the pathogenesis of canalicular lacerations has not been explored. The authors retrospectively reviewed 25 cases of canalicular laceration seen at their institutions. Only 4 patients (16%) had injuries attributable to direct trauma; the remaining 21 patients (84%) had diffuse trauma or trauma to the eyelid remote from the canaliculus. The authors postulate that, in many of their cases, canalicular "lacerations" resulted from indirect trauma, where the eyelid was ruptured when it was stretched acutely to the point of avulsion. Two experimental models were derived to test this hypothesis. The results suggest that the canalicular portion of the eyelid is a particularly vulnerable location, and that injuries morphologically similar to canalicular "lacerations" occur predictably if the eyelid is traumatized indirectly or diffusely to the point of rupture.
Ventrolateral and dorsolateral ascending spinal cord pathway influence on thalamic nociception in cat

1. In cat there are two portions of the spinothalamic tract (STT)--a ventral component, the ventral spinothalamic tract (VSTT) made up of axons of cells of spinal cord laminae IV-X, and a dorsolateral component, the dorsolateral spinothalamic tract (DSTT) made up of axons of cells in lamina I of the spinal cord dorsal horn. This study was designed to evaluate thalamic neuronal responses to cutaneous noxious thermal stimuli and to determine the functional importance of pathways ascending in the ventral and dorsolateral portions of the spinal cord, ipsilateral to the thalamic recording site and contralateral to the hindlimb stimulation region, for transmission of nociceptive information to the thalamus. 2. Extracellular single-unit recordings were made from 45 neurons in the ventrobasal complex (VBX) of cat thalamus. Thirty-five of these units responded either exclusively or preferentially to noxious cutaneous stimuli. Responses to noxious thermal stimuli applied to the unit's receptive fields were obtained, and then the effects on these responses of blocking conduction through the dorsolateral funiculus (DLF) and the ventrolateral quadrant (VQ) of the thoracic spinal cord ipsilateral to the thalamic recording site were determined. DLF and VQ conduction blocks were accomplished with the use of a cold probe technique and, at times, surgical lesions of the appropriate portion of the spinal cord. 3. The nociceptive units were located in the periphery of the ventral posterior lateral nucleus (VPL) of the thalamus. Their locations corresponded to the somatotopic organization of VPL. Nociceptive thermal responses were found in both high-threshold (HT) (10 cells) and wide-dynamic-range (WDR) (22 cells) units. The receptive fields of these units were generally small and were located on the hindlimb contralateral to the recording site. The thermoreceptive units had thresholds between 44 and 48 degrees C and were able to code for stimulus intensity. 4. Nine of the 35 nociceptive units demonstrated a decrease in response and two units an increase in response to noxious cutaneous stimulation during DLF block ipsilateral to the recording site and contralateral to the cutaneous stimulation site, whereas four units demonstrated a decrease in response and one unit an increase in response to noxious thermal cutaneous stimulation during VQ block ipsilateral to the recording site and contralateral to the cutaneous stimulation site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF STRESS ON ALCOHOL DRINKING BEHAVIOUR IN MALE AND FEMALE MICE SELECTIVELY BRED FOR HIGH ALCOHOL PREFERENCE

Aims: The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of stress on alcohol drinking behaviour in male and female mice with a genetic predisposition toward high alcohol preference (HAP2 line). Methods: Alcohol-nao ¨ve male (n = 22) and female (n = 23) HAP2 mice were assigned to a restraint stress or no stress control group. Stress was initially applied for 2 h per day on 10 consecutive days. All mice were then given daily 2 h limited-access to a 10% v/v alcohol solution or water, with food freely avail- able, for 21 days. Over the next 20 days, 2 h restraint stress was applied every other day immediately prior to 2 h access to alcohol and water. On intervening days, all mice received 2 h access to alcohol and water in the absence of stress. Following this phase of the study, the effects of restraint stress on acoustic startle reactivity was assessed in all mice. Finally, all mice were given continuous access to alcohol and water for 8 days. Results: Ten days of prior stress exposure did not significantly alter the acquisition of limited-access alco- hol drinking. Subsequent exposures to intermittent restraint stress produced subtle but consistent effects on alcohol intake that differed in males vs females: stress increased alcohol intake in males and decreased alcohol intake in females. Restraint stress did not alter acous- tic startle reactivity. Under continuous-access conditions after stress termination, the stress-induced increase in alcohol intake in males became more robust; however, in females, alcohol intake returned to the control group level. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the effects of stress on alcohol drinking in mice with a genetic predisposition toward high alcohol preference depend on sex.
Paraplegia following lumbosacral steroid epidural injections

Spinal cord ischemia is a rare but possible neurological complication following routine conservative treatment of lumbosacral radiculopathy. A case of a 46 year old woman with chronic L5 radiculopathy, who developed spinal cord ischemia following epidural steroid injection, is reported. Two months after the epidural injection, she required crutches for walking and had neurogenic bladder and bowel.
Emerging project management techniques: a managerial assessment

This study defines effective methods for integrating modern project management tools and techniques within the work process of today's team-based organization. It provides measures for evaluating the relative value of these techniques, and establishes a framework for benchmarking and self-analysis of existing project management systems toward continuous improvement.
Temperature Dependence of Sol-Gel Conversion Kinetics in Gelatin-Water System

The conversion kinetics of an aqueous gelatin solution to gel was studied by temperature modulated and regular DSC under isothermal and continuous cooling conditions. Isothermal runs revealed a decrease in the quasi-static heat capacity primarily associated with syneresis (phase separation) of the gel. Above 19 degrees C the isothermal process demonstrated negative effective activation energy that turned positive below 14 degrees C. Continuous cooling runs detected a reversing heat flow apparently related to the continuing formation and melting of new gel structures. Isoconversional kinetic analysis of continuous cooling measurements yielded negative activation energy for the whole range of conversions and temperatures suggesting that nucleation remained a rate controlling step throughout the whole gelation process.
La recepción de la primera edición de Los desastres de la Guerra de Goya (marzo, 1863) en el Madrid del joven Galdós

Para nuestra llorada amiga Beatriz Entenza Benito Perez Galdos llega a Madrid ‘un dia de finales de septiembre’ de 1862.1 Unos seis meses despues, en marzo de 1863,2 se publican por primera vez Los...
Efficient tree pattern matching

A classic open problem on tree pattern matching is whether the naive O(mn)-step algorithm for finding all the occurrences of a pattern tree of size m in a text tree of size n can be improved. An O(nM/sup 0.75/ polylog(m))-step algorithm for this tree pattern matching problem is designed. The problems of linear string matching with don't care symbols and linear string max-min convolution are treated. >
Issues in the Delivery of RF Current Pulses to a Microprocessor

Passive and active filters are reviewed to define technology requirements for maintaining the impedance seen by the microprocessor below 1mOmega (100mV transient excursion on top of a 0.8-V, 120-A bus) in the gigahertz frequency range. The designs of these filters need to be coordinated so that the active filter does not have to carry the bulk of the real power or a significant amount of reactive power. Parasitic inductances need to be kept below a picohenry and amplifiers need to have bandwidth approaching a gigahertz to keep the loss below 10% of the real power
Rendering Stereoscopic Augmented Reality Scenes with Occlusions using Depth from Stereo and Texture Mapping

Augmented Reality (AR) is commonly used in the construction industry to visualize proposed structures and/or operations in their real world environment as it greatly enhances the realism of the viewing experience without having to construct 3D models of complex real world scenes. In order to achieve convincing scenes in AR applications, the virtual objects should be correctly occluded by the real objects present in the scene, which is a non trivial problem that involves specialized equipment to capture depth information about the real scene. This paper presents a novel methodology that allows for the stereoscopic rendering of AR scenes with the correct occlusion of the virtual objects. Two pictures of the real scene that are captured simultaneously from viewpoints with a horizontal baseline separation of 1m are used to obtain both the stereoscopic images as well as the depth information of the occluding objects in the real scene. Potential applications of this methodology include its use in the creating and rendering engaging representations of the AR scene being visualized, by affording the user the perception of depth in the scene and as novel means to visualize 3D CAD and BIM models in their proposed/ existing settings in the real world.
Cellular technology improves transmission success of pre-hospital electrocardiograms.

Abstract Study objective In rural settings, long distances and transport times pose a challenge for achieving early reperfusion goals in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). This study investigated the association between the method of pre-hospital 12-lead ECG transmission (radio transmission vs. cellular phone transmission) and the success of transmission and legibility of 12-lead ECGs in a rural setting. Methods Observational study of pre-hospital 12-lead ECG transmission to the emergency department (ED) in a predominantly rural area. Success of transmission and the legibility of the 12-lead ECG were analyzed to identify barriers to 12-lead ECG transmission and reasons for failed transmission. Results Emergency medical services performed ECGs on 1140 patients, 917 of which they attempted to transmit, including 43 cases requiring emergent catheterization. Twelve-lead ECG transmission was successful in 236 (70%) of 337 radio attempts and 441 (76%) of 580 cellular attempts (difference 6.0%, 95% CI 1.1-12.1). Legibility increased from 164 (49%) of 337 radio attempts to 389 (67%) of 580 cellular attempts (difference 18.4%, 95% CI 11.8–24.9). Conclusion The success of transmission and legibility of 12-lead ECGs was significantly higher with cellular technology by emergency medical service agencies in comparison to radio transmission. In rural settings with lengthy transport times, utilization of cellular technology for transmission of pre-hospital 12-lead ECGs may improve door-to-balloon times for STEMI patients.
The Estimation of the Weight of Bulls from Heart Girth Measurements

Summary A study was made of the relationship between heart girth measurement and the body weight of 25 Holstein and 25 Guernsey bulls ranging in weight from 852 to 2351 pounds. The coefficients of correlation between heart girth measurement and body weight were 0.976 for all of the 50 bulls, 0.954 for the Holstein bulls, and 0.958 for the Guernsey bulls; all were highly significant statistically. A calculation of the regression of body weight on heart girth measurements indicated a straight line relationship. The error of estimate of body weight based on heart girth measurement was 83.8 pounds or 5.05 per cent. Estimates of the body weights of bulls were, therefore, very accurate. It was also of interest to note that the correlation coefficient between body weight and semen volume was 0.2079, which was not mathematically significant.
A new formulation of longitudinal coherent instabilities

The quadrature response of longitudinal impedance is shown to be the effective impedance for the beam instability. The results of the application of this formulation are compared with that obtained using the Robinson-Pedersen approach and the Sacherer integral equation. The formulation is further generalized to the rigid bunch motion using signal analysis method, where a form factor shows up naturally. Finally, the formulation is applied to solve the coupled bunch instabilities. Examples of the AGS Booster and the AGS coupled bunch instabilities are used to illustrate the applications of the formulation. >
Analyses of human-chimpanzee orthologous gene pairs to explore evolutionary hypotheses of aging.

Compared to chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), the onset of aging appears to be delayed in the human species. Herein, we studied human– chimpanzee orthologous gene pairs to investigate the selective forces acting on genes associated with aging in different model systems, which allowed us to explore evolutionary hypotheses of aging. Our results show that aging-associated genes tend to be under purifying selection and stronger-than-average functional constraints. We found little evidence of accelerated evolution in aging-associated genes in the hominid or human lineages, and pathways previously related to aging were largely conserved between humans and chimpanzees. In particular, genes associated with aging in non-mammalian model organisms and cellular systems appear to be under stronger functional constraints than those associated with aging in mammals. One gene that might have undergone rapid evolution in hominids is the Werner syndrome gene. Overall, our findings offer novel insights regarding the evolutionary forces acting on genes associated with aging in model systems. We propose that genes associated with aging in model organisms may be part of conserved pathways related to pleiotropic effects on aging that might not regulate species differences in aging. # 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Impact of Tumor Hypoxia, Src, and Met Signaling in the Dissemination of Tumor Cells

Metastasis is the major cause of therapeutic failure and high mortality in cancer patients. The metastatic cascade consists of a series of cellular processes including migration, invasion and survival. Hypoxia has been identified as a key contributor to critical functions associated with tumor cell dissemination. Hypoxia-induced alterations are primarily mediated by the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), a factor that induces the expression of an array of genes associated with cell aggressiveness. In addition, altered intracellular signaling pathways, such as c-Src and c-Met, aid tumor cells to progress towards a metastatic phenotype and strongly correlates with poor prognosis. Given the pivotal role of hypoxia/HIF-1, c-Src and c-Met in the metastatic process, the potential for developing therapeutic strategies targeting these pathways is significant. Although the effects of HIF-1 inhibitors require further investigation, small molecule kinase inhibitors targeting Src or Met already have been shown to have considerable efficacy in metastatic diseases. Overall, the fact that cancer cell dissemination can be driven by both external (hypoxia) and internal features (c-Src, c-Met) suggests that the combined targeting of tumor microenvironment and intracellular signaling pathways may have particular utility in impeding cancer metastasis.
Nanocharacterization of Gold/ Gold Contact Surface Failure in Mems Contact Switches

Switching components have been viewed as a great application opportunity for micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). For competitive products, reliability problems must be resolved. The study presented in this paper is a basic step toward the understanding of the failure of gold/ gold contact switches. This involves the interrelationship among surface conditions, hardness, adventitious insulating layers, fatigue cycling and the operational environment [1]. These elements provide the guidelines and assessment of contact wear, deformation, surface fatigue and adhesion characteristics of MEMS contact switches. In this study, gold micro contacts are investigated and characterized through atomic force microscopy, nanoindentation, nanoscratch, and nanofatigue tests using the state-of-the-art NanoTest characterization system.
Estimating private provision of public goods with heterogenous participants: a structural analysis

This paper estimates a structural model of private provision of public goods to provide some new empirical evidence on individuals' strategic contributing behaviors. In the model, individuals' contributing behaviors are allowed to be heterogenous and time-varying. We show that all the main components of the model including the number of different contributing strategies, functional form for each strategy, and how individuals adjust their strategies are identified from the revealed contribution choices of individuals. Further, the structural model is estimated using the data collected in a threshold public good experiment. The empirical results suggest that subjects in our experiment employ three contributing strategies, and they strategically respond to provision history by adjusting their preceding behavior. In addition, the response is heterogenous and dependent on subjects' contributing strategies.
Abstract 2196: Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation patterns in formaldehyde-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) human tumor specimens

Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples (FFPE) are in many case, the only available source of biological materiel available for translational studies. However the quantity and quality of nucleic acid extracted from FFPE samples is very often challenging (small amount and high level of degradation), which makes genomic analysis in general, and epigenomics analysis in particular, difficult to impossible. Here we are showing that we developed a robust, unbiased and cost effective method for genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation of FFPE DNA. Our method, named STAMP for Sequence Tag Analysis of Methylation Patterns, uses a recombinant protein containing a methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD) to precipitate methylated DNA fragments that are then identified by massively parallel sequencing using the SOLiD sequencer (ABI). We generate ∼15-million sequence tags per specimen and utilize an analytical platform comprised of custom-written R-language algorithms to study genomic DNA methylation patterns. We used this technology to compare the methylation patterns of matched fresh frozen (FF) and FFPE tumor specimens. Tissues had been stored for as long as 6 years. Because the STAMP method utilizes fragmented DNA as starting material we hypothesized that this method would be well-suited to the study of FFPE DNA methylation. Using this method, we found the methylation patterns of the FFPE and matched FF specimens were highly correlated. We successfully detected previously known methylated patterns and found hundreds of novel methylated regions. DNA methylation patterns were observed at all scales across the genome: from whole chromosomes to individual genes. We found that densely methylated elements are often highly conserved or closely associated with gene coding regions and promoters. We identified distinct patterns of DNA methylation surrounding the transcription start and termination sites of all genes. Genome-wide analyses of DNA methylation patterns of FFPE samples using the STAMP assay opens up the possibility to analyze large repositories of tumor specimens as well as samples that have been collected during routine clinical work and clinical trials. Large scales studies of DNA methylation using existing FFPE specimens linked to treatment outcomes may be rapidly translated to new epigenetic prognostic measures for cancer patients. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2196.
A New Date for Concrete in Rome

Concrete is regarded as a quintessentially Roman achievement. The spread of the technology is usually dated to the fourth or third centuries b.c., and interpreted as a symptom of Rome's early expansion in Italy. In this paper I offer a reappraisal of the available evidence for early concrete construction in Rome. On the basis of stratigraphic evidence, I conclude that a later date should be assigned to most of the remains. I situate the origins of the technological innovation within the radical change in architectural styles that unfolded in the middle of the second century b.c., affecting both domestic architecture and public building. The new chronology has an impact on current models of cultural diffusion in Roman Italy, linking the development of Late Republican architecture with the broader debate on the cultural implications of the Roman conquest.
Exploiting Silicon Porosity Gradients for Superior Antireflective Films

An electrochemical etching technique has been developed that provides continuous control over the porosity of a porous silicon (PSi) layer as a function of etching depth. Thin films with engineered porosity gradients, and thus a controllable refractive index gradient, have been used to demonstrate broadband antireflection (AR) properties on silicon wafers and solar cell substrates. This low broadband reflectivity is a direct result of the formation of a refractive index gradient at the substrate surface, where the transition between air and silicon occurs continuously throughout the thickness of a PSi film. These graded index films are formed by applying a continuously changing current function to the electrochemical cell during the PSi etch. The application of these films as solar cell AR coatings is of particular interest, where their broadband nature is a critical advantage. For this application, graded index PSi films must not only offer superior AR properties, but must also prove minimally disruptive to the electrical properties of the underlying solar cell. This requirement limits the total thickness of these films to approximately 120 nm, creating several challenges for this process. However, the simplicity and highly reproducible nature of this technique, in combination with its short duration (less than 10 seconds), make it a strong alternative to current vacuum deposited AR coating technology.
Oxidative Stress and Antibiotic Resistance in Bacterial Pathogens: State of the Art, Methodologies, and Future Trends

Despite the significant advances of modern medicine and the availability of a wide variety of antibiotics for the treatment of microbial infections, there is an alarming increase of multiresistant bacterial pathogens. This chapter discusses the status of bacterial resistance mechanisms and the relationship with oxidative stress and provides an overview of the methods used to assess oxidative conditions and their contribution to the antibiotic resistance.
On tracking & pointing accuracy requirement of high energy laser weapon

Based on the relationship between tracking pointing accuracy requirement of high energy laser weapon and the divergence angle of laser beam at the target,the mathematical formula of the tracking pointing accuracy requirement is derived.On which basis we analyzed the influence of the target distance,atmospheric turbulence intensity and system performance on the tracking pointing accuracy,and obtained the theoretical tracking pointing accuracy requirements under some conditions.
Rubber Injection Molding Technique

After years of development,rubber injection molding techniques have being widely used in processing product for automobiles and electron industries etc which increased the production efficiency,product quality of rubber as well as decreased the work intensity and product cost.This paper has introduced the present condition of research and development of injection technique and equipment at home and abroad in detail,and put forward useful advises about how to spread the technique of injection molding in china.
Glossary: A supplement to “Submarine fans: A critical retrospective (1950–2015)” in the Journal of Palaeogeography (2016, 5[2])

Abstract In this Glossary, selected terms and concepts associated with submarine fans are defined.
Leukapheresis therapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

The effects of repeated leukapheresis with the IBM Blood Cell Separator were assessed in 13 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Five patients had from 14 to 25 leukaphereses at intervals ranging from 7 to 33 days. The median total number of lymphocytes removed was 18.0 x 1011 (range 11.9 x 1011-26.6 x 1011). Two of these patients had a decrease in lymphocyte count and in lymphadenopathy. One of the above and eight additional patients had intensive leukapheresis therapy consisting of five procedures per week for 1-4 wk. The median total number of lymphocytes removed from these patients was 11.34 x 1011 (range 3.30 x 1011-47.4 x 1011). Eight of these patients had a decrease in lymphocyte count, five in spleen size, eight in lymph node size, seven in bone marrow infiltration, and one in liver size. Lymphocyte counts before beginning leukapheresis therapy ranged from 20,500 to 684,000 (median 70,900). The median lymphocyte count on completion of treatment was 19,200 (range 6,590-40,000). After leukapheresis therapy, the median doubling time of the lymphocyte count was 71 days (range 29-118 days). In addition to demonstrating a significant proliferative component in CLL, the objective regression of disease in ten of the 13 patients suggests that leukapheresis is a potentially useful treatment for CLL.
Effects of Acidic Precipitation on the North American Continent

ABSTRACT Since the mid 70's there has been a growing concern in the U.S. and Canada about the widespread deposition of acidic materials from the atmosphere. Acid rain is now found over most or all of the northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada. As we rely more heavily on coal as our major energy source, it is likely that this problem will become more widespread. A major response in both Canada and the U.S. has been the organization of nationwide monitoring programs to assess the geographic and temporal trends in chemical deposition and the initiation of surveys and research efforts to determine current and future impacts on aquatic and terrestrial systems. Both U.S. and Canadian monitoring studies show the presence of acid rain in the western states and provinces, in addition to the east, but at levels several times less acidic than the eastern areas. Surveys based on geological materials and soil types indicate the existence of sensitive areas in the northeastern U.S. and Canada and western regions of both countries. In these sensitive areas in the east which are receiving the highest levels of acid deposition there appear to be a significant number of lakes and streams undergoing gradual acidification. In some areas this has seriously affected fish populations. Other studies are concerned with the leaching of aluminum, heavy metals and plant nutrients from soils which affect water quality and may have implications with respect to reduced forest productivity. Extensive programs are underway to determine the extent of potential damage to agricultural crops and subsequent economic losses. Many other research efforts are underway in the U.S. and Canada to assess both the beneficial and detrimental impacts of chemical deposition.
A multi-round double auction mechanism for local energy grids with distributed and centralized resources

As the availability of distributed generation and storage increases, market mechanisms are needed for local energy grids that reflect the changing distribution of market power among participants. These networks are likely to transition to a mixed model, with distributed resources backed by central or microgrid-scale generation assets. This paper introduces a framework for the design of multiple time scale markets for economic dispatch in which, at each time scale, producers, consumers, and producer-consumers are represented by agents that participate via a communication network in a multi-round double auction. The market framework enables diverse valuation of energy at different spatio-temporal scales, and the auction mechanism allows participants to equip their agents with adaptive parameterized strategies. By design, the mechanism enables compensation for uncertainty at coarse time scales by participation in markets at finer scales. The mechanism also admits offer (bid/ask) functions that generalize the traditional single limit order (price-quantity pair), so that participants can design offers to buy or sell that reflect their valuations of energy for different purposes, such as heating at subsistence and comfort levels. Performance measures are introduced that capture the ability of participants to achieve their economic objectives, and simulations demonstrate the effect on performance of different strategies.
Physical and Sensory Characteristics of Pork Packaged in Various Gas Atmospheres.

One hundred and ninety-six boneless pork roasts were vacuum-packaged. Twenty-eight roasts remained vacuum-packaged to serve as controls. The remaining packages were divided into six groups of 28 packages each and injected with one of six gas mixtures: (a) 100% O2, (b) 20% CO2 + 80% N2, (c) 50% CO2 + 50% O2, (d) 20% CO2 + 80% O2, (e) 25% CO2 + 25% O2 + 50% N2 or (f) 51% CO2 + 30% O2 + 18% N2 + 1% CO. Five packages from each packaging treatment were removed from storage after 7, 14, 21, 28 or 35 days. Data collection included gas composition of the intact packages and off-odor, surface discoloration, overall appearance, retail caselife and palatability of cuts. The most prevalent gas in vacuum packages was CO2 with weight percentages of 62-88% during the 35-day storage period. Packages initially injected with an atmosphere containing 100% O2 showed a gradual decrease in O2 and an increase in CO2 with increased storage. Roasts stored in O2-containing atmospheres for 14 and/or 21 days had a higher incidence of off-odor and chops from such roasts had lower overall appearance ratings after 1 day of retail display and lower flavor and overall palatability ratings than comparable vacuum packaged meats. These differences were significant only for roasts stored in modified atmospheres containing high concentrations of O2 and only after extended periods of storage. Data suggest that a modified gas atmosphere of 20% CO2 + 80% N2 is a suitable alternative to vacuum-packaging.
Maternal Morbidity After Previable Prelabor Rupture of Membranes

OBJECTIVE:To identify risk factors for maternal morbidity after previable prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM).METHODS:We conducted a case–control study of singleton and twin pregnancies complicated by previable PROM (14.0–22.9 weeks of gestation) at a single tertiary care referral institution, 2000
An evaluation of the sonoporation potential of low-boiling point phase-change ultrasound contrast agents in vitro

Phase-change ultrasound contrast agents (PCCAs) offer a solution to the inherent limitations associated with using microbubbles for sonoporation; they are characterized by prolonged circulation lifetimes, and their nanometer-scale sizes may allow for passive accumulation in solid tumors. As a first step towards the goal of extravascular cell permeabilization, we aim to characterize the sonoporation potential of a low-boiling point formulation of PCCAs in vitro. Parameters to induce acoustic droplet vaporization and subsequent microbubble cavitation were optimized in vitro using high-speed optical microscopy. Sonoporation of pancreatic cancer cells in suspension was then characterized at a range of pressures (125–600 kPa) and pulse lengths (5–50 cycles) using propidium iodide as an indicator molecule. We achieved sonoporation efficiencies ranging from 8 ± 1% to 36 ± 4% (percent of viable cells), as evidenced by flow cytometry. Increasing sonoporation efficiency trended with increasing pulse length and peak negative pressure. We conclude that PCCAs can be used to induce the sonoporation of cells in vitro, and our results warrant further investigation into the use of PCCAs as extravascular sonoporation agents in vivo.
Social Reconstructionism and the Roots of Critical Pedagogy: Implications for Teacher Education in the Neoliberal Era

When people hear or see the term “critical pedagogy,” they might think of Paulo Freire, whose work with Brazilian peasants in the 1970s led him to see education as inseparable from individual empowerment and social change (1970/2000). Joe Kincheloe (2008) suggests anyone working in critical pedagogy today must reference Freire’s work; Peter McLaren, another prominent figure in critical pedagogy, has called Freire the “inaugural philosopher of critical pedagogy” (2000, p. 1).