cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the Trypanosoma brucei homologue of a Trypanosoma cruzi flagellum-adhesion glycoprotein☆

An immunodominant 72-kDa surface glycoprotein (Gp72) of Trypanosoma cruzi is involved in adhesion of the flagellum to the cell body (Cooper, R, Ribeiro de Jesus, A and Cross, G.A.M (1993) J. Cell Biol. 122, 149–156). We have characterized a gene, flagellum-adhesion glycoprotein genel (fla1), from Trypanosoma brucei that encodes a 546 amino-acid protein (Fla1) with high similarity to Gp72. Their sequence similarity and cellular localization suggest that Fla1 and Gp72 have similar functions. We could disrupt individual fla1 alleles but not both, suggesting that fla1 is essential in T. brucei, in contrast to the situation for gp72 in T. cruzi. Using affinity-purified polyclonal antibody, raised against part of the amino-terminal domain of Fla1 expressed in Escherichia coli, we showed that Fla1 is concentrated along the flagellum and in the flagellar pocket in both bloodstream-form and procyclic trypanosomes. Fla1 from both life-cycle stages is N-glycosylated. Fla1 from bloodstream-form T. brucei contains additional glycans, which can be liberated by treatment with mild acid, suggestive of phosphodiester linkages.
Supercritical fluids and gas-expanded liquids as tunable media for multiphase catalytic reactions

Solvents play a vital role in multiphase catalysis. They are selected to perform several functions during liquid phase catalytic transformations such as solubilizing reactants, facilitating product/catalyst separation, increasing reaction rates, enhancing solubilities of gaseous reactants (such as O2, CO, H2) in the liquid phase, and providing heat capacity to effectively manage the heat of reaction. This review discusses such roles of conventional solvents in multiphase catalytic processes such as hydroformylation, carbonylation, hydrogenation and oxidation. For each of these chemistries, industrially relevant examples are presented, highlighting the advantages and limitations of the conventional solvents used therein. Further, it is shown how the pressure-tunable properties of supercritical fluids (SCFs) and gas-expanded liquids (GXLs) have been exploited in such systems to develop novel multiphase catalytic technology concepts. GXLs in particular provide advantages such as rate intensification, efficient feedstock utilization, enhanced process safety, waste minimization and reduced use of volatile organic solvents, all at relatively mild pressures and temperatures. Conventional reactors and reaction engineering tools that integrate phase behavior (for reactions and separations), catalytic kinetics and multiphase reactor modeling may be applied for the rational development of multiphase reactors using GXLs. Quantitative economic and environmental impact analyses during early stages of process development provide valuable research and process engineering guidance for developing practically viable GXL processes. The Rh catalyzed hydroformylation in CO2-expanded liquids and methyltrioxorhenium-based ethylene epoxidation are highlighted as exemplars of GXL-based technology concepts. Emerging feedstocks, such as plant-based biomass, shale gas and sequestered CO2, that require new catalytic conversion technologies to produce chemical intermediates, offer excellent opportunities for using tunable solvents.
Tectonic significance of Th/U ratios from Archean basalts

Abstract Observed Th/U ratios from Archean basalts have been altered by metamorphism and/or recent weathering. Experimental leaching of Th and U from these basalts suggests that great care is necessary in using directly observed ratios for any petrogenetic models. Calculated Th/U ratios (based on Pb isotopic composition) when used with an index oxide (SiO2) may reveal the depth of formation of these basalts.
Mapping of the relaxation patterns of polymer melts with linear flexible molecules of uniform length

The linear viscoelastic material functions of linear flexible polymers of uniform length are calculated from the BSW spectrum (Baumgaertel et al., 1990, 1992), and explicit analytic expressions are presented for several of the most common material functions for transient and dynamic experiments. However, numerical calculations are presented whenever needed. The BSW spectrum was determined from experimental G″, G″ data of two sets of molten polymers of narrow molecular weight distribution, polystyrene and polybutadiene. The purpose of the mapping is to show a wide range of viscoelastic behavior which otherwise is not available in such comprehensive form. Experimental check of these predictions is still needed in most cases. Also, some insight into the predictions for the non-linear (including the non-equilibrium) viscoelastic behavior is achieved by studying two particular experiments: the start-up of uniaxial extension at constant rate and the start-up of shear flow at constant rate.
Mathematical modeling of continuous dynamic systems

Abstract Mathematical models of physical systems assume several forms depending on their intended use. This paper illustrates the use of a nonlinear and linear model to describe the dynamic response of a particular physical system. A block oriented simulation program, TUTSIM, is presented as the vehicle for obtaining approximate solutions of the nonlinear model. Analytical solution of the small signal linear model is compared to the nonlinear simulation results.
Alveolar ridge reduction after tooth extraction in adolescents: an animal study

Objective The mechanism for tooth extraction induced residual alveolar ridge reduction (RRR) during adolescence is poorly understood. This study investigated the alveolar bone morphology, growth, resorption and functional loading at normal and extraction sites using an adolescent pig model.
The kinetic complexity of Paramecium macronuclear deoxyribonucleic acid.

SYNOPSIS DNA extracted from macronuclei of axenically cultured Paramecium aurelia has been characterized with regard to its kinetic complexity. Renaturation of macronuclear DNA from this protozoon appeared to follow 2nd order kinetics and revealed the presence of 2 components: a main component comprising ∼96% of the genome which renatured slowly and a minor component comprising ∼4% of the genome which renatured at a rate ∼3000 faster than the main component. The value of the kinetic complexity of the main component has been estimated at 3.8 × 1010 daltons and that of the minor component at 1.45 × 107 daltons. It is suggested that the macronucleus contains ∼840 diploid copies of the slowly renaturing component; for each copy of the latter there are ∼100 copies of the fast renaturing component.
Profinite categories, implicit operations and pseudovarieties of categories

Abstract The last decade has seen two methodological advances of particular direct import for the theory of finite monoids and indirect import for that of rational languages. The first has been the use of categories (considered as “algebras over graphs”) as a framework in which to study monoids and their homomorphisms, the second has been the use of implicit operations to study pseudovarieties of monoids. Still more recent work has emphasized the role of profiniteness in finite monoid theory. This paper fuses these three topics by means of a general study of profinite categories, with applications to C-varieties (pseudovarieties of categories) in general, to those C-varieties arising from M-varieties (pseudovarieties of monoids) in particular, to implicit operations on categories and to recognizable languages over graphs.
Seismic imaging in wavelet domain: decomposition and compression of imaging operator

We study the decomposition and compression of one-way wave propagation and imaging operation using wavelet transform. We show that the matrix representation of the Kirchhoff imaging operator (Kirchhoff migration operator) in space domain is a dense matrix, while the compressed beamlet- operator matrix which is the wavelet decomposition in the Kirchhoff operator, is a highly sparse matrix. The beamlet imaging operator represents the backpropagation of multiscale orthonormal beams (beamlets) at different positions with different angles. The beamlet-operator behaves differently in different wavelet bases. For sharp and short bases, such as the Daubechies 4, both the interscale and intrascale coupling are strong. On the other hand, the interscale coupling is relatively weak for smooth bases, such as higher-order Daubechies wavelets, Coiflets, and spline wavelets. The images obtained by the compressed beamlet operators are almost identical to the images from a full-aperture Kirchhoff operator. Compared with the conventional limited-aperture Kirchhoff migration (imaging), beamlet migration (imaging) can retain the wide effective aperture of a full-aperture operator, and hence achieves higher resolution and image quality with reduced computational cost. The compression ratio of the imaging operator ranges from a few times to a few hundred times, depending on the frequency, step length and the wavelet basis.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Use of retrograde peroxidase flooding as an effective tool for morphogenic analysis

Retrograde horseradish peroxidase in conjunction with dimethyl sulfoxide was employed to flood the neonatal rat hypoglossal neuronal somata as well as their proximal and distal dendritic segments. Through such an approach total inundation of the hypoglossal neurons was achieved and as such these flooded cells compared favorably with Golgi preparations made in a parallel study. Such cellular flooding provided for the easy recognition at both the light and electron microscopic level of all hypoglossal neuronal appendages. It is suggested that the use of peroxidase with dimethyl sulfoxide is an effective tool for the analysis of various aspects of morphogenesis, particularly in relation to the distal dendritic segments.
Gas Adsorption Study on Mesoporous Metal−Organic Framework UMCM-1

A mesoporous metal−organic framework (MOF) material, UMCM-1, has been synthesized and characterized using N2 adsorption, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared techniques. A detailed experimental study has been made of the adsorption of pure methane, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and nitrogen at various temperatures (298−338 K) and pressures (up to 25 bar). Multitemperature isotherms were modeled using the Dubinin−Astakhov equation to obtain useful thermodynamic properties including adsorption potential characteristic curves and isosteric heats of adsorption. Results are compared with mesoporous carbons and silicas. Large-pore materials are shown to exhibit relatively high heats of adsorption for CO2 when open metal sites are present. This phenomenon is not observed for methane, which indicates the importance of the CO2 quadrupole in influencing binding strength. Adsorption results for N2 and O2 show that selectivities in MOFs can be manipulated by the p...
Using the Assessment for Signal Clients as a feedback tool for reducing treatment failure.

AbstractObjective: The Clinical Support Tools (CSTs) were developed to help therapists organize and target potential problems that might account for negative outcomes in psychotherapy. The core of CST feedback is the Assessment for Signal Clients. The purpose of this study was to describe and identify patterns of problems that typically characterize off-track cases. Method: The responses and scores from 107 off-track clients from a hospital-based outpatient clinic were analyzed. Results: A cluster analysis of the 107 off-track clients revealed three client types: those whose problems were characterized by alliance and motivational difficulties; those characterized by social support and life event difficulties; and those whose problems had an indistinguishable pattern. Log-linear modeling showed that if patients had less therapeutic alliance problems they were also less likely to have motivational problems. Findings were also consistent with the cluster analysis, which showed that a relatively higher perce...
A forced convection subcooled boiling model for nonuniform axial heat fluxes

Abstract The modeling of convective subcooled boiling of water flowing in round tubes subjected to nonuniform axial heat fluxes is described. The effects of different axial heat flux profiles are modeled using a local hypothesis; i.e. flow and thermal development are assumed to occur very rapidly in the subcooled boiling (SCB) flow regime. A computer code has been developed to predict the pressure drop, heat transfer coefficient and wall temperature for nonuniform axial heat fluxes, starting with a well-validated code for uniform axial heat fluxes. The predictions for some common nonuniform axial heat profiles are compared to the uniform heat flux case.
Politicians' decision making with re-election concerns

Abstract We study the impact of elected officials' re-election concerns on their decisions on whether to undertake new projects. The value of a project to a jurisdiction depends in part on its elected official's uncertain ability at providing some public goods. Our main result is that the elected official's willingness to pay for the project differs from voters' willingness to pay. If the incumbent official expects to lose (win) the election, then she is willing to pay more (less) than the project's total value to voters. We show how our analysis can be applied to bidding wars among jurisdictions for firms.
Lives forever changed: Family bereavement experiences after sudden cardiac death

Abstract Aim To describe the bereavement experiences of families who survived the sudden cardiac death of a family member and identify meanings of loss. Background Approximately 325,000 people experience sudden cardiac death (SCD) annually. It is important to examine family experiences after SCD because of the life altering impact of death on surviving family members. Methods A descriptive design, using the qualitative method of narrative analysis, was used to analyze family stories of bereavement. Results Five themes were identified across seven families: sudden cardiac death … boom; saying goodbye; grief unleashes volatile emotional reactions; life goes on … but never back to normal; and meanings in loss. Conclusions This study adds to an understanding of family bereavement and findings suggest that providing information about the cause of death and allowing family members to tell their stories are potentially important interventions for clinicians who interact with bereaved families.
Certification process artifacts defined as measurable units for software assurance

Certification and Accreditation (C&A) process artifacts for software-intensive systems are characterized by the metrics and measures required to be produced from their units of analysis for assessing system behaviour. Software-intensive systems are complex clusters of closely interdependent system of systems that include underlying software, systems, people, processes, and operational environments. Naturally, such systems require carefully designed C&A artifacts that consider metrics and measures from multiple dimensions at different levels of abstraction in the Universe of Discourse (UoD) in order to understand, predict, and control their emergent behaviour. Hence, C&A artifacts defined as measurable units for software assurance should be the result of an aggregated reasoning of evidences from various dimensions, while maintaining traceability and alignment to real world goals/objectives in all stages of the system lifecycle. To address these research objectives, we present a novel integration framework that promotes cohesion and traceability among metrics and measures from multiple dimensions in the problem domain on the basis of the definition of a common language. By applying our framework to automate the Department of Defense Information Technology Security Certification and Accreditation Process (DITSCAP), we also motivate the design principles and modelling techniques necessary to generalize a course of action to conduct C&A processes with appropriate tool support for software-intensive systems. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abrasive Water Jet Systems for Protection Line Cutting

SINCE 1985, the use of abrasive‐entrained water jets to cut a wide variety of metallic and non‐metallic materials has rapidly expanded, creating a whole new industry and an ever‐expanding series of new applications. In fact, for certain materials, abrasive water jet cutting offers distinct advantages over alternative processes for cutting in two dimensions.
Limits of viability: definition of the gray zone.

As survival and long-term morbidity of very preterm infants have improved over the past decade, the limits of infant viability, the level of maturity below which survival and/or acceptable neurodevelopmental outcome are extremely unlikely, have also decreased. In an effort to define the current limits of infant viability, the data in the literature on survival and long-term neurodevelopmental outcome in very preterm neonates have been reviewed. The gestational age and birth weight below which infants are too immature to survive, and thus provision of intensive care is unreasonable, appears to be at <23 weeks and <500 g, respectively. Infants born at ⩾25 weeks' gestation and with a birth weight of ⩾600 g are mature enough to warrant initiation of intensive care, as the majority of these patients survive, and at least 50% do so without severe long-term disabilities. Finally, for infants born between 230/7 and 246/7 weeks' gestation and with a birth weight of 500 to 599 g, survival and outcome are extremely uncertain. For these infants born in the so-called ‘gray zone’ of infant viability, the line between patient autonomy and medical futility is blurred, and medical decision-making becomes even more complex and needs to embrace careful consideration of several factors. These factors include appraisal of prenatal data and the information obtained during consultations with the parents before delivery; evaluation of the patient's gestational age, birth weight and clinical condition upon delivery; ongoing reassessment of the patient's response to resuscitation and intensive care and continued involvement of the parents in the decision-making process after delivery. Based on these findings an algorithm is offered for consideration for neonatologists managing infants born in the ‘gray zone’ of infant viability. However, caution must be exercised when one considers incorporating this guideline into clinical practice because the algorithm is based on the analysis of the findings in the literature and the authors' experience rather than direct evidence.
Identification of acoustically modified Mandarin tones by native listeners

Abstract This study investigated Mandarin tone identification by 40 native listeners when only partial acoustic information was available. Twelve minimal tone pairs including all six Mandarin tonal contrasts were digitally processed to generate four syllable modifications: intact, silent-center, center-only, and onset-only. The syllables were recorded in two carrier phrases such that the offset of the carrier tone and the onset of the test tone were either a match or mismatch in fundamental frequency ( f 0 ). In three experiments, the test syllables were presented in the original carrier phrases, excised from the carrier phrases, or excised and cross-spliced with another carrier phrase. Response accuracy and reaction time (RT) were measured. Listeners identified the tones at better than 86% correct with or without the carriers except when they heard the onset-only syllables in isolation, when their identification accuracy fell to 73% but still beyond chance. The modifications impacted the four tones differently, with Tones 1 and 2 being compromised more than Tones 3 and 4. Confusion matrix analyses showed that Tone 2 was predominantly confused with Tone 3, and Tone 1 was primarily confused with Tone 4. There were no main effects of splicing or match/mismatch with the carrier tone; however, in the cross-spliced context, syllables originally produced with a matching carrier tone were identified faster and/or more accurately. The implications of these findings for lexical tone processing are discussed.
Liver herniation in gastroschisis: incidence and prognosis.

Abstract Purpose Liver herniation is a rare occurrence in gastroschisis. We sought to determine the incidence and prognosis of liver herniation in patients with gastroschisis. Methods From December 1995 to March 2010, 117 patients with gastroschisis received care by our division. Operative reports were reviewed to identify patients with liver herniation. Logistic regression was used to determine the impact of liver herniation on survival, taking into account gestational age and birth weight. Results The incidence of liver herniation was 6%. Survival rates were 43% with liver herniation and 97% without liver herniation. Liver herniation was associated with a significantly higher rate of mortality, taking into account estimated gestational age and birth weight ( P Conclusions Liver herniation was found in 6% of patients with gastroschisis and was associated with a high rate of mortality. Liver herniation appears to be a risk factor for poor outcome in gastroschisis. Documentation of liver herniation may be helpful in prenatal consultation for gastroschisis.
A Jacobian criterion for the simultaneous injectivity on positive variables of linearly parameterized polynomial maps

Abstract Consider a map g : R r × R n → R p × R m such that for k ∈ R r and x ∈ R n , g ( k , x ) = ( L ( x ) , f ( k , x ) ) , where L : R n → R p is a linear map and f ( k , x ) = ∑ i = 1 r k i x a i v i = ∑ i = 1 r k i x 1 a i 1 ⋯ x n a in v i ; a i ∈ Z ⩾ 0 n and v i ∈ R m are fixed for i = 1 , … , r . We prove that the partially evaluated map g ( k ,- ) : R n → R p × R m is injective on R > 0 n for every k ∈ R > 0 r if and only if for each k ∈ R > 0 r and x ∈ R > 0 n , the (linear) derivative map D ( g , k , x ) : R n → R p × R m of g ( k ,- ) at x is injective. This result is useful for studying the uniqueness or multiplicity of equilibria in conservative systems of chemical reactions under mass action. A map such as f would represent the rates of change of concentrations of all or some judiciously selected species. The linear map L would represent the time-invariant total concentrations. To illustrate this application, we prove the uniqueness of equilibria in a common pharmacological model of receptor–ligand interaction, without a customary assumption on rate constants that lets all equilibria be of a strong type known as detailed balance. Our result extends a theorem of Craciun and Feinberg applicable to maps of the kind of f. That earlier result is directly applicable to models of chemical reactions that include the outflow of all species.
Dynamics of multibody tracked vehicles using experimentally identified modal parameters

The mode shapes, frequencies, and modal mass and stiffness coefficients of multibody systems such as tracked vehicles can be determined using experimental identification techniques. In multibody simulations, however, knowledge of the modal parameters of the individual components is required, and consequently, a procedure for extracting the component modes from the mode shapes of the assembled system must be used if experimental modal analysis techniques are to be used with general purpose multibody computer codes. In this investigation, modal parameters (modal mass, modal stiffness, modal damping, and mode shapes), which are determined experimentally, are employed to simulate the nonlinear dynamic behavior ofa multibody tracked vehicle which consists of interconnected rigid and flexible components. The equations of motion of the vehicle are formulated in terms of a set of modal and reference generalized coordinates, and the theoretical basis for extracting the component modal parameters of the chassis from the modal parameters of the assembled vehicle is described. In this investigation, the track of the vehicle is modeled as a closed kinematic chain that consists of rigid links connected by revolute joints, and the effect of the chassis flexibility on the motion singularities of the track is examined numerically. These singularities which are encountered as the result of the change in the track configuration are avoided by using a deformable secondary joint instead of using the loop-closure equations.
Product Heterogeneity and Cost Allocations in Contingent Trade Protection

The WTO allows members to impose contingent protection, including anti-dumping duties, within agreed constraints. Anti-dumping proceedings typically name a single captioned product but include large numbers of individual products within that caption. The inclusion of multiple products creates a variety of issues for both anti-dumping and other contingent protection measures, issues that have been prominent in national actions and WTO dispute settlements, but have been largely ignored in research. This work focuses on the most important such area, the allocation of costs among products in anti-dumping proceedings. We develop a comprehensive economic analysis for cost allocation issues, and couple it with the accounting tools that must be used for its implementation, to derive the first-best allocation methods for anti-dumping purposes. These results have direct relevance in other contingent trade contexts, such as injury determinations and subsidy pass-through analysis.
Factors Associated with Presence of Pharmacies and Pharmacies that Sell Syringes Over-the-Counter in Los Angeles County

Community pharmacies serve as key locations for public health services including interventions to enhance the availability of syringes sold over-the-counter (OTC), an important strategy to prevent injection-mediated HIV transmission. Little is known about the community characteristics associated with the availability of pharmacies and pharmacies that sell syringes OTC. We conducted multivariable regression analyses to determine whether the sociodemographic characteristics of census tract residents were associated with pharmacy presence in Los Angeles (LA) County during 2008. Using a geographic information system, we conducted hot-spot analyses to identify clusters of pharmacies, OTC syringe-selling pharmacies, sociodemographic variables, and their relationships. For LA County census tracts (N = 2,054), population size (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.22; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.16, 1.28), median age of residents (AOR, 1.03; 95 % CI, 1.01, 1.05), and the percent of households receiving public assistance (AOR, 0.97; 95 % CI, 0.94, 0.99) were independently associated with the presence of all pharmacies. Only 12 % of census tracts had at least one OTC syringe-selling pharmacy and sociodemographic variables were not independently associated with the presence of OTC syringe-selling pharmacies. Clusters of pharmacies (p < 0.01) were located proximally to clusters of older populations and were distant from clusters of poorer populations. Our combined statistical and spatial analyses provided an innovative approach to assess the sociodemographic and geographic factors associated with the presence of community pharmacies and pharmacies that participate in OTC syringe sales.
DETERMINATION OF CHANGE POINTS OF NON-MONOTONIC FAILURE RATES

This paper was motivated by the problem of the determination of the change points of the failure rate of a mixture of two gamma distributions. For certain values of the parameters the existing methods are not applicable since, in this case, there are two turning points of the failure rate. Thus, we extend the results to models having two or more turning points of the failure rates. The extended procedure helps us to identify failure rates of more complex forms. Finally, the mixture gamma case is completely resolved employing theoretical, graphical and numerical techniques wherever necessary.
Creating Neoliberal Citizens in Morocco: Reproductive Health, Development Policy, and Popular Islamic Beliefs

Self-governance and responsibility are two traits associated with neoliberal citizenship in scholarly and popular discourses, but little of the literature on this topic focuses on North Africa. My goal, in this article, is not only to fill this void but also to complicate understandings of neoliberalism through an examination of the relationship between reproductive health care, development policy, and popular Islamic beliefs in Morocco. My discussion is based on fieldwork in Rabat, Morocco, which included observations in health clinics, interviews with patients and staff, and visits to patients' homes. By analyzing the childbearing and childrearing practices of Moroccan women who visited the clinics, I pose that neoliberal logic cannot be predefined or understood as a monolithic concept. I demonstrate that women were active in their own governance and accountable for their reproductive behaviors, but they did so because of their understandings of what Islam says about fertility and motherhood.
Expression of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Isoforms during the Aerobic/Anaerobic Transition in the Development of the Parasitic NematodeAscaris suum:Altered Stoichiometry of Phosphorylation/Inactivation☆

Abstract The pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) plays a key role in the anaerobic metabolism of the parasitic nematodeAscaris suum.Two isoforms of the α-subunit of pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1) have been identified: αI is most abundant in anaerobic adult muscle and αII in aerobic larvae. Both isoforms have been expressed as α2β2tetramers with a muscle-specific β-subunit, purified to apparent homogeneity, reconstituted with E1-deficient adultA. suummuscle PDC, and assayed for PDC and E1 kinase activity. Recombinant αII is a poor substrate for the adult E1 kinase, but its stoichiometry of phosphorylation/inactivation is similar to that reported for the human E1. Initially, inactivation parallels the incorporation of about 1 mol32P/mol E1 and at maximal phosphorylation about 2.4 mol32P/mol E1 is incorporated. In contrast, recombinant αI (rαI) is phosphorylated rapidly, and substantially more phosphorylation accompanies inactivation. To examine this altered pattern of phosphorylation, the two phosphorylation sites in each E1α subunit of the rαI (site 1 and site 2) were changed either individually or together from Ser to Ala by site-directed mutagenesis. Site 1 was phosphorylated more rapidly than site 2, but the phosphorylation of either site resulted in inactivation, and the phosphorylation of only a single E1α subunit of the tetramer was necessary for inactivation. However, both E1α subunits of the tetramer were phosphorylated, based on the incorporation of about 3.5 mol32P/mol E1 at maximal phosphorylation and the altered mobility of most of the E1α subunits during SDS–PAGE. These observations suggest that the regulation of both E1 isoforms is modified to maintain PDC activity during the transition to anaerobiosis.
Improving cost efficiency on a vascular surgery service.

Abstract Background: A vascular task force (VTF) consisting of two vascular surgeons and other key personnel was established to reduce costs and improve efficiency in the management of patients on a vascular surgery service. Methods: The VTF met monthly beginning in 1994 to study and implement changes in the management of patients with (1) abdominal vascular, (2), carotid endarterectomy (3) distal bypass, and (4) other vascular procedures, including amputations. Length of stay, and fixed and variable costs were assessed for change over time using Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: Improvements in efficiency (length of stay) and decreases in costs (fixed and variable costs) from fiscal year 1993 to fiscal year 1996 were significant for the total group of vascular patients (P ≤0.001), with some intergroup differences. The major improvements were in the abdominal vascular and carotid endarterectomy groups, where length of stay and fixed and variable costs were reduced significantly (P ≤0.01). Management of distal bypass and other vascular surgery patients showed less striking improvement. Conclusion: Vascular surgeons in collaboration with other dedicated personnel involved in the care of vascular patients can improve efficiency and reduce costs. Advances were greatest in patients who required operations for carotid and abdominal vascular disorders and least for patients who required distal bypasses and other vascular procedures.
Yours, mine and (not) ours: social influences on group information repositories

Group information repositories are systems for storing and organizing files in a central location all group members can access. The functionality and capabilities of these systems are essentially the same as the desktop metaphor of personal information management (PIM) systems. Using a case study of a group information repository, I argue that social factors affect the information structure of the repository, and how it grows and evolves over time. Users restrict their activities to files they own, are reluctant to delete files that might be useful to others, dislike the clutter that results, and can become demotivated if no one views files they uploaded.
Scanpath-based model for visual tracking of telerobots

A vision-based tele-operating system had been designed and simulated in our lab with model-based supervisory control and model-based, top-down image processing, IP, for vehicle pose recovery. Top-down IP at near real-time feedback was achieved by a pose extraction algorithm based on the scanpath theory of human eye movement. In this paper, we extended our system into a multiple cameras system to improve the accuracy and robustness of the visual system. Another possible approach was to use mobile camera platforms. We contrasted the difference between the two approaches in the context of our system requirement and limitation. OpenGL based simulation was used to illustrate advantages of using more cameras quantitatively to increase system robustness against plant and image noise.
Expectation-propagation for the generative aspect model

The generative aspect model is an extension of the multinomial model for text that allows word probabilities to vary stochastically across documents. Previous results with aspect models have been promising, but hindered by the computational difficulty of carrying out inference and learning. This paper demonstrates that the simple variational methods of Blei et al. (2001) can lead to inaccurate inferences and biased learning for the generative aspect model. We develop an alternative approach that leads to higher accuracy at comparable cost. An extension of Expectation-Propagation is used for inference and then embedded in an EM algorithm for learning. Experimental results are presented for both synthetic and real data sets.
A hierarchical deformable model using statistical and geometric information

A new deformable model has been proposed by employing a hierarchy of affine transformations and an adaptive-focus statistical model. An attribute vector is used to characterize the geometric structure in the vicinity of each point of the model; the deformable model then deforms in a way that seeks regions with the similar attribute vectors. This is in contrast to most active contour models, which deform to nearby edges without considering the geometric structure of the boundary around an edge point. Furthermore, a deformation mechanism that is robust to local minima is proposed, which is based on evaluating the snake energy function on segments of the snake at a time, instead of individual points. Various experimental results show that effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
The Accidental Republic: Crippled Workingmen, Destitute Widows, and the Remaking of American Law

The Accidental Republic: Crippled Workingmen, Destitute Widows, and the Remaking of American Law. By John Fabian Witt. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2004. 322p. 18.95 paper.The development of workmen's compensation legislation is a subject of considerable historical interest. As the first major social insurance program adopted in the United States, it is also a story that may shed light on the broader question of why welfare state development in the United States differs so markedly from that observed in many other industrialized countries. In this engaging book, John Fabian Witt traces the development of legal ideas and public responses to the problem of industrial accidents during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This is first and foremost a legal history, but it should nonetheless be of considerable interest to political scientists and, in particular, those interested in the subject of welfare state development. Witt argues that the problem of industrial accidents led to a series of legal and institutional responses that involved a fundamental reconceptualization of the problem of risk and that helped influence the subsequent development of the American welfare state through the New Deal years. More provocatively, he suggests that these legal and institutional responses were a contingent or accidental outcome. Alternative responses to the problem of industrial accidents might have led to an alternative path of welfare state development.
U.S. initiatives to strengthen forensic science & international standards in forensic DNA

A number of initiatives are underway in the United States in response to the 2009 critique of forensic science by a National Academy of Sciences committee. This article provides a broad review of activities including efforts of the White House National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee on Forensic Science and a partnership between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to create the National Commission on Forensic Science and the Organization of Scientific Area Committees. These initiatives are seeking to improve policies and practices of forensic science. Efforts to fund research activities and aid technology transition and training in forensic science are also covered. The second portion of the article reviews standards in place or in development around the world for forensic DNA. Documentary standards are used to help define written procedures to perform testing. Physical standards serve as reference materials for calibration and traceability purposes when testing is performed. Both documentary and physical standards enable reliable data comparison, and standard data formats and common markers or testing regions are crucial for effective data sharing. Core DNA markers provide a common framework and currency for constructing DNA databases with compatible data. Recent developments in expanding core DNA markers in Europe and the United States are discussed.
The effects of ambient humidity on the mechanical properties and surface chemistry of hygroscopic silica aerogel

Abstract The stress vs. strain relation of hygroscopic aerogels was tested in a controlled humidity chamber to study how the Young’s modulus and non-recoverable strain are affected by the adsorption of water in the gel. Mass gains over desiccated conditions varied from 4% at 32% relative humidity (RH) to 12% at 70% RH. Above 70% RH, the samples failed catastrophically. The Young’s modulus increased from 0.51 to 0.70 MPa and non-recoverable strain increased from 0.047 to 0.059 over the same humidity range. Yield stress did not show significant changes. The samples were also studied with near-infrared transmission measurements to determine if the adsorbed water was chemically as well as physically bound to the surface. Several absorption lines indicative of hydrogen bonding between water and silica were seen to increase with increasing humidity while surface silanol lines decreased.
Hop-by-Hop Routing Strategy for Multihop Decode-and-Forward Cooperative Networks

In this paper, focusing on multihop decode-and- forward cooperative networks, a hop-by-hop routing strategy is designed to optimize the end-to-end outage performance when only knowledge about the mean channel state information (CSI) is available. In particular, by only utilizing the mean CSI at the current hop, a novel optimization metric is devised to select the best relay on a per-hop basis. The outage analysis illustrates the advantage of the proposed hop-by-hop routing strategy. In addition, a decentralized implementation scheme with minimal overhead is presented. Under realistic propagation conditions, including the effects of path loss and Rayleigh fading, the end- to-end outage performance is evaluated. Simulation results show that, when only the mean CSI can be exploited, the proposed hop-by-hop routing strategy can provide a good tradeoff between performance and overhead.
Virtual assembly operations with grasp and verbal interaction

This paper presents an immersive virtual reality environment (IVE) for performing assembly and maintenance simulations using the Jack® software package. The Flock of Birds™ motion tracking system is used to capture body postures of an immersed human and reproduce it in real-time in the virtual environment. The Cyberglove™ is used to capture finger movements in real-time for realistic grasp interaction. A comprehensive set of voice commands has been developed to provide significant functionality to allow one person to control the virtual environment while immersed in the environment, thereby improving productivity. One of the most important applications is a method by which the immersed human can walk and fly through the virtual environment, thereby greatly expanding the envelope of the virtual environment navigable under the constraints imposed by the limited tracking volume. These capabilities have been used to investigate assembly simulation of the windshield deicer of a Cessna aircraft.
Nanoscale “Quantum” Islands on Metal Substrates: Microscopy Studies and Electronic Structure Analyses

Confinement of electrons can occur in metal islands or in continuous films grown heteroepitaxially upon a substrate of a different metal or on a metallic alloy. Associated quantum size effects (QSE) can produce a significant height-dependence of the surface free energy for nanoscale thicknesses of up to 10-20 layers. This may suffice to induce height selection during film growth. Scanning STM analysis has revealed remarkable flat-topped or mesa-like island and film morphologies in various systems. We discuss in detail observations of QSE and associated film growth behavior for Pb/Cu(111), Ag/Fe(100), and Cu/fcc-Fe/Cu(100) [A/B or A/B/A], and for Ag/NiAl(110) with brief comments offered for Fe/Cu₃Au(001) [A/BC binary alloys]. We also describe these issues for Ag/5-fold i-Al-Pd-Mn and Bi/5-fold i-Al-Cu-Fe [A/BCD ternary icosohedral quasicrystals]. Electronic structure theory analysis, either at the level of simple free electron gas models or more sophisticated Density Functional Theory calculations, can provide insight into the QSE-mediated thermodynamic driving force underlying height selection.
FIRM: Feedback controller-based information-state roadmap - A framework for motion planning under uncertainty

Direct transformation of sampling-based motion planning methods to the Information-state (belief) space is a challenge. The main bottleneck for roadmap-based techniques in belief space is that the incurred costs on different edges of the graph are not independent of each other. In this paper, we generalize the Probabilistic RoadMap (PRM) framework to obtain a Feedback controller-based Information-state RoadMap (FIRM) that takes into account motion and sensing uncertainty in planning. The FIRM nodes and edges lie in belief space and the crucial feature of FIRM is that the costs associated with different edges of FIRM are independent of each other. Therefore, this construct essentially breaks the “curse of history” in the original Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP), which models the planning problem. Further, we show how obstacles can be rigorously incorporated into planning on FIRM. All these properties stem from utilizing feedback controllers in the construction of FIRM.
Direct UV near-field optical imaging of a metallic nano bowtie antenna

Direct near-field optical imaging of a bowtie nano-antenna was observed using a UV near field scanning optical microscope. A strong localized UV light spot was observed at the tip of the bowtie structure.
Pulmonary effects of indoor- and outdoor-generated particles in children with asthma.

combined estimates, only Eag was significantly associated with an increase in eNO (Eag: 5.0 ppb per 10-µg/m 3 increase in PM2.5; 95% CI, 0.3 to 9.7; p = 0.04; Eig: 3.3 ppb per 10-µg/m 3 increase in PM2.5; 95% CI, ‐1.1 to 7.7; p = 0.15). Effects were seen only in children who were not using corticosteroid therapy. We conclude that the ambient-generated component of PM2.5 exposure is consistently associated with increases in eNO and the indoor-generated component is less strongly
Effects and site of action of morphine on gonadotropin secretion in the female rhesus monkey.

The effects of morphine on gonadotropin secretion, and the site of its action, were tested in female rhesus monkeys. In Exp 1, morphine sulfate (3, 6, or 9 mg iv) was injected into ovariectomized monkeys, and its effects on tonic (pulsatile) LH and FSH secretion were examined. Administration of morphine (9 mg) resulted in a significant decrease in circulating LH and FSH, which lasted for 4–5 h. Exp 2 was performed to evaluate the site of action of morphine, whether hypophyseal or suprahypophyseal. The effects of morphine (6, 9, or 12 mg) on the LH response to GnRH pulses were evaluated in stalk-sectioned monkeys, in which gonadotropin secretion had been restored by long term pulsatile infusion of GnRH. LH responses to GnRH were not significantly altered by morphine. Exp 3 was performed to determine the effects of morphine on the estrogen-induced LH surge. Estradiol benzoate (330 μg in oil) was administered on days 2–5 of the menstrual cycle to nine animals. Four of these also were injected with 9 mg morph...
Dynamic variations in adhesion of self-assembled monolayers on nanoasperities probed by atomic force microscopy.

Octadecyltriethoxysilane (OTE) self- assembled monolayers (SAMs) and their effects on friction and adhesion have been investigated on various combinations of functionalized and unfunctionalized silicon oxide surfaces including the oxidized surface of crystalline Si(100), silica nanoparticle films, and oxidized Si atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips. Force-distance spectroscopy was utilized to probe and compare the properties of the OTE SAMs on silica asperities with nanoscale curvature against these same monolayers on surfaces with sub-1 nm roughness (flat surfaces). It was found that adhesion between SAMs and silicon oxide surfaces can vary significantly when assembly takes place on surfaces with nanoscopic curvature as compared to flat surfaces. Observations indicate that the SAM structure present during force measurements is dynamic in nature, which yields different adhesion values when measured with variations of both tip-sample contact time and tip-approach/retract rates. These results point the need in reporting a number of measurement parameters when probing adhesion by SAM functionalized tips. SCANNING 30: 000–000, 2008. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.