cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Layer Number of Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Diselenide Semiconducting Devices Using Si-Peak Analysis

Atomically thin materials such as semiconducting transition metal diselenide materials, like molybdenum diselenide (MoSe2) and tungsten diselenide (WSe2), have received intensive interests in recent years due to their unique electronic structure, bandgap engineering, ambipolar behavior, and optical properties and have motivated investigations for the next-generation semiconducting electronic devices. In this work, we show a nondestructive method of characterizing the layer number of two-dimensional (2-D) MoSe2 and WSe2 including single- and few-layer materials by Raman spectroscopy. The related photoluminescence properties are also studied as a reference. Although Raman spectroscopy is a powerful tool for determining the layer number of 2-D materials such as graphene and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), there have been difficulties in precisely characterizing the layer number for MoSe2 and WSe2 by Raman spectroscopy due to the uncertain shifts during the Raman measurement process and the lack of multiple separated Raman peaks in MoSe2 and WSe2 for referencing. We then compared the normalized Si peak with MoSe2 and WSe2 and successfully identified the layer number of MoSe2 and WSe2. Similar to graphene and MoS2, the sample layer number is found to modify their optical properties up to 4 layers.
Clinicopathological analysis of 12 cases of children synovial sarcoma

Objective: To investigate histopathological characteristics, and differential diagnoses of childhood synovial sarcoma. Methods: HE staining, immunohistochemical staining and fusion gene detection by FISH were performed in 12 cases of synovial sarcoma in childhood at Beijing Children's Hospital from 2016 to 2018. Results: There were 6 cases of biphasic type, 1 case of monophasic epithelial type, 3 cases of monophasic spindle cell type and 2 cases of poorly differentiated synovial sarcomas. EMA, CKpan, bcl-2, CD99, TLE1 and CD34 immunostain positivities were observed in 10/12, 9/12, 12/12, 10/12, 10/12 and 0/12 cases respectively. Unique INI1 immunohistochemical staining was observed in 9/12 cases. SS18-SSX gene fusion was detected in 8 of 11 cases by FISH. Conclusions: Synovial sarcoma is rare in children. Histological morphology combined with immunohistochemistry and FISH SS18-SSX fusion gene detection are important for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of synovial sarcoma in children.
Cardiac resynchronization and implantable defibrillators in adults with congenital heart disease

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are well-established therapies for adult patients with heart failure that have been shown to improve morbidity and mortality. However, the benefits and indications for use in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) are less defined with no significant large prospective studies in this population. There are, however, multiple retrospective studies that demonstrate the efficacy of these devices in the ACHD population. These indicate a role for both CRT and ICDs in select patients with ACHD. The clinician and patient must balance the risks and benefits, summarized in complex evidence that reflects the heterogeneity of the ACHD patient group, and apply them in a patient-specific manner to optimize the utility of CRT and ICDs.
Pentostatin as rescue therapy for glucocorticoid-refractory acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease.

BACKGROUND Despite scientific advances in hematopoietic cell allografting, glucocorticoid-refractory acute (aGVHD) and chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) represent major sources of transplant-related morbidity and mortality. We aimed to characterize the activity of pentostatin as rescue therapy for refractory GVHD. MATERIAL/METHODS In a retrospective analysis, we examined the activity of pentostatin as rescue therapy of glucocorticoid-refractory acute and chronic GVHD. RESULTS In 12 patients with advanced (overall aGVHD grade III/IV in 8/12) refractory aGVHD, overall response (ORR) was achieved in 6/12, and complete remission (CR) of aGVHD in 4/12 allowing additional rescue immunosuppressive agents. Median overall survival (OS) was 1.4 months (95% CI: 0.26-2.4). Causes of death included refractory aGVHD and infection. In 18 patients with refractory cGVHD (12/18 with severe cGVHD), pentostatin induced CR in 1/18, and partial response (PR) in 9/18. Activity was observed in all affected organs. The median decrease in glucocorticoid therapy over 24 months after pentostatin initiation for refractory cGVHD was 38% (range=0-100%). Median OS was 5 months (95% CI: 1.6 - NR). CONCLUSIONS Allowing for the utilization of additional immune suppressive agents, this series suggests the activity of pentostatin as rescue therapy of refractory GVHD.
The Effects of Arithmetic Roundoff Error on the Lévy Fire Fly Algorithm When Used in Coupled Form Adaptive Filter Structures

Finite word-length binary arithmetic used in IIR digital filter coupled form second order sections implements conjugate-pair poles that have uniform pole locations located throughout the z-plane unit circle. When an LFFA IIR adaptive filter is implemented with direct form second order sections, due to high pole sensitivities the effects of arithmetic quantization error vary a great amount as the adaptive algorithm moves poles to different locations in the z-plane. Research results presented in this paper verify that for IIR adaptive filters implemented with coupled form second order sections, arithmetic quantization error effects are not very sensitive to the adaptive filter pole locations.
Chapter 4 – Encapsulation

Encapsulation is one of the most beneficial concepts in the context of object-oriented programming. Encapsulation combines data structures and functionality into objects. It also hides internal aspects of objects from its users and declares which features of an object are accessible. There are two general types of access to an object: from a client or from an heir. We will describe how C++ manages the different aspects of encapsulation with different variants of its class description syntax.
When the Dust Settles: Preventing a Mental Health Crisis in COVID-19 Clinicians.

This essay describes timely and targeted actions that clinicians can take during the COVID-19 pandemic to support fellow clinicians.
Numerical Modeling of Delayed Progressive Collapse of Reinforced Concrete Structures

AbstractThere has been ever-increasing interest over the past decade in improving understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the progressive collapse of structures. Existing design recommendat...
The Online Authenticity Paradox: What Being "Authentic" on Social Media Means, and Barriers to Achieving It

People often strive to present themselves authentically on social media, but this may not be possible for everyone. To understand how people view online authenticity, how it relates to social media sharing behaviors, and whether it is achievable, we interviewed 28 social media users who had recently experienced major life transitions. We found that to many participants, online authenticity required presenting a consistent, positive, and "true" self across online and offline contexts. Though most stated that they considered online authenticity achievable, their social media self-disclosure behaviors around life transitions revealed what we call the online authenticity paradox: people strive to achieve online authenticity, yet because doing so requires sharing negative experiences on social media, online authenticity is often unreachable, or is possible only at great personal cost - especially for those with marginalized identities and difficult life experiences.
Biosensorfusion: New Interfaces for Interactive Multimedia Art

This paper is intended as an investigation of some new interfaces for computer music and interactive multimedia art. We have been producing many sensors, interfaces and interactive systems for computer music, composing many works and presenting some performances as applications of our research. Now in this study the main stress falls on "soft connections" with human performers, not using mechanical sensors, switches and tight contacts with human body. We will report and demonstrate bio-sensors, optical sensor and electrostatic sensor. We do not only use these sensors alone but also use "sensor-fusion" technique to detect the information of human performers, and it is important to construct good "human touch" relations. We will discuss about the problems and techniques of this approach.
Role of root cell walls in iron deficiency of soybean ( Glycine max ) and aluminium toxicity of wheat ( Triticum aestivum )

Cell walls of soybean and wheat roots were isolated by a non-destructive technique. Titration and adsorption experiments were performed to determine whether varietal differences in tolerance to Al toxicity or Fe stress were related to differences in surface chemical properties of the cell walls. Results of the soybean experiments indicate some differences in total binding capacity and Fe adsorption of the walls, but no differences in amounts of Ca adsorbed. The wheat cultivars do show a correlation of increased titratable acidity and Al adsorption with higher tolerance, but no differences in their relative preferences for Al or Ca.
Dual Objective Segmentation to Improve Targetability: An Evolutionary Algorithm Approach**

Cluster-based segmentation usually involves two sets of variables: (i) the needs-based variables (referred to as the bases variables), which are used in developing the original segments to identify the value, and (ii) the classification or background variables, which are used to profile or target the customers. The managers’ goal is to utilize these two sets of variables in the most efficient manner. Pragmatic managerial interests recognize the underlying need to start shifting from methodologies that obtain highly precise value-based segments but may be of limited practical use as they provide less targetable segments. Consequently, the imperative is to shift toward newer segmentation approaches that provide greater focus on targetable segments while maintaining homogeneity. This requires dual objective segmentation, which is a combinatorially difficult problem. Hence, we propose and examine a new evolutionary methodology based on genetic algorithms to address this problem. We show, based on a large-scale Monte Carlo simulation and a case study, that the proposed approach consistently outperforms the existing methods for a wide variety of problem instances. We are able to obtain statistically significant and managerially important improvements in targetability with little diminution in the identifiability of value-based segments. Moreover, the proposed methodology provides a set of good solutions, unlike existing methodologies that provide a single solution. We also show how these good solutions can be used to plot an efficient Pareto frontier. Finally, we present useful insights that would help managers in implementing the proposed solution approach effectively.
Surveillance Web-Camera Application

Web-Cameras have gained wide spread popularity for a variety of purposes. Most of the available applications use the snapshot approach, where the camera is mounted in a certain position and the field of view is fixed. This paper describes a Web-Cam application that allows remote users to control the Field of View (Zoom and Telephoto), the position of the camera (two degrees of freedom), and customize a surveillance program (capturing frequency, camera position, and response based on motion detection). Technical Description Figure 1 shows the user interface for controlling the camera. The smaller image at the top defines fine camera movements along with zoom and telephoto controls. The image at the bottom allows absolute movements of the viewing area. A maximum motion on the vertical axis is 40 degrees and on the horizontal axis is 100 degrees. The camera used is a Cannon VC-C1 connected to a PC capture card. Figure 1: Web-camera User Interface
SRP: symbiotic resource partitioning of the memory hierarchy in CMPs

There have been many recent works in the context of Chip Multiprocessors (CMPs) investigating the need of intelligent shared cache partitioning which is believed to reduce the pressure on the off-chip bandwidth. Management of the off-chip memory bandwidth to improve system performance and/or mitigate performance volatility of applications has itself received considerable attention. Coordinated resource management schemes treat the interactions between cache allocation and bandwidth management as a black-box. This hinders the ability of these schemes from exploiting the intricate inter-relationships between the resource management strategies. In a multiprogrammed scenario, given the limited availability of the on-chip cache, it is not feasible to entirely eliminate off-chip accesses. However, it is possible to mitigate the impact of additional queueing delays associated with the memory controller by avoiding multiple applications from exercising the off-chip bandwidth simultaneously. Therefore, from the point of view of improving system performance, it is more important to have a symbiotic resource partitioning scheme that performs partitioning of each resource based on feedback it receives from the partitioning of the other. Symbiotic resource partitioning (SRP) proposed in this paper avoids the scenarios of multiple applications exercising the off-chip memory bandwidth simultaneously by appropriately controlling the cache partitioning. In order to control the cache partitioning, SRP employs an empirical model that relies on a metric (last level cache misses per cycle) that represents the off-chip memory bandwidth demand of the applications and models the impact of cache partitioning on bandwidth demand by representing the last level cache misses per cycle metric as a function of the cache allocation per application. This model is dynamically updated to account for the phase behavior of the applications. Moreover, SRP is an iterative approach wherein each iteration of the approach consists of an update to the model, cache partitioning and bandwidth partitioning with a feedback from bandwidth partitioning that updates the model. Extensive simulations with a full system simulator and applications from the MiBench benchmark suite shows that SRP leads to a significant overall improvement in system performance as compared to a state-of the-art cache and bandwidth management schemes.
Reproduction, Ethics, Prenatal Testing, and the Disability Rights Critique

Technological Context History of Prenatal Testing Today's Prenatal Tests Who Is Offering Tests Social Context of the Disability Rights Critique Outright Discrimination Against and Unexamined Attitudes About People With Disabilities Plurality of Disabling Traits and Plurality of Attitudes Toward Prenatal Diagnosis Reproductive Liberty Premise Ethical Arguments of the Disability Rights Critique Prenatal Testing Is Morally Problematic Prenatal Testing Is Based on Misinformation Keywords: ethics; prenatal testing
Safe Feature Elimination in Sparse Supervised Learning

We investigate fast methods that allow to quickly eliminate variables (features) in supervised learning problems involving a convex loss function and a $l_1$-norm penalty, leading to a potentially substantial reduction in the number of variables prior to running the supervised learning algorithm. The methods are not heuristic: they only eliminate features that are {\em guaranteed} to be absent after solving the learning problem. Our framework applies to a large class of problems, including support vector machine classification, logistic regression and least-squares. The complexity of the feature elimination step is negligible compared to the typical computational effort involved in the sparse supervised learning problem: it grows linearly with the number of features times the number of examples, with much better count if data is sparse. We apply our method to data sets arising in text classification and observe a dramatic reduction of the dimensionality, hence in computational effort required to solve the learning problem, especially when very sparse classifiers are sought. Our method allows to immediately extend the scope of existing algorithms, allowing us to run them on data sets of sizes that were out of their reach before.
Babcock in Sweden

HE VERY LIVELY DISCUSSION of problems in the field of conflict of laws which has taken place in the United States in recent years has been closely followed by lawyers in other countries. If comparatively few Europeans have participated, it may be that the discussion among American scholars, particularly when it concerns conflict "theories," at first glance seems to relate to phenomena peculiar to the American scene. While this is not altogether true, American "theories" advanced in order to meet American problems do need to be translated into more general juristic language to be understood and tested for applicability to the solution of conflict problems of other countries. Professor Albert A. Ehrenzweig's writing, his many books and articles, have special attraction for the nonAmerican reader because of the writer's profound knowledge of the conflict law in legal systems outside the United States. May I add that his "lex fori approach," recently "restated" in the Oklahoma Law Review,' is especially appealing to lawyers in countries where the law is either domestic or foreign, and there is no third category (as in many modern federal states and in Italy of the Middle Ages); namely, rules of law which are at the same time both foreign and domestic (the law of "sisterstates"). The following remarks, although not intended as a contribution to the American discussion of conflict law, do concern a problem widely discussed in recent American legal writing with respect to the decision by the Court of Appeals of New York in Babcock v. Jackson.2 The question
Sturdy-MASH delta-sigma modulator with noise-shaped integrating quantizer and dual-DAC DWA

This paper combines the benefits of the Sturdy-MASH delta-sigma modulator with the benefits of the noise-shaped integrating quantizer. By using the noise-shaped integrating quantizer, the first stage quantization error is directly extracted in time-domain without the need for any extra hardware. This removes the loading on the first loop filter, and allows accurate inter-stage gain scaling. The second loop output is also provided in a time-modulated pulse which operates a DAC at the front-end of the modulator. With the use of dual-DAC data weighted averaging, the mismatch between the front-end DACs is greatly suppressed. Detailed Matlab simulation results are provided to prove the efficiency of the proposed structure.
The Brave New World of Scholarly Repositories

The manner in which scholarly research is conducted is changing rapidly. This is most evident in Science and Engineering, but similar revolutionary trends are becoming apparent across disciplines. Improvements in computing and network technologies, digital data capture techniques, and powerful data mining techniques enable research practices that are highly collaborative, network-based, and data-intensive. These dramatic changes in the nature of scholarly research require corresponding fundamental changes in scholarly communication. The established scholarly communication system has not kept pace with these revolutionary changes in research practice and has not capitalized on the immense capabilities offered by the digital, networked environment. In essence, the current electronic scholarly communication system is a scanned copy of its paper-based predecessor upon which a thin layer of cross-venue interoperability has been overlaid. The time has come to design and deploy the innately digital scholarly communication system that scholars deserve, and that is able to capture the digital scholarly record, make it accessible, and preserve it over time.
The Slowing of Ischemic Energy Demand in Preconditioned Myocardiuma

One or several brief episodes of myocardial ischemia (ischemic preconditioning; IP) rapidly induces tolerance to a later ischemic challenge. This endogenous cardioprotective effect is characterized by a slower onset of cell death. A key feature and probable proximate mechanism of IP is reduced ischemic energy demand which is evident by slower use of ATP and slower accumulation of ischemic catabolites. Several mechanisms for IP and the associated metabolic slowing have been studied: The mitochondrial ATPase is a major cause of ATP hydrolysis in ischemic myocardium but slower ATP depletion in preconditioned myocardium is not due to persistent inhibition of this ATPase. Brief episodes of ischemia in dogs induce stunning as well as IP. Stunning, however, is neither necessary nor sufficient to establish the protective effects of IP. Release of norepinephrine from adrenergic cardiac nerves causes beta adrenergic receptor-mediated stimulation of adenylate cyclase, which stimulates energy-dependent processes. However, IP in dogs that were depleted of catecholamines by pretreatment with reserpine was less effective than IP in control hearts. Thus, an antiadrenergic mechanism does not fully account for the preconditioned state. Another proposed mechanism involves earlier or more complete opening of ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP+) channels. Which of these (or other) pathways mediate the energy sparing effects of ischemic preconditioning remains unknown.
Band structure and Au 197 Nuclear-Magnetic-Resonance Studies in Au Al 2 , Au Ga 2 , and Au In 2

Measurements of the $^{197}\mathrm{Au}$ Knight shift in Au${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$, Au${\mathrm{Ga}}_{2}$, and Au${\mathrm{In}}_{2}$ are reported. In contrast to the strong temperature dependence of the $^{71}\mathrm{Ga}$ Knight shift, only a weak temperature dependence of the $^{197}\mathrm{Au}$ Knight shift in Au${\mathrm{Ga}}_{2}$ is observed. Electronic energy-band calculations for these compounds yield differences which provide an improved model for interpreting these and other experimental results.
The “Right” Kind of Welfare in South India's Urban Slums: Seva vs. Patronage and the Success of Hindu Nationalist Organizations

Abstract This article examines the appeal of Hindu right-wing social service organizations, which try to use welfare provisions to entrench themselves in urban slums across India. However, in South India, their welfare provision is not as successful in Tamil Nadu as in Karnataka. I explain this spatial variation by arguing that these communal organizations fail to entrench themselves in those slums where preexisting civic associations closely linked to party officials and local administrators function as efficient patronage networks, providing welfare needs to the urban poor and reducing the need for non-state actors such as right-wing groups.
Development and simulation of an intelligent interface node for use in CIM

The design and simulation results of an intelligent interface node appropriate for use in a CIM environment are presented. The interface node is a major step toward resolving two of the primary problems in CIM applications: inadequate communications resources for handling real-time data requirements, including priority interrupts, and uncertainty of data concerning conditions in the manufacturing cell served by the node. A technique for reordering the data transmission through the intelligent interface nodes connected to the primary data communications channel is presented. A secondary communications channel is used for the transmission of the information necessary to implement the technique. A second technique, for diagnosing, under conditions of uncertainty, major problems with operations in the manufacturing cell served by the intelligent interface node, is presented. This approach is based on the MYCIN model methodology for dealing with uncertainty, and is specially modified for a CIM environment. The intelligent interface node was simulated with the two techniques discussed for an example case study on an IBM personal computer. A hardware configuration for the node is presented. >
Metabolic and Non-Cognitive Manifestations of Alzheimer’s Disease: The Hypothalamus as Both Culprit and Target of Pathology

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasingly recognized as a complex neurodegenerative disease beginning decades prior to the cognitive decline. While cognitive deficits remain the cardinal manifestation of AD, metabolic and non-cognitive abnormalities, such as alterations in body weight and neuroendocrine functions, are also present, often preceding the cognitive decline. Furthermore, hypothalamic dysfunction can also be a driver of AD pathology. Here we offer a brief appraisal of hypothalamic dysfunction in AD and provide insight into an underappreciated dual role of the hypothalamus as both a culprit and target of AD pathology, as well as into new opportunities for therapeutic interventions and biomarker development.
Security and confidentiality in a university computer network

It is the intent of this paper to focus attention on the issue of security and confidentiality in a university computer network environment. By the term security, I mean protection for data from being written on by unauthorized network users. Correspondingly, confidentiality represents protection for data from being read by unauthorized computer users. The paper attempts to accomplish this objective in the following manner. First, I will discuss which segments of the computing population in university networks appear to require security and confidentiality for its programs and data. I will then discuss appropriate techniques by which such integrity and privacy can be attained and the problems that might occur in attempting to implement them. Finally, I will present what I have found to be several prevailing misunderstandings about computer network security.
Results with continuous cardiopulmonary bypass for the bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis.

ObjectiveSome centres have proposed creating the bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis without cardiopulmonary bypass, while others continue to use deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the results of using continuous cardiopulmonary bypass with moderate hypothermia, perhaps the most commonly used of the three techniques for this procedure.MethodsBetween 1990 and 2005, 114 patients, having a mean age of 1.58 years, with a median age of 8 months, and ranging from 3 months to 16 years, underwent creation of either a unilateral cavopulmonary anastomosis, in 94 cases, or bilateral anastomoses in 20 cases. All had continuous cardiopulmonary bypass with moderate hypothermia at 32 degrees Celsius, with 24 also having aortic cross-clamping with cardioplegia for simultaneous intracardiac procedures. Interrupted absorbable sutures were used to create the anastomosis in 105 patients.ResultsPerioperative mortality was 5%, with 6 of the patients dying. The mean period of cardiopulmonary bypass for an isolated anastomosis was 91 minutes, with a range from 44 to 160 minutes. In 10 patients (8.8%), it was necessary to place a graft to augment the anastomosis. The average postoperative length of stay was 7.9 days for those undergoing an isolated unilateral anastomosis, and 16.4 days for patients undergoing combined cardiac operations. We have now created the Fontan circulation in 79 of the patients, at an average interval from the bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis of 2.1 plus or minus 1.14 years. In 76 patients, we performed postoperative angiograms, and none revealed any stenoses.ConclusionsThe bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis can be performed successfully with continuous cardiopulmonary bypass and moderate hypothermia with a beating heart, avoiding circulatory arrest. The use of interrupted and absorbable sutures was not associated with any late anastomotic stenosis.
Wisconsin Method for Probing Portland Cement Concrete Pavement for Thickness: Statistical Comparison and Validation

Since 1998 the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (DOT) has used contractors' probing measurements instead of coring to determine portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement thickness. This study compares core depths with probe depths for 13 projects constructed in 2008 and 2009 across the state of Wisconsin. A statistical comparison of sample means, estimates of differences, and an analysis at 95% confidence interval were completed. The results of this study were compared with results of a 1998 study by Wisconsin DOT and a 2008 follow-up study by the Construction and Materials Support Center (CMSC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Approximately 69% of the projects studied met the criterion of equal means. In comparison, 25% met the criterion in the 1998 Wisconsin DOT study and 50% in the 2008 CMSC follow-up study. In addition, this study determined the preferred number of cores needed to perform a t-test for future quality verification studies by Wisconsin DOT. The study showed that five to 10 cor...
Unexpected Formation of an Organoplatinum(IV) Fluoride Complex in the Reaction of Pt(TMEDA)(CH3)2 with Perfluoro-sec-butyl Iodide

Instead of undergoing a conventional oxidative addition reaction, Pt(TMEDA)Me 2 (1) reacts with perfluoro-sec-butyl iodide to afford a rare example of a terminal Pt(IV) fluoride complex, trans-Pt(TMEDA)(I)-(F)Me 2 (2), along with a mixture of the trans- and cis-isomers of perfluoro-2-butene. Trapping experiments with CH 3 OD result in significant quantities of CF 3 CF 2 -CFDCF 3 , indicating the intermediacy of a perfluorocarbanion. Complex 2 has been characterized by X-ray diffraction, and a mechanism for its formation is proposed.
Synthesis ofl-2-spirocyclopropyl-2-deoxyarabinose

Abstract The synthesis of l -2-spirocyclopropyl-2-deoxyarabinose from l -arabinose is described. Unusual reactions of a dichlorocyclopropane intermediate are observed. The target compounds may serve as mechanism-based inactivators of β-galactosidase.
The optimal projection equations for reduced-order, discrete-time modelling, estimation and control

The optimal projection equations derived previously for reduced-order, continuous-time modelling, estimation and control are developed for the discrete-time case. The design equations are presented in a concise and unified manner to facilitate their accessibility for the development of numerical algorithms for practical applications. As in the continuous-time case, the standard Kalman filter and linear-quadratic-Gaussian results are immediately obtained as special cases of the estimation and control results.
Genotype and auxin influence direct somatic embryogenesis from protoplasts derived from embryogenic cell suspensions of Asparagus officinalis L.

Abstract Embryogenic callus from four asparagus genotypes, Jersey Giant No. 8, MD10, Rutgers 22, and 86SOM1 was simultaneously initiated from spear explants on semisolid LS medium containing 5 μM 2,4-D or 50 μM NAA. Calluses were used to initiate cell suspensions in liquid LS medium of the same composition. The eight sets of cell suspensions were used as protoplast donors at both 2 and 5 months of age. Protoplasts were immobilized at 105/ml density in MS medium with 0.6% agarose and overlaid with liquid KM medium; both containing the same type and concentration of auxin used for the corresponding donor cells or with plant growth regulator-free (PGR-free) medium. There was a significant interaction between genotype, suspension auxin, and inclusion or exclusion of PGRs in the protoplast culture media on plating efficiency, and colony and somatic embryo formation. Plating efficiencies at 14 days ranged from 0–40%. Globular somatic embryos developed directly from protoplasts in 10–14 days and bipolar embryos could be transferred in 3–4 weeks to embryo maturation medium (EM medium) composed of LS medium with 2% sucrose and 1% Phytagel. Conversion to plants occurred as rapidly as 1–2 weeks after transfer to EM medium or 5–6 weeks after initial protoplast culture. Although all four genotypes regenerated plants, Rutgers 22 had the highest conversion frequency at 42%. Most plants recovered from the 2,4-D-derived protoplasts were karyotypically aberrant while a higher frequency of normal plants were obtained from the NAA-derived protoplast cultures.
The Effect Of Roll-tensioning On Bandsaw Plate Vibration And Stability

Abstract Residual membrane stresses are purposely induced in wide bandsaw plates through a localized cold rolling procedure, known as roll-tensioning, to improve the cutting performance of the blade. Despite the critical importance of this practice to efficient cutting operation with a bandsaw, quantitative understanding of roll-tensioning on bandsaw cutting performance remains unresolved. In this paper, the effect of roll-tensioning on bandsaw plate free vibration and plate stability are discussed. The residual stresses induced by roll-tensioning can substantially increase or decrease the transverse and torsional natural frequencies (or stiffnesses) of the bandsaw plate depending on the locations of the rolling tracks, the roller load and the number of rolling repetitions on each track. With roll-tensioning that results in a substantial increase of torsional natural frequencies (or stiffnesses) and moderate decrease of transverse natural frequencies (or stiffnesses), the bandsaw plate can resist a larger normal edge (cutting) force prior to buckling. Improper tensioning that decreases substantially the transverse natural frequencies, or both the transverse and torsional natural frequencies, can reduce the normal edge force at buckling.
Head-tail interactions in numerical simulations of reentry in a ring of cardiac tissue

Background The relationships between action potential duration (APD) and conduction velocity (CV) to the previous diastolic interval (DI) are known as the APD and CV restitution relationships. There is considerable debate regarding the importance of these relationships in the development and stability of reentry. Objectives The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of the ionic basis for restitution during reentry. Methods APD and CV were studied numerically during one-dimensional reentry as ring length (L) was shortened. A three-state variable model (u, v, w) was used to analyze the effect of gating variables of the fast (v) and slow (w) currents on the spatial and temporal dynamics of transmembrane potential (u). Three parameter sets were used corresponding to three APD and CV restitution curves. Results Sustained spatial oscillations of APD and CV larger than the ring length were observed in two of the parameter sets (cytochalasin-D model [CYTO] and model 3 [M3]) before block occurred at L=6 cm. The last model (diacetyl monoxime [DAM]) resulted in uniform APD and CV for all L until block occurred at L=3 cm. Multivalued APD and CV restitution relationships due to "dephasing" of w and v with DI were observed in M3 and CYTO simulations. Overall, these dynamics could be explained by the wavelength-to-ring length ratio and the sensitivity of APD on the value of the gating variables w and v. Conclusion Propagation stability is mostly controlled by APD sensitivity to w , but the APD restitution slope does not always reflect this sensitivity. The interaction of the dynamic history (i.e., memory) of the fast and slow currents and electrotonic effects resulted in multivalued restitution curves.
Cerclage for prevention of preterm birth in women with a short cervix on transvaginal ultrasound: a randomized trial

A SHORT CERVIX ON TRANSVAGINAL ULTRASOUND: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL VINCENZO BERGHELLA, ANTHONY ODIBO, JORGE TOLOSA, Thomas Jefferson University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Philadelphia, PA University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Philadelphia, PA OBJECTIVE: To determine if cerclage prevents preterm birth (PTB) in women with a short cervix on transvaginal ultrasound (TVU). STUDY DESIGN: Pregnant women with the following high-risk factors— $1 PTB < 35 weeks, $2 DC 95% CI 0.10-1.72). CONCLUSION: Cerclage did not prevent PTB in women with a short cervix on TVU. The non-significant reduction in PTB in singleton gestations with prior PTB < 35 weeks deserves further study by larger trials and meta-analysis of existing literature.
ATP‐AMP phosphotransferase from Paracoccus denitrificans

Adenylate kinase has been extracted from Paracoccus denitrificans by toluene treatment and purified 370-fold (overall yield of 44%, 554 U/mg, Mr 22 000, pI 4.7; pH optimum 7.5–8.0) by using successive column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose DE-52, Matrex-Blue A and Sephadex G-75. The enzyme was homogeneous by dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis and constancy of specific activity across the single peak found in Sephadex G-75 chromatography. Crystals in the form of heavy needles have been obtained in poly(ethylene glycol)-400. The enzyme is specific for adenine (deoxyadenine) nucleotides with Km values for ATP, ADP and AMP of 340 μm, 980 μM and 93 μM respectively and dissociation constants, for ATP, MgATP and AMP of 7.3 μM, 7.1 μM and 6.9 μM respectively. The enzyme was noted to have no disulfide bond, two free sulfhydryl groups and a total of 208 residues. Aboe 50 mM KCl the enzyme activity drops off gradually. The enzyme is stable at neutral pH and below a temperature of 44°C. Adenylate kinase from P. denitrificans resembles adenylate kinases from other sources with respect to such properties as the dependence on specific divalent cations, maximal activities at a ratio of Mg2+ :ATP of about 1:1 and the ratio of Mg2+ :ADP of 1:2, in having MgATP (or MgADP) binding site and another substrate binding site for AMP (or ADP), and in requiring an intact histidine and one or more arginine residues for enzymatic activity. Adenylate kinase from P. denitrificans appears to resemble the so-called muscle-type (cytoplasmic) rather than the mitochondrial-type adenylate kinase by comparisons of the following properties: low molecular weight, having — SH groups and no disulfide bonds, pH-optimum of 8.0 for formation of ADP, positive cross-reaction by ELISA test and in requiring a low concentration of Ap5A to inhibit 95% activity.
Compaction Studies on Beads: Compression and Consolidation Parameters

AbstractThe purpose of this work was to evaluate compaction of the beads containing microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). Although MCC in its powder form is universally recognized as a very compressible material, studies in these laboratories demonstrated that MCC beads prepared by extrusion/spheronization were not. In fact, MCC beads are very hard and not easily deformable or broken. Therefore, the objectives of this work were to modify the bead composition by incorporating materials which might change the bead compactibility and to describe the effects. The dissolution properties of the compacted forms were also evaluated.To study the compaction behavior of the MCC beads it was necessary to modify the Athy-Heckel equation to describe compression and to combine that analysis with the Leuenberger equation to describe consolidation.
Corrosion of titanium diboride

Abstract The corrosion resistance of pressed and sintered (PAS) titanium diboride has been compared with that of electrodeposited titanium diboride. Anodic polarization studies in 0.5 M sulfuric acid showed that PAS titanium diboride corrodes at rates of 50 to 100 times greater than electrodeposited titanium diboride. Iron-rich grain boundaries are presumably formed in the PAS titanium diboride as a result of the iron picked up in the crushing and milling procedure. These grain boundaries corroded preferentially, leading to mechanical deterioration of the surface. Titanium diboride did not passivate in 0.5 M sulfuric acid. Corrosion rates were determined for PAS titanium diboride in hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, and substitute ocean water, under a wide variety of conditions. The corrosion rates in oxygen-aerated sulfuric acid solutions were characterized by a maximum of 250 mg/dm2 day−1 (mdd) at 0.3 M. This is an order of magnitude greater than the corrosion rate in the corresponding helium-aerated solution.
Diagnosis and management of right atrial thrombus in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis syndrome with transesophageal echocardiography and thrombolytic therapy

2. Berdusis K, Fisher JB, Webb CL, Gidding SS, Alboliras ET. Successful preparation of community hospital sonogTaphers for transtelephonic transmission of infant echocardiographic studies. J Am Soc Echocardiography 1995;8:16E. 3. Fisher JB, Alboliras ET, Berdusis K, Gidding SS, Webb CL. Feasibility of transtelephonic echocardiology for evaluation of neonates in a community hospital setting. Ped Res 1995;37:205A. 4. Sobczyk, WL, Solinger RE, Rees AH, Elbl F. Transtelephonic echocardiography: successful use in a tertiary pediatric referral center. J Pediatr 1993;122:$84-8. 5. Finley JP, Human DG, Nanton MA, Roy DL, MacDonald RG, Marr DR, Chiasson H. Echocardiography by telephone evaluation of pediatric heart disease at a distance. Am J Cardiol 1989;63:1475-7. 6. Sahn DJ, Williams J, Rice MJ, MacDonald RW, Gross B. A real-time satellite-based telecommunications system providing live video conferencing and instantaneous transmission of echo Doppler images. J Am Coll Cardiol Feb 1994;Feb:409A.
Prediction of Hot Aisle Partition Airflow Boundary Conditions

The integration of a simulation-based Artificial Neural Network (ANN) with a Genetic Algorithm (GA) has been explored as a real-time design tool for data center thermal management. The computation time for the ANN-GA approach is significantly smaller compared to a fully CFD-based optimization methodology for predicting data center operating conditions. However, difficulties remain when applying the ANN model for predicting operating conditions for configurations outside of the geometry used for the training set. One potential remedy is to partition the room layout into a finite number of characteristic zones, for which the ANN-GA model readily applies. Here, a multiple hot aisle/cold aisle data center configuration was analyzed using the commercial software FloTHERM. The CFD results are used to characterize the flow rates at the inter-zonal partitions. Based on specific reduced subsets of desired treatment quantities from the CFD results, such as CRAC and server rack air flow rates, the approach was applied for two different CRAC configurations and various levels of CRAC and server rack flow rates. Utilizing the compact inter-zonal boundary conditions, good agreement for the airflow and temperature distributions is achieved between predictions from the CFD computations for the entire room configuration and the reduced order zone-level model for different operating conditions and room layouts.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
File placement and process assignment due to resource sharing in a distributed system

This paper presents a number of solutions to the problems of data access, concurrency control, transaction serialization, and deadlock control based on the examples of existing file systems. Also, policies for file placement and process assignment are discussed from the viewpoint of their impact on system performance and reliability. The impact of these policies depends on the solutions to the problems referred above. A simulation model of a file system is introduced. This model is validated using data collected in a small business installation. A number of simulation experiments are presented. It is shown how the decision about where to place a file or to assign a process can be based on the workload's and the system's characterization. An algorithm for improving performance and reliability by file placement and/or process assignment is finally presented.
THE CONCURRENT VALIDITY OF FOUR TESTS OF METALINGUISTIC AWARENESS

Abstract The Concepts About Print, the Written Language Awareness Test, the Test of Early Reading Ability, and the Linguistic Awareness in Reading Readiness Test were given to 30 kindergarten girls and 30 kindergarten boys in a counterbalanced design. Although gender classification was significantly predictable by a composite of the total scores of these four tests, a gender difference in average performance was notable only for the CAP. Intercorrelations of the total and subtest scores indicated that these four tests of metalinguistic awareness exhibit generally low concurrent validity
Errors in a study of proportions of Kaposi sarcoma, selected non-Hodgkin lymphomas, and cervical cancer in the United States occurring in persons with AIDS, 1980-2007.

ington, DC: National Academies Press; 2010. 3. Elamin MB, Abu Elnour NO, Elamin KB, et al. Vitamin D and cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011; 96(7):1931-1942. 4. Holick MF, Binkley NC, Bischoff-Ferrari HA, et al; Endocrine Society. Evaluation, treatment, and prevention of vitamin D deficiency: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011;96(7):1911-1930.
Normalization of temporal-distance parameters in pediatric gait

Several techniques for the normalization of temporal-distance parameters in pediatric gait are given. The resulting normalized data can be used to compare (or discriminate) individuals or groups of individuals without the effect of variables such as age and height. The normalization with respect to a reference data set or with respect to the data set itself can be accommodated. Three novel techniques for normalization of gait data have been given: offset, decorrelation and detrending. For normalization of stride length with respect to height, all three are superior to the commonly accepted technique of dividing by the height. The offset technique has obscure units and will have a residual correlation. The decorrelation technique also has obscure units but will have zero correlation provided it is being normalized using a linear model (or piecewise linear model) fitted to the data in a least-squares sense. The detrending technique will also result in a zero correlation if piecewise linear or polynomial models, fitted to the data in a least-squares sense, are used. The detrending technique is the most useful of the three techniques proposed as it will also generate the same units as the original data set and can be easily scaled so that its magnitude is also comparable with the original data. Both the decorrelation and detrending techniques can be used simultaneously to normalize data with respect to two or more variables.
Differential regulation and expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and Ly-6 gene products on mouse testicular Leydig and Sertoli cell lines.

The expression and regulation of Class I and Class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and Ly-6 antigens were examined in BALB/c testicular cells. Studies were performed utilizing differentiated murine Leydig (TM3) and Sertoli (TM4) cell lines. Neither Class I (Dd) nor Class II (IA/Ed) MHC antigens were detectable on untreated TM3 cells. However, concanavalin-A activated spleen cell supernatant (Con-A sup) or interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) treatment resulted in the marked induction of both Class I and Class II MHC antigens on virtually all of the Leydig cells. MHC Class II mRNA, which was not detected in resting cells, was clearly induced following IFN-γ incubation. Sertoli cells were found to constitutively express low levels of Class I (Dd) but not Class II (IA/Ed) antigens. However, in contrast to the enhanced MHC expression in TM3 cells, Con-A sup or IFN-γ treatment of TM4 cells resulted in marked augmentation of Class I, but not Class II, MHC antigens. Northern blot analysis failed to detect Class II mRNA in either the resting or IFN-γ treated TM4 populations. Neither ethanol nor tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alone, or together with IFN-γ had significant effects on MHC expression by TM3 and TM4 cells. Ly-6 antigens, predominantly expressed on hematopoietic cells, were found to be present on both TM3 and TM4 cells. Expression of the non-MHC encoded product was also shown to be markedly enhanced by IFN-γ treatment on both testicular cell lines. In total, these findings demonstrated that cytokines can differentially affect discrete cell populations arising from a particular tissue with respect to the un-regulation of MHC and non-MHC gene products. These findings are discussed in the context of autoimmune responses directed against this tissue.