cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Regulatory Perspective on Appropriate Seismic Loading Stress Criteria for Advanced Light Water Reactor Piping Systems

In the foregoing sections, the author has discussed the NRC staff`s perspective on the evolving seismic design criteria for piping systems. He also addressed the need for developing seismic loading stress criteria and provided several recommendations and considerations for ensuring piping functional capability, pressure integrity, and structural integrity. Overall, the general consensus in the NRC staff is that in the past several years, many initiatives have been developed and implemented by the industry and the NRC staff to reduce the excessive conservatisms that might have existed in nuclear piping system design criteria. The regulations, regulatory guides, and Standard Review Plan have been (or are currently in the process of being) revised to reflect these initiatives in an effort to produce requirements and guidelines that will continue to result in a safe and practical design of piping systems. However, further proposals to reduce margins are continually being submitted to the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and the NRC for review and approval. Improvements to the piping seismic design criteria are always encouraged, but there is a point at which the benefits might be outweighed by drawbacks. Because of this rapidly evolving situation the need exists for the industry and themore » NRC staff to develop a course of action to ensure that piping seismic design criteria for future ALWR plants will result in piping system designs that provide adequate safety margins and practical designs at a reasonable cost.« less
A Sequential Greedy Search Algorithm With Bayesian Updating for Testing in High-Speed Milling Operations

This paper describes a probabilistic greedy search optimization algorithm for stability testing in high-speed milling. The test parameters (i.e., the experiment setup decisions) consist of the axial depth of cut and the spindle speed. These parameters are selected to maximize the expected value of profit using a greedy search approach (an approach that maximizes the expected value of each stage one step at a time). After a test is performed, Bayesian updating is applied to determine the posterior distribution of stability. The algorithm is then repeated to identify a new test point. The motivation for this work is that, while deterministic models for milling stability prediction are available, uncertainty in the inputs always exists. In this study, it is assumed that the tool point frequency response function, which is required for stability lobe diagram development, is unknown. Therefore, the probability of stability over the selected axial depth-spindle speed domain must be determined experimentally. The greedy search algorithm identifies the maximum expected value of profit within the selected domain, where profit is determined from the product of the profit function and the stability cumulative distribution function, referred to as the probability of stability. This optimal point is then tested to evaluate stability. Whether stable or unstable, the results are used to update the probability of stability. A stable test updates all axial depths smaller than test depth to be stable at the selected spindle speed, while an unstable test specifies that all axial depths above the test depth are unstable. After updating, a new test point is selected by the greedy search algorithm and the process is repeated. This select/test/update sequence is repeated until a preselected stopping criterion is reached. This paper presents both numerical results and experimental validation that the optimization/updating approach quickly converges to the well-known stability lobe behavior described in the literature. However, in this probabilistic technique the issue of uncertainty is also addressed and results can be obtained even if no information about the dynamic system is available.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
The regulatory status of radiopharmaceuticals in Europe.

The aim of this article is to review the present regulatory status of radiopharmaceuticals in Europe, as well as to define the problems and pitfalls, and to introduce recent developments in a pan-European level to harmonize radiopharmaceutical drug regulation.
Scaling relationship and optimization of double-pulse electroporation

The efficacy of electroporation is known to vary significantly across a wide variety of biological research and clinical applications, but as of this writing, a generalized approach to simultaneously improve efficiency and maintain viability has not been available in the literature. To address that discrepancy, we here outline an approach that is based on the mapping of the scaling relationships among electroporation-mediated molecular delivery, cellular viability, and electric pulse parameters. The delivery of Fluorescein-Dextran into 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells was used as a model system. The pulse was rationally split into two sequential phases: a first precursor for permeabilization, followed by a second one for molecular delivery. Extensive data in the parameter space of the second pulse strength and duration were collected and analyzed with flow cytometry. The fluorescence intensity correlated linearly with the second pulse duration, confirming the dominant role of electrophoresis in delivery. The delivery efficiency exhibited a characteristic sigmoidal dependence on the field strength. An examination of short-term cell death using 7-Aminoactinomycin D demonstrated a convincing linear correlation with respect to the electrical energy. Based on these scaling relationships, an optimal field strength becomes identifiable. A model study was also performed, and the results were compared with the experimental data to elucidate underlying mechanisms. The comparison reveals the existence of a critical transmembrane potential above which delivery with the second pulse becomes effective. Together, these efforts establish a general route to enhance the functionality of electroporation.
EUS-guided FNA for the diagnosis of gallbladder masses

Background Gallbladder masses can be identified endosongraphically, but FNA for cytologic diagnosis is not routine. This is a review of our experience with EUS-guided FNA of gallbladder masses. Methods : Records of patients undergoing EUS were reviewed to identify cases in which FNA of the gallbladder was performed. Reports of EUS procedures, EUS images, cytology results, and clinical records were reviewed. Observations : Six cases were identified. The final diagnosis was gallbladder carcinoma in 5 and xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis in one. In each case, EUS revealed a hypoechoic mass within the gallbladder wall or gallbladder lumen. Gallbladder wall calcification was observed in 3 of the 5 cases of carcinoma. FNA yielded a specimen that was positive (n=3) or raised a suspicion (n=1) for adenocarcinoma in 4 of the 5 proven malignancies. FNA of regional lymph nodes demonstrated metastatic adenocarcinoma in 2 cases. FNA was negative for malignancy in the case of xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis and one case of proven carcinoma. There were no complications. Conclusions : EUS-guided FNA of gallbladder masses is safe and can provide a definitive diagnosis of malignancy. Gallbladder carcinoma appears endosonographically as a hypoechoic mass and may be associated with focal wall calcifications.
The evolution of the RCSB Protein Data Bank website

The Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics Protein Data Bank (RCSB PDB) supports scientific research and education by providing an essential resource of information about biomolecular structures. As a member of the Worldwide Protein Data Bank (wwPDB), the RCSB PDB curates and annotates the data about the experimentally determined three-dimensional structures of proteins and nucleic acids that are deposited into the PDB archive. The RCSB PDB also provides online resources to access the data in the archive, including a relational database supporting simple and complex query and reporting, visualization tools, structure-sequence comparison tools, access to the associated literature, and educational services. In the 11 years (1999–2010) since RCSB PDB has been in operation, the amount of data in the archive has increased six-fold, along with an increase in the complexity of structures being determined and in the number of experimental methods used. The evolution required by RCSB PDB to meet these challenges provides insight into the motivation and challenges of developing and maintaining a major biological resource, particularly the one used in understanding the molecular details of living systems in both normal and disease states. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. WIREs Comput Mol Sci 2011 1 782–789 DOI: 10.1002/wcms.57
Design-Oriented Model for Capturing the In-Plane Seismic Response of Partition Walls

AbstractUsing data generated from experiments, a numerical model is developed for capturing the in-plane seismic response of full-height cold-formed steel framed partition walls. The behavior of the partition wall is captured using a lumped nonlinear material model localized within a zero-length spring. The lumped material is developed with a pinching material used in a parallel configuration within the Open System for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (OpenSees) modeling platform. A simple, lumped model is utilized to facilitate ease of implementation in beam-column type finite element analyses commonly adopted in design of building structures. Importantly, its characteristics are determined by analyzing a large suite of experimental data on institutional and commercial type metal stud walls. Two error metrics based on calculation of the maximum force and half-cycle hysteretic energy are introduced to assess the model’s robustness. The model’s predictive capabilities are demonstrated via simulation of in...
Heat conduction in fluids with substructure

The basic equations for a theory of fluids with concentrated suspensions are applied to the problem of viscous flow between two heated plates. The velocity, stresses and heat transfer are determined. Die Grundgleichungen fur eine Theorie der Flussigkeiten mit einer starken Konzentration suspendierter Partikel werden auf das Problem der geradlinigen Stromung mit Flussigkeitsreibung zwischen zwei geheizten Platten angewandt. Es werden die Geschwindigkeit, die Spannungen und die Warmestromung bestimmt
Expression of tumor markers hyaluronic acid and hyaluronidase (HYAL1) in head and neck tumors.

Characteristic behaviors of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) include a propensity to occur as multiple synchronous and metachronous tumors, frequent recurrence and metastasis. Early detection of HNSCC and monitoring its recurrence are necessary to improve prognosis. Hyaluronic acid (HA), a component of extracellular matrix, promotes metastasis. Small fragments of HA stimulate angiogenesis. HA fragments are generated when hyaluronidase (HAase), an endoglycosidase, degrades the HA polymer. Using the HA test (an ELISA-like assay) we found that saliva HA levels are 4.9-fold elevated in 11 HNSCC patients (2841 ± 887 ng/mg protein) when compared to 6 normal controls (579.3 ± 122.6 ng/mg protein; p = 0.00238). HNSCC patients included in our study were patients with cancers of the oral cavity (n = 4), pharynx (n = 7) and larynx (n = 1). The HA levels were also elevated in MDA-1483, FaDu and HEp-2 cell lines when compared to the transformed keratinocyte line HEK-001. Saliva HAase levels measured using the HAase test (an ELISA-like assay) were 3.7-fold elevated in HNSCC patients (10.4 ± 1.4 mU/mg protein) when compared to normal controls (2.8 ± 0.7 mU/mg protein; p = 0.0028). MDA-1483 and HEp-2 cells secreted 7- to 11-fold higher levels of HAase in their conditioned media (CM) when compared to FaDu cells, and the latter secreted 1.5-fold more HAase than HEK-001 cells. Reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR analysis detected the expression of full-length HYAL1 type HAase transcript in tumor cells. None of the cells exhibited the expression of PH20 in RT-PCR analysis. Immunoblot analysis confirmed the expression of a ∼55 kDa HYAL-related protein in tumor cell CM and in patients' saliva. The pH activity profile and optimum (pH 4.4) of the HAase activity present in HNSCC patients' or normal saliva and that secreted in the CM of tumor cells closely resembled that of the partially purified HYAL1 type HAase. The profiles of HA species in HNSCC patients' and normal saliva are different. The high-stage HNSCC patients' saliva contains a high-molecular-mass HA species and HA fragments, in addition to the HA species present in the normal individual's saliva. These results show that HYAL1 is the major tumor-derived HAase expressed in HNSCC. Furthermore, HA and HAase may be sensitive and specific markers for detecting HNSCC and monitoring its recurrence. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary studies. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Closed-form throughput expressions for CSMA networks with collisions and hidden terminals

We present a novel modeling approach to derive closed-form throughput expressions for CSMA networks with hidden terminals. The key modeling principle is to break the interdependence of events in a wireless network using conditional expressions that capture the effect of a specific factor each, yet preserve the required dependences when combined together. Different from existing models that use numerical aggregation techniques, our approach is the first to jointly characterize the three main critical factors affecting flow throughput (referred to as hidden terminals, information asymmetry and flow-in-the-middle) within a single analytical expression. We have developed a symbolic implementation of the model, that we use for validation against realistic simulations and experiments with real wireless hardware, observing high model accuracy in the evaluated scenarios. The derived closed-form expressions enable new analytical studies of capacity and protocol performance that would not be possible with prior models. We illustrate this through an application of network utility maximization in complex networks with collisions, hidden terminals, asymmetric interference and flow-in-the-middle instances. Despite that such problematic scenarios make utility maximization a challenging problem, the model-based optimization yields vast fairness gains and an average per-flow throughput gain higher than 500% with respect to 802.11 in the evaluated networks.
Quenching of aromatic hydrocarbon fluorescence by cesium chloride

Abstract Fluorescence quenching of nine aromatic hydrocarbons by cesium chloride in methanolic solution has been measured using pulse fluorimetry. A log-log relationship between k q , the rate constant for quenching by CsCl, and k S→T , the intersystem crossing rate of the fluor, appears to be applicable to these systems. This behavior is interpreted in terms of heavy atom quenching by CsCl.
A genetic algorithms approach to growth phase forecasting of wireless subscribers

Abstract In order to effectively make forecasts in the telecommunications sector during the growth phase of a new product life cycle, we evaluate performance of an evolutionary technique: genetic algorithms (GAs), used in conjunction with a diffusion model of adoption such as the Bass model. During the growth phase, managers want to predict (1) future sales per period, (2) the magnitude of sales during peak, and (3) when the industry would reach maturity. At present, reliable estimation of parameters of diffusion models is possible, when sales data includes the peak sales also. Cellular phone adoption data from seven Western European Countries is used in this study to illustrate the benefits of using the new technique. The parameter estimates obtained from GAs exhibit good consistency comparable to NLS, OLS, and a naive time series model when the entire sales history is considered. When censored datasets (data points available until the inflection point) are used, the proposed technique provides better predictions of future sales; peak sales time period, and peak sales magnitude as compared to currently available estimation techniques.
On “Earth sciences and public schools”

Earlier this year, Robert Kitchen (Eos, 87(24), 235,2006) drew attention to declining interest in Earth science education in public schools. The reason for a lack of interest in teaching Earth sciences in public schools may involve more than just the attitudes of parents who may wish for their children a better preparation for advanced placement courses later on. Part of the problem may lie with our present mind-set that technology can solve all the world's problems, from poverty, to better health, and to prosperity. Underlying this mindset is an implicit belief in the primacy of the physical sciences. A corollary is that Earth sciences do not have an independent existence within human knowledge, but exist merely as an adjunct to physical-mathematical sciences. Given sufficient time, and bigger computers, it is believed, science can and will know everything there is to know about the Earth. This perception probably has an influence on school administrators who feel that students need a demanding curriculum, comprising rigorous training in the physical sciences.
Solubility and speciation of rhenium in anoxic environments at ambient temperature and applications to the Black Sea

Abstract The aqueous speciation of rhenium at the temperatures on or near the Earth's surface, especially in anoxic environments, is not well known. For the first time, the relative importance of ReO 4 − and the neutral rhenium species, Re(OH) 4 0 , is thermodynamically modeled in anoxic environments at ambient temperature where ReS 2 or its solid solution(s) is likely to control the solubility. This thermodynamic model suggests that ReO 4 − is an insignificant species in anoxic environments. In comparison to observed total rhenium concentrations in anoxic waters (from ∼3 to ∼30 pmol/kg), the contribution from ReO 4 − would be less than 10 −8 ppb (∼4×10 −5 pmol/kg). In contrast, the neutral rhenium species is an important species in anoxic environments. At ΣH 2 S=10 −4 molal, 10 −2 ppb (∼40 pmol/kg) of Re(OH) 4 0 can exist in equilibrium with ReS 2 in the HS − field at a pH of about 9 or under the oxygen fugacity conditions imposed by the HS − /SO 4 2− redox couple, demonstrating its importance in anoxic environments. Applications of the present study to the Black Sea indicate that rhenium concentrations in the anoxic water column at depths ranging from 105 to ∼390 m can be successfully modeled as Re(OH) 4 0 , implying that the dominant species in solution may be Re(OH) 4 0 .
Genotype-dependent effects of GABAergic agents on sedative properties of ethanol.

Two lines of mice, selectively bred for differential sensitivity to the soporific effects of ethanol (ETOH), were administered GABAergic drugs in an effort to evaluate a role for GABA in ETOH sensitivity. ETOH sensitive Long-Sleep mice (LS) showed potentiated ETOH sedation when administered bicuculline, muscimol and aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA). ETOH-insensitive SS mice exhibited reduced ETOH sedation in the presence of the antagonists, bicuculline and picrotoxin, and potentiated sedation in the presence of muscimol and AOAA. These changes in narcosis duration were interpreted as central effects, since blood ethanol levels at waking from ETOH sedation varied with GABAergic drug treatment. Picrotoxin antagonized pentobarbital-induced nacrosis in both lines, but to a greater extent in SS mice. These and other experiments with a genetically heterogeneous stock suggest GABA involvement in genotype-dependent ETOH sensitivity, but do not support a simple role of GABA receptor involvement.
Wireless cloud architecture based on thin clients and ontologies

Recently, several researchers have discovered the need for radios to use description techniques for the objects in the wireless realm. The concept of RF field-programmable analog array (FPAA) was also proposed recently and the lack of hardware abstractions was identified as a problem. We propose a hardware abstraction for RF FPAAs, which enables an open RF-digital interface. We advance the concept of wireless thin clients. These clients are connected to the cloud using the open RF-digital interface. We describe the architecture of a comprehensive wireless ontology.
Component enumeration of multicomponent AM-FM signals via generalized energy operators

Enumerating the number of signal components present in a superposition of signals is a problem that finds application in radar systems, multiuser communication problems, beamforming and array processing applications. The related problem of enumerating the number of components present in a superposition of non-stationary signals is a more challenging problem because of the nature of the components that may be well separated in frequency at one instant and overlap at a later instant. In this paper, we apply the Teager-Kaiser energy operator and higher-order generalizations of the operator to the problem of non-stationary signal component enumeration. The singularity of these instantaneous signal operators is used as a cue to track the number of components present in a multicomponent AM-FM signal.
Effect of neonicotinoid synergists on entomopathogenic nematode fitness

In previous greenhouse and field studies, the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid interacted synergistically with five entomopathogenic nematode species against five scarab species. Two other neonicotinoids, thiamethoxam and acetamiprid, showed a weaker interaction with nematodes in scarab larvae. Entomopathogenic nematodes have the potential to recycle in hosts after inundative applications, thereby increasing the persistence of nematodes and insect control. Thus we investigated the effect of neonicotinoids on nematode fitness after tank mixing and after combined applications. Tank mixing only had a negative effect on nematode survival and infectivity in a few nematode-insecticide combinations and only if both insecticide concentration and exposure time were several times higher than typical for field applications. Combined application of nematodes with imidacloprid generally had no negative effect on the percentage of scarab cadavers producing progeny or the number of nematode progeny emerging per cadaver. In experiments with a synergistic increase in scarab mortality, the total number of progeny in combination treatments was up to four times higher than in nematodes only treatments. Similarly, nematode populations in soil from combination treatments were 13.2 times greater than for nematodes only treatments at 28 days after treatment. Combined imidacloprid-nematode applications did not affect the pathogenicity or infectivity of the nematode progeny. Combining thiamethoxam with nematodes had no negative effects on nematode reproduction in the majority of treatments. However, due to the weaker interaction of thiamethoxam and nematodes on scarab mortality, the total number of nematode progeny per treatment generally did not increase compared with nematodes only treatments. The demonstrated tank mix compatibility of imidacloprid and nematodes improves the feasibility of combining these agents for curative white grub control. The positive effect of imidacloprid on nematode reproduction after combined application may increase the likelihood of infection of white grubs by subsequent generations of nematodes, thereby improving their field persistence and biological control potential.
Biomass Production and Nitrogen Accumulation in Pea, Oat, and Vetch Green Manure Mixtures

Interest in the use of green manures has revived because of their role in improving soil quality and their beneficial N and non-N rotation effects. This study evaluated biomass production, N content, radiation interception (RI), and radiation use efficiency (RUE) of pea (Pisum sativum L.), oat (Avena saliva L.), and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) mixtures. Treatments were a three-way factorial of pea genotype ('Century' vs. 'Tipu'), pea planting density (90 vs. 224 kg h -1 ), and cropping mixture (sole-cropped pea vs. pea planted with a mixture of oat and hairy vetch). A mixture of oat and vetch without pea was also planted. Treatments were planted in early June on a Caribou gravelly loam (coarse-loamy, mixed, frigid Typic Haplorthods) in Presque Isle, ME, in 1993 and 1994. Biomass production and radiation interception were measured by repeated sampling. Mixture biomass was affected by a year x pea density interaction : respective yields for mixtures containing low-density and high-density pea were 770 and 880 g m -2 in 1993 vs. 820 and 730 g m -2 in 1994. Mixture N content paralleled biomass production and averaged 20.9 g m -2 across all treatments. While pea sole crops did not consistently produce biomass or N equal to three-species mixtures, the two-species mixture of oat and vetch did, yielding 820 g m -2 of biomass and 21.7 g m -2 of N, averaged over the 2 yr. Multiple regression showed that 61% of the variability in mixture biomass production was accounted for by a combination of early-season pea RI and midseason total mixture RUE. Economic analyses showed that rotations including these green manures may be economically competitive with a conventional rotation of barley (Hordeum vulgate L.) undersown with clover (Trifolium spp.) in a potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production system.
Hypercharge fields and Eötvös-type experiments.

It is shown that Eoetvoes-type torsion-balance experiments performed in the vicinity of a large cliff may be used as sensitive tests for the recently postulated existence of a medium-range hypercharge force. The residual nonzero effect found in the original Eoetvoes results could be mainly due to terrain irregularities and thus be larger than, but still correlated to, the effects expected from the earth's rotation and the hypercharge hypothesis.
Distinct erosional progressions in the Medusae Fossae Formation, Mars, indicate contrasting environmental conditions

Abstract The form of erosional remnants of the Medusae Fossae Formation (MFF) on Mars provide evidence of their development progression and implicate two spatially distinct environments in the equatorial regions of Mars. Ubiquitous yardangs are clearly the product of strong unidirectional winds acting over time on variably indurated deposits. Yardang orientation is used as a proxy to map regional and local wind direction at meso-scale resolution. In other, more limited areas not subjected to strong unidirectional winds, randomly oriented kilometer-scale mesas and buttes are found to be remnants of progressive cliff recession through mass wasting as support is lost from within the MFF lithology at its margins. The differing processes that dominate the formation of the distinctive landforms have implications for meso-scale variations in climate that remain unresolved by current modeling efforts. Additionally, the variability of erosional forms within the deposit emphasizes the overall complexity of this extensive formation.
Technology Insight: new techniques for imaging the gut in patients with IBD.

The idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases remain a vexing diagnostic challenge for clinicians. There have, however, been advances in the imaging modalities available for the diagnosis of IBD and the assessment of disease activity. In this Review, the authors discuss the new imaging techniques available—abdominal ultrasound, MRI, CT, capsule endoscopy and double-balloon endoscopy—and how they compare with each other and with more traditional diagnostic modalities.
Active Control of Sound in Acoustic Waveguides, Part II: Considerations for Implementation in Ducts

Abstract This is the second part of a paper which discusses the performance of active noise control systems in rigid-walled, finite length rectangular waveguides [1]. The first part presented the analytical development of the equations needed to analyze the performance of an active control system based on three performance criteria: the minimization of pressure at a selected set of points within the waveguide, the minimization of potential energy in a selected volume of the waveguide, and the minimization of power in the downstream region of the waveguide. The characteristics of optimal solutions under ideal circumstances were identified. Conditions under which these three performance criteria are analytically equivalent were also presented. The main focus of this part is to develop guidelines for configuring an active noise control system for conditions other than the ideal circumstances discussed in the first paper. Local control strategies are identified which achieve global control with reflective conditions at either end of the waveguide. Guidelines are identified for configuring an active control system that minimizes the pressure at a set of performance sensors as well as potential energy and power.
Molecular cloning of IL‐2Rα, IL‐2Rβ, and IL‐2Rγ cDNAs from a human oligodendroglioma cell line: Presence of IL‐2R mRNAs in the human central nervous system

In the present study, we analyzed human adult brain, fetal spinal cord, and an interleukin-2 (IL-2)-responsive human oligodendroglioma subclone, TC620.6A2, for the presence of mRNAs for the alpha, beta, and gamma chains of the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R alpha, IL-2R beta, and IL-2R gamma). IL-2R beta mRNA, but not IL-2R alpha or IL-2R gamma was detectable by Northern blot analysis in adult human brain tissues. Northern blot analysis of TC620.6A2 and human fetal tissues revealed mRNAs of 1.5 kb and 1.3 kb that hybridized to the IL-2R alpha cDNA at low to medium stringency. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) experiments were done on the TC620.6A2 cell line utilizing primers to IL-2R alpha, IL-2R beta, and IL-2R gamma. Southern blot analysis of the TC620.6A2 RT-PCR reactions detected products identical in size to the peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) positive controls at high stringency. Several of the TC620.6A2 IL-2R alpha, IL-2R beta, and IL-2R gamma cDNAs were cloned and sequenced. The sequences were found to be identical to the known IL-2R sequences. To our knowledge, these experiments are the first to demonstrate the presence of authentic IL-2R mRNAs in a human oligodendrocyte-like cell line. Demonstration of mRNA for IL-2R beta in human adult brain, IL-2R alpha in fetal brain, and IL-2R alpha, IL-2R beta, and IL-2R gamma in a malignant neural cell line suggests the possibility of a role for IL-2/IL-2R interactions in development and disease.
Safe routine cyanide detection methodology for aqueous solutions of varied pH

Abstract Using selective reaction chemistry our present research has developed a reaction cell that couples with a piezoelectric detector capable of monitoring aqueous cyanide in clear or turbid solutions of varied pH. Measurement of aqueous cyanide concentrations continues to be a pressing challenge for both industrial processes and waste solutions. Recent price variations of precious metals have led to an increasing focus on mineral processing procedures directly related to aqueous cyanide concentrations. Through the use of a newly developed reaction cell, aqueous samples containing cyanide are treated to selectively transfer cyanide ions to a clean absorber solution which then reacts with a gold electrode of a piezoelectric crystal to indirectly sense cyanide concentration by the dissolution of metallic gold. The use of tubular gas permeable membranes and employing the weak acid character of the analyte to allow for equilibrium driven mass transfer of cyanide across the membrane that is then accurately detected by the piezoelectric device. Such a methodology avoids contamination and analyte loss thereby minimizing sample preparation while coincidently improving safety. Given that the equilibrium is pH driven, it was logical that the sample solutions of various pH values provide adequate driving force for the detection system. Analyte detection was optimized when the sample pH was adjusted to 5.0, but the sample solutions with pH values from 3 to 10 provided adequate driving force for cyanide recovery and detection. Further detection enhancement may be achieved by varying the solution flow rate and exposure time within the reaction cell. An additional advantage of the reaction cell is found in its ability to detect cyanide in turbid solutions. Overall, the developed detection system provides reliable cyanide determinations with little sample preparation or instrument supervision.
Some uses of computers in experimental neurology.

Abstract Attention is drawn to the help that computers can give to the neurophysiologist and the electroencephalographer, not only in the study of normal man and animal, but additionally in the clinical case. Outlined are computer techniques for autocorrelation, crosscorrelation, detection of evoked responses in background activity of higher amplitude, and information about variability. Examples illustrative of these procedures are drawn from animal experimentation, from normal subjects, and from clinical neurophysiology.
Rare-event detection and process control for a biomedical application

Medical researchers are seeking a method for detecting chromosomal abnormalities in unborn children without requiring invasive procedures such as anmiocentesis. Software has been developed to utilize a light microscope to detect fetal cells that occur with very low frequency in a sample of maternal blood. This rare event detection involves dividing a microscope slide containing a maternal blood sample into as many as 40,000 fields, automatically focusing on each field-of-view, and searching for fetal cells. Size and shape information is obtained by calculating a figure of merit through various binary operations and is used to discriminate fetal cells from noise and artifacts. Once the rare fetal cells are located, the slide is automatically rescanned to count the total number of cells on the slide. Binary operations and image processing hardware are used as much as possible to reduce the total amount of time to analyze one slide. Current runtime for scoring one full slide is about four hours, with motorized stage movement and focusing being the speed-limiting factors. Fetal cells occurring with a frequency of less than 1 in 200,000 maternal cells have been consistently found with this system.
Integrated Cases Section: A Course Designed to Promote Clinical Reasoning in Year 2 Medical Students

Background: Medical students often have difficulty applying basic science knowledge within clinical contexts as they transition into clerkships. Description: To enhance clinical reasoning skills in 2nd-year medical students, we developed a 7-week transition course called the Integrated Cases Section. Curricular instruction incorporated analytic and nonanalytic clinical reasoning models. Practice with variable case scenarios enhanced students’ application of basic science knowledge to clinical problem solving. Evaluation: We evaluated curricular design and objectives by measuring student perceptions during the course and following completion of 2 clerkship rotations. To obtain measurement of students’ clinical reasoning ability we administered a script concordance test immediately before and after the course. Conclusions: Students reported increased confidence in their diagnostic reasoning ability during the course and after completion of 2 clerkships. Students’ clinical reasoning showed a significant gain...
Modified Pediatric ASPECTS Correlates with Infarct Volume in Childhood Arterial Ischemic Stroke.

Background and Purpose: Larger infarct volume as a percent of supratentorial brain volume (SBV) predicts poor outcome and hemorrhagic transformation in childhood arterial ischemic stroke (AIS). In perinatal AIS, higher scores on a modified pediatric version of the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score using acute MRI (modASPECTS) predict later seizure occurrence. The objectives were to establish the relationship of modASPECTS to infarct volume in perinatal and childhood AIS and to establish the interrater reliability of the score. Methods: We performed a cross sectional study of 31 neonates and 40 children identified from a tertiary care center stroke registry with supratentorial AIS and acute MRI with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and T2 axial sequences. Infarct volume was expressed as a percent of SBV using computer-assisted manual segmentation tracings. ModASPECTS was performed on DWI by three independent raters. The modASPECTS were compared among raters and to infarct volume as a percent of SBV. Results: ModASPECTS correlated well with infarct volume. Spearman rank correlation coefficients (ρ) for the perinatal and childhood groups were 0.76, p<0.001 and 0.69, p<0.001, respectively. Excluding 1 perinatal and 2 childhood subjects with multifocal punctate ischemia without large or medium-sized vessel stroke, ρ for the perinatal and childhood groups were 0.87, p<0.001 and 0.80, p<0.001, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients for the three raters for the neonates and children were 0.93 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.89-0.97, p<0.001] and 0.94 (95% CI 0.91-0.97, p<0.001) respectively. Conclusions: The modified pediatric ASPECTS on acute MRI can be used to estimate infarct volume as a percent of SBV with a high degree of validity and interrater reliability.
Mercury thread electrode in a flow cell

Abstract A mercury thread electrode modified with hydrophilic dialysis membrane was first introduced in 1994. Incorporation of this electrode in a flow stream is now introduced. The flow of solution and mercury are conveniently achieved using two syringe pumps. The cell can be used with a sample loop of a desired volume; hence, it allows flow injection applications. Characterization of the flow cell was performed considering various experimental parameters using lead(II) as the analyte. Calibration curves for the lead(II) exhibit good linearity.
Efficient estimation and prediction in time series regression models

SUMMARY For a time series regression model with correlated residuals we show how to compute efficiently the likelihood, predict future values and interpolate missing values. As an illustration we consider a regression model with autoregressive moving average residuals.
Knowing and intelligent: A study of Miranda warnings in mentally disordered defendants.

A conservative estimate is that 695,000 mentally disordered offenders are arrested and Mirandized annually in the United States. Past research has focused almost exclusively on cognitive factors affecting the comprehension of Miranda rights. The current study broadens the scope by including diagnostic variables and by extending the investigation to basic elements of Miranda reasoning. A sample of 107 mentally disordered defendants was administered two research measures, the Miranda Statements Scale (MSS) and Miranda Rights Scale (MRS), in addition to standardized tests. Most defendants lacked good comprehension of all but the simplest (Flesch-Kincaid <6th grade) Miranda warnings. Defendants with the poorest understanding (i.e., comprehending about 25% of the warnings) had marked deficits in multiple domains including cognitive abilities (intelligence and comprehension) and general adjustment. Different background and clinical variables predicted defendants’ abilities to generate reasons either to exercise or waive their Miranda rights.
Respiratory acid-base changes and myocardial contractility: interaction between calcium and hydrogen ions.

Abstract The mechanism whereby respiratory acid-base changes alter myocardial contractility is poorly understood. Accordingly, 46 cat right ventricular papillary muscles contracting isometrically at 30°C were studied while varying both the pH and [Ca 2+ ] of the bathing medium. The pH changes were induced by varying the PCO 2 of the gassing mixture. A decrease in pH from 7.45 to 7.10 in the presence of 2.5 m m Ca 2+ caused a rapid fall in active force and rate of force development ( d F d t ) to levels 76% of control followed by a gradual recovery to approximately 89% of control during a 60 min observation period despite continued acidosis. Increasing the [Ca 2+ ] to 5.0 m m markedly attenuated the negative inotropic effects of hypercarbic acidosis. Increasing the pH from either 7.10 to 7.45 or 7.45 to 7.75 caused a rapid 15% increase in active force and d F d t followed by a return to near control levels after 60 min. The biphasic contractile response to either respiratory acidosis or alkalosis was not influenced by pretreating the muscles with 1 × 10 −6 m propranolol. In 10 additional muscles series elastic load-extension relations at varying pH levels were determined using standard quick-release techniques. Respiratory acid-base changes did not alter the measured series elastic properties. These findings indicate that the contractile effects produced by carbon dioxide-induced pH alterations are exerted at the level of the contractile element and that the muscle has the intrinsic capacity to attenuate these inotropic effects with time. Furthermore, our results suggest that the contractile effects produced by changing [H + ] may involve an interaction with Ca 2+ at a sarcolemmal or intracellular binding site.
Ulnar neuropathy at or distal to the wrist: traumatic versus cumulative stress cases.

Abstract Chiodo A, Chadd E. Ulnar neuropathy at or distal to the wrist: traumatic versus cumulative stress cases. Objective To identify clinical and electromyographic characteristics of ulnar neuropathy at or below the wrist, comparing those caused by unitary trauma with those caused by suspected cumulative stress. Design Retrospective case series. Setting University hospital electromyography laboratory. Participants Patients with electrodiagnostic evidence of an ulnar neuropathy at or distal to the wrist over a 3-year period. Forty-seven hands from 42 patients (age range, 20−80y; mean, 52y) were identified and evaluated in this study. Interventions Record review of clinical history, physical examination, electromyography, and treatment. Main Outcome Measures Etiology of injury, physical signs and symptoms, and electromyographic testing results. Results Ulnar neuropathy at or distal to the wrist is commonly mischaracterized because of other mononeuropathies in the upper extremity and because of peripheral polyneuropathy. Ulnar neuropathy because of cumulative stress presents typically with sensory symptoms (63%) and a normal examination (71%), whereas trauma cases present with motor with or without sensory symptoms (92%) with motor abnormalities (92%) confirmed on examination. Traumatic cases are characterized by electromyography by decreased sensory and motor-evoked amplitudes, prolonged motor distal latencies, and abnormal needle examination. The amplitude changes are noted comparing with laboratory norms and comparing side to side. No characteristic pattern of abnormalities on electromyography is noted in the cumulative stress cases. Patients with no motor symptoms, regardless of etiology, are more apt to have sensory distal latency prolongation, whereas those with motor symptoms have motor amplitude and needle examination abnormalities. Conclusions Traumatic ulnar neuropathy at or distal to the wrist is characterized by motor symptoms and sensory and motor axonal loss by electromyography, whereas cumulative stress cases have sensory symptoms and electromyographic findings that are highly variable and noncharacteristic. Patients with no motor symptoms are more apt to show sensory distal latency abnormalities on electromyography, whereas those with motor symptoms show motor-evoked amplitude and needle electromyography abnormalities.
Leakage Current in DRAM Memory Cell

Retention time is a critical characteristic in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) design. In order to improve DRAM retention time characteristics, leakage current must be reduced and various solutions are proposed. The major leakage paths in a DRAM cell stem from reverse junction leakage from the storage node, and gate induced drain leakage (GIDL) current. Empirically it is known that the junction leakage is affected by the lateral electric field near the storage node, which is enhanced by an increase in substrate doping due to threshold adjustment. The DRAM cell becomes more susceptible to GIDL when the storage node stores a "1" and a negative bias is applied to the gate. The voltage drop across the gate oxide creates a vertical electric field that leads to a higher leakage current. In this paper, these leakage paths are investigated with device simulation. Tradeoffs between substrate doping, gate thickness and leakage are explored using Silvaco Atonable/Atlas. The DRAM cell was modeled using a 0.24 mum NMOS transistor. Substrate doping was varied to analyze its effect on depletion region, lateral electric field, and reverse current. Device simulation has shown that a lower substrate doping yields better results on lateral field and reverse current. As the substrate doping was reduced from 5.8times1017cm-3 to 9times1016cm-3, the lateral field decreased from 7.25times105V/cm to 5.6times105V/cm. Subsequently, the reverse current decreased from 3.1 pA to 0.5 pA. The GIDL was explored by varying LDD implantation energy and gate oxide thickness. As oxide thickness increased, the vertical field decreased because the voltage drop occurred over a larger distance. The vertical field was reduced from 1.25times106V/cm to 6.9times105V/cm when the oxide thickness was increased from 11.7 to 21.6 nm.
Design, modeling and performance evaluation of a long and slim continuum robotic cable

In this paper, we present a novel design for constructing multi-section continuum robots with a special focus on thin (less than 1 cm diameter) and relatively longer length (more than 100 cm), along with its new kinematic modeling and performance evaluation. This spring-loaded, tendon-actuated cable-like continuum robot incorporates key features of a concentric tube style design with added local compression to most sections and actively controllable bending along its entire backbone. It also avoids a complicated and large actuator system. Such robotic cables can be well suited for current space and terrestrial applications like exploration, teleoperation, surveillance, maintenance activities, etc., benefiting from these unique structural properties.
Improved parallel QR method for large least squares problems involving Kronecker products

Abstract A new algorithm is presented for the efficient solution of large least squares problems in which the coefficient matrix of the linear system is a Kronecker product of two smaller dimension matrices. The solution algorithm is based on QR factorizations of the smaller dimension matrices. Near perfect load balancing is achieved by exploiting a ‘commutativity’ property of the Kronecker product, and communication requirements are minimized by employing a binary exchange algorithm for matrix transposition. The parallel algorithm is presented, and timing results are shown from test runs on an Intel i 860 computer.
Pyrrolopyridine inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MK-2).

A new class of potent kinase inhibitors selective for mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MAPKAP-K2 or MK-2) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been prepared and evaluated. These inhibitors have IC50 values as low as 10 nM against the target and have good selectivity profiles against a number of kinases including CDK2, ERK, JNK, and p38. These MK-2 inhibitors have been shown to suppress TNFα production in U397 cells and to be efficacious in an acute inflammation model. The structure−activity relationships of this series, the selectivity for MK-2 and their activity in both in vitro and in vivo models are discussed. The observed selectivity is discussed with the aid of an MK-2/inhibitor crystal structure.