cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Life cycle assessment applied to logistics: an overview of the literature

This study aims to identify the global characteristics of the published literature about life cycle assessment (LCA) on logistics and its activities. A sample of publications was determined according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, being considered articles between the period of 2002 and 2016 in the Scopus database. The sample was quantitatively analysed in terms of year of publication, origin, subject categories and authorship. The VOSviewer software was used to view the content and co-citation network maps. The patterns found in the article sample indicate growth in the use of LCA in logistics. This study shows a quantitative analysis of the published literature in order to provide a theoretical reference for developing further researches in this area.
Intravascular Large B-Cell Lymphoma of the Kidney.

Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare and aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma with a nonspecific protean clinical phenotype; therefore its diagnosis can be missed or delayed until tissue sampling. This disease has been recognized by the 2008 World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues, and has previously been termed angiotropic large cell lymphoma, intravascular lymphomatosis, and malignant angioendotheliomatosis.1 An incidence of 0.095 per 1,000,000 in the United States has been reported, with increasing incidence from 2000 to 2013 likely ascribable to increased recognition.2 Tissue damage and the clinical phenotype are likely related to occlusion of the vasculature by the intraluminally sequestered neoplastic cells. We describe a patient who presented with a protracted course of a combination of constitutional symptoms, neurological abnormalities, and splenomegaly, but initially without a clear underlying etiology to explain the clinical findings. Only after significant worsening of proteinuria and hematuria (which was confounded by a recent ureteral stone removal), and the new finding of granular casts and white blood cell casts on urine microscopy, was a kidney biopsy performed, the diagnosis of IVLBCL made, and therapy initiated, thereby illustrating the need for consideration of this neoplasm in the differential diagnosis of acute kidney failure in patients with a constellation of symptoms, and the importance of tissue sampling for diagnosis.
Singular perturbation of an elastic energy with a singular weight

Abstract We study the singular perturbation of an elastic energy with a singular weight. The minimization of this energy results in a multi-scale pattern formation. We derive an energy scaling law in terms of the perturbation parameter and prove that, although one cannot expect periodicity of minimizers, the energy of a minimizer is uniformly distributed across the sample. Finally, following the approach developed by Alberti and Muller (2001) we prove that a sequence of minimizers of the perturbed energies converges to a Young measure supported on piecewise-linear periodic functions of slope ± 1 whose period depends on the location in the domain and the weights in the energy.
Tribute to Dr. Jan Petzelt

It is with much pleasure that I write this tribute to Dr Jan Petzelt on the occasion of the publication of this Special Issue of Ferroelectrics to honour his many contributions to the science of fe...
Sleeve Gastrectomy for Youth With Cognitive Impairment or Developmental Disability.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Youth with cognitive impairment or developmental disability (CI/DD) face higher rates of obesity and secondary medical issues. Bariatric surgery may be a helpful tool for health improvement because it has been shown efficacious for adolescents. We aim to contribute to literature regarding bariatric surgery for adolescents with CI/DD and explore the association between cognitive functioning and weight loss outcomes. METHODS: Adolescents (N = 64) received a preoperative psychological evaluation, including cognitive assessment, and bariatric surgery at 1 weight loss program between 2010 and 2017. For these adolescents with measured cognitive performance, CI/DD was defined by an IQ RESULTS: There were no significant differences between adolescents with or without CI/DD in terms of preoperative BMI, age, and sex. Having CI/DD did not significantly impact weight loss or weight loss trajectory in the 2 years after surgery, although modeling revealed a trend toward individuals with CI/DD losing more weight over time. Similarly, intelligence scores did not predict weight loss after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Bariatric surgery may be a helpful tool for adolescents with severe obesity and CI/DD. They could benefit from the surgery as much as those with typical development, and having CI/DD should not be used as a criterion to deny surgery. Continuing research with this population can be used to determine long-term outcomes in addition to defining best practices.
TTLoC: Taming Tail Latency for Erasure-Coded Cloud Storage Systems

Distributed storage systems are known to be susceptible to long tails in response time. In modern online storage systems such as Bing, Facebook, and Amazon, the long tails of the service latency are of particular concern, with 99.9th percentile response times being orders of magnitude worse than the mean. As erasure codes emerge as a popular technique to achieve high data reliability in distributed storage while attaining space efficiency, taming tail latency still remains an open problem due to the lack of mathematical models for analyzing such systems. To this end, we propose a framework for quantifying and optimizing tail latency in erasure-coded storage systems. In particular, we derive upper bounds on tail latency in closed-form for arbitrary service time distribution and heterogeneous files. Based on the model, we formulate an optimization problem to jointly minimize weighted latency tail probability of all files over the placement of files on the servers, and the choice of servers to access the requested files. The non-convex problem is solved using an efficient, alternating optimization algorithm. Further, we mathematically quantify, in closed form, the tail index , i.e., the exponent at which latency tail probability diminishes to zero, of the service latency for arbitrary erasure-coded storage, by characterizing the asymptotic behavior of latency distribution tails. We further show that probabilistic scheduling-based algorithms are (asymptotically) optimal since they are able to achieve the exact tail index. Evaluation results show significant reduction of tail latency for erasure-coded storage systems with realistic workload. Based on the offline algorithm, an online version is developed and its superiority over the state-of-the-art algorithms, e.g., join-shortest-queue (JSQ), power-of-d [Pof(d))], least-load [LL(d)], is shown. Finally, a cloud storage system is implemented in a real cloud environment to show the superiority of our approach as compared to the considered baselines.
Reconstruction of Mid-Cenozoic Extension in the Rincon Mountains Area, Southeastern Arizona, USA, and Geodynamic Implications

NSF [EAR 1649254]; U.S. Geological Survey National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program under STATEMAP grant [03HQAG0114]; STATEMAP grant [06HQAG0051, G09AC00199]
Association between HIV knowledge and stigmatizing attitudes towards people living with HIV in Afghanistan: findings from the 2015 Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey.

BACKGROUND Afghanistan has witnessed a dramatic increase in HIV infections. Public health officials have responded with campaigns to educate the public about HIV prevention and transmission. We examine the association between HIV prevention and transmission knowledge and stigma towards people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Afghanistan. METHODS We conducted a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data (n=11 930) from the 2015 Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was used to examine the effects of accurate HIV knowledge related to safer sex and local misconceptions about the virus's transmission (e.g. mosquitos and witchcraft) on two stigma outcomes, namely, stigma towards public others with HIV (teachers and food vendors) and stigma towards close family members with HIV. RESULTS Stigmatizing attitudes were highly prevalent and HIV knowledge varied widely. Multivariate analyses show that correct knowledge related to local misconceptions about HIV prevention and transmission is significantly associated with lower stigma towards public others (ΔR2adjusted=0.07); however, knowledge had little and contradictory influence in the model predicting stigma towards close family members with HIV (ΔR2adjusted=0.005). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that it would be worthwhile designing interventions that dispel local misconceptions about HIV. This may be helpful in reducing stigma towards PLHIV in public positions but not towards family members, which calls for alternative strategies for reducing HIV-related stigma.
Numerical Model to Predict Hemolysis and Transport in a Membrane-Based Microfluidic Device

Microfluidic devices may overcome the limitations of conventional hemodialysis and oxygenation technology to improve patient outcomes. Namely, the small form of this technology and parallel development of highly permeable membranes may facilitate the development of portable, low-volume, and efficient alternatives to conventional membrane-based equipment. However, the characteristically small dimensions of these devices may also inhibit transport and may also induce flow-mediated nonphysiologic shear stresses that may damage red blood cells (RBCs). In vitro testing is commonly used to quantify these phenomenon, but is costly and only characterizes bulk device performance. Here we developed a computational model that predicts the blood damage and solute transport for an abitrary microfluidic geometry. We challenged the predictiveness of the model with three geometric variants of a prototype design and validated hemolysis predictions with in vitro blood damge of prototype devices in a recirculating loop. We found that six of the nine tested damage models statistically agree with the experimental data for at least one geometric variant. Additionally, we found that one geometrical variant, the herringbone design, improved toxin (urea) transport to the dialysate by 38% in silico at the expense of a 50% increase in hemolysis. Our work demonstrates that computational modeling may supplement in vitro testing of prototype microdialyzer/micro-oxygenators to expedite the design optimization of these devices. Furthermore, the low device-induced blood damage measured in our study at physiologically relevant flow rates is promising for the future development of microfluidic dialyzers and oxygenators.
Prevalence and Outcomes of Patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White in Danon Disease: Results of a Retrospective Analysis

Purpose Danon Disease is a rare X-linked myopathy caused by defects in the lysosome-associated membrane 2 (LAMP2) gene. It is strongly associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy as well as Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, but the prevalence of WPW in Danon is unclear. This study examined the prevalence of WPW and associated outcomes in a cohort of patients with Danon Disease. Methods Records were reviewed for 41 patients with confirmed Danon Disease enrolled in a previously described retrospective registry, 31 of which had at least one electrocardiogram (EKG) on file. EKGs were assessed for the presence of WPW, as well as left and right ventricular hypertrophy (LVH, RVH), or both. WPW was defined as a PR interval ≤ 120 milliseconds, QRS interval ≥120 milliseconds, and delta wave. Charts were reviewed for internal cardiac defibrillator (ICD) placement, heart transplantation, and death. These outcomes were evaluated between patients with and without WPW on EKG using chi-square analysis, with p Results EKG criteria for LVH, RVH or both was met in 10 of the 11 WPW patients, compared to 9 of the 20 without WPW (p=0.012). ICD devices were present in 9 of the 11 WPW patients, 3 of which were placed for secondary prevention, compared to 9 of the 20 patients without WPW (p=0.119). Six of the 11 WPW patients eventually underwent heart transplant, compared to 4 of the 20 without WPW (p=0.058). Only one death was noted in this cohort, and was determined to not be cardiac related. Conclusion In a cohort of patients with Danon Disease, approximately one-third had WPW syndrome on EKG. Those with WPW on EKG had higher rates of EKG criteria for LVH, RVH or both and were more likely to require advanced therapies such as ICD placement and cardiac transplant. Larger studies involving WPW in Danon Disease should seek to better characterize these outcomes.
Speciation and gene flow in two sympatric small mammals from Madagascar, Microgale fotsifotsy and M. soricoides (Mammalia: Tenrecidae)

Madagascar's shrew tenrecs (Mammalia: Tenrecidae; Microgale, Nesogale) represent an excellent system for studying speciation. Most species are endemic to the island's eastern humid forests, a region renowned for high levels of biodiversity and a high rate of in situ diversification. We set out to understand the speciation dynamics in a clade of recently described taxa: Microgale fotsifotsy and M. soricoides, which have nearly identical distributions in the moist evergreen forest, and M. nasoloi, which occurs in the western dry deciduous forest. A phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial DNA data recovered two distinct clades of M. fotsifotsy: a south clade that is sister to, and broadly sympatric with, M. soricoides, and a north clade that is sister to the dry-forest and distantly allopatric species M. nasoloi. To better understand this result, we analysed cranioskeletal measurements and performed demographic analyses using nuclear sequence data from ultraconserved elements. Nuclear data did not support a sister relationship between M. soricoides and the south clade of M. fotsifotsy but did demonstrate introgression between these clades, which probably explains the discordance between nuclear and mitochondrial phylogenies. Demographic analyses also revealed the absence of gene flow between the north and south clades of M. fotsifotsy. Morphometric data revealed several major differences between M. soricoides and M. fotsifotsy, as well as more subtle differences between the two clades of M. fotsifotsy. In light of these results, we treat the south clade of M. fotsifotsy as a new candidate species. Our findings demonstrate the utility of integrating multiple data types to understand complex speciation histories, and contribute to a growing body of evidence that species diversity on Madagascar is underestimated.
Introduction to this special section: Distributed acoustic sensing

Abstract Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) has seen many advances in recent years with many different applications. This special section contains six papers featuring applications that vary from m...
The concreteness of objects: an argument against mereological bundle theory

In a series of publications, L. A. Paul has defended a version of the bundle theory according to which material objects are nothing but mereological sums of ‘their’ properties. This ‘mereological’ bundle theory improves in important ways on earlier bundle theories, but here I present a new argument against it. The argument is roughly this: (1) Material objects occupy space; (2) even if properties have spatial characteristics, they do not quite occupy space; (3) on no plausible construal of mereological composition does a mereological sum of non-space-occupying entities occupy space; therefore, (4) material objects are not mereological sums of properties.
Takeoff and Landing of a Wing-Tip-Connected Meta Aircraft with Feedback Control

This paper details the successful takeoff and landing of a wing-tip-connected meta aircraft prototype. The aircraft consisted of two commercial off-the-shelf high wing trainers connected wing tip t...
Catheter-Related Infection

Intravascular catheters are an inherent part of medical practice and may be inserted for a wide variety of indications from the basic (administration of medications or fluids) to the complex (e.g., hemodynamic monitoring of critically ill patients). One significant risk associated with the use of these catheters is infection. The infection may be local (suppuration at the site of insertion), thereby resulting in patient discomfort and the inconvenience of changing the site, or systemic, resulting in bacteremia, osteomyelitis, or endocarditis. The annual incidence of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) caused by central venous catheters in the intensive care unit is approximately 80,000 (1). Contrary to earlier studies, recent data suggest that when patients are stratified according to severity of illness, the mortality due to CRBSI is not increased. However, hospital length of stay and costs ($3,700 – $34,000 per episode) associated with treating the bacteremia are substantially increased (1,2). This chapter focuses on the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of catheter-related infections.
Computer–Human Interaction

Computer–human interaction (CHI) [also termed human–computer interaction (HCI)] is concerned with the analysis and design of the interaction between humans and the computer systems they use. A goal of computer–human interaction is to purposefully design aspects of the computing system so that it can be used in an efficient, effective, and error-free manner by people to support their tasks and goals. As such, CHI is concerned not only with the design of usable interfaces between the user and the computer system but also with the provision of appropriate and complete functionality necessary for users to accomplish the tasks they set out to do with the computer system. Thus, computer systems must be designed to be both usable, and useful. CHI is interdisciplinary in nature, having historical roots and/or current practitioners in the fields of computer science, human factors and ergonomics, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and industrial design the issues and guidelines described here are applicable to design of Web sites and pages as well as more traditional software systems, the guidelines and discussions specific to Web usability can be found in the refernece. This article describes theoretical perspectives on CHI, presents design issues regarding the computer-human interface, describes individual characteristics of users, summarizes the methods relevant to designers of computer systems, and discusses issues specific to the design of help systems and user documentation. Keywords: properties; computer-human interface; information displays; individual experience; requirements gathering; task analysis; modeling; prototyping; usability testing; participation; help systems; documentation
Resolution measures in molecular electron microscopy

Resolution measures in molecular electron microscopy provide means to evaluate quality of macromolecular structures computed from sets of their two-dimensional (2D) line projections. When the amount of detail in the computed density map is low there are no external standards by which the resolution of the result can be judged. Instead, resolution measures in molecular electron microscopy evaluate consistency of the results in reciprocal space and present it as a one-dimensional (1D) function of the modulus of spatial frequency. Here we provide description of standard resolution measures commonly used in electron microscopy. We point out that the organizing principle is the relationship between these measures and the spectral signal-to-noise ratio (SSNR) of the computed density map. Within this framework it becomes straightforward to describe the connection between the outcome of resolution evaluations and the quality of electron microscopy maps, in particular, the optimum filtration, in the Wiener sense, of the computed map. We also provide a discussion of practical difficulties of evaluation of resolution in electron microscopy, particularly in terms of its sensitivity to data processing operations used during structure determination process in single particle analysis and in electron tomography (ET).
STUDIES ON LACTAMS PART 30, SYNTHESIS OF DIHYDROPYRROLES AND TETRAHYDROPYRIDINES AS INTERMEDIATES FOR BICYCLIC BETA-LACTAMS

Abstract N-Acetyl derivatives of 5,6 or 7-membered lactams were condensed with aromatic aldehydes, deacetylated and allowed to react with P 2 S 5 in refluxing pyridine. The thio-lactams so obtained were methylated with MeI to give 5- and 6-membered thioimidates which were convenient intermediates for the synthesis of penam and cepham derivatives.
Fluoroquinolone Sequential Therapy for Helicobacter pylori: A Meta-analysis

Study objective As resistance of Helicobacter pylori to standard first-line therapy is increasing globally, alternative treatment regimens, such as a fluoroquinolone-based sequential regimen, have been explored. The objective of this meta-analysis was to compare the efficacy of fluoroquinolone-based sequential therapy with standard first-line treatment for H. pylori infection. Design Meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials. Patients A total of 738 H. pylori-infected, treatment-naive adults who received fluoroquinolone-based sequential therapy (5-7 days of a proton pump inhibitor [PPI] and amoxicillin therapy followed by 5-7 days of a PPI, a fluoroquinolone, and metronidazole or tinidazole or furazolidone therapy) and 733 H. pylori-infected, treatment-naive adults who received guideline-recommended, first-line therapy with standard triple therapy (7-14 days of a PPI plus amoxicillin and clarithromycin) or standard sequential therapy (5 days of a PPI plus amoxicillin, followed by an additional 5 days of triple therapy consisting of a PPI, clarithromycin, and metronidazole or tinidazole). Measurements and main results A systematic literature search of the MEDLINE, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases (from inception through January 2015) was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials that compared fluoroquinolone-based sequential therapy with guideline-recommended, first-line treatment regimens in H. pylori-infected, treatment-naive adults. All selected trials confirmed H. pylori infection prior to treatment as well as post-treatment eradication. A meta-analysis was performed by using Review Manager 5.2. Treatment effect was determined with a random-effects model by using the Mantel-Haenszel method and was reported as a risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). In the six randomized controlled trials that met the inclusion criteria, 648 (87.8%) of 738 patients receiving fluoroquinolone-based sequential therapy and 521 (71.1%) of 733 patients receiving standard regimens achieved eradication (RR 1.21, 95% CI 1.09-1.35). The frequencies of adverse effects that were reported in three of the trials were comparable for all treatments (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.76-1.29). In addition, no statistically significant difference was noted in the number of patients who experienced adverse effects that prompted discontinuation of therapy (RR 1.03, 95% CI 0.34-3.09). The H. pylori eradication rate appeared similar among the six trials with respect to duration of therapy and daily dose of the fluoroquinolone. Conclusion Fluoroquinolone-based sequential therapy is a reasonable treatment alternative to first-line eradication therapy for treatment of H. pylori.
Evolution of Mars' northern polar seasonal CO2 deposits: Variations in surface brightness and bulk density

Small-scale variations of seasonal ice are explored at different geomorphic units on the Northern Polar Seasonal Cap (NPSC). We use seasonal rock shadow measurements, combined with visible and thermal observations, to calculate density over time. The coupling of volume density and albedo allows us to determine the microphysical state of the seasonal CO2 ice. We find two distinct end-members across the NPSC: (1) Snow deposits may anneal to form an overlying slab layer that fractures. These low-density deposits maintain relatively constant densities over springtime. (2) Porous slab deposits likely anneal rapidly in early spring and fracture in late spring. These high-density deposits dramatically increase in density over time. The end-members appear to be correlated with latitude.
Genomic Annotation of Drosophila biarmipes Dot Chromosome Contig 19 (LB531)

Comparative analysis of the genome of Drosophila melanogaster with other Drosophila species at various evolutionary distances can reveal information about differences in euchromatic and heterochrom...
Calibrating trust to integrate intelligent agents into human teams

Complex team tasks, such as joint operation planning, require that information and resources from distributed sources be exchanged and fused because no one individual or service has the collective expertise, information, or resources required. We are at the beginning of a major research program aimed at effectively incorporating intelligent agents into human teams. Our initial experiments use a low fidelity simulation of a target identification task, TANDEM, to investigate human-agent interaction for individual operators and human teams. In the TANDEM simulation subjects identify and choose an appropriate response to a series of air, surface, or submarine targets. Subjects perform a sequence of time critical information gathering and communications tasks in order to decide whether to shoot or clear each target. The data necessary to make a correct decision is distributed among human and in our experiments software agents. Subjects must communicate, coordinate, and negotiate with one another and their agents in order to amass the information needed to classify and dispose of each target. The most transparent presentation led to the best performance and greatest reliance on the simulated agent.
Slope Display on a Locomotion Interface

Smooth slopes can be displayed on treadmills through tilt mechanisms, but these mechanisms are typically too slow to present sudden slope changes. The Sarcos Treadport utilizes a mechanical tether that can apply horizontal forces to the user to simulate gravity forces. Psychophysical results are presented to show that slope display via tether forces is a reasonable facsimile for treadmill slope. Results are also presented on discrimination of slope while walking and of tether pulling direction.
Human Reliability Analysis in Spaceflight Applications, Part 2: Modified CREAM for Spaceflight

Human reliability analysis is a crucial for manned spaceflight success. Cognitive Reliability Error Analysis Model (CREAM) has been developed and used by the nuclear industry in predicting human error. Previously, the authors have calculated the probability error for an International Space Station ingress procedure using performance shaping factors (PSF). In this paper, the procedural risk under both ideal and common conditions using the new spaceflight specific PSFs is calculated. The risk was found to vary from the risk calculated using standard PSFs and to vary greatly depending on the spacecraft specific conditions. Under ideal conditions, the risk was found to be 1 in 88, but under common conditions, the risk was 1 in 3. Then, the new PSFs were used to analyze the impact of the three styles of training used at NASA under common conditions. Of skill-based training, task-based training, and knowledge-based training, the CREAM analysis using the new PSFs showed that skill-based training resulted in the most significant improvement in the risk of human error, from 1 in 3 to 1 in 11. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Selectivity of release of norepinephrine, dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine by amphetamine in various regions of rat brain.

Abstract Tissues from various regions of rat brain were incubated with [ 3 H]norepinephrine, [ 3 H]dopamine or [ 3 H]5-hydroxytryptamine; excess amine was washed from the tissues and the [ 3 H]amines present in the incubation medium and tissues were measured. The release of the accumulated [ 3 H]amine by amphetamine was related to the nature of the neurons in the several regions and the release of each of the [ 3 H]amines was quite selective for neurons which contain the corresponding endogenous amine. The release of [ 3 H]norepinephrine from norepinephrine neurons is most sensitive to amphetamine, while the release of [ 3 H]dopamine from dopamine neurons requires higher concentrations of amphetamine. Release of [ 3 H]5-hydroxytryptamine from 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons appears to be least sensitive to amphetamine. This selective effect of amphetamine on neurons containing biogenic amines may help to explain the behavioral changes which occur at different doses of amphetamine. The selectivity of release of the [ 3 H]-amines was also examined by observing the accumulation and release of [ 3 H]norepinephrine and [ 3 H]5-hydroxytryptamine in the presence of five-fold higher concentrations of the unlabeled amines. There was relatively little effect of unlabeled norepinephrine on the accumulation and release of [ 3 H]5-hydroxytryptamine or of unlabeled 5-hydroxytryptamine on [ 3 H]norepinephrine accumulation and release. Unlabeled dopamine reduced the accumulation and altered the release of [ 3 H]norepinephrine and [ 3 H]5-hydroxytryptamine, but this was much less marked than the effect of the unlabeled analogues of the [ 3 H]amines. The release of each of the [ 3 H]amines by its unlabeled analogue occurred with concentrations as low as, or lower than, the release produced by amphetamine or the other unlabeled amines. The release of the [ 3 H]amines by a five-fold higher concentration of the unlabeled analogues was so high that it was not increased further by very high concentrations of amphetamine (10 −3 M). These results suggest that, under the conditions of this study, the [ 3 H]amines are accumulated within specific neurons of brain tissue and that they are selectively released by amphetamine.
Effect of self-ion injection in simulation studies of void swelling

Abstract The rate theory of void swelling is generalized to incorporate the effect of excess interstitial production resulting from self-ion injection in simulation studies. The swelling rate is shown to be reduced at all temperatures, the fractional reduction being largest in the region where intrinsic recombination of irradiation-induced interstitials and vacancies dominates, provided there is no dislocation recovery at high doses. When such recovery processes are operative, however, the effect of self-ion injection is most important near the peak swelling temperature and can lead to a saturation in swelling with increasing dose which, in the model considered, would be absent under neutron irradiation. For this reason it is emphasized that the results of simulation experiments, without complementary microstructural data, should be viewed with caution as far as their quantitative relation to neutron damage is concerned.
RAPD reveals genetic similarity of Acer saccharum and Acer nigrum

The number of species and subspecies that comprise North American sugar maples has remained in dispute since their first characterization over 100 years ago. The distinction between Acer nigrum (black maples) and Acer saccharum (sugar maples) in particular has been controversial. Despite readily distinguished morphologies and different adaptive advantages, these trees hybridize readily and their ranges extensively overlap. Extensive RAPD-PCR based analyses of A. nigrum and A. saccharum trees collected from throughout their range reveal that they are genetically distinguishable only on a geographical basis and not by their morphologies. The extent to which locally collected, indigenous trees displaying the characteristic A. nigrum and A. saccharum morphologies are genetically indistinct, seriously undermines the basis for assigning distinguishing species names to these trees. The distinctive characteristics of these trees may be affected by a relatively small set of genes or may even constitute inducible responses on the part of trees to their local environments.
Global plant capacity and product allocation with pricing decisions

Trade-offs in global manufacturing decisions involve markets, resource costs, trade-barriers, currency exchange rates, joint ventures and investments. We develop a model that optimizes plant investment decisions, while ensuring that the plant investment overhead is optimally absorbed by products produced from that plant. The model also, simultaneously, determines prices by products and countries. The special structure of the model is exploited to construct a fast solution procedure. The model is used to study the implications of labor cost, transportation cost, demand, and import tariff on production quantities, investment, and overhead absorption pattern. Implications of changes in other global parameters such as local-content rule, local taxes, size of the market in a country, and long-term exchange rates are also studied.
Galvanostatic Pulse Plating of Bulk Cu-Al Alloys on Nickel Electrodes from Room-Temperature Chloroaluminate Molten Salts Containing Benzene

The galvanostatic pulse plating of bulk Cu-Al alloy films from solutions of copper(I) in the 60.0-40.0 mole percent aluminum chloride-1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride room-temperature molten salt mixed with 45.4% (v/v) benzene was investigated at a demountable nickel rotating disk electrode by using pulse current, superimposed-pulse current, and reverse-pulse current methods. The resulting alloy films were characterized by using scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and were compared to those prepared with conventional dc plating methods. Generally, the as-deposited surface morphology was greatly improved and the chloride contamination was decreased in those alloy electrodeposits prepared by using periodic current waveforms. This was especially true for some reverse-pulse current plating experiments, which led to deposits with no detectable chloride contamination. Cu-Al electrodeposits with specular surfaces containing approximately 4% atomic fraction aluminum were obtained by using supcrimposed-pulse current plating in which the superimposed current was equal in magnitude to the limiting current for the reduction of copper(1). The use of 1% (w/w) methyl t-butyl ether as a leveling agent to improve the deposit surface morphology was also investigated.
Consequences of endoscopic inguinal hernioplasty with mesh on subsequent open radical prostatectomy.

Aim To determine the effect of prior endoscopic hernia repair with prosthetic mesh on subsequent open radical prostatectomy.
The Influence of Size and Responsiveness of Virtual Objects on Perceived Heaviness

We investigated the multimodal (haptic + visual) perception of heaviness of wielded objects. Virtual depictions of a wielded object moved in real time with the actual wielded object. Both apparent object size and the object's apparent responsiveness to applied muscular torques were manipulated in the virtual depictions. The findings suggest that while both object size and responsiveness contribute to perceived heaviness, the influence of apparent size is not identifiable with changes in apparent object volume.
AN ENGINEERING APPROACH TO FINGERED VADOSE POLLUTANT TRANSPORT

Abstract Results of many independent experimental findings related to fingered preferential flow are combined into a concise, conservative engineering methodology for predicting pollutant transport through fingered flow paths. Preferential flow can occur in all textures of soil, with fingering occurring in less structured coarse soils, giving over to macropore flow in finer-textured soil regimes. A simple example comparing groundwater loading of naphthalene using plug flow and fingered flow assumptions illustrates that fingered flow can increase contaminant loading to groundwater aquifers by over two orders of magnitude at sites with coarse vadose zone materials.
Delayed blind-pouch apposition, guide wire placement, and nonoperative establishment of luminal continuity in a child with long gap esophageal atresia

Delayed primary esophago-esophagostomy is the most physiologically attractive approach to establish luminal continuity in children with pure esophageal atresia. However, excessive tension on the mobilized esophageal ends can lead to anastomotic separation and severe leakage. To circumvent these complications, the blind pouches of a 2(1/2)-month-old child were approximated unopened when, during the extrapleural thoracotomy, a conventional anastomosis was not feasible. A suture was passed through the tip of the 2 ends and made to exit through the mouth and the gastrostomy. After healing occurred, the suture was replaced under fluoroscopic control by a Seldinger-type wire. A vein dilator then was passed over the wire, establishing the continuity between the esophageal segments. Subsequent dilatations increased the anastomosis to the desired diameter. Leakage and an additional thoracotomy were avoided, and the hospital stay was shortened. The child, now 6 years old, is well and swallows normally.
Classical transport in a field reversed configuration

The transport of charged particles in a field reversed configuration (FRC) was previously considered to be turbulent because it is much faster than classical predictions. Classical transport has mainly been developed for plasmas in which the gyroradii of particles are small compared to the scale lengths of the variation of the density and magnetic field. This assumption is quite inappropriate for an FRC where the magnetic field vanishes on a surface within the plasma. Classical theory has been extended to include large ion gyroradii. A classical loss-cone process is revealed that is consistent with the transport experiments in which the ion gyroradii were comparable in size to the plasma radius.
A monetary comparison of energy recovered from microbial fuel cells and microbial electrolysis cells fed winery or domestic wastewaters

Microbial fuel (MFCs) and electrolysis cells (MECs) can be used to recover energy directly as electricity or hydrogen from organic matter. Organic removal efficiencies and values of the different energy products were compared for MFCs and MECs fed winery or domestic wastewater. TCOD removal (%) and energy recoveries (kWh/kg-COD) were higher for MFCs than MECs with both wastewaters. At a cost of $4.51/kg-H2 for winery wastewater and $3.01/kg-H2 for domestic wastewater, the hydrogen produced using MECs cost less than the estimated merchant value of hydrogen ($6/kg-H2). 16S rRNA clone libraries indicated the predominance of Geobacter species in anodic microbial communities in MECs for both wastewaters, suggesting low current densities were the result of substrate limitations. The results of this study show that energy recovery and organic removal from wastewater are more effective with MFCs than MECs, but that hydrogen production from wastewater fed MECs can be cost effective.
Statistical model based iterative reconstruction in myocardial CT perfusion: exploitation of the low dimensionality of the spatial-temporal image matrix

Time-resolved CT imaging methods play an increasingly important role in clinical practice, particularly, in the diagnosis and treatment of vascular diseases. In a time-resolved CT imaging protocol, it is often necessary to irradiate the patients for an extended period of time. As a result, the cumulative radiation dose in these CT applications is often higher than that of the static CT imaging protocols. Therefore, it is important to develop new means of reducing radiation dose for time-resolved CT imaging. In this paper, we present a novel statistical model based iterative reconstruction method that enables the reconstruction of low noise time-resolved CT images at low radiation exposure levels. Unlike other well known statistical reconstruction methods, this new method primarily exploits the intrinsic low dimensionality of time-resolved CT images to regularize the reconstruction. Numerical simulations were used to validate the proposed method.
Use of Amplatzer occlusion devices to occlude Fontan baffle leaks during fenestration closure procedures

The authors describe the use of Amplatzer occlusion devices to successfully occlude Fontan baffle leaks in three patients. These additional right to left shunts were recognized at the time of elective transcatheter closure of surgically created fenestrations. A common site of baffle leak is described at the base of the right atrial appendage. This suture line serves to exclude the right atrial appendage from Fontan baffle flow and lies within the corrugated surface of the pectinate muscles, making it particularly vunerable to baffle leaks over time. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Constraints on H0 from the central velocity dispersions of lens galaxies

We employ Schwarzschild's method of the orbit modeling to constrain the mass profiles of the central lens galaxies in Q0957+561 and PG 1115+080. We combine the measured, central projected stellar velocity dispersions of these galaxies with the self-similar radial profiles of the rms velocity and of the Gauss-Hermite moment h4 observed in nearby galaxies for 0 R 2Reff. For Q0957+561, we find a 16% uncertainty in the galaxy mass and formal 2 σ limits on the Hubble constant of H0=61 km s-1 Mpc-1. For PG 1115+080, we find that none of the viable lens models can be ruled out, so that H0 is not yet strongly constrained by this system.
Three dimensional face recognition based on geodesic and Euclidean distances

We propose a novel method to improve the performance of existing three dimensional (3D) human face recognition algorithms that employ Euclidean distances between facial fiducial points as features. We further investigate a novel 3D face recognition algorithm that employs geodesic and Euclidean distances between facial fiducial points. We demonstrate that this algorithm is robust to changes in facial expression. Geodesic and Euclidean distances were calculated between pairs of 25 facial fiducial points. For the proposed algorithm, geodesic distances and 'global curvature' characteristics, defined as the ratio of geodesic to Euclidean distance between a pairs of points, were employed as features. The most discriminatory features were selected using stepwise linear discriminant analysis (LDA). These were projected onto 11 LDA directions, and face models were matched using the Euclidean distance metric. With a gallery set containing one image each of 105 subjects and a probe set containing 663 images of the same subjects, the algorithm produced EER=1.4% and a rank 1 RR=98.64%. It performed significantly better than existing algorithms based on principal component analysis and LDA applied to face range images. Its verification performance for expressive faces was also significantly better than an algorithm that employed Euclidean distances between facial fiducial points as features.
Intra-coronary adenoviral-mediated sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase gene transfection during experimental heart failure improves exercise capacity and hemodynamic, inflammatory, and apoptotic profiles

Abstract Introduction: Heart failure is associated with abnormalities of the inflammatory and apoptotic cascades. Our goal was to assess potential alterations in these systemic pathways as a result of intra-cardiac gene transfection of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA). Methods: Rats underwent aortic banding and were followed by echocardiography for development of heart failure. After a decrease in fractional shortening of at least 25% from baseline, intra-coronary injection of Ad.SERCA (n = 7) or Ad.Gal (control, n = 12) was performed. Sacrifice was completed on post-operative day 7 or 21, after hemodynamic assessment, measurement of inflammatory and apoptotic markers, and swim testing to exhaustion. Results: At day 7, animals treated with Ad.SERCA had improved systolic function (mean ± SD, max dP/dT 6690 mmHg/s ± 452 vs. 3135 ± 438, p Table 1 . Inflammatory and pro-apoptotic factors 7 days after gene transfection Ad.Gal Ad.SERCA p Value IL-1 (ng/mL) 34.7 ± 0.9 32.3 ± 0.6 IL-6 (ng/mL) 189.3 ± 4.9 167.4 ± 3.3 TNF (ng/mL) 19.3 ± 1.3 17.2 ± 0.4 0.03 ANP (pg/mL) 0.52 ± 0.1 0.35 ± 0.03 0.02 Bax ∗ 0.33 ± 0.04 0.24 ± 0.1 0.02 Bak ∗ 0.21 ± 0.02 0.17 ± 0.01 0.03 ∗ Protein levels standardized to actin. Conclusions: Intra-coronary delivery of SERCA during heart failure improved hemodynamic performance, and was associated with decreased systemic inflammation and apoptosis. Maximal exercise tolerance was similarly improved. This effect lasted at least 21 days following injection, suggesting a potential use of this treatment strategy in the management of heart failure.
Second-Order Analysis of Plane Frames with One Element Per Member

A corotational element is developed directly from the governing second-order differential equations of beam theory. The corotational element includes not only the effect of axial force on the bending moment (P-delta effect) but also the additional axial strain caused by end rotations. Hinged and semirigid end conditions are also included so that plastic hinges could be considered. The resulting local element tangent stiffness matrix is compared to traditional local element elastic and geometric stiffness matrices. The method is implemented and executed on two example problems in which only one element per member is used. Results compare favorably to those from a nonlinear commercial program in which several elements per member are used. A third example problem includes both geometric and material nonlinearity to develop a pushover curve.
Formation of a stable decagonal quasicrystal in cobalt ion implanted aluminum

A binary Al–Co decagonal quasicrystal has formed after 100 keV Co+-ion implantation into pure Al with a dose of 1.5×1017 ion/cm2, and the quasicrystal has shown a high thermal stability. The composition of stable decagonal quasicrystal is believed to be Al11Co4. Co+ ion implantation into Al first produced a multiple layer surface structure. The first layer was an amorphous layer. The second layer consisted of a decagonal quasicrystal and a coexisting amorphous phase. The amorphous phase in the implanted region where composition is close to Al11Co4 was transformed into the decagonal quasicrystal during annealing in a temperature range between 550 and 600 °C. Possible transformation mechanisms for the experimental results are discussed.
Mathematical modelling of stratified airflow in large mine openings

Abstract Ventilation of mines in oilshale, limestone, stratiform lead—zinc, etc., involves the passing of air through large-size mine openings. The openings can be as large as 60 ft wide × 60 ft. high. In such openings, the mine air often flows in a stratified laminar form. Such air flow has significant variations in air velocity across the airway cross-section. Atkinson's formula, used widely to calculate air quantities and air velocities, cannot be used for such calculations when stratified airflow in large mine openings is involved. This paper attempts to develop mathematical models to calculate air velocity distributions in large mine openings. Two approaches have been used. The first approach considers streamline, steady state and incompressible flow of air. The second approach develops a thermo-dynamic model of air velocity distribution caused by buoyancy forces resulting from temperature inequalities.