cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Models of the Solar Chromosphere and Transition Region from SUMER and HRTS Observations: Formation of the Extreme-Ultraviolet Spectrum of Hydrogen, Carbon, and Oxygen

We present the results of optically thick non-LTE radiative transfer calculations of lines and continua of H, C I-IV, and O I-VI and other elements using a new one-dimensional, time-independent model corresponding to the average quiet-Sun chromosphere and transition region. The model is based principally on the Curdt et al. SUMER atlas of the extreme ultraviolet spectrum. Our model of the chromosphere is a semiempirical one, with the temperature distribution adjusted to obtain optimum agreement between calculated and observed continuum intensities, line intensities, and line profiles. Our model of the transition region is determined theoretically from a balance between (a) radiative losses and (b) the downward energy flow from the corona due to thermal conduction and particle diffusion, and using boundary conditions at the base of the transition region established at the top of the chromosphere from the semiempirical model. The quiet-Sun model presented here should be considered as a replacement of the earlier model C of Vernazza et al., since our new model is based on an energy-balance transition region, a better underlying photospheric model, a more extensive set of chromospheric observations, and improved calculations. The photospheric structure of the model given here is the same as in Table 3 of Fontenla, Avrett, Thuiller, & Harder. We show comparisons between calculated and observed continua, and between the calculated and observed profiles of all significant lines of H, C I-IV, and O I-VI in the wavelength range 67-173 nm. While some of the calculated lines are not in emission as observed, we find reasonable general agreement, given the uncertainties in atomic rates and cross sections, and we document the sources of the rates and cross sections used in the calculation. We anticipate that future improvements in the atomic data will give improved agreement with the observations.
The self-diffusion constant for large heavy particles

We construct a closed-form expression for the self-diffusion constant, D, for a hard-sphere particle whose mass and radius are large compared to the corresponding bath-particle quantities. The expression yields the Stokes-Einstein law at high bath-particle densities and the Boltzmann form for low densities. In addition, the first density correction to D is obtained and the higher-order density corrections are shown to diverge. The second density correction diverges as −log(k0R), where k0 is a cutoff wavevector and R is the radius of the particle.
Bitmap Index in Ontology Mapping for Data Integration

Selecting a relevant data source among the available ones in a data integration system plays vital role in optimizing query performance. The sources are heterogeneous and autonomous and can join and leave an integration system arbitrarily. Some sources may not contribute significantly to a user query because they are not relevant to it. Executing a user query against all available sources consumes resources unreasonably and makes the query processing expensive. The existing techniques for source selection take significant time in traversing source descriptions. Consequently, query response time degrades in coping with the growing number of available sources. Semantic heterogeneities of data add further complexity to source selection. As a first step, we employed ontologies for identifying the relevant data elements of individual sources for particular queries and semantic relationships among these data elements. Then, we mapped local ontologies with domain ontology through a bitmap index. In spite of traversing the local ontologies, our proposed system utilizes the bitmap index to perform relevance reasoning in order to optimize the user query response. A prototype system has been designed and implemented to validate the system. We evaluated the prototype system for query response time and it was improved due to the incorporation of a bitmap index.
Crowds in two seconds: enabling realtime crowd-powered interfaces

Interactive systems must respond to user input within seconds. Therefore, to create realtime crowd-powered interfaces, we need to dramatically lower crowd latency. In this paper, we introduce the use of synchronous crowds for on-demand, realtime crowdsourcing. With synchronous crowds, systems can dynamically adapt tasks by leveraging the fact that workers are present at the same time. We develop techniques that recruit synchronous crowds in two seconds and use them to execute complex search tasks in ten seconds. The first technique, the retainer model, pays workers a small wage to wait and respond quickly when asked. We offer empirically derived guidelines for a retainer system that is low-cost and produces on-demand crowds in two seconds. Our second technique, rapid refinement, observes early signs of agreement in synchronous crowds and dynamically narrows the search space to focus on promising directions. This approach produces results that, on average, are of more reliable quality and arrive faster than the fastest crowd member working alone. To explore benefits and limitations of these techniques for interaction, we present three applications: Adrenaline, a crowd-powered camera where workers quickly filter a short video down to the best single moment for a photo; and Puppeteer and A|B, which examine creative generation tasks, communication with workers, and low-latency voting.
Stable expression of a cDNA encoding a human β1 → 3galactosyltransferase responsible for lacto‐series type 1 core chain synthesis in non‐expressing cells: Variation in the nature of cell surface antigens expressed

Transient expression of a human colonic adenocarcinoma Colo 205 cell derived cDNA in cell lines which ordinarily express only neolacto-series glycolipids has resulted in the expression of a β1 → 3galactosyltransferase gene responsible for synthesis of glycolipids based upon the lacto-series type 1 core chain. Calcium phosphate transfected cells were panned on anti-lgM coated plates after initial treatment with a combination of monoclonal antibodies specific for type 1 chain terminal structures (TE-3) and a very broadly specific antibody reactive with multiple type 1 chain derivatives (TE-2). Adherent cells after panning were capable of efficiently transferring Gal in β1 → 3-linkage to the acceptor glycolipid Lc3. Using these reagents, clones of stably transfected human colonic adenocarcinoma HCT-15 cells were produced and isolated. Parental HCT-15 cells do not express type 1 chain based antigens. The nature of the type 1 chain based antigens produced in each of these clones was analyzed by solid phase antibody binding assays. Three types of behavior were observed. Formation of type 1 terminal structures that were either exclusively sialylated or fucosylated, or a mixture of sialylated and fucosylated determinants occurred. In contrast, no difference in type 2 antigen expression between any clone and the parental cells was observed. These data suggest that coordination of subsequent reactions capable of modifying type 1 chain structures is not the same in all clones. The relationship of these results to aspects of cellular regulation of carbohydrate biosynthesis is discussed. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Evaluation of Direct Hydrocarbon Indicators Through Comparison of Compressional- and Shear-Wave Data: Case Study of Myrnam Gas Field, Alberta: ABSTRACT

A recent paper documents a new method of evaluating bright spots or other direct hydrocarbon indicators (DHIs). The technique involves the qualitative comparison of compressional (P)-wave and shear (S)-wave1 seismic data. In practice, such a comparison offers a viable means of evaluating DHIs previously observed on P-wave data. The application of SH-wave seismic data for evaluation of DHIs was documented with a case study of P- and SH-wave data from the Putah Sink field of central California. As a second case history, this paper presents an interpretation of P- and SH-wave seismic data from the Myrnam field of Alberta. Shear waves differ from compressional waves in both the direction of particle motion relative to the direction of wave propagation and in the rock properties that control the wave velocity. A P-wave is an elastic wave in which the particle motion is perpendicular to the direction of wave propagation. Because of this relationship between P- and S-waves, the velocities of the two are functions of different rock properties. Consideration of the elastic properties that control the velocity of P- and S-waves in a rock indicates that P-waves are sensitive to the type of pore fluid present within a rock whereas S-waves are only affected slightly by changes in fluid type. Thus, if the presence of gas within a reservoir rock gives rise to an anomalous seismic expression on P-wave data, a DHI, there will be no comparable expression on S-wave data. However, a P-wave anomaly generated by a lithologic feature, a false DHI, will have a corresponding S-wave anomaly. One consequence of this relationship is that it is possible to evaluate the potential of P-wave DHIs through a comparison of P- and S-wave seismic data recorded over a prospect. End_of_Article - Last_Page 253------------
Automatic prosodic event detection using a novel labeling and selection method in co-training

Most previous approaches to automatic prosodic event detection are based on supervised learning, relying on the availability of a corpus that is annotated with the prosodic labels of interest in order to train the classification models. However, creating such resources is an expensive and time-consuming task. In this paper, we exploit semi-supervised learning with the co-training algorithm for automatic detection of coarse-level representation of prosodic events such as pitch accent, intonational phrase boundaries, and break indices. Since co-training works on the condition that the views are compatible and uncorrelated, and real data often do not satisfy these conditions, we propose a method to label and select examples in co-training. In our experiments on the Boston University radio news corpus, when using only a small amount of the labeled data as the initial training set, our proposed labeling method can effectively use unlabeled data to improve performance and finally reach performance close to the results of the supervised method using more labeled data. We perform a thorough analysis of various factors impacting the learning curves, including labeling error rate and informativeness of added examples, performance of the individual classifiers and their difference, and the initial and added data size.
Meckel’s Diverticulum As The Site Of Implanting Ureter To The Bricker Segment After Radical Cystectomy

A 56-year-old man with stage T2N0M0 grade III bladder cancer diagnosed by computerized tomography and transurethral biopsy underwent cystoprostatectomy. Glomerular filtration rate was 40 to 50 ml. per minute and serum creatinine level was less than 120 mol./l. The upper urinary tract was evaluated by excretory urography. Orthotopic ileal Studer neobladder was elected. At operation the peritoneal cavity was opened, and revealed short and fatty ileal mesentery and post-inflammatory bowel with mesenteric adhesions, which made the Studer neobladder impossible to perform. During surgery at 60 cm. from Bauhin’s valve an 8 cm. long Meckel’s diverticulum was identified on the antimesenteric side of the ileum (see figure). The Meckel’s diverticulum was examined, and the distal end was cut and histologically evaluated intraoperatively. The ileal loop with Meckel’s diverticulum was chosen as the Bricker loop because of its easy mobilization and convenient location in the near hood of the ureters. The right ureter was implanted to the sidewall of the distal end of the Bricker loop. The left ureter was anastomosed end-to-end using 3-zero running sutures, with the distal end of the Meckel’s diverticulum conveniently located on the antimesenteric side. The anastomosis was easily extraperitonized. The ureteroileal anastomosis was stented using polyethylene introduced through the abdominal stoma and removed on postoperative day 6. No wound infection, dehiscence or ileal obstruction was noted. The postoperative period was uneventful. The patient has been followed for 2 years with excretory urography performed every 6 months, plus urine culture sampling and creatinine level measurements. He tolerates the appliance well and has resumed almost normal activity. No sign of recurrent disease, stoma, anastomotic obstruction, stone formation or renal deterioration has been observed during 2 years of followup.
An Afferent Vagal Nerve Pathway Links Hepatic PPARα Activation to Glucocorticoid-Induced Insulin Resistance and Hypertension

Glucocorticoid excess causes insulin resistance and hypertension. Hepatic expression of PPARalpha (Ppara) is required for glucocorticoid-induced insulin resistance. Here we demonstrate that afferent fibers of the vagus nerve interface with hepatic Ppara expression to disrupt blood pressure and glucose homeostasis in response to glucocorticoids. Selective hepatic vagotomy decreased hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, hepatic insulin resistance, Ppara expression, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) enzyme activity in dexamethasone-treated Ppara(+/+) mice. Selective vagotomy also decreased blood pressure, adrenergic tone, renin activity, and urinary sodium retention in these mice. Hepatic reconstitution of Ppara in nondiabetic, normotensive dexamethasone-treated PPARalpha null mice increased glucose, insulin, hepatic PEPCK enzyme activity, blood pressure, and renin activity in sham-operated animals but not hepatic-vagotomized animals. Disruption of vagal afferent fibers by chemical or surgical means prevented glucocorticoid-induced metabolic derangements. We conclude that a dynamic interaction between hepatic Ppara expression and a vagal afferent pathway is essential for glucocorticoid induction of diabetes and hypertension.
Comparative in vitro activity of gatifloxacin against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Burkholderia species isolates including evaluation of disk diffusion and E test methods

The in vitro activity of gatifloxacin, a new fluoroquinolone, was compared to that of five other fluoroquinolones against 105 Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates and 52 Burkholderia spp. isolates. The gatifloxacin MICs were determined using the broth microdilution method and the E test (AB Biodisk, Sweden); these methods were compared for test accuracy, and 5 microg disk zone diameters were compared for interpretive accuracy using the standardized disk diffusion method. In terms of potency, gatifloxacin was most similar to sparfloxacin and trovafloxacin against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (MIC50, 0.5-1 mg/l) and Burkholderia spp. (MIC50, 1-2 mg/l). This activity was greater than that of ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin or ofloxacin (MIC50, > or = 2 mg/l) against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates but comparable to that of levofloxacin against the Burkholderia spp. (60% susceptible at or = 18 mm or or = 8 mg/l for resistant) also performed well, at > 90% categorical agreement. The activity of gatifloxacin is comparable to that of other newer quinolones against isolates of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Burkholderia spp., and susceptibility testing using simple qualitative and quantitative methods appears to function well with these drug/organism combinations.
Weight Loss Interventions for Patients with Schizophrenia

Introduction: Obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease occur in persons with schizophrenia at rates twice those in the general population. Epidemiologic studies also reveal that persons with schizophrenia are likely to have their lives shortened by as much as twenty percent. Since obesity is an independent risk factor for heart disease, dyslipidemia, and diabetes, interventions that decrease the rates and severity of obesity have the potential for reducing both morbidity and mortality in persons with schizophrenia. Methods: A selective electronic MEDLINE search of published articles to review tested pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions to address obesity in patients with schizophrenia was conducted. Results: Antiobesity drugs, behavioural approaches, and in select cases, bariatric surgery, may all lead to clinically significant weight loss in obese individuals with schizophrenia. We found no published long-term, randomized, controlled clinical trials to determine whether weight loss achieved in short-term studies is maintained. There were also few studies of combinations of the best behavioural and pharmacologic approaches. Conclusion: Weight loss is difficult to achieve, but attainable for individuals suffering from schizophrenia. Even small amounts of weight loss may provide significant long-term health benefits, if sustained. Rigorous controlled trials of combined pharmacologic and behavioural approaches, and maintenance studies with long-term follow up, are urgently needed.
Endoscopic Nd:YAG laser palliation of malignant duodenal tumors

This study assesses the outcome of 20 patients referred for neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser therapy of malignant duodenal tumors between 1984 and 1992. Almost all (95%) of these patients required palliative therapy for gastrointestinal hemorrhage, and nearly half (45%) also had obstructive symptoms. A mean of 3 (range, 1 to 6) laser treatment sessions were required for palliation. Laser therapy eliminated the need for blood transfusions in only 38% of patients. Obstructive symptoms were improved in all patients after laser treatment. Treatment failure could not be predicted on the basis of demographic factors (other than age), tumor characteristics, or transfusion requirements. Survival after laser therapy was 30% at 6 months and 15% at 12 months. Endoscopic neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser therapy is a reasonable approach for palliation of malignant tumor obstruction or hemorrhage in selected cases; however, hemorrhage often continues.
Letter by Weinrauch and Barkoudah Regarding Article, “Lack of Concordance Between Empirical Scores and Physician Assessments of Stroke and Bleeding Risk in Atrial Fibrillation. Results From the Outcomes Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (ORBIT-AF) Registry”

The interesting demonstration through registry data Outcomes Registry for Better Informed Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (ORBIT-AF) of a discordance between provider assessment and empirical modeling of stroke/bleeding risk1 deserves further attention to the process of understanding the difference between perception, reality, and trials. An editorial2 raises issues appropriate to the trial (sampling bias, geography, outcomes, etc). Several trials demonstrate risk and hazards of therapy (bleeding); others relate to those of disease progression (stroke). Were these qualitatively equal events, and if benefits were quickly appreciable, guideline recommendations and treatment decisions would be more concordant. Patient and physician are impacted significantly when …
A Semi-Implicit Scheme for Modeling the Interaction Between Biological Cells and Electric Fields

A numerical method for computing the simultaneous solution to the fluid flow equations and the electrostatic field equations is described. The methodology focuses on the modeling of biological cells suspended in fluid plasma. The fluid flow is described using the Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible flows. The electric field is computed trough the Maxwell equations neglecting magnetic effects. The effect of the electric field on the fluid flow is accounted for through the Maxwell stresses. The systems are described by a set of partial differential equations where the solution requires the simultaneous computation of the velocity, pressure and electric potential fields. A semi-implicit numerical scheme is proposed. In order to decrease the computational time required, it is proposed to use a semi-implicit splitting scheme where the Navier-Stokes and Maxwell equations are solved sequentially. The method is used to reproduce the response of human leukocytes immersed in a rotating electric field. An agreement between the numerical results and the data from experiments is observed.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
IEEE Logical Format For External Exchange Of Image Data Bases

This paper will be published in Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) for Medical Applications Part II.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Model For Optimal Beamline Design For Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Lithography

We present a new model capable of fully describing the image formation in X-ray Lithography with a Synchrotron Radiation source. All the relevant effects, such as beam size, scanning, transmittivity and reflectivity are included. The model itself can be used to predict the achievable resolution for a given process. It is applied to the discussion of a particular process, based on Hewlett Packard mask technology and using one of the Center beamlines, for which we show that resolution in the sub-0.25 micron region can be easily achieved. Solutions to the problem of anamorphicity are presented, as well a discussion of the optimum configuration for scanning.
Separation by dielectric distribution: Theory

Dielectric distribution may be defined as the distribution that mobile materials with different constants will assume in a nonuniform electric field. The material moves under the influence of dipoles induced by the electric field. If the suspended material is more polar than the medium in which it is suspended, it will move toward the region of highest field intensity, and if the suspended material is less polar than the medium, it will move toward the region of lowest field intensity.
Reordering / resonation studies of alkylamide phases

Abstract A series of chemically bonded liquid chromatographic packings containing a specific interaction site localized in the interior region of the attached ligands has been prepared by a two-step synthetic route. In the first-step an amino phase is formed and then it is converted to an alkylamide group via reaction with an acid chloride. Using this procedure materials have been prepared with immobilized terminal alkyl groups with chain lengths ranging from C 5 to C 8 . Subsequently, the conformation of these modified surfaces have been investigated as a function of temperature under totally aqueous mobile phase conditions. Plots of ln k′ vs. 1 / T curves have been found to be similar to those reported for alkyl phases. However, the onset of reordering/ resolvation of the attached ligands is shifted to lower temperatures and the incremental change per methylene group is smaller.
A wheelchair cushion designed to redistribute sites of sitting pressure

Abstract Objectives: Despite the diversity of wheelchair cushions currently in clinical use, pressure on bony prominences continues to be a major problem for wheelchair-bound patients, and the incidence of pressure ulcers remains high. No static surface has been reported to reduce resting pressure under the ischial tuberosities to below that of capillary pressure, which may well be the threshold for inducing tissue damage. An entirely new form of seating was designed to decrease absolute pressure using a prosthetic fitting technique analogous to a below-the-knee prosthesis Design: A repeated measures randomized design was used to test differences between the experimental (TCS) and three other standard cushions. Setting: A Veterans Medical Center outpatient service. Patients: Wheelchair-bound volunteer subjects, n = 47, were selected who weighed more than 60kg. Main Outcome Measures: Pressures were measured by a standard air pressure pad and also by a computer-linked array of pressure transducers. The grid was standardized and used to generate topographic maps for each site over time. These data were used to measure the seating interface pressures. Results: There was a significant main effect of cushio over site, F = 131 for left ischial tuberosity. Pressures were lowest while patients sat on the experimental seat and differences were significant at all time points. Using 1psi as presumed capillary pressure, frequency of success at achieving this pressure threshold was greatest for the experimental seat, p Conclusions: A computerized pressure grid was developed that allowed evaluation of anatomically localized pressures. The prosthetically designed TCS displays lower seating pressures than any other cushion tested. Consistent and sustained pressures were below the postulated threshold for tissue damage.
Pathologic Amyloid β‐Protein Cell Surface Fibril Assembly on Cultured Human Cerebrovascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Cerebrovascular amyloid beta-protein (A beta) deposition is a key pathological feature of Alzheimer's disease and hereditary cerebral hemorrhage with amyloidosis-Dutch type (HCHWA-D). A beta(1-40) containing the E22Q HCHWA-D mutation, but not wild-type A beta(1-40), potently induces several pathologic responses in cultured human cerebrovascular smooth muscle cells, including cellular degeneration and a robust increase in the levels of cellular A beta precursor. In the present study, we show by several quantitative criteria, including thioflavin T fluorescence binding, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopic analysis, that at a concentration of 25 microM neither HCHWA-D A beta(1-40) nor wild-type A beta(1-40) appreciably assembles into beta-pleated sheet-containing fibrils in solution over a 6-day incubation period. In contrast, at the same concentrations, HCHWA-D A beta(1-40), but not wild-type A beta(1-40), selectively binds and assembles into abundant fibrils on the surfaces of cultured human cerebrovascular smooth muscle cells. The simultaneous addition of an equimolar concentration of the dye Congo red prevents the cell surface fibril assembly of HCHWA-D A beta(1-40). Moreover, Congo red effectively blocks the key pathologic responses induced by HCHWA-D A beta(1-40) in these cells. The present findings suggest that the surface of human cerebrovascular smooth muscle cells may selectively orchestrate the assembly of pathogenic A beta fibrils and that cell surface A beta fibril formation plays an important role in causing the pathologic responses in these cells.
Hypoxic Injury of Isolated Axons is Independent of Ionotropic Glutamate Receptors

Axonal injury in white matter is an important consequence of many acute neurological diseases including ischemia. A role for glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity is suggested by observations from in vitro and in situ models that AMPA/kainate blockers can reduce axonal injury. We assessed axonal vulnerability in primary murine neuronal cultures, with axons isolated from their cell bodies using a compartmented chamber design. Transient removal of oxygen and glucose in the axon compartment resulted in irreversible loss of axon length and neurofilament labeling. This injury was not prevented by addition of ionotropic glutamate receptor blockers and could not be reproduced by glutamate receptor agonists. However, hypoxic injury was prevented by blockade of voltage-gated sodium channels, inhibition of calpain and removal of extracellular calcium. These results suggest that isolated, unmyelinated axons are vulnerable to hypoxic injury which is mediated by influx of sodium and calcium but is independent of glutamate receptor activation.
Bicritical or tetracritical: the 3D anisotropic Heisenberg antiferromagnet

The classical uniaxially anisotropic Heisenberg antiferromagnet on the simple cubic lattice, in the presence of an external magnetic field, is believed to have a multicritical point; however, there has been controversy whether it is a bicritical or a tetracritical point. We perform Monte Carlo simulations of this model and analyze the components of the staggered magnetization, the susceptibilities and the probability distribution of the magnetization to conclude that the multicritical point is bicritical and it is in the three-dimensional Heisenberg universality class.
Synthesis of 3H‐labeled sympathomimetic amines for neuronal mapping

Summary The synthesis of two tritium labeled sympathomimetic amines, (R)-(-)-phenylephrine and (1 R,2S)-(-)-whydroxyephedrine, is described. The tritium label was introduced into the aromatic ring in the final step by catalytic reductive dehalogenation of the corresponding iodinated precursor. (1 R,2S)-(-)-mmhydroxyephedrine was synthesized in four steps from commercially available metaraminol. A novel HPLC purification method provided the labeled compounds in a medium ready for direct animal evaluation. Chemical and radiochemical purity was >98%; specific activity was 5 22 Cilmmol.
Electrodeposition in micromolds with a microscreen base

Abstract Electrodeposition in sacrificial micromolds with a microscreen base and thermoplastic sidewalls is one of the main techniques for rapid fabrication of high aspect ratio metallic microstructures. These micromolds with an integral microscreen base are fabricated through an injection molding process by forcing a softened thermoplastic through a metal microscreen into a master template with microfeatures corresponding to those desired in the micromold. During this injection molding process, the holes of the microscreen are filled by the thermoplastic and form insulating segments on the micromold base. Further, the micromold consists of microcavities with insulating sidewalls. During the electrodeposition process into the microcavities, the deposit originates from the conductive parts of the microscreen base and grows along the insulating walls conforming to the micromold geometry. In this work, computational models for the governing transport and electrochemical phenomena are used to simulate the shape evolution of the electrodeposition front and the spatial current density profile with time. The effects of the applied voltage and microscreen geometry (the size and number of the insulating parts on the micromold base) are systematically studied for their influence on the nonuniformity of the current density and deposit surface profile. Conditions that lead to desirable process and part quality are derived from the studies.
Weight dosing of steroids in nephrotic syndrome

Sir, We read with great interest the article of Saadeh et al. [1] and the corresponding editorial [2] on the dosing of glucocorticoids in steroid-sensitive idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (SSINS). Based on their results, Saadeh et al. [1] concluded that underdosing of prednisone, when prescribed according to weight (2 mg/kg) instead of body surface area (60 mg/m), might result in an increased likelihood of a frequent relapsing course. However, three issues of steroid dosing were not addressed in their study: (1) the appropriate weight of an oedematous child with newly diagnosed SSINS; (2) available formulation of oral steroids; (3) the use of different steroid metabolites. It is difficult to assess the “appropriate” weight in a child presenting with a first episode of SSINS. Diagnosis is often delayed as many children present after a history of several weeks of marked oedema and a weight increase that often exceeds 10–20% of the pre-illness body weight. This extra volume (weight) is lost within a few days upon remission. Given the average weight of 24.5 kg in Saadeh's patient population [1], the “appropriate” body weight might correspond to 20 kg. A daily dose of 50mg prednisone corresponds to 2 mg/kg body weight based on the weight at presentation, but to 2.5 mg/kg body weight based on the “appropriate” weight. The situation is different in the case of future relapses as the patients’ urine will be checked daily, with some parents even keeping a log book. Consequently, as soon as the positive dipstick heralds a relapse, steroid therapy is initiated before marked oedema—with subsequent increase in weight—will develop. Thus, prednisone dosing according to weight will correspond to 2 mg/kg of the “appropriate” weight. The question which arises is whether dosing might preferably be related to height, as used in the Schwartz formula to estimate glomerular filtration rate. A second issue relates to the formulation of oral prednisone. In some places, only tablets are available, the smallest of which contain 5 mg prednisone. Therefore, the minimal dose interval is for practical reasons 2.5 mg (1/2 tablet) with appropriate rounding. Finally, steroids are either prescribed as prednisone, as used in the studies of the International Study of Kidney Disease in Children, or as prednisolone. Oral prednisone and prednisolone seem to be interchangeable as prednisone is converted in the liver into the presumptive active metabolite prednisolone. Most SSINS patients are treated orally, but some sick patients, in particular during the first episode, are given steroids intravenously with a substantially differing immunosuppressive effect [3].
A 14-GHz CMOS receiver with local oscillator and IF bandpass filter for satellite applications

This paper presents a 14-GHz transformer-coupled receiver front-end with on-chip local oscillator (LO) and IF band-pass filter for satellite telecom applications. The monolithic transformer's parameters were optimized through theoretical analysis of the circuit performance (i.e., gain, noise and linearity). The system was fabricated in a 0.13-µm CMOS process. The measurements show a receiver conversion gain of 20dB and a noise figure of 7dB at 400-MHz IF frequency. The local oscillator shows a −112dBc/Hz phase noise at 1-MHz offset from a 14-GHz carrier. The IC draws 40mA total current from a 1.2-V supply.
Facile fabrication of graphene composite microwires via drying-induced size reduction of hydrogel filaments

Graphene based electrical conductors are under consideration for numerous applications in energy storage, energy conversion devices, electronics and sensors. Here, we report a facile and versatile method for fabrication of graphene based composite microwires ranging from ∼20 to 250 μm in diameter via size reduction during dehydration of extruded larger diameter graphene oxide-loaded agarose hydrogel fibers. The graphene oxide is effectively reduced to graphene by chemical and thermal treatment. After dehydration and reduction, the resulting graphene composite microwires exhibit high electrical conductivities of up to 1.8 S m−1.
Are thyroid hormone concentrations at birth associated with subsequent autism diagnosis

Thyroid hormones substantially influence central nervous system development during gestation. We hypothesized that perturbations of early thyroid profiles may contribute to the development of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Thyroid pathways could provide a mechanism by which environmental factors that affect the thyroid system may impact autism occurrence or phenotypic expression. We investigated whether thyroxine (T4) levels at birth are associated with subsequent ASD, using two existing California study groups in multivariate analysis. One study group included children born in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1994, with cases identified through the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and/or the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program of Northern California (244 cases, 266 controls); the other included children born in California in 1995, with cases identified through DDS (310 cases, 518 controls). Matched controls were selected from birth certificate records. This exploratory analysis suggested that infants with very low T4 (<3rd percentile) may have higher ASD risk, although results reached statistical significance only for the 1995 study group (1995: OR = 2.74 (95% CI 1.30–5.75; 1994: OR = 1.71 (95% CI 0.57–5.19). A variety of alternate analyses were conducted with available data, without further resolution of the difference between the two study groups. The results of our study indicate that further studies are warranted to investigate whether thyroid hormone perturbations play a role in the development of ASD by evaluating additional potential confounders and genotype or phenotype in larger studies. Autism Res2011,4:456–463. © 2011 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Classes of calcium channels in vertebrate cells

Voltage-dependent Ca channels help regulate a wide range of cellular func­ tions, including secretion, contraction, and excitability (56, 61, 73, 123). The diversity of Ca channels has long been clear, especially from comparative studies on invertebrates (see 55), which have included descriptions of multi­ ple Ca channel types in single cells (57). This article summarizes a recent wave of papers describing multiple Ca channel types in vertebrate cells. Space limitations prevent inclusion of recent work on invertebrate Ca channels, receptor-operated Ca channels, or Ca channels of organelles.
Effects of surface perturbations on the quality and the focused-beam excitation of microsphere resonance

A previously developed theoretical method for determining the electromagnetic fields for arbitrary monochromatic light incident on an irregularly shaped particle, the boundary-matching method, is used to investigate the effects of small surface perturbations on the quality Q and the focused-beam excitation of resonances in microspheres. Axisymmetric particles with periodic surface roughness and irregular surface roughness are considered. For a given resonance the resonance Q is found to be relatively unaffected by the presence of the surface perturbations until the surface perturbation amplitude ∊ reaches a threshold value, beyond which the Q decreases rapidly with increasing ∊. For the perfect sphere, focused-beam excitation of the resonance is most efficient with the beam focused outside the surface of the sphere at a location consistent with the prediction of van de Hulst’s localization principle. However, calculations indicate that, for conditions under which the surface perturbation amplitude is large enough to appreciably decrease the resonance Q, focused-beam excitation of the resonance is most efficient with the beam focused just inside the particle surface.
Power-aware soft error hardening via selective voltage scaling

Nanoscale integrated circuits are becoming increasingly sensitive to radiation-induced transient faults (soft errors) due to current technology scaling trends, such as shrinking feature sizes and reducing supply voltages. Soft errors, which have been a significant concern in memories, are now a main factor in reliability degradation of logic circuits. This paper presents a power-aware methodology using dual supply voltages for soft error hardening. Given a constraint on power overhead, our proposed framework can minimize the soft error rate (SER) of a circuit via selective voltage scaling. On average, circuit SER can be reduced by 33.45% for various sizes of transient glitches with only 11.74% energy increase. The overhead in normalized power-delay-area product per 1% SER reduction is 0.64%, 1.33X less than that of existing state-of-the-art approaches.
Health-related quality of life of preterm children and their caregivers

As advances in medical science have extended the limit of viability downward to 23 or 24 weeks gestation, interest has turned from long-term health outcomes to quality of life for survivors. During the last decade, the first studies of the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of children and young adults who were born extremely preterm were published. Taken from the fields of anthropology, economics, sociology, and psychology, the foundation of HRQOL is formed by theories of functionalism, positive well-being, and utility. HRQOL can be defined as the physical, psychological, and social domains of health, which can be influenced by an individual's experiences and perception. HRQOL instruments are generally composed of multiple domains and measure physical functioning, mental health, and social role functioning in some form. Utilities, or preferences for health outcomes under conditions of uncertainty, are also used. Studies of HRQOL to-date indicate that preterm children have, on average, poorer health than their normal birthweight peers, but the majority do not perceive their quality of life as significantly different than others of their own age. Measures of HRQOL should not replace the traditional measures of morbidity, but should become part of the standard battery of tools used to assess a preterm child's health and well-being. Ultimately, studies of the HRQOL of preterm children should identify aspects of life, physical, psychological, or social, that could be improved with intervention.
Microfabrication of graded index lenses using two photon induced polymerization

The formation of a Graded Index of Refraction (GRIN) lens is possible by using two-photon induced polymerization. Preliminary GRIN profiles are presented with a short discussion on application to deformable lenses.
Stochastic deconvolution over groups for inverse problems in imaging

In this paper, we present a stochastic deconvolution method for a class of inverse problems that arc naturally formulated as group convolutions. Examples of such problems include Radon transform inversion for tomography, radar and sonar imaging, as well as channel estimation in communications. Key components of our approach are group representation theory and the concept of group stationarity. We formulate a minimum mean square solution to the deconvolution problem in the presence of nonstationary measurement noise. Our approach incorporates a priori information about the noise and the unknown signal into the inversion problem, which leads to a natural regularized solution.
Live-Bed Local Pier Scour Experiments

Local clear-water and live-bed scour tests were performed for a range of water depths and flow velocities with two different uniform cohesionless sediment diameters (0.27 and 0.84 mm ) and a circular pile with a diameter of 0.15 m . The tests were performed in a tilting flume ( 1.5 m wide, 1.2 m deep, and 45 m long) located in the Hydraulics Laboratory at the University of Auckland in Auckland, New Zealand. These tests extend local scour data obtained in controlled experiments to velocity ratio (V∕ Vc ) values as high as 6. This is near the velocity where the peak live-bed scour occurs for the sediment and flow conditions. Scour depth predictions are made with four different local scour equations for the conditions of the tests and the results compared with the measured values.
Gene Cloning, Purification, and Characterization of a Phosphodiesterase from Delftia acidovorans

A novel phosphodiesterase (PdeA) was purified from Delftia acidovorans, the gene encoding the enzyme was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant enzyme was purified to apparent homogeneity and characterized. PdeA is an 85-kDa trimer that exhibits maximal activity at 65°C and pH 10 even though it was isolated from a mesophilic bacterium. Although PdeA exhibited both mono- and diesterase activity, it was most active on the phosphodiester bis(p-nitrophenyl)phosphate with a Km of 2.9 ± 0.1 mM and a kcat of 879 ± 73 min−1. The enzyme showed sequence similarity to cyclic AMP (cAMP) phosphodiesterase and cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases and exhibited activity on cAMP in vivo when the gene was expressed in E. coli. The IS1071 transposon insertion sequence was found downstream of pdeA.
The use of internet-based technology to tailor well-child care encounters.

OBJECTIVE: The goal was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptance of a new model for well-child care (WCC) in a large health maintenance organization. METHODS: We designed a new model of WCC that engages families in Internet-based developmental and behavioral screening, allows for review of the results before the visit, and allows for selection of the appropriate visit type (e-visit, e-visit with brief provider visit, or extended encounter). The new model was pilot-tested in 2 practices within a large health maintenance organization. Seven providers and 70 parents participated in the study. Parents and providers were surveyed regarding their experience and satisfaction with the encounter. RESULTS: Seventy-five percent of parents thought that the online previsit assessment improved or very much improved the WCC visit. However, 12% of parents found the online assessment somewhat or very difficult to use. All of the parents found the e-visit or the e-visit with brief provider visit acceptable or very acceptable, compared with a standard WCC visit. All 7 providers thought that use of the new model helped focus the visit and that they would continue or definitely continue to use the model. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated the feasibility of a new model of WCC that engaged parents in previsit assessment and used alternative visit types to tailor care to the needs of the family. Future research will be needed to examine the impact of this model on important WCC outcomes.
Automated CAD/CAM-based nanolithography using a custom atomic force microscope

We report the development of a novel nanolithographic system that combines the design capabilities of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) software with the nanolithographic abilities of the atomic force microscope (AFM). The AFM is a powerful tool for research at the nanoscale and can be used to perform a variety of serial nanolithographic techniques. A custom-built three-axis AFM system, designed to execute nanolithography, has been constructed and interfaced with a CAD/CAM design environment. This technique utilizes the CAD/CAM software to create, in a virtual design environment, the desired nanoscale patterns. Then, using a G-code interpreter and software algorithms to control the three-dimensional motion of the system, the design is replicated automatically by using conventional nanolithographic procedures. In this report, AFM-based anodization lithography on a silicon wafer and subsequent AFM imaging is used to confirm the successful automatic replication of the desired nanoscale patterns. Note to Practitioners-The impetus for this research was based on the desire to create a custom nanolithographic platform that could be changed and manipulated as per the users specifications and operated easily by anyone. Commercial atomic force microscopes (AFMs) that are used for nanolithography and other studies have their own specific software that enables little or no change to the workings of the system, rendering prototyping of new research techniques to be difficult. These closed AFM instruments can be difficult to operate and are user unfriendly. This report delineates our construction of an AFM system and how we have incorporated very familiar software environments and common computer-aided-design programming language to conduct nanolithography. A brief verification of how our system performs is included; we have deposited and imaged a series of surface features in a direct write fashion on a silicon surface using a common lithographic technique that exists in the research environment.