cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding leukemic children's coping behavior within the family context: two case presentations.

A majority of children diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia remain in continuous remission 5 years following diagnosis due to improved medical treatment. However, the term “cure” is seldom used, and these children and their families must cope with the uncertainty of a life-threatening illness. The literature indicates that many of these young patients as well as their siblings develop psychosocial problems secondary to this stressful diagnosis. Children's attempts to cope with the impact of leukemia must be evaluated within the context of the families of which they are a part. This paper contrasts the dynamics of two vastly different families and the effects their interactional patterns have on the coping behavior of the patient and siblings. Emphasis is placed on the functions and influence of the marital dyad. A discussion of nursing implications and interventions is included.
Safety of dapsone as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia prophylaxis in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with allergy to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole

Objective To assess the safety of dapsone prophylaxis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in patients with prior intolerance to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX). Methods We conducted a retrospective study in the categorical human immunodeficiency virus out-patient program of a university hospital. Patients who had filled prescriptions for dapsone at our pharmacy between January 1991 and April 1994 were evaluated and 75 patients were found eligible for analysis. Results The overall incidence of adverse events (AE) in our study cohort was 39%. The most common AEs were anemia (23%) and rash (16%). However, after critical evaluation of each case, only 3 cases of anemia (4%) and 2 cases of rash (3%) were judged to be "likely related" to dapsone. Only 5/75 patients (7%) developed the same intolerance to dapsone as previously experienced on TMP/SMX, and none of these cases was viewed as "likely related" to dapsone. A dapsone regimen of 100 mg qd and a prior episode of PCP were associated with a higher incidence of AEs. Eight cases of PCP occurred in spite of dapsone prophylaxis for an incidence of 7 cases per 1,000 patient-months. Seven of the cases of PCP occurred in patients who were receiving secondary prophylaxis. Conclusions Given the low incidence of AEs judged to be "likely related" to dapsone, this drug is a reasonable choice for PCP prophylaxis in patients with prior AEs to TMP/SMX.
Use of Small Accelerators in Coal Analysis and Coal Slurry Flow Measurements

This paper brings into focus the instrumentation needs of future demonstration-scale coal conversion and combustion plants which may be met with new instrumentation based on neutron-induced gamma techniques. Progress in automated multielement analysis of coal process streams is described, and the application of activation flowmetering to mass flow measurements in coal slurries is discussed.
Repeatability and measurement error in the assessment of choline and betaine dietary intake: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.

The repeatability of a risk factor measurement affects the ability to accurately ascertain its association with a specific outcome. Choline is involved in methylation of homocysteine, a putative risk factor for cardiovascular disease, to methionine through a betaine-dependent pathway (one-carbon metabolism). It is unknown whether dietary intake of choline meets the recommended Adequate Intake (AI) proposed for choline (550 mg/day for men and 425 mg/day for women). The Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) remains to be established in population settings. Our objectives were to ascertain the reliability of choline and related nutrients (folate and methionine) intakes assessed with a brief food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and to estimate dietary intake of choline and betaine in a bi-ethnic population. We estimated the FFQ dietary instrument reliability for the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study and the measurement error for choline and related nutrients from a stratified random sample of the ARIC study participants at the second visit, 1990–92 (N = 1,004). In ARIC, a population-based cohort of 15,792 men and women aged 45–64 years (1987–89) recruited at four locales in the U.S., diet was assessed in 15,706 baseline study participants using a version of the Willett 61-item FFQ, expanded to include some ethnic foods. Intraindividual variability for choline, folate and methionine were estimated using mixed models regression. Measurement error was substantial for the nutrients considered. The reliability coefficients were 0.50 for choline (0.50 for choline plus betaine), 0.53 for folate, 0.48 for methionine and 0.43 for total energy intake. In the ARIC population, the median and the 75th percentile of dietary choline intake were 284 mg/day and 367 mg/day, respectively. 94% of men and 89% of women had an intake of choline below that proposed as AI. African Americans had a lower dietary intake of choline in both genders. The three-year reliability of reported dietary intake was similar for choline and related nutrients, in the range as that published in the literature for other micronutrients. Using a brief FFQ to estimate intake, the majority of individuals in the ARIC cohort had an intake of choline below the values proposed as AI.
Implantation of the Jarvik 2000 Heart

The axial-flow cardiac assist pump is an innovative type of iml)lautable left ventricular assist system (LVAS) that offers a numl)cr of advantages over conventional, pulsatilc systems. The axial-flow pure I) is significantly smaller than coral)arable l)ulsatile iml)lantable pumps and requires no valvular mechanism. The constant flow of blood through the I)um I) mininfizes stasis anti continuously washes the inorganic surfaces, reducing the likelihood of device thrombosis. The constant flow also obviates the need for a coml)liance chamber, so venting is unnecessary. Because the axialflow immp is nonl)ulsatile, trauma related to movement of the drivelinc (an important potential source of infection) is significantly reduced. Whereas traditional LVASs necessitate a fairly extensive implant oI)eration, the axial-flow llUml ) is easier to implant, hcll)ing to minimize operative complications. As this LVAS has only 1 movable component, device reliability and durability are enhanced. The pump can be used to support chihlrcn and smaller aduhs, as well as adults of usual size. In contrast to conventional, 1)ulsatile LVASs, which are intended to capture the entire left ventricular outi)ut and, therefore, to serve as vcntricnlar rel)laccmcnt devices, the axial-flow pnm I) is best used as a true assist device. This article focuses on the Jarvik 2000 Heart (Jarvik Heart, Inc., New York, NY), an electrically I)owered LVAS that provides continuous flow from tlle left ventricle to tlle descending thoracic aorta. This pump is unique in that it can be placed within the left ventricle, thereby avoiding the rheologic problems (negative pressure stasis) associated with an inflow conduit. The Jarvik 2000 system, which has been described elsewhere FIG I. The Jarvik 2000 left ventricular assist system.
Effect of Substrate on Selected Temperature in Juvenile Spiny Softshell Turtles (Apalone spinifera)

ABSTRACT The ability of hatchling and juvenile turtles to thermoregulate, as evidenced by selection of preferred temperatures in thermal gradients, is an important factor influencing fitness. Previous studies in laboratory thermal gradients suggest that most young turtles select warm temperatures (25°–33°C) within a narrow range. Confounding factors affecting microhabitat selection, such as predator avoidance, foraging, or social interaction, may influence thermal preference in some species, particularly softshell turtles (Apalone spp.) that frequently bury in the substrate to remain cryptic. We analyzed temperature selection of juvenile Apalone spinifera in an aquatic thermal gradient of 15°–30°C with either gravel, sand, or a combination of sand and no substrate. Across all substrate treatments in the gradient tests, hatchlings selected the warmest temperature available (30°C: 56.1% of observations) and avoided the 2 coldest temperatures (15°C: 5.3%; 18°C: 3.6%). Turtles relocated between chambers more ...
Laser optogalvanic detection of airborne uranium particles

Laser optogalvanic spectrometry (LOGS) is being developed at the Diagnostic Instrumentation and Analysis Laboratory (DIAL) to measure the concentration of uranium present in the off-gases of mixed hazardous waste thermaltreatment systems, where metal species occur as airborne metal oxide and/or metallic particles rather than as free, single atoms. Limits of detection for uranium and selected volatile, toxic trace metal particles are reported. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using LOGS to detect uranium in off-gases at concentrations significantly lower than can currently be achieved using other real-time, on-line technologies, such as radioactive disintegration counting methods or air inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (air ICP-AES).
Metabolites of phencyclidine in humans

A N-dealkylated metabolite, 1-phenylcyclohexylamine, was detected in a urine sample of a patient who had ingested phencyclidine. The identification was facilitated by a feeding experiment using a mouse administered a 1:1 mixture of unlabeled and phenyl-d5-labeled drug. A control experiment was also performed in which a mouse was fed only the unlabeled drug. Two hydroxylated metabolities were also identified in human urine samples. One of the hydroxylated metabolites has a hydroxy group located at the piperidine moiety of phencyclidine while the other has the hydroxy group located at the cyclohexane ring of the drug. It was also shown that 1-phenyl-cyclohexene detected in the human samples, was an artifact which arose from pyrolysis of phencyclidine during gas chromatography.
Behavior of high performance fiber reinforced cement composites under multi-axial compressive loading

Experiments were conducted to better understand the behavior of strain hardening, high performance fiber reinforced cement composites (HPFRCC) when subjected to uniaxial, biaxial, and triaxial compression. The experimental parameters were: type of fiber, fiber volume fraction, and loading path. Two types of commercially available fibers, namely high-strength hooked steel fiber and ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fiber, with volume fractions ranging from 1.0% to 2.0%, were used in a 55-MPa mortar matrix. The selected loading paths consisted of uniaxial compression and tension, equal biaxial compression, and triaxial compression with two levels of lateral compression. The test results revealed that the inclusion of short fibers can significantly increase both strength and ductility under uniaxial and biaxial loading paths, but that the role of volume fraction is rather small for the range of fiber volume contents considered. The results also showed that the confining effect introduced by the fibers becomes minor in triaxial compression tests, where there is relatively high external confining pressure. The experimental information documented herein can serve as input for the development of multiaxial constitutive models for HPFRCCs.
Role of the WT1 Tumor Suppressor in Murine Hematopoiesis

The WT1 tumor-suppressor gene is expressed by many forms of acute myeloid leukemia. Inhibition of this expression can lead to the differentiation and reduced growth of leukemia cells and cell lines, suggesting that WT1 participates in regulating the proliferation of leukemic cells. However, the role of WT1 in normal hematopoiesis is not well understood. To investigate this question, we have used murine cells in which the WT1 gene has been inactivated by homologous recombination. We have found that cells lacking WT1 show deficits in hematopoietic stem cell function. Embryonic stem cells lacking WT1, although contributing efficiently to other organ systems, make only a minimal contribution to the hematopoietic system in chimeras, indicating that hematopoietic stem cells lacking WT1 compete poorly with healthy stem cells. In addition, fetal liver cells lacking WT1 have an approximately 75% reduction in erythroid blast-forming unit (BFU-E), erythroid colony-forming unit (CFU-E), and colony-forming unit-granulocyte macrophage-erythroid-megakaryocyte (CFU-GEMM). However, transplantation of fetal liver hematopoietic cells lacking WT1 will repopulate the hematopoietic system of an irradiated adult recipient in the absence of competition. We conclude that the absence of WT1 in hematopoietic cells leads to functional defects in growth potential that may be of consequence to leukemic cells that have alterations in the expression of WT1.
Upstream and downstream boundary conditions for continuous-flow systems

Abstract The analysis of continuous-flow problems requires specifying a “system,” which is a region of particular interest, and its “surroundings,” which are represented by conditions imposed at the boundary of the system. General procedures for assigning boundary conditions at “synthetic” boundaries, i.e. surfaces at which no physical boundary exists, seem to be lacking. Using the context of continuous-flow reactors with finite entrace and exit sections, we demonstrate the importance of choosing synthetic boundary conditions that describe accurately the interactions of a system and its surroundings. Specifically, we show that the steady-state solution of Danckwerts (1953, Chem. Engng Sci. 2 , 1–13) is unfit to predict reactant concentrations in well-mixed reactors with entrance sections that are as long as or shorter than the reactor itself. In the case of unsteady states, we propose and apply two extremes of flow behavior, namely instant mixing and instant removal , which delimit the concentration gradient that may be imposed at a synthetic boundary. Whereas our findings bear directly on analyses of reactor performance and on the evaluation of axial dispersion coefficients from tracer response experiments, they are more broadly relevant because of the partial analogies among mass, heat and momentum transport.
An empirical assessment of ranking accuracy in ranked set sampling

Ranked set sampling (RSS) involves ranking of potential sampling units on the variable of interest using judgment or an auxiliary variable to aid in sample selection. Its effectiveness depends on the success in this ranking. We provide an empirical assessment of RSS ranking accuracy in estimation of a population proportion.
Preparation and reactive applications of nanoporous silicon carbide membranes

Abstract SiC nanoporous membranes have been prepared by chemical-vapor deposition/chemical-vapor infiltration of two different precursors, namely tri-isopropylsilane (TPS) and 1,3-disilabutane (DSB). Both precursors produce nanoporous membranes. The TPS-derived membranes are hydrothermally stable, while the DSB membranes produced, so far, are not. SiC nanoporous membranes have also been prepared by conventional dip-coating techniques using a novel pre-ceramic polymeric precursor allyl-hydridopolycarbosilane (AHPCS), a partially allyl-substituted hydridopolycarbosilane (HPCS). These membranes are stable in air-treatment at 450 °C, but have, so far, also proven unstable to high-temperature steam. The nanoporous hydrogen selective SiC membranes show promise for application in membrane reactors for the water gas shift and steam reforming reactions.
A variable size grain model for gas-solid reactions with structural changes

Abstract The gas-solid noncatalytic reaction of an isothermal pellet is described by a variable-size-grain model and the shrinking core model is used to represe
Influence of interface structure on electronic properties and schottky barriers in Fe/GaAs magnetic junctions

The electronic and magnetic properties of $\mathrm{Fe}∕\mathrm{GaAs}(001)$ magnetic junctions are investigated using first-principles density-functional calculations. Abrupt and intermixed interfaces are considered, and the dependence of charge transfer, magnetization profiles, Schottky barrier heights, and spin polarization of densities of states on interface structure is studied. With As termination, an abrupt interface with Fe is favored, while Ga-terminated $\mathrm{GaAs}$ favors the formation of an intermixed layer with Fe. The Schottky barrier heights are particularly sensitive to the abruptness of the interface. A significant density of states in the semiconducting gap arises from metal interface states. These spin-dependent interface states lead to a significant minority spin polarization of the density of states at the Fermi level that persists well into the semiconductor, providing a channel for the tunneling of minority spins through the Schottky barrier. These interface-induced gap states and their dependence on atomic structure at the interface are discussed in connection with potential spin-injection applications.
Representation of Distributions Having Monotone or Bathtub-Shaped Failure Rates

This paper examines the relationship between 1) distributions which have monotonic or bathtub shaped failure rates and 2) the exponential distribution. A method of representing random variables having monotonic or bathtub-shaped failure rate functions as transformations of the exponential and uniform distribution is given. These distributions can thus be simulated using a random number generator. A further application to the mathematical theory could be made by using such transformations of multivariate distributions to define various multivariate nonparametric classes of life distributions.
Nonperturbative matching for field theories with heavy fermions.

We examine a paradox, suggested by Banks and Dabholkar, concerning nonperturbative effects in an effective field theory which is obtained by integrating out a generation of heavy fermions, where the heavy fermion masses arise from Yukawa couplings. They argue that light fermions in the effective theory appear to decay via instanton processes, whereas their decay is forbidden in the full theory. We resolve this paradox by showing that such processes in fact do not occur in the effective theory, due to matching corrections which cause the relevant light field configurations to have infinite action.
Smoking cessation in young adults: age at initiation of cigarette smoking and other suspected influences.

OBJECTIVES. Previous research has suggested that early smoking initiation predicts longer duration of smoking, heavier daily consumption, and increased chances of nicotine dependence. This report set out to estimate the relationship between smoking cessation and age of initiation, as well as nicotine dependence, sex, race, and education. METHODS. A sample of 1007 young adults was randomly selected from a large health maintenance organization in southeast Michigan. Hazard ratios of quitting associated with age at smoking initiation were estimated among 414 persons who smoked daily for 1 month or more. RESULTS. With potential confounders controlled for, the likelihood of cessation was significantly higher in smokers who initiated smoking after age 13. The hazard ratio for quitting associated with smoking initiation at ages 14 to 16 was 1.6 and with initiation at or after age 17 was 2.0, compared with initiation at or before 13 years of age. Factors that decreased the likelihood of cessation were nicotine de...
Regression Analysis as an Alternative to Difference Scores

For nearly 40 years, it has been asserted (see, e.g. Cronbach, 1958, 1992; Cronbach & Furby, 1970; Cronbach & Gleser, 1953; Edwards, 1994; Edwards & Cooper, 1990; Johns, 1981; Wall & Payne, 1973; Werts & Linn, 1970) that difference scores suffer from various methodological problems (about which more anon). In their position statement, Tisak and Smith argue that some of these problems have been overstated and suggest alternative procedures (e.g., the expanded difference equation) intended to overcome certain problems while maintaining the use of difference scores. Although certain points made by Tisak and Smith have merit, they minimize or overlook several important problems with difference scores, and their recommended procedures fail to overcome these problems. I will elaborate my position according to the two primary issues addressed by Tisak and Smith, the reliability and validity of difference scores. I will then note shortcomings with the Tisak and Smith procedure and contend that the regression procedure described by Edwards (1994) mitigates or avoids arguable problems with difference scores, but permits comprehensive tests of conceptual models that difference scores are intended to represent.
Asymptotic distributions for testing dimensionality in q-based pHd

We show that the test statistic for dimension in q-based principal Hessian directions (pHd) is distributed as a linear combination of χ2 random variables. Simpler distributions can result depending on the distribution of the predictors and the adequacy of the quadratic model.
Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome: should we test adolescents?

With the identification of the breast/ovarian susceptibility genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 in the 1990s came the evolution of genetic testing for clinical purposes. Increased awareness of the familial susceptibility to breast and ovarian cancer and the availability of genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations will undoubtedly result in more requests for genetic testing by adolescents and their parents. Direct consumer marketing for BRCA testing is also likely to contribute to a rise in requests for testing. The American Society of Clinical Oncology has recommended that clinical genetic predisposition testing be offered when: (1) the pretest probability of a positive result is high because of a strong family history of cancer or early age of diagnosis of cancer (2) the test results can be adequately interpreted and (3) the results will influence the medical management of the patient or a family member. With these factors in mind the intent of respecting an adult patient’s autonomy figures as one of the most important factors for testing adults but protecting children and “doing no harm” should be the chief consideration in deciding to test a minor for a genetic cancer syndrome. This review discusses the hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome the medical justification of testing minors and some of the ethical psychological and legal implications of genetic testing for adolescents. (excerpt)
Central and Peripheral Nervous System Involvement in the L-Tryptophan Associated Eosinophils Myalgia Syndrome

A case of L-tryptophan associated eosinophilia, myalgia, eosinophilic fasciitis, peripheral sensorimotor neuropathy, and multiple white matter lesions on MRI scan is reported. The various effects of eosinophilia on the nervous system are reviewed. The persistence of the neurological complications despite resolution of eosinophilia and steroid therapy is emphasized.
Interval Methods and Fuzzy Optimization

In this paper we develop methods to solve constrained fuzzy minimization problems for a class of fuzzy functions by using interval methods. The class of fuzzy functions we consider for the minimization problems is the set of rea-valued functions where one or more parameters/coefficients are fuzzy numbers. The fucus of this research is to explore some relationsips between fuzzy set theory and interval analysis as it relates to optimization problems.
Dissociation of operant and consummatory responses by trigeminal deafferentation in the pigeon.

Abstract Section of peripheral sensory branches of the pigeon's trigeminal nerve abolishes or decreases feeding responses made in an operant conditioning situation without directly impairing performance of an operant key-pecking response reinforced with food. The results are discussed in relation to previous studies of trigeminal function in the pigeon and suggest the possibility of dissociating neural mechanisms underlying feeding behavior and operant conditioning in this species.
Plasma reflectometry in Madison symmetric torus

Summary form only given, as follows. Amplitude modulation reflectometry is one of the most recent methods to study density profiles and fluctuations. It offers many advantages over the traditional frequency sweeping scheme, such as noise immunity, fast response and simplicity. A one-channel AM reflectometry system has been designed for the MST RFP. The design features a broadband low sensitivity receiver, phase detector and 150 mW 24 GHz transmitter working in the double side band modulation regime. Such an arrangement is unusual for reflectometry where high sensitivity receivers are mostly used, but is very stable in performance and is capable of being easily modified. Reflectometry data is compared with density profiles obtained from 11 channel far infrared interferometer measurements.
The reaction of polylysine with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene.

Abstract 1. 1. Kinetics of the reaction of 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene with poly-1-lysine has been investigated over the pH range 8.5–10.85. 2. 2. The reactivity of the polylysine was resolved into four parts; two associated with helical regions and two associated with coil regions. 3. 3. The helical and coil regions were further resolved into uncatalyzed and hydroxide catalyzed components.
From mechanism to vitalism in eighteenth century English physiology.

One of the most striking features of English physiology in the forty years between 1730 and 1770 was the dramatic, indeed precipitous decline of varieties of mechanism and the rapid rise to preeminence of alternate varieties of vitalism. In 1733 Stephen Hales published his Haemastaticks. 1 This collection of twenty-five "statical experiments" about the functioning of animal bodies was dedicated to verifying and extending, with the help of precise, quantitative Newtonian investigative techniques, the hydraulic theory of the "animal oeconomy" that British medical writers from Archibald Pitcairne to Richard Mead had made widely popular between 1695 and 1715.2 Hales carefully measured blood pressure, determined the velocity of efflux from the heart, experimentally exhibited impedance caused by capillary ramification, and explored several corpuscular mechanisms for such phenomena as glandular secretion and animal heat.3 He thus quantitatively and conceptually elaborated the principal ideas English medical writers had previously introduced in the most recent phase of iatromechanism. Mechanistic physiology picked up where mechanistic medical theory ended, and now, early in the fourth decade of the eighteenth century, Newtonian methods and speculative suggestions served as the guidelines for the activity of the physiologists. But in the decade of the Haemastaticks and in the 1740's, physiological mechanism was already in serious decline. In the 1730's the only papers on physiological subjects to appear in the Philosophical Transactions were such diffuse and largely descriptive contributions as
Expanding security awareness in introductory computer science courses

Information Security is typically reserved for upper division courses in Computer Science (CS) and Computer Information System (IS) programs. It is often an elective or graduate level course. Information Security is an important topic that can be introduced early and often throughout the undergraduate curriculum. Security is pervasive in all disciplines of computer-related fields and early introduction not only would underscore its importance but begin skill development. Rather than labeling security as only one of the many specialized areas, it should also be incorporated into all areas. Increased worldwide connectivity enhances the need for security. Surprisingly, security has yet to meaningfully penetrate the undergraduate curriculum. This paper describes ways to introduce information security early in the CS and IS curricula. Students are taught to consider information security through real world scenarios and relevant exercises. Several security topics of interest are discussed along with an account of experiences teaching CS1 with Python. The foundation that is laid down through early exposure will give students the ability to automatically consider security issues in their future work. Security can be integrated into the problem solving process, from problem conception to project completion.
Congenital neutropenia: Abnormal neutrophil differentiation associated withHLA

Congenital neutropenia (CN), a usually fatal autosomal recessive disease characterized by a maturation arrest of neutrophil differentiation at the promyelocyte stage, is shown to be significantly associated with HLA-B12. A gene-dose effect for the association with B12 has been observed. The genetic determinant responsible for CN is in apparent linkage disequilibrium with the antigen B12. This disease association suggests that the gene (or genes) controlling neutrophilic granulocyte differentiation is closely linked to the HLA complex. This relationship may reflect a basic function of the histocompatibility system, namely the coding for cell-surface determinants fundamental to cell-cell recognition and to control of cellular differentiation.
Telomerase-dependent and -independent chromosome healing in mouse embryonic stem cells

Abstract Telomeres play an important role in protecting the ends of chromosomes and preventing chromosome fusion. We have previously demonstrated that double-strand breaks near telomeres in mammalian cells result in either the addition of a new telomere at the site of the break, termed chromosome healing, or sister chromatid fusion that initiates chromosome instability. In the present study, we have investigated the role of telomerase in chromosome healing and the importance of chromosome healing in preventing chromosome instability. In embryonic stem cell lines that are wild type for the catalytic subunit of telomerase ( TERT ), chromosome healing at I- Sce I-induced double-strand breaks near telomeres accounted for 22 of 35 rearrangements, with the new telomeres added directly at the site of the break in all but one instance. In contrast, in two TERT -knockout embryonic stem cell lines, chromosome healing accounted for only 1 of 62 rearrangements, with a 23 bp insertion at the site of the sole chromosome-healing event. However, in a third TERT -knockout embryonic stem cell line, 10PTKO-A, chromosome healing was a common event that accounted for 20 of 34 rearrangements. Although this chromosome healing also occurred at the I- Sce I site, differences in the microhomology at the site of telomere addition demonstrated that the mechanism was distinct from that in wild-type embryonic stem cell lines. In addition, the newly added telomeres in 10PTKO-A shortened with time in culture, eventually resulting in either telomere elongation through a telomerase-independent mechanism or loss of the subtelomeric plasmid sequences entirely. The combined results demonstrate that chromosome healing can occur through both telomerase-dependent and -independent mechanisms, and that although both mechanisms can prevent degradation and sister chromatid fusion, neither mechanism is efficient enough to prevent sister chromatid fusion from occurring in many cells experiencing double-strand breaks near telomeres.
Direct calculation of energy streamlines in near-field thermal radiation

Abstract Accurate prediction of the energy propagation direction and the associated lateral shift is very important for the design of efficient energy conversion devices and sensors based on nanoscale thermal radiation. This paper concerns the direction of energy flow during near-field radiative transfer between two parallel plates separated by a vacuum gap. An improved formulation, fully consistent with fluctuational electrodynamics, is developed to correctly trace the energy streamlines inside the emitter, receiver, and the vacuum gap. The influence of surface waves on the direction of energy propagation as well as on the lateral shift of energy streamlines is elucidated. An important finding with the improved formulation is that the lateral shift in the emitter may exceed that in the vacuum gap. The method can be extended for tracing the energy streamlines in multilayered structures.
ROOTEDGE: software for measuring root length from desktop scanner images

One approach for measuring the length of roots washed from soil samples is to use a desktop scanner to acquire binary images and then use image analysis procedures to determine root length. Normally, this approach requires user-adjusted exposure thresholding. The objectives of this study were to develop a procedure for obtaining binary images of root samples with a desktop scanner that does not require user-adjusted exposure thresholding of each image and to test the performance of the newly developed ROOTEDGE program by using images containing single or multiple root segments of corn (Zea mays L.). ROOTEDGE was developed for measuring the length of digitized roots using the edge chord algorithm. It is insensitive to object orientation, has four image-processing operations, and holds only seven lines of the image in memory. Visual comparisons of digitized images with actual root segments showed that root segments with diameters less than 0.15 mm were not being completely digitized by the image acquisition procedure and were fragmented in the images. The most complete root images were produced by using the highest available scanner resolution and the lowest scanner threshold level for exposure. Using the closing image-processing operation in ROOTEDGE with a test coefficient of 1 also helped to join fragmented objects within images and improved the correlation of ROOTEDGE measurements to direct measurements. Ratios of ROOTEDGE length measurements to manual line-intersection length measurements ranged from 0.98 to 0.88 for four corn root samples of different sizes. In general, the ROOTEDGE software and image acquisition system accurately measured corn root length without user-adjusted exposure thresholding.
Empirical Performance Analysis of HPC Benchmarks Across Variations in Cloud Computing

High Performance Computing HPC applications are scientific applications that require significant CPU capabilities. They are also data-intensive applications requiring large data storage. While many researchers have examined the performance of Amazon's EC2 platform across some HPC benchmarks, an extensive study and their comparison between Amazon's EC2 and Microsoft's Windows Azure is largely missing with metrics such as memory bandwidth, I/O performance, and communication and computational performance. The purpose of this paper is to implement existing benchmarks to evaluate and analyze these metrics for EC2 and Windows Azure that span both Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service types. This was accomplished by running MPI versions of STREAM, Interleaved or Random IOR and NAS Parallel NPB benchmarks on small and medium instance types. In addition a new EC2 medium instance type m1.medium was also included in the analysis. These benchmarks measure the memory bandwidth, I/O performance, communication and computational performance.
No! The team ain't alright! The institutional and individual problematics of race

Critical race theory (CRT) has been a framework used to better understand practice and research in education. Leading scholarship in CRT has called upon researchers and practitioners interested in CRT for education to attend to the tenets of CRT beyond counter-storytelling. The article begins with a counterstory to make sense of race as it manifests in one teacher education program in the Midwest in particular, and in teacher education programs more broadly. Analysis of the counterstory moves beyond the story itself, exploring ‘holes’ that implicate the ‘institution’ and the ‘author’ as contributing to racism. Using the CRT tenets of whiteness as property, and an expansive versus restrictive view of anti-discrimination, the author interrogates the way in which racism manifests in pre-service teacher education, and how his behavior has been complacent in institutional racism and maintaining white privilege. Finally, thoughts are offered that speak to how educators might approach anti-racist stances.
Using query context models to construct topical search engines

Today, if a website owner or blogger wants to provide a search interface on their web site, they have essentially two options: web search or site search. Site search is often too narrow and web search often too broad. We propose a context-specific alternative: the use of 'topical search engines' (TopS) providing results focused on a specific topic determined by the site owner. For example a photography blog could offer a search interface focused on photography.In this paper, we describe a promising new approach to easily create such topical search engines with minimal manual effort. In our approach, whenever we have enough contextual information, we alter ambiguous topic related queries issued to a generic search engine by adding contextual keywords derived from (topic-specific) query logs; the altered queries help focus the search engine's results to the specific topic of interest. Our solution is deployed as a query wrapper, requiring no change in the underlying search engine.We present techniques to automatically extract queries related to a topic from a web click graph, identify suitable query contexts from these topical queries, and use these contexts to alter queries that are ambiguous or under-specified. We present statistics on three topical search engine prototypes we created. We then describe an evaluation study with the prototypes we developed in the areas of photography and automobiles. We conducted three tests comparing these prototypes to baseline engines with and without fixed query refinements. In each test, we obtained preference judgments from over a hundred participants. Users showed a strong preference for TopS prototypes in all three tests, with statistically significant preference differences ranging from 16% to 42%.
AMVA'12: ACM international workshop on audio and multimedia methods for large-scale video analysis

Media sharing sites on the Internet and the one-click upload capability of smartphones have led to a deluge of online multimedia content. Everyday, thousands of videos are uploaded into the web creating an ever-growing demand for methods to make them easier to retrieve, search, and index. While visual information is a very important part of a video, acoustic information often complements it. This is especially true for the analysis of consumer-produced, "unconstrained" videos from social media networks, such as YouTube uploads or Flickr content. The goal of the 1st ACM International Workshop on Audio and Multimedia Methods for Large-Scale Video Analysis (AMVA) is to bring together researchers and practitioners in this newly emerging field, and to foster discussion on future directions of the topic by providing a forum for focused exchanges on new ideas, developments, and results. The aim is to build a strong community and a venue that at some point can become its own conference.
The role of platinum in hexane isomerization over Pt/FeOy/WOx/ZrO2

Hexane isomerization was investigated in Pt-free and Pt-containing highly acidic iron oxide/tungsten oxide zirconia (FeOy/WOx/ZrO2) catalysts. It has been found that hexane isomerization on WOx/ZrO2_based catalysts takes place mainly on monofunctional acid sites via intermolecular hydride transfer reactions between neutral molecules and carbenium ions. The highly acidic character of WOx/ZrO2 is such that hexane isomerization does not proceed via the classical dual functional mechanism. These results are consistent with those obtained in strong acid systems, and contrast those of zeolite-based catalysts, where the presence of metal is required to achieve high conversions. The relative rate of hydrogen transfer and the thermodynamic limitation imposed on the hexane isomers dictate the product distribution. The presence of Pt is found to specifically facilitate the approach to equilibrium of the 2,2-dimethylbutane isomer. This isomer is shown to form from the most sterically-hindered carbenium ion intermediate. The results suggest that Pt-catalyzed hydrogen activation generates substantial amounts of surface atomic hydrogen which readily undergoes hydrogen transfer with this hindered intermediate, which would otherwise undergo very slow hydride transfer with neutral molecules. Our results also suggest that Pt-catalyzed hydrogen activation may play a more classical role in keeping the surface concentration of hexyl cations low, and consequently secondary reactions, oligomerization/cracking, that give rise to cracked products, are inhibited. The results of deuterium exchange measurements in D2 at low conversion, are best explained by invoking both acid- and metal-facilitated deuteration pathways. The presence of Pt results in a moderately higher level of deuterium exchange in the isohexane products, but a large increase in the deuteration of the normal hexane starting material. At ∼20% conversion, nearly all of the unreacted normal hexane molecules contain at least one deuterium atom over Pt/FeOy/WOx/ZrO2, while only 4–5% of the hexane is deuterated over Pt-free FeOy/WOx/ZrO2. These results can be attributed to branched isomer exchange with deuterated Bronsted sites, supplemented by non-isomer-selective C–H bond activation by Pt.
The effect of nitrogen on the chemistry of sputter-deposited SiCxNy films

Abstract Thin films of silicon carbide nitride (SiCxNy) were deposited in an r.f. magnetron sputtering system using a SiC target. Films of different compositions were deposited by varying the ratios of argon and nitrogen in the sputtering ambient. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy studies on the deposited films indicated that the chemical states as well as the surface roughness are highly sensitive to the nitrogen ratios during sputtering.
P‐135: A Low Power and Video Driving Scheme for Roll‐to‐Roll Cholesteric LCD

In order to make Roll-to-Roll Cholesteric LCD more power saving and attractive, this paper proposes a low power and video driving scheme by applying the partial and cumulative updating waveforms. The performance of this new scheme is experimentally evaluated, and satisfactory results of local video rich gray-level content could be obtained with much lower power.
Photorefractive fiber storage, switching, interconnects, and the technological challenges

Recently, photorefractive fibers have been successfully grown in the Material Research Laboratory at Penn State. Long fibers of excellent optical quality are easier to grow, and the cost of growing these fibers is substantially less than the cost of growing an equivalent thick volume of bulk materials. In this invited paper, we shall briefly review some recent works done at Penn. State. First, a laser heated pedestal growth (LHPG) technique to grow single crystal PR fiber is described. Angular and wavelength selectivities for the fiber holograms are evaluated, in which we show that the reflection-type wavelength-multiplexed fiber holograms offer a uniform and higher selectivity. Application of the PR fiber holograms to optical memory, interconnects, switching, and the technological issues is given.
Elucidation of the structure of the Pasteurella haemolytica serotype T10 lipopolysaccharide O-antigen by n.m.r. spectroscopy.

The aqueous-phase lipopolysaccharide isolated from Pasteurella haemolytica serotype T10 cells by the phenol-water extraction method was found to be S-type lipopolysaccharide which possessed O-antigenic polysaccharide chains composed only of D-galactose residues. Structural analysis of the O-polysaccharide, using a combination of 1D and 2D 1H- and 13C-n.m.r. methods, led to the identification of the disaccharide repeating-unit as [----3)-alpha-D-Galp-(1----3)-beta-D-Galf-(1----]n. The serological cross-reactivity between P. haemolytica serotypes T4 and T10 can now be related to the structural similarity of the antigenic LPS O-polysaccharides.
A region of the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis invasin protein enhances integrin-mediated uptake into mammalian cells and promotes self-association

Invasin allows efficient entry into mammalian cells by Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. It has been shown that the C-terminal 192 amino acids of invasin are essential for binding of beta1 integrin receptors and subsequent uptake. By analyzing the internalization of latex beads coated with invasin derivatives, an additional domain of invasin was shown to be required for efficient bacterial internalization. A monomeric derivative encompassing the C-terminal 197 amino acids was inefficient at promoting entry of latex beads, whereas dimerization of this derivative by antibody significantly increased uptake. By using the DNA-binding domain of lambda repressor as a reporter for invasin self-interaction, we have demonstrated that a region of the invasin protein located N-terminal to the cell adhesion domain of invasin is able to self-associate. Chemical cross-linking studies of purified and surface-exposed invasin proteins, and the dominant-interfering effect of a non-functional invasin derivative are consistent with the presence of a self-association domain that is located within the region of invasin that enhances bacterial uptake. We conclude that interaction of homomultimeric invasin with multiple integrins establishes tight adherence and receptor clustering, thus providing a signal for internalization.
Thermoelastic behavior of composites with functionally graded interphase: a multi-inclusion model

Abstract The thermoelastic behavior of composites with functionally graded interphase is analyzed by the multi-inclusion model, where the explicit expressions for the effective thermoelastic moduli and thermoelastic field of the composite are obtained. This method is especially suitable for the analysis of functionally graded interphase because it allows the arbitrary varying material properties in the interphase, allows a wide range of microgeometries of the composite, allows determination of the complete set of thermoelastic moduli and field, and is easy to implement. Its internal-consistency is also examined. Numerical results for the effective thermoelastic moduli and thermoelastic field of SiC reinforced intermetallic matrix are given and discussed to demonstrate the applicability of the method.
Molecular Clinical Biochemistry in Laboratory Medicine: The Present and the Future

Conventional biochemistry (stat, urgent, routine and special chemistries) has made exponential progress for the last 50 years with the advent of automation and development of novel detection systems. At present it is growing in a slow phase in terms of technology and number of tests available. Moreover, the availability of dry reagent chemistry, immunochemical and nanotechnology made it possible to take the diagnostic tests nearer to the patient (point of care testing and physician office testing). However, one should not underestimate its importance in terms of utility for most common autoanalyzer based tests that are currently performed. In contrast to conventional clinical biochemistry, molecular diagnostic tests were not easily available in the initial years because of technical hurdles and biological discovery. However, the progress in automated DNA sequencing, sequencing of human genome, refinements in mass spectrometry, and improvement in polymerase chain reaction technology has revolutionized the molecular biology and genetic tests of clinical biochemistry [1]. Although, this has been evident from the work from pioneer institutions and diagnostic laboratories, smaller laboratories and many centers are either not providing many tests or not able to integrate these tests along with other tests as a molecular diagnostic service in concert with molecular pathology or molecular microbiology components of central laboratory diagnostic services.