cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Durable Goods Monopoly with Incomplete Information

This article reconsiders the durable goods monopoly problem when the monopolist's marginal cost is private information. We show that the Coase Conjecture implies the No Trade Theorem: In any equilibrium in which the lowest-cost seller's initial offer approaches her marginal cost, the aggregate probability of trade must vanish. However, we also construct non-Coasean equilibria which approximate the unique outcome of the rental version of the same model. These (stationary) equilibria are comparatively efficient. The results are equally applicable to the mathematically-equivalent problem of sequential bargaining with two-sided incomplete information where one party makes all the offers. What are the consequences of monopoly in a market for a durable good? Present-day understanding of this question divides into two strands of thought. First, the monopolist may effectively lack any ability to credibly precommit on her future output. Under this scenario, the price will drop almost instantaneously to marginal cost, apparently yielding the efficient outcome normally associated with perfect competition.1 Second, the monopolist may possess an explicit (e.g. leasing the good rather than selling2) or implicit (e.g. the maintenance of reputation3) device enabling her to adhere to an output restriction. Under such circumstances, price will be maintained at a non-competitively high level, suggesting an outcome fraught with all the inefficiency of classical monopoly. The conclusions of the first paragraph rest on analysis of a standard model in which the monopolist's payoff function is taken to be common knowledge. A single firm with known constant marginal cost sells an infinitely-durable good to consumers with a known distribution of valuations for the good.4 The firm has the ability to revise its posted price
Thermal Decomposition Modeling and Thermophysical Property Measurement of a Highly Crosslinked Polymer Composite

Thermophysical properties including density, specific heat, and thermal diffusivity of a poly (diallyl phthalate) inert filler composite material were characterized over a wide temperature range from room temperature to 800 °C. Over this temperature range, the material decomposition was approximated by a one-step process with first-order kinetics. Thermal kinetics data were obtained by thermal gravimetric analysis with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TGA-FTIR) and thermophysical properties were obtained from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and laser flash diffusivity experiments. The response of the material to radiant heating was simulated with a computational heat transfer, multidimensional, finite element code. Additionally, the experimental uncertainty in the measurements was quantified to estimate the uncertainty in the reaction parameters due to heating rate and variability in inert filler-polymer composition in large sample sizes. Hence, the thermal response and the uncertainty were quantified for a complex decomposing material in a practical geometry for technologically important applications.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Granular collapse as a percolation transition.

Inelastic collapse is found in a two-dimensional system of inelastic hard disks confined between two walls which act as an energy source. As the coefficient of restitution is lowered, there is a transition between a state containing small collapsed clusters and a state dominated by a large collapsed cluster. The transition is analogous to that of a percolation transition. At the transition the number of clusters ${n}_{s}$ of size s scales as ${n}_{s}\ensuremath{\sim}{s}^{\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\tau}}$ with $\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\approx}2.7.$
Adaptive Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategy for Hybrid Electric Vehicles

This paper proposes a new method for solving the energy management problem for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) based on the equivalent consumption minimization strategy (ECMS). After discussing the main features of ECMS, an adaptation law of the equivalence factor used by ECMS is presented, which, using feedback of state of charge, ensures optimality of the strategy proposed. The performance of the A-ECMS is shown in simulation and compared to the optimal solution obtained with dynamic programming.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Evaluation of parameter estimation methods for estimating cellulase binding constants

Four nonlinear methods were investigated, with and without weighting, to determine their abilities to estimate the cellulase binding constants of a Thermomonospora fusca cellulase, E3, using the Langmuir adsorption model. The resulting binding constants were compared to those returned by the linear least squares method on the traditional linearizations of the Langmuir model, using both ordinary and Wilkerson-weighted formats. Of the linearizations tested, the Hanes-Woolf method, without weighting, returned the most reliable results. While the nonlinear methods avoided the inherent problems associated with the linearizations, the Gauss and Box-Kanemasu methods demonstrated convergence difficulties when the initial guesses significantly deviated from their true values. The most robust method was the Complex-Box search method, which converged on the global minimum independent of the initial guesses. The weighted methods failed to yield estimates of the maximum cellulase binding level comparable with those observed experimentally. Specifically, the Eb,ms estimated by the weighted methods were 25–30% lower than those obtained experimentally. It was postulated that this phenomenon is due to the error structure associated with the measured free cellulase concentration and to the limits on the number of data point replications.
Focusing of an ultrasonic beam by a curved interface

Abstract We calculate the wavefields near the caustics, and their cusps, formed when a well collimated, ultrasonic beam scatters from a concave fluid-solid interface. The radius of curvature of the interface is assumed to be sufficiently large and the angle of incidence sufficiently small that only reflection and transmission of the beam need be considered. The incident beam is modeled as a two-dimensional wavefield whose initial profile is rectangular. The aperture is assumed to be sufficiently large (in wavelengths) that a well collimated beam is radiated, and the interface is assumed to lie close enough to the aperture that it is struck by a wavefield that has not yet evolved into a cylindrical wave. The scattered wavefields are represented as multiple integrals and are evaluated using a combination of asymptotic and numerical analysis. Special attention is given to the sometimes competing effects of the shadow boundary of each scattered beam with its corresponding caustic, and cusp if one is formed.
TRENDS IN DEVELOPMENT AND STATUS OF PSYCHOLOGY: AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract International psychological meetings provide excellent settings and also incentives for considering how psychology is developing as a science and a profession in different countries and regions of the world. This paper was originally prepared for an IUPS Symposium at the XVII Inter-American Congress of Psychology, Lima, Peru, 1979; it was subsequently updated to Spring, 1981. Visiting other countries and communicating with psychologists from different parts of the world provides much evidence of growth and development, but it is also clear that there are major differences among countries. The conditions in which psychology is growing and the demands made upon it, and even the definitions of psychology and psychologist, show a wide range from one country to another. My first goal in this brief survey will be to make preliminary comparisons of the development and status of psychology among different countries and regions, restricting the focus to a few main topics: (a) definitions of psychology and...
Control of surface energy of glass by surface reactions: Contact angle and stability

Abstract The surface energy of glass plates was modified by chemisorption of organochlorosilanes. Auger electron spectroscopy was used to measure the elemental composition of the surfaces of glass plates. Contact angles both water-air and xylene-water were measured as a function of reagent concentration in order to characterize the plate surface after reaction. An increase in both water-air and xylene-water contact angles was observed with increasing reagent concentration. An interesting behavior of the water-air contact angle hysteresis as a function of reagent concentration was observed. Based on contact angle hysteresis data regions of reagent concentrations corresponding to partial coverage, closepacked monolayer coverage and multilayer coverage on the glass surfaces were identified. The xylene-water contact angles were also measured as a function of time after placing the reacted plates in xylene, water, and air. Variations of xylene-water contact angles as a function of time were explained by effects due to rehydrolyzation, desorption of weakly adsorbed molecules and adsorption of hydrophobic impurities.
Whole body glucose kinetics in type I diabetes studied with [6,6-2H] and [U-13C]-glucose and the artificial B-cell.

Dynamic aspects of whole body glucose metabolism were assessed in ten young adult insulin-dependent (type I) diabetic men. Using a primed, continuous intravenous infusion of [6,6-2H]glucose and [U-13C]glucose, endogenous production, tissue uptake, carbon recycling, and oxidation of glucose were measured in the postabsorptive state. These studies were undertaken after blood glucose had been maintained overnight at 5.9 +/- 0.4 mmol/L (n = 10), and on another night at 10.5 +/- 0.4 mmol/L (n = 4) or 15.2 +/- 0.6 mmol/L (n = 6). In the normoglycemic state, endogenous glucose production averaged 2.15 +/- 0.13 mg x kg-1 x min-1. This value, as well as the rate of glucose carbon recycling (0.16 +/- 0.04 mg x kg-1 x min-1) and glucose oxidation (1.52 +/- 0.16 mg x kg-1 x min-1) are comparable to those found in nondiabetic controls. In the hyperglycemic states at 10 or 15 mmol/L, endogenous glucose production was increased by 11% (P less than .01) and 60% (P less than .01) compared to the normoglycemic states, respectively. Glucose carbon recycling contributed only a small percentage to this variation in glucose production (15% at the 15 mmol/L glucose level). This suggests that if gluconeogenesis participates in the increased glucose output, it is not dependent on a greater systemic supply of three-carbon precursors. The increased rate of glucose production in the hyperglycemic state was quantitatively offset by a rise in urinary glucose excretion. Glucose tissue uptake, as well as glucose oxidation, did not vary between normoglycemic and hyperglycemic states.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Stimulates Matrix Metalloproteinase-13 via the Molecular Cross-talk between the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinases and Protein Kinase Cδ Pathways in Human Adult Articular Chondrocytes

Excessive release of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) during loading and/or injury of the cartilage matrix may contribute to the onset or progression of osteoarthritis. This pathological role may be related to the ability of bFGF to decrease proteoglycan synthesis and to antagonize the activity of anabolic growth factors in cartilage such as insulin-like growth factor-1 and bone morphogenetic protein 7 (BMP7 or OP-1). Matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), a catabolic cartilage-degrading enzyme, is dramatically up-regulated by inflammatory cytokines or by fibronectin fragments in articular chondrocytes. In this study, we investigated MMP-13 production by bFGF using human articular chondrocytes. Endogenous concentration of bFGF in synovial fluids collected from arthritis patients and asymptomatic subjects showed a good linear correlation with the endogenous levels of MMP-13. bFGF stimulation of MMP-13 was mediated at the transcriptional level and, at least in part, by stimulation of interleukin-1 production. Also, our findings suggest that bFGF stimulation of MMP-13 required the activation of multiple MAPKs (ERK, p38, and JNK) by bFGF, and more importantly, bFGF activation of protein kinase C (PKC) δ played a key role in the MMP-13 stimulation. Indeed, PKCδ is the only isoform associated with MMP-13 stimulation among the PKC isoforms tested. PKCδ controls the bFGF response by regulating multiple MAPK pathways. Our results suggest that PKCδ activation is a principal rate-limiting event in the bFGF-dependent stimulation of MMP-13 in human adult articular chondrocytes. We propose that deregulation of cross-talk between MAPK and PKCδ signaling may contribute to the etiology of osteoarthritis in human patients.
Closure of patent foramen ovale in cryptogenic stroke: ready or not, here come the trials.

In the consecutive series of patients with ischemic stroke and patent foramen ovale (PFO) reported by Windecker et al. ([1][1]) in this issue of the Journal , nonrandomized therapies chosen by treating physicians with patient input (referral for PFO closure, n = 158; antiplatelet therapy, n = 79; or
Reaction pn→ppπ− and N∗ (1450) production at 5.9 GeV/c☆

Abstract A search for N ∗ (1450) production has been made among the 904 selected examples of the reaction pd → pp π − (p sp ) obtained in a bubble chamber exposure at 5.9 GeV/ c incident momentum. The cross section for the reaction pn → pp π − is found to be 1.4 ± 0.1 mb. The peripheral data are in good agreement with the predictions of a single-pion exchange model. Approximately 8% of the events can be attributed to N ∗ (1450) production by some other mechanism.
Gut stromal tumors and their clinical behavior

Background Gut stromal tumors (GST) are a group of intramural intestinal tumors formerly known as leiomyoma and leiomyosarcoma. To improve the understanding of GST behavior, we posed the following questions: What are the clinical sequelae? Do size and symptoms correlate? What are the indications for excision? Methods A retrospective analysis (1988 to 1996) of the clinical course for GST patients was completed including long-term follow-up. Results We found 39 patients with GST during the last 8 years. Their average age was 65 years and 59% were male. Tumors were found in the small bowel or stomach in 95% of cases. All patients were treated by surgical excision. Histologic grading yielded a benign diagnosis in 77%. Tumors were found incidentally at laparotomy in 41% and had an average size of 1.5 cm. In contrast, 59% of GST patients were symptomatic and the average size was 6 cm. In these 23 symptomatic patients, gastrointestinal bleeding occurred in 70%, of which acute hemorrhage was seen in 69–82% of them required transfusion and half required emergent operation. Additional findings in the symptomatic group included abdominal pain (57%), bowel obstruction (30%), and perforation (9%). An average long-term follow-up of 2.5 years was obtained in all patients (n = 34, 5 had died of other causes). Local recurrence was seen in 2 patients, metastatic disease in 2 other patients, and 30 (88%) were disease free. No patient with a GST discovered incidentally has had it recur. Conclusion Gut stromal tumors are uncommon yet cause significant patient morbidity. Small GST (2 cm) were asymptomatic but larger GST were usually symptomatic. Most GST behaved in a benign fashion after local resection. Due to the frequency of serious complications in symptomatic patients, complete excision is recommended for GST, even if incidentally discovered.
Stability Analysis of LTI Systems With Three Independent Delays—A Computationally Efficient Procedure

A practical numerical procedure is introduced for determining the stability robustness map of a general class of higher order linear time invariant systems with three independent delays, against uncertainties in the delays. The procedure is based on an efficient and exhaustive frequency-sweeping technique within a single loop. This operation results in determination of the complete description of the kernel and the offspring hypersurfaces, which constiture exhaustively the potential stability switching loci in the space of the delays. The new r umerical procedure corresponds to the first step in the overarching framework, called the cluster treatment of characteristic roots. The results of this treatment can also be represented in another domain (called the spectral delay space) within a finite dimensional cube called the building block, which is much simpler to view and analyze. The paper a, so offers several case studies to demonstrate the practicality of the new numerical methodology.
Adaptive Learning and Equilibrium Selection in Experimental Coordination Games: An ARCH(1) Approach

Abstract We analyze and estimate an adaptive learning model which explicitly considers strategic uncertainty in order to provide a unified explanation of the patterns of equilibrium selection in J. Van Huyck, R. Battalio, and R. Beil's (1990, Amer. Econ. Rev. 80 , 234–248; 1991, Quart. J. Econ. 106 , 885–910) experimental coordination games. The leaning dynamics follow an autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity process of order 1 (ARCH(1)). We find that ARCH captures the persistence in players' assessments of uncertainty as they update their beliefs, provides a reduced form for differences of unknown form in players' beliefs without relying on any assumptions on their probabilistic structure, and yields a parsimonious parametric description of the learning dynamics. Journal of Economic Literature Classification Numbers: C92, C73, C51, C25.
The retroviral oncogene qin belongs to the transcription factor family that includes the homeotic gene fork head.

Abstract Avian sarcoma virus 31 contains an oncogene that we have named qin. qin codes for a nuclear protein, Qin, that is a member of the HNF-3/fork head family of transcriptional regulators. Within this family Qin is particularly closely related to rat brain factor 1 (BF-1), a telencephalon-specific gene presumed to play an important role in the development of the mammalian brain.
Contraindications and side effects of commonly used medications in coronary CT angiography.

For certain clinical applications, coronary CT angiography (CCTA) has become a useful tool for the noninvasive evaluation of coronary artery atherosclerosis. To optimize image quality in CCTA, medications are often given prior to scanning to slow the heart rate or distend the arteries. These medications have side effects and are contraindicated in certain patient populations. Metoprolol is the s-blocker of choice in CCTA, and it has been shown to be effective in achieving the goal heart rate of less than 65 beats per minute for CCTA and in minimizing variability of heart rate. It is contraindicated in patients with hypotension or high degree AV block, and it must be used with caution in patients with asthma or obstructive pulmonary disease, patients with decompensated heart failure, and those with vasospastic or vasoocclusive disease. Diltiazem, the calcium channel blocker of choice in CCTA, is a reasonable alternative for heart control, particularly in patients with asthma or bronchospastic disease, and patients with orthotopic heart transplants that have been sympathetically denervated. Sublingual nitroglycerin is especially useful in order to dilate distal arteries to improve stenosis visibility. However, it is contraindicated in patients on erectile dysfunction medications and those with severe anemia. It must be used cautiously in patients with aortic stenosis or other preload-dependant cardiac pathologies.
A stewardship program's retrospective evaluation of vancomycin AUC24/MIC and time to microbiological clearance in patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia and osteomyelitis.

Abstract Background Current guidelines for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia recommend targeting a vancomycin AUC 24 /MIC ≥400. Data on the association between AUC 24 /MIC and microbiological clearance in patients with concomitant MRSA bacteremia and MRSA osteomyelitis are limited. Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between the vancomycin AUC 24 /MIC and time to microbiological clearance in patients with concomitant MRSA bacteremia and MRSA osteomyelitis. Methods Adult inpatients with concomitant MRSA bacteremia and MRSA osteomyelitis treated with vancomycin from January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2011, were evaluated. Classification and regression tree analysis was used to identify the AUC 24 /MIC associated with time to microbiological clearance. Results Fifty-nine patients had complete data available for review and were included in the analysis. Classification and regression tree analysis identified an AUC/MIC of 293 as the breakpoint that provides the greatest difference in time to microbiological clearance. On univariate analysis, mean (SD) time to clearance was 2 days shorter when the AUC/MIC was >293 (4 [2] days vs 6 [3] days, P = 0.01). Mean (SD) infection-related length of stay was 13 (6) versus 18 (14) days in patients with an AUC 24 /MIC ratio >293 or ≤293, respectively ( P = 0.25). In patients with an AUC 24 /MIC ≤293, 39% versus 17% ( P = 0.09) had recurrent bacteremia and were readmitted compared with patients with an AUC/MIC >293. Only 9% were able to achieve an AUC 24 /MIC >293 when the vancomycin MIC was >1 μg/mL. Conclusions We observed a >2.5-fold increase in time to microbiological clearance in patients with concomitant MRSA bacteremia and MRSA osteomyelitis unable to achieve a vancomycin AUC 24 /MIC >293. A 5-day increase in hospital and infection-related length of stay was observed when this target was not achieved. Recurrence of bacteremia and hospital readmissions were higher in the cohort who did not achieve an AUC 24 /MIC >293. Only 9% of patients were able to achieve an AUC 24 /MIC >293 if the isolate MIC was >1 μg/mL. Trough concentration did not correlate with AUC 24 /MIC. In patients with concomitant MRSA bacteremia and MRSA osteomyelitis treated with vancomycin, stewardship programs should optimize pharmacodynamic parameters, specifically AUC 24 /MIC, or alternative therapies should be considered.
CELP-like compression of spotlight-mode SAR raw data in transform domain

Transmission of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data requires large bandwidth due to its inherently high data rate. Consequently, compression of the data is often required. In this paper, we propose a raw SAR data compression algorithm that employs a predictive coding scheme, based on the analysis-by-synthesis encoding method. The proposed algorithm is inspired by code excited linear prediction (CELP) algorithm used in speech compression and exploits the signal correlation across azimuth of the range-wise inverse Fourier transform of the raw SAR data. Our results show that the proposed CELP-like compression algorithm is 6 dB superior to block adaptive quantization (BAQ) in signal-to-noise ratio. Also, we show that the formed SAR image after compression preserves the main features of the captured scene at low data rate contrary to that of BAQ-compressed data.
Effect of MR Distortion on Targeting for Deep-Brain Stimulation

Deep-brain stimulation (DBS) surgery involves placing electrodes within specific deep-brain target nuclei. Surgeons employ MR imaging for preoperative selection of targets and computed tomography (CT) imaging for designing stereotactic frames used for intraoperative placement of electrodes at the targets. MR distortion may contribute to target-selection error in the MR scan and also to MR-CT registration error, each of which contributes to error in electrode placement. In this paper, we analyze the error contributed by the MR distortion to the total DBS targeting error. Distortion in conventional MR scans, both T1 and T2 weighted, were analyzed for six bilateral DBS patients in the typical areas of brain using typical scans on a 3-T clinical scanner. Mean targeting error due to MR distortion in T2 was found to be 0.07 ± 0.025 mm with a maximum of 0.13 mm over 12 targets; error in the T1 images was smaller by 4%.
Amatoxin: A Review

This paper presents a comprehensive review of amatoxin poisoning. The paper discusses the biochemistry of amatoxin, as well as the clinical manifestations of amatoxin ingestion. In addition, the evaluation of the patient with amatoxin ingestion is discussed, along with the treatment—including newer therapy—and the ultimate prognosis of the syndrome.
Five-year obesity incidence in the transition period between adolescence and adulthood: the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health

Background No nationally representative longitudinal data have been analyzed to evaluate the incidence of obesity in the transition between adolescence and adulthood. Objective The objective was to examine dynamic patterns of change in obesity among white, black, Hispanic, and Asian US teens as they transitioned to young adulthood. Design We used nationally representative, longitudinally measured height and weight data collected from US adolescents enrolled in wave II (1996; ages 13-20 y) and wave III (2001; 19-26 y) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (n = 9795). Obesity incidence was defined on the basis of International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cutoffs (wave II), which link childhood body mass index (BMI) centiles to adult cutoffs (BMI > or = 30; wave III), for comparability between adolescence and adulthood. In addition, the more commonly used cutoff of BMI > or = 95th percentile for age- and sex-specific cutoffs from the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts for adolescents (wave II) were compared with adult cutoffs (BMI > or = 30; wave III). Results On the basis of the IOTF cutoffs, obesity incidence over the 5-y study period was 12.7%; 9.4% of the population remained obese and 1.6% shifted from obese to nonobese. Obesity incidence was especially high in non-Hispanic black (18.4%) females relative to white females. The prevalence of obesity increased from 10.9% in wave II to 22.1% in wave III, and extreme obesity was 4.3% at wave III on the basis of a BMI > or = 40. Conclusions During a 5-y transitional period between adolescence and young adulthood, the proportion of adolescents becoming and remaining obese into adulthood was very high. This upward trend is likely to continue. Effective preventive and treatment efforts are critically needed.
Content-based browsing of data from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)

Through content based browsing, the TSDIS Orbit Viewer can help scientists decide which files to order from the TRMM archive. The Orbit Viewer's Mission Index can locate large-scale rain events in six terabytes of data. The Orbit Viewer's TRMM Tracker can locate coincidences between the TRMM orbit and a user-defined surface track.
FLAMEnGO: a fuzzy logic approach for methyl group assignment using NOESY and paramagnetic relaxation enhancement data.

Abstract Building on a recent method by Matthews and co-workers [1] , we developed a new and efficient algorithm to assign methyl resonances from sparse and ambiguous NMR data. The new algorithm (FLAMEnGO: Fuzzy Logic Assignment of MEthyl GrOups) uses Monte Carlo sampling in conjunction with fuzzy logic to obtain the assignment of methyl resonances at high fidelity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the inclusion of paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) data in the assignment strategy increases the percentage of correct assignments with sparse NOE data. Using synthetic tests and experimental data we show that this new approach provides up to ∼80% correct assignments with only 30% of methyl–methyl NOE data. In the experimental case of ubiquitin, PRE data from two spin labeled sites improve the percentage of assigned methyl groups up to ∼91%. This new strategy promises to further expand methyl group NMR spectroscopy to very large macromolecular systems.
Source routing based pairwise key establishment protocol for sensor networks

Sensor networks are composed of a large number of low power sensor devices. For secure communication among sensors, secret keys must be established between them. The establishment of secret keys after deployment of sensors requires wireless communication. Because of the energy constraints, an efficient key establishment scheme cannot be designed without considering the power consumption factor in wireless communication. In order to reduce the communication overhead, we propose a source routing based pairwise key establishment protocol for large-scale sensor networks. We then use a probability model proposed in [D. Huang et al., (2004)] to analyze the communication overhead, and security strength of the scheme.
Prognostic Significance of Nuclear Survivin Expression in Resected Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

The expression of survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis, in tumor cells is associated with poor clinical outcome for various cancers. We conducted this study to determine survivin expression in patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the head and neck and to identify its clinical significance as a prognostic factor. We performed immunohistochemical staining for survivin, p53, bcl-2 protein, and Ki-67 in formalin fixed, paraffin-embedded blocks from 37 cases of head and neck ACC. We also reviewed the patients' clinical records to determine the association of staining with clinical course. Of the 37 cases of head and neck ACC, 31 (83.8%) were positive for cytoplasmic survivin expression, and 23 (62.2%) were positive for nuclear survivin expression. There was a significant association between nuclear survivin expression and bcl-2 (P = 0.031). A larger tumor was more commonly a survivin-positive tumor (cytoplasmic survivin, P = 0.043; nuclear survivin, P = 0.057). Median overall survival (OS) was significantly longer in patients not expressing nuclear survivin (P = 0.035). A multivariate analysis revealed that nuclear survivin expression significantly impacted OS (hazard ratio 8.567, P = 0.018) in addition to lymph node involvement (hazard ratio 7.704, P = 0.016). The immunohistochemical expression of nuclear survivin has a prognostic impact in patients with head and neck ACC. These results suggest that nuclear survivin expression may be a useful biomarker for predicting prognosis in patients with head and neck ACC who were treated with surgical resection.
In silico microarray probe design for diagnosis of multiple pathogens

With multiple strains of various pathogens being sequenced, it is necessary to develop high-throughput methods that can simultaneously process multiple bacterial or viral genomes to find common fingerprints as well as fingerprints that are unique to each individual genome. We present algorithmic enhancements to an existing single-genome pipeline that allows for efficient design of microarray probes common to groups of target genomes. The enhanced pipeline takes advantage of the similarities in the input genomes to narrow the search to short, nonredundant regions of the target genomes and, thereby, significantly reduces the computation time. The pipeline also computes a three-state hybridization matrix, which gives the expected hybridization of each probe with each target. Design of microarray probes for eight pathogenic Burkholderia genomes shows that the multiple-genome pipeline is nearly four-times faster than the single-genome pipeline for this application. The probes designed for these eight genomes were experimentally tested with one non-target and three target genomes. Hybridization experiments show that less than 10% of the designed probes cross hybridize with non-targets. Also, more than 65% of the probes designed to identify all Burkholderia mallei and B. pseudomallei strains successfully hybridize with a B. pseudomallei strain not used for probe design. The savings in runtime suggest that the enhanced pipeline can be used to design fingerprints for tens or even hundreds of related genomes in a single run. Hybridization results with an unsequenced B. pseudomallei strain indicate that the designed probes might be useful in identifying unsequenced strains of B. mallei and B. pseudomallei.
Observation of melt fracture of polypropylene resins in capillary flow

Abstract Melt fracture, shear viscosity, extensional viscosity, and die swell of two polypropylene resins were studied using a capillary rheometer. A modified Bagley plot with consideration of pressure effects on melt viscosity and end effect was used. From the true wall shear stress the shear viscosity was calculated. Extensional viscosity was calculated from the end effect. Both shear and extensional viscosities of different molecular weights and temperatures correlated well under the time–temperature Williams–Landel–Ferry (WLF) superposition. Die swell increased when shear stress increased, and was higher for shorter dies at a given shear rate. When shear rates increased the extrudate staged from smooth to gross melt fracture with regular patterns (spurt), and then turned into irregular shapes. In the regular stage the wavelength of extrudates was measured, and corresponding frequency was calculated. The frequency increased when molecular weight decreased and when melt temperature increased. The shift factor based on shear viscosity also brought frequency data of different molecular weights and temperatures into master curves. The frequency decreased slightly when die lengths increased from L/R=10 to 60. A small maximum was observed when shear rates increased.
Retrograde Amnesia: Forgetting Back

Recently, the field of animal memory research has seen a resurgence of interest in the mechanisms underlying retrograde amnesia (RA) and in the use of RA as a technique for studying memory processes. A recent report from a major neuroscience lab, which demonstrated RA for an old reactivated memory, revitalized the debate regarding the widely accepted memory-consolidation theory of RA. Here, we discuss a number of the characteristics of RA and consider the findings that led to the development of the memory-consolidation hypothesis, as well as those suggesting an alternative retrieval-deficit explanation.
Burning rate of liquid supplied through a wick

Abstract Liquid fuel supplied through ceramic or metallic wicks is commonly used as a simulant for burning of planar liquid or solid surfaces. When the liquid flow through the wick is at least partly controlled by capillarity, the partially exposed wick matrix at the burning surface changes the concentration distribution adjacent to this surface. Here we show that when the characteristic length of the exposed matrix is not significantly smaller than the convection boundary-layer thickness, the burning rate from the wick deviates (being smaller for low thermal conductivity wicks) from that for planar liquid surfaces. The study is guided by experiments using a ceramic wick, by a one-dimensional gas-side diffusion analysis, and by a wick-side two-phase flow and heat transfer analysis.
Accuracy of the precordial V-Quick® patch in persons with cardiac or pulmonary disease

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the equivalence of 12-Lead Electrocardiograms (EKG) obtained with the new V-Quick patch and traditional tab-style electrodes. Using a within-subject design, a convenience sample of 100 subjects with either cardiac or pulmonary disease underwent two 12-lead EKGs, one with the traditional tab-style electrodes and one with the precordial patch. Computer-generated measurements of waveform axes and amplitude were obtained for both EKGs. Comparison of mean and 95% confidence intervals revealed no significant differences in Q, R or S wave amplitude across the six precordial leads. Furthermore, a four-factor ANOVA found no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the Q, R and S wave amplitude between the type of electrode, gender and type of disease. A subset of 29 EKGs read by three experts found intra- (.90) and inter-rater (.84) reliability to be strong. In conclusion, the precordial V-Quick patch provided equivalent EKGs to those obtained using standard tab-style electrodes.
Event detection and analysis from video streams

We present a system which takes as input a video stream obtained from an airborne moving platform and produces an analysis of the behavior of the moving objects in the scene. To achieve this functionality, our system relies on two modular blocks. The first one detects and tracks moving regions in the sequence. It uses a set of features at multiple scales to stabilize the image sequence, that is, to compensate for the motion of the observer, then extracts regions with residual motion and uses an attribute graph representation to infer their trajectories. The second module takes as input these trajectories, together with user-provided information in the form of geospatial context and goal context to instantiate likely scenarios. We present details of the system, together with results on a number of real video sequences and also provide a quantitative analysis of the results.
Statistical model for a mode-stirred chamber

The probability density functions for one- and three-dimensional fields in a mode-stirred chamber are derived and verified with chi-square goodness-of-fit tests on experimental data. Each of the three components of the field in the chamber is Rayleigh distributed, which is the same as chi distributed with six degrees of freedom. Each component of the power density is then exponentially distributed. Experimental data confirm these distributions, though unexpected high values, or outliers, were consistently found. Maximum-likelihood estimators of the functions' parameters are derived, and their accuracy is determined as a function of the amount of data. These results are applied to estimating chamber Q. The amount of data required for a given accuracy is determined. >
Neurogenic Pulmonary Edema and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in a Healthy Child With Febrile Status Epilepticus

Neurogenic pulmonary edema is a clinical syndrome that manifests as an acute onset of pulmonary edema in the setting of a central nervous system injury, without cardiac dysfunction. Neurogenic pulmonary edema is rare in children, and the mechanism is still not completely understood. The clinical pathology overlaps with acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome. The authors report a case of a 14-month-old previously healthy child who presented with febrile status epilepticus, fulminant neurogenic pulmonary edema, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Neurogenic pulmonary edema should be considered in the differential diagnosis for the rapid progression of respiratory failure following an acute neurological injury such as status epilepticus in a child. Prompt respiratory support and treatment of the acute neurological insult can prevent further cerebral hypoxemic injury.
Reliability Characteristics of W / WN / TaO x N y / SiO2 / Si Metal Oxide Semiconductor Capacitors

We investigated the effects of post-gate anneal and WN sputtering power on the gate dielectric integrity of W/WN/TaO x N y /SiO 2 /Si metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitors. The process damage induced by physical vapor deposited metal gates in the high-permittivity (k) gate dielectric was partially relieved by a post-gate anneal. This is manifested by reduced leakage current, higher wear-out breakdown voltage, reduced charge trapping, and improved interface characteristics such as reduced hysteresis and interface state density (D it ). We observed a noticeable increase of charge trapping and interfacial roughness at the WN/TaO x N y interface with WN power density while the D it level remained similar. Degradation in the reliability characteristics with sputtering power density might be attributed to irrecoverable damage in the TaO x N y film.
Optimizing Sound Features for Cortical Neurons

The brain's cerebral cortex decomposes visual images into information about oriented edges, direction and velocity information, and color. How does the cortex decompose perceived sounds? A reverse correlation technique demonstrates that neurons in the primary auditory cortex of the awake primate have complex patterns of sound-feature selectivity that indicate sensitivity to stimulus edges in frequency or in time, stimulus transitions in frequency or intensity, and feature conjunctions. This allows the creation of classes of stimuli matched to the processing characteristics of auditory cortical neurons. Stimuli designed for a particular neuron's preferred feature pattern can drive that neuron with higher sustained firing rates than have typically been recorded with simple stimuli. These data suggest that the cortex decomposes an auditory scene into component parts using a feature-processing system reminiscent of that used for the cortical decomposition of visual images.
SYNTHESIS, UV-SPECTRA, AND SOME ELECTROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF NOVEL 3,3'-BRIDGED-2,2'-BITHIENYLS

A convenient synthesis of a number of 3,3′-bridged-bis-2,2′-thienyls as potential building blocks for novel conducting polymers is reported. The UV-spectra and oxidation potentials of these novel c...
Resistance of polyoma virus immune animals to transplanted polyoma tumors.

Discussion and SummaryBy producing an inapparent infection in adult hamsters or C57 mice with a single dose of diluted polyoma virus these animals subsequently manifest a relative resistance to transplantation of isologous polyoma fibrosarcomas. These sarcomas, although originally induced by virus inoculated into newborn animals, no longer contain any demonstrable virus or viral antigens. This resistance can be overcome if a large enough number of tumor cells are given in the challenge transplant; it is apparently specific for tumors of polyoma origin and would appear to be cell mediated since hyperimmune polyoma antiserum is not capable of transferring such resistance to normal mice.The most logical explanation of this phenomenon is based on the hypothesis that polyoma induced tumors contain a cell antigen which is not present in normal isologous cells and the degree of this antigenic difference must be small. This new antigen would be produced by the normal cell after it has been transformed as the resu...
Theoretical STM signatures and transport properties of native defects in carbon nanotubes

We have investigated theoretically the STM images and conductance signatures of defective carbon nanotubes. The defects considered are those that form on nanotubes under tension, both in the absence and presence of additional carbon atoms. The most prominent features observed in the STM images are a set of bright rings, whose positions correlate with the location of the pentagons within the defect. These features are useful, as they enable the ready identification of many of the defects. By contrast, most of the defects have only a relatively modest effect on the transport properties of the nanotubes. While there is a general decrease in the conductance of the nanotube due to scattering effects, there appears to be no unique feature that can be associated with any of the defects investigated. This unfortunately precludes the use of transport measurements as a means of defect identification. The STM images and conductances of nanotube heterojunctions, as well as tubes under different bias voltages, have also been explored.
Impact of growth parameters on the formation of carbon nanostructures through thermal deposition of silicon carbide

Carbon nanotube (CNT) and graphene films form on silicon carbon (SiC) using a metal-catalyst-free thermal decomposition approach. In this work, the growth conditions used in the decomposition process are varied to investigate their impact on the type and quality of carbon allotrope formed on the SiC substrate. The nanostructure growth is performed using two approaches, both of which involve intense heating (1250–1700oC) under moderate vacuum conditions (10-2–10-5 Torr) without the aid of carbon rich feed gases or metal catalysts commonly used in Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) growth approaches. The first growth method uses a graphite resistance furnace capable of annealing wafer-sized samples. The second approach uses a high-intensity laser to heat a micro-meter scale spot size. The high-intensity laser heats the illuminated area of the SiC substrate while under vacuum conditions, resulting in a small-scale growth process similar to the conventional resistance furnace technique. Unique to this micro-scale approach is that in situ Raman spectroscopy is performed yielding instantaneous characterization of the resultant carbon nanostructure as it is formed. The laser-induced growth mechanism enables the impact of varied background vacuum pressures and temperatures to be evaluated in situ. This work reports the findings for various parameter sets implemented during growth, and provides insight into the physical mechanism influencing the growth process.
Light microscopy survey of extant gymnosperm root protophloem and comparison with basal angiosperms

Gymnosperm root protophloem is not well understood. There is a question as to whether root protophloem cells mature as phloem parenchyma, or as sieve elements, or if within the protophloem there is an anatomical and evolutionary gradient having characteristics of both cell types. This question is relevant to understanding anatomical and physiological mechanisms that supply nutrients to the root tip. Anatomical data from a broad range of species show that gymnosperms have one to three layers of parenchymatous protophloem cells located at the vascular cylinder periphery between the pericyle and the metaphloem. In some species, these cells are associated with secretory idioblasts. Near the root apex, protophloem cells develop a large central vacuole and, in transverse sections, their radial walls tend to be radially elongated. When mature, these cells are highly longitudinally elongated. Only these cells exhibit surging toward the root apex during chemical fixation. These data indicate that protophloem of gy...
On Ghosts and Other Unwelcome Guests

Ten years ago, there were ghosts everywhere in clinical research. There were ghosts writing review articles. There were ghosts writing editorials. And there were ghosts writing articles describing the results of clinical trials. And of course, along with these ghosts, there were many uninvited guests—individuals who were named as authors but who had not contributed substantively to the writing or the design and conduct of the studies. Ghostwriting is the failure to designate as an author an individual who has made a substantial contribution to the research or writing of a manuscript, 1,2 such as when manu
Receivers, Interference, and Regulatory Options

On November 13, 2012 a group of 23 technologists, policymakers, academics, and economists convened in Washington, D.C. to discuss wireless interference management.The roundtable was convened to evaluate a proposal by the FCC TAC (Federal Communications Commission’s Technological Advisory Council) receivers working group regarding interference limits policy, and to recommend ways to improve, implement and enforce such policies. Interference limits policies describe the radio environment in which a receiver must operate, in order to facilitate optimal trade-offs between receiver and transmitter performance when packing diverse services more closely together. The TAC receiver working group focused its recommendations on harm claim thresholds, an interference limits policy approach which sets the interfering signal levels that have to be exceeded before a receiving system operator can claim harmful interference.