cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Free and forced convection laminar film condensation on horizontal elliptical tubes

Abstract Laminar film condensation on a horizontal elliptical tube in a pure saturated vapor was analyzed for conditions of free and forced convection. For free convection, a simple Nusselt type analysis was used. For forced convection, estimation of the interfacial shear stress was made in two ways: the first used an asymptotic value of the shear stress under conditions of infinite condensation rate and the second was based on simultaneously solving the two-phase vapor boundary-layer and condensate equations. Effects of surface tension and pressure gradient in the condensate film were also included. For free convection, an elliptical tube with the major axis vertical showed an improvement of nearly 11% in the mean heat-transfer coefficient when compared to a circular tube of equivalent surface area. For forced convection with the same approach velocity as for a circular tube, a small decrease (≈ 2%) in the mean heat-transfer coefficient resulted. However, for the same pressure drop, heat transfer performance for an elliptical tube increased by up to 16%.
Serum Lipase Determination in the Dog: A Comparison of a Titrimetric Method With an Automated Kinetic Method

An enzymatic, kinetic method for determining serum lipase activity was evaluated and compared to a standard manual method for use in dogs. The kinetic method was a commercial kit adapted for use on a tandem access clinical chemistry analyzer and utilized a series of coupled enzymatic reactions based on the hydrolysis of 1,2-diglyceride by lipase. The manual method was the Cherry-Crandall technique based on the titration of base against the acid formed by hydrolysis of an olive oil substrate by lipase. The correlation between the two methods was very good (r = 0.94). The reference range for 56 clinically healthy dogs assayed by the kinetic method was 90 to 527 U/L. Diseases associated with a greater than twofold elevation in serum lipase activity as determined by the kinetic method included pancreatitis, gastritis with liver disease, and oliguric renal failure with metabolic acidosis. In some cases, pancreatitis was seen with other clinical problems, such as gastroenteritis, diabetic ketoacidosis, duodenal mass, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and septic peritonitis. Diseases associated with serum lipase activity within the reference range or elevated less than twofold included gastritis, gastric ulcer, cholestasis, phenobarbital-induced hepatopathy, colitis, copper hepatopathy, abdominal hematoma, apocrine gland adenocarcinoma, and thrombocytopenia with pneumonia.
The existence of certain pure dense subgroups of abelian p-groups is not decidable in ZFC

Abstract Let κ be a regular uncountable cardinal and n a positive integer. Let G be a separable p -group, and let H be a proper pure dense subgroup of G with a κ-filtration H =∪ αϵκ H α , such that {αϵκ: p ω + n ( H H α )≠ 0 } is stationary in κ. Assuming V = L , there are 2 κ pairwise nonisomorphic pure subgroups of G each having the same p n -socle as H . The following two questions are not decidable in ZFC. Let H be a pure dense subgroup of a separable p -group G , and let n be a positive integer. Does there exist a pure subgroup K of G such that K [ p n ] = H [ p n ] and K is not isomorphic to H ? If A is an abelian p -group, are all high subgroups of A isomorphic?
From Dictatorship to Democracy: Four Chilean Women’s Memories

A law school dean, a university president, a scholarly judge, and the head of the Foreign Ministry division in charge of Chile’s frontiers agree: The Constitution of 1980 was the initial turning point in Chile’s transition from autocracy to pluralism.
Coatings for combined thermoelastic and photoelastic stress measurement

Thermoelastic and photoelastic stress analysis systems effectively provide information about the sum and difference of the principal stresses, respectively. Combining these two full-field, non-contact NDE techniques allows the individual stress components to be measured. One of the main difficulties in merging these two systems is in identifying an appropriate surface coating. Thermoelasticity demands a highly emissive surface, while photoelasticity requires a strain-induced birefringent, transparent coating with a retro-reflective backing. A number of candidate coatings that are useful for combined photoelastic and thermoelastic stress measurement have been identified, with sample results given here. Issues associated with the practical implementation of combined thermoelastic and phtoelastic stress measurement are also discussed in this paper.
The allelic spectrum of Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease in over 17,000 individuals with neuropathy

We report the frequency, positive rate, and type of mutations in 14 genes (PMP22, GJB1, MPZ, MFN2, SH3TC2, GDAP1, NEFL, LITAF, GARS, HSPB1, FIG4, EGR2, PRX, and RAB7A) associated with Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease (CMT) in a cohort of 17,880 individuals referred to a commercial genetic testing laboratory. Deidentified results from sequencing assays and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) were analyzed including 100,102 Sanger sequencing, 2338 next-generation sequencing (NGS), and 21,990 MLPA assays. Genetic abnormalities were identified in 18.5% (n = 3312) of all individuals. Testing by Sanger and MLPA (n = 3216) showed that duplications (dup) (56.7%) or deletions (del) (21.9%) in the PMP22 gene accounted for the majority of positive findings followed by mutations in the GJB1 (6.7%), MPZ (5.3%), and MFN2 (4.3%) genes. GJB1 del and mutations in the remaining genes explained 5.3% of the abnormalities. Pathogenic mutations were distributed as follows: missense (70.6%), nonsense (14.3%), frameshift (8.7%), splicing (3.3%), in-frame deletions/insertions (1.8%), initiator methionine mutations (0.8%), and nonstop changes (0.5%). Mutation frequencies, positive rates, and the types of mutations were similar between tests performed by either Sanger (n = 17,377) or NGS (n = 503). Among patients with a positive genetic finding in a CMT-related gene, 94.9% were positive in one of four genes (PMP22, GJB1, MPZ, or MFN2).
Studies on regulation of the ascorbic acid transporter in a cell line derived from rabbit non-pigmented ciliary epithelium

A cell line was derived from rabbit non-pigmented ciliary epithelium. The non-pigmented ciliary epithelium is one of the two cell layers which secrete aqueous humor into the eye and concentrate ascorbic acid in the newly-formed fluid. The cultured non-pigmented epithelial cells accumulated ascorbic acid at a rate of 3-5 pmol/micrograms protein per h. As in freshly-isolated native tissue, the ascorbate uptake mechanism was sodium-dependent and could be inhibited by phloretin (apparent Ki = 2-10(-5) M). Phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), a protein kinase C activator, reduced the ascorbate uptake rate. The PDBu effect was concentration-dependent; at a concentration of 10(-6) M, PDBu reduced the ascorbate uptake rate to 65% of the control value. PDBu reduced the maximal rate of ascorbate uptake (determined at 200-500 microM external ascorbate) but caused no detectable change in the Km for ascorbic acid (approx. 80 microM). The PDBu-induced inhibition of ascorbate uptake persisted in the presence of ouabain and in low sodium (25 mM Na) medium, suggesting that the effect is not secondary to a change in the sodium gradient. Furthermore, no detectable elevation of cell sodium content was seen in cells equilibrated with 22Na prior to PDBu treatment. The PDBu-induced inhibition of ascorbate uptake was apparently mediated by protein kinase C because the effect was not observed in the presence of staurosporine (10(-6) M), a protein kinase C inhibitor, or in cells in which protein kinase C was downregulated. These observations suggest that activation of protein kinase C causes inhibition of the ascorbate transporter in this cultured cell line.
Rereading Comprehension Pedagogies: Toward a Dialogic Teaching Ethic that Honors Student Sensemaking

This conceptual essay critiques reading comprehension pedagogies that are part of the current educational landscape. I argue that comprehension pedagogy generally reflects one of three differing orientations, each with its own assumptions about what comprehension is: comprehension-as-outcome pedagogies, which emphasize getting textual meaning “right”; comprehension-as-procedure pedagogies, which emphasize knowing the “right” ways doing reading; and comprehension-as-sensemaking pedagogies, which take all textual interpretation seriously, regardless of “rightness.” Comprehension-as-sensemaking pedagogies, in turn, can be distinguished as either primarily responsive – aimed at surfacing student understandings – or primarily dialogic – aimed at getting student understandings to refract. Arguably, comprehension-as-outcome pedagogy dominates current reading instruction. A focus on measuring and teaching toward “right” interpretations permeates almost all aspects of comprehension pedagogy even when one of the other orientations toward comprehension pedagogy is also at play. While seemingly intuitive, this overarching outcome emphasis reifies textual meaning in ways that are both theoretically and ethically problematic. I make the case that comprehension-as-sensemaking pedagogy should become primary instead. I propose that comprehension-as-outcome and comprehension-as-procedure pedagogies should not be abandoned, but should be subordinated to dialogic comprehension-as-sensemaking pedagogy so that students’ textual sensemaking is more fully heard, respected, and examined in reading classrooms.
TH-D-351-02: A Novel Digital Tomosynthesis (DTS) Reconstruction Method Using Prior Information and a Deformation Model

Purpose: Digital Tomosynthesis (DTS) is a quasi‐3D imaging technique which reconstructsimages from a limited angle of on‐board projections with significantly lower dose and shorter acquisition time than full cone‐beam CT(CBCT). However, DTS imagesreconstructed by the conventional filtered back projection method have low plane‐to‐plane resolution and can't provide full volumetric information for target localization. In this study, we developed a novel DTS reconstruction method using prior information and a deformation model to recover volumetric information. Method and Materials: A patient's previous CBCT or CT data were used as the prior information, and the new patient volume was considered as a deformation of the prior volume. The deformation fields were solved by minimizing bending energy and maintaining data fidelity. A nonlinear conjugate gradient method was used as the optimizer. The algorithm was tested using simulated projections of a Shepp‐Logan phantom, liver and head‐and‐neck patient data. The accuracy of the reconstruction was evaluated by comparing both pixel value and contour differences between DTS and CBCTimages.Results: In the liver patient study, the systematic and random errors for the live contour reconstructed using a 60‐degree scan angle were 0.5 and 1.6mm, respectively, showing the new organ volume was accurately reconstructed. The pixel signal‐to‐noise ratio (PSNR) for 60‐degree DTS reaches 23.5dB. In the head‐and‐neck patient study, the method using 60‐degree scan was able to reconstruct the 8.1 degree rotation of the bony structure with 0.0 degree error. The PSNR for 60‐degree DTS reaches 24.2dB. Conclusion: A novel reconstruction method was developed to reconstruct DTS images using prior information and a deformation model. Volumetric information was accurately obtained using a 60‐degree scan angle. Preliminary validation of the algorithm showed that it is both technically and clinically feasible for image‐guidance in radiation therapy. Partially supported by Grants from NIH and Varian Medical Systems.
Linear matrix inequalities in robustness analysis with multipliers

Abstract We show that a number of standard robustness tests can be reinterpreted as special cases of the application of the passivity theorem with the appropriate choice of multipliers. We show how these tests can be performed using convex optimization over linear matrix inequalities.
Advances in DSP design tool flows for FPGAs

This paper highlights recent advances in digital signal processing (DSP) design tools for Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), concentrating on model-based design high-level synthesis. Next generation FPGA model-based design tools provide a mechanism for abstracted design definition at the algorithmic rather than implementation level. The tools make use of FPGA structural and timing knowledge, and of mathematical and graph theory techniques to optimize and technology map the algorithm to a pipelined FPGA implementation, controlled by high level parameters and threshold settings. Such tools allow simple design space exploration and retargeting of algorithms to different device families. This design-once and retarget as required method improves productivity over manual hardware description language (HDL) coding, especially for projects which are subject to change. The simple design style, optimized generated hardware and productivity in design change and implementation exploration are highlighted with two examples; a direct radio-frequency (RF) radar design and a simple 8 by 8 beamforming design.
Predicting winter wheat condition, grain yield and protein content using multi‐temporal EnviSat‐ASAR and Landsat TM satellite images

Since optical and microwave sensors respond to very different target characteristics, their role in crop monitoring can be viewed as complementary. In particular, the all‐weather capability of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors can ensure that data gaps that often exist during monitoring with optical sensors are filled. There were three Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) satellite images and three Envisat Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) satellite images acquired from reviving stage to milking stage of winter wheat. These data were successfully used to monitor crop condition and forecast grain yield and protein content. Results from this study indicated that both multi‐temporal Envisat ASAR and Landsat TM imagery could provide accurate information about crop conditions. First, bivariate correlation results based on the linear regression of crop variables against backscatter suggested that the sensitivity of ASAR C‐HH backscatter image to crop or soil condition variation depends on growth stage and t...
A radically twisted lipid regulates vascular death

Maintenance of the retinal vasculature protects against proliferative retinopathy and blindness. Lipids and free radicals together modulate vascular stability through regulation of antiangiogenic proteins (pages 1339–1345).
Effect of patellar shaving in the rabbit

Shaving of the articular cartilage on the undersurface of the patella was carried out in mature white New Zealand rabbits to determine whether the removed cartilage reformed or the shaving led to later evidence of degenerative arthritis. The animals were followed for as long as 15 months after surgery, at which time patellae were removed and examined by light and electron microscopy. The depth of shaving varied considerably; however, no evidence of repair and no evidence of degenerative arthritis was noted in either the superficial or deeply shaved patellae. It is concluded that such superficial cartilage defects neither repair or produce subsequent degenerative arthritis.
Attachment of Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes to receptors at restricted cell surface domains.

We have used glutaraldehyde-fixed target cells to study the attachment phase of cell invasion by live trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi, and determined that attachment is polarized and receptor-mediated. T. cruzi trypomastigotes bind much less efficiently to confluent epithelial cells, which are polarized, than to sparse epithelial cells. When the tight junctions of confluent epithelial cells are disrupted by removing Ca2+ from the incubation medium before glutaraldehyde fixation, binding of T. cruzi increases. T. cruzi also shows preference for attachment underneath cells or to the edges of cells. The binding occurs within a few minutes, is saturable, and is influenced by the parasite developmental stage. Fab fragments derived from monoclonal antibodies that immunoprecipitate a 160-kDa molecule present only on the surface of trypomastigotes inhibit adhesion to fixed and live cells. Future characterization of the target cell receptors for this molecule and the use of fixed target cells should facilitate studies of the mechanisms involved in the initial interaction Of T. cruzi with its host Cells.
Skin and soft tissue infections

Skin and soft tissue infections are a common cause of hospitalization and use of antibiotic therapy, and may result in significant disability. Infections managed by surgeons may vary from simple, noncomplicated cellulitis to severe necrotizing soft tissue infections. The differentiation of necrotizing infections from nonnecrotizing infections is critical to achieving adequate surgical therapy. An understanding of the changing epidemiology of all complicated skin and soft tissue infections is required for selection of appropriate empiric antibiotic therapy.
Eating Disorders and Body Image of Undergraduate Men

Eating disorders and body dissatisfaction among undergraduate men are less documented and researched than are eating disorders and body dissatisfaction among undergraduate women. Objective and Participants: In this study, the authors examined these issues in undergraduate men to identify similarities and differences between this population and undergraduate women. Methods: In a random sample of undergraduates, the authors categorized respondents by gender and by presence or absence of an eating disorder. The authors compared undergraduate men with an eating disorder with (1) undergraduate women with an eating disorder and (2) undergraduate men without an eating disorder. Results: The patterns of responses suggest that undergraduate men with an eating disorder are preoccupied with body shape and tone but not necessarily with losing weight. Conclusions: The authors discuss implications for future prevention as well as clinical and research efforts based on male symptoms within the diagnostic category of bul...
Crystal methamphetamine use among American Indian and White youth in Appalachia: Social context, masculinity, and desistance

Rural areas and American Indian reservations are hotspots for the use of crystal methamphetamine ("meth") in the United States, yet there is little ethnographic data describing meth use in these areas. This study draws upon three years of ethnographic work conducted with American Indian and White youth in Appalachia during the height of the meth epidemic. It describes how historical, cultural, and socioeconomic processes influence vulnerability to meth use in Appalachia, and highlights the role of social relationships and meaning-making in facilitating desistance and recovery from meth use. The first section shows how crystal meth filled a particular functional niche in the lives of many young men, alleviating boredom and anomie linked to recent socioeconomic changes and labor opportunities in the region, and intersecting with local understandings of masculinity and forms of military identity. Here, ethnographic and interview data converge to illustrate how social role expectations, recent socioeconomic change, and meth's pharmacological properties converge to create vulnerability to meth use in Appalachia. The second section draws upon two American Indian narratives of desistance. These youth described recently severed social relationships and acute feelings of social isolation during the initiation of meth use. Both also described dramatic close calls with death that facilitated their eventual desistance from use, involving repaired social relationships and the establishment of new lives and hope. These interviews illustrate how changes in social relationships were linked with both initiation and desistance from meth use, and how religious interpretations of near-death experiences structured narratives of cessation and redemption.
Developmental and genetic origins of murine long bone length variation.

If we wish to understand whether development influences the rate or direction of morphological evolution, we must first understand the developmental bases of morphological variation within species. However, quantitative variation in adult morphology is the product of molecular and cellular processes unfolding from embryonic development through juvenile growth to maturity. The Atchley–Hall model provides a useful framework for dissecting complex morphologies into their component parts as a way of determining which developmental processes contribute to variation in adult form. We have examined differences in postnatal allometry and the patterns of genetic correlation between age-specific traits for ten recombinant inbred strains of mice generated from an intercross of LG/J and SM/J. Long bone length is closely tied to body size, but variation in adult morphology is more closely tied to differences in growth rate between 3 and 5 weeks of age. These analyses show that variation generated during early development is overridden by variation generated later in life. To more precisely determine the cellular processes generating this variation we then examined the cellular dynamics of long bone growth plates at the time of maximum elongation rate differences in the parent strains. Our analyses revealed that variation in long bone length is the result of faster elongation rates of the LG/J stain. The developmental bases for these differences in growth rate involve the rate of cell division and chondrocyte hypertrophy in the growth plate. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 316:146–161, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A 37-Year-Old Man With Multiple Somatic Complaints

DrDelbanco: Mr H is a 37-year-old man who has had multiple physical complaints for years without a clear medical diagnosis. An immigrant from Colombia to the United States, he is selfemployed, and works as an educator for the young in the inner city. He is covered by a commercial managed care insurance plan and is cared for by a medical resident in primary care practice at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. His multiple physical complaints began during adolescence with nausea and vomiting without weight change In recent years, he has suffered from periodic pruritus ani, legs that become "weak" at times, and allergic symptoms including hay fever, allergy to cats, and recurrent itchiness around the eyes. He notes a frequent rectal discharge and had 1 episode of bleeding, evaluated by colonoscopy, which was normal. Liver function tests were mildly elevated in the past. He has experienced pain and numbness
C5a, cutaneous mast cells, and inflammation: In vitro and in vivo studies in a murine model

Abstract To evaluate further the interactions of C5a and mast cells in cutaneous inflammation, the ability of human native C5a (nC5a) (10 to 500 ng/ml) and human recombinant C5a (rC5a) (10 ng/ml to 100 ng/ml) to induce histamine release from purified BALB/c cutaneous mast cells (CMC) and peritoneal mast cells (PMC) was analyzed. It was found that nC5a induced histamine release from CMC but not from PMC, with a maximal net release at 250 ng/ml nC5a (22.8 ± 2.6%). Kinetic experiments demonstrated that nC5a-induced maximal net histamine release occurred 5 min after the presentation of this stimulus (25.8 ± 6.0%). Using rC5a and CMC, dose-response studies indicated a maximal net release of 7.0 ± 1.7% at rC5a of 10 ng/ml, and kinetic studies showed a maximal net release at 5 min of incubation (12.9 ± 1.6%). Release induced by rC5a was calcium-dependent, and peaked at 30°C. These results indicate that functional heterogeneity exists between the CMC and the PMC of BALB/c mice, that C5a is a relevant stimulus for characterization of this heterogeneity, and that CMC from these animals can serve as a convenient in vitro model for the study of human C5a-mast cell interactions. In vivo, injections of nC5a (25–100 ng) and rC5a (25–100 ng) into the skin of BALB/c mice induced an increase in cutaneous vasopermeability, as assessed by the extravasation of intravenously injected 125 I-bovine serum albumin. nC5a induced a dose-dependent increase in vasopermeability, whereas alterations induced by rC5a plateaued at 50 ng. The C5a-induced vasopermeability was markedly enhanced in animals that had been previously treated with an inhibitor of serum carboxypeptidase, which converts C5a to the less potent derivative, C5a des Arg. These findings suggest that carboxypeptidase plays an important role in vivo in the modulation of C5a-induced cutaneous inflammation in murine skin.
An adaptive critic-based scheme for consensus control of nonlinear multi-agent systems

The problem of decentralised consensus control of a network of heterogeneous nonlinear systems is formulated as an optimal tracking problem and a solution is proposed using an approximate dynamic programming based neurocontroller. The neurocontroller training comprises an initial offline training phase and an online re-optimisation phase to account for the fact that the reference signal subject to tracking is not fully known and available ahead of time, i.e., during the offline training phase. As long as the dynamics of the agents are controllable, and the communication graph has a directed spanning tree, this scheme guarantees the synchronisation/consensus even under switching communication topology and directed communication graph. Finally, an aerospace application is selected for the evaluation of the performance of the method. Simulation results demonstrate the potential of the scheme.
An improved algorithm for non-linear integer programming

Abstract An exact method for solving all-integer non-linear programming problems with a separable non-decreasing objective function is presented. Dynamic programming methodology is used to search candidate hypersurfaces for the optimal feasible integer solution. Computational efficiency is improved by eliminating candidate hypersurfaces on which no integer solutions exist and by discarding partial solutions which are infeasible at an early stage.
Age-related changes in dopamine, LHRH and somatostatin in the rat hypothalamus.

Abstract The distribution of dopamine, somatostatin and LHRH was examined in young and aged male rats of the Fisher 344 strain. Dopamine histofluorescence and peptide immunocytochemical staining were performed together in each animal by the use of a stimultaneous visualization technique. Comparative analysis of rats at 3, 12, 20, and 30 months of age revealed a general decrease in somatostatin and LHRH in the median eminence; dopamine fluorescence intensity also was depressed in the median eminence although dopaminergic perikarya of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus appeared to increase in intensity with age. The age-related decline in median eminence LHRH may point to a central locus of reproductive senescence in the rat.
Improving inferior vena cava filter retrieval rates: impact of a dedicated inferior vena cava filter clinic.

Purpose To test the hypothesis that an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter clinic increases the retrieval rate of optional IVC filters. Materials and Methods Patients who had optional IVC filters placed at the authors' institution between January 2000 and December 2008 were identified and retrospectively studied. A dedicated IVC filter clinic was established at this institution in January 2009, and there is a comprehensive database of prospectively acquired data for patients seen in the IVC filter clinic. Patients were chronologically classified into preclinic and postclinic groups. The number of optional filters retrieved and failed retrieval attempts were recorded. Results In the preclinic and postclinic periods, 369 and 100 optional IVC filters were placed. Median (interquartile range) number of optional filters placed per month for preclinic and postclinic periods was 3 (range 2–5) and 10 (range 6.5–10.5) ( P P P = .823). Conclusions The retrieval rate of optional IVC filters at this institution was significantly increased by the establishment of a dedicated IVC filter clinic. This retrieval increase is not related to a decrease in technical failures but more likely relates to more meticulous patient management and clinical follow-up.
Adsorption equilibria in surface force balance studies

Abstract On the assumption of adsorption equilibrium in surface force balance measurements, the effects of solutes such as salts and surfactants on the force-separation profiles are necessarily related to changes in solute adsorption with the separation distance of the opposing surfaces. The thermodynamic relations given by Hall (J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans. 2, 68 (1972) 2169) are applied to published data on the effects of inorganic salts and long-chain surface-active solutes in aqueous solution on the force-distance profiles between mica sheets, allowing for the possibility of ion exchange. The results show that the adsorption changes with separation can be complex, and that rather small changes in adsorption are sufficient to account for the measured effects. If adsorption equilibrium is not achieved the Derjaguin approximation is not generally applicable. Problems relating to defining the zero of separation, the reversibility of experimental conditions and the effects of adventitious components are considered.
On the effects of fiber orientation in permeability of fibrous media to power-law fluids

Abstract In this note, for the first time, the flow of power-law fluids is numerically simulated in 3-D fibrous structures resembling the internal microstructure of fibrous hygiene products to study the effects of fibers’ in-plane and through-plane orientations on the media’s permeability. It was found that while the permeability of a fibrous material to a power-law fluid hardly depends on the in-plane orientation of the fibers, it increases with increasing the fibers’ through-plane orientation. Moreover, we developed a simple analytical expression that can be used together with the empirical correlation of Davies (1973) [16] , modified with an equation derived by Banks (1987) [17] , to predict the permeability of anisotropic fibrous media to power-law non-Newtonian fluids. The predictions of our formulation are compared with our numerical simulations and good agreement is observed.
Auditing IT Projects: Early Warning Signs of Material Risk

Abstract. IT projects are often materially significant and yet the nature and magnitude of their risks go unnoticed until disaster strikes. Significant problems and failures associated with IT projects are largely avoidable if one knows how to spot the signs of impending difficulty. The importance of auditors, if they know what to look for, in helping management see IT project risks and thereby preventing both large and small disasters cannot be over estimated. Focusing on the early warning signs of IT project peril, this article provides a straightforward starting point for seeing, monitoring, auditing, and managing the risks of an IT project.
Microstructural and magnetic studies of granular GdW films

Abstract We have studied the microstructural and magnetic properties of sputtered nanocrystalline granular Gd-W thin films as a function of annealing temperature. Granular Gd-W films were formed by annealing the as-deposited amorphous films in the temperature range 700–950 °C for 15 min. The TEM studies on the annealed samples indicate that the Gd and W phases crystallize as separate phases around 825 °C. The grain sizes of these granular phases were estimated to be about 10–30 nm. Magnetic measurements of samples annealed at 875 °C indicate the coexistence of superparamagnetic Gd with a blocking temperature near 50 K and ferromagnetic Gd with a Curie temperature near 293 K. Higher temperature annealings led to bulk-like ferromagnetic Gd behavior.
Expression of the Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-Associated Factors (TRAFs) 1 and 2 is a Characteristic Feature of Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg Cells

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) are a recently established group of proteins involved in the intracellular signal transduction of several members of the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily. Recently, specific members of the TRAF family have been implicated in promoting cell survival as well as activation of the transcription factor NF-kappaB. We investigated the constitutive expression of TRAF1 and TRAF2 in Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells from archived paraffin-embedded tissues obtained from 21 patients diagnosed with classical Hodgkin's disease (HD). In a selective portion of cases, examination of HRS cells for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-encoded RNA was performed by in situ hybridization, and the results were compared with the magnitude of TRAF1 and TRAF2 staining. We also determined the TRAF profile in the classical HD cell lines L428, KMH2, and HS445 by Western blotting using a series of antibodies that specifically recognize the six individual TRAF family proteins (TRAF1-TRAF6). Moderate to high constitutive expression of TRAF1 and TRAF2 were found in 19 of 21 and 20 of 21 cases of classical HD, respectively. Of the remaining cases, one case showed weak expression of TRAF1, and another case showed weak expression of both proteins. No relationship was found between the staining intensity of the TRAF proteins and EBV expression in HRS cells. Strong constitutive expression of TRAF1 was also identified in the HD cell line L428, compared with the relatively weak expression observed in KMH2 and HS445. All three HD cell lines showed strong expression of TRAF2 protein and moderate, comparatively equal expression of TRAF4 and TRAF6. In contrast, TRAF3 was not expressed in the HD cell lines. Although KMH2 showed weak expression, the remaining HD cell lines also lacked TRAF5 protein. These data demonstrate that constitutive expression of TRAF1 and TRAF2 is a characteristic feature of HRS cells from both patient and cell line specimens. Furthermore, with the exception of TRAF1 expression, HRS cells from the three HD cell lines showed similar TRAF protein expression patterns. Overall, these findings demonstrate the expression of several TRAF proteins in HD. Significantly, the altered regulation of selective TRAF proteins may reflect HRS cell response to stimulation from the microenvironment and potentially contribute both to apoptosis resistance and cell maintenance of HRS cells.
Sex offender clusters

Abstract In the United States, sex offender management strategies continue to receive significant public attention and scrutiny. In addition to federal and state mandated community notification laws, many locales are also implementing a variety of supplemental residence restrictions to protect sensitive facilities (e.g. schools) and combat the emergence of sex offender “clusters”. Interestingly, while there are no generally accepted guidelines or municipal benchmarks for defining exactly what constitutes an offender cluster – subjective observation, and more generally, public perception appear to be the major inputs for cluster identification and related legislation. The purpose of this paper was to explore the utility of spatial statistical methods for objectively identifying sex offender clusters. Using offender registry data from the state of Illinois, a number of spatial applications are investigated which highlight the differences in clusters produced by each approach.
Portia: The World of Abigail Adams

Acknowledgments Chronology Introduction 1. The Abigail Industry 2...a tye more binding... 3. Domestic Patriotism 4. A Virtuous Affair 5. Gossip 6. Faithful Are the Wounds of a Friend 7. The Threefold Cord 8. Mother and Citizen 9. My Closest Companion Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index Illustrations follow Chapter 3
Resistance in Gram-Negative Bacteria: Enterobacteriaceae

The emergence and spread of resistance in Enterobacteriaceae are complicating the treatment of serious nosocomial infections and threatening to create species resistant to all currently available agents. Approximately 20% of Klebsiella pneumoniae infections and 31% of Enterobacter spp infections in intensive care units in the United States now involve strains not susceptible to third-generation cephalosporins. Such resistance in K pneumoniae to third-generation cephalosporins is typically caused by the acquisition of plasmids containing genes that encode for extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), and these plasmids often carry other resistance genes as well. ESBL-producing K pneumoniae and Escherichia coli are now relatively common in healthcare settings and often exhibit multidrug resistance. ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae have now emerged in the community as well. Salmonella and other Enterobacteriaceae that cause gastroenteritis may also be ESBL producers, which is of relevance when children require treatment for invasive infections. Resistance of Enterobacter spp to third-generation cephalosporins is most typically caused by overproduction of AmpC beta-lactamases, and treatment with third-generation cephalosporins may select for AmpC-overproducing mutants. Some Enterobacter cloacae strains are now ESBL and AmpC producers, conferring resistance to both third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins. Quinolone resistance in Enterobacteriaceae is usually the result of chromosomal mutations leading to alterations in target enzymes or drug accumulation. More recently, however, plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance has been reported in K pneumoniae and E coli, associated with acquisition of the qnr gene. The vast majority of Enterobacteriaceae, including ESBL producers, remain susceptible to carbapenems, and these agents are considered preferred empiric therapy for serious Enterobacteriaceae infections. Carbapenem resistance, although rare, appears to be increasing. Particularly troublesome is the emergence of KPC-type carbapenemases in New York City. Better antibiotic stewardship and infection control are needed to prevent further spread of ESBLs and other forms of resistance in Enterobacteriaceae throughout the world.
Cleavage of the Feline Calicivirus Capsid Precursor Is Mediated by a Virus-Encoded Proteinase

Feline calicivirus (FCV), a member of the Caliciviridae , produces its major structural protein as a precursor polyprotein from a subgenomic-sized mRNA. In this study, we show that the proteinase responsible for processing this precursor into the mature capsid protein is encoded by the viral genome at the 3′-terminal portion of open reading frame 1 (ORF1). Protein expression studies of either the entire or partial ORF1 indicate that the proteinase is active when expressed either in in vitro translation or in bacterial cells. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to characterize the proteinase Glu-Ala cleavage site in the capsid precursor, utilizing an in vitro cleavage assay in which mutant precursor proteins translated from cDNA clones were used as substrates for trans cleavage by the proteinase. In general, amino acid substitutions in the P1 position (Glu) of the cleavage site were less well tolerated by the proteinase than those in the P1′ position (Ala). The precursor cleavage site mutations were introduced into an infectious cDNA clone of the FCV genome, and transfection of RNA derived from these clones into feline kidney cells showed that efficient cleavage of the capsid precursor by the virus-encoded proteinase is a critical determinant in the growth of the virus.
Factors influencing Circuit Court of Appeals decisions under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Abstract Background The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 was a political compromise whose language invited wide interpretation. Many now feel that its promise as significant civil rights legislation has gone unfulfilled. Title I, protecting persons with disabilities against employment discrimination, has been the object of intense scrutiny, leading to speculation that court decisions have made it virtually impossible for plaintiffs to hold employers accountable. We sought to summarize issues surrounding Title I of the ADA and use appellate court data for 1995-2005 to test the following two research questions: What factors appear to influence plaintiff wins under Title I of the ADA? What is the relative importance of factors leading to plaintiff wins? Methods We extracted 345 U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals published cases between 1995 and 2005 matching for the West digest topic Civil Rights key number 1215, “Discrimination by reason of handicap, disability or illness.” Cases were analyzed descriptively, and differences between categories of court, plaintiff, and defendant characteristics were analyzed with χ2 techniques. Using logistic regression, a predictive model for plaintiff wins was developed. Results Overall, 29.3% of court cases found in favor of plaintiffs. Yet findings point to a significant advantage for plaintiffs if litigation is tried in Circuits 2, 3, 9, or 10; if judges are appointed by Democrats; and if suits are filed against large companies. Conclusions Understanding factors that contribute to plaintiff wins is important to help develop policies and practices that promote the intent of the ADA.
A NEW LOOK AT PRESERVICE TEACHERS' CONCEPTIONS OF CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION: UNCOVERING COMPLEXITY AND DISSONANCE

This article examines preservice teachers' conceptions of classroom management and organization in light of their training and beliefs about good teaching. Students in their final year of a 5-year program discussed their definitions and conceptions of classroom management, organization, and rule systems through an open-ended questionnaire. Researchers analyzed responses using a grounded approach. Findings revealed a portrait of student perceptions more complex than those in previous studies, with conceptions often changing according to the nature of the question asked. Respondents exhibited a preoccupation with behavior management previously recognized in other studies; however, findings also revealed underlying conflicts between respondents' theoretical orientations and conceptions of management, a lack of attention to developing student independence, and a conceptual schism between organization and management. Findings suggest a need for teacher educators to clarify the role of management, clarify relat...
Transcatheter embolization of an aortocaval fistula caused by residual renal artery stump from previous nephrectomy: a case report

An arteriovenous fistula between the renal artery and vein is a rare complication of nephrectomy. We report the first case of direct inferior vena cava to renal artery fistula after nephrectomy. In addition, this was the first use of the Amplatz "spider," a vascular obstructing device used to trap coils during transcatheter embolization of a high-flow fistula. The patient's fistula was embolized successfully, with immediate improvement of symptoms and without pulmonary embolization.
Role of an Ancestral D-Bifunctional Protein Containing Two Sterol-Carrier Protein-2 Domains in Lipid Uptake and Trafficking in Toxoplasma

The inability to synthesize cholesterol is universal among protozoa. The intracellular pathogen Toxoplasma depends on host lipoprotein-derived cholesterol to replicate in mammalian cells. Mechanism...
Perception of teaching excellence by faculty and administrators in the Engineering Schools of the West Initiative

The faculty development sub-committee of the Engineering Schools of the West Initiative (ESWI) developed and administered a pair of surveys for faculty and administrators. We constructed the surveys with four objectives in mind: (1) to collect descriptive benchmark data about perceptions on issues related to the scholarship of teaching; (2) to understand if there was a difference between engineering faculty and administrators' perceptions; (3) to explore how the respondents' own values, in regard to teaching excellence, aligned with their perception of the values of their institutions; and (4) to articulate some implications as to how excellence in teaching is valued and evaluated in the academic community.
Traction therapy for men with shortened penis prior to penile prosthesis implantation: a pilot study.

ABSTRACT Introduction Loss of penile length after penile prosthesis implantation is one of the most common complaints. There is no recognized reliable technique to gain length once the device is placed. Aims This noncontrolled pilot study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of external penile traction therapy in men with a shortened penis used before inflatable prosthesis implantation. Methods Ten men with drug refractory erectile dysfunction and a complaint of a shorter penis as a result of radical prostatectomy in four, prior prosthesis explantation in four, and Peyronie's disease in two were entered into this trial. External penile traction was applied for 2–4 hours daily for 2–4 months prior to prosthesis surgery. Main Outcome Measures Baseline stretched penile length (SPL) was compared with post‐traction SPL and postimplant inflated erect length. A non‐validated questionnaire assessed patient satisfaction. Results All men completed the protocol. Daily average device use was 2–4 hours and for up to 4 months. No man had measured or perceived length loss after inflatable penile prosthesis placement. Seventy percent had measured erect length gain compared with baseline pre‐traction SPL up to 1.5 cm. There were no adverse events. Conclusion External traction therapy appears to result in a preservation of penile length, as no man had measured or perceived length loss following prosthesis placement, but in fact, a small length gain was noted in 70% of the subjects with no adverse events. The protocol is tedious and requires compliance to be effective. External traction therapy prior to inflatable penile prosthesis placement appears to preserve and possibly result in increased post‐prosthesis implant erect length. Levine LA and Rybak J. Traction therapy for men with shortened penis prior to penile prosthesis implantation: A pilot study. J Sex Med 2011;8:2112–2117.
Minimum Energy to Send $k$ Bits Through the Gaussian Channel With and Without Feedback

The minimum achievable energy per bit over memoryless Gaussian channels has been previously addressed in the limit when the number of information bits goes to infinity, in which case it is known that the availability of noiseless feedback does not lower the minimum energy per bit, which is -1.59 dB below the noise level. This paper analyzes the behavior of the minimum energy per bit for memoryless Gaussian channels as a function of k, the number of information bits. It is demonstrated that in this nonasymptotic regime, noiseless feedback leads to significantly better energy efficiency. In particular, without feedback achieving energy per bit of -1.57 dB requires coding over at least k=106 information bits, while we construct a feedback scheme that transmits a single information bit with energy -1.59 dB and zero error. We also show that unless k is very small, approaching the minimal energy per bit does not require using the feedback link except to signal that transmission should stop.
A control averaging technique for solving a class of singular optimal control problems

Numerical investigation of an iterative procedure, called the control averaging technique, is performed in, the framework of three illustrative singular optimal control problems. Effect of various relevant parameters such as penalty constants and initial guesses on the convergence behaviour of this method is examined. For each ease considered, the control averaging iterates are found to give a close approximation to the optimal solution in relatively small computing time. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of computing time the control averaging technique is found to be about six to eight times more efficient than the gradient-like min H method.