cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementing assessments via mobile during the acute posttrauma period: feasibility, acceptability and strategies to improve response rates.

Background: PTSD is posited to develop in the acute posttrauma period. Few studies have examined psychopathology symptoms within this period due to the demands on individuals in the first month after a trauma. Mobile devices can overcome these barriers. The feasibility of using mobile devices for this purpose, however, is unclear. Objective: The present study evaluated the acceptability of administering PTSD symptom assessments via a mobile application throughout the acute posttrauma period. Method: Participants (N = 90) were recruited from a Level 1 Trauma Center within M = 4.88 days of experiencing a traumatic event. A mobile application was placed on their smartphone that administered a daily self-report assessment of PTSD symptoms for 30 days. Participants were compensated US$1 for each assessment completed. Results: The overall response rate was 61.1% or M = 18.33, SD = 9.12 assessments. Assessments were accessed M = 65.2 minutes after participants were notified to complete them and took M = 2.52 minutes to complete. Participants reported that the daily assessments were not bothersome and were moderately helpful. Conclusion: The present study suggests that using mobile devices to monitor mental health symptoms during the acute posttrauma period is feasible and acceptable. Strategies are needed to determine how to best take advantage of these data once collected.
The Unbearable Lightness of the Cosmopolitan Canopy: Accomplishment of Diversity at an Urban Farmers Market

This article provides a critique of work on urban public space that touts its potential as a haven from racial and class conflicts and inequalities. I argue that social structures and hierarchies e...
Effect of osmolality and myo-inositol deprivation on the transport properties of myo-inositol in primary astrocyte cultures.

myo-Inositol uptake measured in primary astrocyte cultures was saturable in the presence of Na+ with a Km of 13–18 μM and a Vmax of 9.4 nmoles/mg protein/hour in myo-inositol-fed cells, indicating a high affinity transport system. In myo-inositol-deprived cells, Km was about 53 μM with a Vmax of 13.2 nmoles/mg protein/hour. Decreasing osmolality decreased the Vmax to about 1.9 nmoles/mg protein/hour whereas increasing osmolality increased Vmax about 5-fold, while Kms were essentially unchanged in myo-inositol fed cells. In cells deprived of myo-inositol, Vmax decreased in hypotonic medium and increased in hypertonic medium almost 10-fold, but with more than a doubling of the Km regardless of the osmolality. Glucose (25 mM) inhibited myo-inositol uptake 51% whereas the other hexoses used inhibited uptake much less. Our findings indicate that myo-inositol uptake in astrocytes occurs through an efficient carrier-mediated Na+-dependent co-transport system that is different from that of glucose and its kinetic properties are affected by myo-inositol availability and osmotic stress.
Influence of headspace oxygen on quality and shelf life of extra virgin olive oil during storage

Abstract This study evaluated the impact of low O2 headspace in clear and dark containers at different storage temperatures (10 °C and 28 °C) on the quality and shelf life of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Bottle headspace was controlled at four different O2 concentrations 2, 5, 10, and 21%. Quality parameters were determined after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months storage: free fatty acids, peroxide value, absorption coefficients K270 and K230, total polyphenols, chlorophyll content, oxidative stability index, and color. Results show low headspace oxygen levels of 2 and 5%, significantly increased EVOO shelf life stored in dark and clear bottles at 10 °C. While the improvement in EVOO shelf-life was less when stored at 28 °C. No significant differences occurred between EVOO samples packaged at 10 and 21% headspace O2 concentrations in clear bottles stored at 28 °C while significant differences were observed with 2 and 5% headspace O2 concentrations. These results suggest that it is important to minimize headspace oxygen in packages of extra virgin olive oil.
Ontology Model for Process Level Capabilities of Manufacturing Resources

Abstract The promise of distributed cloud manufacturing (CM) is to manufacture products using shared resources, both asset-full (machines, tools, vehicles) and asset-light (design, analysis, inspection, management, maintenance), which can be provisioned flexibly and rapidly with minimal management and service provider interaction. One of the key enabler of CM are virtual enterprises (VE), which offer manufacturing resources as virtual services (SaaS, HaaS, PaaS) in a cloud based marketplace. Currently, virtualization and provisioning of diverse array of manufacturing resources face challenges from the heterogeneity in representation and communication protocols, as well as lack of integration with legacy practices in the organizations. Aiming to increase interoperability, a number of formal ontologies were developed by researchers in the past, to leverage on semantic data integration and validation. In spite of their success in providing axiomatic description and common taxonomy to classify manufacturing resources from different domains, models of representing the capabilities of the resources (i.e. expected quality of services they offer) were often overlooked. In this research, we present an ontology model to represent capabilities of manufacturing machine-tools at the process level, often called process boundaries (measured by process capability index) in industries. The definition of the capability is derived based on the foundational ontology called ‘Basic Formal Ontology’ (BFO). The primary contribution of this extension is a set of OWL axioms which can be used to assert facts about modal future (possibilia) – ultimately enabling us to associate process specific performance metrics to the semantic models of virtual machine-tools.
Clinical retrospective analysis of 19 newborn cases with congenital adrenal hyperplasia

Objective To investigate clinical features,diagnosis and treatment of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) and to improve the knowledge of 21-hydroxylase deficiency form in CAH.Methods Ninteen neonatal CAH cases admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Shenzhen Children's Hospital from Jan 2004 to Aug 2011 were reviewed retrospectively.According to the early clinical manifestations,the serum levels of 17-hydroxyprogesterone,testosterone,progesterone,cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH),early diagnosis was drawn and they were given to the glucocorticoid therapy.The alterations of blood sodium and potassium were compared before and after glucocorticoid therapy.Results Fourteen cases of 21-hydroxylase deficiency were salt-losing form who all were complicated with adrenal crisis and five cases were simple virilizing form.All CAH newborns(19 cases) appeared dark color of skin and mucosa.Fifteen cases had resistence to milk,poor response and feeding problem.The weight of eight cases at admission were lower than birth weight.Five cases suffered from repeating vomiting and diarrhea.After glucocorticoid therapy,there were significant improvement of hyponatremia[(110.2 ±9.5) mmol/L vs (138.7 ±5.2) mmol/L] and hyperkalemia[(7.40 ± 1.59) mmol/L vs (4.40 ±0.69) mmol/L] (P both ＜0.05).Conclusion We should raise the knowledge and level of diagnosis of neonatal CAH.We should diagnose the salt-losing form of 21 hydroxylase deficiency which is highly complicated with adrenal crisis through specific clinical manifestations and necessary biochemical assay as early as possible.The glucosteroid therapy is effective. Key words: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia; 21-Hydroxylase deficiency; Infant,newborn
Fuel treatment longevity in ponderosa pine-dominated forest 24 years after cutting and prescribed burning

Fuels reduction treatments to mitigate fire behavior are common in ponderosa pine ecosystems of the western United States. While initial impacts of fuel treatments have been reported, less is known about treatment longevity as live and dead fuels change with time. We analyzed fuel dynamics in ponderosa pine–Douglas-fir forests 21-23 years following experimental fuel reduction designed as two independent studies of cutting combined with burning: one tested a commercial thinning strategy, while a second tested a retention shelterwood strategy to reduce fuels while also restoring ponderosa pine forests. Treated units were harvested in 1992 and half of the units were prescribed burned one-to-two years later. After 22 to 23 years post-treatment, few differences in fuel load persist and all treatments have increased ladder fuels in the form of live saplings and seedlings. Canopy fuel loads were lower in treated units compared to untreated control units; however, no other canopy fuel metric differed between treatments. The only persistent difference in surface fuels was in the retention shelterwood, where 1-hour fuels were lower in the treated units compared to control units. Crown fire hazard varied greatly, but means were similar between treatments. The increased hazard was driven by increases in live surface fuels from seedlings and saplings in the retention shelterwood, which increased canopy bulk density and reduced canopy base height. The overstory was still dominated by ponderosa pine 21-23 years later for all treatments, but the smaller size classes were primarily Douglas-fir, suggesting that without future disturbance, dominance will shift from pine to Douglas-fir dominated forests. The exception to this was the cut+fall burn treatment in the commercial thinning, where ponderosa pine outnumbered Douglas-fir trees across all size classes. The treatments that included a broadcast prescribed burn killed many existing seedlings and saplings. Our findings support other studies showing fuel reduction and restoration treatments are most successful with a combination of cutting and burning strategies, but also show that fuel treatments in low-elevation dry forests will likely not remain effective for much longer than historical mean fire return intervals.
Changing Provider PSA Screening Behavior Using Best Practice Advisories: Interventional Study in a Multispecialty Group Practice.

Most guidelines recommend against PSA-based screening for prostate cancer in men ≥ 70 years of age. Adherence to these guidelines is variable. To determine whether the use of a “Best Practice Advisory” (BPA) intervention within the electronic medical record (EMR) system can alter the rate of PSA screening in men ≥ 70 years of age. This is an interventional study spanning the years 2013 through 2017, in men ≥ 70 years of age in Kaiser Permanente Northern California with no prior history of prostate cancer. The BPA intervention was activated in the EMR system on October 15, 2015, with no prior notice or education. Integrated healthcare system including all Kaiser Permanente Northern California facilities. A population-based sample that included all male members ≥ 70 years of age without a history of prostate cancer. The main outcome was the rate of PSA testing in men ≥ 70 years of age. We compared the rates of PSA testing between the pre-BPA period (January 1, 2013–October 14, 2015) and the post-BPA period (October 15, 2015–December 31, 2017). An interrupted time series analysis of PSA ordering rates was performed. Following the 2015 BPA intervention, screening rates substantially declined from 36.0 per 100 person-years to 14.9 per 100 person-years (rate ratio = 0.415; 95% CI: 0.410–0.419). The effect of the BPA was comparable among all patient races and ordering provider specialties. The interrupted time series analysis showed a rapid, large, and sustained drop in the rate of PSA ordering, and much less temporal variation in test ordering after activation of the BPA. Following activation of a BPA within the EMR, the rates of inappropriate PSA testing significantly declined by 58.5% in men ≥ 70 years of age and temporal variation was reduced.
Area-selective aerosol jet fog deposition: Advancing large-area and sustainable fabrication

In this work, we demonstrate controlled area-selective deposition of aluminum oxide phosphate (AlPO) at room temperature and near atmospheric pressure using a potentially zero-waste aerosol jet fog (ajFOG) deposition system. Octyl-trichlorosilane (OTS-8) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are coated on SiO2/Si substrates to form a blanket hydrophobic functionalization. Next, ultraviolet/ozone exposure through a shadow mask removes OTS-8 in the exposed regions, creating a pattern of hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions. AlPO is selectively deposited onto the hydrophilic regions from an aqueous aerosol precursor fog of aluminum phosphate inorganic clusters. Smooth films with sharp boundaries are deposited. The AlPO features and defects in the hydrophobic areas are investigated as a function of feature size, SAM type/application method/exposure time, ajFOG process parameters, and underlying substrate.
A Framework for Privacy-Preserving Genomic Data Analysis Using Trusted Execution Environments

As the quantity and quality of genomic records continue to grow, geneticists at disparate institutions are increasingly motivated to integrate and analyze genomic data collections. While these endeavors are often hampered by various privacy concerns, recently developed techniques can address privacy concerns via trusted execution environments (TEEs) (e.g., hardware-enabled secure enclaves). TEEs provide confidentiality for sensitive data and means to attest to programs’ correctness and their corresponding inputs. However, due to the profound consequences of private genomic data leakage for individuals, integrating TEEs for genomic analytics requires extra assurances to ensure that the program’s execution does not leak participants’ private information in a direct or indirect form. One major drawback of state-of-the-art TEEs is related to their shortcomings in hiding memory access patterns due to performance ramifications. As a result, the TEE’s computation must be data oblivious, i.e., independent of how it accesses the sensitive private data through its course. In this paper, we present our data oblivious and privacy-preserving genomic data analysis framework using two popular genomic tasks. The first application involves securely performing a multi-institution test for the most significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in an association study. The second application focuses on the growing trend in utilizing Deep Learning (DL) based inference for genomics data. In this application, we assume that genomic data and the model are private. In both of these applications, we show that our framework can enable efficient processing and analysis of encrypted genomic data without disclosing sensitive memory access patterns. We also discuss the future considerations needed to use TEE based privacy-preserving genomic data analysis in practice.
High temperature superfluorescence in hybrid perovskites

In this work we will discuss high temperature macroscopic quantum coherent effects, specifically superfluorescence in hybrid perovskites.
A 5-Axis Calibration Stage for Depth-of-Interaction-Correcting Scintillation Crystals

New laser-induced optical-barrier technology designed to reduce depth-of-interaction blurring requires a new calibration approach. Calibration by using a collimated beam of gamma rays to acquire a mean detector response function is important for maximum-likelihood estimation of interaction location. We have designed and built a 5-axis calibration stage to meet this need. The calibration system is able to move independently in 3 linear and 2 rotational dimensions to allow for complete control of collimated beam position and direction. This allows us to simulate gamma rays coming through a pinhole from any angle in the field of view. The need for precision in the movements between positions of the system motivated the use of a probe to map out the detector. Collision detection and automation in the software simplifies and speeds up the calibration process.
Commentary: attachment theory goes to school.

The topic of this special issue linking attachment theory and research on racism could not be more timely. This past year has been a watershed moment in history. Almost without warning, our country...
Multidimensional predictors of antidepressant responses: Integrating mitochondrial, genetic, metabolic and environmental factors with clinical outcomes

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a primary psychiatric illness worldwide; there is a dearth of new mechanistic models for the development of better therapeutic strategies. Although we continue to discover individual biological factors, a major challenge is the identification of integrated, multidimensional traits underlying the complex heterogeneity of depression and treatment outcomes. Here, we set out to ascertain the emergence of the novel mitochondrial mediator of epigenetic function acetyl-L-carnitine (LAC) in relation to previously described individual predictors of antidepressant responses to the insulin-sensitizing agent pioglitazone. Herein, we report that i) subjects with MDD and shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) show decreased levels of LAC, increased BMI, and a history of specific types of childhood trauma; and that ii) these multidimensional factors spanning mitochondrial metabolism, cellular aging, metabolic function, and childhood trauma provide more detailed signatures to predict longitudinal changes in depression severity in response to pioglitazone than individual factors. The findings of multidimensional signatures involved in the pathophysiology of depression and their role in predicting treatment outcomes provide a starting point for the development of a mechanistic framework linking biological networks and environmental factors to clinical outcomes in pursuit of personalized medicine strategies to effectively treat MDD.
ROTATION OF A NEUTRAL BEAMLINE TO OBTAIN COUNTER-INJECTION ON THE DIII-D TOKAMAK

Until the recent experimental campaign in 2006, all the neutral beam systems on the DIII-D tokamak injected power with the momentum in the same direction as the usual plasma current ("co-injection"). A major modification made during the April 2005 - March 2006 shutdown period rotated one of the two-source beamlines to allow injecting power with the momentum opposite that of the plasma current ("counter-injection"). This modification provides the capability of injecting up to 10 MW of neutral beam power with zero net momentum input to the plasma. Decoupling the injected momentum and power opens a previously inaccessible parameter space for experiments that study the effect of rotation on various plasma instabilities, transport, and operational scenarios. Rotating the 5 MW neutral beamline presented significant technical challenges. The beamline and several major subsystems required extensive dismantling and rebuilding, and a careful alignment of the ion sources was required to document the new injection paths. We present a summary of the tasks required for the beamline rotation, describe major technical issues addressed, and discuss the advantages of the new configuration.
Odocoileus hemionus (Mule deer)

The largest pair of autosomes possesses very delicate satellites at the ends of the long arms, not visible in the reproductions.
Constitutive activation of PI3K-Akt and NF-κB signaling pathway in transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate model

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 6072 Prostate cancer progresses through sequential steps from prostatic intra-epithelial neoplasia (PIN) to locally invasive carcinoma to metastatic disease. Progression through various stages of tumorigenesis presumably requires altered expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in the initiated cell. These genetic lesions change the cancer cell phenotype through independent growth signals that may lead to increased cell survival and evasion of apoptosis. Phosphatidylinositol 3’-OH kinase (PI3K)-Akt and transcription factor NF-κB are important signaling molecules and key survival factors involved in the control of cell proliferation, apoptosis and oncogenesis. Although PI3K-Akt and NF-κB-IκB have been implicated in the development and progression of prostate cancer, expression of these molecules during progression of autochthonous disease has not been elucidated. Employing transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) model, we examined prostate cancer progression by MRI analysis, studied expression patterns of PI3K-Akt, NF-κB-IκB and associated signaling molecules during different stages of cancer progression and compared with male non-transgenic littermates. Sequential MRI, gross and pathological analysis of prostate gland exhibited increasing prostate volume associated with the development and progression of prostatic adenocarcinoma in TRAMP mice, compared to male non-transgenic littermates. As examined by Western blot analysis, expression of PI3K and phosphorylated-Akt (Ser473) levels were significantly increased during cancer progression in TRAMP mice, compared to male non-transgenic littermates. A progressive increase in the expression of NF-κB/p65, IκBα and its phosphorylation, IKK kinase activity was observed during prostate cancer progression in TRAMP mice as examined by Western blot analysis, electrophoretic-mobility shift assay, ELISA, kinase assay, and immunohistochemistry. Over-expression of these signaling molecules correlated with transcriptional-regulated genes viz . Bcl-2, cyclin D1, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and vascular endothelial growth factor, and cancer progression observed at 24 and 32 weeks TRAMP mice compared to male non-transgenic littermates. Taken together, our results suggest that differential expression pattern of PI3K-Akt and NF-κB-IκB during prostate cancer progression in TRAMP mice represents potential molecular targets for prevention and/or therapeutic intervention. (Supported by USPHS grants NIH RO1 CA108512, RO3 CA094248, RO3 CA099049, and RO3 CA107806 and funds from Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation to SG)
Analytical performance models for RLC interconnects and application to clock optimization

A novel analytical approach for RLC interconnect performance analysis is developed. Using the gate and line geometries as inputs, we derive closed-form expressions for propagation delay, rise time, and voltage overshoot at both the driver output and the far end of the interconnect. This analytical approach enables fast and accurate RLC interconnect analysis and design optimization. Application to clock interconnect optimization is demonstrated and design guidelines are proposed.
Staphylococcal Nuclease (Foggi Strain) I. ORDER OF CYANOGEN BROMIDE FRAGMENTS AND A "FOURTH" HISTIDINE RESIDUE

Abstract The amino acid sequence of the nuclease produced by the Foggi strain of Staphylococcus aureus is being determined as part of a study comparing it with V8 strain nuclease. Amino acid analyses and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy have suggested that Foggi strain enzyme contains 4 histidine residues, in contrast to the 3 known to be present in the V8 strain material. In the course of analyzing the cyanogen bromide fragments of Foggi nuclease, a 13-residue tryptic peptide was isolated which is identical with the corresponding V8 peptide except for replacement of the leucine residue at position 124 by histidine. In addition, the cyanogen bromide fragments are assigned to their positions in the chain with the help of the overlapping series of fragments of nuclease-T, this being an enzymatically active product of limited trypsin digestion of nuclease composed of two large peptide fragments held together by noncovalent interactions. It is concluded that the two nuclease molecules are very similar and that the replacement of leucine 124 (V8) by histidine (Foggi) is compatible with an active conformation.
On testing for change in extreme events

A common problem in climatology is detecting a change in the frequency or magnitude of extreme events in an historical time series. This paper compares the performance of two general approaches to this problem in a simple situation. The first approach is based on modelling the entire distribution, while the second approach focuses on the tail of the distribution. Although the second approach has clear advantages, the results of this paper suggest that it can also involve a substantial loss of information.
On the Cause of X‐Line Formation in the Near‐Earth Plasma Sheet: Results of Adiabatic Convection of Plasma‐Sheet Plasma

Abstract : Self-consistent, static-equilibrium solutions are presented for two-dimensional magnetospheric-magnetic-field configurations with isotropic thermal pressure. These solutions include a dipole field and are not restricted to the asymptotic theory. Adiabatic convection of plasma sheet flux tubes is modeled as a series oif static-equilibrium solutions in which flux tubes conserve their PV(gamma) as they convect, which resulted in time dependent magnetospheric configurations. Specifically, it is found that a deep minimum in the equatorial B sub z develops in the inner plasma sheet, thereby causing the magnetic-field configuration to become more stretched and tail-like in time. These results suggest X-line formation in the inner plasma sheet as a consequence of lossless, adiabatic convection of plasma sheet flux tubes. (Author)
Independent ablation of retrograde and anterograde accessory connection conduction at the atrial and ventricular insertion sites: evidence supporting the impedance mismatch hypothesis for unidirectional block.

Impedance Mismatch Causes Conduction Block. Introduction: The impedance mismatch hypothesis has been proposed as one of the mechanisms responsible for accessory connection conduction block. Methods and Results: We describe a case in which retrograde conduction across block posters accessory connection was ablated at the atrial insertion site in the coronary sinus of, whereas Anterograde conduction was ablated at the ventricular insertion site in the left ventricle. Conclusion: The evidence supports the impedance mismatch concept as the cause of unidirectional conduction block and shows that the distal junction between the accessory connection and the myocardium is more vulnerable to ablation.
Erhöhtes Krebsrisiko bei Störungen der inneren Uhr

Innere Uhren steuern unser Leben, ohne dass wir uns dessen bewusst werden. Der Wecker steht jeden Morgen auf 7 Uhr, aber wir wachen schon eine Minute vor 7 auf und horen die Schaltung leise einrasten: Unsere innere Uhr hat uns punktlich geweckt. Jetzt berichten Wissenschaftler, dass bei Mausen sogar die Anfalligkeit fur Krebs durch die innere Uhr reguliert wird.
The Right to Repair [Soapbox]

Discusses the right of consumers to repair and fix products and reports on the need of companies to provide interested consumers with this information should they desire.
Acute renal failure after intravenous anti-D immune globulin in an adult with immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Intravenous anti-D immune globulin (anti-D IGIV) is indicated for the treatment of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in nonsplenectomized patients who are Rh(D)-positive. Recent reports have described episodes of intravascular hemolysis (IVH) and acute renal failure (ARF) after anti-D IGIV. We report the first adult patient with ITP who required and received dialysis after IVH and ARF complicating treatment with anti-D IGIV. Whether the transfusion of 2 units of Rh(D)-positive red cells, indicated for the resulting anemia, exacerbated the IVH and renal failure is unclear. Three weeks after the administration of anti-D IGIV (13 days after two hemodialysis treatments), the patient's renal function had returned to normal. This case highlights the infrequent but potentially serious side effects of anti-D IGIV and the need to monitor a patient's renal function closely if there is evidence of IVH after infusion of anti-D IGIV. If red cell transfusion is indicated, we recommend the use of Rh(D)-negative red cell products.
One-dimensional φ 4 theory with a long-range gradient term: A 1 N expansion

A class of one-dimensional path integrals with long-range "kinetic energies" arises in the context of the single-impurity Kondo and Anderson models. Motivated by this fact, we consider a simple one-dimensional $O(N)$ symmetric ${\ensuremath{\varphi}}^{4}$ theory with a long-range-gradient term. The large-$N$ expansion of this model behaves smoothly as the coefficient of the quadratic term goes from large positive to large negative values and does not have the pathologies of the mean-field theory.
Vitamin D dependent effects of APOA5 polymorphisms on HDL cholesterol

Objectives Vitamin D and serum lipid levels are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. We sought to determine if vitamin D (25OHD) interacts at established lipid loci potentially explaining additional variance in lipids.
Temperature sensitivity of current gain in power transistors

An analysis is made of the factors causing the variation of current gain as a function of operating temperature. As a result, conclusions are reached which indicate that the base resistivity is the major single factor contributing to these variations. Finally, the results of this investigation are directed toward possible applications.
Nicaraguan Sport Ideology

This paper argues that an examinaton of the tenets of Sandinista sport ideology ought to give the reader some idea of the political and social system of contemporary Nicaragua. After reviewing the ...
Bias properties of budget constrained simulations

This paper addresses the bias characteristics of estimators produced from Monte Carlo simulations. If the computer time allocated to the simulation is t, then Nt, the number of replications completed by time t, is a renewal process. The simulation implications of a known exact expression for the expected value of a sample mean based on Nt replications are explored and a similar exact expression for a sample mean based on Nt + 1 replications is derived. Bias expansions for a sample mean based on Nt or Nt + 1 replications are obtained. The bias in the sample mean based on Nt replications is at most of order o1/t. Under suitable moment conditions, the bias decreases at a much faster rate than o1/t; on the other hand, the estimator based on Nt + 1 replications has bias of order 1/t. The exact expressions also lead to simple and totally unbiased estimators. Using Taylor series, the bias expansions of a general function of means based on Nt or Nt + 1 replications are determined. The leading terms in these expansions are of order 1/t, although the coefficients are different. Based on these expansions, a Tin-style adjusted estimator is proposed to reduce the bias. These expansions are specialized to the case of ratio estimation in regenerative simulation. Due to a cancellation effect, the ratio estimator based on Nt + 1 cycles is biased only to order o1/t providing confirmation and reinterpretation of a result of M. Meketon and P. Heidelberger.
Development of an integrated two stage coal liquefaction process

Abstract The development of an integrated two stage liquefaction process was traced. Initial studies involved conversion of a solvent refined coal (SRC) extract in an L.C. Fining® expanded bed catalytic hydrotreater representing the second stage of a two stage process. Favorable results prompted construction of an integrated unit which incorporated a short contact time coal extraction unit, a solvent deashing unit and an L.C. Finer second stage. High yields of high quality distillate (51.7 weight percent MF coal) with reduced hydrogen consumption (4.32 weight percent) were demonstrated under steady state conditions over extended run periods.
Impaired Leg Vasodilatory Function After Stroke: Adaptations With Treadmill Exercise Training

Background and Purpose—Resting and reactive hyperemic leg blood flows are significantly reduced in the paretic compared with the nonparetic limb after disabling stroke. Our objective was to compare the effects of regular treadmill exercise (TM) with an active control regimen of supervised stretching (CONTROL) on peripheral hemodynamic function. Methods—This intervention study used a randomized, controlled design, in which participants were randomized with stratification according to age and baseline walking capacity to ensure approximate balance between the 2 groups. Fifty-three chronic, ischemic stroke participants (29 TM and 24 CONTROL) with mild to moderate hemiparetic gait completed bilateral measurements of lower leg resting and reactive hyperemic blood flow using venous occlusion strain gauge plethysmography before and after the 6-month intervention period. Participants also underwent testing to track changes in peak aerobic fitness across time. Results—Resting and reactive hyperemic blood flows wer...
Diet Restriction Enhances Compensatory Liver Tissue Repair and Survival Following Administration of Lethal Dose of Thioacetamide

Diet restriction is known to prevent a plethora of age-associated diseases including cancer. However, the effects of diet restriction on noncancer end points are not known. The objective of this study was to investigate whether diet restriction protects against hepatotoxicity of thioacetamide (TA), and if so, to investigate the underlying mechanism. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (250-275 g) were maintained on 65% of their ad libitum (AL) food consumption for a period of 3 weeks and then treated with a single low dose of 50 mg TA/kg i.p.. Plasma enzymes (ALT and SDH), hepatic glycogen levels, and 3H-thymidine incorporation into hepatocellular nuclear DNA were measured during a time course (0-120 h) after TA administration. Liver sections were examined for histopathology, and cell-cycle progression was assessed by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemistry. In AL rats hepatic necrosis was evident at 12 h, peaked at 36 h, persisted up to 72 h, and was resolved by 96 h. In the diet-restricted (DR) group hepatic necrosis was observed at 12 h, peaked at 24 h, persisted till 72 h, and was resolved by 96 h. Maximal injury indicated by enzyme elevation occurred in DR rats and was approximately sixfold greater than that observed in the AL group. Histopathological examination of the liver sections revealed liver injury concordant with plasma enzyme elevations. There was a higher and sustained S-phase synthesis in the DR rats compared to AL group. S-phase stimulation was evident at 36 h, peaked at 48 h, and persisted until 96 h in the DR rats, whereas in the AL rats peak S-phase stimulation occurred at 36 h and subsided by 72 h. PCNA studies revealed a corresponding stimulation of cell-cycle progression indicating highly stimulated compensatory tissue repair. The 14-day lethality experiments (600 mg TA/kg i.p.) indicated 70% survival in the DR rats compared to 10% survival in the AL group. Although diet restriction increases hepatotoxic injury of TA, it protects from the lethal outcome by enhanced liver tissue repair. Comparison of liver injury and tissue repair employing an equitoxic dose (600 mg TA/kg in AL rats yields similar liver injury as observed with 50 mg TA/kg in DR rats) revealed that in spite of near equal injury up to 36 h, tissue repair response in DR rats is much higher. The compensatory tissue repair allows the DR rats to escape death in contrast to much lower compensation in AL rats leading to progression of liver injury culminating in death.
Preparations and Photophysical Properties of Fused and Nonfused Thienyl Bridged MM (M = Mo or W) Quadruply Bonded Complexes

A series of metal−metal quadruply bonded compounds [(tBuCO2)3M2]2(μ-TT) where TT = thienothiophenedicarboxylate and M = Mo, 1A, and M = W, 1B and [(tBuCO2)3M2]2(μ-DTT) where DTT = dithienothiophenedicarboxylate and M = Mo, 2A, and M = W, 2B, has been prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, ESI- and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Their photophysical properties have also been investigated by steady-state absorption as well as transient absorption and emission spectroscopy. The optimized structures and the predicted low energy electronic transitions were obtained by DFT and time-dependent DFT calculations, respectively, on model compounds. These results, in combination with the respective properties of the compounds [(tBuCO2)3M2]2(μ-BTh) (BTh = 2,5′-bithienyldicarboxylate, M = Mo, 3A, and M = W, 3B), allow us to make a comprehensive comparison of the fused (compounds 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B) and the nonfused thienyl (compounds 3A and 3B) dicarboxylate bridged compounds of molybdenu...
Virial expansion of the second layer in physical adsorption - An ab initio calculation for helium on argon crystal

A model of helium adsorption on an argon crystal is built up from the premise that local adsorption predominates in the first layer and nonlocal adsorption in the second. Application of the virial expansion theorem to the second layer gives a series in which the first term represents the motion of a single molecule in the external potential field and the second a two-body interaction under this field. The thermodynamic functions of the adsorbed phase are calculated ab initio, the gas-solid interaction potential being derived from lattice summation and the partition function from an appropriate choice of a site-spacing polynomial to describe the periodic potential. The mutual interaction of adsorbed molecules is calculated with a two-dimensional Lennard-Jones potential. The second virial coefficient is calculated and its dependence on temperature and choice of potential is studied. It is found that the second virial coefficient is very well approximated by a two-dimensional gas in free space. The adsorption isotherm, isosteric heat, and specific heat are obtained and compared with the results of Ross and Steele, giving excellent agreement.
Simple Ultrasensitive Test for Detecting Penicillin in Milk

Abstract A simple procedure for screening large numbers of milks to detect traces of penicillin is outlined. Detection of .002 IU penicillin per ml within 4 to 6 hr was demonstrated. The method is based on the growth of B. subtilis spores fixed on to nutrient-spore-dye paper discs, residing in a small quantity of test milk evaporating in air. The evaporation increases penicillin in the milk, if any exists, and the color change of tetrazolium chloride dye in the disc reflects this concentration change. Dextrose and sucrose discs gave similar sensitivities, but sucrose discs retained their stability for long periods of time and are favored. Environmental factors which affect the ultrasensitive test for penicillin are described.
Computational exposure assessment of electromagnetic fields generated by an RFID system for mother--newborn identity reconfirmation.

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is an innovative technology currently applied in a large number of industrial and consumer applications. The spread of RFID technology does not correspond to a parallel increase in studies on its possible impact on health in terms of electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure. The aim of this paper is to estimate, by computational techniques, the EMF generated by passive RFID systems for mother–newborn identity reconfirmation. The computation was performed on realistic models of newborn and mother for three different reader positions. The compliance with EMF exposure guidelines was investigated as a function of the change in reader–tag specifications (magnetic field threshold and maximum distance of the reader to awake the tag) and time of use of the reader close to the body. The results show that attention should be paid to the identification of the optimal reader–tag technical specifications to be used in this type of application. That should be done by an accurate exposure assessment investigation, in particular for newborn exposure. The need to reduce the exposure time as much as possible indicates the importance of specific training on the practical applications of the RFID (DATALOGIC J-series, Bologna, Italy) device. Bioelectromagnetics 32:408–416, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Chronic Human Glaucoma Causing Selectively Greater Loss of Large Optic Nerve Fibers

Eighteen eyes of 12 persons with chronically elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) were studied histologically to determine the number and diameter of optic nerve fibers. In some eyes, automated perimetry had been performed. Optic nerve fibers larger than the mean diameter were killed more rapidly than smaller fibers, although no fiber size was completely spared at any stage of atrophy. The number of optic nerve fibers varies considerably among normal eyes. The authors confirmed that the death of a substantial proportion of optic nerve fibers precedes detectable visual field loss.
Computability of boolean algebras and their extensions

Abstract A Boolean algebra is computable if there is a one-to-one enumeration (On)nϵN of its domain which associates recursive functions with sup, inf and complement. A computable Boolean algebra with B enumeration (Un) is a constructive extension of its computable sub-algebra algebra U with enumeration (On) if there is a recursive function h such that On = Uh(n). Let U be a computable Boolean algebra with enumeration (On) whose elements are the clopen sets in some Boolean space T . A subset U of T is recursive open (respectively, recursively regular open) iff there are recursive functions f and g such that U =∪ nϵ N O f(n) and U −1 = ∪ nϵ N O g(n) ( respectively , U = (∪ nϵ N O f(n) ) −1−1 = (∩ nϵ N O g(n) ) −1−1 ) . Since the regular open sets form a minimal completion of U (see the introduction), the concepts represent two attempts to define “the recursive elements of” this completion. Detailed motivation for the definitions is included in the intorduction. The recursively regular open sets form a Boolean algebra (under the operatons which make the regular open sets into a Boolean algebra). A simple extension of U obtained by adjoining a regular open set U can be given the structure of a constructive extension of U iff recursive open. The class of recursive open sets which are regular is the union of all (simple) constructive extensions of U which consist of regular open sets. Henceforth, assume T is the Cantor space, so that U is atomless. The recursive open sets which are regular do not form a Boolean algebra. U possesses computable extension which are constructive and others which are not constructive. The Boolean algebra generated by the recursive open sets which are regular the algebra of recursively regular open sets, so that the two attempts to define “the recursive elements of” the completion coincide.
Image registration with auto-mapped control volumes

Many image registration algorithms rely on the use of homologous control points on the two input image sets to be registered. In reality, the interactive identification of the control points on both images is tedious, difficult, and often a source of error. We propose a two-step algorithm to automatically identify homologous regions that are used as a priori information during the image registration procedure. First, a number of small control volumes having distinct anatomical features are identified on the model image in a somewhat arbitrary fashion. Instead of attempting to find their correspondences in the reference image through user interaction, in the proposed method, each of the control regions is mapped to the corresponding part of the reference image by using an automated image registration algorithm. A normalized cross-correlation (NCC) function or mutual information was used as the auto-mapping metric and a limited memory Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno algorithm (L-BFGS) was employed to optimize the function to find the optimal mapping. For rigid registration, the transformation parameters of the system are obtained by averaging that derived from the individual control volumes. In our deformable calculation, the mapped control volumes are treated as the nodes or control points with known positions on the two images. If the number of control volumes is not enough to cover the whole image to be registered, additional nodes are placed on the model image and then located on the reference image in a manner similar to the conventional BSpline deformable calculation. For deformable registration, the established correspondence by the auto-mapped control volumes provides valuable guidance for the registration calculation and greatly reduces the dimensionality of the problem. The performance of the two-step registrations was applied to three rigid registration cases (two PET-CT registrations and a brain MRI-CT registration) and one deformable registration of inhale and exhale phases of a lung 4D CT. Algorithm convergence was confirmed by starting the registration calculations from a large number of initial transformation parameters. An accuracy of approximately 2 mm was achieved for both deformable and rigid registration. The proposed image registration method greatly reduces the complexity involved in the determination of homologous control points and allows us to minimize the subjectivity and uncertainty associated with the current manual interactive approach. Patient studies have indicated that the two-step registration technique is fast, reliable, and provides a valuable tool to facilitate both rigid and nonrigid image registrations.
Effect of Morphology on Sound Attenuation of Flexible Polymeric Foams

The fact that polyimide foams of low density and very high T g have excellent sound absorbing properties demonstrates that other factors, most notably foam morphology, have significant effects on the sound absorbing behavior of foams. It was also found that there is not always a direct relationship between mechanical and coustical energy absorption of flexible foams
Endothelial dysfunction in obese non-hypertensive children without evidence of sleep disordered breathing

Endothelial dysfunction is a complication of both obesity and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), the latter being highly prevalent among obese children. It is unknown whether obesity causes endothelial dysfunction in children in the absence of OSAS. This study examines endothelial function in obese and non-obese children without OSAS. Pre-pubertal non-hypertensive children were recruited. Endothelial function was assessed in a morning fasted state, using a modified hyperemic test involving cuff-induced occlusion of the radial and ulnar arteries. The absence of OSAS was confirmed by overnight polysomnography. Anthropometry was also performed. 55 obese children (mean age 8.6 ± 1.4 years, mean BMI z-score: 2.3 ± 0.3) were compared to 50 non-obese children (mean age 8.0 ± 1.6 years, mean BMI z-score 0.3 ± 0.9). Significant delays to peak capillary reperfusion after occlusion release occurred in obese compared to non-obese children (45.3 ± 21.9 sec vs. 31.5 ± 14.1 sec, p < 0.01), but no differences in the magnitude of hyperemia emerged. Time to peak reperfusion and percentage of body fat were positively correlated (r = 0.365, p < 0.01). Our findings confirm that endothelial dysfunction occurs early in life in obese children, even in the absence of OSAS. Thus, mechanisms underlying endothelial dysfunction in pediatric obesity are operational in the absence of sleep-disordered breathing.