cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adhesive and Mechanical Properties of Carbon Nanotube Probes Contacting Chemically-Treated Surfaces

Carbon nanotubes are useful in a variety of measurement applications. In the case of Atomic Force Microscopes (AFMs), carbon nanotubes can be affixed to the tip of the AFM cantilever to improve image resolution and enable images of surfaces with deep crevices and trench structures. In this paper, the mechanical response of long, straight, small walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) under compressive and tensile load is examined with an atomic force microscope. Multi-dimensional force spectroscopy (MDFS) is used to simultaneously measure the cantilever resonant frequency, deflection, and scanner motion. The acquired force curves reveal that the SWNT buckles shortly after contact is initiated. As the scanner continues to rise and then reverses direction, the SWNT undergoes a number of adhesion/sticking episodes, buckling, and slip events. The bulk properties of the nanotube are estimated by measuring the shift in natural frequency during tension. Finally, the carbon nanotube is modeled as an elastica in order to predict the post-buckled shape of the SWNT. By comparing the model results with MDFS results, the static coefficient of friction between the SWNT and a variety of surfaces is estimated. The study suggests that MDFS has a wide applicability for studying the mechanical and adhesive properties of various nanotubes, nanorods and nanofibers.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Scheduler-based Multi-Bank Main Memory Configuration for Energy Reduction

Modern DRAM technologies offer power management features for energy consumption optimization. It consists of multi-banking the addressing space instead of monolithic memory. The main advantage in this approach is the capability of setting banks in low power modes when they are not accessed, such that only the accessed bank is maintained in active mode. In this paper we investigate how this power management capability can be handled for real-time and multitasking applications. We aim to find, based on the application scheduler, both an efficient allocation of application's tasks to memory banks, and the corresponding memory configuration that lessen the energy consumption: number of banks and the size of each bank. Results show the effectiveness of this approach and the large energy savings.
Compression-ignition fuel properties of Fischer-Tropsch syncrude

Fischer-Tropsch conversion of natural gas to liquid hydrocarbon fuel typically includes Fischer-Tropsch synthesis followed by refining (hydrocracking and distillation) of the syncrude into mostly diesel or kerosene with some naphtha (a feedstock for gasoline production). Refining is assumed necessary, possibly overlooking the exceptional fuel qualities of syncrude for more direct utilization as a compression-ignition (CI) fuel. This paper evaluates cetane number, viscosity, cloud-point, and pour-point properties of syncrude and blends of syncrude with blend stocks such as ethanol and diethyl ether. The results show that blends comprised primarily of syncrude are potentially good CI fuels, with pour-point temperature depression being the largest development obstacle. The resulting blends may provide a much-needed and affordable alternative CI fuel. Particularly good market opportunities exist with Environmental Policy Act (EPACT) applications.
Transoral robotic study of the vascular anatomy of the head and neck

We aimed to explore, highlight and accurately identify the vascular anatomy of the oropharynx, hypopharynx and supraglottis utilizing the transoral robotic perspective. This was a case series using anatomic studies of cadaveric specimens. The cadavers were injected with red- and blue-dyed silicone through the arterial and venous systems to define the macro- and microvasculature. Following injection of the specimen, a da Vinci robotic surgical system was engaged to perform a transoral dissection of the oropharynx, hypopharynx and supraglottic regions. Dissection was carried out under high-definition optics. Vascular structures were identified and followed to their terminal branches. We successfully performed transoral robotic dissections of five fresh frozen cadaveric human heads which had been injected with dyed silicone. The injection technique and use of a high-definition magnifying camera allowed us to visualize and identify the vasculature of the head and neck in a unique fashion. The cadaveric model provides an excellent educational tool to aid in training. Additionally, the use of this model and the transoral approach has allowed us to identify vessels which typically may not be visible on routine dissection. We believe this to be very relevant in training and improving performance for safe and bloodless transoral robotic surgery. To our knowledge this is the first study using the transoral robotic approach to examine the vascular anatomy of the oropharynx and larynx.
Solar flares and neutrino detectors.

Solar flares have been suggested as the cause of occasional high counting rates in the $^{37}\mathrm{Cl}$ solar-neutrino experiment. The sensitivity of neutrino detectors to flares is evaluated. Several neutrino detectors will show large signals when prominent flares are observed electromagnetically, if flares are detected in the chlorine experiment.
Identification of LBM180, a Lamellar Body Limiting Membrane Protein of Alveolar Type II Cells, as the ABC Transporter Protein ABCA3

Lamellar bodies are the specialized secretory organelles of alveolar type II (ATII) epithelial cells through which the cell packages pulmonary surfactant and regulates its secretion. Surfactant within lamellar bodies is densely packed as circular arrays of lipid membranes and appears to be the product of several trafficking and biosynthetic processes. To elucidate these processes, we reported previously on the generation of a monoclonal antibody (3C9) that recognizes a unique protein of the lamellar body membrane of 180 kDa, which we named LBM180. We report that mass spectrometry of the protein precipitated by this antibody generated a partial sequence that is identical to the ATP-binding cassette protein, ABCA3. Homology analysis of partial sequences suggests that this protein is highly conserved among species. The ABCA3 gene transcript was found in cell lines of human lung origin, in ATII cells of human, rat, and mouse, as well as different tissues of rat, but the highest expression of ABCA3 was observed in ATII cells. Expression of this transcript was at its maximum prior to birth, and hormonal induction of ABCA3 transcript was observed in human fetal lung at the same time as other surfactant protein transcripts were induced, suggesting that ABCA3 is developmentally regulated. Molecular and biochemical studies show that ABCA3 is targeted to vesicle membranes and is found in the limiting membrane of lamellar bodies. Because ABCA3 is a member of a subfamily of ABC transporters that are predominantly known to be involved in the regulation of lipid transport and membrane trafficking, we speculate that this protein may play a key role in lipid organization during the formation of lamellar bodies.
Optimum split trees

Abstract A split tree is a special kind of a binary search tree introduced by B. A. Sheil ( Comm. ACM 21 (1978), 947–958). He conjectured that constructing an optimum split tree is an intractable problem since there is a difficulty in applying the dynamic programming technique. It is realized that the difficulty arises since top down decisions are required while applying the bottom up dynamic programming technique. It is demonstrated that it is possible in this case to overcome such a difficulty, and a polynomial algorithm for constructing an optimum split tree is presented. This algorithm incorporates top down decisions into a dynamic programming procedure similar to D. E. Knuth's ( Acta Inform . 1 (1971), 14–25) algorithm for constructing an optimum binary search tree. The probabilities of unsuccessful searches are taken into account. A modification for the case that equiprobable keys are permitted is discussed.
Performance challenges in virtual teams: a comparative case analysis

In today’s job market, global virtual teams are common. The teams are formed for many different reasons and the success levels of these teams vary. Some common reasons why teams are distributed include offering employees the benefit of choosing where they want to live, getting closer to the emerging markets, improving the partnerships between suppliers and acquisitions of new firms. This paper reviews the key challenges of the virtual teams and tries to find remedies for these challenges through the literature review and four case studies.
Improved mechanical reliability of the HeartMate XVE left ventricular assist system.

Background The HeartMate XVE left ventricular assist device is a valuable treatment option for patients with end-stage heart failure. During the past several years, the XVE has undergone a series of design enhancements to improve reliability. We compared the reliability of the two most recent design iterations of the XVE pump (stitch modification to the inflow valve assembly and new inflow valve housing redesign) to the earlier VE version. Methods A retrospective evaluation of device reliability was performed for 268 devices implanted in 245 patients (VE: n=167 devices, 147 patients, implant dates October 16, 1998, to December 19, 2003; XVE: n=101 devices, 98 patients, implant dates August 1, 2002, to April 14, 2004). Results Median duration of device support for the VE and XVE was 159 days (range, 0 to 1,206 days) and 229 days (range, 0 to 693 days), respectively ( p = 0.495). Significantly fewer major device malfunctions occurred within the XVE group as compared with the VE group (6 versus 36, respectively; p = 0.0003). The number of major device malfunctions per patient-year of support for inflow valve dysfunction, bearing wear, and other failures for the VE and XVE were 0.2 versus 0.04 ( p = 0.006), 0.16 versus 0.01 ( p = 0.005), and 0.06 versus 0.04 ( p = 1.000), respectively. The freedom from major device malfunction at 1 year was 76% ± 6% for the VE and 97% ± 2% for the XVE device ( p p = 0.698). Conclusions Design enhancements to the HeartMate XVE have significantly reduced the incidence of major device malfunctions compared with the earlier VE model because of a reduction in failure modes from bearing wear and inlet valve dysfunction. Further follow-up is necessary to establish the long-term durability of the most recent XVE pump version.
β-Galactosidase of Propionibacterium shermanii

Ten strains of Propionibacterium shermanii were tested for β-galactosidase (β-gal) activity. Of these ten strains, five yielded enhanced enzyme activity when cell suspensions were treated with toluene-acetone; on solvent treatment, the remaining five lost a considerable portion of the activity found in whole-cell suspensions. By using a strain yielding decreased activity upon solvent treatment, explanations for the loss in activity were sought through assays for possible alternative β-galactoside utilization mechanisms. When this strain was assayed for β-D-phosphogalactoside galactohydrolase by using orthonitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside-6-PO4 as substrate, the activity was either lower or indifferent as compared with β-gal activity determined simultaneously. Cell suspensions of P. shermanii 7 and 22 (strains chosen for further work) grown separately on the individual substrates (lactose, glucose, galactose, and sodium lactate) did not show significant differences in β-gal activity. Optimal temperature for β-gal activity in untreated and toluene-acetone-treated cell suspensions of strain 7 was 52 C. With strain 22, of the temperatures tested, maximal activity in untreated cell suspensions was noted at 58 C and with solvent-treated cells at 32 C. In the cell-free extract (CFE) system, both strains exhibited maximal activity at 52 C. Optimal pH for untreated and solvent-treated cell suspensions of both strains was around 7.5. In the P. shermanii 22 CFE system, maximal activity occurred at pH 7.0; pH had very little effect on enzyme activity in P. shermanii 7 CFE. Sodium or potassium phosphate buffers in the assay system yielded the best activity. In the CFE system of these two strains, Mn2+ was definitely stimulatory, but in untreated and solvent-treated cell systems of these strains presence or absence of Mn2+ in the assay system had variable effects on enzyme activity. Maximal β-gal activity was noted in P. shermanii 7 cells harvested after 28 h of growth at 32 C in sodium lactate broth. Sulfhydryl-group blocking agents inhibited enzyme activity in P. shermanii 22 CFE; the inhibition was partly reversed by dithiothreitol.
H-Ras Does Not Need COP I- or COP II-dependent Vesicular Transport to Reach the Plasma Membrane

Although vesicular transport of the H-Ras protein from the Golgi to the plasma membrane is well known, additional trafficking steps, both to and from the plasma membrane, have also been described. Notably, both vesicular and nonvesicular transport mechanisms have been proposed. The initial trafficking of H-Ras to the plasma membrane was therefore examined in more detail. In untreated cells, H-Ras appeared at the plasma membrane more rapidly than a protein carried by the conventional exocytic pathway, and no H-Ras was visible on Golgi membranes in >80% of the cells. H-Ras was still able to reach the plasma membrane when COP II-directed transport was disrupted by two different mutant forms of Sar1, when COP I-mediated vesicular traffic from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi was inhibited with brefeldin A, or when microtubules were disrupted by nocodazole. Although some H-Ras was present in the secretory pathway, protein that reached the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment was unable to move further in the presence of nocodozale. These results identify an alternative mechanism for H-Ras trafficking that circumvents conventional COPI-, COPII-, and microtubule-dependent vesicular transport. Thus, H-Ras has two simultaneous but distinct means of transport and need not depend on vesicular trafficking for its delivery to the plasma membrane.
THE PRICING OF FUTURES CONTRACTS AND THE ARBITRAGE PRICING THEORY

When interest rates are stochastic, the cash flows of futures and forward contracts differ because of the marking-to-market requirement of futures contracts. The price effect of this difference is examined here by applying the risk and return model of the arbitrage pricing theory. The resulting futures pricing equation is preference free, and is obtainable using other no-arbitrage approaches. The pricing equation suggests that the price difference is due to the covariance of spot asset returns and interest rates. An empirical study is conducted on the Major Market Index futures from October 1, 1984 to September 27, 1985. Results indicate that the covariance, extracted by the Kalman filter according to the pricing equation, is significant in the pricing of futures contracts.
A different image of avoiding sedation in pediatric radiology

Sir, We would like to reply to the author comments regarding the avoidance of sedation in radiology [1] to clarify some points and offer a perspective that may not be appreciated by nonanesthesiologists. Although we cannot agree more with the goal of avoiding unnecessary sedation and/or having children undergo their diagnostic studies without medication, in reality, this is a very difficult task to achieve. The involvement of fewer radiologists in providing sedation has resulted in more anesthesiologists, intensivists, and pediatricians performing the sedation and/or anesthesia for these children. As a result, more children who would normally have undergone scans with sedation are receiving general anesthesia or nothing at all (avoiding sedation). This begs the question as to whether more children are now receiving general anesthesia when less anesthesia or sedation would have been a better option in the first place. The main consequence of a “failed scan attempt” in an “avoid sedation or no sedation” child is that more medication is subsequently required to sedate/anesthetize a now upset and anxious child—not an optimal setting for any of the individuals involved (child, parents, nursing staff, anesthesia personnel). We believe no sedation or avoiding sedation for diagnostic scans is an important and noble goal; however, great care should be taken in the transition to sedation or general anesthesia when children are unable to complete the study without medication. Giving the impression that transitioning from no sedation to anesthesia or sedation is an easy task is false and misleading. The delays in waiting for anesthesia personnel and the stress imposed on the patients and their families as well as the providers should not be overlooked. Additionally, nonsedated children may not meet the mandatory fasting guidelines. More research studies are needed to distinguish which children can avoid sedation, such as those needing short, noncontrast CT scans, as compared to those undergoing longer scans, such as MRI spine scans.
Applying the Theory of Planned Behavior to Explore the Relation Between Smoke-Free Air Laws and Quitting Intentions

Smoke-free air policies have been shown to reduce smoking, but the mechanism of behavior change is not well understood. The authors used structural equation modeling to conduct a theory of planned behavior analysis with data from 395 smokers living in seven Texas cities, three with a comprehensive smoke-free air law and four without a comprehensive law. Agreement with regulating smoking in public places was significantly associated with attitudes and perceived normative pressure about quitting. Nicotine dependence was significantly associated with attitudes and perceived behavioral control. There was also a direct effect of nicotine dependence on intention to take measures to quit smoking. Smoke-free air laws appear to influence quitting intentions through the formation of positive attitudes about regulating smoking in public places and the perception of normative pressure to take measures to quit. Implications for smoke-free air policy campaigns and challenges in evaluating their effectiveness are discussed.
A red-eye detector for iris segmentation using shape context

In iris recognition systems, it is essential to accurately locate the pupil and the iris. Among segmentation algorithms for systems utilizing near-infrared light, some make the assumption that the pupil is darker than the rest of the image. For this class of algorithms, the red eye effect, which makes the pupil region brighter than the iris, could damage their performance. Other segmentation algorithms use edge information to fit circles, yet noisy images make them inaccurate. Therefore, it is desirable to use different segmentation algorithms for images with and without the red eye effect. In this paper, we introduce a novel method which distinguishes iris images exhibiting the red eye effect from those with a dark pupil. Our detector starts with a 2D darkness map of the iris image, and generates a customized shape context descriptor from the estimated pupil region. The descriptor is then compared with the reference descriptor, generated from a number of training images with dark pupils. The distance to the reference descriptor is used to define how close the estimated pupil region is from a dark pupil. Tests with images captured with our own acquisition system shows the proposed pupil detector is highly effective.
Psoriatic arthritis therapy advances.

Purpose of review This paper will review the data published in 2004 on the treatment of psoriatic arthritis, which arthritis affects 6 to 39% of all patients with psoriasis. Recent findings New data from placebo-controlled trials of anti-tumor necrosis factor agents, etanercept, infliximab, and adalimumab continue to show sustained effectiveness of these therapies in their ability to control the symptoms and signs of both arthritis and psoriasis, improve quality of life and function, and inhibit disease progression as measured by radiologic changes. Medications that inhibit T cells have been approved for the treatment of psoriasis and have been studied in psoriatic arthritis. The effectiveness of one of these agents, efalizumab, did not achieve statistical significance in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis. The results of a trial with a second agent, alefacept are pending public review. Summary There has been a persistent increased focus on the diagnosis and treatment of psoriatic arthritis as newer and more effective drugs than traditional disease-modifying agents have become available.
Queue length distributions from probability generating functions via discrete fourier transforms

Currently advocated techniques for inversion of probability generating functions via discrete Fourier transforms (DFTs) require computation of a large number of DFT coefficients to reduce the effects of aliasing, but this increases round-off error and still does not yield tail probabilities. We present a simple algorithm for obtaining complete queue lenght distributions using relatively few DFT coefficients.
Methodology for Early-Stage Technology Assessment and Decision Making under Uncertainty: Application to the Selection of Chemical Processes

In recent years, besides economic questions, environmental problems and subsequent regulatory measures have emerged as a driving force for the chemical industry. It has become essential to identify potential environmental problems as early as possible in the design process in order to avoid costly process changes later. However, in early design stages frequently high uncertainty prevails around possible values that economic, ecological, or technical parameters can assume. In this paper, we propose a new approach on how to select promising process alternatives while taking explicit account of uncertainties. The method is based on approximating flowsheets (as modeled in commercial flowsheet simulators) by response surfaces. Because those response surfaces exhibit a lower complexity than the original flowsheets, much larger design problems can be tackled. This is especially helpful when complex problems, such as multiobjective design problems under uncertainty, have to be solved. While the method we present ...
Time Course Study of Ethanol Production by Corn and Soybean to Optimize the Use of ANA Ethanol Index as an Accurate Seed Quality Test

ABSTRACT The ratio of ethanol production by seeds under anaerobic and aerobic conditions (ANA ethanol index) was shown to be a good indicator of seed quality in our previous studies. A time course study of ethanol production by corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L. Merill) was conducted to identify the optimum hydration time for calculation of the ANA ethanol index. In addition, microbial contamination was studied both from seeds after aging and after hydration. Seeds of corn and soybean were aged at 75% relative humidity and 45 C for 0 to 32 days to obtain different seed quality samples. Ethanol production increased with hydration time (0 to 24 hours), and production was greater for soybean than for corn. Ethanol production decreased with aging under anaerobic conditions, while a biphasic pattern was measured with aging under aerobic conditions after a 24 hour hydration period. The ANA ethanol index changed with both hydration time and seed quality. The optimal hydration time was 24 hours to ran...
A Spatiotemporal Four-Primary Color LCD With Quantum Dots

A four-primary liquid crystal display (LCD) by hybrid color processing in spatial and temporal domains is presented. By integrating with quantum dots, the number of LED can be reduced and the emission spectrum optimized. This approach exhibits following advantages over conventional three-primary LCDs: 1) it has 1.5X higher spatial resolution and 2X higher light efficiency; 2) it can achieve 130% color gamut in CIE 1931 and 155% in CIE 1976 color space; and 3) it has a more relaxed LC response time requirement and can be readily integrated into commercial LCD products.
New Recording Spectrophotometer

In the redesign of the General Electric Recording Spectrophotometer many improvements have been made affecting its performance, versatility, and convenience. For example, new monochromator slit width ratios result in a twofold increase in light transmission, and other optical changes further increase the sensitivity. Among other improvements described are smaller size, faster speed of operation, and greater serviceability.
Atomistic Simulation of Field Enhanced Oxidation of Al (100) Beyond the Mott Potential

Molecular dynamics simulations employing dynamic charge transfer between atoms indicate a significantly enhanced rate of Al(100) oxidation by ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ and O at 300 K in the presence of an electric field. Increasing the electric field ($\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{7}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{V}/\mathrm{cm}$) drives the surface chemisorbed oxygen to the vacancy sites in the oxide interior leading to dramatic density and stoichiometry improvements of the grown ultrathin oxide film. The associated oxidation kinetics enhancement due to the applied electric field is postulated to arise from the activation barrier lowering at electrostatic potentials approaching the Mott potential and beyond, leading to a dramatically increased ion migration through oxide film. The results are of significance to understanding mechanisms of early stage oxide growth as well as technologies utilizing ultrathin oxides.
Purification and some properties of UDP-glucose:o-dihydroxycoumarin7-O-glucosyltransferase from tobacco cell cultures

Abstract An enzyme, catalysing the glucosylation of o-dihydroxycoumarins and utilising UDPG as the glucosyl donor, has been isolated and partially purified (80-fold) from tobacco cell suspension culture. The enzyme exhibited strict position specificity towards the 7-hydroxyl group of both daphnetin (Km 95 μM) and esculetin (Km 111 μM). It could also glucosylate scopoletin (Km 1.43 M), umbelliferone and caffeic acid, but to a lesser extent. With esculetin as substrate, the apparent Km for UDPG was 50 μM. The physiological role of this enzyme would be to glucosylate daphnetin, esculetin and possibly scopoletin to their corresponding 7-O-glucosides: daphnin, chichoriin and scopolin. It is suggested that the formation of two isomeric glucosides, esculin (esculetin-6-O-glucoside) and daphnetin-8-O-glucoside), is catalysed by a different enzyme with a high affinity towards the 6- and 8-hydroxyl groups, respectively.
Variable dimensionality and new uranium oxide topologies in the alkaline-earth metal uranyl selenites AE[(UO2)(SeO3)2] (AE=Ca, Ba) and Sr[(UO2)(SeO3)2].2H2O

Abstract Three new alkaline-earth metal uranyl selenites, Ca[(UO 2 )(SeO 3 ) 2 ] (1), Sr[(UO 2 )(SeO 3 ) 2 ] · 2H 2 O (2), and Ba[(UO 2 )(SeO 3 ) 2 ] (3), have been prepared from the reactions of CaCO 3 and Ca(OH) 2 , SrCl 2 and Sr(OH) 2 , or BaCl 2 and Ba(OH) 2 with UO 3 and SeO 2 under mild hydrothermal conditions. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments reveal that the structures of 1–3 differ in both connectivity and dimensionality even though all contain the same fundamental building unit, namely [UO 2 (SeO 3 ) 4 ]. This polyhedron consists of a linear uranyl unit that is bound by one chelating and three bridging selenite anions creating a pentagonal bipyramidal environment around the U(VI) center. The crystal structure of 1 contains one-dimensional ribbons where the edges are terminated by monodentate selenite anions. The interior of the ribbons are constructed from edge-sharing pentagonal bipyramidal UO 7 units. The structure of 2 is also one-dimensional; however, here there are chains of edge-sharing pentagonal bipyramidal UO 7 dimers that are connected by bridging selenite anions. Ba[(UO 2 )(SeO 3 ) 2 ] (3) is two-dimensional, and the highly ruffled anionic sheets present in this structure are formed from both bridging and chelating/bridging selenite anions bound to uranyl moieties. The anionic substructures in 1–3 are separated by Ca 2+ , Sr 2+ , or Ba 2+ cations. Crystallographic data (193 K, Mo Kα , λ =0.71073): 1, triclinic, space group P 1 , a =5.5502(6) A, b =6.6415(7) A, c =11.013(1) A, α =104.055(2)°, β =93.342(2)°, γ =110.589(2)°, Z =2, R ( F )=4.56% for 100 parameters with 1530 reflections with I >2 σ ( I ); 2, triclinic, space group P 1 , a =7.0545(5) A, b =7.4656(5) A, c =10.0484(6) A, α =106.995(1)°, β =108.028(1)°, γ=98.875(1)°, Z =2, R ( F )= 2.43% for 128 parameters with 2187 reflections with I >2 σ ( I ); 3, monoclinic, space group P2 1 /c , a =7.3067(6) A, b =8.1239(7) A, c =13.651(1) A, β =100.375(2)°, Z =4, R ( F )=4.31% for 105 parameters with 1824 reflections with I> 2 σ ( I ).
Suspended sediment fluxes in a tidal wetland: Measurement, controlling factors, and error analysis

Suspended sediment fluxes to and from tidal wetlands are of increasing concern because of habitat restoration efforts, wetland sustainability as sea level rises, and potential contaminant accumulation. We measured water and sediment fluxes through two channels on Browns Island, at the landward end of San Francisco Bay, United States, to determine the factors that control sediment fluxes on and off the island. In situ instrumentation was deployed between October 10 and November 13, 2003. Acoustic Doppler current profilers and the index velocity method were employed to calculate water fluxes. Suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) were determined with optical sensors and cross-sectional water sampling. All procedures were analyzed for their contribution to total error in the flux measurement. The inability to close the water balance and determination of constituent concentration were identified as the main sources of error; total error was 27% for net sediment flux. The water budget for the island was computed, with an unaccounted input of 0.20 m3s−1 (22% of mean inflow), after considering channel flow, change in water storage, evapotranspiration, and precipitation. The net imbalance may be a combination of groundwater seepage, overland flow, and flow through minor channels. Change of island water storage, caused by local variations in water surface elevation, dominated the tidally averaged water flux. These variations were mainly caused by wind and barometric pressure change, which alter regional water levels throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Peak instantaneous ebb flow was 35% greater than peak flood flow, indicating an ebbdominant system, though dominance varied with the spring-neap cycle. SSC were controlled by wind-wave resuspension adjacent to the island and local tidal currents that mobilized sediment from the channel bed. During neap tides sediment was imported onto the island but during spring tides sediment was exported because the main channel became ebb dominant. Over the 34-d monitoring period 14,000 kg of suspended sediment were imported through the two channels. The water imbalance may affect the sediment balance if the unmeasured water transport pathways are capable of transporting large amounts of sediment. We estimate a maximum of 2,800 kg of sediment may have been exported through unmeasured pathways, giving a minimum ent import of 11,200 kg. Sediment flux measurements provide insight on tidal to fortnightly marsh sedimentation processes, especially in complex systems where sedimentation is spatially and temporally variable.
Multiscale Controls on Natural Regeneration Dynamics after Partial Overstory Removal in Douglas-Fir Forests in Western Oregon, USA

We examined natural regeneration following operational-scale variable density retention treatments in 40 – 60-year-old Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) forests at seven sites for a decade following treatment. Treatments included residual overstory densities of 300, 200, and 100 trees/ha, with leave islands and gaps of three sizes (0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 ha) and an untreated control (600 trees/ha). Natural regeneration was influenced by factors from multiple spatial scales including broad-scale differences in overstory composition among sites, mesoscale variability in topographic position, and fine-scale variability in overstory and understory competition. High local basal area (BA) decreased the probability of seedling establishment, though some seedlings established even under high BA, particularly shade-tolerant western hemlock. In contrast, recruitment of saplings (> 1.37 m height) required lower residual overstory density (i.e., 100 trees/ha), especially for shade-intolerant Douglas-fir. Understory vegetation had little effect on saplings but was negatively related to seedling densities, particularly when overstory density was low. Variable density prescriptions can take advantage of the importance of fine-scale variability to promote regeneration of desired species mixtures, though other factors such as site overstory species composition and variation in topographic position will also influence regeneration dynamics. Including heavy overstory removal or gap creation could facilitate rapid recruitment of saplings, especially for shade-intolerant Douglas-fir.
Sham Procedures and the Ethics of Clinical Trials

Placebo-controlled trials of pharmacological treatments are typically conducted double-blind—that is, neither the patients nor the investigators know whether the substance administered is the agent under investigation or placebo. The process of masking treatment assignment is generally considered ethically acceptable provided that the 'shared ignorance'1 has been made clear in the consent process. However, in circumstances where a surgical or medical procedure itself constitutes the treatment, a randomized placebo-controlled trial raises different issues. Here only the patient-subject is kept in ignorance, and the clinician, who can distinguish active from inactive treatment, may be required to engage in active deception. Examples are surgical operations, acupuncture and specific methods of psychotherapy. Recent papers on the ethics of such trials have focused on the risk–benefit assessment of invasive sham interventions.2–11 Little attention has been given to the psychological and ethical concerns generated by the need for deliberate deception.
Dose-Dependent Induction of GST-P+Staining Foci by the Rat Hepatocarcinogen Methapyrilene in the Medium-Term Bioassay

Abstract Previous studies have demonstrated that methapyrilene hydrochloride (MP) is a rat-specific nongenotoxic carcinogen which induces liver tumors in a dose-dependent manner following chronic exposure in the diet. This study was conducted to determine the dose response of MP in the medium-term bioassay and to compare the response to tumor incidence. Two weeks following a single initiating dose of diethylnitrosamine (DEN), male F344 rats were administered MP at doses of 0, 62.5, 125, 250, or 1000 ppm in the diet for 6 weeks. A 2 3 partial hepatectomy was performed 3 weeks post-DEN. At termination, sections from the remaining three lobes were stained with GST-P antibody. Number and size of foci were measured using an image analysis system with a digitizing board. MP induced a dose-dependent increase in the number of GST-P+foci/cm2(0 ppm=0.85 foci/cm2; 62.5 ppm=1.29 foci/cm2; 125 ppm=1.59 foci/cm2; 250 ppm=6.55 foci/cm2; 1000 ppm=28.23 foci/cm2). A significantly greater number of foci were observed in the caudate lobe than in the anterior and posterior lobes. The size of individual foci was largely unaffected. This study demonstrates a strong correlation between foci induction and tumor incidence and suggests that this assay may have utility in predicting dose responses for the chronic bioassay.
How healthy are today's enterprise networks?

In this paper we take a look at the health of a typical enterprise network via a new metric based on the fraction of useful flows generated by endhosts. Flows considered non-useful are those that explicitly fail or else do not elicit a response from the intended destination. Examining traces collected from a large number of mobile hosts in an enterprise network, we find that about 34% of the flows are not useful. Through our study that combines data analysis and ongoing interactions with our IT department, we learn that these non-useful flows arise from several causes. Our mobile hosts frequently change environments, by either moving in and out of the corporate environment, or by switching the point and means of attachment to the corporate network. We find that many of the failures occur due to the hosts' lack of environment awareness, which results in attempts to discover services that are not present in all environments. Other causes include misconfiguration, unnecessary broadcast traffic, and excessive connection retries. Understanding this ever present noise in endhost communication is important for a variety of reasons including the fact that it complicates anomaly detection design and wastes resources, the latter of which is particularly crucial for wireless and mobile environments. Finally, we discuss possible means to design applications and services that can significantly improve the health of the network.
Subtyping of Gliomaby Combining Gene Expression and CNVs Data Based on a Compressive Sensing Approach.

It is realized that a combined analysis of different types of genomic measurements tends to give more reliableclassification results. However, how to efficiently combine data with different resolutions is challenging. We propose a novel compressed sensing based approach for the combined analysis of gene expression and copy number variants data for the purpose of subtypingsix types of Gliomas.Experimental results show that the proposed combined approachcan substantially improve the classification accuracy compared to that of using either of individual data type. The proposed approach can be applicable to many other types of genomic data.
Hybrid Ptr2-like activators of archaeal transcription.

Summary Methanocaldococcus jannaschii Ptr2, a member of the Lrp/AsnC family of bacterial DNA-binding proteins, is an activator of its eukaryal-type core transcription apparatus. In Lrp-family proteins, an N-terminal helix–turn–helix DNA-binding and dimerizing domain is joined to a C-terminal effector and multimerizing domain. A cysteine-scanning surface mutagenesis shows that the C-terminal domain of Ptr2 is responsible for transcriptional activation; two types of DNA binding-positive but activation-defective mutants are found: those unable to recruit the TBP and TFB initiation factors to the promoter, and those failing at a post-recruitment step. Transcriptional activation through the C-terminal Ptr2 effector domain is exploited in a screen of other Lrp effector domains for activation capability by constructing hybrid proteins with the N-terminal DNA-binding domain of Ptr2. Two hybrid proteins are effective activators: Ptr–H10, fusing the effector domain of Pyrococcus furiosus LrpA, and Ptr–H16, fusing the P. furiosus ORF1231 effector domain. Both new activators exhibit distinguishing characteristics: unlike octameric Ptr2, Ptr–H10 is a dimer; unlike Ptr2, the octameric Ptr–H16 poorly recruits TBP to the promoter, but more effectively co-recruits TFB with TBP. In contrast, the effector domain of Ptr1, the M. jannaschii Ptr2 paralogue, yields only very weak activation.
Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease superimposed on membranous nephropathy: a case report and review of the literature

Introduction: Anti-glomerular basement membrane disease is a rare autoimmune disorder characterized by pulmonary hemorrhage, crescentic glomerulonephritis and the presence of circulating anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies. The simultaneous occurrence of both anti-glomerular basement membrane disease and membranous nephropathy is rare. Case presentation: A 59-year-old Hispanic man presented with acute onset of nausea and vomiting and was found to have renal insufficiency. Work-up included a kidney biopsy, which revealed anti-glomerular basement membrane disease with underlying membranous nephropathy. He was treated with emergent hemodialysis, intravenous corticosteroids, plasmapheresis, and cyclophosphamide without improvement in his renal function. Conclusion: Simultaneous anti-glomerular basement membrane disease and membranous nephropathy is very rare. There have been 16 previous case reports in the English language literature that have been associated with a high mortality and morbidity, and a very high rate of renal failure resulting in hemodialysis. Co-existence of membranous nephropathy and anti-glomerular basement membrane disease may be immune-mediated, although the exact mechanism is not clear.
Anna Halprin's Urban Rituals

How do Halprin's urban rituals contribute to today's dance aesthetics? Halprin forged her genre of urban ritual in the early 1960s by incorporating real-life tasks and relationships into her performances. Understanding Halprin's educational and philosophical history is essential to the writing of any postmodern dance history that takes into account ritual as a performance methodology and strategy.
From piecewise deterministic to piecewise diffusion Markov processes

The author presents PD (piecewise deterministic) processes as pathwise unique solutions of an Ito stochastic differential equation (SDE), driven by a Poisson random measure. Since such an SDE permits the inclusion of diffusion, this approach leads to a large variety of piecewise diffusion Markov processes, represented by pathwise unique SDE solutions. >
The Conditional In-Control Performance of Self-Starting Control Charts

The recommended size of the Phase I data set used to estimate the in-control parameters has been discussed many times in the process monitoring literature. Collecting baseline data, however, can be difficult or slow in some applications. Such issues hav..
Clinical and Histological Features of Primary Progressive, Familial Thyroiditis in a Colony of Borzoi Dogs

A six-year study of clinical data and the morphologic changes involved in lymphocytic thyroiditis in a colony of related borzoi dogs was conducted. Lesions observed included initial degenerative th...
ALIENATION AND POLITICAL PARTICIPATION: SOME RESEARCH FINDINGS

In this paper the author analyzes the political implications and consequences of the alienation of deprived individuals. Particular attention is given to contrasts between the situation at the national and local levels. Although much has been written on alienation, its political significance has been neglected. Fredric Templeton is a postgraduate research sociologist at the Survey Research Center, University of California, Berkeley.
Meeting the Evolving Education Needs of Faculty in Providing Access for College Students with LD

Faculty play an essential role in providing access for college students with LD. Though many recommendations exist in the literature for educating faculty about their roles regarding students with LD, it is unclear whether these strategies are actually addressing faculty needs. To examine this issue, the evolving role of faculty is discussed. Current practices in faculty education pertaining to college students with LD are reviewed. Discrepancies between the evolving faculty role and current faculty education practices are examined. Guiding questions are proposed for expanding faculty education efforts and models to keep pace with the evolving faculty role in providing access for college students with LD.
An experimental investigation of the thermal performance of an asymmetrical flat plate heat pipe

An experimental investigation of the thermal performance of a flat plate heat pipe is presented in this work. The results indicate that the temperature along the heat pipe wall surfaces is quite uniform. The results also indicate that the porous wick of the evaporator section creates the main thermal resistance resulting in the largest temperature drop, which consequently affects the performance of the heat pipe. The idea of the heat pipe time constant is introduced in this work to describe the transient characteristics of the flat plate heat pipe and an empirical correlation for the time constant in terms of input heat flux is presented. Correlations for the maximum temperature rise and maximum temperature difference within the heat pipe are also presented. The experimental results at steady state were compared with the analytical results and found to be in good agreement. This work constitutes the first detailed experimental investigation of a flat plate heat pipe.
Semantic positive forgetting: Another cocktail party problem

In Experiment I, subjects were told to forget 10 of 20 subsequently presented sentences on the basis of nonmembership in an experimenter-designated, to-be-remembered (TBR) theme. The sentences of the TBR and to-be-forgotten (TBF) themes were sequentially presented in an intermixed fashion. Logical orderliness of the sentences within the TBR, within the TBF, or within both sets of 10 sentences facilitated TBR recall. In Experiment II, eye-movement records revealed that TBF sentences were initially encoded more rapidly than TBR sentences; and logically ordered sets of sentences were initially encoded faster than unordered sets of sentences. With both sets of sentences in illogical orders, subjects reported more interference from the TBF sentences during TBR-sentence selective rehearsal than did subjects who received both sets of sentences in their logical orders. Implications of the results for the efficiency of the memory mechanisms involved in semantic positive forgetting are discussed.
A hierarchical modelling approach to analysing longitudinal data with drop‐out and non‐compliance, with application to an equivalence trial in paediatric acquired immune deficiency syndrome

Longitudinal clinical trials with long follow-up periods almost invariably suffer from a loss to follow-up and non-compliance with the assigned therapy. An example is protocol 128 of the AIDS Clinical Trials Group, a 5-year equivalency trial comparing reduced dose zidovudine with the standard dose for treatment of paediatric acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients. This study compared responses to treatment by using both clinical and cognitive outcomes. The cognitive outcomes are of particular interest because the effects of human immunodeficiency virus infection of the central nervous system can be more acute in children than in adults. We formulate and apply a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate both the intent-to-treat effect and the average causal effect of reducing the prescribed dose of zidovudine by 50%. The intent-to-treat effect quantifies the causal effect of assigning the lower dose, whereas the average causal effect represents the causal effect of actually taking the lower dose. We adopt a potential outcomes framework where, for each individual, we assume the existence of a different potential outcomes process at each level of time spent on treatment. The joint distribution of the potential outcomes and the time spent on assigned treatment is formulated using a hierarchical model: the potential outcomes distribution is given at the first level, and dependence between the outcomes and time on treatment is specified at the second level by linking the time on treatment to subject-specific effects that characterize the potential outcomes processes. Several distributional and structural assumptions are used to identify the model from observed data, and these are described in detail. A detailed analysis of AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocol 128 is given; inference about both the intent-to-treat effect and average causal effect indicate a high probability of dose equivalence with respect to cognitive functioning.