cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SMT-COMP: satisfiability modulo theories competition

Decision procedures for checking satisfiability of logical formulas are crucial for many verification applications (e.g., [2,6,3]). Of particular recent interest are solvers for Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT). SMT solvers decide logical satisfiability (or dually, validity) with respect to a background theory in classical first-order logic with equality. Background theories useful for verification are supported, like equality and uninterpreted functions (EUF), real or integer arithmetic, and theories of bitvectors and arrays. Input formulas are often syntactically restricted; for example, to be quantifier-free or to involve only difference constraints. Some solvers support a combination of theories, or quantifiers.
Cancer: leaping the E-cadherin hurdle

Aberrant activation of the Wnt signaling pathway is a common cause of colon cancer and other tumor types, accomplishing many of the hallmarks of cancer including sustained proliferative signaling, replicative immortality, reprogrammed metabolism, angiogenesis, and invasion. Yet, the dominant mutation that leads to chronic Wnt signaling in colon cancer is quite different from the spectrum of mutations that activate Wnt signaling in other tumor types. In this issue of The EMBO Journal, Huels et al (2015) focus on the influential role E-cadherin plays in shaping these differences.
Leadership Development through Design Based Wilderness Education

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has been collaborating since 2010 with the Singapore Ministry of Education to help develop the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD). One element of this collaboration, the Global Leadership Program (GLP), aims to provide SUTD students with the opportunity to interact with the MIT community and experience MIT’s academic culture. During GLP students participate in a program designed to develop leadership ability while also increasing their understanding of engineering science and design thinking. This paper introduces a curriculum combining the pedagogies of design-based learning and wilderness education that was implemented in the summer of 2014 to holistically address the development of these three competencies. Through design-based learning activities, both for and in a natural environment, students were encouraged to develop competencies in engineering science and engineering design while exploring the diverse attributes essential for success as an engineer. This paper examines the results of a retrospective post-then-pre survey administered to the participants upon completion of the program to explore the effects of the program on the development of professional engineering competencies. We find a statistically significant increase in items associated with Individual Leadership Skill, Group Leadership Skill and the role of Society and the Economy. These results are triangulated with student exit interviews and instructor observations.
Diabetes Mellitus During Pregnancy and the Risks for Specific Birth Defects: A Population-Based Case-Control Study

Although the excess risk for birth defects among children of mothers with diabetes mellitus is well documented, there are few data concerning the risk for specific malformations. In the Atlanta Birth Defects Case-Control Study, those risks for malformations were evaluated. The population-based study included 4929 live and stillborn babies with major malformations ascertained by the Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program in the first year of life born to residents of Metropolitan Atlanta between 1968 and 1980. The study also included 3029 nonmalformed live babies who were frequency-matched to case babies by race, period of birth, and hospital of birth. The relative risk for major malformations among infants of mothers with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (n = 28) was 7.9 (95% confidence interval [CI]1.9, 33.5) compared with infants of nondiabetic mothers. The relative risks for major central nervous system and cardiovascular system defects were 15.5 (95% CI = 3.3, 73.8) and 18.0 (95% CI = 3.9, 82.5), respectively. The absolute risks for major, central nervous system, and cardiovascular system malformations among infants of diabetic mothers were 18.4, 5.3, and 8.5 per 100 live births, respectively. Infants of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus who required insulin during the third trimester of pregnancy were 20.6 (95% CI = 2.5, 168.5) times more likely to have major cardiovascular system defects than infants of nondiabetic mothers. The absolute risk for infants of this group of diabetic mothers was 9.7%. No statistically significant differences were found among infants of mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus who did not require insulin during pregnancy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Robust analysis of the active disassembly process

This paper explores a means to control the active disassembly (AD) process for designed and manufactured heat-activated shape memory polymer snap-fits. Testing was performed for demonstration of the active release of the SMP snap-fits and for analysis of AD control factors. Robust design methodologies with Taguchi methods were used to analyze the AD process factors, including heating method and disassembly temperature. The results from this research show the successful demonstration of the SMP snap-fits. AD process analysis shows that both the heating method and temperature affect the AD process. The analysis determines that by increasing the heat exchange rate the snap-fit disassembly time is shortened. From the performed experiments, it was seen that an Oil bath at 150°C produced the best results in regards to disassembly time and signal-noise ratio.
A statistical study of lunar alignments at the newark earthworks

AbstractPrevious work has presented evidence that the Circle-Octagon Earthworks at Newark Ohio contain numerous features that are aligned to the lunar standstills (extreme rise and set points of the Moon). A Monte Carlo study of randomly constructed octagons is presented to investigate the statistical significance of this evidence. The study investigates the sensitivity of the statistics to a variety of plausible assumptions about the design of the earthworks, the capabilities of the builders, and the type and precision of the astronomical alignments. The results of the quantitative study establish that the statistical significance of the evidence for deliberate astronomical alignment over the entire range of plausible assumptions is far too high to be dismissed. The study reveals that the hypothesis of deliberate astronomical alignment predicts the otherwise unexplained shape of both octagonal earthworks constructed by the Hopewell Culture. The analysis compares the Newark dataset to hypothetical dataset...
Congenital heart defects, maternal homocysteine, smoking, and the 677 C>T polymorphism in the methylenetetrahydroflate reductase gene: Evaluating gene-environment interactions

Objective This study was undertaken to investigate the association between congenital heart defects (CHD), and maternal homocysteine, smoking, and the MTHFR 677 C>T polymorphism. Study design Plasma homocysteine concentrations, smoking status, and MTFHR 677 genotypes were determined in 275 white women who had pregnancies affected by CHDs and 118 white women who had a normal pregnancy. Results Homocysteine concentrations were significantly higher among women who had affected pregnancies ( P Conclusion Many CHDs are due to a complex interaction between lifestyle factors and genetic susceptibilities. Our results suggest that the combined effect of elevations in maternal homocysteine, smoking, and the MTHFR 677 C>T polymorphism increase the risk of having a CHD-affected pregnancy.
Shape-based interpolation of gray-scale serial slice images

A new algorithm for interpolation between grayscale serial slice images is presented. The new algorithm (SBIG) applies shape-based interpolation to CT and MRI images and outputs a dense image volume. Unlike algorithms, such as linear interpolation, which rely only on pixel position, SBIG makes essential use of image content to interpolate between pixels and structure of similar shape and intensity which may differ in size and position from slice to slice. A quantitative comparison shows that SBIG significantly outperforms linear interpolation, particularly as the distance between slices increases. More importantly, while linear interpolation demonstrates characteristic low-pass smearing of object edges and detail, high frequency image features such as object edges and anatomical structures are preserved and well approximated with SBIG. As a result, reconstructed coronal slices from the dense image volume using SBIG demonstrate significantly smoother representation of anatomical structures and less 'staircasing' than those created using linear interpolation.
The Fate of National Health Insurance in Canada and the United States: A Multiple Streams Explanation

This article uses the multiple streams lens to describe why Canada eventually adopted national health insurance in the 1960s, compared with the most recent attempt at adopting national health insurance in the United States. The analysis strengthens the lens by paying close attention to the impact of differing institutional frameworks on the streams. It is found that the lens provides a useful description of the complexity of policymaking, pointing out critical elements in the process that are often overlooked.
Errors of the afrocentrists

S o m e claim that Afrocentr ism replaces Eurocent r i sm with no th ing less than another form of intolerance. However, Afrocentrists correctly respond that they belong within the multicultural movement . The percep t ion o f opposi t ion between Afrocentr ism and mult icultural ism rests on a mis taken no t ion o f what multiculturalists espouse. I shall examine Afrocentr ism, first, as a fo rm o f multiculturalism subject to the same errors that characterize multiculturalism generally; second, I po in t ou t some errors that are specific to Afrocentrism.
A Simulation and Modeling Based Reliability Requirements Assessment Methodology

To minimize the design cost of a complex system and maximize performance, a design team ideally must be able to quantify reliability and mitigate risk at the earliest phases of the design process, where 80% of the cost is committed. This paper demonstrates the capabilities of a new System Reliability Exploration Tool based on the improved simulation capabilities of a system called Fault-Augmented Modelica Extension (FAME). This novel tool combines concepts from FMEA, traditional Reliability Analysis, and Quality Engineering to identify, gain insight, and quantify the impact of component failure modes through time evolution of a system’s lifecycle. We illustrate how to use the FAME System Reliability Exploration Tool through a vehicle design case study.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Application of a PDMS Microsieve for the Patterning of Flagellar Motors in a Microfluidic System

We are in the process of developing hybrid micro devices that utilize the flagellar motors of Escherichia coli cells as actuators. For the micro devices it is important that the flagellar motors be tethered at specific locations on a given substrate in order to maximize its performance as actuators. In this paper we present results that demonstrate an effective method for patterning the flagellar motor actuators onto a substrate material. We also present the first experimental data which discusses the performance of the actuator in a microfluidic pump.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Enabling Altruism: Evaluating the Adult Living Liver Donor

In this issue of the Journal, the University of Hong KongLiver Transplant Surgical Group summarize their “ex-peditious” donor workups of a cohort of 399 potentialdonors on the shoulders of 2 basic tenets: 1) “The al-truistic live liver donor should be protected from anyharm in excess of the donor procedure itself . . .”; and 2)“Based on the personal values of the donor and therecipient, they should have a say. Voluntarism shouldnot be hampered by negativism from the transplantcommunity.”
Lifetime probability of additional births by age and parity for American women, 1935-1968: a new measurement of period fertility.

A new fertility measurement, probability that a woman of specified parity and age will bear a given number of births in her remaining lifetime, is proposed in this article. The measurement is a summary index of a set of age-parity-specific birth probabilities and in a particular case it is conceptually analogous to the total fertility by birth order but free from the influence of the parity distribution. Fertility of American women for the period 1935–1968 was studied by use of such lifetime probabilities. It appears that the trend of fertility of high birth orders has been parallel with that of low orders. Initiation of the recent decline in fertility depends on parity and age of woman.
Diffuse optical tomography errors resulting from uncertainty in the background optical properties

We investigated the influence of uncertainties in the scattering and absorption coefficients of the background, the system error, the depth position of the object on the reconstructed image values of diffuse optical tomography using cw illumination. Nth bom perturbation approach was used for generating forward data, and k-space diffraction tomography was used as inverse algorithm. We also examined the influences on reconstructing the perturbation in oxy- , deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations and their ratio.
An experimental investigation of deformationinduced heating during tensile testing

An experimental investigation of deformation heating during uniaxial tensile testing is presented for Armco interstitial-free steel (I. F. steel) and stainless steel type 310 (310SS). Temperature distributions were measured along the specimen length for tests conducted at various strain rates and subjected to various heat flow conditions (in stirred water, in air, and with insulation). Maximum temperature rises of 75 °C and 118 °C were recorded in the neck. I.F. steel shows a decreasing failure strain from ∼45 pct to ∼40 pct when natural temperature gradients develop. 310SS shows a decreasing failure strain from ∼60 pct to ∼42 pct when natural heating is allowed. In 310SS, the developed temperature gradient accounts for about one-third of this ductility reduction while the uniform temperature rise accounts for about two-thirds. The uniform temperature rise influences ductilityvia a temperaturedependent work-hardening rate. These results have been qualitatively compared with finite element modeling of these tensile tests using constitutive equations generated previously. This study provides the basis for understanding several modified forming processes and demonstrates that care must be taken in interpreting data from “standard” tensile tests since such tests reflect the thermal properties of the material and environment as well as mechanical behavior.
Phenol Accumulation in a Young Humic Fraction following Anaerobic Decomposition of Rice Crop Residues

Soil phenols have been implicated as inhibitors of soil N cycling within many agroecosystems, including irrigated lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.). To quantify the effects of crop management on temporal patterns of phenol accumulation in lowland rice soils, we measured phenol concentrations in two humic fractions at two crop growth stages in each growing season during a 4-yr field study at the International Rice Research Institute (Philippines). Samples were collected from two double-crop rotations (continuous rice and rice-maize [Zea mays L.]) with two N fertilizer rates (0 and nonlimiting), and with either aerobic or anaerobic decomposition of incorporated crop residues. Phenols were determined by tetramethylammonium hydroxide thermochemolysis. Compared with the other field treatments, anaerobic decomposition of crop residues with continuous rice and nonlimiting rates of N fertilizer promoted a gradual increase in the relative enrichment of phenols in the mobile humic acid fraction during the 4 yr. The level of enrichment varied among phenol compounds, developing the fastest and becoming most pronounced with the smaller molecules of molecular weight 168 or less. Anaerobic decomposition had less effect on phenol enrichment for continuous rice cropping without N fertilizer. No phenol enrichment was found with anaerobic decomposition of rice residues in the rice-maize rotation. Our results are consistent with previous findings of inhibited mineralization of humic N with anaerobic decomposition, continuous rice, and nonlimiting rates of N fertilizer. Rotation of maize with rice or other techniques to ensure aerobic decomposition of crop residues may help mitigate or prevent phenol accumulation.
Note on the scattering of waves by rough surfaces

A calculation of back scattering from a rough surface using Huygen's principle is carried out along the lines introduced by Davies. Davies original equation is extended to include a contribution from the component of the surface normal which is parallel to the average surface. The effect of this component is to multiply the usual expression for incoherent backscatter by a factor of 1/ \cos^{4} \Psi where \Psi is the angle between the radar line of sight and the normal to the average surface.
Electrical stimulation of cerebellar fastigial nucleus increases cerebral cortical blood flow without change in local metabolism: evidence for an intrinsic system in brain for primary vasodilation.

We sought to determine whether the increase in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) elicited by electrical stimulation of the fastigial nucleus of the cerebellum (FN) is secondary to, or independent of, increased local cerebral metabolism (rGMR) in anesthetized (chloralose) paralyzed rats. rCBF and rGMR were determined autoradiographically in separate groups of animals with comparable blood gases and systemmic pressure, by the [14C]iodoantipyrine and [14C]2-deoxyglucose methods respectively. In sham-operated controls, rCBF (n = 5) and rGMR (n = 5) were closely related in the 28 brain areas studied (r = 0.733; P < 0.005). During FN stimulation, rCBF (n = 6) increased significantly in 24 of the 28 areas, the greatest increase being in the cerebral cortex (up to 215%). rGMR (n = 9) increased in only 15 areas, so that the correlation between rCBF and rGMR throughout the brain became weaker (r = 0.568; P < 0.005). Where the rCBF increases were the greatest (particularly in the cerebral cortex), rGMR was unchanged. This suggests that the rCBF increase was not a consequence of the increased rGMR. We conclude that neurons originating in or passing through FN may influence local cerebral circulation through a primary cerebral vasodilatation not coupled to metabolism.
Quantum mechanical study of solvent effects in a prototype SN2 reaction in solution: Cl− attack on CH3Cl

The nucleophilic attack of a chloride ion on methyl chloride is an important prototype SN2 reaction in organic chemistry that is known to be sensitive to the effects of the surrounding solvent. Herein, we develop a highly accurate Specific Reaction Parameter (SRP) model based on the Austin Model 1 Hamiltonian for chlorine to study the effects of solvation into an aqueous environment on the reaction mechanism. To accomplish this task, we apply high-level quantum mechanical calculations to study the reaction in the gas phase and combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical simulations with TIP3P and TIP4P-ew water models and the resulting free energy profiles are compared with those determined from simulations using other fast semi-empirical quantum models. Both gas phase and solution results with the SRP model agree very well with experiment and provide insight into the specific role of solvent on the reaction coordinate. Overall, the newly parameterized SRP Hamiltonian is able to reproduce both the gas phase and solution phase barriers, suggesting it is an accurate and robust model for simulations in the aqueous phase at greatly reduced computational cost relative to comparably accurate ab initio and density functional models.
Feasibility of an epidemiologic study of submariners who received radium irradiation treatment

Thousands of World War II veterans reportedly received nasopharyngeal irradiation with radium-tipped applicators for treatment of middle ear pressure problems known as aerotitis media. Because of concerns about adverse health effects of radiation exposure, including the increased risk of head and neck cancer, the feasibility of identification of a large number of veterans with documented exposure for an epidemiologic study was investigated. The irradiation treatments were found to have occurred at the New London Naval Medical Research Department, at several Naval Hospitals, and aboard ships during the period from 1945 to 1952. Documentation of the treatment on veterans' medical records was sparse and inconsistent. Only 8 of 668 records reviewed were found to have evidence of the radium treatment: 7 from 33 self-reported veterans and 1 from 635 names on submarine school class rosters and submarine muster rolls. There appears to be no practical way to identify from military service and medical records a large number of submariners who received the treatment.
Arts: A flexible laboratory instrument control language

A generalized computer program, ARTS (Analytical Robot Telecommunications Software), has been developed to give the research scientist more flexible control of laboratory robots and instruments. As a stand-alone program, ARTS is a complete laboratory control language. ARTS can also be an extension of other software in either a master or slave mode. As master, ARTS can call on other software to perform certain tasks. In a slave mode, ARTS can act as a sensory extension of the calling software. ARTS is a flexible laboratory control language capable of adapting to changing laboratory requirements.
Fat distribution and insulin resistance in young adult nonobese Asian Indian women.

Abstract Although Asian Indian (people of Indian subcontinent descent) men are shown to have higher total and truncal body fat as well as greater insulin resistance compared to white men matched for total body fat and age, data in women are not conclusive. The objective of this study was to compare total and regional fat distribution and insulin sensitivity between healthy young premenopausal Asian Indian and white women of similar body mass index (BMI). Twenty Asian Indian women (65% immigrants and 35% first generation living in Dallas) and 31 white women of similar age and BMI [age 24±3 vs. 25±4; BMI 22±4 vs. 23±5; mean±standard deviation (SD) in Asian Indian and white, respectively] without diabetes were evaluated with anthropometric measurements, underwater weighing for percentage of total body fat mass, magnetic resonance imaging of whole abdomen for measurement of abdominal subcutaneous and intraperitoneal fat mass, and euglycemic–hyperinsulinemic clamp study for measurement of insulin sensitivity. ...
Terphenyl-Based Bak BH3 α-Helical Proteomimetics as Low-Molecular-Weight Antagonists of Bcl-xL

We describe a general method for the mimicry of one face of an alpha-helix based on a terphenyl scaffold that spatially projects functionality in a manner similar to that of two turns of an alpha-helix. The synthetic scaffold reduces the flexibility and molecular weight of the mimicked protein secondary structure. We have applied this design to the development of antagonists of the alpha-helix binding protein Bcl-x(L). Using a sequential synthetic strategy, we have prepared a library of terphenyl derivatives to mimic the helical region of the Bak BH3 domain that binds Bcl-x(L). Fluorescence polarization assays were carried out to evaluate the ability of terphenyl derivatives to displace the Bcl-x(L)-bound Bak peptide. Terphenyl 14 exhibited good in vitro affinity with a K(i) value of 0.114 muM. These terphenyl derivatives were more selective at disrupting the Bcl-x(L)/Bak over the HDM2/p53 interaction, which involves binding of the N-terminal alpha-helix of p53 to HDM2. Structural studies using NMR spectroscopy and computer-aided docking simulations suggested that the helix binding area on the surface of Bcl-x(L) is the target for the synthetic ligands. Treatment of human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells with terphenyl derivatives resulted in the disruption of the binding of Bcl-x(L) to Bax in intact cells.
Student-Life Stress Inventory: Identification of and Reactions to Stressors

The purposes of the study were to analyze responses to a stress inventory and assess significance of differences by gender and stress groups on the stressors and reactions to them. The subjects were 290 volunteers who responded to the Student-life Stress Inventory. Analyses showed the inventory is reliable and valid. Differences were noted by gender and amount of stress for types of stressors students experienced and reactions to them.
Extension of Newman’s method to electrochemical reaction–diffusion in a fuel cell catalyst layer

Abstract A numerical technique is developed for solving coupled electrochemical reaction–diffusion equations. Through analyzing the nonlinearity of the problem, a trial and error iterating procedure is constructed. The coefficient matrix is arranged as a tridiagonal form with elements of block matrix and is decomposed to LU form. A compact forward and backward substitution algorithm based on the shift of inversing block matrix by Gauss–Jordan full pivoting is developed. A large number of node points is required to converge the calculation. Computation experiences show that the iteration converges very quickly. The effects of inner diffusion on the electrochemical reaction are analyzed by numerical solutions.
Diabetes: cystic fibrosis-related diabetes: where to from here?

With improved survival of patients with cystic fibrosis, a new management challenge is emerging—cystic fibrosis-related diabetes mellitus—but what aspects of the management of this disease are based on solid evidence? A new guideline takes steps towards providing the ultimate goal of a consistent and cogent management strategy.
Synthesis, Surface Studies, Composition and Structural Characterization of CdSe, Core/Shell, and Biologically Active Nanocrystals

Nanostructures, with their very large surface to volume ratio and their non-planar geometry, present an important challenge to surface scientists. New issues arise as to surface characterization, quantification and interface formation. This review summarizes the current state of the art in the synthesis, composition, surface and interface control of CdSe nanocrystal systems, one of the most studied and useful nanostructures.
THE INACTIVATION OF THE VIRUS OF EPIDEMIC INFLUENZA BY SOAPS

The capacity of certain fatty acids at pH 7.5 to inactivate the virus of epidemic influenza has been demonstrated. Most effective of these are oleic, linolic, and linolenic acids. Studies were made of such variables as pH, rate of inactivation, and ratios of reactant concentrations, using oleic acid as a prototype of the effective acids. Attempts to recover active virus from inactive mixtures by decrease in pH, dialysis, dilution, or addition of calcium chloride solution to inactivated virus have been unsuccessful. The stability of virus at different hydrogen ion concentrations has been determined. Quantitative comparisons have been made of the immunizing capacity of fully active virus and virus rendered non-infectious by treatment with oleic acid. It was found that while the infectious property of the virus is removed the immunogenic capacity is essentially unaltered. The possible mechanism by which the soaps act upon influenza virus has been discussed.
The effects of anhydrous ammonia on membrane stability ofP.hymatotrichum omnivorum

Sclerotia and mycelium ofPhymatotrichum omnivorum were exposed to anhydrous ammonia (NH3) and then observed with an electron microscope in order to determine the effects of the NH3 treatment on the fungal membranes. Sclerotia were exposed to four rates of NH3: 28, 56, 84, and 112 μg NH3/ml of air for 24 hours. At 28 μg/ml, the plasmalemma became wavy and the mitochondrial cristae began to swell and disperse. At 56 μg NH3/ml the plasmalemma showed breakage and formation of vesicles, and all other membrane systems within the cell were broken and distorted. All membranes were totally disrupted and no organelles were recognizable at 84 μg NH3/ ml.
When the World Is Colorblind, American Indians Are Invisible: A Diversity Science Approach

Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. (M. L. King, 1963, p. 46) Colorblind ideologies are dangerous because they can, as Dr. Martin Luther King ...
Differentiating dialect from disorder: a comparison of two processing tasks and a standardized language test.

Previous research has indicated that norm-referenced language assessment protocols are often biased against dialectal speakers. Recently, the use of processing tasks has emerged as one possible means of reducing this bias in language testing. Processing tasks measure a child's ability to process and manipulate language rather than tap previous linguistic knowledge. The present study utilized 40 subjects between the ages of 7;0 and 7;3 in the following equal groupings: White normal language, White language impaired, African American normal language, African American language impaired. The subjects were administered the Test of Language Development-2P (TOLD-2P), the Nonword Repetition Task (NRT), and the Competing Language Processing Task (CLPT). Results indicated that all three measures differentiated normal-language and language-impaired subjects from one another. With regard to cultural group, confirmed speakers of African American English (AAE) with normal language scored significantly lower on the TOLD-2P compared to White normal-language subjects. Scores of the AAE-speaking subjects with normal language on the NRT and CLPT, however, did not differ significantly from the White normal-language subjects. These results suggest that AAE speakers with normally developing language (LN) may be at a disadvantage on tests of prior language knowledge and that processing tasks may be a useful tool in combination with other assessment measures to make less biased clinical decisions. Educational objectives: As a result of this activity, the reader will (1) be able to determine the utility of processing tasks in culturally unbiased language assessment. (2) The reader will be able to discriminate the difference between the results of a standardized language test and processing tasks on speakers of AAE.
Variance-based uncertainty relations

Uncertainty relations are fundamental in quantum mechanics. Here I propose state-independent variance-based uncertainty relations for two or more arbitrary observables in finite dimensional spaces. The uncertainty relations provide near-optimal lower bounds in some typical examples, and are useful for entanglement detection.
Role of intrinsic aerobic capacity and ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction

Prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV) leads to rapid diaphragmatic atrophy and contractile dysfunction, which is collectively termed “ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction” (VIDD). Interestingly, endurance exercise training prior to MV has been shown to protect against VIDD. Further, recent evidence reveals that sedentary animals selectively bred to possess a high aerobic capacity possess a similar skeletal muscle phenotype to muscles from endurance trained animals. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that animals with a high intrinsic aerobic capacity would naturally be afforded protection against VIDD. To this end, animals were selectively bred over 33 generations to create two divergent strains, differing in aerobic capacity: high-capacity runners (HCR) and low-capacity runners (LCR). Both groups of animals were subjected to 12 h of MV and compared with nonventilated control animals within the same strains. As expected, contrasted to LCR animals, the diaphragm muscle from the HCR animals contained higher levels of oxidative enzymes (e.g., citrate synthase) and antioxidant enzymes (e.g., superoxide dismutase and catalase). Nonetheless, compared with nonventilated controls, prolonged MV resulted in significant diaphragmatic atrophy and impaired diaphragm contractile function in both the HCR and LCR animals, and the magnitude of VIDD did not differ between strains. In conclusion, these data demonstrate that possession of a high intrinsic aerobic capacity alone does not afford protection against VIDD. Importantly, these results suggest that endurance exercise training differentially alters the diaphragm phenotype to resist VIDD. Interestingly, levels of heat shock protein 72 did not differ between strains, thus potentially representing an important area of difference between animals with intrinsically high aerobic capacity and exercise-trained animals.
The inversion of transient reflection data to determine solid grain structure

Abstract In this paper we consider the direct and inverse scattering problem for an inhomogeneously oriented linearly elastic anisotropic material. We use the invariant imbedding method to formulate a class of one-dimensional reflection problems for the scalar case of obliquely incident horizontally polarized shear waves travelling in a transversely isotropic solid. Particular attention is given to the case when the material parameters are such that the advancing wavefront suffers total internal reflection. The implications of this phenomenon for the wave splitting formalism are discussed and the results from several example computations are presented. We also show that the field satisfies a certain temporally non-local boundary condition at the transition layer where the energy flow is reversed. This condition suggests an intuitively reasonable approximate relationship between the components of the wave splitting there.
The origins of radical mastectomy.

ABSTRACT WILLIAM HALSTED is the 19th century surgeon whose name is most frequently associated with the radical mastectomy procedure; however, this type of surgery actually has been performed since the 16th century. THE DEVELOPMENT of radical mastectomy was a long process, and many surgeons over time have contributed valuable insights and alterations to this fundamental treatment for breast cancer. THIS PROCEDURE may be most commonly associated with Halsted because he promoted a meticulous operative technique, synthesized the best points in the techniques suggested by the most famous surgeons of the 19th century, and provided a scientific basis for the performance of radical mastectomy. AORN J 88 (October 2008) 605–608. © AORN, Inc, 2008.
Mixed effects logistic regression models for longitudinal ordinal functional response data with multiple-cause drop-out from the longitudinal study of aging.

Summary. In the context of analyzing ordinal functional limitation responses from the Longitudinal Study of Aging, we investigate the association between current functional limitation and previous year's limitation and its modification by physical activity and multiple causes of drop-out. We accommodate the longitudinal nature of the multiple causes of informative drop-out (death and unknown loss-to-follow-up) with a mixed effects logistic model. Under the proposed model with a random intercept and slope, the ordinal functional outcome and multiple discrete time survival profiles share a common random effect structure. This shared parameter selection model assumes that the multiple causes of drop-out are conditionally independent of the functional limitation outcome given the underlying random effect representing an individual's trajectory of general health status across time. Although it is not possible to fully assess the adequacy of this assumption, we assess the robustness of the approach by varying the assumptions underlying the proposed model, such as the random effects distribution and the drop-out component. It appears that between-subject differences in initial functional limitation are strongly associated with future functional limitation and that this association is stronger for those who do not have physical activity regardless of the random effects and informative dropout specifications. In contrast, the association between current functional limitation and previous trajectory of functional status within an individual is weaker and more sensitive to changes in the random effects and drop-out assumptions.
PDGF-mediated autophagy regulates vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype and resistance to oxidative stress

Vascular injury and chronic arterial diseases result in exposure of VSMCs (vascular smooth muscle cells) to increased concentrations of growth factors. The mechanisms by which growth factors trigger VSMC phenotype transitions remain unclear. Because cellular reprogramming initiated by growth factors requires not only the induction of genes involved in cell proliferation, but also the removal of contractile proteins, we hypothesized that autophagy is an essential modulator of VSMC phenotype. Treatment of VSMCs with PDGF (platelet-derived growth factor)-BB resulted in decreased expression of the contractile phenotype markers calponin and α-smooth muscle actin and up-regulation of the synthetic phenotype markers osteopontin and vimentin. Autophagy, as assessed by LC3 (microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 α; also known as MAP1LC3A)-II abundance, LC3 puncta formation and electron microscopy, was activated by PDGF exposure. Inhibition of autophagy with 3-methyladenine, spautin-1 or bafilomycin stabilized the contractile phenotype. In particular, spautin-1 stabilized α-smooth muscle cell actin and calponin in PDGF-treated cells and prevented actin filament disorganization, diminished production of extracellular matrix, and abrogated VSMC hyperproliferation and migration. Treatment of cells with PDGF prevented protein damage and cell death caused by exposure to the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal. The results of the present study demonstrate a distinct form of autophagy induced by PDGF that is essential for attaining the synthetic phenotype and for survival under the conditions of high oxidative stress found to occur in vascular lesions.
Duality in Distributed Parameter Systems

The principle of duality for a wide class of distributed parameter systems is developed in this paper. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the primal control problem are utilized to derive the dual and converse dual theorems of the dual problem. An example of the temperature variation in a slab is given to show the application of the theory.
Palaeoclimate: Aerosols and rainfall

Instrumental records have hinted that aerosol emissions may be shifting rainfall over Central America southwards. A 450-year-long precipitation reconstruction indicates that this shift began shortly after the Industrial Revolution.
Imino-oxy Acetic Acid Dealkylation as Evidence for an Inner-Sphere Alcohol Intermediate in the Reaction Catalyzed by Peptidylglycine α-Hydroxylating Monooxygenase

Peptidylglycine α-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM, EC 1.14.17.3) catalyzes the stereospecific hydroxylation of a glycyl α-carbon in a reaction that requires O2 and ascorbate. Subsequent dealkylation of the α-hydroxyglycine by another enzyme, peptidylamidoglycolate lyase (PAL. EC 4.3.2.5), yields a bioactive amide and glyoxylate. PHM is a noncoupled, type II dicopper monooxygenase which activates O2 at only a single copper atom, CuM. In this study, the PHM mechanism was probed using a non-natural substrate, benzaldehyde imino-oxy acetic acid (BIAA). PHM catalyzes the O-oxidative dealkylation of BIAA to benzaldoxime and glyoxylate with no involvement of PAL. The minimal kinetic mechanism for BIAA was shown to be steady-state ordered using primary deuterium kinetic isotope effects. The D(V/K)APPARENT, BIAA decreased from 14.7 ± 1.0 as [O2] → 0 to 1.0 ± 0.2 as [O2] → ∞ suggesting the dissociation rate constant from the PHM·BIAA complex decreases as [O2] increases; thereby, reducing the steady-state concentra...
Radio-frequency electrical properties of Green River oil shales

Laboratory measurements on the radio-frequency (10–103 MHz) electrical behavior of Green River oil shales were carried out using an automated frequency domain technique. Data are presented which show the variation of the relative dielectric constant (e′), dielectric loss (e″), and loss tangent (tan δ) with shale oil yield, frequency, temperature, and water content. The magnitude of these electrical parameters is shown to be sensitive to water content and possibly to varve geometry. The e′ values tend to decrease and tan δ increases with increasing oil yield for shales subjected to prior thermal treatment at ~110 °C for 1–2 weeks. A systematic variation is observed in the degree of scatter and in the extent of correlation of tan δ and e′ as a function of oil yield with each subsequent thermal treatment cycle. The manner in which variations in shale water content and (or) varve geometry influence the magnitude of the measured dielectric parameters is illustrated by duplicate measurements on samples with ide...
Repair of the alar groove with combination partial primary closure and second-intention healing.

background. The reconstruction of small defects of the alar groove can be a unique challenge owing to the importance of maintaining its concave structure. objective. To present a report of a patient with a small alar groove defect that was repaired using a combination of partial primary closure and second-intention healing. methods. A 73-year-old female was referred for the treatment of a basal cell carcinoma of the right nasal ala and underwent Mohs micrographic surgery with clearance of the lesion. The final defect, less than 1 cm, extended to the subcutaneous fat. Two absorbable subcutaneous sutures were placed in the defect, and the wound was then allowed to heal by second intention. results. This closure yielded a good cosmetic result, with preservation of the alar groove. conclusion. A combination of primary closure and second-intention healing is a time-efficient, low-risk option for nonperforating, small alar groove defects.
Incorporation in vivo of intracisternally injected 33 P i into phospholipids of rat brain.

The incorporation in vivo of intracisternally injected 33Pi into individual phospholipids of rat brain was studied at intervals ranging froml min to 8 days after injection. At 1 min after injection there was significant incorporation of “Pi into PA and the phosphoino-sitides, with the pattern of incorporation TPI > DPI > PA > PI. There was a 10-min lag period before significant labelling of the remaining phospholipids. In general, the extent of incorporation measured during the first 8 days after injection paralleled the quantity of each phospholipid in the brain, except for the values of PA and the phosphoinositides which were all higher than would be predicted by this criterion and reached maximal incorporation sooner than the other phospholipids. The possible correlation of the high metabolic activities of PA and the phosphoinositides with neuronal function, as well as the importance of short-term experiments in clarifying such relationships are discussed.
Evaluating Crisis Intervention Teams: possible impediments and recommendations

Purpose – Extant literature resoundingly praises Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) programs for the multitude of benefits they provide for law enforcement agencies and individuals with mental illnesses. The majority of CIT research is based on perceived benefits of this approach. Most of the goals of CIT programs are readily amenable to empirical study, yet there are few outcome evaluations of the programs. The purpose of this paper is to examine why empirical studies examining the effectiveness of CIT programs are nominal. Design/methodology/approach – Structural and practical impediments to the collection of empirical data for CIT programs were identified through including examinations of the types of data routinely collected, interviews with CIT participants, and the researchers’ own observations of hindrances to the data collection processes. By triangulating these methods, the authors were able to observe a number of impediments to the collection of empirical data on this topic. Findings – The multi-jur...
Shock-Wave, Turbulent Boundary-Layer Interaction on a Blunted Compression Surface

The application of Rose's (1970) analytical method to the study of a shock wave interacting with a turbulent layer on a blunted compression surface is described. Only those details of the method that specifically apply to the case under consideration are discussed.
Dynamic Growth of Ultra-Fine Austenite Grains Deformed above Ad3 Temperature in a Nb-V-Ti Steel

Generally, three typical behaviors are recognized in hot-deformation of austenite. However, considering that those austenite grains involved in single-pass deformation are mostly on the scale of dozens of micrometers or even much larger than that, it is meaningful to investigate hot-deformation behaviors of austenite grains smaller than 10μm. In the current paper, austenite grains of different sizes were prepared through repetitive treatment of rapid reheating and quenching with changing the holding temperature and/or holding time. Kinds of true stress-true strain curves at 900oC and 950oC indicate that austenitic deformation can be gradually coordinated by grain boundary behaviors, such as grain boundary sliding and/or diffusion. Simultaneously, the macroscopic deformation is more likely to be dominated through co-operation grain boundary sliding (CGBS).
Social Activities Rival Patch Submission for Prediction of Developer Initiation in OSS Projects

Maintaining a productive and collaborative team of developers is essential to Open Source Software (OSS) success, and hinges upon the trust inherent among the team. Whether a project participant is initiated as a developer is a function of both his technical contributions and also his social interactions with other project participants. Oneas online social footprint is arguably easier to ascertain and gather than oneas technical contributions e.g., gathering patch submission information requires mining multiple sources with different formats, and then merging the aliases from these sources. In contrast to prior work, where patch submission was found to be an essential ingredient to achieving developer status, here we investigate the extent to which the likelihood of achieving that status can be modeled solely as a social network phenomenon. For 6 different OSS projects we compile and integrate a set of social measures of the communications network among OSS project participants and a set of technical measures, i.e. OSS developers patch submission activities. We use these sets to predict whether a project participant will become a developer. We find that the social network metrics, in particular the amount of two-way communication a person participates in, are more significant predictors of oneas likelihood to becoming a developer. Further, we find that this is true to the extent that other predictors, e.g. patch submission info, need not be included in the models. In addition, we show that future developers are easy to identify with great fidelity when using the first three months of data of their social activities. Moreover, only the first month of their social links are a very useful predictor, coming within 10% of the three month dataas predictions. Finally, we find that it is easier to become a developer earlier in the projects lifecycle than it is later as the project matures. These results should provide insight on the social nature of gaining trust and advancing in status in distributed projects.