cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal Tuning of MEMS Buckled Membrane Actuator Stiffness

Abstract The thermal tuning characteristics of a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) buckled membrane exhibiting regions of both positive and negative stiffness is examined and analyzed using finite element method (FEM) simulation and through experimentation. The membranes are fabricated by releasing a silicon/silicon dioxide (Si/SiO 2 ) laminated membrane from a silicon on insulator (SOI) wafer. The difference in thermal expansion coefficients between Si and SiO2 induces a compressive stress in the SiO 2 layer causing out-of-plane buckling of the membrane. This structure is found to have positive and negative stiffness regions when actuated with a transverse force. It is demonstrated that the stiffness of the membrane can be tuned by introducing a thermal stress to the membrane. Comparisons between localized heating of the membrane and even heating of the entire substrate are shown to affect the direction of the membrane deflection and tuning characteristics.
Magnetic behavior of small amorphous particles produced by spark erosion

Abstract A model which admits a distribution in the Curie temperature values is proposed to explain an apparently conflicting low- and high-field magnetization behavior, in the critical transition region, in small amorphous particles produced by spark erosion.
Gravitationally compact objects as nucleation sites for first-order vacuum phase transitions.

A characteristic of first-order phase transitions is their ability to be initiated by nucleation sites. In this paper we consider the role that gravitationally compact objects may play as nucleation sites for first-order phase transitions within quantum fields. As the presence of nucleation sites may prevent the onset of supercooling, the existence of nucleation sites for phase transitions within quantum fields may play an important role in some inflationary models of the Universe, in which the Universe is required to exist in a supercooled state for a period of time. In this paper we calculate the Euclidean action for an O(3) bubble nucleating about a gravitationally compact object, taken to be a boson star for simplicity. The gravitational field of the boson star is taken to be a small perturbation on flat space, and the O(3) action is calculated to linear order as a perturbation on the O(4) action. The Euclidean bubble profile is found by solving the (Higgs) scalar field equation numerically; the thin-wall approximation is not used. The gravitationally compact objects are found to have the effect of reducing the Euclidean action of the nucleating bubble, as compared to the Euclidean action for the bubble in flat spacetime. The effect is strongest when the size of the gravitationally compact object is comparable to the size of the nucleating bubble. Further, the size of the decrease in action increases as the nucleating "star" is made more gravitationally compact. Thus, gravitationally compact objects may play the role of nucleation sites. However, their importance to the process of false-vacuum decay is strongly dependent upon their number density within the Universe.
Adolescent pregnancy, birth, and abortion rates across countries: levels and recent trends.

Purpose: To examine pregnancy rates and outcomes (births and abortions) among 15- to 19-year olds and 10- to 14-year olds in all countries for which recent information could be obtained and to examine trends since the mid-1990s. Methods: Information was obtained from countries’ vital statistics reports and the United Nations Statistics Division for most countries in this study. Alternate sources of information were used if needed and available. We present estimates primarily for 2011 and compare them to estimates published for the mid-1990s. Results: Among the 21 countries with complete statistics, the pregnancy rate among 15- to 19-year olds was the highest in the United States (57 pregnancies per 1,000 females) and the lowest rate was in Switzerland (8). Rates were higher in some former Soviet countries with incomplete statistics; they were the highest in Mexico and Sub-Saharan African countries with available information. Among countries with reliable evidence, the highest rate among 10- to 14-year olds was in Hungary. The proportion of teen pregnancies that ended in abortion ranged from 17% in Slovakia to 69% in Sweden. The proportion of pregnancies that ended in live births tended to be higher in countries with high teen pregnancy rates (p ¼ .02). The pregnancy rate has declined since the mid1990s in the majority of the 16 countries where trends could be assessed. Conclusions: Despite recent declines, teen pregnancy rates remain high in many countries. Research on the planning status of these pregnancies and on factors that determine how teens
Gc (vitamin D binding protein) binds to cytoplasm of all human lymphocytes and is expressed on B-cell membranes☆

Peripheral blood lymphocytes were examined immunohistologically for evidence of interactions with Gc protein, a major vitamin D binding protein in serum. In the cytoplasm, binding sites for purified Gc were readily detectable in all cells, and these sites were only partially occupied by Gc. In contrast, on the membrane of viable cells, there was negligible evidence of binding of either the apo- or holoform of Gc protein, but substantial quantities of firmly bound immunoreactive endogenous Gc were detected. Separation experiments and double-label fluorescence with antisera recognizing defined phenotypic markers showed immunoreactive membrane Gc on 30-40% of unfractionated mononuclear cells and greater than 95% of monocytes or B cells. Only 5-8% of T cells were similarly reactive; these were not apparently confined to any given subset. Extraction of unfractionated cells with 6 M urea or solubilization in Nonidet P-40 released immunoreactive Gc protein, with physicochemical properties indistinguishable from those of Gc purified from serum (apparent MW 56K; pI 4.8-5.1). These findings indicate that membrane Gc may represent another surface immunofluorescence marker for B cells, and may play a role in immunocyte function.
A Bayesian approach to probabilistic streamflow forecasts

One-month-ahead streamflow forecasting is important for water utilities to manage water resources such as irrigation water usage and hydropower generation. While deterministic streamflow forecasts have been utilized extensively in research and practice, ensemble streamflow forecasts and probabilistic information are gaining more attention. This study aims to examine a multivariate linear Bayesian regression approach to provide probabilistic streamflow forecasts by incorporating gridded precipitation forecasts from climate models and lagged monthly streamflow data. Principal component analysis is applied to reduce the size of the regression model. A Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm is used to sample from the posterior distribution of model parameters. The proposed approach is tested on gauge data acquired during 1961–2000 in North Carolina. Results reveal that the proposed method is a promising alternative forecasting technique and that it performs well for probabilistic streamflow forecasts.
Acute effects of terbutaline and epinephrine on asthma: Double-blind crossover placebo study

In order to assess the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous terbutaline 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg as compared to subcutaneous epinephrine, 28 stable asthmatics were studied. After control of environmental exposures in the clinical research facility at the University Hospitals of Case Western Reserve Medical School, the patients were entered into a double-blind crossover placebo-controlled 4-day study. All of the patients showed significant responses to both doses of terbutaline and after epinephrine as compared to placebo (greater than 15% increase in FEV1). In general, the side effects experienced were similar for 0.25 mg epinephrine and 0.25 mg terbutaline. They were slightly more pronounced with 0.5 mg of terbutaline. In terms of duration of action, there was a substantial difference between the duration of effect of subcutaneous epinephrine and subcutaneous terbutaline at both dosages. No cardiovascular side effects of any significance were noted in this study with either agent. We conclude that subcutaneous terbutaline is at least as effective as epinephrine in the management of reversible bronchospasm and may be considered a drug of choice in stable asthmatics.
An Empirical Validation of the Checkpoint Software Cost Estimation Model

Abstract As part of an on-going research project began in 1995 at the Air Force Institute of Technology, popular software cost estimation models were calibrated on data sets from a large Air Force database. The purpose was to determine if calibration improved a model's accuracy and to determine the relative accuracy of the calibrated models. The development effort accuracy of each model was evaluated before and after calibration using a hold out sample, or data not used in calibration. Results on a variety of data sets showed that calibrating the CHECKPOINT model improved its accuracy for development effort. The calibrated accuracy of the model on these data sets was significantly greater than that achieved by other calibrated models. The model's accuracy was especially noteworthy on data sets that used function points as a measure of size.
A higher order displacement discontinuity method for analysis of crack problems

Abstract A new formulation of a higher order displacement discontinuity method is developed to model two-dimensional elastostatics problems. The new method uses three collocation points for each element, one at the center of the element in question and the others at the centers of the adjacent elements. Each element therefore has a second-order (quadratic) distribution of displacement discontinuity but only two degrees of freedom, which contributes to the efficiency of the approach. By incorporating a special treatment for crack tips, a crack with arbitrary geometry can be modeled. The accuracy of the method is demonstrated by example problems; the results are in good agreement with the analytical solutions and show that the new method is comparable to, but more efficient than, the conventional higher order displacement discontinuity method.
Adjuvant-induced survival signaling in clonally expanded T cells is associated with transient increases in pAkt levels and sustained uptake of glucose.

Abstract Immunological adjuvants help increase the number of T cells responding to an immunizing antigen. Part of the increase is due to promotion of survival of clonally expanded T cells in the face of waning antigen load and subsequent growth-factor withdrawal. The phosphatidylinositide-3 kinase (PI3-kinase)/Akt pathway is activated upon T cell stimulation and plays a critical role in clonal expansion by mediating several aspects of co-stimulation in a growth-factor-dependent manner. We hypothesized that adjuvants must either cause the PI3-kinase/Akt pathway to operate in the absence of growth-factor or to render T cells independent of continuous PI3-kinase signaling for their survival. To determine which is true, mice were treated with model antigen in the presence or absence of the natural adjuvant lipopolysaccharide (LPS). T cells from treated mice were assayed for their dependence on PI3-kinase signaling by measuring (i) levels of phosphorylated Akt, (ii) survival after culture in the presence of the PI3-kinase inhibitor LY294002, and (iii) the amount of glucose uptake upon ex vivo culture. The results show that although LPS treatment increased the induced PI3-kinase activity, the presence of PI3-kinase inhibitor did not affect glucose uptake or survival of T cells, an attribute the cells acquired within 4 h of LPS injection. Therefore, adjuvant-dependent survival effects do not require continuous PI3-kinase activity to occur, a finding that may explain how activated T cells survive antigen-withdrawal long enough to traffic from priming lymph nodes to sites of infection.
Trail erosion patterns in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

All the maintained trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park were surveyed for width, depth, and a variety of types of erosion. Trail erosion is related to a number of environmental variables, including vegetation type, elevation, trail slope, and section of the park. Open grass balds and spruce-fir forest are the most erosion-sensitive plant communities, and the xeric oak and pine types are the least sensitive. Trails in virgin or mature forest tend to be in poorer condition than those in successional areas. The most important physical factor is the slope of the trail.
Density dependent cellular growth in an age structured colony

Abstract The McKendrick-Von Foerster model is often used to model cell colonies with both constant and arbitrarily varying generation times. Our purpose here is to extend the model by linking the fluctuation of the generation time to the history of the colony. Such a linkage is natural, since, for example, when a colony grows large enough to severely tax its environment, the generation time lengthens accordingly. The resulting model consists of a pair of hyperbolic balance laws with a boundary condition of the form u (0, t ) = 2(1 − m ′( t )) u ( m ( t ), t ), where m depends functionally on the solution u . We show the model to be well posed and demonstrate its ability to duplicate observed biological phenomena in a simple case.
Thermal conductivity, shear viscosity and specific heat of rigid water models

The thermal conductivity and shear viscosity of water are evaluated for eight rigid water models with reverse non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (RNEMD). Specific heats under constant volume and constant pressure are calculated within NVT and NPT ensembles. The five-site models (TIP5P and TIP5P-Ew) can predict thermal conductivity more accurately than other rigid water models. It appears that TIP5P-Ew is the best potential to predict the trend of the thermal conductivity. Both five-site models can accurately predict shear viscosity values as well as its trends along with temperature. Three-site model (TIP3P) has better performance in calculating specific heats.
Coordinate Estrogen-Regulated Instability of Serum Protein-Coding Messenger RNAs in Xenopus laevis

Estrogen causes the cytoplasmic destabilization of albumin and γ-fibrinogen mRNA in Xenopus laevis liver. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether mRNA destabilization is a generalized phenomenon in response to estrogen, or whether this process is restricted to a particular class of mRNAs. To address this, we have expanded our bank of serum protein-coding cDNA clones to include transferrin, the second protein of inter-α-trypsin inhibitor and clone 12B, for which there is no mammalian homolog. Together with albumin and γ-fibrinogen, these represent more than 85% of the mRNAs encoding liver secreted proteins. Estrogen administration to male Xenopus or to liver explant cultures causes the generalized disappearance of all of these mRNAs. In contrast, estrogen has no effect on actin, ferritin, or poly(A)-binding protein mRNA, all of which encode intracellular proteins. We have previously demonstrated that albumin mRNA is degraded in both messenger ribonucleoprotein and polysome fractions. Sucr...
CHEMICAL DOUBLE-LAYER CAPACITOR POWER SOURCE FOR ELECTROMECHANICAL THRUST VECTOR CONTROL ACTUATOR

Power sources for electrical actuation systems need to be made as compact as possible for many potential applications. Size and weight constraints require that the energy and power densities of the source be as large as possible. While, in general, it is not possible to optimize both these parameters simultaneously, chemical double-layer (CDL) capacitor technology offers an excellent combination of the desirable energy and power density characteristics required in a source for these applications. The work presented here focuses on the design, testing, and evaluation of the CDL capacitor technology in combination with batteries as a unique power source for electrical actuation systems. In this research effort CDL capacitor technology was applied in the design and development of a power source for thrust vector control electromechanical actuators currently being developed for use on the Space Shuttle's solid rocket boosters. CDL capacitors have many properties that make them well suited for actuator applications. Among them are that they have the highest demonstrated energy density for capacitive storage (about a factor of 5-10 less than NiCd batteries), have power densities up to 50 times greater than NiCd batteries, are capable of 500,000 charge-discharge cycles, can be charged at extremely high rates, and have nonexplosive failure modes. Thus, CDL capacitors exhibit a combination of desirable battery and capacitor characteristics.
Retaining Tomorrow's Scientists: Exploring the Factors That Keep Male and Female College Students Interested in Science Careers.

h .5 RETAINING TOMORROW&#39;S SCIEN&#39;|&#39;lSTS: EXPLORING TI-IE FACTORS THAT KEEP MALE AND FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS INTERESTED IN SCIENCE CAREERS Linda J. Sax Higher Education Research Institute. University of California, Los Angeles. California 9(D24 The underrepresentation of women in science and engineering is usually attributed to the experiences of young women during the elementary and secondary years. Although numerous studies document how women are lost ﬁom science during these critical years. it is also important to know what happens to the minority of women who. at the point of college entry. intend to pursue careers in the sciences. Using a national sample of 6.251 men and 9,268 women. this study examines college students’ initial interest in scientaic careers, the factors that inﬂuence science career choice during college. as well as how thesefactorsmaydioerberweenmenandwomen.Resultsindicatethatvariablestraditianaliyusedta predict science persistence (such as ability, selficoncept. and preparation) have similar ejects for bad! rnenandwomen. However. becaruethtssaadyincorporatesanextensiveanuyofvariablesthathave not been included in previous research. a number of interesting diferences emerge between men and women. Speciﬁcally. ﬁndings suggest that for men. the decision to abandon scientiﬁc career aspirations isdrivenbyﬁnancialconcerns. whereas women whodecidenottopersisttowardscientlﬁccareers appear to be more concerned with the “social good’ of their career choice. INTRODUCTION Considering that women constitute only 15% of the nation’s scientists and engineers (National Science Foundation, 1988), it is not surprising that the underrepresentation of women in science, math, and engineering ﬁelds has been the focus of much re- search in recent decades. The relatively low participation rates of women in these ﬁelds has been attributed to a myriad of explanations, including innate ability, bi- ology, elementary and secondary preparation, and sex-role socialization (Matyas, 1992; Oakes, 1990a; Vetter, 1989). However, even when many of these proposed factors have been controlled, women&#39;s likelihood of persisting in science ﬁelds dur- ing college is still below that of men&#39;s (Higher Education Research Institute, 1991). What is needed, then, is an understanding of what additional factors may be inhibiting women&#39;s scientiﬁc aspirations. This study examines career choices among men and women who, as college freshmen, intended to pursue science careers, and incorporates an extensive array of data from a national, longitudinal survey of college students. The database includes information on students’ personal and educational background, their differential college environments, as well as numerous behavioral Aneuﬂavqaimofmisuﬁckwupresenwdatdnl992MadngoftheAmaicanEmnadonﬂ ResurchAswciaﬁmmSmFrunbw.1hkmsearchkaidedbygrnnuﬁomdnNnﬁmdSdence Foundationandtheﬁxxonﬁducationﬁundation. ISSN rm-3325/94s3.oo Copyright c 1994 by Begell House, Inc. 45
Transillumination of hand tumors: a cadaver study to evaluate accuracy and intraobserver reliability

Background The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy and intraobserver reliability of the technique of penlight transillumination of simulated hand tumors as well as the rationale for the technique.
Effect of abstinence on sperm motility in normal men

We investigated the effect of varying the length of ejaculatory abstinence on sperm motility by a method of automated videomicrography. Ten fertile donors to an artificial insemination clinic provided semen samples at randomly assigned intervals of 12, 24, 72, and 120 hours. All specimens were produced on site, immediately incubated at 37 degrees C, and processed in triplicate. In comparing ejaculates obtained after 12 hours' abstinence with those after 120 hours, semen volume and sperm concentration demonstrated a significant increase with increasing abstinence time (p = 0.03). However, no correlation between abstinence time and percentage of motility, lateral head amplitude, cross-beat frequency, mean velocity, and mean linearity was found. We conclude that motility does not change with ejaculatory frequency and that in normal men prescribed abstinence before analysis of semen for motility characterization may not be necessary.
A computational analysis and evaluation of the finite element method for a class of nuclear reactor configurations

Abstract Detailed comparison studies are presented utilizing both theoretical and actual efficiencies of a high order finite element approximation and a low order finite difference approximation for the numerical solution of the static multigroup diffusion equation in two dimensions. The study was made on a class of problems generally referred to as “cold, clean reactors”, whereas previous studies were oriented toward model problems. Advantages as well as negative aspects of finite element approximations for full production calculations are discussed.
Association of mononuclear cells and eosinophils with airway resistance and responsiveness in rat pulmonary inflammatory responses

To evaluate the association of various leukocytes with pulmonary resistance and methacholine responsiveness, we induced pulmonary eosinophil-rich inflammation in IgE-sensitized (ovalbumin) Sprague Dawley rats. Sensitized rats were challenged with either relevant (OA) or irrelevant antigen by tracheal insufflation a) with no other treatment, b) in conjunction with intravenous Sephadex beads pretreatment, or c) with antigen coupled covalently to Sepharose beads. About 24 h after antigen challenge, respiratory system resistance (Rrs), response to aerosolized methacholine, and pulmonary histopathology were evaluated. Challenge with OA, insufflation with Sepharose, and treatment with i.v. Sephadex all independently increased inflammatory cell infiltrates, but the combination of OA with the other agents did not significantly enhance the inflammatory response over OA alone. Interactive stepwise regression techniques were utilized to identify correlates for Rrs and methacholine responsiveness. Mononuclear cell score was a significant predictor (p < .01) for Rrs, and insufflation of Sepharose had a significant independent effect on Rrs (p = .01) above that predicted by mononuclear cell infiltrates. Conversely, eosinophil score and neutrophil score were not significant predictors for Rrs, and challenges with antigen or Sephadex had no significant independent effect on Rrs beyond that predicted from mononuclear cell infiltrates. Eosinophil score was the only significant histological predictor for methacholine responsiveness (p < .0001). Challenges with Sephadex, antigen and Sepharose did not significantly change methacholine responsiveness independently of the changes associated with eosinophil infiltrates. These findings suggest that mononuclear cells and eosinophils contribute to increases in airway resistance and responsiveness, respectively, following the induction of pulmonary inflammation by both allergic and non-allergic stimuli.
Enzyme redesign guided by cancer-derived IDH1 mutations

Mutations in an enzyme can result in a neomorphic catalytic activity in cancers. We applied cancer-associated mutations from isocitrate dehydrogenases to homologous residues in the active sites of homoisocitrate dehydrogenases to derive enzymes that catalyze the conversion of 2-oxoadipate to (R)-2-hydroxyadipate, a critical step for adipic acid production. Thus, we provide a prototypic example of how insights from cancer genome sequencing and functional studies can aid in enzyme redesign.
Streamlined Modeling of Compressible Flows

The development of the compressible flow tables by Shapiro, Hawthorne and Edelman [1-3] was a boon to the one-dimensional modeling of compressible flows - isentropic flow, Fanno flow, Rayleigh flow, normal shock. Nevertheless, the use of the tables is cumbersome. Furthermore, becoming engrossed with the mechanics of applying the tables, students and practitioners often lose sight of the fundamentals that are being applied. The present paper will illustrate the direct application of the basic one-dimensional governing equations to the modeling of compressible flows. In a straightforward fashion mass, momentum, energy and entropy balances, along with transport and property relations, are applied directly (without the use of tables or graphs) to model and to find solutions. Moreover, unlike the tables, the modeling does not need to assume ideal gases, let alone a constant ratio of specific heats. The key to this improved and easy approach, unavailable at the time the tables were developed, is the accessibility of equation solving software that includes property relations for gases and liquids. In particular, in the present work, EES (from fchart software; see fchart.com) was employed.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
The metabolic pathology of the AIDS dementia complex.

A progressive dementing illness, the AIDS dementia complex (ADC) is the most frequent neurological complication of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Characteristic alterations in regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (rCMRGlc), associated with the presence or progression of ADC, were demonstrated by {18F} fluorodeoxy glucose/positron emission tomography in 9 of 12 patients with ADC compared with 18 normal volunteer subjects. In these 9 patients, two distinct patterns of regional metabolic activity were highly correlated with intersubject gray matter rCMRGlc variation and with disease severity as assessed by neuropsychological testing. Relative subcortical (thalamus and basal ganglia) hypermetabolism was characteristic of early ADC, and disease progression was accompanied by cortical and subcortical gray matter hypometabolism.
Biosynthesis of an isonitrile acid from trichoderma hamatum

The amino acid tyrosine has been shown to be the specific precursor of the isonitrile acid 1 produced by Trichoderma hamatum (Bon.) Bain. aggr.
Gasphasensynthese reaktiver Moleküle mit adsorbierten Reagentien

Baseninduzierte Eliminierungen haben fur die Synthese gespannter Alkene breite Anwendung gefunden. Diese Methode wird haufig durch eine Konkurrenzreaktion erschwert, beider das anfanglich gebildete Alken durch nucleophile Addition der Base abgefangen wird. Neuere Untersuchungen haben gezeigt, das bimolekulare Nebenreaktionen vermieden werden konnen, wenn Basen wie Kalium-tert-butylalkoholat auf einen Trager mit inerter Oberflache wie Kieselgel aufgebracht sind und die Umsetzung im Vakuum durchgefuhrt wird. Dieses VGSR-Verfahren (VGSR = vacuum gas-solid reaction) hat auserdem den Vorteil, das sehr instabile Verbindungen unter Bedingungen isoliert werden konnen, bei denen sich ihre physikalischen und chemischen Eigenschaften untersuchen lassen. Der Anwendungsbereich dieser Methode wurde dahingehend erweitert, das auf Glashelices aufgebrachtes festes Fluorid zur Eliminierung von β-Halogensilanen eingesetzt wurde. Dieser Fluoridweg zu gespannten Alkenen ist besonders attraktiv, da die Reaktion bei sehr milden Temperaturen durchgefuhrt werden kann und die Ausgangsverbindungen leicht zuganglich sind. Dieser Ubersichtsartikel beschreibt die Entwicklung des Vakuum-Gasphasen-Verfahrens und seine Anwendung bei der Synthese und Charakterisierung von kleinen Cyclo- und Bicycloalkenen wie Methylencyclopropen, Spiropentadien, den Bicyclopropenylen, 1,2- und 1, 3-verbruckten Cyclopropenen und anderen einfachen Cyclopropenen.
Advanced stage transitional cell carcinoma of the ovary

Primary transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the ovary has been recently recognized as a separate subtype of epithelial cancer. It has been proposed that recognition of such tumors is important on clinical grounds because of a favorable response to chemotherapy and an improved patient survival. The authors reviewed the histological and clinicopathologic findings of 58 patients with advanced stage (stages III and IV) ovarian cancer with a view to determining the frequency of TCC and confirming the favorable prognosis. Of these cases, 15 (26%) were reclassified as TCC; 13 were predominantly TCC, and 2 had a mixed pattern with approximately 50% of the tumor being TCC. TCC patients ranged in age from 44 to 70 years of age (mean, 57). Ten of the patients had stage III disease, and five were stage IV. The tumor was unilateral in 2 cases and bilateral in 11 (2 unknown). Tumor size varied between 3 and 23 cm. Of the stage III patients, five were optimally debulked, and five had residual disease. All patients received the same type of chemotherapy. The median overall survival was 28 months. There was no significant difference in the clinical outcome of patients with TCC compared with that of patients with serous carcinomas. These data suggest that TCC does not confer a favorable prognosis or better response rate to chemotherapy.
Comparative Therapeutic and Pharmacological Evaluation of Amoxicillin and Ampicillin Plus Probenecid for the Treatment of Gonorrhea

Single doses of 3.5 g of ampicillin with 1.0 g of probenecid or of 3.0 g of amoxicillin alone were administered orally to 58 males and 56 females with uncomplicated gonococcal infection. The failure rate for genital or anal infection, or both, was 1.7% for ampicillin plus probenecid and 4.2% for amoxicillin alone. However, patients with oropharyngeal infection responded poorly. Seventy-five isolates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae recovered from patients in this study were all inhibited by 1.0 mug or less of ampicillin or amoxicillin per ml; penicillin G, ampicillin, and amoxicillin had similar activity in vitro against these isolates. Serum concentrations of amoxicillin in 10 volunteers remained above the minimal inhibitory concentration for most strains of N. gonorrhoeae for periods up to 10 h after a 3.0-g oral dose. After 2.0 g of ampicillin was given with probenecid, the serum levels during the 5- to 12-h period approached those achieved with 3.5 g of ampicillin plus probenecid, and actually exceeded levels attained during the same interval with 3.0 g of amoxicillin administered alone.
Vertical forces and plantar pressures in selected aerobic movements versus walking

Ten subjects between the ages of 19 and 29 years walked and performed four aerobic movements over a force and pressure platform. Peak plantar pressure and peak vertical force data were collected three times on the dominant leg as each subject performed all of the five activities. Peak vertical forces acting on the lower extremities for the low impact aerobic movements were significantly less when compared with the high impact movements. As was expected, no differences were found in peak vertical forces between walking and the low impact aerobic movements. Peak plantar pressures for walking were not significantly different when compared with any of the four aerobic movements studied.
A flip–chip encapsulation method for packaging of MEMS actuators using surface micromachined polysilicon caps for BioMEMS applications

In this paper, we present a novel technique for encapsulation of MEMS devices. The technique is demonstrated to address two issues related to the use of in-plane thermal actuators for BioMEMS applications. First, an encapsulation process is described to provide protection to a MEMS actuator from debris and other particulate matter when deployed in a biological environment. The encapsulation structure consists of a multilayer wall around the actuator and a surface micromachined polysilicon cap. A small clearance is provided around a piston that transmits motion from the actuator to the external world. In air, the packaged actuator performance is comparable to that of an unpackaged actuator, thus indicating successful encapsulation without any damage to the actuator. Second, this packaging approach is used to address the issue of reduction in efficiency of the thermal actuator in liquids by coating the packaged actuator with a thin conformal hydrophobic layer. This prevents liquid from entering the encapsulation, thus isolating the hot actuator components from the liquid. Experimental results show that efficiency of the packaged actuator in water improved giving a performance similar to that observed in air, suggesting an isolation of the hot actuator components from the liquid. Although the technique is demonstrated for thermal actuators, it is also applicable to other MEMS devices and in-plane actuators such as electrostatic comb drives for engineering as well as biological applications.
An unusual cause of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

YPERTROPHIC CARDIOMOPATHY (HCM) is a complex condition with an extensive phenotypic expression and a broad clinical spectrum. Mutations in the sarcomeric proteins lead to abnormal hypertrophy, especially of the interventricular septum. 1 The prevalence of this condition in the adult population is approximately 0.2%, and it is considered the most common genetic cardiac disease. 2 The most common phenotype is characterized by dynamic left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction resulting from basal septal hypertrophy and systolic anterior motion (SAM) of the anterior mitral valve leaflet. The rapid ejection of blood across a narrowed outflow tract results in a Venturi or drag effect, which, in turn, draws the mitral leaflet and chordae toward the interventricular septum. 3 Interestingly, similar degrees of basal hypertrophy can have different degrees of LVOT obstruction and symptoms. The clinical diagnosis is reliably confirmed with 2-dimensional echocardiography and Doppler measurement of outflow tract gradients. The authors present an unusual cause of LVOT obstruction in a patient who carried the diagnosis of HCM and who had undergone prior operations for the management of subaortic stenosis.
Chronic myelogenous leukemia in nonlymphoid blastic phase: analysis of the results of first salvage therapy with three different treatment approaches for 162 patients.

BACKGROUND The prognoses of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia in blastic phase (CML-BP) are extremely poor. Treatment of patients with nonlymphoid CML-BP is associated with very low response rates, a median survival of 2–3 months, and significant toxicities. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of therapy in CML-BP with different treatments in relation to response rate, survival, and toxicity. METHODS A total of 162 adults patients with a diagnosis of nonlymphoid CML-BP referred from 1986 to 1997 were included in this analysis. Only first salvage therapy was considered for the purpose of this analysis. The blastic phase of CML was defined by the presence of 30% or more blasts in the blood or bone marrow, or extramedullary disease. Ninety patients were treated with intensive chemotherapy, 31 with decitabine, and 41 with other single agents. RESULTS Thirty-six patients (22%) had an objective response. Response rates were similar among patients treated with intensive chemotherapy (28%) or with decitabine (26%). In aggregate, other single agents showed objective response rates of 7%. The median duration of remission for all patients was 29 weeks and the median overall survival 22 weeks. Patients treated with decitabine showed a trend toward better survival, despite a higher percentage of older patients (P < 0.004). The median survival times were 29 weeks with decitabine, 21 weeks with intensive chemotherapy, and 22 weeks with other agents. When only older patients were considered, survival was significantly better with decitabine versus other treatments (P < 0.01). A multivariate analysis of prognostic factors for survival confirmed the independent, significant favorable effect of decitabine therapy (P = 0.047). In all groups complications of myelosuppression were the most significant side effects. Severe nonhematologic toxicities were not observed in patients treated with decitabine; they occurred in 20% and 17% of patients treated with intensive chemotherapy or other single agents, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Compared with intensive chemotherapy, decitabine showed favorable results, with similar objective response rates, a better nonhematologic toxicity profile, and a trend for better survival, particularly among older patients. Studies will now attempt to combine decitabine with other promising approaches, such as homoharringtonine, low dose cytarabine, and interferon-α, in all CML phases. Cancer 1999;86:2632–41. © 1999 American Cancer Society.
Regulatory status and environmental properties of brominated flame retardants undergoing risk assessment in the EU: DBDPO, OBDPO, PeBDPO and HBCD

Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are a structurally diverse group of compounds; their major point in common is not their chemical structure but rather that of their use as flame retardants. BFRs undergoing risk assessment in the EU under the existing chemicals regulation are the polybrominated diphenyl oxides (ethers; PBDPO), decabromodiphenyl oxide (DBDPO), octabromodiphenyl oxide (OBDPO) and pentabromodiphenyl oxide (PeBDPO), and the cyclic aliphatic, hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). This paper will address the toxicology and environmental properties of these flame retardants as well as research and regulatory activities affecting them. DBDPO, OBDPO, PeBDPO, and the polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) were included in OECD's Risk Reduction Programme on Selected BFRs and are included in our Voluntary Industry Commitment (VIC) accepted at the OECD Joint Meeting in June 1995. Previous reviews on some or all of the BFRs under consideration include the WHO EHC Document on the PBDPO, the Binetti report on flame retardants used in upholstered furniture in the EU, the UK risk policy analyst report on the PBDPO, the Netherlands reassessment of the PBB and PBDPO, the OECD Monograph on Selected BFRs, the techno-economic study on emissions of BFRs in the EU. Research is presently underway to add to the data base of knowledge on these BFRs. All have high molecular weights ranging from 564 (PeBDPO) to 959 (DBDPO) and negligible vapor pressures and water solubilities. Studies on the water solubility of the PBDPO and HBCD have recently been concluded; their water solubilities are <0.1 ppb (DBDPO), <1 ppb (OBDPO), 13 ppb (PeBDPO) and 3.4 ppb (HBCD). Their vapor pressure is so low (DBDPO <10–7 mm Hg) that common methods of analysis are not applicable and a new method, the spinning rotor method, is being validated for use. Adsorption to soil/sediment is expected to be high. Extraction studies on DBDPO and HBCD establish that migration of these BFRs from polymers into water is negligible. The same negligible migration characteristics are also anticipated for OBDPO and PeDPO. Therefore, contamination of groundwater as a result of disposal of flame retarded plastics should not occur. The above physical/chemical properties of these BFRs minimize their potential to move into and in the environment irrespective of their lack of ready biodegradability. In addition, DBDPO, which has been extensively studied, has been found to have a short half life in rats, minimal absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, rapid elimination, and to lack bioaccumulation potential in fish. These properties, coupled with the minimal effects on mammalian species on repeated dosing of DBDPO and HBCD, and their lack of mutagenicity and skin sensitization indicate these brominated flame retardants can be used by society to provide needed protection from the hazard of fire.
Treatment of angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinemia using 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine

Angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy with dysproteinemia (AILD) is an atypical lympho-proliferative disorder with borderline features that often constitute a diagnostic challenge for the hematopathologist and a therapeutic dilemma for the treating clinician. Morphologically, the involved lymph nodes in this disorder are characterized by abnormal infilitration by immunoblasts and plasma cells, often in clusters or sheets. Regressed follicles may be seen; these are referred to as "burned out." Neovascularization is prominent, and a background of inflammatory cells is usually present. AILD was originally thought to represent an exaggerated autoimmune response. Because of the short median survival of the patients and the demonstration of T-cell clonality, AILD now is considered an aggressive lymphoma and is recognized as a subset of peripheral T-cell lymphoma by the REAL classification. In this article we present a patient with AILD who achieved durable patrial remission after treatment with one cycle of 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine.
Anterior Cervical Fusion Using Caspar Plating: Analysis of Results and Review of the Literature

BACKGROUND Ninety-seven patients underwent anterior cervical fusions after discectomy and/or corpectomy. Fibular allograft was used in 13 cases and iliac crest was used in the remaining 84 patients. METHODS Lateral cervical spine X-rays were reviewed for evaluation of fusion and instrumentation failures. RESULTS Solid fusion was achieved in all but two patients (97.91%). Nineteen patients developed instrumentation related failures. Seven patients developed fracture of one screw each (one superior and six inferior). Ten patients developed screw back out (inferior screw) and in one patient the superior screws were found to be 2 mm posterior to the posterior cortex but did not cause any neurological deficits. Seven of these patients underwent revision surgery. No complications related to the instrumentation were encountered in the last 34 cases. There were no infections in this series. Five patients developed temporary dysphagia. Two developed temporary deltoid weakness and three patients developed transient recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. One developed acute airway obstruction but the patient had a pre-existing epiglottic anomaly and sleep apnea disorder. CONCLUSIONS In selected cases, the Caspar plating system affords an effective means of improving the fusion rate (97.91%) with acceptable instrumentation-related morbidity that improves with experience, (10.7% in the first 38 cases and 1.69% in the last 59 with an overall rate of 7.2%). Temporary neurological deficits seen in this series were probably not related to the Caspar plating procedure itself. Intraoperative fluoroscopic films can be misleading. Therefore regular lateral cervical spine X-rays postplating in the operating room prior to closure are recommended. Lower screws backed out in all failures and this was circumvented by using the bigger (rescue) screws at the inferior end of long constructs.
A Bandwidth-Optimized Multi-core Architecture for Irregular Applications

This paper presents an architecture for high performance computing systems specifically targeted to irregular applications. We show how a multi-core paradigm can benefit from next-generation memories and networks, while still resorting to fine-grained multi-threading for latency tolerance. At the same time, we also show how such an architecture template must employ specific techniques to optimize bandwidth utilization and achieve better scalability, proposing a mechanism based on remote memory references aggregation. We explore the proposed architecture template, using a custom simulation infrastructure, and validate its performance with three typical irregular applications. Our experimental results show the benefitsprovided by the multi-core approach, in terms of improved scalability, and by the reference aggregation technique, in terms of contention reduction and bandwidth optimization. For a configuration with 32 nodes, 8 cores and 2 memory controllers per node, the proposed bandwidth optimization technique with the best parameters achieves from 1.20 to 2.15 times higher performance and a reduction of network traffic up to 34.7% with the considered applications.
More Anonymous Onion Routing Through Trust

We consider using trust information to improve the anonymity provided by onion-routing networks. In particular, we introduce a model of trust in network nodes and use it to design path-selection strategies that minimize the probability that the adversary can successfully control the entrance to and exit from the network. This minimizes the chance that the adversary can observe and correlate patterns in the data flowing over the path and thereby deanonymize the user. We first describe the general case in which onion routers can be assigned arbitrary levels of trust. Selecting a strategy can be formulated in a straightforward way as a linear program, but it is exponential in size. We thus analyze a natural simplification of path selection for this case. More importantly, however, when choosing routes in practice, only a very coarse assessment of trust in specific onion routers is likely to be feasible. Therefore, we focus next on the special case in which there are only two trust levels. For this more practical case we identify three optimal route-selection strategies such that at least one is optimal, depending on the trust levels of the two classes, their size, and the reach of the adversary. This can yield practical input into routing decisions. We set out the relevant parameters and choices for making such decisions.
Primary gastrointestinal lymphoma: A 30‐year review

The authors reviewed all cases of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma primarily involving the gastrointestinal tract treated at Memorial Hospital during the period from 1949-1978. Complete clinical records were available in 104 cases. Slides of original pathology specimens were available in 81 cases. Tumors were classified by Rappaport, Lukes-Collins and modified Kiel classifications. All patients were staged retrospectively, using modified Ann Arbor staging. The primary tumor was in the stomach in 76 patients, in the small bowel in 15 and in the large bowel in 13. The life-table survival for all patients at five years was 44% and for the 81 Stage I and II patients it was 53%. We found a trend toward improved survival for patients treated in the last decade (P = 0.05). Using Cox regression analysis, survival was found to be correlated with stage (P less than 0.0001) and involvement of adjacent structures (P = 0.007). For Stage I patients, resection and radiation therapy were equally effective alone in controlling local tumor even though factors responsible for the selection of either treatment could not be identified. For Stage II patients, resection combined with radiation therapy controlled local disease better than either treatment alone. For Stage II, patient survival was correlated with the pattern of nodal involvement (P less than 0.0001). Neither the choice of treatment (resection, radiation therapy, or resection with radiation therapy; P = 0.17) nor the involvement of resected margins (P = 0.22) affects survival. Among 81 Stage I and II patients, 68% had recurrences outside the primary field of treatment and 60% outside the abdomen. Systemic multiple modality therapy should be considered for patients at high risk for recurrence.