cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The rapid and reversible activation of a calcium-independent plasmalogen-selective phospholipase A2 during myocardial ischemia.

Abstract Recent studies have demonstrated the existence of two members of a novel family of calcium-independent plasmalogen-selective phospholipases A2 in mammalian myocardium (Wolf, R. A., and R. W. Gross. 1985. J. Biol. Chem. 260:7295-7303; and Hazen, S. L., D. A. Ford, and R. W. Gross. 1991. J. Biol. Chem. 266:5629-5633). To examine the potential role of these calcium-independent phospholipases A2 in mediating membrane dysfunction during early myocardial ischemia, the temporal course of alterations in phospholipase A2 activity during global ischemia in Langendorf perfused rabbit hearts was quantified and compared with traditionally accepted markers of myocytic ischemic injury and anaerobic metabolism. We now report that membrane-associated calcium-independent plasmalogen-selective phospholipase A2 activity increased over 400% during 2 min of global ischemia (P less than 0.01), was near maximally activated (greater than 10-fold) after only 5 min of ischemia, and remained activated throughout the entire ischemic interval examined (2-60 min). Activation of membrane-associated plasmalogen-selective phospholipase A2 after 5 min of myocardial ischemia was rapidly reversible during reperfusion of ischemic tissue. Both the activation of phospholipase A2 and its reversibility during reperfusion were temporally correlated to alterations in myocytic anaerobic metabolism. Furthermore, activation of membrane-associated phospholipase A2 was essentially complete before electron microscopic evidence of cellular damage. Collectively, these results identify dynamic alterations in calcium-independent plasmalogen-selective phospholipase A2 activity during myocardial ischemia which precede irreversible cellular injury and demonstrate that activation of plasmalogen-selective phospholipase A2 is amongst the earliest biochemical alterations in ischemic myocardium.
Thermal performance of courtyard buildings

Abstract In this analysis, the energy performance of a courtyard in buildings is investigated under conditions of different factors of climate, height, glazing type, and glazing percentage. The courtyard design used for the analysis was square in plan and surrounded by the building on all four sides. The glazing type and percentage for the courtyard walls were varied in the analysis. Weather data from four cities representative of climatic conditions of cold, temperate, hot-humid, and hot-dry were used. The computer energy simulation program DOE2.1E was used in this analysis as a tool to evaluate the impact of these factors on the energy consumption of the buildings. The results of the parametric simulation showed that the courtyard building thermal performance differed from climate to climate and even the impact of the measures or the variables on cooling, heating, and the total annual energy consumption differed with different variables’ configuration. In general, the open courtyard building exhibits a better energy performance in hot-dry and hot-humid climates.
Molecular engineering of nanoscale order in organic electro-optic glasses

The rational design of bulk nanoscale order in organic electro-optic materials, where the strong dipole–dipole interactions tend to dominate over the weaker forces exploited for self-assembly processes, remains an attractive yet elusive goal. Towards this end, a series of pseudo-discotic dipolar nonlinear optical chromophores have been synthesized and fully characterized. Theoretical guidance and an iterative molecular design process have succeeded in engineering long-range nanoscale order in organic electro-optic glasses. Small-angle thin-film X-ray diffraction experiments demonstrate a self-assembled lamellar morphology in a majority of these materials. Cryogenic crystallography, using a synchrotron X-ray source, afforded the structure of a representative system. This structure, in concert with thin-film X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, UV-vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy, and refractive index experiments elucidated the nanoscale order in the films. Application of these materials in electro-optics is discussed.
Sickle hemoglobin fibers: mechanisms of depolymerization.

Abstract We examined the depolymerization of hemoglobin (Hb) S fibers in the presence of CO by using photolysis of COHbS to create and isolate individual fibers, then removing photolysis to induce depolymerization. Depolymerization occurs at two sites, fiber ends and fiber sides, with different kinetics and by different mechanisms. At low partial pressure of CO (pCO), end-depolymerization is dominant, proceeding at ∼1 μm s −1 , whereas at high pCO fibers vanish very rapidly, in much less than one second, by side-depolymerization. Each kind of depolymerization could occur by a ligand-independent path, in which deoxyHb depolymerizes and then is prevented from returning to the polymer by liganding with CO, or by a ligand-dependent path in which CO binds to the polymer inducing dissociation of the newly liganded molecules from it. We find that ligand-independent depolymerization is the dominant path for end-depolymerization and ligand-dependent depolymerization dominates, at least at high pCO, for side-depolymerization. On the basis of our kinetic results and electron micrographs of depolymerizing fibers, we propose a model for side-depolymerization in which a hole is nucleated by cooperative loss of a few molecules from fiber sides, followed by rapid depolymerization from the newly created fiber ends abutting the hole. Potential significance of these results for the pathophysiology of sickle cell disease is discussed.
A theory of the thermodynamic behavior of nonelectrolyte solutions. V. The scattering of light by polymer solutions

Maron's theory of the thermodynamics of non-electrolyte solutions has been used to examine the light scattering behavior of both dilute and concentrated solutions of polystyrene in several solvents. It is shown that for each polymer-solvent system at a given temperature the behavior can be characterized, as in the case of osmotic pressure, by a single interaction parameter μ which varies linearly with volume fraction v2, i.e. μ=μ°+σ°v2, where μ° and σ° are constants. Introduction of this equation into Maron's theory leads to functional plots in dilute solutions which are linear even when the conventional plots of HC/τ versus C plots are not. These plots yield the molecular weight from the intercepts and (μ° − σ°) from the slopes. However, to obtain the individual values of μ° and σ° data are required for concentrations higher than those normally used for molecular weight determinations. It is further shown that once μ° and σ° are evaluated, they may be used to calculate satisfactorily the turbidities up to a concentration of v2 = 0.62. Under the same circumstances the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter χ does not reproduce the observed data as well even when χ is taken to be a linear function of v2.
Triphasic norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol oral contraceptive for the treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding∗

Abstract Objective: To compare the efficacy of a triphasic combination oral contraceptive (OC) containing norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol (Ortho Tri-Cyclen) and placebo in the treatment of metrorrhagic, menometrorrhagic, oligomenorrheic, and polymenorrheic dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB). To our knowledge, this study is the first report of a placebo-controlled study of an OC in the treatment of DUB. Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial, 201 women with DUB were randomized to norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol (NGM/EE) or placebo for 3 cycles. Efficacy was determined by evaluating investigator and subject assessments of DUB resolution, abnormal uterine bleeding patterns during an 84-day reference period, and change from baseline in quality-of-life (SF-36). Results: Subjects were on average 29.6 years of age, 72.6 kg, and had a 6.1 year history of DUB. The most frequently reported type of DUB was oligomenorrhea. Higher percentages of both investigators and subjects in the NGM/EE group (81.4% and 87.1%) compared with the placebo group (35.8% and 45.3%) assessed the subject’s condition as “improved.” These findings were similar in each of the four DUB-type subgroups. Significantly fewer subjects receiving NGM/EE than subjects receiving placebo reported abnormal bleeding patterns ( P P Conclusion: The triphasic OC containing norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol is an effective treatment for DUB.
Independent study: Direction is the key to success

Independent studies are designed to enable advanced students to investigate a specific topic of interest in greater depth than is possible in a traditional classroom environment. Student and faculty advisor must work together to provide direction for the independent study and to insure its success. This paper explores the role of both students and faculty advisors in developing independent studies. In addition, how to plan for independent studies and a step-by-step guide for directing them is proposed.
Integrated actuation system for individual control of helicopter rotor blades

Integrated actuation system for individual control ofhelicopter rotor bladesDariusz Bushko, Ralph Fenn, Mike Gerver, John Berry, Frank PhilipsSatCon Technology CorporationCambridge, Massachusetts 02142Donald J. MerkleyU.S. Aiiny AATDFort Eustis, VirginiaABSTRACTThe unique configuration ofthe rotorcraft generates problems unknown to fixed wing aircraft. These problems includehigh vibration and noise levels. This paper presents the development and test results of a Terfenol-D based actuator designedto operate in an individual blade control system in order to reduce vibration and noise and increase performance on ArmyUH-60A helicopter. The full -scale, magnetostrictive, Terfenol-D based actuator was tested on a specially designed testbedthat simulated operational conditions of a helicopter blade in the laboratory. Tests of actuator performance (stroke, forcemoment, bandwidth, fatigue life under operational loading) were performed.Keywords: smart structures, magnetostrictive actuators, vibration control, helicopters, actuators1. ROTORCRAVF VIBRATION ATTENUATIONHelicopters have unique problems resulting from the continuously changing aerodynamic conditions as blade is travelingthrough various angles around its axis of rotation. Depending on the particular helicopter's mode of operation (hover, forwardflight, etc.) the rotor blade is subjected to the combination of typically highly turbulent air streams induced by motion of theentire helicopter and its rotor blades. At given moment each section of the blade in span direction may actually be exposed todramatically different aerodynamic conditions. Consequently, vibration, noise and considerable degradation of rotorcraftperformance are observed. In fact, aerodynamic interactions taking place in the vicinity of the helicopter rotor are typically aprinciple source of helicopter noise. Vibration induced problems include pilot and passenger fatigue, increased maintenance,payload damage, additional structural weight to carry fatigue loading, and undesired noise signature. Vibration reductionsystem ofthe helicopter rotor blade is the goal ofthe presented work.The primaiy objective here is to design a practical vibration reduction system for the Army UH-60A helicopter. Since thepresented technology is well scaleable towards larger systems the choice ofthis particular aircraft is specially suitable due to itssizable blade profile and relatively low revolution rate of the rotor. The adopted approach is to attack the problem at its roots,namely, rotor blades. The idea is to control aerodynamic response ofthe rotor by inducing a pre-defined pitch angle variation ofvarious sections of the rotor blades in order to dampen momentary blade vibrations. Obviously this additional control functionfor the blade pitch angle tuust be virtually negligible to primary flight control functions (cyclic and collective pitch anglecontrols).
Involvement of the Ca2+/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase in the G1 transit of T51B rat liver epithelial cells

Abstract The G0 → G1 and G1 → S transitions (but not the intervening events) in the G1 phase of T51B rat liver epithelial cells in serum-stimulated confluent cultures required a high concentration of extracellular Ca 2+ and were accompanied or immediately preceded by increases in the amount of EDTA-extractable protein kinase C, a Ca 2+ /phospholipid-dependent enzyme. Involvement of this Ca 2+ -dependent enzyme in the two Ca 2+ -dependent transitions was further indicated by the facts that 12- O -tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), a compound that stimulated protein kinase C from T51B cells even in the absence of Ca 2+ , enabled these cells to transit G1 in Ca 2+ -deficient medium, while a TPA analogue (4α-phorbol-12, 13-didecanoate (4α-PDD) that did not stimulate the enzyme in cell-free preparations did not promote G0 → G1 or G1 → S transit in Ca 2+ -deficient medium.
Surface adsorption and transfer of organomercaptans to colloidal gold and direct identification by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

The adsorption characteristics of two different organomercaptan adsorbates, 5-((2-(and-3)-S-(acetylmercapto)succinoyl)amino)fluorescein (SAMSA) and the peptide Cys-Lys-Trp-Ala-Lys-Trp-Ala-Trp (CKWAKWAK), on colloidal Au were studied, and the conjugates produced were characterized by UV−vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). Fluorescence difference measurements of free thiols in solution were used to assemble surface adsorption isotherms on Au colloid revealing surface coverages of 1.0 × 1014 molecules cm-2 for SAMSA and 3.1 × 1014 molecules cm-2 for CKWAKWAK. The free energies of adsorption were calculated to be −48.4 kJ/mol for SAMSA and −49.2 kJ/mol for CKWAKWAK. UV−visible absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy reveal that the thiol/colloid conjugates flocculate under conditions where the net charge per colloid is small or neutral and that flocculated colloids can be resuspended by a change ...
Cryogenic processing of metal/GaAs schottky diodes

Abstract High quality metal/GaAs Schottky diodes were fabricated with the substrate at low temperature (LT = 77 K) during metal deposition. The barrier height, φ B , was found to be 0.97 eV for Au metal. The reverse saturation current density, J 0 , was 5.6 × 10 −11 A/cm 2 . Comparing with the diodes fabricated at room temperature (RT = 300 K), the LT diodes yielded a much higher φ B and a lower J 0 as confirmed by electroreflectance (ER) measurement. This could be attributed to the amorphous-like reconstruction layer between the metal and GaAs interface. This layer serves as an insulator and gives the LT diode a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS)-like structure. In the RT diode, such a layer was destroyed by the reaction of metal with GaAs. The φ B dependence on the metal work function, φ m , was investigated by depositing Al, Cu, Au and Pd. A good linear relation was obtained between φ B and φ m . This suggests partial Fermi level unpinning in the LT diodes. The transport mechanisms were studied by current-voltage-temperature (I-V-T) techniques. Thermionic emission (TE) theory dominated in the current transport at room temperature for both the RT and LT diodes. At low temperature, the RT diode exhibits an excess current component, while the LT diode yields a tunneling current component. This can be explained by the surface recombination due to the interface states in the RT diode and the very thin insulator-like reconstruction layer in the LT diode.
Spermatogenesis inPyrosoma atlanticum (Tunicata: Thaliacea: Pyrosomatida): Implications for tunicate phylogeny

Colonies ofPyrosoma atlanticum were collected by submersible in October 1988 in the Caribbean Sea, and testes were studied by electron microscopy. Spermatogonia, spermatocytes and early spermatids have two centrioles. The proximal centriole subsequently disappears, its remains apparently persisting in the spermatozoon as dense material adjacent to the distal centriole, which gives rise to the axoneme. At the tip of early spermatids are several 50 nm proacrosomal vesicles, which disappear leaving no trace in early elongating spermatids. The spermatozoon lacks an acrosome and has a head 35µm long. The head is differentiated into a bulbous posterior portion 5µm long × 1µm wide, a thinner anterior portion 25µm long tapering from a width of 0.7µm to a width of 0.4µm, and a very thin anterior extension 5µm long × 0.5µm wide. At the start of elongation, the anterior extension begins to form just lateral to the proacrosomal vesicles as a spiral projection comprising part of the nucleus, covered by a thin sheath of cytoplasm. This sheath of cytoplasm undergoes a complex differentiation. Ultimately, the nucleus in the anterior extension is overlain by two membrane-bound sheaths of cytoplasm connected by a spiral flange of cytoplasm. Between these two sheaths is a spiral space, open to the exterior through a subterminal pore near the sperm tip. In early spermatids the mitochondria fuse into a single mitochondrion, which remains lateral to the nucleus. The cristae become modified late in spermatogenesis. Throughout elongation of the spermatid there are patches of dense material between the nucleus and mitochondrion. A manchette of microtubules transiently encircles the thin anterior portion of the nucleus during the last phase of elongation. A manchette is not present during most of elongation. In the spermatozoon the mitochondrion, which has reticulate cristae, spirals a few times about the nucleus and extends from the junction between the bulbous portion and the thinner anterior portion of the nucleus to the junction between the thinner anterior portion and the nuclear extension. Spermatogenesis inP. atlanticum, compared to that in other tunicates, most closely resembles that in colonial ascidians, and supports the majority view that pyrosomes arose from aplousobranch ascidians that lost their attachment to the substratum. Pyrosome sperm are more highly derived than doliolid sperm, which have an acrosome that is probably capable of exocytosis. When salp and pyrosome sperm are compared, both are highly derived, but neither shares any apomorphies with the other that it does not share with at least one other tunicate order. Thus, sperm morphology does not support the majority view that pyrosomes gave rise to doliolids and neither confirms nor denies the idea that pyrosomes are intermediate between aplousobranch ascidians and salps. Therefore, it is likely that the class Thaliacea is polyphyletic, with doliolids arising very early from the ascidian lineage and with salps and pyrosomes arising somewhat later.
Subclavian vein thrombosis in patients treated with infusion chemotherapy for advanced malignancy

Twenty-two of 53 (42%) patients developed subclavian vein thrombosis (SVT) while receiving chemotherapy for advanced malignancy by an ambulatory pump constant infusion delivery system. The median time to thrombosis was 30 days (range, 5-270 days). Seven patients (36%) were asymptomatic and received no specific anticoagulation. Twelve patients (50%) received heparin followed by coumadin for 2 to 3 months. None of the 19 patients developed complications of the SVT. In three patients (14%), acute SVT progressed to complete or partial superior vena cava syndrome. The use of fibrinolytic therapy was successful in all three patients, and was adequate to lead to complete clinical resolution. Predisposing factors in the patient population included: (1) decreased antithrombin III levels prior to catheter insertion; (2) intrathoracic tumor, possibly creating low flow rates; and (3) improper or suboptimal home management of the catheter. The development of SVT was not related to the chemotherapeutic agent infused or the duration of therapy. The frequency of SVT in this patient population necessitates consideration of prophylactic methods in high-risk patients.
A contribution to the chronology of some Old World miocene faunas based on hipparionine horses

Abstract The Maragheh Formation, northwestern Iran,provides a local biostratigraphic base upon which to build a biochronology of hipparionine horses that has potential regional importance in ordering faunas of Vallesian and Turolian age in other areas of the Old World. This, as well as faunal and radiometric analysis of the Maragheh sequence, is compared with those aspects of other districts. The radiometric age of the so-called «Hipparion Datum» is 12 Ma, if not slightly older, and more than one species of «Hipparion» may be associated with it. Based on cranial morphology, hipparionine horses of Vallesian age consist of a single group; faunas of Turolian age contain four hipparionine groups by these criteria. A group composed of Hipparion prostylum and later members appears to be the most useful in compiling a possible biochronology. This group may have had an endemic European rather than allochthonous (American) origin. Based on the various assessments discussed here the following temporal sequence of certain faunal localities is proposed (oldest to youngest): Vallesian-Howenegg (Germany), Bou Hanifia I (N. Africa) and Hostalets de Pierola (Spain). Early Turolian-Kopran, Lower Maragheh (Iran). Medial Turolian-Mont Luberon (France), Kerjabad or Ketschawa, Middle Maragheh (Iran), Saloniki (Macedonia), Pikermi (Greece), Shol'avand, Upper Maragheh (Iran), Samos (Greece). Our assessment of the age of the Mont Luberon and Samos faunas differs from conventional assignments.
Virtual Welder Trainer

The goal of this project is to develop a training system that can simulate the welding process in real-time and give feedback that avoids learning wrong motion patterns for beginning welders and can be used to analyze the process by the teacher afterwards. The system is based mainly on COTS components. A standard PC with a Dual-core CPU and a medium-end nVidia graphics card is sufficient. Input is done with a regular welding gun to allow realistic training. The gun is tracked by an OptiTrack system with 3 FLEX:V100 cameras. The same is also used to track a regular welding helmet to get accurate eye positions for display, which was chosen over glasses for robustness. The display itself is a Zalman Trimon stereo monitor that is laid out horizontally. The software is designed around a main simulation component for solving heat conduction on a grid of simulation points based on local GaussSeidel elimination.
Comparing alternative specifications of quality measures: Access to pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorders

Availability and consideration of pharmacotherapy for the treatment of alcohol use disorders (AUD) are now consensus standards for evidence-based treatment. This study compares three competing specifications of the proportion of patients with AUD receiving approved medications. We examined how altering the numerator and denominator definitions affects observed rates of pharmacotherapy use and facilities' percentile ranks. Using pharmacy and administrative data from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), three measures of pharmacotherapy receipt were calculated for 129 VHA facilities. Difference in measure specifications alters the overall estimates of pharmacotherapy receipt but unevenly across facilities, with some experiencing no change in percentile rank and others decreasing or increasing by over a quartile. The results demonstrate that the quality measures are not interchangeable, and the choice of which version to implement is of high consequence for some facilities.
Sol-gel processing of lithium niobate thin layers for optical applications

The sol-gel processing of lithium niobate thin-layers on silicon from heterometallic alkoxide solutions is described. Advantages of sol-gel processing for low-temperature formation of stoichiometric lithium niobate are discussed. A recyrstallization procedure, involving a bimetallic alkoxide, was developed for the purification of alkoxide solutions. The alkoxide complex contained the appropriate cation ratio for the preparation of stoichiometric lithium niobate. Solvent selection, addition of nitric acid or ammonium hydroxide, and thermal processing conditions were shown to affect the ceramic microstructures. In particular, the solvent system and additives influenced grain growth and porosity in the crystallized layers. Methoxyethanol-derived layers had a grain size approximately twice that observed for the ethanol system. Use of a rapid heating process produced dense layers at 650°C, whereas oxygen treatments allowed for crystallization at 400°C.
Attitudes, Tracing, and Control

There is an apparent tension in our everyday moral responsibility practices. On the one hand, it is commonly assumed that moral responsibility requires voluntary control: an agent can be morally responsible only for those things that fall within the scope of her voluntary control. On the other hand, we regularly praise and blame individuals for mental states and conditions that appear to fall outside the scope of their voluntary control, such as desires, emotions, beliefs, and other attitudes. In order to resolve this apparent tension, many philosophers appeal to a tracing principle to argue that agents are morally responsible (only) for those attitudes whose existence can be traced back, causally, to a voluntary action or omission in the past. My aim in this article is to critically evaluate this tracing strategy and to argue that it gives us a misguided picture of when and why we are morally responsible for our attitudes. I argue that we should accept a ‘judgment sensitivity’ condition of moral responsibility rather than a ‘voluntary control’ condition, and defend this account against various objections.
Two classes of multisecant methods for nonlinear acceleration

Many applications in science and engineering lead to models which require solving large-scale fixed point problems, or equivalently, systems of nonlinear equations. Several successful techniques for handling such problems are based on quasi-Newton methods that implicitly update the approximate Jacobian or inverse Jacobian to satisfy a certain secant condition. We present two classes of multisecant methods which allows to take into account a variable number of secant equations at each iteration. The first is the Broyden-like class, of which Broyden’s family is a subclass, and Anderson mixing is a particular member. The second class is that of the nonlinear Eirola-Nevanlinna-type methods. This work was motivated by a problem in electronic structure calculations, whereby a fixed point iteration, known as the self-consistent field (SCF) iteration, is accelerated by various strategies termed ‘mixing’.
The Awareness Questionnaire: factor structure and internal consistency

Patients with traumatic brain injuries often show impaired awareness of their impairments. This impaired awareness can decrease motivation for treatment and limit eventual functional outcome. The importance of this phenomenon has led to the development of multiple techniques and scales for measuring impaired awareness. The present paper briefly reviews the various methods of operation alizing impaired awareness and describes a new scale the Awareness Questionnaire designed to incorporate all these methods. Findings of previous studies supporting the validity of the Awareness Questionnaire are presented. The present investigation examined the factor structure and internal consistency of the Awareness Questionnaire with samples of 126 traumatic brain injury survivors and 75 family members significant others. Principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation indicated three factors: cognitive, behavioural affective, and motor sensory. Investigation of internal consistency Cronbach Coefficient Alpha ...
Tree and impervious cover in the United States

Urban tree cover Rural tree cover State tree cover Urban impervious cover Rural impervious cover State impervious cover a b s t r a c t Using aerial photograph interpretation of circa 2005 imagery, percent tree canopy and impervious surface cover in the conterminous United States are estimated at 34.2% (standard error (SE) = 0.2%) and 2.4% (SE = 0.1%), respectively. Within urban/community areas, percent tree cover (35.1%, SE = 0.4%) is similar to the national value, but percent impervious cover is significantly higher (17.5%, SE = 0.3%). Tree cover per capita in urban areas averaged 377 m 2 /person, while impervious cover per capita averaged 274 m2/person. Percent tree cover in urban/community areas tends to be significantly higher than in rural areas in several predominantly grassland states, with the greatest difference in Kansas (+17.3%). Most states in more forested regions exhibited a decrease in tree cover between urban/community areas and rural lands, with greatest difference in Kentucky (−37.9%). These changes in tree cover varied significantly among states, illustrating the roles of urban development patterns, management/planning interactions, and the natural environment on creating cover patterns exhibited in urban areas. Understanding these forces and patterns can lead to better planning and management activities to optimize the mix of tree and impervious cover to sustain urban functions while enhancing environmental quality and human health in urban areas. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Innovations in piezoelectric materials for ultrasound transducers

Piezoelectric materials lie at the heart of ultrasonic transducers. For transducers used in medical imaging (3?7 MHz), PZT-5H ceramics offer high electromechanical coupling (k33 ? 75%), resulting in good bandwidth and sensitivity. As transducer arrays become smaller with increasing frequency, the development of high permittivity ( ?RT > 7,000 vs. 3,400 for PZT-5H), piezoelectrics based on polycrystalline PMN-PT, provide improved electrical impedance matching. Advanced medical diagnostic techniques, including contrast and harmonic imaging, have taken advantage of the recent development in single crystal Relaxor-PTs that offer coupling k33?s > 90% and subsequently, significant increases in bandwidth. For small animal, ophthalmology and cellular imaging, higher resolution is demanded, thus requiring transducers operational in the range of 20?100 MHz. Advancements in ceramic processing include pore-free and fine-grain (?1 micron) piezoelectric ceramics of PT and PZT, being an ?enabling? technology, allowing the fabrication of high frequency single element and annular arrays. Innovations in the fabrication of high frequency arrays (? 30 MHz) include tape casting and sol-gel molding techniques. Of particular significance, DRIE (deep reaction ion etching), has demonstrated the ability to mill out ultrafine features, allowing 1?3 crystal-polymer composites operational at frequencies ? 60 MHz, far beyond that achieved by current state-of-the-art dicing.
Static techniques for concept location in object-oriented code

Concept location in source code is the process that identifies where a software system implements a specific concept. While it is well accepted that concept location is essential for the maintenance of complex procedural code like code written in C, it is much less obvious whether it is also needed for the maintenance of the object-oriented code. After all, the object-oriented code is structured into classes and well-designed classes already implement concepts, so the issue seems to be reduced to the selection of the appropriate class. The objective of our work is to see if the techniques for concept location are still needed (they are) and whether object-oriented structuring facilitates concept location (it does not). This paper focuses on static concept location techniques that share common prerequisites and are search the source code using regular expression matching, or static program dependencies, or information retrieval. The paper analyses these techniques to see how they compare to each other in terms of their respective strengths and weaknesses.
A three-dimensional kinetic theory of continuous-beam stability

This work is a three-dimensional stability study based on the modal analysis for a continuous beam with a Kapchinskij-Vladimirskij (KV) distribution. The analysis is carried out self-consistently within the context of linearized Vlasov-Maxwell equations and electrostatic approximation. The emphasis is on investigating the coupling between longitudinal and transverse perturbations in the high-intensity region. The interaction between the transverse modes supported by the KV distribution and those modes sustainable by the cold beam is examined. We found two classes of coupling modes that would not exist if the longitudinal and the transverse perturbations are treated separately. The effects of wall impedance on beam stability is also studied and numerical examples are presented
Hand-Eye Calibration Using Dual Quaternions

To relate measurements made by a sensor mounted on a mechanical link to the robot’s coordinate frame, we must first estimate the transformation between these two frames. Many algorithms have been p...
The role of the Iceland Ice Sheet in the North Atlantic during the late Quaternary: a review and evidence from Denmark Strait†

Investigations indicate that the Iceland Ice Sheet was reduced in size during MIS 3 but readvanced to the shelf break at the LGM. Retreat occurred very rapidly around 15 k–16 k cal. yr BP. By contrast, the margin of the ice sheet on the East Greenland shelf, north of the Denmark Strait, was at or close to the shelf break during MIS 3 and 2 and retreat starting ∼17 k cal. yr BP. Quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis of the <2 mm sediment fraction was undertaken on 161 samples from Iceland and East Greenland diamictons, and from cores on the slopes and margins of the Denmark Strait. Weight% mineralogical data are used in a principal component analysis to differentiate sediments derived from the two margins. The first two PC axes explain 52% of the variance. These associations are used to characterise sediments as being affiliated with (a) Iceland, (b) East Greenland or (c) mixed. The contribution from Iceland becomes prominent during MIS 2. The extensive outcrop of early Tertiary basalts on East Greenland between 68° and 71° N is an alternative source for basaltic clasts and North Atlantic sediments with eNd(0) values close to ±0. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Coaxially wound transformers for high-power high-frequency applications

Design considerations for transformers utilized in high-power high-frequency DC/DC converters are addressed. Major areas of concern are core-material selection, minimization of copper losses due to skin and proximity effects, and the realization of controlled leakage inductances. Coreless characteristics for various high-frequency materials are presented, and the influence of various conventional winding arrangements on the copper losses and leakage field is also demonstrated. Coaxial winding techniques (used commonly in high-frequency transformers) are investigated next as a feasible solution for containing the leakage flux within the interwinding space, thus preventing it from permeating the core and resulting in lower core losses and the avoidance of localized heating. Added benefits of this technique are reduced forces within the transformer, lower copper losses, and robust construction. The performances of two experimental single-phase 50 kW, 50 kHz units are reported. A three-phase version of coaxially wound transformers is also presented. >
Web services-based collaborative and cooperative computing

This paper presents an integrated development process for Web services. The key differences with the traditional software development are that this new process involves collaboration and cooperation among all parties involved: developers, brokers, and clients. The process defines a new way of developing trustworthy Web services based on the existing Internet infrastructure. The paper serves as a roadmap to research on Web services specification, discovery, ontology, composition, re-composition, testing, reliability assessing, ranking, and collaboration and cooperation among all parities involved in Web services research, development, and application.
Endothelial cells promote cardiac myocyte survival and spatial reorganization: implications for cardiac regeneration

Background— Endothelial–cardiac myocyte (CM) interactions play a key role in regulating cardiac function, but the role of these interactions in CM survival is unknown. This study tested the hypothesis that endothelial cells (ECs) promote CM survival and enhance spatial organization in a 3-dimensional configuration. Methods and Results— Microvascular ECs and neonatal CMs were seeded on peptide hydrogels in 1 of 3 experimental configurations: CMs alone, CMs mixed with ECs (coculture), or CMs seeded on preformed EC networks (prevascularized). Capillary-like networks formed by ECs promoted marked CM reorganization along the EC structures, in contrast to limited organization of CMs cultured alone. The presence of ECs markedly inhibited CM apoptosis and necrosis at all time points. In addition, CMs on preformed EC networks resulted in significantly less CM apoptosis and necrosis compared with simultaneous EC-CM seeding (P<0.01, ANOVA). Furthermore, ECs promoted synchronized contraction of CMs as well as connexi...
Adaptive tracking control of an underactuated aerial vehicle

In this paper, adaptive tracking control of an underactuated quadrotor is addressed. Position and yaw trajectory tracking is designed using state feedback control system and an integrator backstepping approach is applied to this coupled and cascaded dynamic system. The control design is further complicated by considering the parametric uncertainty of the dynamic modeling of the quadrotor aerial-robot vehicle. Projection-based adaptive control schemes are then designed to estimate the unknown parameters. Lyapunov-type stability analysis and numerical simulation results which yields a bounded tracking result are shown to demonstrate the initial validity of the proposed controllers.
Participation in the Prison Economy and Likelihood of Physical Victimization

Abstract The prison economy provides an outlet for inmates to secure goods and services not formally available to them while incarcerated. While having access is beneficial, participation in the economy may increase people's chances of being victimized. The current study seeks to elaborate on the linkages between participation in the prison economy and violent victimization by drawing from survey data collected from 208 recently released male parolees in a Midwestern state. The results show that several measures of participation in the prison economy significantly predict violent victimizations, net the effect of other relevant independent variables. These findings suggest that engaging and controlling the prison economy may be effective in reducing the overall amount of violence that occurs in correctional facilities.
Phyllodes tumour of vulva with prominent pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia features: A case report and review of literature.

Lesions arising from anogenital mammary-like glands (AGMLG) are rare and could be benign or malignant, and epithelial or stromal (Kazakov et al. 2010). Fibroepithelial lesions of AGMLG, including f...
Social Identity and the Yup'ik Eskimo Village Tunnel System in Precolonial and Colonial Western Coastal Alaska

Some western Alaskan coastal prehistoric and protohistoric village sites had intrasite semisubterranean passageways that connected the village men's house(s) and the smaller family houses. These tunnels acted as an interstitial and negotiated space that connected the gendered spatial spheres of Yup'ik Eskimo women and men. Instead of examining a newly constructed space that may have transformed relationships, this work examines the historically contingent consequence of the loss of these tunnels as a built medium, both between women and men and among women. It is my contention that the dismantling of the multipurpose village tunnels insulated women from one another, from their established methods for learning and means for building influence and authority, and from intimate engagement with the expanding mercantilist economy and equitable access to social and economic resources.
Discriminative motif optimization based on perceptron training.

Motivation: Generating accurate transcription factor (TF) binding site motifs from data generated using the next-generation sequencing, especially ChIP-seq, is challenging. The challenge arises because a typical experiment reports a large number of sequences bound by a TF, and the length of each sequence is relatively long. Most traditional motif finders are slow in handling such enormous amount of data. To overcome this limitation, tools have been developed that compromise accuracy with speed by using heuristic discrete search strategies or limited optimization of identified seed motifs. However, such strategies may not fully use the information in input sequences to generate motifs. Such motifs often form good seeds and can be further improved with appropriate scoring functions and rapid optimization. Results: We report a tool named discriminative motif optimizer (DiMO). DiMO takes a seed motif along with a positive and a negative database and improves the motif based on a discriminative strategy. We use area under receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) as a measure of discriminating power of motifs and a strategy based on perceptron training that maximizes AUC rapidly in a discriminative manner. Using DiMO, on a large test set of 87 TFs from human, drosophila and yeast, we show that it is possible to significantly improve motifs identified by nine motif finders. The motifs are generated/optimized using training sets and evaluated on test sets. The AUC is improved for almost 90% of the TFs on test sets and the magnitude of increase is up to 39%. Availability and implementation: DiMO is available at http://stormo.wustl.edu/DiMO Contact: ude.ltsuw.sciteneg@letapr, moc.liamg@letapykanor
An Annotated Bibliography of State Legal Research Guides

Most legal researchers are familiar with federal sources and materials for their own state. Law librarians, attorneys, and other researchers find state legal research guides are extremely valuable when addressing out-of-state law. These guides, in the form of treatises, periodical articles, or short monographs, also introduce the inexperienced researcher to state legal research. Though several bibliographies of state research guides are available, none provide evaluative annotations for all types of guides. This annotated bibliography is intended to benefit legal researchers of all types as well as collection development librarians in major law libraries.
Scene Versus Interhospital Air Medical Transport of Limb-Salvage Candidates

H. Werman, A. Zielinski, and B. Raetzke, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH J. Nappi, Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, OH Introduction: Patients sustaining limb-threatening injuries must undergo time-sensitive surgical repair in order to achieve maximal functional recovery. Air medical transport has been used to transport patients with these injuries from the scene of injury (SCENE) where short time intervals are achieved as well as from outside medical facilities (HOSP) following physician evaluation. It is not clear which strategy produces best outcomes. We sought to evaluate whether there was a difference between SCENE or HOSP in the percentage of patients taken to the operating room for definitive repair. Methods: All patients with isolated limb-threatening injuries between January 1, 2006 and July 31, 2010 who were transported by helicopter to a tertiary limb-salvage center were included in the analysis. Demographic data including age, gender, injury site and prior medical history were obtained. Patients were dichotomized between SCENE and HOSP with regards to site of origin. Outcomes including discharge from ED, those taken to OR and those who underwent formal salvage procedure were collected. A chi square analysis was conducted to determine whether there was a difference between SCENE and HOSP in the percentage of who underwent definitive repair. Results: During the study period, 115 patients were transferred for limb salvage by helicopter. 86% of patients were male with an average age of 43.3 years (6-86 years). Sixty (52.2%) of patients were HOSP while 55 (47.8%) were SCENE. The upper extremity was involved in 72.9% of cases. Complicating medical factors included diabetes (9.6%), tobacco use (19.2%) and anticoagulant use (16.7%). No patient had documented peripheral vascular disease or steroid use. Of 115 patients, 104 went to the OR (90%) and 84 (80%) had a repair attempted. 41/49 (84%) of SCENE and 43/55 (78%) of HOSP had a definitive repair attempted (p 0.48). Conclusion: In our referral area, a significant number of patients transferred in to a tertiary center for limb-salvage procedures underwent definitive repair in the OR. There was no significant difference between those patients transported after ED assessment when compared to those transported directly from the scene. Further studies should evaluate whether SCENE transfer is both a cost-effective and time-saving strategy for limb-salvage patients.
Charged Particle Impact on Electrified Surfaces

Here, we follow a recent analysis of Zohdi [4], the impact of particles on electrified surfaces has wide-ranging applications, for example, in coating technologies. A single particle impacting a surface will rebound according to the basic laws governing a conservation of linear momentum, in conjunction with restitution relations and friction laws.
Roles of spatial scale in quantifying stock–recruitment relationships for American lobsters in the inshore Gulf of Maine

It is well known in ecological studies that the choice of spatial scale can influence the possibility of detecting ecological patterns and the type of patterns observed. However, this has rarely been evaluated for fish stock–recruitment (SR) dynamics. Inappropriate scales may result in failure to identify possible SR relationships, especially for species with complicated life history and stock structure and locally generated recruitment. Using American lobster (Homarus americanus) in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) as an example, we tested the hypotheses that the SR relationship is detectable only at certain spatial scales and the functional SR relationships vary with spatial scales. We estimated the SR relationship separately for American lobster in the eastern and western GOM, which have strongly differing oceanographic conditions that may result in different suitable spatial scale and SR dynamics for lobster. We analyzed data of 11 different spatial scales using a Bayesian method. The model fit and performance...
Constructing a Time-Invariant Measure of the Socio-economic Status of U.S. Census Tracts

Contextual research on time and place requires a consistent measurement instrument for neighborhood conditions in order to make unbiased inferences about neighborhood change. We develop such a time-invariant measure of neighborhood socio-economic status (NSES) using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses fit to census data at the tract level from the 1990 and 2000 U.S. Censuses and the 2008–2012 American Community Survey. A single factor model fit the data well at all three time periods, and factor loadings—but not indicator intercepts—could be constrained to equality over time without decrement to fit. After addressing remaining longitudinal measurement bias, we found that NSES increased from 1990 to 2000, and then—consistent with the timing of the “Great Recession”—declined in 2008–2012 to a level approaching that of 1990. Our approach for evaluating and adjusting for time-invariance is not only instructive for studies of NSES but also more generally for longitudinal studies in which the variable of interest is a latent construct.