cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intraoperative Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy (IENB) to Localize Peripheral Lung Lesions: A New Technique in the Pediatric Oncology Population

Abstract Background : The utility, diagnostic yield and accuracy of lung biopsies in pediatric oncology patients are variable. Here we describe our preliminary results using intraoperative electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (IENB) for peripheral lung lesions to increase the surgical yield and accuracy in pediatric oncology patients. Methods : From May 2018 until October 2020 all surgical lung biopsies on pediatric oncology patients were performed using IENB technology. IENB and tattooing with methylene blue dye, Indocyanine green dye or both followed by Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) was performed in the same setting. Data were collected retrospectively. Data points included diagnosis, technical success, pathologic diagnosis and alteration in treatment management and complications. Results : A total of 10 biopsy procedures were performed on 8 patients during the study. The youngest patient was 7 years old. All had successful IENB with tattooing. All biopsies were diagnostic. No procedures were converted to open. There were no technical failures or procedure complications. One patient had a total of 11 biopsies, 6 from the right lung and 5 from the left, performed at 2 separate procedures. Another had 2 biopsies, one from the right lung and one from the left performed at the same operation. In 7 of the 8 patients treatment changes were made based on results of their biopsy. Conclusion : Here we present the first described experience of IENB and tattooing of peripheral lung lesions in the pediatric population. We have shown that IENB for peripheral lung lesion localization is a safe and effective technique in pediatric oncology.
A Note on the Accounting Model for Problem Real Estate Loans

Real estate lenders are required to account for troubled real estate loans under guidance provided by generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). GAAP prescribes that cash flows of a troubled ...
Development and Deployment of Slotted Anode Technology at Alcoa

Alcoa started slotted anode development and plant trials in 1998. Nearly all Alcoa prebake smelters are now running with slotted anodes. Implementation of slotted anodes has required little or no capital investment and has generally achieved improvements in current efficiency, power efficiency and pot stability. The success was not completely incident free and it became clear that the slotted anodes changed the behavior of many factors in the pot. This paper provides a brief view of slotted anode development and deployment on different cell technologies at Alcoa. The chronological development is described along with comparative performance. Some of the negative aspects of slotted anodes in different technologies are also presented.
Computing row and column counts for sparse QR and LU factorization

We present algorithms to determine the number of nonzeros in each row and column of the factors of a sparse matrix, for both the QR factorization and the LU factorization with partial pivoting. The algorithms use only the nonzero structure of the input matrix, and run in time nearly linear in the number of nonzeros in that matrix. They may be used to set up data structures or schedule parallel operations in advance of the numerical factorization. The row and column counts we compute are upper bounds on the actual counts. If the input matrix is strong Hall and there is no coincidental numerical cancellation, the counts are exact for QR factorization and are the tightest bounds possible for LU factorization. These algorithms are based on our earlier work on computing row and column counts for sparse Cholesky factorization, plus an efficient method to compute the column elimination tree of a sparse matrix without explicitly forming the product of the matrix and its transpose.
A universal programming language

In this paper, we describe a programming language based on constraints. Unlike former approaches, its interpreter propagates sets of possible values (rather than single values) through a network of constraints. During the propagation process, the value sets are filtered to obtain consistent subsets, or new values are computed for the undetermined variables from the set of given variables. Constraint relations can be described in several ways. Finite relations can be represented straightforwardly by enumerating their extensions. Infinite relations can be described intensionally by patterns. More complex relations can be represented by constraint networks and hierarchies of constraint networks. Several control strategics are provided which compute local consistency as well as globally consistent solutions. It is sketched how to realize a compiler for the language, which optimizes constraint descriptions at definition time. As a result, combinatorical explosion can be reduced, depending on the number of variables used in a constraint description.
Statistical Physics of Unzipping DNA

The denaturation of double-stranded DNA as function of force and temperature is discussed. At room temperature, sequence heterogeneity dominates the physics of single molecule force-extension curves starting about 7 piconewtons of below a ∼15 pN unzipping transition. The dynamics of the unzipping fork exhibits anomalous drift and diffusion in a similar range above this transition. Energy barriers near the transition scale as the square root of the genome size. Recent observations of jumps and plateaus in the unzipping of lambda phage DNA at constant force are consistent with these predictions.
Spin-Up Studies of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Main Gear Tire

One of the factors needed to describe the wear behavior of the Space Shuttle Orbiter main gear tires is their behavior during the spin-up process. An experimental investigation of tire spin-up processes was conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center's Aircraft Landing Dynamics Facility. During the investigation, the influence of various parameters such as forward speed and sink speed on tire spin-up forces were evaluated. A mathematical model was developed to estimate drag forces and spin-up times and is presented. The effect of prerotation was explored and is discussed. Also included is a means of determining the sink speed of the orbiter at touchdown based upon the appearance of the rubber deposits left on the runway during spinup.
EFFECTS OF SOME MECHANICAL FACTORS ON THE ENDOSPORES OF BACILLUS SUBTILIS

Knaysi, Georges (Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y.) and Harold R. Curran. Effects of some mechanical factors on the endospores of Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 82:691-694. 1961.-Phase contrast microscopy was used to study incipient spore germination and early growth under conditions involving agitation with a platinum wire loop, sonic oscillation, and freezing and thawing. Treatment resulted in change in optical properties and destruction of a certain proportion of the spores. Up to one-tenth of the spores was destroyed by loop agitation. Sonic oscillation had little apparent effect upon incipient germination (darkening) of the spores, but subsequent development involving growth was stimulated in a considerable proportion. The effect of freezing and thawing upon incipient germination is discussed.
Neurobiology and Endocrinology for Animal Behaviorists

This chapter provides an answer to a question posed by modern animal behaviorist about what is the cause of a behavior. To answer this question the discussion covers basic background about neural, endocrine, and sensory systems that is necessary for understanding animal behavior. Form the observation it is found that neurotransmitters can set an animal's behavioral responsiveness and prime an animal to behave appropriately in a given context. They are responsible for states that resemble mood in animals. Concentration of neural function in a brain allows for more control over complex functions and brain complexity is correlated with behavioral complexity. The central and peripheral parts of the nervous system coordinate behavior; reflex loops provide a basic model for coordination of behavioral responses. The interaction between hormones and behavior is concluded to be intricate. For vertebrates, numerous hormones, including estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, prolactin, oxytocin, and vasopressin, affect behaviors as well as physiology. Juvenile hormone and ecdysone are especially important in the behavior of some invertebrates because it promotes many behaviors, including mating and labor in social insects.
Multi-mode Hybrid Plasmonic Waveguides with Enhanced Confinement and Propagation

A hybrid waveguide, which consists of a dielectric wire above a dielectric-metal interface, has been previously proposed to achieve high confinement with low loss. By exciting this geometry with an aperture in the metal that takes advantage of the extraordinary transmission through subwavelength apertures, it is possible to strongly couple to multiple modes. The real part of the fundamental mode is in fact capable of exceeding the index of refraction of all the materials used while maintaining a manageable imaginary part, as a result of appropriate choice of materials for the dielectric wire and the metal. In addition, as the confinement of the second mode is comparable to that of the fundamental mode but has a much longer propagation length, this mode can be utilized in light-guiding applications where enhanced confinement and propagation is desired.
A-Kinase Anchor Proteins as Potential Regulators of Protein Kinase A Function in Oocytes

In the mammalian oocyte, the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) has critical functions in the maintenance of meiotic arrest and oocyte maturation. Because PKA is spatially regulated, its localization was examined in developing oocytes. Both regulatory subunits (RI and RII) and the catalytic subunit (C) of PKA were found in oocytes and metaphase II-arrested eggs. In the oocyte, RI and C were predominantly localized in the cortical region, while RII showed a punctate distribution within the cytoplasm. After maturation to metaphase II, RI remained in the cortex and was also localized to the meiotic spindle, while RII was found adjacent to the spindle. C was diffuse within the cytoplasm of the egg but was enriched in the cytoplasm surrounding the metaphase spindle, much like RII. The polarized localization and redistribution of RI, RII, and C suggested that PKA might be tethered by A-kinase anchor proteins (AKAPs), proteins that tether PKA close to its physiological substrates. An AKAP, AKAP140, was identified that was developmentally regulated and phosphorylated in oocytes and eggs. AKAP140 was shown to be a dual-specific AKAP, having the ability to bind both RI and RII. By compartmentalizing PKA, AKAP140 and/or other AKAPs could spatially regulate PKA activity during oocyte development.
Application of life-cycle assessment to early stage building design for reduced embodied environmental impacts

Abstract Decisions made during a building's early design stages critically determine its environmental impact. However, designers are faced with many decisions during these stages and typically lack intuition on which decisions are most significant to a building's impact. As a result, designers often defer decisions to later stages of the design process. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) can be used to enable better early stage decision-making by providing feedback on the environmental impacts of building information modeling (BIM) design choices. This paper presents a method for applying LCA to early stage decision-making in order to inform designers of the relative environmental impact importance of building component material and dimensioning choices. Sensitivity analysis is used to generalize the method across a range of building shapes and design parameters. An impact allocation scheme is developed that shows the distribution of embodied impacts among building elements, and an impact reduction scheme shows which material and thickness decisions achieve the greatest embodied impact reductions. A multi-building residential development is used as a case study for introducing the proposed method to industry practice. Results show that the method can assist in the building design process by highlighting those early stage decisions that frequently achieve the most significant reductions in embodied carbon footprint.
Optimization of breaker schedules for stimulation of tight gas reservoirs

Abstract Breakers are a small portion of the total fracture fluids, but could be very critical in determining the fracture treatment effectiveness. Wrong selection of breaker may result in extended fracture cleanup in weeks or months. An optimized selection and design of breaker schedules help maximize fracture conductivity by cleaning up the proppant pack after a treatment. However, breaker selection and design still remains as a challenge. We conducted an extensive and complete investigation of breakers through a systematic and critical review of relevant publications in this area. We first presented the major breaker types and their own breaking mechanisms, then built guidelines in a flow chart for selection of breakers based on formation temperature, pressure, PH, salinity, and mineral compositions. We then developed a step-by-step procedure for optimizing breaker schedules and finally demonstrated with field case studies of two tight gas wells in Louisiana. The new knowledge helps one optimize breaker design and improve fracture treatments in tight gas wells.
New Drugs of Abuse

Drug abuse is a common problem and growing concern in the United States, and over the past decade, novel or atypical drugs have emerged and have become increasingly popular. Recognition and treatment of new drugs of abuse pose many challenges for health care providers due to lack of quantitative reporting and routine surveillance, and the difficulty of detection in routine blood and urine analyses. Furthermore, street manufacturers are able to rapidly adapt and develop new synthetic isolates of older drugs as soon as law enforcement agencies render them illegal. In this article, we describe the clinical and adverse effects and purported pharmacology of several new classes of drugs of abuse including synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones, salvia, desomorphine, and kratom. Because many of these substances can have severe or life-threatening adverse effects, knowledge of general toxicology is key in recognizing acute intoxication and overdose; however, typical toxidromes (e.g., cholinergic, sympathomimetic, opioid, etc.) are not precipitated by many of these agents. Medical management of patients who abuse or overdose on these drugs largely consists of supportive care, although naloxone may be used as an antidote for desomorphine overdose. Symptoms of aggression and psychosis may be treated with sedation (benzodiazepines, propofol) and antipsychotics (haloperidol or atypical agents such as quetiapine or ziprasidone). Other facets of management to consider include treatment for withdrawal or addiction, nutrition support, and potential for transmission of infectious diseases.
TGF-β Regulation by Emilin1: New Links in the Etiology of Hypertension

Hypertension is a complex disease influenced by multiple genetic and environmental factors. The TGF-beta signaling pathway has a long recognized role in blood pressure homeostasis. In this issue of Cell, Zacchigna et al. (2006) report that the secreted protein Emilin1 is a negative regulator of TGF-beta signaling. Emilin1 knockout mice display elevated blood pressure due to increased TGF-beta signaling in the vasculature.
Incidence and Predictors of Major Vascular Complications after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in the Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Platelet Inhibitor Era

Since the introduction of platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa inhibitors, reports of vascular complications after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have focused on bleeding and the need for surgical repair, whereas specific major vascular complications have been less consistently identified. Moreover, data from clinical trials may lack applicability to the general population. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of major vascular complications after PCI and to identify associated risk factors in patients routinely receiving GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors. During a 12-month period, 1,634 consecutive patients underwent PCI at a single institution. Clinical characteristics and procedural data were collected prospectively; data regarding vascular sheath removal were obtained retrospectively. Univariate and multivariable regression methods were used to identify independent predictors of major vascular complications. Major vascular complications occurred in 2.9% of patients. Multivariable analysis revealed advanced age (odds ratio [OR] 1.05, P = 0.0025) and female sex (OR 2.9, P = 0.0002) as clinical characteristics associated with major vascular complications, whereas hypertension had an inverse relationship (OR 0.46, P = 0.013). Procedural factors included use of the following: stents (OR 5.59, P 6F (OR 3.25, P = 0.016), and mechanical clamp (OR 2.71, P = 0.0012). The presence of a hematoma >4 cm2 had a positive predictive value of 12% for major vascular complications. The incidence of major vascular complications in this large, single-center study from the GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor era is consistent with data from the pre-GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor era and recent randomized trials. (J Interven Cardiol 2004;17:65–70)
Behavior Mapping: A Tool for Identifying Priorities for Health Education Curricula and Instruction

Abstract This article presents a model to help teachers and curriculum developers identify priorities for health instruction. The model combines ideas from many accepted theories commonly used in health education practice. These theories include the Health Belief Model (Becker, 1974; Janz & Becker, 1984), Social Learning Theory (Bandura, 1977; Parcel & Baranowski, 1981), social cognitive theory (Rosenstock, Strecher, & Becker, 1988), the PROCEED (Green & Kreuter, 1991), and PRECEDE models (Green et al., 1980), a comprehensive model of change (Prochaska & DiClemeente, 1982, 1986), and the Theory of Reasoned Action (Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). Teachers could use the model to determine priority areas for instruction. Curriculum developers could use it for planning what to include in a curriculum and how to sequence lessons. School health specialists could use it to select appropriate curricula, to identify realistic expectations for health instructional programs, and to identify common components of categorical...
Tris (2,2′‐bipyridyl)ruthenium (III) as a chemiluminescent reagent for detection in capillary electrophresis

A post- column chemiluminescent technique for thedetection of compounds that are poor chromoshores using electorogenerated chemiluminescence following separation by capillartgy electrophoresis is described. The luminrescent signal is generated followintg the reaction of anlyres (e.g. amines) with Ru(bpy)33+, which isx electrochemically generated post-columan from Ru(bpy)32+. Tripropylamine and proline are used as two model compounds to demostrate the feasibility of the method. Detection limits for the prototype system were in the micromolar rage, suggesting that this technnique offers an alternative to indirect detection of compounds that are poor chromophores with an added selectivity advangage. The system includes the use of a conductive joint to isolate the separation field from the potential necessary to drive the elctrogenerated chemiluminescent reactiion. Addition of the chemiluminescent reagent Ru(bpy)32+ post-column did not decrease the efficiency of the separation. The design and favrication of the novel cell is discussed.
Current Trends in Optical Glass Development

Computers, environmental regulations, and new materials provide new opportunities and challenges for the age-old art and science of optical glass fabrication.
Reduction of childhood mortality through millennium development goal 4.

Will not be maximised unless injury prevention is integrated into the overall plan Millennium development goal 4 aims to reduce mortality in children under 5 years by two thirds between 1990 and 2015. Unfortunately, as of 2010, among the 67 countries with high child mortality (≥40 deaths/1000 live births), only 10 are on track to meet this target.1 At the millennium development goal summit in September 2010, the general assembly of the United Nations adopted an outcome document that expressed “deep concerns that [progress] falls short of what is needed.”2 The lack of focus on prevention of childhood injury in many countries is exacerbating the failure to meet the target⇓. GMB Akash/Panos About 830 000 children under 18 years die each year as a result of unintentional injuries, including road traffic injuries, poisoning, falls, burns, and drowning. In addition, tens of millions of children require acute hospital care or long term rehabilitation for non-fatal injuries. Globally, injuries are the leading cause of death for children aged 10-19 years, and road traffic injuries and drowning account for nearly half of all unintentional injuries to children.3 More than 260 000 children die as a result of road traffic injuries each year, and up to 10 million more are non-fatally injured.3 Both …
Absorption in an Elsasser-model band: A table of the inverse complementary error function

Abstract In the Elsasser model of an absorption band, strong-line approximation, the optical path length is proportional to (inverfc T)2, where T is the transmittance and inverfc x represents the inverse complementary error function. Inverfc x and its first derivative are tabulated for x = 0 (0.01) 1; 7D; and for x = 10-6, 10-5, 10-4, 10-3; 8S.
Quantum theory of slow atomic collisions

Quantum-mechanical and semiclassical theories of slow atomic collisions are reviewed, with attention to electron-translation factors and their effects.
THE ORBITS OF THE MAJOR SATURNIAN SATELLITES AND THE GRAVITY FIELD OF SATURN FROM SPACECRAFT AND EARTH-BASED OBSERVATIONS

We have fitted numerically integrated orbits for the major Saturnian satellites to a large set of astrometric observations over the time interval 1966 September to 2003 December and to data obtained with the Pioneer 11, Voyager, and Cassini spacecraft. The results of the fit are new ephemerides for the satellites and a revised gravity field for the Saturnian system. We include an accuracy assessment for the ephemerides and the gravity parameters.
Thyroid-imipramine clinical and chemical interaction: Evidence for a receptor deficit in depression

Abstract Normal women were given imipramine (IMP) plus placebo (P) or IMP plus triiodothyronine (T3). Depressed women were given IMP plus P or IMP plus thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Urine was collected and assayed for various amines and metabolites. In normal women treatments tended to diminish the excretion rates of normetanephrine (NMN), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy phenylglycol (MHPG), and vanilmandelic acid (VMA). Treatments increased the excretion of tryptamine (TA). The addition of T3 to IMP increased the excretion of 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). In depressed women pretreatment excretion rates were normal for all substances save VMA, which was slightly increased, and 5-HIAA, which was greatly increased. Treatments (IMP+P or IMP+TSH) tended to increase the excretion of NMN, a finding in contrast to that which occured in normals. MHPG and VMA tended to diminish. TA increased consistently and 5-HIAA rose when TSH was added to IMP. Close attention was paid to the rate of clinical change in the patient population. IMP+ TSH patients improved faster than IMP+P patients. However, the onset of chemical changes was not affected save TSH accelerated the onset of 5-HIAA elevation. The present data and previously reported data are discussed in such manner as to suggest that in some depressed patients there may exist a deficit in aminergic receptor sensitivity. The postulated deficit appears to be compensated in the periphery but not in the brain. Even when receptor sensitivity is normal, an induced increment as produced by adjunctive hormone treatment, may contribute to recovery.
Barium-140 radioactivity in foods.

Ba/sup 140/ was observed in deer and cattle in the summer of 1956, presumably the result of nuclear tests. However, no commercial beef was found to be contaminated. In the months of June, July, and August of 1957 the isotope appeared in milk samples in the United States. The dates and concentrations of Ba/sup 140/ in powdered milk is summarized for those locations at which the Ba/ sup 140/ gamma activity exceeded that of natural K/sup 40/. (J.S.R.)
Giant extraskeletal osteochondroma of the plantar midfoot arch.

Osteochondromas found within the soft tissue without osseous or intra-articular involvement are better described as extraskeletal osteochondromas. They are slow-growing, benign, osseous tumors, and are often misdiagnosed as conventional osteochondromas. Though extraskeletal osteochondromas are rare, they typically affect the digits of the hands or feet. We present a patient with a giant symptomatic extraskeletal osteochondroma that developed in the plantar medial longitudinal arch of the foot. To the authors' knowledge, this is the largest isolated extraskeletal osteochondroma in the arch of the foot identified in the literature. The diagnosis of an extraskeletal osteochondroma should be considered when a well-defined osseous mass occurs in the soft tissue. Level of Clinical Evidence: 4.
Ca2+ channel moving tail: link between Ca2+-induced inactivation and Ca2+ signal transduction.

Abstract Ca 2+ -induced inactivation is an important property of L-type voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels. However, the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood well. There is general agreement that calmodulin (CaM) binds, in a Ca 2+ -dependent manner, to C-terminal motifs LA and IQ of the pore-forming α1c-subunit and acts as a sensor that conveys Ca 2+ -induced inactivation. New data indicate that both Ca 2+ -induced inactivation and Ca 2+ signal transduction depend on the voltage-gated mobility of the C-terminal tail of the α1c-subunit. It is proposed that LA is a Ca 2+ -sensitive lock for the mechanism of slow voltage-dependent inactivation of the channel. A Ca 2+ -dependent switch of CaM from LA to IQ removes CaM from the inner mouth of the pore and thus eliminates slow inactivation by facilitating the constriction of the pore. The mobile tail then shuttles the Ca 2+ –CaM–IQ complex to a downstream target of the Ca 2+ signaling cascade, where Ca 2+ is released as an activating stimulus. Apo–CaM rebinds to LA and returns to the pore for a new cycle of Ca 2+ signal transduction.
Arthroscopic treatment of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the humeral head

Shoulder arthroscopy was performed on a 52-year-old man for the treatment of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the humeral head. The removal of loose bodies and joint debridement has successfully improved the patient's functional status through relief of pain, improved range of motion, and elimination of locking. This case suggests another use of arthroscopy in the treatment of shoulder pathology.
Chronic brain tissue remodeling after stroke in rat: A 1-year multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging study

Rats subjected to 2h of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion were studied temporally over 1 year by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and behavioral testing. Multiparameter MRI measures of T(2), T(1), T(1) in the presence of off-resonance saturation of the bound proton signal (T(1sat)), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) were obtained at 1 day, 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks, and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post-ischemia. Regions of interest included: ischemic core (damaged both at 1 day and later); new lesion (normal at 1 day, but damaged later); and recovery (damaged at 1 day, but normal later) areas. Hematoxylin and eosin, Prussian blue and ED-1, a monoclonal antibody murine macrophage marker, stainings were performed for histological assessment. Core area T(2) and ADC values increased until ~6 months, and T(1) and T(1sat) until ~12 months. New lesion area MRI parameter values increased until ~6 months (T(2), T(1) and ADC), or ~1 year (T(1sat)). Lesion area was largest at 1day (mean±SD: 37.0±13.7mm(2)) and smallest at 1 year (18.1±10.5mm(2)). Recovery area was largest at 3 weeks (8.9±3.8mm(2)) and smallest at 1year (6.4±3.3mm(2)). The ipsilateral/contralateral ventricle area ratio was 0.7±0.2 at 1 day and increased significantly at 1 year (2.4±0.7). Iron-laden macrophages, histologically confirmed at 1 year, were detected in the lesion borders by SWI at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Our data indicate that MRI detectable changes of ischemia-damaged brain tissue continue for at least 1 year post-ischemia.
Origins of the mafic and ultramafic rocks in the Ronda peridotite

Abstract The Ronda peridotite massif in southern Spain originated from the upper mantle, evidently as a rapidly rising diapir. Major and trace element abundance trends of the peridotites reflect their origin as residues from partial melting of garnet lherzolite. About 5% of the massif consists of mafic rocks, mainly pyroxenites and gabbros. They occur as concordant layers amidst the peridotites, and these layers do not cross-cut each other. However, major and trace element data show that the mafic layers do not have the geochemical characteristics of primary melts. We conclude that crystal/liquid fractionation occurred at high pressures ( > 19 kbar) as melts migrated through magma conduits towards the cooler exterior portion of the diapir. This process generated a sequence of “cumulates” (mainly clinopyroxene + orthopyroxene + spinel and clinopyroxene + garnet) along the walls of the conduits which are now represented by the mafic layers.
Duality of I Projections and Maximum Likelihood Estimation for Log-Linear Models Under Cone Constraints

Abstract Important order restrictions and general log-linear models for multinomial experiments can often be expressed by requiring that the vector composed of the logs of the probabilities fall within a closed convex cone. Here we exhibit a duality relationship (by way of a Fenchel duality theorem) between these types of problems and projections in I-divergence geometry. We show that many cone-constrained maximum likelihood estimation problems are exactly equivalent to an I projection onto a translation of the negative polar cone. This duality relationship permits the concise characterization of cone-restricted maximum likelihood estimates and the use of iterative algorithms proposed by Csiszar (1975) and Dykstra (1985b), which are analogous to the iterative proportional-fitting procedure. Computational aspects of maximum likelihood estimates are discussed, and a relationship with least squares projections onto isotonic cones is presented. We discuss examples in detail to exhibit the usefulness and power...
Constraining the Air Giants: Limits on Size in Flying Animals as an Example of Constraint-Based Biomechanical Theories of Form

The study of biomechanics most often takes a classic adaptationist approach, examining the functional abilities of organisms in relation to what is allowed by physical parameters. This approach generally assumes strong selection and is less concerned with evolutionary stochasticity in determining the presence of biological traits. It is equally important, however, to consider the importance of constraint in determining the form of organisms. If selection is relatively weak compared to stochastic events, then the observed forms in living systems can be taken not as those shapes that were strongly selected for, so much as those forms that do not violate physical rules and therefore persist. Using the problem of maximum animal size as a case study for this alternative biomechanical philosophy, I demonstrate one example of how biomechanical approaches can be used to study constraint and consider the concept of absent forms. This alternative mindset and approach produces a complementary system to the traditional form and function approach in biomechanics. The two philosophies can be used in conjunction to better understand biological systems. I focus particularly on the maximum size of flying animals, as they are a heavily constrained class of system that has also been shaped by substantial stochasticity.
Uncertainty in urban forest canopy assessment: Lessons from Seattle, WA, USA

Abstract Increasing urbanization around the globe is leading to concern over the loss of tree canopy within cities, but quantifying urban forest canopy cover can be difficult. We discuss methods of assessing canopy cover within cities, and then use a case study of Seattle, WA, USA to examine issues of uncertainty in canopy cover assessment. We find that uncertainty is often not reported, and when reported, may be biased. Based on these findings, we provide a list of recommendations for those undertaking canopy cover assessment in complex urban environments.
Mechanistic basis for low threshold mechanosensitivity in voltage-dependent K+ channels

Living cells respond to mechanical forces applied to their outer membrane through processes referred to as “mechanosensation”. Faced with hypotonic shock, to circumvent cell lysis, bacteria open large solute-passing channels to reduce the osmotic pressure gradient. In the vascular beds of vertebrate animals blood flow is regulated directly through mechanical distention-induced opening of stretch-activated channels in smooth muscle cells. Touch sensation is thought to originate in mechanically sensitive ion channels in nerve endings, and hearing in mechanically sensitive ion channels located in specialized cells of the ear. While the ubiquity of mechanosensation in living cells is evident, the ion channels underlying the transduction events in vertebrate animals have remained elusive. Here we demonstrate through electrophysiological recordings that voltage-dependent K+ (Kv) channels exhibit exquisite sensitivity to small (physiologically relevant in magnitude) mechanical perturbations of the cell membrane. The demonstrated mechanosensitivity is quantitatively consistent with membrane tension acting on a late-opening transition through stabilization of a dilated pore. This effect causes a shift in the voltage range over which Kv channels open as well as an increase in the maximum open probability. This mechanically induced shift could allow Kv channels and perhaps other voltage-dependent ion channels to play a role in mechanosensation.
Influence of genetic variation of the β2-adrenergic receptor on lung diffusion in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Abstract Rationale Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a disease that adversely affects the lung resulting in a reduction in lung diffusion. Stimulation of the β2-adrenergic receptors mediates mucociliary clearance and bronchodilation. We sought to determine the influence of an inhaled β-agonist on the diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO), alveolar-capillary membrane conductance (DM), pulmonary capillary blood volume (Vc), and peripheral oxygen saturation (SaO2) in subjects with CF, when compared to matched healthy subjects, according to genetic variation of the β2-adrenergic receptor (ADRB2). Methods To determine this we recruited 18 subjects with CF and 20 healthy subjects (age = 23 ± 7 vs. 24±4years; ht = 168 ± 8 vs. 174 ± 12 cm; wt = 64 ± 16 vs. 70 ± 13 kg; BMI = 23 ± 4 vs. 23±3 kg/m2; FEV1 = 72 ± 27 vs. 92 ± 12%pred; VO2peak = 45 ± 25 vs. 99 ± 24%pred, p Results Within the healthy group, there were no differences in DLCO, DM, VC, DM/VC at baseline or in response to albuterol according to genetic variation of the ADRB2 at amino acid 27. Within the CF group, the Glu27Glu/Gln27Glu group had higher DM/VC and SaO2 when compared to the Gln27Gln group at baseline (p Conclusion These results suggest that there are differences in lung diffusion and peripheral SaO2 according to genetic variation of the ADRB2 at position 27 which could play a potential role in dosing options or adjustments that may be required according to genotype.
Design Space Analysis of Distributed Compliance in Segmented Beam Templates of Compliant Mechanisms

A significant amount of research has been conducted in developing optimal synthesis techniques for compliant mechanisms with the expectation that distributed devices would result from the continuum design domain. However, it is commonly noted that much of this work has resulted in mechanisms that show localized rather than distributed compliance. This behavior has been attributed to a variety of sources including numerical discrepancies in the model, objective function formulation, and design parameterizations. In this paper, the nature of compliance distribution over particular objective function formulations and design parameterization are further considered in the absence of numerical or resolution issues. The intent is to better understand the behavior of the objective function over multidimensional subsets of the design space that include a direct measure for distribution of compliance. The approach is based on a simple, representative compliant mechanism formed as a segmented beam model. This mechanism is considered to be representative of compliant mechanism behavior in systems where elastic deformation is dominated by bending. Closed-form solutions for the elastic response of this representative mechanism are presented and parametric studies of the response of traditional objectives over subsets of the design space are conducted. The results show that in the absence of numeric artifacts, mechanism efficiencies are improved as mechanisms tend toward lumped compliance when single objectives are considered on mechanisms dominated by bending. However, when more than one objective is deemed important in the design, there exist preferred regions of the workspace, not necessarily in a lumped region, that depend largely on the interaction of the multiple objectives. Of these preferred regions, one lies in a moderately lumped region (h2 /h1 ≈ 0.2) and one in a distributed region (h2 /h1 ≈ 0.7). The designs in these regions reveal a higher viability in simultaneously satisfying the multiple objectives. This result is based on a visualization of the design space based on measuring the correlation of a multiple objectives over the design space. The results demonstrate several of the factors which contribute to this behavior, and provide an initial measure of the importance of each. Finally, suggestions are provided based on these results that can be used to improve the optimization process if the desire is to achieve distributed compliance.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Measure specific dynamic importance sampling for availability simulations

This paper considers the application of importance sampling to simulations of highly available systems. By regenerative process theory, steady state performance measures of a Markov chain take the form of a ratio. Analysis of a simple three state Birth and Death process shows that the optimal (zero variance) importance sampling distributions for the numerator and denominator of this ratio are quite different and are both dynamic in that they do not correspond directly to time homogeneous Markov chains. Analysis of this three state example suggests heuristics for choosing effective importance sampling distributions for more complex models of highly available systems. These heuristics are applied to a large model of computer system availability. The example shows that additional variance reduction over that previously reported can be obtained by simulating the numerator and denominator independently with different dynamic importance sampling distributions.
Application of Evicel to cavernous nerves of the rat does not influence erectile function in vivo.

Objectives To evaluate the effect of the fibrin sealant, Evicel, on the neuroregulatory control of penile erections in an experimental rat model. Methods Two groups of rats were used: sham-operated rats with exposure of the bilateral cavernous nerves (CNs) and application of saline vehicle (500 μL), and rats treated with direct application of Evicel (500 μL) bilaterally to the CNs. At 14 and 45 days after application of Evicel to the CNs, the CNs were stimulated to measure the in vivo erectile responses. Additionally, we evaluated the neuronal nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity in the dorsal CNs of the penis and changes in the smooth muscle and collagen deposition in the penis using a trichrome stain. Results Evicel application to the CNs did not have any detrimental effect on the neurogenic erectile responses in vivo at 14 or 45 days after application. The neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression in the dorsal CNs of the penis was unchanged after Evicel application at all points studied, and we saw no change in the histomorphometric analysis findings of smooth muscle and collagen deposition in the penis. Conclusion These data suggest that the hemostatic agent, Evicel, is safe in an experimental rat model of erection physiology, with no detrimental effects on neuroregulatory control of erection.
HbA1c for the Diagnosis of Diabetes and Prediabetes: Is It Time for a Mid-Course Correction?

For article see page 5289 This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and Merit Award 5I01CX000121-02), the Ursich Family Award, and the Michigan Diabetes Research and Training Center (National Institutes of Health Grant DK020572). Disclosure Summary: R.M.C. has served as a consultant for Roche Diagnostics. S.H. and W.H.H. have nothing to declare. Abbreviations: FPG, Fasting plasma glucose; HbA1c, hemoglobin A1c; RBC, red blood cell.
Clinical benefits of leukocyte filtration during valve surgery.

Abstract Background The accumulation of activated leukocytes in the pulmonary circulation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of lung dysfunction associated with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Patients undergoing valve surgery have prolonged CPB owing to the complexity of the surgery. The goal of this study is to determine if arterial leukocyte filters during CPB improve clinical outcomes after valve surgery. Methods A prospective analysis of all patients receiving only valve surgery with leukocyte arterial filters from June 1999 to June 2002 was compared with a case matched cohort during the same time period. Two hundred fifty patients were identified and compared with a cohort who did not have leukocyte filters used during CPB. The following study points were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively: white blood cell count, platelet count, arterial blood gas, time to extubation, intensive care unit stay, and total length of hospital stay. Results There were 500 patients in the study. The following valve operations were performed: 92 mitral valve replacements, 168 aortic valve replacements, 152 mitral valve repairs, 80 combined valve repair/replacements, and 8 tricuspid valve repairs, all evenly divided between the two treatment limbs. Patients with leukocyte filters had the following findings compared with nonfilter patients: The time to extubation 10.3 versus 16.2 hours ( P = 0.009), postoperative respiratory quotient 407 versus 320 ( P = 0.02), total length of stay 5.4 versus 7.2 days ( P = 0.04). Conclusions The use of arterial leukocyte filters in patients undergoing valve surgery leads to earlier extubation, improved oxygenation, and a decreased length of stay. Leukocyte filters should be used during CPB for patients having valve surgery.
Transient Environmental Sensitivities of Explicitly Simulated Tropical Convection

Abstract A three-dimensional cloud-resolving model, maintained in a statistically steady convecting state by tropics-like forcing, is subjected to sudden (10 min) stimuli consisting of horizontally homogeneous temperature and/or moisture sources with various profiles. Ensembles of simulations are used to increase the statistical robustness of the results and to assess the deterministic nature of the model response for domain sizes near contemporary global model resolution. The response to middle- and upper-tropospheric perturbations is predominantly local in the vertical: convection damps the imposed stimulus over a few hours. Low-level perturbations are similarly damped, but also produce a vertically nonlocal response: enhancement or suppression of new deep convective clouds extending above the perturbed level. Experiments show that the “effective inhibition layer” for deep convection is about 4 km deep, far deeper than traditional convective inhibition defined for undilute lifted parcels. Both the local...
CPUs and GPUs: Who Owns the Future?

This column addresses issues facing CPUs, GPUs, and how to program them and other computing devices.
Review of the methods to form hydrogen peroxide in electrical discharge plasma with liquid water

This paper presents a review of the literature dealing with the formation of hydrogen peroxide from plasma processes. Energy yields for hydrogen peroxide generation by plasma from water span approximately three orders of magnitude from 4 ? 10?2 to 80?g?kWh?1. A wide range of plasma processes from rf to pulsed, ac, and dc discharges directly in the liquid phase have similar energy yields and may thus be limited by radical quenching processes at the plasma?liquid interface. Reactor modification using discharges in bubbles and discharges over the liquid phase can provide modest improvements in energy yield over direct discharge in the liquid, but the interpretation is complicated by additional chemical reactions of gas phase components such as ozone and nitrogen oxides. The highest efficiency plasma process utilizes liquid water droplets that may enhance efficiency by sequestering hydrogen peroxide in the liquid and by suppressing decomposition reactions by radicals from the gas and at the interface. Kinetic simulations of water vapor reported in the literature suggest that plasma generation of hydrogen peroxide should approach 45% of the thermodynamics limit, and this fact coupled with experimental studies demonstrating improvements with the presence of the condensed liquid phase suggest that further improvements in energy yield may be possible. Plasma generation of hydrogen peroxide directly from water compares favorably with a number of other methods including electron beam, ultrasound, electrochemical and photochemical methods, and other chemical processes.
Ionisation from the 3s sub-level of highly charged ions

Scaled electron-impact cross sections are calculated for ionization from the 3s sublevel of hydrogenic ions with Z equal infinity by use of the Born exchange or the Coulomb-Born Oppenheimer approximation (which is exact, apart from relativistic corrections, in this limit). The results are fitted to an analytic expression which goes into the correct Bethe approximation result at high energies and which can readily be integrated over a Maxwellian electron velocity distribution to obtain collision rates. These results permit calculation of the approximate cross section and collision rate for ionization from the 3s sublevel of any highly charged ion with Z/N larger than approximately 2. Results obtained by the described procedure for Fe-14(+) and Fe-15(+) are compared with results obtained by other procedures.