cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Permalloy stoichiometry by nuclear backscattering

The high mass-resolution capability of nuclear backscattering spectrometry with 4.7 MeV 4He ion beams has been used to study the stoichiometry of thin permalloy (NiFe) films. For film thicknesses ≤, 250 A, the backscattering signals from isotopes of Ni and Fe are sufficiently resolved to allow accurate determination of stoichiometry; the Ni fraction can be determined to better than ± 1%. Studies of the dependence of NiFe film stoichiometry on deposition method, film thickness and oxygen contamination indicate that NiFe stoichiometry is independent of film thickness and oxygen contamination, but electron-beam evaporation produces films slightly richer in Ni than does sputtering.
A new statistical methodology predicting chip failure probability considering electromigration

Abstract We present a new approach to analyze chip reliability due to electromigration (EM). This new approach utilizes the statistical nature of EM failure in order to assess overall EM risk. It includes within-die temperature variations from the chip’s temperature map extracted by an Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool to estimate the failure probability of a design. We first used the traditional EM approach to analyze the design with a single temperature across the entire chip that involves six metal and five via layers. Next, we used the same traditional approach but with a realistic temperature map. A comparison between these two results confirms that using a temperature map yields a less pessimistic estimation of the chip’s EM risk. Finally, we employed the statistical methodology developed by us considering a temperature map and different use-condition voltages and frequencies to estimate the overall failure probability of the chip. The results of this statistical analysis confirm that the chip level failure probability is higher (i) at higher use-condition frequencies for all use-condition voltages, and (ii) when a single temperature instead of a temperature map across the chip is considered.
Endovascular stent implantation in the pulmonary arteries of infants and children without the use of a long vascular sheath.

Endovascular stent implantation for pulmonary artery stenosis requires the use of a long, large-bore vascular sheath to insure precise implantation without embolization or malposition. A long vascular sheath may be difficult to position and usage may be associated with vascular compromise and/or hemodynamic embarrassment, especially in infants and small children. We report a new technique for pulmonary artery endovascular stent implantation without the use of a long sheath. From December 2000 to May 2001, 10 patients underwent implantation of 13 Palmaz Corinthian premounted biliary transhepatic stents for pulmonary artery stenosis. Median age was 0.8 years (range, 0.5-18.5) and median weight was 11.8 kg (range, 4.6-65). Patient diagnoses were tetralogy of Fallot (five), double outlet right ventricle (three), branch peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis (two), single ventricle s/p cavopulmonary shunt (one), and truncus arteriosus (one). All Palmaz Corinthian stents were delivered uncovered on Cordis Opta LP balloon catheters via short sheaths (6-7 Fr); super-stiff guidewires were not always necessary. These stents, with a maximal expanded diameter of 12 mm, were placed for peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis as a definitive procedure or at the pulmonary artery bifurcation in patients who were expected to undergo future open heart surgery. The stents were initially implanted on 4, 6, or 8 mm balloon catheters and further expanded if needed. Stents were placed in the right pulmonary artery alone in three patients, left pulmonary artery alone in four patients, and side-by-side stents were implanted simultaneously in three patients. All thirteen stents were implanted successfully in the desired location without stent malposition or embolization. Mean angiographic diameter increased from 2.5 +/- 1.5 to 5.7 +/- 1.4 mm (P < 0.01) and peak systolic ejection gradients decreased from 44 +/- 22 to 14 +/- 11.6 mm Hg (P < 0.01). The uncovered delivery of the premounted Palmaz Corinthian stent allowed for precise and safe endovascular stent implantation without the hemodynamic and technical problems associated with long vascular sheath usage. This technique is useful for the palliation of proximal pulmonary artery stenosis and is effective definitive treatment for peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis in small infants and children.
DNA replication in Escherichia coli 15T− growing at 20 °C

Abstract Escherichia coli 15T − grows slowly in succinate or aspartate-M9 media. In both media, a gap in DNA replication is observed at 37 °C which is either not present at 20 °C or of very much shorter duration than at 37 °C. However, dichotomous replication is not observed in glucose M9 at 20 °C. The results suggest that initiation of replication in glucose is different from that in aspartate or succinate cultures. Replication at 20 °C is faster than expected if cells were allowed to begin replicating their DNA at 37 °C; conversely, replication at 37 °C is slower than expected if cells began replicating their DNA at 20 °C.
Nonplanar earth-to-moon trajectories in the restricted three-body problem.

Nonplanar trajectory originating near Earth and passing close to Moon in restricted three-body problem
Collection Development Guidance through Reference Inquiry Analysis: A Study of Map Library Patrons and Their Needs

Collection usefulness can be analyzed through reference questions when circulation data is not available. A content analysis of reference questions in an academic map library was conducted and the queries examined for subject, geography, and user status over a six-year period. The study found that local information was overwhelmingly the most requested type of information regardless of patron type, and topographic and historical information were found to be the most requested subjects. Many levels of collection management can make use of this study's results, from standard collection building to de-accessioning to digitization priorities.
Test and analysis of an electro-optic dynamic diverging lens for three-dimensional optical memories

We present the experimental results of a two-dimensional electro-optic dynamic diverging lens for dynamic imaging. The device is based on a lanthanum-modified lead zirconate titanate ceramic wafer. It produces a smooth phase-modulation distribution, which almost eliminates the diffraction loss of interdigital electrodes and the interference among different diffraction orders that exist in most of these types of devices. The continual change of focal length in this device is achieved by an applied control voltage. A dynamic-imaging system is demonstrated. It can be used to address three-dimensional optical memories. The aberration of the device as compared with an ideal lens is also numerically evaluated. With minor modification to the applied voltage distribution on the device, its performance is comparable with that of an ideal lens.
Effect of jaw-thrust and continuous positive airway pressure on tidal breathing in deeply sedated infants

Abstract Objectives: To examine the physiologic impact of the jaw-thrust maneuver or the administration of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on tidal breathing in deeply sedated infants. Study design: Prospective, non-randomized study of infants undergoing elective fiberoptic bronchoscopy while sedated with intermittent doses of propofol. Methods: Spontaneous tidal breathing was measured in the supine position by means of a spirometer attached to a bronchoscopy face mask. Tidal breaths were recorded under the following conditions: (1) neutral sniffing position, (2) jaw-thrust, (3) neutral sniffing position, and (4) CPAP of 5 cm H 2 O. Improvement was defined as a change of more than twice the coefficient of variation of repeated measurements of tidal volume and flows from baseline. Results: Jaw-thrust increased tidal volume, minute ventilation, and peak tidal inspiratory and expiratory flows significantly in all 13 infants studied (mean ± SEM age=8 ± 2 months). CPAP increased peak tidal inspiratory and expiratory flows by more than twice the coefficient of variation of baseline measurements in 6 patients and tidal volume and minute ventilation in 5 of 10 patients studied. Conclusion: Jaw-thrust and CPAP are effective techniques to improve ventilation of sedated infants undergoing interventions that compromise upper airway patency. (J Pediatr 2001;138:826-30)
A primer on vesicle budding.

A basic scheme of transport vesicle formation is beginning to emerge (Figure 1Figure 1). Its central feature is the priming complex: an association of a small GTPase, a primer protein, and one or several other subunits of the vesicular coat, including a GTPase-activating protein. Formation of this complex is coat- and membrane-specific due to the restricted overlapping cellular distributions of primer proteins and GTPases in their GTP state; functionally essential vesicle proteins may prove crucial as primers for its nucleation; in the priming complex, coat proteins that recognize primers may change their conformation; and finally, the priming complex may decay after the GTPase is stimulated to hydrolyze GTP, giving rise to free GTPase and a polymeric coat on the membrane. The specific predictions that arise from this model may also apply to the uptake of membrane proteins into cellular transport vesicles with different coats, such as clathrin at the trans-Golgi network and the plasma membrane, or AP-3 in trans-Golgi network to endosome traffic.‡To whom correspondence should be addressed (e-mail: schekman@uclink4.berkeley.edu).
Mobile Relay Configuration in Data-Intensive Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are increasingly used in data-intensive applications such as microclimate monitoring, precision agriculture, and audio/video surveillance. A key challenge faced by data-intensive WSNs is to transmit all the data generated within an application's lifetime to the base station despite the fact that sensor nodes have limited power supplies. We propose using low-cost disposable mobile relays to reduce the energy consumption of data-intensive WSNs. Our approach differs from previous work in two main aspects. First, it does not require complex motion planning of mobile nodes, so it can be implemented on a number of low-cost mobile sensor platforms. Second, we integrate the energy consumption due to both mobility and wireless transmissions into a holistic optimization framework. Our framework consists of three main algorithms. The first algorithm computes an optimal routing tree assuming no nodes can move. The second algorithm improves the topology of the routing tree by greedily adding new nodes exploiting mobility of the newly added nodes. The third algorithm improves the routing tree by relocating its nodes without changing its topology. This iterative algorithm converges on the optimal position for each node given the constraint that the routing tree topology does not change. We present efficient distributed implementations for each algorithm that require only limited, localized synchronization. Because we do not necessarily compute an optimal topology, our final routing tree is not necessarily optimal. However, our simulation results show that our algorithms significantly outperform the best existing solutions.
Stemless self-quenching reporter molecules identify target sequences in mRNA.

Abstract The design of oligonucleotides for gene silencing requires a rational method for identifying hybridization-accessible sequences within the target RNA. To this end, we have developed stem–loop self-quenching reporter molecules (SQRMs) as probes for such sequence. SQRMs have a 5′ fluorophore, a quenching moiety on the 3′ end, an intervening sequence that forms an ∼5-basepaired stem, and a loop sequence of ∼20–30 bases. We have previously described a mapping strategy employing SQRMs to locate stem–loop structures in the target mRNA molecule. We now show that the original design constraint of a basepaired stem is not needed, either in vitro or in vivo. We propose that stemless probes possess sufficient signal-to-noise for use in vivo and that this ratio is an indication of hybridization of the probe to its target. Data showing that these SQRMs can specifically target and reduce c-Myb protein synthesis and can be used for real-time in vivo assays are presented.
Absorption of a randomly accelerated particle: recent results for partially absorbing and inelastic boundaries

Abstract Consider a particle which is randomly accelerated by Gaussian white noise on the half line x>0, with an absorbing boundary at x=0. The nonequilibrium statistics of this system was analyzed exactly by McKean in 1963. Recent results for two other boundary conditions of physical interest will be reviewed. In the case of a partially absorbing boundary, the randomly accelerated particle is absorbed, on arriving at x = 0 , with probability 1−p and reflected elastically with probability p. In the case of an inelastic boundary, the velocities of the particle just after and before striking the boundary satisfy vf=−rvi, where r is the coefficient of restitution. The absorption of a particle moving between two boundaries and some related results for confined semi-flexible polymers, which have similar statistical properties, will also be discussed.
Fracture-induced alignment of surface wrinkles

We introduce a simple process for creating materials that produce osmotically-driven surface wrinkles with long-range alignment, sans lithographically-defined topography and selective oxidation. Mechanically-induced surface defects create stress discontinuities that convert the global biaxial stress state to local uniaxial stresses, producing aligned wrinkles across the surface.
A statistical micromechanics-based multi-scale framework for effective thermomechanical behaviours of particle reinforced composites

Particle-reinforced composite materials have been widely used as they can exhibit nearly isotropic material properties and are often easy to process. Some silicon carbide particle reinforced aluminium composites with high volume concentration of reinforcement exhibit excellent thermophysical properties and can be used in advanced electronic packaging. In this paper, a statistical micromechanics-based multi-scale material modelling framework is introduced to describe the macroscopic effective thermomechanical properties of the particle-reinforced composite. The formulation differs from most of the existing methods in that the interaction effects among the reinforcing particles are directly accounted for by considering pair-wise interaction and statistical information on particle distribution is included. The strain and stress concentration factor tensors that relate the local average strain and stress fields, respectively, to the corresponding global average fields are derived according to the theory of average fields. The effective coefficient of thermal expansion for the particle-reinforced composite material is derived. Comparisons of the prediction from the proposed framework to the results from other existing methods are presented. The results are expressed in analytical closed-form in terms of the thermal and mechanical properties of the two constituent phases and the volume fraction of particles. No parameter estimation or data fitting is required.
Mercury porosimetry: Theoretical and experimental characterization of random microsphere packings

Abstract A new analysis for the application of mercury porosimetry to porous solids comprised of random packings of uniform spheres (ϵ ∼- 0.36–0.39) is presented. The filling of pore volume in the region where two spheres are near neighbors (distance of separation ⪡ sphere size) is modeled by solving the Young-Laplace equation to determine the degree of curvature of the meniscus as a function of sphere spacing, contact angle, and filling angle. The correct meniscus shape for mercury intrusion into the toroidal void is a nonoid. From the known distribution of sphere spacings in a random packing and the calculated pressure-volume relationship, the unfilled void fraction as a function of dimensionless pressure ( PR /γ) and contact angle is determined. Mercury porosimetry experiments have been conducted using porous solids fabricated from monodisperse, nonporous silica spheres (radius = 51, 125, 165,226 nm). Agreement between the toroidal void filling theory and all four experiments was excellent when the measured mercury contact angle of 138.7° was used in the theory. It is demonstrated that very large values of PR /γ (∼-100) are necessary to completely fill the toroidal void region and therefore, determine the total sample porosity.
Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme Mutation (Trp1197Stop) Causes a Dramatic Increase in Blood ACE

Background Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) metabolizes many peptides and plays a key role in blood pressure regulation and vascular remodeling. Elevated ACE levels may be associated with an increased risk for different cardiovascular or respiratory diseases, including asthma. Previously, a molecular mechanism underlying a 5-fold familial increase of blood ACE was discovered: Pro1199Leu substitution enhanced the cleavage-secretion process. Carriers of this mutation were Caucasians from Europe (mostly Dutch) or had European roots. Methodology/Principal Findings We have found a family of African-American descent whose affected members' blood ACE level was increased 13-fold over normal. In affected family members, codon TGG coding for Trp1197 was substituted in one allele by TGA (stop codon). As a result, half of ACE expressed in these individuals had a length of 1196 amino acids and lacked a transmembrane anchor. This ACE mutant is not trafficked to the cell membrane and is directly secreted out of cells; this mechanism apparently accounts for the high serum ACE level seen in affected individuals. A haplotype of the mutant ACE allele was determined based on 12 polymorphisms, which may help to identify other carriers of this mutation. Some but not all carriers of this mutation demonstrated airflow obstruction, and some but not all have hypertension. Conclusions/Significance We have identified a novel Trp1197Stop mutation that results in dramatic elevation of serum ACE. Since blood ACE elevation is often taken as a marker of disease activity (sarcoidosis and Gaucher diseases), it is important for clinicians and medical scientists to be aware of alternative genetic causes of elevated blood ACE that are not apparently linked to disease.
Why police and policing need GIS: an overview

This article provides an overview of major application areas of geographic information systems (GISs) in police departments and policing practices, mainly in the United States. It begins with a quick review of historical evolution of GIS applications in law enforcement from prototype computerized crime mapping to sophisticated spatial analysis and its integration in policing practices. Six major areas of GIS applications in police and policing are discussed with case studies to illustrate the value of GIS as (1) a partner for field officers, (2) a crime investigation and prevention tool, (3) a policy implementation and evaluation tool, (4) a police force planning tool, (5) a tool for testing crime theories, and (6) a communication tool. The article is concluded with an outlook for some emerging trends.
Keyhole formation and collapse in plasma arc welding

A mathematical model is developed to describe the heat transfer and fluid flow in stationary keyhole plasma arc welding. Using the volume of fluid method, the processes of heating, melting, collapsing and subsequent solidifying in the molten pool are dynamically studied. The predicted results have been compared with the experimental weld and keyhole shape. Using the LaserStrobe video system, the captured images of the upper surface of the weld pool are used to verify the predicted transient development of the weld pool. It is indicated that theoretical predictions and the experimental results are in close agreement.
Equivalent Bending Stiffness of Laminated Composites Tubes With Polygonal Cross-Sections

Simple analytical solutions are developed for efficient computation of equivalent bending stiffness and ply stresses for n-sided regular polygonal cross-sections. The cross-sections investigated includes triangle, square, pentagon and hexagon for 3, 4, 5 and 6 sides, respectively. The analytical solution, based on Classical Lamination Theory, transformation matrices and parallel axis theorem, computes the in-plane stresses at each ply level of the laminate. Good agreement in comparison of results between analytical solutions and finite element results from ANSYS was achieved. This method represents an efficient tool for design engineers to perform parametric studies during the preliminary design phase.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
The use of complementary/preventive medicine to prevent prostate cancer recurrence/progression following definitive therapy: part I--lifestyle changes.

Purpose of review The number one cause of death in the United States and in most countries around the world is cardiovascular disease. The number one or number two cause of death in prostate cancer patients is also cardiovascular disease. These observations do not serve to belittle the impact of prostate cancer, but are a reminder that the ultimate goal of healthy lifestyle recommendations is to reduce the burden of both of these major causes of death, especially after definitive prostate therapy. Patients need to be encouraged to know their cholesterol levels and other cardiovascular markers including blood pressure, as well as being aware of their prostate-specific antigen values. Recent findings Patients should not smoke, they should reduce their intake of saturated and trans fats, increase their consumption of a diversity of fruit and vegetables, consume moderate quantities of dietary soy or flaxseed, increase their consumption of fish or fish oils and other ω-3 fatty acids, as well as maintaining a healthy weight, getting at least 30 min/day of physical activity, and lifting weights several times a week. When in doubt it is important for the clinician and patient to realize that what is healthy for the heart is generally found to be healthy for the prostate. Many of these lifestyle changes, when accomplished on a regular basis, may dramatically reduce the risk of overall early mortality. Despite the simplistic and moderate recommendations in this manuscript, research suggests that few individuals are currently following these suggestions. Summary Clinicians need to constantly emphasize these basic changes in order to truly impact the overall health of any patient following definitive prostate therapy.
Interaction of polyamines with the Ca2+-binding protein parvalbumin

The interaction of spermine, spermidine and putrescine with the Ca(2+)-binding protein, parvalbumin, was studied at pH 6 and 7, with the help of the intrinsic fluorescence properties of tryptophan and circular dichroic spectroscopy of the protein in the ultraviolet region. Polyamines bind to parvalbumin that is either Ca(2+)-free or partially saturated with Ca2+, as indicated by a change in the emission maximum and intensity of tryptophan fluorescence. The binding affinities for the interactions are about 4 mM, 8 mM and > 20 mM for spermine, spermidine and putrescine, respectively. No alterations in fluorescence properties were detected when the polyamines were added to fully Ca(2+)-bound parvalbumin. An increase in the ellipticity of the circular dichroic spectrum in the region where tryptophan absorbs was observed when polyamines were added to Ca(2+)-free parvalbumin. This finding indicates that polyamine binding affects the segment of the protein where tryptophan is located. Based on these results it is postulated that polyamines bind to the Ca(2+)-free or partially saturated parvalbumin and stabilize its structure.
Comparison of high-unburned-carbon fly ashes from different combustor types and their steam activated products

Fly ashes of high-unburned-carbon content derived from coal-fired combustors are an increasing problem for the utility industry, since they cannot be marketed as a cement extender, and therefore, h...
Near Dark: An Appreciation

A reconsideration of Kathryn Bigelow9s 1987 revisionist vampire film, Near Dark , in terms of its small-town ambience, visual openness, melancholic mood of nostalgia, outsider characters, and genre mix of horror and belated Western.
Microbial reduction of SO2 as a means of byproduct recovery from regenerable, dry scrubbing processes for flue gas desulfurization.

A project is under way at the University of Tulsa to investigate the reduction of SO2 to H2S by sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) in co-culture with mixed fermentative heterotrophs. We have previously demonstrated that SO2 is completely reduced to H2S (contact times of 1–2 s) in cultures in which no redox poising agents were required and glucose served as the ultimate source of carbon energy. We have proposed that such a microbial process could be coupled with a Claus reactor to recover elemental sulfur as a byproduct of regenerable, dry scrubbing processes for flue gas desulfurization. The development of this process concept has continued with a study of the use of molasses as a source of carbon and reduced nitrogen, identification of important non-SRB heterotrophs in process cultures, and the identification of the end products of carbohydrate fermentation that serve as carbon and energy sources for the SRB and identification of the end products of SRB metabolism.
Two forgotten elements of a knowledge management strategy

In reviewing the knowledge management (KM) literature, Guo & Sheffield (2008) show that KM research is part of the mainstream of information systems research, and management research in general. Many organizations are wrestling with how best to develop and implement a KM strategy (Liebowitz, 2006, 2007a, 2007b, 2008a, 2008b). As they try to weave KM into their organizational fabric, a few key items are often overlooked. These include: a KM communications and education plan, and an after-action review (AAR)/lessons learned process.
Voting tools to support convergence process in collaboration

Engineers, like others working in group settings, face several challenges in collaboration. One of the challenges is converging to a final decision. Group support systems (GSS) can support engineers in making decisions. GSS researchers and facilitators of group meetings recognise that implementing convergence processes in groups is a most demanding task. Voting, when used properly, can be a great aid in the convergence process. To reap the full benefit of voting in group decision, the computation and communication capabilities in GSS must be used when building voting tools. In this paper, we describe the functional requirements of sophisticated voting tools for collaboration based on prevailing theories and the functionality of existing voting tools. These considerations can serve as guidelines for the design and development of the next generation voting tools. Engineers, like others working in group settings, face several challenges in collaboration. One of the challenges is converging to a final decision. Group support systems (GSS) can support engineers in making decisions. GSS researchers and facilitators of group meetings recognise that implementing convergence processes in groups is a most demanding task. Voting, when used properly, can be a great aid in the convergence process. To reap the full benefit of voting in group decision, the computation and communication capabilities in GSS must be used when building voting tools. In this paper, we describe the functional requirements of sophisticated voting tools for collaboration based on prevailing theories and the functionality of existing voting tools. These considerations can serve as guidelines for the design and development of the next generation voting tools.
Dispositions and the Argument from Science

Central to the debate between Humean and anti-Humean metaphysics is the question of whether dispositions can exist in the absence of categorical properties that ground them (that is, where the causal burden is shifted on to categorical properties on which the dispositions would therefore supervene). Dispositional essentialists claim that they can; categoricalists reject the possibility of such ‘baseless’ dispositions, requiring that all dispositions must ultimately have categorical bases. One popular argument, recently dubbed the ‘Argument from Science’, has appeared in one or another form over much of the last century and purports to win the day for the dispositional essentialist. Taking its cue from physical theory, the Argument from Science treats the exclusively dispositional characterizations of the fundamental particles one finds in physical theory as providing a key premise in what has been called a ‘decisive’ argument for baseless dispositions. Despite sharing the intuition that dispositions can b...
Peak latency differences in evoked potentials elicited by painful dental and cutaneous stimulation

Long-latency evoked potentials (EPs) (50-400 msec) have been obtained from humans during both noxious stimulation of tooth and cutaneous sites in studies of pain and analgesic states. This study investigated whether EPs elicited by tooth and lip stimulation differed in peak latency and whether EPs obtained during painful cutaneous stimulation showed increasing peak latency values with increased conduction distance. Twelve volunteers received painful electrical stimulation at four sites: tooth, lip, thumb, and toe in counterbalanced orders. Evoked potentials recorded at vertex were summation averaged over 128 trials. Multivariate stepwise discriminate analysis was used to determine whether any of the peak latencies of the event-related potentials differed across stimulation sites. No significant latency differences were observed across lip, thumb or toe at any of the major peaks. Since peaks of these EPs did not vary in latency with conduction distance, they appear to reflect processing at higher levels rather than sensory transmission. The negative 140 msec peak of the dental waveform occurred significantly later than the same peak at cutaneous sites.
Modification of aspartoacylase for potential use in enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of Canavan disease

Canavan disease is a fatal neurological disease without any effective treatments to slow the relentless progress of this disorder. Enzyme replacement therapy has been used effectively to treat a number of metabolic disorders, but the presence of the blood-brain-barrier presents an additional challenge in the treatment of neurological disorders. Studies have begun with the aim of establishing a treatment protocol that can effectively replace the defective enzyme in Canavan disease patients. The human enzyme, aspartoacylase, has been cloned, expressed and purified, and the surface lysyl groups modified through PEGylation. Fully active modified enzymes were administered to mice that are defective in this enzyme and that show many of the symptoms of Canavan disease. Statistically significant increases in brain enzyme activity levels have been achieved in this animal model, as well as decreases in the elevated substrate levels that mimic those found in Canavan disease patients. These results demonstrate that the modified enzyme is gaining access to the brain and functions to correct this metabolic defect. The stage is now set for a long term study to optimize this enzyme replacement approach for the development of a treatment protocol.
Convergence of the Multidimensional Minimum Variance Spectral Estimator for Continuous and Mixed Spectra

A proof of the pointwise convergence of the multidimensional minimum variance spectral estimator as the region of data support becomes infinite is given. It is shown that an octant is sufficient to ensure that the minimum variance spectral estimator will converge to the true power spectral density. The proof is valid for 1-D, multidimensional, continuous, and mixed spectra. Another useful result is that a normalized minimum variance spectral estimator can be defined to indicate sinusoidal power for processes with a mixed spectrum. Finally, upper and lower bounds on the continuous portion of the spectral estimate are given.
Cocaine-Induced Agitated Delirium: A Case Report and Review

Cocaine use continues to be a major public health problem in the United States. Although many of the initial signs and symptoms of cocaine intoxication result from increased stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, this condition can present as a spectrum of acuity from hypertension and tachycardia to multiorgan system failure. Classic features of acute intoxication include tachycardia, arterial vasoconstriction, enhanced thrombus formation, mydriasis, psychomotor agitation, and altered level of consciousness. At the extreme end of this toxidrome is a rare condition known as cocaine-induced agitated delirium. This syndrome is characterized by severe cardiopulmonary dysfunction, hyperthermia, and acute neurologic changes frequently leading to death. We report a case of cocaine-induced agitated delirium in a man who presented to our institution in a paradoxical form of circulatory shock. Rapid evaluation, recognition, and proper management enabled our patient not only to survive but also to leave the hospital without neurologic sequelae.
In Situ Monitoring of MOCVD of Aluminum Nitride by Optical Spectroscopies

Trimethylaluminum and ammonia were used as precursors in the high temperature (900°C) deposition of AIN on silicon at vacuum pressure. The emitted radiation was collected in situ by a FTIR spectrometer. Film thickness was monitored in situ by interference oscillations in a red diode laser beam reflected off the sample. The thickness measurements were correlated with IR emission spectra from the emerging AIN film, and a principal component analysis (PCA) and principal component regression (PCR) were performed on the data.
A New Species of Oryzomys (Rodentia: Muridae) from Eastern Bolivia

Abstract Specimens of Oryzomys referable to the megacephalus complex (Musser et al., 1998) collected in the Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado (PNNKM), eastern Bolivia, are discriminated from three other currently recognized species of that group (O. megacephalus, O. perenensis, O. laticeps) by analysis of cranial morphometrics and molecular sequence of the cytochrome b gene. The Bolivian sample has the closest genetic relationship to O. perenensis (Kimura 2-parameter genetic distance × 100: 14.8) and O. laticeps (distance 12.0), but the genetic distance is large. The Bolivian sample is clearly separated from the others by both principal component and discriminant function analyses of cranial and body variables. We here describe it as a new species. Morphologically, it is intermediate in size, along with O. perenensis, between the smaller O. megacephalus and the larger-bodied O. laticeps. In pelage color and occlusal pattern it closely resembles O. megacephalus. The geographic range appears to be a relat...
Mechanisms of removal of micron-sized particles by high-frequency ultrasonic waves

In this paper, theories of particle removal by high-frequency ultrasonic waves are discussed and tested against recent experimental data. First, the principal adhesion forces such as van der Waals forces are briefly reviewed and the typical uncertainties in their size in particle-surface systems are assessed. The different ultrasound-induced forces-linear forces such as added mass, drag, lift, and Basset forces and nonlinear ones due to radiation pressure, and drag exerted by acoustic streaming-are discussed and their magnitudes are evaluated for typical cleaning operations. It is shown that high-frequency ultrasound can clean particles most effectively in media with properties like water because: (1) the wavelength can be made comparable to the particle radius to promote effective sound-particle interaction; (2) the viscous boundary layer is thin, minimizing particle "hide-out;" and (3) both the added mass and radiation pressure forces exceed typical adhesion forces at high frequencies. Based on these analyses, possible mechanisms of particle removal are discussed and interpreted in terms of experimental observations of particle cleaning. >
Toward an International Understanding of Homelessness

After a discussion of definitional issues when studying homelessness and a brief review of the existing research literature in the United States, this article provides an overview of the similarities and differences between the research literatures in the United States and other developed nations. Similarities include many shared characteristics of homeless populations (e.g., over-representation of men and those traditionally discriminated against) and differences include the timing of interest in the topic (earlier in the United States and the United Kingdom) and the extent of social welfare systems (generally less developed in the United States than in Europe). The articles in this issue include literature reviews, studies comparing homelessness across nations, articles that examine specific issues in relation to homelessness in particular nations, and policy-oriented discussions.
Resolving ambiguities in estimating spatial frequencies in sparse linear array

The authors extend previous work on ambiguity resolution in sparse linear prediction to array signal processing. A non-uniformly spaced linear array with minimum number of sensors is introduced in order to obtain high resolution spatial frequency estimates at reduced computation and at minimum hardware cost. By properly choosing inter-element spacing, combining and processing subarray outputs in parallel, a computationally simple algorithm is proposed for unambiguously estimating spatial frequencies of the source signals. >
Endovascular Therapies for Peripheral Arterial Disease An Evidence-Based Review

Peripheral arterial disease is one manifestation of systemic atherosclerosis. The prevalence of peripheral arterial disease increases with the age of the population. It is important to remember the significant association of coincident coronary artery disease, which is the major cause of mortality in these patients. Remarkable technological advances in the past decade, along with patient preference, have shifted revascularization strategies from traditional open surgical approaches toward lower-morbidity percutaneous endovascular treatments. The availability of stents, more than any other advance, has fueled the growth of catheter-based procedures by improving the safety, durability, and predictability of percutaneous revascularization.
Rupture Process of the M 7.9 Denali Fault, Alaska, Earthquake: Subevents, Directivity, and Scaling of High-Frequency Ground Motions

Displacement waveforms and high-frequency acceleration envelopes from stations at distances of 3–300 km were inverted to determine the source process of the M 7.9 Denali fault earthquake. Fitting the initial portion of the displacement waveforms indicates that the earthquake started with an oblique thrust subevent (subevent #1) with an east–west-striking, north-dipping nodal plane consistent with the observed surface rupture on the Susitna Glacier fault. Inversion of the remainder of the waveforms (0.02–0.5 Hz) for moment release along the Denali and Totschunda faults shows that rupture proceeded eastward on the Denali fault, with two strike-slip subevents (numbers 2 and 3) centered about 90 and 210 km east of the hypocenter. Subevent 2 was located across from the station at ps10 (Trans-Alaska Pipeline Pump Station #10) and was very localized in space and time. Subevent 3 extended from 160 to 230 km east of the hypocenter and had the largest moment of the subevents. Based on the timing between subevent 2 and the east end of subevent 3, an average rupture velocity of 3.5 km/sec, close to the shear wave velocity at the average rupture depth, was found. However, the portion of the rupture 130–220 km east of the epicenter appears to have an effective rupture velocity of about 5.0 km/sec, which is supershear. These two subevents correspond approximately to areas of large surface offsets observed after the earthquake. Using waveforms of the M 6.7 Nenana Mountain earthquake as empirical Green’s functions, the high-frequency (1–10 Hz) envelopes of the M 7.9 earthquake were inverted to determine the location of high-frequency energy release along the faults. The initial thrust subevent produced the largest high-frequency energy release per unit fault length. The high-frequency envelopes and acceleration spectra (>0.5 Hz) of the M 7.9 earthquake can be simulated by chaining together rupture zones of the M 6.7 earthquake over distances from 30 to 180 km east of the hypocenter. However, the inversion indicates that there was relatively little high-frequency energy generated along the 60-km portion of the Totschunda fault on the east end of the rupture.
Traffic grooming for single-source multicast communication in WDM rings

We consider the problem of minimizing the number of ADMs for single-source multicast communication in WDM rings using traffic grooming. We examine two distinct models of communication, one permitting the same message to be sent on multiple distinct wavelengths and one each message to be sent exactly once. The problem of minimizing the number of ADMs is shown to be NP-complete in the strong sense for both models. However, we are able to solve a special case in polynomial time and provide good approximation algorithms and heuristics for the remaining cases. These approximation algorithms and heuristics are validated both theoretically and experimentally.
Lynch syndrome in the 21st century: clinical perspectives

Lynch syndrome (LS) is the most common of all inherited cancer syndromes, associated with substantially elevated risks for colonic and extracolonic malignancies, earlier onset and high rates of multiple primary cancers. At the genetic level, it is caused by a defective mismatch repair (MMR) system due to presence of germline defects in at least one of the MMR genes- MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2 or EPCAM . An impaired MMR function during replication introduces infidelity in DNA sequence and leads to ubiquitous mutations at simple repetitive sequences (microsatellites), causing microsatellite instability (MSI). Although previously, clinicopathological criteria such as Amsterdam I/II and Revised Bethesda Guidelines were commonly used to identify suspected LS mutation carriers, there has been a recent push towards universally testing, especially in case of colorectal cancers (CRCs), through immunohistochemistry for expression of MMR proteins or through molecular tests (polymerase chain reaction, PCR) for MSI, in order to identify LS mutation carriers and subject them to genetic testing to ascertain the specific gene implicated. In this review, we have discussed the latest diagnostic strategies and the current screening and treatment guidelines for colonic and extracolonic cancers in clinically affected and at-risk individuals for LS.
Feedback anticontrol of discrete chaos

In this Letter, we prove that the algorithm of Chen and Lai [1996, 1997, 1998] for the anticontrol of chaos leads to chaos not only in the sense of Devaney but also in the sense of Li and Yorke, for both linear and nonlinear autonomous systems of any dimensionalities.
Architectural analysis and intraoperative measurements demonstrate the unique design of the multifidus muscle for lumbar spine stability.

Background: Muscular instability is an important risk factor for lumbar spine injury and chronic low-back pain. Although the lumbar multifidus muscle is considered an important paraspinal muscle, its design features are not completely understood. The purpose of the present study was to determine the architectural properties, in vivo sarcomere length operating range, and passive mechanical properties of the human multifidus muscle. We hypothesized that its architecture would be characterized by short fibers and a large physiological cross-sectional area and that it would operate over a relatively wide range of sarcomere lengths but would have very stiff passive material properties. Methods: The lumbar spines of eight cadaver specimens were excised en bloc from T12 to the sacrum. Multifidus muscles were isolated from each vertebral level, permitting the architectural measurements of mass, sarcomere length, normalized fiber length, physiological cross-sectional area, and fiber length-to-muscle length ratio. To determine the sarcomere length operating range of the muscle, sarcomere lengths were measured from intraoperative biopsy specimens that were obtained with the spine in the flexed and extended positions. The material properties of single muscle fibers were obtained from passive stress-strain tests of excised biopsy specimens. Results: The average muscle mass (and standard error) was 146 ± 8.7 g, and the average sarcomere length was 2.27 ± 0.06 μm, yielding an average normalized fiber length of 5.66 ± 0.65 cm, an average physiological cross-sectional area of 23.9 ± 3.0 cm2, and an average fiber length-to-muscle length ratio of 0.21 ± 0.03. Intraoperative sarcomere length measurements revealed that the muscle operates from 1.98 ± 0.15 μm in extension to 2.70 ± 0.11 μm in flexion. Passive mechanical data suggested that the material properties of the muscle are comparable with those of muscles of the arm or leg. Conclusions: The architectural design (a high cross-sectional area and a low fiber length-to-muscle length ratio) demonstrates that the multifidus muscle is uniquely designed as a stabilizer to produce large forces. Furthermore, multifidus sarcomeres are positioned on the ascending portion of the length-tension curve, allowing the muscle to become stronger as the spine assumes a forward-leaning posture. Clinical Relevance: These findings demonstrate that the human multifidus muscle is designed to function as a dynamic stabilizer of the lumbar spine.
Less teaching, more learning: 10-yr study supports increasing student learning through less coverage and more inquiry

In this study, we compared gains in student content learning over a 10-yr period in which the introductory biology laboratory curriculum was changed in two ways: an increase of inquiry and a reduct...
Precise piston trajectory control for a free piston engine

Abstract A free piston engine removes the mechanical constraint on the piston motion by eliminating the crankshaft. The extra degree of freedom offers many advantages for reducing fuel consumption and emissions. Nevertheless, stability and robustness of the engine operation has been affected in the meantime. To ensure smooth engine operation, an active motion controller, which utilizes robust repetitive control, was developed previously to regulate the piston motion of a hydraulic free piston engine to track pre-defined trajectories. However, the long piston stroke length, high operating frequency and system nonlinearity impose challenges to precise piston motion control. Therefore, feedforward controllers are investigated in this paper to complement the repetitive control to further improve the tracking performance. The first feedforward design involves the inversion of a linear plant model that describes the dynamics of the engine operation, and the second design is based on the flatness approach, which involves the inversion of a nonlinear model of the system. The two feedforward controllers are designed and implemented on the free piston engine. The experimental and simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control under various operating conditions and reference piston trajectories.