cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Residual strength of a fiber reinforced metal matrix composite with a crack

Abstract The residual strength of a cracked unidirectional fiver reinforced metal matrix composite is studied. We propose a bridging model based on the Dugdale strip yielding zones in the matrix ahead of the crack tips that accounts for ductile deformations of the matrix and fiber debonding and pull-out in the strip yielding zone. The bridging model is used to study the fracture of an anisotropic material and its residual strength is calculated numerically. The predicted results for a SiC/titanium composite agree well with the existing experimental data. It is found that a higher fiber bridging stress and a larger fiber pull-out length significantly contribute to the composite's residual strength. The composite's strength may be more notch-insensitive than the corresponding matrix material's strength depending on several factors such as fiber-matrix interface properties and the ratio of the matrix modulus to an ‘effective modulus’ of the composite.
Application of Organic Geochemistry to Coastal Tar Residues from Central California

Tar residues are common on the coastline of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. These coastal tar residues have been washed ashore and usually occur on headlands near the high-tide line. In this study, 18 coastal tar residues were collected and analyzed to determine their carbon isotopic compositions and the values of selected biomarker ratios. All of the residues have very heavy (13C-enriched) carbon isotopic compositions spanning a narrow range (δ13C = −22.2 to −23.4‰), and 28,30-bisnorhopane is present in all samples. These same geochemical characteristics are found in Monterey Formation oils from which the coastal tar residues were likely derived. These coastal residues could result from natural seeps or from accidental spills. Statistically the coastal tar residues can be organized into three groups, each of which may represent different spill or seep events. Seven samples of potential local representative sources for the tar residues were examined, but none could account for the coastal tars.
Condom availability for HIV / STD prevention.

Condom availability is a structural intervention that increases access to condoms. It is the most important strategy for the prevention of the sexual transmission of HIV/STDs in developing countries. While it is an integral component of many prevention programs, it is considered controversial in high school settings and its role in a variety of HIV/STD prevention interventions has been understudied, understated, and/or unacknowledged. Condom availability as an HIV/STD prevention strategy needs to be reprioritized and should be considered a critical foundation of all programs to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV.
Alignment within the corporate IT unit: an analysis of software testing and development

Strategic alignment between an organization's business strategy/capabilities and those of its information technology (IT) unit is an extensively researched subject that addresses the issue of fit between business and technology strategies. A key gap in the literature is lack of recognition that underlying this macro level of alignment are other, more granular levels of alignment involving the interdependent subunits within the corporate IT unit. Given the critical interdependencies between development and testing subunits in software engineering, this paper focuses on an alignment model for ensuring that these two functions work together effectively. A development-testing alignment (DTA) model is described, and a case study investigating its value and application is presented. This DTA is decomposed into distinct components for the purposes of theoretical clarity and pragmatic application. The case study analysis uses the model to understand and interpret development-testing alignment in a Fortune 500 company. We found that the development and testing functions were significantly misaligned, and our model identified close to twenty specific aspects that needed to be considered to enhance alignment. These included changes in specificity of scope, governance, resource availability, competencies, and processes. Our analysis shows that the DTA model can be usefully applied for the purpose of understanding tactical alignment between subunits within a corporate IT unit. It also demonstrates that there is value in considering alignment as a dynamic, context-driven, social phenomenon as well as a useful interpretative lens for exploring organizational interactions and interdependencies.
Automated wavelet denoising of photoacoustic signals for burn-depth image reconstruction

Photoacoustic image reconstruction involves dozens or perhaps hundreds of point measurements, each of which contributes unique information about the subsurface absorbing structures under study. For backprojection imaging, two or more point measurements of photoacoustic waves induced by irradiating a sample with laser light are used to produce an image of the acoustic source. Each of these point measurements must undergo some signal processing, such as denoising and system deconvolution. In order to efficiently process the numerous signals acquired for photoacoustic imaging, we have developed an automated wavelet algorithm for processing signals generated in a burn injury phantom. We used the discrete wavelet transform to denoise photoacoustic signals generated in an optically turbid phantom containing whole blood. The denoising used universal level independent thresholding, as developed by Donoho and Johnstone. The entire signal processing technique was automated so that no user intervention was needed to reconstruct the images. The signals were backprojected using the automated wavelet processing software and showed reconstruction using denoised signals improved image quality by 21%, using a relative 2-norm difference scheme.
The XML world view

XML is unique in its very broad acceptance throughout both the document engineering and data processing community. This creates a unique opportunity for unifying the traditionally separate worlds and ask questions such as "What are the data relations in my document?" and "How can I read a textual version of my data?" all within the single framework provided by XML. In this talk I'll speculate on how one could view the whole world as a single XML document from which both relational "table" and textual "report" queries are possible.
Field Investigation of College Student Alcohol Intoxication and Return Transportation from At-Risk Drinking Locations

Each year hundreds of youths' lives are lost as a result of alcohol-impaired driving. College students leaving at-risk drinking environments are at particular risk for harm. Yet, little field research has been performed to examine college student transportation choices paired with breath alcohol testing of intoxication. This study assessed the transportation decisions of 7,500 individuals as they left drinking establishments near a large, public university in the southeastern United States. Across 3 years and 72 nights, researchers outside local drinking establishments recruited passersby who agreed to provide their planned transportation method for returning home and their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) from a police-quality breathalyzer. The results indicated that the majority of students were reaching high levels of intoxication. Indeed, the average BAC of drinking participants was .0979 g/dL. More than 50% of the participants reported that they were planning to walk home. Approximately one-quarter ...
Reduced CSF PLTP activity in Alzheimer's disease and other neurologic diseases; PLTP induces ApoE secretion in primary human astrocytes in vitro

Phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) plays a pivotal role in cellular lipid efflux and modulation of lipoprotein metabolism. PLTP is distributed widely in the central nervous system (CNS), is synthesized by glia and neurons, and is active in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The aims of this study were to test the hypothesis that patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have altered PLTP-mediated phospholipid transfer activity in CSF, and to examine the potential relationship between PLTP activity and apolipoprotein E (apoE) levels in CSF. We assessed PLTP activity and apoE concentration in CSF of patients with probable AD (n = 50), multiple sclerosis (MS; n = 9), other neurologic diseases (n = 21), and neurologically healthy controls (n = 40). PLTP activity in AD was reduced compared to that in controls (P < 0.001), with approximately half of the AD patients with PLTP activity values below all controls. Patients with MS had lower PLTP activity than AD patients (P < 0.001). PLTP activity was highly correlated with PLTP mass, as estimated by Western blot (r = 0.006; P < 0.01). CSF PLTP activity positively correlated with apoE concentration in AD (R = 0.435; P = 0.002) and controls (R = 0.456; P = 0.003). Anti-apoE immunoaffinity chromatography and Western blot analyses indicated that some CSF PLTP is associated with apoE-containing lipoproteins. Exogenous addition of recombinant PLTP to primary human astrocytes significantly increased apoE secretion to the conditioned medium. The findings of reduced PLTP activity in AD CSF, and the observation that PLTP can influence apoE secretion in astrocytes suggest a potential link between alterations in the brain lipid metabolism and AD pathogenesis.
Quantitative Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging: A Simple Approach to Automated Angle Scanning

Here we present an automated angle-scanning surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) instrument which provides multiplexed, quantitative reflectance data over a wide angular range. Angle-dependent artifacts, which arise from the simple optical setup, are corrected using software. This enables monitoring of significantly different surface coatings in many solvents, which would be outside the dynamic range of typical fixed-angle instruments. Operation in the visible to near-infrared range without the need for reconfiguration extends the instrument capabilities to increase sensitivity or to investigate the optical properties of surface films. This instrument provides maximum flexibility to study a wide range of systems with full exploitation of the quantitative capabilities of SPRi achieved by fitting data to the Fresnel model.
Effect of fasting on small intestinal antiperistalsis in the Nicholas turkey (Meleagris gallopavo).

Small intestinal refluxes (SIRs) were monitored in the gastrointestinal tract of Nicholas turkeys via implanted strain gage transducers and radiographic observations. It was determined that reflux of ingesta from the small intestine into the gizzard was a result of a single antiperistaltic contraction. Radiographic observation indicated that the antiperistaltic contraction originated in the ileum 88% of the time and in the duodenum 12% of the time. Each antiperistaltic contraction was preceded by a single peristaltic contraction. No gastric contractions occurred during SIRs. Fasting for 12 to 24 hr significantly increased the frequency of occurrence of SIRs in the Nicholas turkey (P < 0.0001) but had no significant effect on the velocity of the peristaltic and antiperistaltic contractions or on recovery time to pre-SIR gastric contractile frequency. The pooled mean velocity of peristaltic contractions was determined to be 10.55 ± 3.68 cm/sec, and that of antiperistaltic contractions was determined to be 12.12 ± 3.69 cm/sec. The pooled mean recovery time to pre-SIR gastric contraction frequency was 28.31 ± 8.25 sec. It has been suggested that the SIR may be a mechanism of maximizing nutrient utilization by the turkey. J. Exp. Zool. 283:469–477, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Thermodynamic Modeling of an Epitrochoidal Engine Cycle

A thermodynamic performance model has been developed for a new four-stroke piston engine design in which the crankshaft path is epitrochoidal, or non-circular. The model is based on an Otto air-standard cycle with non-ideal effects of friction, valve and spark timing, heat transfer, volumetric efficiency, and fuel burn timing then added. The same modeling approach was then used in developing a standard circular path engine model for comparison: the result being two discrete models varying only in their crankshaft paths, and thus piston path timing.The thermodynamic modeling was one phase of a larger senior design project in which senior engineering students were tasked with answering the question of whether the epitrochoidal crankshaft path engine will produce more power than a standard circular path engine of the same size and compression ratio. The starting point for the effort was the epitrochoidal crankshaft design description given in the patent, followed by major challenges of design, fabrication, modeling, and testing of a prototype engine. A Briggs and Stratton model 20 was employed as the standard circular crankshaft path comparison engine, and upon which the epitrochoidal prototype engine geometry was based. The result was two test engines of the same size and compression ratio, but differing in crankshaft path. Thermodynamic modeling, however, is the primary focus of the paper presented herein. Details of the design/fabrication/testing phases of the larger project are included in another paper, currently in preparation.The modeling description starts with the development of the mathematical equations describing the piston movement within the standard engine and the epitrochoidal engine, followed by the specifics of the thermodynamic modeling and inclusion of non-ideal effects. The model calibration to measured data is developed next, and finally a prediction of the epitrochoidal engine performance is shown to agree with measured data for the prototype engine. The testing did in fact show an increase in power in the epitrochoidal prototype engine, and the modeling was used to explain the improvements attributable to the epitrochoidal design. These results also affirmed the comparative modeling approach that was used.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Lutein and zeaxanthin for macular degeneration

Purpose. The effects of increasing lutein and zeaxanthin dosages in people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are discussed. Summary. AMD is a disorder of the macula, the area associated with the sharpest visual acuity. AMD is classified as dry (nonneovascular) or wet (neovascular) and is associated with several risk factors, the biggest being age. The pathogenesis of AMD is unknown. Like many chronic illnesses, prevention is a key factor for managing AMD. Lutein and zeaxanthin, natural xanthophylls not synthesized by the human body, have been investigated for their use in promoting visual health. Lutein and zeaxanthin are dietary carotenoids that are components of a normal diet. The mechanism of protection that they confer is unknown, but two mechanisms have been hypothesized. Several studies have been conducted to assess the relationship between plasma levels of lutein and zeaxanthin and the risk of developing AMD and have yielded conflicting results. Increased dietary intake of or supplementation with lutein and zeaxanthin was found to result in increased plasma levels, which were positively and significantly associated with macular pigment optical density. Limited data have suggested that supplementation may also improve visual function. The optimal dose of lutein and zeaxanthin for the prevention or treatment of AMD has not yet been defined. Conclusion. A definite association between lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation and clinical benefit has yet to be shown; however, it may still be an appropriate cautionary measure for patients at high risk for developing AMD.
The two-body problem with radiation pressure in a rotating reference frame

We study a perturbed Newtonian two-body problem, in which the perturbation is due to a force field of constant magnitude but rotating direction. By considering this system as a perturbation of the non-rotating case a Melnikov-type analysis allows us to show the existence of horseshoes in the level sets of the Hamiltonian and the subsequent sensitive dependence on initial conditions and non-integrability. We discuss the consequences of these results for a particular planar restricted three-body problem.
Narcotics, Radicalism, and Armed Conflict in Central Asia: The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan

While the academic debate on security has broadened in recent years, it has failed to cohesively include transnational organized crime and drug trafficking as a security issue. However, especially in weak states in developing and postcommunist regions, these phenomena are having an increasingly negative effect on security in the military, political, economic, and societal sense. Security issues in Central Asia are a prominentexample of the links between drug trafficking and military threats to security. This is illustrated most clearly by the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), which has been both a major actor in the drug trade from Afghanistan to Central Asia as well as the most serious violent nonstate actor in the region. The link between the drug trade and armed conflict is of fundamental importance to understanding the challenges to Central Asian security.
Formation factor and the microscopic distribution of wetting phase in pore space of Berea sandstone

Experimental studies have been accomplished aimed at studying the formation factor of a partially saturated rock. The effective formation factors to an electrolyte solution of the pore spaces not occupied by a wetting raid (paraffin wax) have been measured at various saturations, after solidifying the wetting fluid in place. The experimental data is studied in light of the role of the pore structure on the wetting fluid invasion process with the aid of fluid distributions at each saturation regime, a complete rock pore cast, and its associated rock section. The effect of clay minerals on formation factor is studied. The surface conductance contribution of day minerals to overall electrical conductivity is assessed. The effect of partial hydrocarbon saturation on overall rock conductivity and on the Archei saturation exponent is discussed.
An all-optical actuation and detection scheme for studying dissipation and materials properties of NEMS resonators

The miniaturization of mechanical resonators continues to be of interest due to the basic physical insights into mechanical behavior at the nanoscale that can be provided, as well as the practical uses in sensing and signal processing to which such devices can be put. Some of the remaining open issues in this field pertain to the ultimate mass sensitivity of these structures, motivating the work presented in this paper. Specifically, we are interested in the factors that determine the dissipation, or quality factor, and the factors that limit the miniaturization that can be achieved with these structures.
TRANSPORTATION AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT

Much attention is currently being given to the relationship of land use and transportation. At the heart of this issue is the notion of urban sprawl: the wasteful use of undeveloped land on the fringes of urban regions. This article reviews the literature on urban sprawl and provides a historical background for understanding transportation systems in the United States. The author concludes that transportation policy entered a new period after the passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991, which required state transportation agencies and metropolitan planning organizations to work together in formulating transportation programs. The author examines the impact of the new approach to transportation and land use planning by examining changes in how transportation decisions are related to statewide and regional land use issues in Pennsylvania.
Thermo-spectral study of all-polymer multilayer lasers

We investigate the temperature dependence of the emission wavelength and reflection band of polymer Distributed Bragg Reflector (DBR) and defect Distributed FeedBack (DFB) lasers fabricated using a coextrusion melt-process. We show the measured spectral shifts are a direct consequence of the optical path modifications associated with layer expansion and thermo-optic coefficients. By varying the choice of polymer bilayers and sandwiching the DBR laser films between glass coverslips, we fabricated DBR lasers that are either readily tunable up to 0.36nm/°C or made thermally stable at 0.035nm/°C.
An assessment of a Beowulf system for a wide class of analysis and design software

A typical Beowulf system, such as the machine at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), may comprise 16 nodes interconnected by 100 base T Fast Ethernet. Each node may include a single Inter Pentium Pro 200 MHz microprocessor, 128 MBytes of DRAM, 2.5 GBytes of IDE disk, and PCI bus backplane, and an assortment of other devices.
Heterogeneity in dextran preparations

Abstract 1. 1. Three types of heterogeneity have been demonstrated in the polysaccharide products from many dextran-producing bacteria. These are gross heterogeneity in the culture, and both size and structural heterogeneity in the major fermentation product, dextran. 2. 2. Molecular size, physically and/or chemically bound impurities, or chemically bound fructose were responsible for the gross differences between the minor components of the dextran culture and the major component, dextran. 3. 3. Structural heterogeneity appears to be a normal occurrence in dextrans. The frequency and extent to which this heterogeneity occurs increases with the percentage of non-1,6-linked units. 4. 4. Analytical and preparative fractional precipitation methods have been established for studying the heterogeneity in dextrans. Application of these methods to five typical dextrans permits a tentative interpretation of the extent and nature of the heterogeneity in dextran preparations from many different bacterial strains. 5. 5. Information on the heterogeneity of the dextran component itself is essential for the characterization and utilization of dextrans. 6. 6. Examination of dextran products derived from progeny of individual cells of two strains which produce heterogeneous dextrans has failed to show the presence of mutant or variant cells.
Self-Esteem Memories and School Success in Early Adolescence

Early adolescents recounted experiences when they felt ‘especially good’ or ‘especially bad’ about themselves in the past year. Consistent with prior research using adult participants, negative memories focused primarily on social themes, whereas positive memories also prominently included achievement themes. Girls described more social themes than did boys for both positive and negative memories. The content of self-esteem memories was related to teachers' formal assessments of adolescents' social and academic functioning: The presence of achievement themes in positive and negative memories was associated with more positive teacher ratings. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Kit signaling is essential for development and maintenance of interstitial cells of Cajal and electrical rhythmicity in the embryonic gastrointestinal tract

Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are specialized cells in smooth muscle organs that generate and propagate pacemaker activity, receive inputs from motor neurons, and serve as mechanosensors. In the gastrointestinal tract, development and maintenance of the ICC phenotype have been linked to intracellular signaling via Kit, but its role in development of ICC during embryogenesis is controversial. Here we have studied the development of functional ICC-MY during the late gestational period in mice. Blocking Kit with a neutralizing antibody before and after development of spontaneous electrical activity (E17 to P0) caused loss of ICC-MY networks and pacemaker activity. ICC-MY and pacemaker activity developed normally in W/+ and W(V)/+ heterozygotes, but failed to develop between E17 to P0 in W/W(V) embryos with compromised Kit function. Muscles treated with Kit neutralizing antibody or the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib mesylate (STI571), from E17-P0 for 3 days caused loss of functionally developed ICC-MY networks, but ICC-MY and pacemaker activity recovered within 9 days after discontinuing treatment with neutralizing antibody or imatinib mesylate. These data suggest that Kit signaling is an important factor in lineage decision and in the development of functional ICC in late gestation. ICC-MY demonstrate significant plasticity in gastrointestinal tissues. Manipulation of the ICC phenotype might provide useful therapies in gastrointestinal disease where the Kit-positive cell population is either lost or amplified.
Direct measurement of stick‐slip and shear fracture energy of granite at elevated pressures

The dynamics of frictional sliding in stick-slip for a precut Westerly granite is studied at elevated pressures. Piston displacement measured outside the pressure vessel shows a small but significant delay (∼ 2 ms) during a stick-slip. As a result, most part of the stress-drop occurs with little piston displacement while most piston displacement occurs while the stress has already dropped to a residual level, giving a peculiar "L"-shape in the stress-displacement curve. On the other hand, displacement measured using an internal transducer mounted directly across the rock fracture shows that most slip on the rock fracture occurs concurrently with stress-drop. Based on the directly measured stress-displacement histories, we estimate a critical slip-weakening displacement of 200 µm and a shear-fracture energy of 300 J/m² at a normal stress of 85 MPa. This result shows that the discrepancy between the extrapolated values for the shear fracture energy [Okubo and Dieterich, 1984] and the estimated values given here and by Rice [1980] cannot be accounted for by different modes of measuring displacement.
iDNS: Enabling information centric networking through The DNS

Information centric networking (ICN) architectures represent a conceptual shift from naming end-hosts in the Internet to naming content directly, and require either significant changes to the existing IP infrastructure or replacing it entirely. We present iDNS (information-centric DNS), an evolutionary path towards deploying ICN at Internet scale based on modifications to the DNS that leave the current routing infrastructure unmodified. We build and evaluate an iDNS prototype, and use it to show that iDNS achieves the benefits associated with ICN (i.e. location-independent naming, nearest-replica-routing) in a manner that both leverages current infrastructure, including content delivery protocols and caches, and supports future evolution towards other network-layer ICN architectures.
LDR: An Orbiting Submillimeter-Infrared Telescope For The 1990s

The history and background of LDR is reviewed. The results of the June 1982 Asilomar Workshop are incorporated into the LDR science objectives and telescope concept. The areas where the LDR may have the greatest scientific impact are in the study of star formation and planetary systems in our own and nearby galaxies and in cosmological studies of the structure and evolution of the early universe. The observational requirements for these and other scientific studies give rise to a set of telescope functional requirements. These, in turn, are satisfied by an LDR configuration which is a Cassegrain design with a 20 m diameter, actively controlled, segmented, primary reflector, diffraction limited at a wave-length of 30-50 pm. Technical challenges in the LDR development include construction of high tolerance mirror segments, surface figure measurement, figure control, vibration control, pointing, cryogenics and coherent detectors. Project status and future plans for the LDR are discussed.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Hierarchical spatial structure in soft-bottom mussel beds

Abstract Mussels ( Mytilus edulis L.) are unusual because they thrive in both rocky shore and soft-bottom habitats. Despite their ecological and economic importance, little is known about their spatial structure. Mussels do not generally recruit to bare soft substrate because larvae and postlarvae cannot attach to a bottom of small sediment particles. They attach to hard objects on the sediment surface (especially other mussels), so soft-bottom mussel beds may be spatially organized in ways that are fundamentally different from those on rocky shores. The purpose of our study was to characterize the scales of spatial variability for several mussel abundance parameters in soft-bottom, intertidal M. edulis beds in coastal Maine. We used a random factor nested-ANOVA design of 200 cm 2 Cores within 1 m 2 Quadrats within 6 m Transects within Positions within bed Sites along 70 km (euclidean distance) of the Maine coast. Based on the literature and our field observations, we hypothesized that Sites and Positions account for most of the spatial variance in soft-botttom mussel beds. We rejected this hypothesis. Sites and Positions were not important in explaining variation in total mussel density, density of new recruits, or density of larger mussels. Although most of the variance in surface silt–clay fraction did occur at these levels, most mussel variation occurred at smaller spatial scales, specifically at the Quadrat scale for new recruits and total mussels and at the Transect scale for larger mussels. Variance in mussel parameters was not closely linked to the silt–clay fraction of surface sediment or to Site rankings of wind exposure and tidal flow. Variance in total mussel density was due primarily to variance in recruitment. No single scale explained more than about half the mussel variance, and no single scale was best at explaining all the mussel parameters. Greater knowledge about mussel bed spatial variability would be useful because it can help direct scale-dependent sampling regimes, field experiments, and coastal management practices.
Clozapine Preferentially Increases Dopamine Release in the Rhesus Monkey Prefrontal Cortex Compared with the Caudate Nucleus

Despite substantial differences between species in the organization and elaboration of the cortical dopamine innervation, little is known about the pharmacological response of cortical or striatal sites to antipsychotic medications in nonhuman primates. To examine this issue, rhesus monkeys were chronically implanted with guide cannulae directed at the principal sulcus, medial prefrontal cortex, premotor cortex, and caudate nucleus. Alterations in dopamine release in these discrete brain regions were measured in response to administration of clozapine or haloperidol. Clozapine produced significant and long-lasting increases in dopamine release in the principal sulcus, and to a lesser extent, in the caudate nucleus. Haloperidol did not produce a consistent effect on dopamine release in the principal sulcus, although it increased dopamine release in the caudate. Clozapine's preferential augmentation of dopamine release in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex supports the idea that clozapine exerts its therapeutic effects in part by increasing cortical dopamine neurotransmission.
A Theoretical Model for Intraperitoneal Delivery of Cisplatin and the Effect of Hyperthermia on Drug Penetration Distance

A theoretical model for the intraperitoneal (i.p.) delivery of cisplatin and heat to tumor metastases in tissues adjacent to the peritoneal cavity is presented. The penetration distance (the depth to which drug diffuses directly from the cavity into tissues) is predicted to be on the order of 0.5 mm. The model shows that exchange with the microvasculature has more effect than cellular uptake in limiting the penetration distance. Possible effects of hyperthermia are simulated, including increased cell uptake of drug, increased cell kill at a given level of intracellular drug, and decreased microvascular density. The model suggests that the experimental finding of elevated intracellular platinum levels up to a depth of 3 to 5 mm when drug is delivered i.p. by a heated infusion solution is due to penetration of heat to this distance, causing increased cell uptake of drug. Beyond a depth of about 0.5 mm, the drug is delivered mainly through the circulation. Use of sodium thiosulfate to deactivate systemic cisplatin may therefore be counterproductive when heat is delivered locally. The model suggests that i.p. delivery of heat, combined with systemic delivery of drug, may be as effective as i.p. delivery of heat and drug.
Complications of rhytidectomy in an otolaryngology training program

Objectives/Hypothesis: Complications of rhytidectomy have been widely reported in the literature. This study examines the incidence of complications after rhytidectomy in the hands of chief residents under appropriate attending supervision in an otolaryngology-head and neck surgery training program. Materials and Methods: The charts of 96 consecutive SMAS rhytidectomy patients were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were selected for surgery from a clinic designed exclusively for cosmetic facial surgery patients. This clinic was run by the otolaryngology chief resident and was supervised by an attending staff surgeon. Most patients elected local anesthesia and sedation administered by the surgical team. Submental liposuction was performed followed by SMAS plication rhytidectomy. Results: Follow-up ranged from 1 to 60 months. Complications included expanding hematoma (1%), temporary facial nerve weakness (3%), pretragal/mastoid skin slough (4.2%), permanent ear numbness (1%), hypertrophic scar (3.1%), wound infection (1%), and dissatisfaction with result (4%). There were no cases of permanent facial nerve injury. Conclusion: These complication rates compare favorably with reported rates of larger studies over the past 30 years. These data support the conclusion that rhytidectomy can be performed safely by otolaryngology residents with little morbidity and good patient satisfaction.
Programming nanopore ion flow for encoded multiplex microRNA detection.

Many efforts are being made in translating the nanopore into an ultrasensitive single-molecule platform for various genetic and epigenetic detections. However, compared with current approaches including PCR, the low throughput limits the nanopore applications in biological research and clinical settings, which usually requires simultaneous detection of multiple biomarkers for accurate disease diagnostics. Herein we report a barcode probe approach for multiple nucleic acid detection in one nanopore. Instead of directly identifying different targets in a nanopore, we designed a series of barcode probes to encode different targets. When the probe is bound with the target, the barcode group polyethylene glycol attached on the probe through click chemistry can specifically modulate nanopore ion flow. The resulting signature serves as a marker for the encoded target. Therefore counting different signatures in a current recording allows simultaneous analysis of multiple targets in one nanopore. The principle of ...
Research on Data Management System for Live Detection

In order to raise the efficiency of on-site live detection, we proposed a new study of live detection data management system which based piconet and Electric Power System Secure Access Platform(EPSSAP). Piconet of comprehensive multi professional testing equipments with Bluetooth technology is established to wireless acquisite field testing data. Using mobile APN secure access technology, secure communication between the intranet information system and PC power system is realized. Application of the platform will provide basis for a unified multiple data acquisition system, extend functions of intranet information system, such as data storage, information processing regulate the process of on-site live detection work and improve the efficiency of the use of live detection data.
Radiation induced conductivity in alumina

Abstract Studies have shown that the electrical resistivity of insulators such as alumina can be significantly degraded when irradiated with a bias voltage at elevated temperatures. This study is devoted to examining the effects of radiation induced conductivity and electrical degradation in polycrystalline alumina and sapphire. Experiments were carried out at temperatures up to 823 K and an applied electric field of 500 kV/m. Effects of proton, alpha and gamma radiations were examined. Experimental results show that radiation induced conductivity (RIC) in alumina consists of recoverable and permanent contributions when irradiated with charged particles. These two radiation induced effects are not completely separable and are both functions of irradiation dose. In polycrystalline alumina, a significant increase in the permanent conductivity was observed after an incubation dose of 10−4 dpa. However only limited permanent electrical degradation was observed in single crystal samples at three times this damage level indicating the importance of grain boundaries in the radiation induced electrical degradation (RIED) process. Results from Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) confirm that radiation enhanced diffusion of the gold contact is responsible for the degradation observed in the polycrystalline alumina specimens.
Development of 5q‐ myelodysplasia in a patient with sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis has been observed in association with numerous blood dyscrasias including lymphoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma. This report describes a patient with sarcoidosis and a refractory anemia whose bone marrow karyotype showed deletion of the long arm of chromosome 5, consistent with a myelodysplastic syndrome. Concurrent sarcoidosis and myelodysplasia may relate to the continued availability of cytokines as a consequence of repeated macrophage, T-cell, and B-cell interactions, with evolution to the 5q- abnormality. This association may merit specific attention in the future approach to the diagnostic evaluation in certain patients with sarcoidosis.
Von Willebrand factor present in fibrillar collagen enhances platelet adhesion to collagen and collagen-induced platelet aggregation.

Summary. We examined the basis of the differences observed between different collagen preparations in their ability to aggregate platelets and support their adhesion under flow. As in previous studies, we found fibrillar collagen to be 10-fold more potent than acid-soluble collagen in inducing platelet aggregation and found that acid-soluble collagen did not support the adhesion of washed platelets under flow. Further, platelets in whole blood adhered to surfaces coated with either fibrillar or acid-soluble collagen, but thrombi formed faster and grew larger on fibrillar collagen. As a possible basis for this difference, we found that fibrillar collagen, but not acid-soluble collagen, contains a substantial quantity of von Willebrand factor (VWF), as demonstrated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and by the ability of fibrillar collagen to support the adhesion of VWF antibody-coated beads and to agglutinate GPIb–IX–V complex-expressing Chinese hamster ovary cells. Supporting a role for VWF in collagen-induced platelet aggregation, aggregation induced by acid-soluble collagen was greatly enhanced by added VWF. Further, platelet aggregation by fibrillar collagen was partially blocked by a GPIbα antibody that inhibits the GPIb–VWF interaction. Taken together, these results suggest that much of the difference in prothrombotic potency of different collagens is directly related to their differences in VWF content. This probably accounts for the different conclusions made regarding the relative importance of different direct and indirect collagen receptors in collagen-dependent platelet functions and further emphasizes the close synergistic roles of the GPIb–IX–V complex and the collagen receptors GPVI and α2β1 in supporting platelet adhesion.
A damage model of creep crack growth in polycrystals

Ahstraet-A model for the growth of cracks by cavitation has been developed in which the effect of a viscous constraint has been considered. The important parameters are the grain size (I) and viscosity (11) of the material, the applied stress intensity factor (K) and the size of the damage zone (2). as well as the spacing of the cavities (1) and the size at which they coalesce (A,,,). The velocity of the crack is predicted by this model to be proportional to K and inversely proportional to q. Its dependence upon the grain size is more complex and can vary between ci a iA”’ and ci a I’/*. The influence of the constraint has been shown to be important only for small damage zones, and high values of both the relative cavity spacing (f/l) and the cavity area at coalescence. Otherwise, the crack velocity tends to the values predicted in the absence of constraint.
“I am myself it”: comparative national identity formation in the lives of Vera Brittain and Edith Stein

Abstract This is a study of the tranformational impact of their World War One experiences on the national identities of two eminent feminist intellectuals, Vera Brittain and Edith Stein, each a volunteer Red Cross nurse on opposing warfronts. The essay examines how their gender, ethnicity, social class, and feminism intersect within this identity. To assess the War's impact, the author first probes – through extensive research in unpublished and recently published documents – the nature and evolution of Brittain and Stein's pre-war national identities, identities featuring a complex and ambiguous interplay of European and national consciousness. Through analysis of the tension between national and European identity in Brittain's and Stein's lives, the essay highlights key questions with regard to national similarities and differences in women's wartime experiences, as well as revealing critical factors vital to wider analysis of the War's impact on female national identity, particularly among educated mid...
The Dinoflagellate Angustidinium Acribes (Davey & Verdier) Gen. Et Comb. Nov. from the Mid-Cretaceous of the Northern California Coast Ranges

Abstract The mid-Cretaceous dinoflagellate cyst Angustidinium acribes Davey & Verdier gen. et comb. nov. displays several morphological features unique among fossil dinoflagellates. On the basis of specimens from northern California, the species is redescribed and is shown to have a paratabulation expressed by the formula 2pr, 5′, 3a, 7″, Xc, 5″′, 2″″; a seven-sided intercalary archeopyle (2a only); an unusually narrow, essentially four-sided first apical paraplate; and typically a small opening or an area of periphragm thickening on each of the antapical paraplates. The distinctive features of the paratabulation are hypothesized to derive from a conventional peridiniacean pattern by subdivision of the mid-dorsal apical paraplate and by ventral shift in the right lateral limit of the first apical paraplate. The pattern is closely similar to the tabulation in living species of Heterocapsa, notably H. niei (Loeblich). suggesting affinity with that genus of the Peridiniaceae, rather than to Peridinium or Pro...
Quantum Structure of the Intermolecular Proton Bond

A proton shared between two closed-shell molecules, [A·H + ·B], constitutes a ubiquitous soft binding motif in biological processes. The vibrational transitions associated with the shared proton, which provide a direct probe of this interaction, have been extensively studied in the condensed phase but have yielded only limited detailed information because of their diffuse character. We exploited recent advances in gas-phase ion spectroscopy to identify sharp spectral features that can be assigned to both the shared proton and the two tethered molecules in a survey of 18 cold, isolated [A·H + ·B] ions. These data yield a picture of the intermolecular proton bond at a microscopic scale, facilitating analysis of its properties within the context of a floppy polyatomic molecule.
Minimal Sulfated Carbohydrates for Recognition by L-selectin and the MECA-79 Antibody

Sulfated forms of sialyl-LeXcontaining Gal-6-SO4 or GlcNAc-6-SO4 have been implicated as potential recognition determinants on high endothelial venule ligands for L-selectin. The optimal configuration of sulfate esters on the N-acetyllactosamine (Galβ1→4GlcNAc) core of sulfosialyl-LeX, however, remains unsettled. Using a panel of sulfated lactose (Galβ1→4Glc) neoglycolipids as substrates in direct binding assays, we found that 6′,6-disulfolactose was the preferred structure for L-selectin, although significant binding to 6′- and 6-sulfolactose was observed as well. Binding was EDTA-sensitive and blocked by L-selectin-specific monoclonal antibodies. Surprisingly, 6′,6-disulfolactose was poorly recognized by MECA-79, a carbohydrate- and sulfate-dependent monoclonal antibody that binds competitively to L-selectin ligands. Instead, MECA-79 bound preferentially to 6-sulfolactose. The difference in preferred substrates between L-selectin and MECA-79 may explain the variable activity of MECA-79 as an inhibitor of lymphocyte adhesion to high endothelial venules in lymphoid organs. Our results suggest that both Gal-6-SO4 and GlcNAc-6-SO4 may contribute to L-selectin recognition, either as components of sulfosialyl-LeX capping groups or in internal structures. By contrast, only GlcNAc-6-SO4 appears to contribute to MECA-79 binding.
Mild cognitive impairment clinical trials

Most investigators believe that by the time the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease has been made, sufficient neuronal damage has taken place in the brain to make reversal of the condition unlikely. Prevention would be a more appealing strategy, but the challenges of conducting true primary prevention trials in asymptomatic persons are formidable. The duration and expense of these types of trial make them unappealing. Large numbers of subjects would need to be followed for many years, and without a promising therapeutic agent, this approach would be risky. Hence, the concept of secondary prevention treatment trials involving minimally symptomatic individuals, such as persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) — a transitional stage between normal ageing and very early Alzheimer's disease — has evolved and seems more promising. This concept has led to the emergence of a number of clinical trials for MCI, which are discussed here.