cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impedance spectroscopy for progressive damage analysis in woven composites

Current applications require an understanding of the relationships that exist between the functional characteristics of composite material systems and the long-term behavior of those materials under mechanical loading. Using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, a method was established and used to characterize damage initiation and progression in thin woven glass/epoxy composites. Monitoring the evolution in residual strength due to out of plane bending fatigue, a relationship was established between impedance at different frequencies of excitation and the development of damage in the material. When compared to common methods of measuring change in physical properties or visual damage, the metrics defined by impedance spectroscopy measurements were found to show larger, more consistent, and clearer distinctions as damage developed.
Linear and nonlinear growth models: describing a Bayesian perspective.

OBJECTIVE Conventional estimation of longitudinal growth models can produce inaccurate parameter estimates under certain research scenarios (e.g., smaller sample sizes and nonlinear growth patterns) and thus lead to potentially misleading interpretations of results (i.e., interpreting growth patterns that do not reflect the population patterns). The current article used patterns of change in cigarette and alcohol abuse prevalence and depression levels to demonstrate an alternative method for estimating growth models more accurately under these conditions, namely, via the Bayesian estimation framework. This article acts as an introduction and tutorial for implementing Bayesian methods when examining growth or change over time, particularly nonlinear growth. METHOD The National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 database was used to highlight different linear and nonlinear (quadratic and logistic) growth models via growth curve modeling (GCM) and growth mixture modeling (GMM). The specific focus was on changes in cigarette/alcohol consumption and depression throughout adolescence and young adulthood. Specifically, a nationally representative group of individuals between the ages of 12 and 16 years were assessed at 4 time-points for levels of cigarette consumption, alcohol use, and depression. RESULTS The results for each example illustrated different patterns of linear and nonlinear growth via GCM and GMM through the versatile Bayesian estimation framework. CONCLUSIONS Growth models may benefit from the Bayesian perspective by incorporating prior information or knowledge into the model, especially when sample sizes are small or growth is nonlinear. A step-by-step tutorial for assessing various growth models via the Bayesian perspective is provided as online supplemental material.
Community Breastfeeding Attitudes and Beliefs

The cultural norms of a society have a powerful influence over health behavior decisions such as choosing an infant feeding method. The objective of this study was to explore the community breastfeeding perspective by examining breastfeeding attitudes and beliefs, experiences, and behaviors of a U.S. university community through an online survey. Linear and logistic regressions were used to determine predictors of those who had breastfed and those with positive breastfeeding attitudes and beliefs. Through the findings, the researchers suggest that exposure to breastfeeding and increasing positive breastfeeding attitudes and beliefs are important as the focus for public breastfeeding campaigns.
18F-FDG Uptake in the Anterior Mediastinum: Physiologic Thymic Uptake or Disease?

Purpose: We reviewed 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) studies to determine the frequency of thymic visualization, to characterize this uptake to facilitate differentiation from disease, and to ascertain effects of therapy on visualization.Methods: Hybrid positron emission tomography images performed on 14 patients with known or suspected malignancy before therapy, and on six of the patients after treatment, were reviewed. Mediastinal uptake was characterized by location, contour and intensity.Results: Thymic uptake seen in five patients, 13-16-years-old, was characterized by an anterior midline location, regular contours, and a mean uptake ration of 2.5, and involved large glands. In five patients with mediastinal disease, 16-23-years-old, uptake was more posterior and eccentric in location with irregular borders and a mean uptake ratio of 4.3. One patient had anterior (thymic) and posterior (disease) mediastinal uptake. Three patients, 15-22-years-old, without disease and small thymus glands had no uptake. Five patients, including two with baseline uptake, showed no thymic uptake subsequently. One patient, negative initially, had thymic uptake five months after therapy.Conclusions: Thymic 18F-FDG uptake occurs in younger patients, before or after treatment, and is associated with larger glands. Its midline anterior mediastinal location and mild intensity should facilitate discrimination from disease.
Perpetuating the double helix: molecular machines at eukaryotic DNA replication origins.

The hardest part of replicating a genome is the beginning. The first step of DNA replication (called "initiation") mobilizes a large number of specialized proteins ("initiators") that recognize specific sequences or structural motifs in the DNA, unwind the double helix, protect the exposed ssDNA, and recruit the enzymatic activities required for DNA synthesis, such as helicases, primases and polymerases. All of these components are orderly assembled before the first nucleotide can be incorporated. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the DNA structure, we review our current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that control initiation of DNA replication in eukaryotic cells, with particular emphasis on the recent identification of novel initiator proteins. We speculate how these initiators assemble molecular machines capable of performing specific biochemical tasks, such as loading a ring-shaped helicase onto the DNA double helix.
On the uniqueness of plane poiseuille solutions of the equations of incompressible dipolr viscous fluids

Abstract The three-dimensional equilibrium equations for the flow of an incompressible, isothermal, dipolar fluid in a channel are considered; in previous work it was proven that there exists a unique plane Poiseuille steady flow of such a multipolar viscous fluid with respect to the same geometry. Conditions are derived which guarantee that the plane Poiseuille flow is, in fact, the unique steady flow in the channel satisfying an appropriate radiation condition.
Adaptive Decentralized Noise and Vibration Control With Conflicting Performance Objectives

Decentralized control is a longstanding challenge in systems theory. A decentralized controller may consist of multiple local controllers, connected to disjoint or overlapping sets of sensors and actuators, and where each local controller has limited ability to communicate directly with the remaining local controllers and, in addition, may lack global knowledge of the plant and operation of the remaining local controllers. In the present paper we apply adaptive control to investigate the ability of the local controllers to cooperate globally despite uncertainty, communication constraints, and possibly conflicting performance objectives. The approach we apply in this paper is based on retrospective cost adaptive control (RCAC). The development of RCAC assumes a centralized controller structure; the goal of the present paper is to investigate the stability and performance of RCAC in a decentralized setting.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Predicting failure: a case study in co-blogging

Monitoring student progress in homework is important but difficult to do. The work in this paper presents a method for monitoring student progress based on their participation. By tracking participation we can successfully create a model that predicts, with very high accuracy, if a student is going to score a low grade on her current assignment before it is completed, thus enabling selective interventions.
PARTIAL NEPHRECTOMY FOR RENAL ADENOCARCINOMA IN A SOLITARY KIDNEY.

SUMMARY A case of right lower partial nephrectomy for renal adenocarcinoma is described. The left kidney was congenitally absent and the patient was well over two years later. We are indebted to Dr A. MacFarlane and Dr R. C. B. Pugh for their pathological reports, and to Dr R. G. Grainger for the aortogram.
On not understanding prayer

Paradoxically for one who often emphasises the need for understanding in discussions of religion, Mr. D. Z. Phillips, in The Concept of Prayer (Routledge, 1965), misinterprets the nature of Christian prayer, and, indeed, of the whole Christian way of life and belief. Mr. P. Baelz t has revealed the unsatisfactory character of Phillips' central account of dependence on God, which deliberately removes God and religion from all connexion with 'the way things go'. This has two important consequences (i) there is no mention in The Concapt o] Praysr of God's action in and upon the world (except in a misleading sense), and thus, surprisingly, there is no reference at all to Christian beliefs as to what God has done and will do in the world for the salvation of man and the renewal of all things; and (ii) petitionary prayer (and perhaps all prayer) is construed by Phillips to be asking God on/y for strength to endure, for continued trust, and for deeper faith, come what may: the obvious things asked for in such prayers are quite discounted.
National Bureau of Standards/National Security Agency Workshop On Standardization Issues For Optical Digital Data Disk (0D 3) Technology

The National Bureau of Standards and the National Security Agency jointly sponsored a Workshop on Standardization Issues for Optical Digital Data Disk (0D3)1 Technology, on June 1-2-3, 1983. The workshop was undertaken in response to the growing interest in the standardization possibilities for optical digital data disks as well as in the current OD3 technological and marketing developments. The workshop presentations and panel discussions w ere selected in order to allow the participants to examine the technical and applications issues associated with OD technology; to discuss standards possibilities; and to determine the direction for potential OD3 standardization. Current and future OD3 users, manufacturers, and technical experts presented papers, and participated in both panels and open discussions.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
To protect or not to protect: Bayes decisions with forecasts

Abstract A complete model, structural characterization, and analytic representation of the Bayes solution is presented for a protection problem: it is a sequential, stationary, finite-horizon, Markov decision process involving at each stage a dichotomous action, a binary state, and a one-period-ahead forecast of an independent (over time) Bernoulli input process. Two types of forecasts, categorical and probabilistic, are considered, along with their limiting cases, the naive and perfect forecasts. The concept of sufficiency is introduced and operationalized so that consistent comparisons of forecasts can be made with respect to both statistical and economic criteria. Mappings between the sufficiency ordering and the optimal decision strategy are proven or illustrated numerically.
RENAL TRANSPLANTATION IN THE INBRED RAT : III. A STUDY OF HETEROLOGOUS ANTI-THYMOCYTE SERA

Heterologous rabbit anti-rat thymocyte sera, its immunoglobulin G fraction, and the bivalent and univalent antibody fragments obtained by pepsin digestion are potent immunosuppressive reagents when tested in a system of renal allotransplantation between the LBN F1 hybrid and Lewis rat strains. The AT F(ab')2 is not lymphocytotoxic in vitro but has agglutinating ability, while the AT Fab' neither agglutinates nor is cytotoxic to rat lymphocytes, but will inhibit the in vitro reaction. The AT IgG and the F(ab')2 are more immunogenic in their host than normal rabbit IgG and F(ab')2, probably due to increased delivery of the antibody to the immune system. Donor pretreatment studies demonstrate that a cross-reacting, highly immunogenic antibody with anti-lymphocyte specificity may bind to renal sites and be transferred to the new host after transplantation. In addition, the crude unabsorbed anti-thymocyte antisera may induce a nephritis characteristic of immune complex disease which can be eliminated by complete absorption with serum proteins. Further in vivo and in vitro evidence is presented that the AT IgG contains small amounts of antibody to glomerular basement membrane antigens and may induce an autologous phase-nephrotoxic nephritis. The amount of in vivo binding by AT IgG to GBM was reduced by subcutaneous rather than intravenous administration. Most of the rabbit antisera tested contain antibody in low titer to sheep erythrocytes and in vivo experiments indicate that the nature of the immunodepressive effect of AT globulin to sheep erythrocytes is due in part to the passive transfer of antibody and is not necessarily due to a specific anti-lymphocyte effect.
K-SERIES FLUORESCENCE YIELDS OF ARGON, COPPER-65, AND INDIUM-113

$K$-series fluorescence yield measurements have been made for A, ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{65}$, and ${\mathrm{In}}^{113}$ with a proportional counter spectrometer and found to be 0.081\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.006, 0.39\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02, and 0.82\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02, respectively. The method is discussed and a comparison with theoretical values is noted.
The development of the CO(+) coma of Comet P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

The development of the CO(+) coma of Comet P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 is studied in spectroscopic observations indicating that the maximum rise time of the CO(+) gas is 1.2 days. This result implies a maximum creation time-scale for the CO(+) gas of the order of 100,000 sec at 5.8 AU. Evidence is adduced that dust events and gas events observed in this comet are not necessarily connected.
Should Strategic Management Research Engage Public Policy Debates

The article discusses the multiple benefits of applying insights from strategic management theory to social policy analysis. For instance, strategic management theory can inform social policy respo...
Firm characteristics influencing the extent of electronic billing adoption: an empirical study in the US telecommunication industry

The recent moves toward both customer orientation and electronic commerce are placing a greater emphasis on a Web-based electronic billing system as a new customer service tool. In the meantime, understanding what kinds of firms are better doing business with their customers through an early adoption of electronic billing system has become more crucial. The objective of this paper is to examine several firm characteristics, including industry tenure, firm scope and firm size, influencing the extent of electronic billing adoption in the US telecommunication industry. The findings from a comprehensive content analysis of Web sites indicate that firm size has the most significant impact while industry tenure and geographic firm scope have also significant explanatory power. This paper concludes with implications of these findings for telecommunication scholars and practitioners.
Synthesis of 1-(dimethylsulfamoyl)-2- and 5-imidazolecarboxaldehydes. Rearrangement of 1-(dimethylsulfamoyl)-5-imidazole-carboxaldehyde to the 4-carboxaldehyde†

Lithiation of 1-(dimethylsulfamoyl)imidazole by n-butyllithium, followed by substitution with dimethylformamide provided 1-(dimethylsulfamoyl)-2-imidazolecarboxaldehyde in 19% yield. When 1-(dimethylsulfamoyl)-2-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)imidazole was lithiated by sec-butyllithium, followed by methyl formate, there was obtained 1-(dimethylsulfamoyl)-2-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-5-imidazolecarbox-aldehyde (57%). Removal of the silyl group by acetic acid yielded 1-(dimethylsulfamoyl)-5-imidazolecarbxaldehyde (11, 96%) as a gum. Isomerization of 11 took place slowly at room temperature (10 days), or faster in tetrahydrofuran solution containing triethylamine (2 hours) to form crystalline 1-(dimethylsul-famoyl)-4-imidazolecarboxaldehyde (12) in 68% yield. Proton and carbon-13 nmr spectra were analyzed to determine the structure of the isomers. However, only X-ray crystallography established the structure of 1-(dimethylsulfamoyl)-4-imidazolecarboxaldehyde, unequivocally. A mechanism for the isomerization of 11 to 12 is proposed.
A new human retrovirus associated with prostate cancer

Viruses and cancer have had a long history, beginning from the first discoveries of cancer viruses in animals in the late 19th century. Animal cancer viruses have provided great insights into fundamental processes of cancer, such as the discovery of cellular protooncogenes and tumor suppressor proteins (1). More recently, the involvement of viruses in human cancer has been established (2). It is now estimated that 20–25% of human cancers worldwide have a known viral etiology (2) (Table 1), although, given the multifactorial nature of carcinogenesis, other factors also contribute. In some cases, the viruses directly promote tumor development through expression of viral protein(s) that alter the growth properties of the tumor cell. For instance, the E6 and E7 proteins of oncogenic human papillomaviruses (HPVs) bind and inactivate cellular tumor suppressor proteins (3). In other cases viruses may indirectly cause cancer; the tumor cells themselves may not express the virus. Hepatitis B and C viruses appear to cause liver cancer by inducing chronic destruction and compensatory replacement of hepatocytes; the continual hepatocyte division may establish a cellular environment where other changes lead to cancer. In addition, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS indirectly causes cancer by crippling immune defenses against cancers induced by Kaposi's sarcoma herpes virus/HHV-8, Epstein–Barr virus, and HPV 6. Viral involvements in human cancer have practical implications. First, prevention of infection may reduce the risk of developing cancer; vaccines for oncogenic HPV have recently been approved for prevention of cervical cancer. Second, mechanistic studies may identify viral or cellular targets for cancer treatment or prevention. In this issue of PNAS, Dong et al. (4) provide evidence for a new human retrovirus associated with familial prostate cancer (PC).
Anion-protein interactions during halorhodopsin pumping: halide binding at the protonated Schiff base

Halorhodopsin (hR), the light-driven chloride pump of Halobacterium halobium, has been studied by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Direct hydrogen bonding of halide ions with the protonated Schiff base (PSB) group was detected by means of halide-dependent perturbations on this group's vibrational frequencies. FTIR difference spectra were obtained of the hR-->hL photoreaction in reconstituted membrane vesicles. Nearly identical results were obtained using either low-temperature static difference spectroscopy at 1-cm-1 resolution or a stroboscopic time-resolved technique with 5-ms temporal and 2-cm-1 spectral resolution. The frequency of the negative difference band due to the PSB C = N stretch mode in the hR state shows a dependence on the type of halide counteranion that is present, 1632 cm-1 in the presence of Cl-, 1631 cm-1 in Br-, and 1629 cm-1 in I-. The C = NH+ stretch frequency thus correlates with the strength of the hydrogen bond formed by the halide. Analogous halide-dependent shifts of the C = NH+ frequency were observed in IR spectra of model compound retinylidene PSB salts. We also observed a significant halide dependence of the visible absorption maximum of hR solubilized in lauryl maltoside detergent. From such halide perturbation effects, we conclude that there is a direct hydrogen-bonded interaction between the Schiff base group and an externally supplied halide ion in the hR state. Halide perturbation effects are also observed for PSB-group vibrations in the hL state. Thus, despite an apparent overall weakening of hydrogen-bonding interactions of the PSB with its environment after chromophore photoisomerization to form hL, the PSB remains hydrogen-bonded to the halide. The results are best explained in terms of a "one-site, two-state" model for anion binding near the chromophore in the hR state, as opposed to a previously proposed two-site model.
Oxidative stress and glutathione in TGF-β-mediated fibrogenesis

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) is the most potent and ubiquitous profibrogenic cytokine, and its expression is increased in almost all the fibrotic diseases and in experimental fibrosis models. TGF-beta increases reactive oxygen species production and decreases the concentration of glutathione (GSH), the most abundant intracellular free thiol and an important antioxidant, which mediates many of the fibrogenic effects of TGF-beta in various types of cells. A decreased GSH concentration is also observed in human fibrotic diseases and in experimental fibrosis models. Although the biological significance of GSH depletion in the development of fibrosis remains obscure, GSH and N-acetylcysteine, a precursor of GSH, have been used in clinics for the treatment of fibrotic diseases. This review summarizes recent findings in the field to address the potential mechanism whereby oxidative stress mediates fibrogenesis induced by TGF-beta and the potential therapeutic value of antioxidant treatment in fibrotic diseases.
Effect of amino acid and serum deprivation on the regulation of RNA synthesis in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells

Abstract In a proline-requiring Chinese hamster ovary cell line, if both proline and serum are removed from the culture medium, net RNA synthesis is reduced to about 12 % of the unstarved control. This reduction in RNA synthesis is comparable to the stringent regulation of RNA in bacteria. A beta-globulin carbohydrate containing (3.5 % w w ) protein factor was isolated and partially purified from fetal calf serum. The isolated serum factor is able to replace whole serum in stimulating cellular RNA synthesis and has an RNAase inhibitory effect in vitro. The effect of proline starvation and serum factor deprivation on RNA synthesis are independent and additive; each regulates about half of the total RNA synthesized. The regulation appears to affect the synthesis of all species of cytoplasmic RNA.
A novel misoprostol delivery system for induction of labor: clinical utility and patient considerations

Induction of labor is one of the most commonly performed obstetric procedures and will likely become more common as the reproductive population in developed nations changes. As the proportion of women undergoing induction grows, there is a constant search for more efficacious ways to induce labor while maintaining fetal and maternal safety as well as patient satisfaction. With almost half of induced labors requiring cervical ripening, methods for achieving active labor and vaginal delivery are constantly being investigated. Prostaglandins have been shown to be effective induction agents, and specifically vaginal misoprostol, used off-label, have been widely utilized to initiate cervical ripening and active labor. The challenge is to administer this medication accurately while maintaining the ability to discontinue the medication when needed. The misoprostol vaginal insert initiates cervical ripening utilizing a delivery system that controls medication release and can be rapidly removed. This paper reviews the design, development, and clinical utility of the misoprostol vaginal insert for induction of labor as well as patient considerations related to the delivery system.
Responses of soil microbial biomass, nematode trophic groups, N-mineralization, and litter decomposition to disturbance events in the southern Appalachians

Abstract Seasonal measurements of soil microbial biomass, nematode trophic groups, net N-mineralization, net nitrification, net ammonification, litter decomposition, and soil respiration rates were examined to assess the effects of rhododendron ( Rhododendron maximum L.) removal and hurricane windthrow upon these factors. Comparisons of pre- and post-disturbance quantities of soil microbial biomass carbon ranged from 503 to 1080 μg C g soil −1 and microbial biomass nitrogen ranged from 67 to 169 μg total persulfate nitrogen g soil −1 , showing no significant differences or trends in response to these disturbance events. Total nematode abundance ranged from 13.05 to 54.31 nematodes g soil −1 and showed no significant differences in response to these disturbance events, although overall nematode abundance was declining in the disturbed plots at the end of the study. Nematode trophic structure was fairly consistent across both sites and all sampling dates and exhibited no discernible trends in response to these disturbance events. Rates of net N-mineralization, nitrification, and ammonification exhibited greater variability, post-disturbance. Litter decomposition rates and soil respiration rates decreased following the disturbance events, with respiration rates in the Cut plot being significantly higher across years. Overall, the effects of these disturbance events upon soil properties were highly variable and were unrelated to the major increases in N loss that were detected from deeper soil horizons following the hurricane windthrow event.
Hematological Changes Associated with Divergent Selection for Packed Erythrocyte Volume in Japanese Quail

Abstract Four generations of divergent selection for 15 day packed erythrocyte volume (P.C.V.) in the Japanese quail resulted in a significant corresponding change in 15 day erythrocyte number (R.B.C. count) and hemoglobin content (H.C.) There was no increase in mean corpuscular volume (M.C.V.) in the line selected for high P.C.V., while there was a slight decrease in the M.C.V. of the line selected for low P.C.V. This would indicate that the change in 15 day P.C.V. by selection was mainly due to changes in R.B.C. count. The accompanying change in H.C. was also due to the R.B.C. count rather than their mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (M.C.H.C.) since the M.C.H.C. was not changed by selection. Selection for 15 day P.C.V. was effective in changing 8-week P.C.V. and similar hematological data obtained at 8 weeks of age showed the same trend observed at 15 days of age.
Justification for a Minimal Lift Program in Critical Care

This chapter reviews literature pertaining to patient-handling tasks spanning the areas of epidemiology, biomechanics, perceived stresses, education and training programs, and introduction of mechanical patient lifting devices. All findings agree that patient handling is inherently dangerous and has been attributed to the majority of injuries incurred by nursing personnel; however, most studies have been performed in hospitals or long term care settings, but have not been specific to the area of critical care. The critical care environment poses unique challenges for nursing personnel and therefore, to ergonomists.
A selection and estimation test for multiple target detection

The authors apply a selection and estimation procedure for the detection of multiple targets in clutter. The selection and estimation (SE) test performs better than a fixed order statistic (OS) detector. The SE test has some similarity to a variable trimmed mean (VTM) test and has a slight performance advantage. Unlike the VTM, whose performance is evaluated only by simulation studies, the performance of the SE test, for a Rayleigh fluctuating target model, can be evaluated analytically. Further improvement in the performance is possible if a better selection procedure can be found. >
The Team Identification-Social Psychological Health Model: Sport Fans Gaining Connections to Others via Sport Team Identification

Previous work has consistently found positive relationships between levels of sport team identification and social psychological well-being. According to the Team Identification‐Social Psychological Health Model, these effects result from the increased social connections fans generate through their interest in the team. The current pair of investigations was designed to test the hypotheses that (1) team identification is positively related to social well-being and (2) team identification is positively related to social connections. In addition, the interrelationships among the variables were investigated (i.e., tests for mediation and moderation). In Study 1, a sample of 161 college students completed a questionnaire assessing demographics, identification with a local team, connections gained by following the team, and social well-being. Results indicated that, as expected, team identification was positively related to both well-being and social connections. Subsequent analyses failed to find evidence that social connections mediated or moderated the relationship between team identification and social psychological health. Study 2 (N 199 students from the same university as Study 1) replicated the results of the initial study using a more general measure of social connections (i.e., the Campus Connectedness Scale). Discussion includes the implications for the Team Identification‐Social Psychological Health Model and the directionality between identification and social connections.
Isotropic Majority-Vote Model on a Square Lattice

The stationary critical properties of the isotropic majority vote model on a square lattice are calculated by Monte Carlo simulations and finite size analysis. The critical exponentsν, γ, andβ are found to be the same as those of the Ising model and the critical noise parameter is found to beqc=0.075±0.001.
Sim-X: parallel system software for interactive multi-experiment computational studies

Advances in high-performance computing have led to the broad use of computational studies in everyday engineering and scientific applications. A single study may require thousands of computational experiments, each corresponding to individual runs of simulation software with different parameter settings; in complex studies, the pattern of parameter changes is complex and may have to be adjusted by the user based on partial simulation results. Unfortunately, existing tools have limited high-level support for managing large ensembles of simultaneous computational experiments. In this paper, we present a system architecture for interactive computational studies targeting two goals. The first is to provide a framework for high-level user interaction with computational studies, rather than individual experiments; the second is to maximize the size of the studies that can be performed at close to interactive rates. We describe a prototype implementation of the system and demonstrate performance improvements obtained using our approach for a simple model problem.
Constraints on Sedge Meadow Self‐Restoration in Urban Wetlands

Invasive plants and urban run-off constrain efforts to restore sedge meadow wetlands. We asked if native graminoids can self-restore following the removal of Typha × glauca (hybrid cattail), and if not, what limits their recovery? After we harvested Typha and depleted its rhizome starch reserves, Carex spp. expanded vegetatively (approximately 1 m over 2 years) but not by recruiting seedlings. A seedling emergence experiment showed that seed banks were depleted where Typha had eliminated the sedge meadow over a decade ago (based on aerial photo analysis). Carex seedling emergence was 75–90% lower where Carex was absent than where it remained in the plant community, and at least 17 species that were abundant 30 years ago were absent from the seed bank and extant vegetation. By varying hydroperiod, we showed that prolonged flooding prevented emergence of Carex seedlings and that a fluctuating hydroperiod reduced emergence and ultimately killed all Carex seedlings. In contrast, Typha seedlings emerged and survived regardless of hydroperiod. Thus, slow vegetative expansion by Carex, depauperate seed banks, and altered hydroperiods all constrain self-restoration. To compensate for multiple constraints on self-restoration, we recommend a long-term management approach that capitalizes on flooding and the capacity of Carex spp. to regrow vegetatively. We suggest annually harvesting swaths of Typha at the edges of clones, before or during flood events, to allow gradual, vegetative self-restoration of Carex spp.
Fundamental differences in the plasticity of periodically twinned nanowires in Au, Ag, Al, Cu, Pb and Ni

The role played by nanoscale twins is becoming increasingly important in order to understand plasticity in nanowires synthesized from metals. In this paper, molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the synergistic effects of stacking fault energy and twin boundary on the plasticity of a periodically twinned face-centered cubic (fcc) metal nanowire subjected to tensile deformation. Circular nanowires containing parallel (1 1 1) coherent twin boundaries (CTBs) with constant twin boundary spacing were simulated in Au, Ag, Al, Cu, Pb and Ni using different embedded-atom-method interatomic potentials. The simulations revealed a fundamental transition of plasticity in twinned metal nanowires from sharp yield and strain-softening to significant strain-hardening as the stacking fault energy of the metal decreases. This effect is shown to result from the relative change, as a function of the unstable stacking fault energy, between the stress required to nucleate new dislocations from the free surface and that to overcome the resistance of CTBs to the glide of partial dislocations. The relevance of our predictions to realistic nanowires in terms of microstructure, geometry and accuracy in predicting the generalized planar and stacking fault energy curves is also addressed. Our findings show clear evidence that the plastic flow of twinned nanowires under tension differs markedly between fcc metals, which may reconcile some conflicting observations made in the past.
Hotspot-adapted cold plates to maximize system efficiency

This modeling study is focused on the potential and the limitations of hotspot-adapted liquid heat removal to improve on system pumping power and on the re-usability of output heat, for various packaging schemes at the component level.
Medicaid Managed Care and the Health Reform Debate: Lessons from New York and California

Nearly every state now encourages (or requires) its Medicaid beneficiaries to enroll in managed care. There is, however, extraordinary variation in every aspect of state managed care policy. In this article, I examine the managed care initiatives of two states, New York and California, and focus on variation in state policy-making environments and on the influence of such variation on efforts to protect the medical safety net. I conclude that California's managed care initiative is less decentralized and pluralistic than New York's, and that California has used its discretion to adopt a strategy designed in part to protect safety-net hospitals. I end with a plea for greater federal control of managed care initiatives, a policy proposal that is at odds with the current trend to increase state authority.
Management of adult ureteropelvic junction obstruction--is it time for a new gold standard?

scription of flap techniques in 1916 by Schwyzer. 1 The often quoted Anderson-Hynes dismembered pyeloplasty was described in 1949 and has withstood the test of time with reported success rates in excess of 90%. Even today this procedure continues to be held as the gold standard against which other surgical options must be compared. The endourological approaches (antegrade and retrograde) which began surfacing in the 1980s have reasonably high success rates (70% to 90%), but as they are less invasive than the open surgical counterpart, provide for a more comfortable postoperative course. 2,3 However, Van Cangh et al elegantly demonstrated that patient selection is critically important to the success of any endourological approach. 4 Patients with crossing and potentially extrinsically constricting anterior lower pole renal vessels, a significantly dilated renal pelvis, nuclear scan split renal function of the affected kidney (less than 25%) and/or UPJ obstruction greater than 2 cm, are less likely to have a successful outcome (less than 50%) after endopyelotomy. The role of the anterior crossing renal vessel as a culprit in UPJ obstruction continues to generate considerable controversy but clinical and research data accumulate to suggest it is real. 5 Laparoscopic approaches to UPJ obstruction offer perhaps the best of both worlds. They provide a balance between a highly successful technique in all patients (as with open pyeloplasty) and improved postoperative recovery (better than the open approach, although longer than endopyelotomy). With a laparoscopic approach, whether transperitoneal, retroperitoneal or even robotically assisted, the urologist now can accurately access the anatomy of the UPJ and determine if a dismembered approach might be best or whether a Foley Y-V plasty or Scardino-Prince vertical flap may lead to better results. Should tailoring of the renal pelvis be considered? Such options are possible with the laparoscopic as well as the open surgical route, but not with the endoscopic approach. The initial postoperative course following laparoscopic or robotic pyeloplasty may not be as comfortable as an endourological approach. However, it is certainly superior to the standard open flank approach. 3 The equivalent high long-term success rates shown in the 2 retrospective, nonrandomized comparative studies in this issue of The Journal, as well as many other studies in the recent peer reviewed literature, attest to the increasingly strong foothold laparoscopic surgery has gained during the last decade. 6,7
Perioperative cardiac arrhythmias

Cardiac arrhythmias are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the perioperative period. While literature on antiarrhythmic agent use in postoperative and non-surgical intensive care settings is expanding, randomized clinical trials examining the use of these agents in the perioperative period are scarce. Nonetheless, as our understanding of the relevant molecular targets for manipulating cardiac excitability grows, the range of options for treating arrhythmias during surgery expands. In the sections that follow, these molecular targets are used as a basis for clinical management strategies for arrhythmias in adults during surgery and anaesthesia. In addition, the controversy surrounding droperidol and its reported proarrhythmic effects will be addressed. Finally, since pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) have gained widespread use in the treatment of tachyarrhythmias and bradyarrhythmias, a basic understanding of their perioperative function and management is discussed.
Occurrence of fetoprotein in patients with neoplasms and non-neoplastic diseases

Sera from 248 patients, children and adults with various tumors, and from 484 patients with different non-tumorous diseases, were examined for the presence of fetoprotein by immunochemical methods and specific anti-fetal protein antiserum absorbed with serum of adult individuals. The results show that fetoprotein appears in two types of tumors only: 1) in hepatocellular carcinoma, and 2) in malignant undifferentiated teratoma. In other types of neoplasms including embryonal tumors composed of more or less differentiated tissue, as well as in cases of nephroblastoma, sympathicoblastoma, chorionepithelioma and dysgerminoma, fetoprotein was not detected in any patient. Fetoprotein can occur in the first year of life in some patients suffering from hepatitis or some other liver disease. However, its concentration is low and it has a tendency to disappear with the regression of the disease. Fetoprotein was not detected, however, in patients suffering from non-malignant diseases, including hepatitis, after the first year of life. PRESENCE DES PROTEINES FœTALES CHEZ LES CANCEREUX ET LES SUJETS ATTEINTS DE MALADIES NON NEOPLASIQUES On a recherche la presence de proteines fœtales dans le serum de 248 enfants et adultes atteints de diverses tumeurs et de 484 sujets atteints de differentes maladies non neoplasiques; on a utilise a cette fin des methodes immunochimiques et un serum specifique anti-proteines fœtales absorbe par le serum de sujets adultes. Les resultats montrent que ces proteines n'apparaissent qu'avec deux types de tumeurs: 1) epithelioma a cellules hepatiques; 2) teratome malin indifferencie. Dans les autres types de tumeurs, y compris les tumeurs embryonnaires composees de tissu plus ou moins differencie, ainsi que dans les cas de nephroblastome, sympathoblastome, chorio-epitheliome et dysgerminome, on n'a decele de proteines fœtales chez aucun malade. Les proteines fœtales peuvent s'observer au cours de la premiere annee chez certains sujets souffrant d'hepatite ou d'une autre maladie du foie. Toutefois, leur concentration est faible et elles ont tendance a disparaǐtre parallelement a la regression de la maladie. En revanche, on n'a pas decele de proteines fœtales chez les sujets ǎges de plus d'un an qui etaient atteints de maladies non malignes, y compris l'hepatite.
Finding Regions of Interest in Home Videos Based on Camera Motion

In this paper, we propose an algorithm for identifying regions of interest (ROIs) in video, particularly for the keyframes extracted from a home video. The camera motion is introduced as a new factor that can influence the visual saliency. The global motion parameters are used to generate location-based importance maps. These maps can be combined with other saliency maps calculated using other visual and high-level features. Here, we employed the contrast-based saliency as an important low level factor along with face detection as a high level feature in our approach.
Status of the NIF Power Conditioning System

Summary form given only. The Power Conditioning System of the National Ignition Facility provides the pulsed excitation required to drive flashlamps in the laser's optical amplifiers. Modular in design, each of the 192 Main Energy Storage Modules (MESMs) stores up to 2.2 MJ of electrical energy in its capacitor bank before delivering the energy to 20 pairs of flashlamps in a 400 mus pulse (10% power points). The peak current of each MESM discharge is 0.5 MA. Production, installation, commissioning and operation of the NIF Power Conditioning System continue to progress rapidly, with the goals of completing accelerated production in late 2007 and finishing commissioning by early 2008, all the while maintaining an aggressive operations schedule. To date, more than 60% of the required modules have been assembled, shipped and installed in the facility, representing more that 240 MJ of stored energy available for driving NIF flashlamps. The MESMs have displayed outstanding reliability during daily, multiple-shift operations.
BER sensitivity to mistiming in ultra-wideband impulse radios - part II: fading channels

We investigate timing tolerances of ultra-wideband (UWB) impulse radios. We quantify the bit-error rate (BER) sensitivity to epoch timing offset under different operating conditions, including frequency-flat fading channels, dense multipath fading channels, multiple access with time hopping, and various receiver types including sliding correlators and RAKE combiners. For a general correlation-based detector, we derived in Part I unifying expressions for the decision statistics as well as BER formulas under mistiming, given fixed channel realizations. In Part II, we provide a systematic approach to BER analysis under mistiming for fading channels. The BER is expressed in terms of the receiver's energy capture capability, which we quantify under various radio operating conditions. We also develop the optimal demodulator in the presence of timing offset and show a proper design of the correlation-template that is robust to mistiming. Through analyses and simulations, we illustrate that the reception quality of a UWB impulse radio is highly sensitive to both timing acquisition and tracking errors.
Characterization of endosteal bone-lining cells from fatty marrow bone sites in adult beagles

Bone-lining cells cover the majority of trabecular bone surfaces in adult long-lived mammals. The morphology, ultrastructure, and population density of bone-lining cells was investigated in several fatty marrow trabecular bone sites in adult beagles of different ages. Although there is a low population density of bone-lining cells on bone surfaces, their total numbers greatly exceed the numbers of osteoblasts and osteoclasts found on these bone surfaces. In one of the bone sites studied, there are significantly fewer bone-lining cells in very old beagles (12-16 years old) when compared to young adult beagles (1.5-3 years old), otherwise there are no differences in the cell population that could be attributed to aging. Bone-lining cells are flattened against bone surfaces and have flat or sometimes ovoid-shaped nuclei which are often located adjacent to areas in the fatty marrow where capillaries are found. When viewed in the electron microscope, bone-lining cells contain few organelles, and the attenuated cytoplasm of these cells is well extended over bone surfaces. The bone-lining cell cytoplasm does not appear to form a continuous layer over the bone surface, as numerous gaps and spaces are seen. Bone-lining cell processes are frequently joined by junctions morphologically similar to gap junctions. Between the lamina limitans of the bone matrix and the bone-lining cell, as well as between the bone-lining cell and the adjacent fat cells, there are layers of connective tissue containing collagenous fibers and other amorphous material. These findings are discussed in relation to the possible role of bone-lining cells in the regulation of mineral homeostasis.
Coming up for air: HIF-1 and mitochondrial oxygen consumption

Hypoxic cells induce glycolytic enzymes; this HIF-1-mediated metabolic adaptation increases glucose flux to pyruvate and produces glycolytic ATP. Two papers in this issue of Cell Metabolism (Kim et al., 2006; Papandreou et al., 2006) demonstrate that HIF-1 also influences mitochondrial function, suppressing both the TCA cycle and respiration by inducing pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1). PDK1 regulation in hypoxic cells promotes cell survival.
Fabrication and analysis of a directional coupler written in glass by nanojoule femtosecond laser pulses.

A directional coupler written in a glass sample by the focused 400-nm output from a 25-fs oscillator is reported. The coupler is single mode; the splitting ratio is 1.9 dB at 633 nm. A refractive-index profile of the waveguide with a magnitude of Δn=4.5×10-3 was retrieved from a near-field mode pattern.
Suicide Prediction Revisited

Data from a 1983 prospective study of suicide in a cohort of 4,800 psychiatric inpatients were reanalyzed using logistic regression, which is more appropriate for a binary outcome. The results were the same as in the previous study: too few of the subsequent suicides were identified and there were too many false positives to make this procedure useful. Several additional "artificial" logistic regression analyses were done: one series randomly removed increasing numbers of nonsuicide cases to increase the base rates; another series added an increasingly powerful hypothetical "test." Both of these maneuvers helped, but fell well short of perfection.