cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A dexterous manipulator for minimally invasive surgery

Presented here is the design of a mechanism for dexterous placement of an end-effector (forceps, scissors, dissectors) during minimally invasive surgery. The mechanism is best suited to function as a manipulator for a surgical robotics system where motion scaling and filtering of surgeon hand movements could be realized in a fashion to improve ergonomics. End-effector degrees of freedom in the form of actuation, bidirectional 180/spl deg/ articulation, and rotation are provided by a compact multilink structure comprised of gears and gear-links. This structure has been optimized to provide a large dexterous workspace, low backlash, small force magnification, excellent stiffness, load capacity and infinite life durability. These conditions are achieved through selection of link configuration, forceps design, optimal link thicknesses, gear profile design, and high strength steels.
Transmission electron microscopy study of strontium barium niobate relaxors

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigations have been performed on Sr/sub x/Ba/sub 1-x/Nb/sub 2/O/sub 6/ (SBN x/1-x). Bright-field imaging of -orientated SBN 60/40 and 75/25 crystals revealed nanopolar domains with a strong shape anisotropy. The morphology of the nanopolar domains was needle-like. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns revealed the existence of 1/x[110] incommensurate modulations. Dark-field imaging of the incommensurate reflections found the existence of nanometer-sized ferroelastic domains. Diffuse scattering was observed in the SAED patterns along the . This diffuse scattering is believed to arise due to strain gradient interactions between the A-site cation distribution and the incommensuration.
Quantifying Species Abundance Trends in the Northern Gulf of California Using Local Ecological Knowledge

Abstract Ecosystem-based fisheries management requires data on all parts of the ecosystem, and this can be a barrier in data-poor systems. Marine ecologists need a means of drawing together diverse information to reconstruct species abundance trends for a variety of purposes. This article uses a fuzzy logic approach to integrate information from multiple data sources and describe biomass trends for marine species groups in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico. Forty-two species groups were analyzed, comprising fish, invertebrates, birds, mammals, turtles, and algae. The most important new data series comes from recent interviews with fishers in the northern part of the gulf. Respondents were asked to classify the abundance of various targeted and untargeted marine species groups from 1950 to the present. The fuzzy logic method integrates their responses with catch-per-unit-effort series, intrinsic vulnerability to fishing determined from life history parameters, biomass predicted by a Schaefer harvest ...
Morning Salivary 17-Hydroxyprogesterone Is a Useful Screening Test for Nonclassical 21-Hydroxylase Deficiency

A screening test for nonclassical 21-hydroxylase deficiency (NC 21-OHD) has been established based on early morning salivary 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) measurements. Saliva and serum samples were collected simultaneously between 0700 and 1100 h from 57 normal subjects (37 women and 20 men) and from 15 untreated patients (6 women and 9 men) with NC 21-OHD. The salivary (mean +/- SD, 524 +/- 508 pg/mL) and serum (10,548 +/- 5,998 pg/mL) 17-OHP concentrations in all 15 patients were unequivocally higher than the levels in normal subjects (saliva, 51 +/- 24 pg/mL; serum, 1,564 +/- 787 pg/mL). Salivary 17-OHP levels in patients with NC 21-OHD were significantly higher at 0700-0900 h (828 +/- 653 pg/mL) than at 0900-1100 h (314 +/- 227 pg/mL), while no such change was found in normal subjects. The salivary 17-OHP concentration was 1.3-6.9% of its serum concentration, and there was an excellent correlation (r = 0.93) between salivary and serum concentration in both normal subjects and patients with NC 21-OHD. In conclusion, early morning salivary 17-OHP measurement is an excellent screening test for the diagnosis of NC 21-OHD, since it accurately reflects serum 17-OHP levels, and sample collection is easy and noninvasive. We propose that salivary 17-OHP determination be used in population screening programs for NC 21-OHD to establish the true frequency of this disease.
Phosphorylation, ubiquitination and degradation of listeriolysin O in mammalian cells: role of the PEST‐like sequence

Summary Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial pathogen that grows within the cytosol of infected host cells. Entry into the cytosol is largely mediated by a secreted bacterial cytolysin, listeriolysin O (LLO). In order to prevent host cell damage, the pore-forming activity of LLO is restricted to the phagosome. Compartmentalization of LLO requires a PEST-like sequence; PEST sequences can direct eukaryotic proteins for proteasomal degradation. Here we test the hypothesis that LLO's PEST-like sequence compartmentalizes pore-forming activity by targeting this bacterial protein for degradation in the host cytosol. We show that intracellular LLO was degraded in a proteasome-dependent manner, and that, prior to degradation, LLO was ubiquitinated and was phosphorylated within the PEST-like sequence. However, wild-type LLO and PEST region mutants had similarly short intracellular half-lives and both the wild-type and mutant proteins were stabilized by inhibitors of host proteasomes. Additionally, blocking host proteasomes did not cause toxicity in a wild-type infection, but enhanced the cytotoxicity of PEST region mutants. Together with the observation that PEST region mutants exhibit higher intracellular LLO levels than wild-type bacteria, these data suggest that LLO's PEST-like region does not mediate proteasomal degradation by the host, but controls LLO production in the cytosol.
An Intercomparison of Methods for Finding Coupled Patterns in Climate Data

Abstract This paper introduces a conceptual framework for comparing methods that isolate important coupled modes of variability between time series of two fields. Four specific methods are compared: principal component analysis with the fields combined (CPCA), canonical correlation analysis (CCA) and a variant of CCA proposed by Barnett and Preisendorfer (BP), principal component analysis of one single field followed by correlation of its component amplitudes with the second field (SFPCA), and singular value decomposition of the covariance matrix between the two fields (SVD). SVD and CPCA are easier to implement than BP, and do not involve user-chosen parameters. All methods are applied to a simple but geophysically relevant model system and their ability to detect a coupled signal is compared as parameters such as the number of points in each field, the number of samples in the time domain, and the signal-to-noise ratio are varied. In datasets involving geophysical fields, the number of sampling times ma...
On the scalable collection of metering data in smart grids through message concatenation

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) initiatives are a popular tool to incorporate changes for modernizing the electricity grid, reduce peak loads, and meet energy-efficiency targets. There is the looming issue of how to communicate and handle consumer data collected by electric utilities and manage limited communication network resources. Several data relay points are required to collect data distributedly and send them through a communication backhaul. This work studies the smart meter message concatenation (SMMC) problem of how to concatenate multiple small smart metering messages arriving at data concentrator units (DCUs) in order to reduce protocol overhead and thus network utilization. This problem needs to deal with the added constraint that each originating message from its source may have its own stated deadline that must be taken into account during the concatenation process. Six heuristic algorithms are proposed and evaluated to gain a better understanding of the best data volume reduction policies that can be applied at data concentrators of smart grids.
Do PV systems increase residential selling prices? If so, how can practitioners estimate this increase?

Relatively little research exists estimating the marginal impacts of photovoltaic (PV) energy systems on home sales prices. Using a large dataset of California homes that sold from 2000 through mid-2009, we find strong evidence, despite a variety of robustness checks, that existing homes with PV systems sold for a premium over comparable homes without PV systems, implying a near full return on investment. Premiums for new homes are found to be considerably lower than those for existing homes, implying, potentially, a tradeoff between price and sales velocity. The results have significant implications for homeowners, builders, appraisers, lenders, and policymakers. Some new tools have emerged which can be used to estimate premiums for PV homes.
Ion channel activities in the Escherichia coli outer membrane

The electrical properties of Escherichia coli cells were examined by the patch-clamp technique. Giant cells or giant spheroplasts were generated by five different methods. By electron micrographic and other criteria we determined that the patches are most likely from the outer membrane. We regularly observed currents through at least two types of channels in this membrane. The first current is mechanosensitive and voltage-dependent, and can be observed in single gene mutants of the known major porins (ompF, ompC, phoE, lamB); this channel may represent a minor porin or a new class of outer membrane protein. The possible identity of the second, voltage-sensitive channel with one of the known outer membrane proteins is being explored. The high-resistance seals consistently formed on these patches and the presence of gated ion channels suggest that most of the pores of the outer membrane are not statically open, as commonly held, but are closed at rest and may be openable by physiological stimuli.
Mass Balance Measurements on the Lemon Creek Glacier, Juneau Icefield, Alaska 1953–1998

Annual balance measurements on the Lemon Creek Glacier, Alaska conducted by the Juneau Icefield Research Program (JIRP) from 1953 through 1998 provide a continuous 46 year record. This is one of the nine American glaciers selected in a global monitoring network during the International Geophysical year, 1957/58. These data have been acquired primarily by employing consistent ground methods, conducted on similar annual dates and calculated using comparable methodology. The results have been until now fairly precise, but of uncertain accuracy. An adjunct comparison of topographic surface maps of the glacier made in 1957 and 32 years later in 1989 provides a rough determination of glacier surface elevation changes which are clearly of less precision than the compilation of annual ground data. Airborne surface profiling in 1995, and global positioning system leveling transects in 1996–1998 update the record of surface elevation changes over the past decade. The mean glacier ice thickness reductions suggested by these methods from 1957–1989, from 1957–1995 and from 1957–1998 are −13.2 m, −16.4 m, and −21.7 m, respectively. It is of interest that the geodetic interpretations agree fairly well with the trend of sequential balances from ground-level stratigraphic measurements. To date, however, the infrequent mapping methods in this study have yielded specific balances averaging between 5 and 11% less than those resulting from our annual on-site glaciological monitoring. For future studies this can be an important factor. The ground data are, therefore, the ones in which we have most confidence. These show cumulative ice losses of −13.9 m (12.7 m water equivalent w.e.) from 1957–1989, of −19.0 m (−17.1 m w.e.) from 1957–1995, of −24.4 m (22 m w.e.) from 1957–1998, and −24.7 m (22.2 m w.e.) for the total cumulative loss over the full 46 years between 1953 and 1998. Although the balance trend has been increasingly negative it averages −0.48 m/a in w.e. or 0.52 m of ice loss per year. To refine the reliability of density determinations in this data set the effects of internal accumulation from refrozen meltwater producing diagenetic ice structures in the annual firnpack have been taken into account. An unusual dearth of such structures within the 1997/98 firnpack provided a unique opportunity to facilitate application of the probing technique over broad areas of the nv. This added to our ground truth and verified accuracy of the test-pit measurements used in these long-term mass balance computations. The glacier's continuing negative mass balance has fueled a terminal retreat of 800 m during the 1953–1998 period. The annual balance trend indicates that despite a higher mean elevation and a higher elevation terminus from thinning and retreat, mean annual balance has been strongly negative since 1977 (−0.78 m/a w.e.). Dramatically increased negative mass balances have occurred in the 1990s, with 1996 and 1997 being the only years on record with no retained accumulation since field observations were initiated in the glacier source areas in 1948.
An investigation of echoes in reactor fluctuation analysis

Abstract The detection and measurement of echoes occurring in the measured parameters of a pressurized water reactor has been investigated. It is shown that echoes do occur and can be measured. It is also shown that a distortion of these echoes can materially affect the measured coherences between pairs of signals. The origins of the echoes have not yet been investigated.
It's Only Stealing a Little a Lot: Techniques of Neutralization for Theft Among Restaurant Workers

This study examines the techniques of neutralization that restaurant workers employ in their accounts of theft. The data are composed of participant observation and 44 in-depth semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the data reveals a widespread use of techniques of neutralization for theft. The restaurant workers employ six formerly documented techniques of neutralization and two newly identified ones: Denial of Excess and No One Cares. These findings contribute to our knowledge of how and why people steal from their places of employment and suggest that the dominant moral code, both inside and outside the restaurant, influences theft behavior.
Chronic cadmium exposure attenuates the conditioned reinforcing properties of morphine and fentanyl

Adult male rats were exposed ad libitum for 40 days to 100 ppm cadmium chloride through their diet, or an identical diet with no added cadmium. Conditioned place preference (CPP) was conducted in a 2-chamber apparatus in which all drugs were paired with the least-preferred side as determined on a pre-test. In Experiment 1. control and cadmium-exposed rats received 0, 0.6, 1.25, 2.5, or 5 mg/kg morphine sulfate (i.p.) for 4 days, and vehicle only for 4 days. Control animals showed a preference for the drug-paired side at 1.25, 2.5, and 5 mg/kg while the cadmium-exposed rats showed a preference at 5 mg/kg only. In Experiment 2, rats were implanted with cannulae into the lateral ventricles and 0, 2, 5 micrograms morphine sulfate was administered intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.). An attenuation by cadmium again was observed, as control animals showed a place preference at 2 and 5 micrograms and cadmium-exposed animals showed preference at 5 micrograms only. In Experiment 3, increasing doses of the mu-opioid receptor agonist fentanyl (0, 0.0004, 0.004, and 0.04 mg/kg) were systemically administered (s.c.) and rats tested for CPP. While cadmium animals showed place preference only at 0.04 mg/kg, control animals showed preference at 0.0004, 0.004, and 0.04 mg/kg. These findings are discussed within the framework of metal-induced disturbance of neurochemical function and/or associative processing, and the implications that such disturbances may have for drug seeking and taking.
Mapping of large magnitude discontinuous sea ice motion

In this work, we attempt to extend the body of knowledge on sea ice motion tracking in two specific directions. The first direction is the development of a computationally efficient, high resolution motion tracking system with a resolution of 400m, which is an order of magnitude greater than the currently available standard data products (3--5km). Validation of this method using GPS measurements shows an average error that is less than 0.06cm/s. The second direction is the development of objective analysis technique to handle motion at close proximity to discontinuities. The goal of this second direction is to identify and track discontinuous features such as cracks, leads, ridges and other material damage zones. These developments allow motion to be estimated at a high resolution in a robust manner (validated against various noise models). With the observed changes in global climate, sparked by variations in the sea ice thickness and extent, our long term goal is to use this system to merge the "temporally rich" GPS measurements with the "spatially rich" measurements from satellite images.
Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Lactamase Producing Bacteria Related Urinary Tract Infection in Renal Transplant Recipients and Effect on Allograft Function

Background Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a well-recognized early complication in renal transplant recipients (RTR) and can have significant bearing on their outcome. The recent rise in incidence of extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria causing UTI among RTR poses new and significant challenges in terms of management and outcome. Our aim is to analyze the effect of ESBL producing bacteria causing UTI in these patients and its impact on allograft function. Methods We reviewed the medical records of 147 RTR who were followed at a tertiary care hospital affiliated transplant center between January 2007 and May 2013 and noted five RTR who developed episodes of ESBL producing bacteria related UTI during follow up. Multiple patient characteristics including demographics, immunosuppression, recurrences, allograft function and outcome were analyzed. Results Five patients (3.4%) out of 147 had ESBL producing bacteria related UTI. We found all patients to be above 60 years of age, with three out of five being females, and all five patients had diabetes mellitus. We identified a total of 37 episodes of UTI among these five patients during this period. Two of these patients had elevated creatinine values during the episodes of UTI and three of them developed bacteremia. Of the five patients, four of them had a favorable outcome except for one patient who developed persistent allograft dysfunction. Conclusion RTR are at a higher risk for developing ESBL producing bacteria associated UTI. Early diagnosis along with appropriate and judicious use of antibiotics will ensure long term success in allograft and patient outcome.
Comparison of real-time PCR methods for the detection of Naegleria fowleri in surface water and sediment

Naegleria fowleri is a thermophilic free-living ameba found in freshwater environments worldwide. It is the cause of a rare but potentially fatal disease in humans known as primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Established N. fowleri detection methods rely on conventional culture techniques and morphological examination followed by molecular testing. Multiple alternative real-time PCR assays have been published for rapid detection of Naegleria spp. and N. fowleri. Foursuch assays were evaluated for the detection of N. fowleri from surface water and sediment. The assays were compared for thermodynamic stability, analytical sensitivity and specificity, detection limits, humic acid inhibition effects, and performance with seeded environmental matrices. Twenty-one ameba isolates were included in the DNA panel used for analytical sensitivity and specificity analyses. N. fowleri genotypes I and III were used for method performance testing. Two of the real-time PCR assays were determined to yield similar performance data for specificity and sensitivity for detecting N. fowleri in environmental matrices.
Amorphous silicon 7 bit digital to analog converter on PEN

A 7-bit switched capacitor D/A converter (DAC) is built using only n-channel amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) thin film transistors (TFT) and capacitors. The circuit is built on both plastic and glass using a low temperature process, compatible with flexible plastic substrates. The measurements show excellent characteristics, achieving a DNL of less than ±0.6 LSB and INL of less than ±1 LSB without calibration, at a conversion rate of 500 Hz.
Studies of the Form of Visual Threshold Data

There are three principal alternative assumptions about the form of threshold data collected by presenting each of a number of light intensities repeatedly and determining the probability of discrimination for each. These assumptions are that the data will conform to (a) Poisson sums; (b) normal ogives; or (c) log normal ogives. Decision among these assumed curves is of interest for theoretical reasons, and also to permit selection of a procedure for the analysis of visual threshold data. The present study indicates the similarity among the assumed curves, and reports an analysis of the number of experimental data required to differentiate among them, which number is so large that it appears unlikely that published threshold data are adequate for this purpose. Experimental data are reported which are sufficiently numerous to permit a partial decision among the assumed curves. A total of 27 482 measurements was made by 4 subjects, under constant physical conditions. Data from three of the subjects can be fitted by normal ogives, but not by log normal ogives. Data for the fourth subject can be fitted by log normal ogives, but not by normal ogives. All the data can probably be fitted by one or another Poisson sum, provided there are no theoretical limits on their parameters. That the curves actually represent Poisson sums is regarded as unlikely, however, since a prediction concerning the magnitude of the thresholds is not verified. Our analyses suggest that threshold data can probably be adequately analyzed in terms of either normal or log normal ogives and that visual theories should depend upon other predictions than the form of the threshold data.
Factors that affect albumin concentration in dialysis patients and their relationship to vascular disease

Factors that affect albumin concentration in dialysis patients and their relationship to vascular disease. Introduction Hypoalbuminemia is a powerful risk factor for cardiovascular mortality in hemodialysis patients (HD). Inflammation causes a decrease in albumin synthesis and an increase in albumin fractional catabolic rate, providing two mechanisms for hypoalbuminemia. The inflammatory response alters the endothelium and plasma protein composition in ways that favor vascular injury. Plasma volume is expanded in HD patients, providing another mechanism for hypoalbuminemia. Fibrinogen levels are an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in HD patients, and fibrinogen levels are increased in HD patients. Plasma volume expansion is also an independent risk factor for CVD. Methods Albumin synthesis was measured in 74 HD patients as the disappearance of [ 125 I] human albumin over six weeks. Fibrinogen was measured in plasma. Plasma fibrinogen mass was the product of fibrinogen concentration and plasma volume. Results Albumin synthesis correlated positively with plasma volume ( P P Conclusion Albumin levels are reduced as part of the acute-phase response in HD. Plasma volume expansion also tends to decrease albumin concentration, but elicits an increase in its rate of synthesis, which, in turn, is associated with increased fibrinogen levels. Thus, both inflammation and plasma volume expansion factors that reduce albumin concentration and are independent cardiovascular risk factors, independently increase fibrinogen levels.
The thoracic surgery residency program at Chapel Hill

Abstract The success of the cardiothoracic surgery residency program in Chapel Hill is due to a number of contributing factors. The first important ingredient is the faculty. Their ability, stability, and dedication, with each faculty member developing an area of expertise, has contributed greatly to the success of our program. The second important aspect is the program design itself— all three years : the first to allow the resident time to reflect on educational priorities and do some innovative thinking; the second and third as chief resident on their respective services—for an entire, continuous year. The third and most important aspect of our program is the quality of the residents we have been able to attract—uniformly a splendid group of individuals who regularly gave more than they received and who continue to be a source of inspiration, hope, and pride for those of us who have been privileged to be their teachers.
Langerhans cells and dendritic cells are cytotoxic towards HPV16 E6 and E7 expressing target cells

Dendritic cells (DC) can be cytotoxic towards tumor cells by means of TNF family molecules expressed on the cell surface of activated DCs. Tumor cells expressing appropriate receptors are killed by DC, generating a source of antigen to be presented to the immune system. It has not been investigated whether Langerhans cells (LC) are selectively cytotoxic to tumor cells. This is of particular interest for epithelial tumor cells that physically interact with LC in vivo. Among epithelial tumors, the oncogenic process of cervical tumors is relatively well defined by their Human Papillomavirus (HPV) mediated etiology. To study whether HPV16 E6 and E7 expressions, otherwise observed in cervical tumor cells, can sensitize normal cervical epithelial cells to DC and LC mediated killing, the E6 and E7 genes were introduced by retroviral transfection, and cells were subsequently used as targets in cytotoxicity assays. Expression of cytotoxic molecules by effector cells was measured in response to the pro-inflammatory cytokine IFN-γ; cytotoxicity was established and concomitant expression of receptor molecules was assessed on target cells. A correlation between the shrinkage of HPV16 E6 and E7+ tumors versus DC and LC infiltration was evaluated in a murine model of cervical cancer. DC and LC proved to be equally cytotoxic towards E6 and E7 expressing cervical epithelial cells. IFN-γ induced TRAIL expression by DC and LC, and inhibition of TRAIL partially blocked cytotoxic effects. Expression of TRAIL decoy receptors was reduced following introduction of E6 and E7 into host cells. Shrinkage of HPV16 E6 and E7 expressing tumors correlated with infiltration by S100+ DC and LC, co-localizing with apoptotic mouse tumor cells. In conclusion, DC and LC mediated killing may be exploitable for anti-tumor treatment.
Comparative aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase induction activities of commercial PCBs in Wistar rats and rat hepatoma H-4-II E cells in culture

Abstract The activities of several commercial PCB mixtures as inducers of microsomal aryl hydroarbon hydroxylase (AHH) and ethoxyresorufin 0-deethylase (EROD) in male Wistar rats and rat hepatoma cells were dependent on the chlorine content (and congener distribution) of the mixtures. The was a correlation between the in vivo and in vitro induction potencies of these mixtures; the most active mixtures, Aroclors 1242, 1248 and 1254 contained 42–54% by weight of Cl whereas formulations with higher or lower (Aroclors 1221 and 1268 respectively) chlorine content exhibited lower activities. This corresponds with studies reported for PCB isomers and congeners in which the most active compounds are tetra-hexachlorobiphenyls.
Fused deposition modeling of patient‐specific polymethylmethacrylate implants

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of medical‐grade polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) in fused deposition modeling (FDM) to fabricate porous customized freeform structures for several applications including craniofacial reconstruction and orthopaedic spacers. It also aims to examine the effects of different fabrication conditions on porosity and mechanical properties of PMMA samples.Design/methodology/approach – The building parameters and procedures to properly and consistently extrude PMMA filament in FDM for building 3D structures were determined. Two experiments were performed that examined the effects of different fabrication conditions, including tip wipe frequency, layer orientation, and air gap (AG) (or distance between filament edges) on the mechanical properties and porosity of the fabricated structures. The samples were characterized through optical micrographs, and measurements of weight and dimensions of the samples were used to calculate porosity. The yield strength, s...
Structure and magnetism of Eu2IrD5

Abstract A powder neutron diffraction study of Eu1532IrD5 has shown it to be isostructural with Sr2IrD5 at room temperature. Unlike the latter compound, it does not undergo a deuterium-ordering transition at low temperatures. Magnetic scattering at helium temperatures confirms the suggestion that it becomes ferromagnetic below 20 K with a moment corresponding to that of divalent europium.
Inorganic membrane reactors for the oxidative coupling of methane

Inorganic membrane reactors have been investigated for the oxidative coupling of methane to improve yields over those produced in a fixed-bed reactor. The membrane reactor produces small yield improvements using a samarium oxide doped magnesium oxide catalyst. The magnitude of the yield increase is less than reported values for other partial oxidation reactions. These differences are shown to be a function of the intrinsic reaction kinetics with the aid of an isothermal membrane reactor model.
The effects of the sterilization environment on the design of structural systems for planetary landers.

Sterilization environment effects on structural systems design for interplanetary spacecraft
Thermal and electrical conductivities of an improved 9 Cr-1 Mo steel from 360 to 1000 K

The electrical and thermal conductivities and Seebeck coefficients of three 9 Cr-1 Mo samples were measured over the temperature range 360–1000 K. All of the samples were in the normalized and tempered condition and two of the samples were from different heats of a new, modified alloy. The thermal conductivity of the third sample, which was from a commercial heat, was found to agree well with the ASME code values for this steel. The two heats of modified 9 Cr-1 Mo were found to have significantly higher thermal conductivities and this difference appears to be due to the lower Si content of the modified alloy. The results were compared with the predictions of standard transport theory and data on bcc Fe. These comparisons show that phonon energy transport is important and quite dependent upon the Si content.
Does Alcohol Make a Difference? Within-participants Comparison of Incidents of Partner Violence

Episodes of husband-to-wife violence in which the husband consumed alcohol were compared with episodes of husband-to-wife violence, reported by the same individuals, in which the husband was not drinking. Among this community sample of newly-weds, wife reports, but not husband reports, indicated that violent episodes in which the husband was drinking included more acts of violence and were more likely to involve severe violence. Both wife and husband reports indicated that wives were more likely to be physically aggressive in husband drinking episodes compared to sober episodes. However, whereas wives reported that their aggressive behavior was a response to husband aggression, husbands reported that wives were more likely to initiate violence in these episodes. Violent episodes that include alcohol may be more severe and more mutually violent than sober episodes. Discrepancies between husband and wife reports may reflect differences in recall or self-serving biases.
Cost of contraceptive methods to privately insured women in the United States.

Division of General Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina Department of Health Policy and Management, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina c Program on Women’s Health Care Effectiveness Research, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts Division of Women’s Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts Department of Women’s Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan Departments of Internal Medicine and Health Management & Policy, Center for Value-Based Insurance Design, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Information system design methodology

There is a great need for a systematic approach to the specification, design, and development of information systems. This article describes the motivating reasons for such an approach and surveys some of the techniques that have been developed to assist the software specification and design activity. A methodology is seen as a combination of tools and techniques employed within an organizational and managerial framework that can be consistently applied to successive information system development projects. The ways that information system development organizations can create and use such methodologies are emphasized.
Treatment of aggressive non‐hodgkin's lymphomas: Lessons from the past 10 years

Therapy for aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphomas has undergone significant evolution in the last 25 years. First generation combination chemotherapy studies produced complete remissions (CRs) of 45-53%, with 30-37% long term survivors. New treatment programs aimed at increasing CR rates were then developed with the assumption that the additional complete responders would also become long term disease free survivors. Initial reports of single institution pilot studies with third generation regimens suggested 68-86% CR and 58-69% survival; however, with longer follow-up, the survival decreased. Furthermore, confirmatory national Phase II trials using these newer regimens produced CR rates of only 49-65% and survival of 50-61%. Thus conclusions concerning the efficacy of these new regimens awaited the results of prospective randomized trials. The Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) recently conducted a randomized trial comparing standard therapy, CHOP, to the third generation chemotherapy regimens, m-BACOD, ProMACE-CytaBOM, or MACOP-B. There is no difference in response rate, time to treatment failure, or overall survival between CHOP and the third generation regimens. However, the cost and toxicity levels of the new regimens were higher. Thus, CHOP remains the best available standard of care, but based on the finding that fewer than 50% of these patients are cured, SWOG believes that new treatment approaches for patients with advanced-stage aggressive histology non-Hodgkin's lymphoma must be developed.
Verapamil therapy for stable exertional angina pectoris.

Abstract Clinical and exercise responses to therapy with the calcium-channel blocking agent verapamil were assessed in 26 patients with stable exertional angina pectoris using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized crossover study design. Verapamil, 480 mg daily, reduced the frequency of angina attacks (5.6 ± 7.3 to 2.2 ± 3.0 attacks per week, p
Incidence and significance of gasping or agonal respirations in cardiac arrest patients.

Purpose of review This review examines the clinical significance of agonal respirations associated with cardiac arrest. Recent findings Observational data indicate that agonal respirations are frequent (55% of witnessed cardiac arrests and probably higher) and that they are associated with successful resuscitation. They also are found more commonly in ventricular fibrillation compared with other rhythms. Agonal respirations pose the greatest challenge to bystanders at the scene and to emergency dispatchers. Bystanders are often lulled into thinking the person is still breathing thus identification of cardiac arrest may be missed by the dispatcher. In a study from King County, Washington, cardiopulmonary resuscitation instructions were not provided by emergency dispatchers in 20% of cardiac arrest cases because the caller reported signs of life - typically abnormal breathing. Summary Agonal respirations occur frequently in cardiac arrest. Emergency dispatchers and the general public must be more aware of their presence and significance.
Antiphospholipid antibodies and platelet activation as risk factors for thrombosis in thrombocythaemia

Abstract Introduction: Risk factors for thrombosis (TB) in thrombocythaemia (TC) associated with myeloproliferative disorder (MPD) are not well defined. Methods: We measured antiphospholipid antibodies (APLA) in 35 patients with TC associated with MPD. Fourteen had TB and 21 did not. We assayed IgG and IgM APLA by ELISA for 6 antigens: β2GP1, cardiolipin (CL), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and FVII/VIIa, together with markers of activation of platelets (CD62P) and endothelium [endothelial microparticles (EMP)]. Results: At least one positive APLA was detected in 66% of TC patients overall. The incidence was significantly higher in the TB subgroup (92.8%) than non-TB (47.6%, p < 0.05). Multiple APLA (positive for more than one antigen) were also more frequent in TB, for both IgG and IgM, for all 6 antigens tested (p < 0.05). However, IgM APLA predominated, being about 2-fold more frequently positive than IgG for all 6 antigens. Platelet CD62P was significa...
Modeling of ISI in high speed serial I/Os terminated with discontinuities

Timing jitter remains one of the most important design issues for successful operation of high speed serial links. This abstract introduces methods to model and estimate data dependent jitter (DDJ), in presence of capacitive and inductive discontinuities that result due to vias and right angular bends. The model shows that these discontinuities can have significant impact on DDJ, especially at high data rates. The proposed model is extensively verified with SPICE and show very good results.
Stability of cholesterol and paprika carotenoids in egg powders as influenced by dietary and processing treatments

The effects of dietary α-tocopherol and/or oleoresin paprika (OP) on cholesterol and carotenoid stability in egg powders during spray drying and subsequent storage were investigated. Cholesterol oxidation and loss of carotenoids in eggs dried with a direct gas-fired spray dryer were greater (P < 0.05) than in eggs dried using an indirect (electric) heating system. Dietary supplementation of α-tocopherol acetate (200 mg kg -1 feed) significantly increased (P < 0.01) the oxidative stability of cholesterol and carotenoids in eggs dried with the direct heating system. Supplementation of OP (7.5 μg g -1 egg lipids) through diet or by direct addition to liquid eggs did not affect the formation of cholesterol oxidation products (COPS) during storage. However, increased concentrations of OP in liquid eggs (15 and 30 μg g -1 lipids) suppressed the formation of COPS during processing and subsequent storage.
Server-side coprocessor updating for mobile devices with FPGAs

FPGAs are increasingly used to implement coprocessors for applications running on desktop platforms, and soon such FPGA coprocessing may appear in mobile devices. Because one device may run different applications from another device, different coprocessor sets are needed for each device based on the device's usage. We introduce an approach wherein a device profiles application usage and uploads that information to a server when docked. The server then determines the best coprocessor set based on such usage and on the device's particular FPGA constraints. The server creates the coprocessor set by combining pre-synthesized coprocessors for each application, and considers multiple versions of the same coprocessor, versions that tradeoff speed and size. We introduce a coprocessor set selection problem and propose a Pareto-optimal merge heuristic for the server that yields near-optimal solutions with linear time complexity. We also use a method that avoids time-consuming resynthesis of the coprocessors into a single FPGA binary, by using small reconfigurable regions with reserved inter-region communication channels. Our experiments show that the Pareto-optimal merge heuristic generates results within 1% of the optimal on average and run 5-20x faster than simulated annealing. The experiments also show that a 3x speedup and 70% energy reduction can be achieved by using FPGA coprocessors versus running the applications only on a microprocessor.
Hypoglycemia, Hepatic Dysfunction, Muscle Weakness, Cardiomyopathy, Free Carnitine Deficiency and Long-Chain Acylcarnitine Excess Responsive to Medium Chain Triglyceride Diet

Fraternal twins who had fasting hypoglycemia, hypoketonemia, muscle weakness, and hepatic dysfunction are reported. The hepatic dysfunction occurred only during periods of caloric deprivation. The surviving patient developed a cardiomyopathy. In this sibling, muscle weakness and cardiomyopathy were markedly improved by a diet high in medium chain triglycerides. There was a marked deficiency of muscle total carnitine and a mild deficiency of hepatic total carnitine. Unlike patients with systemic carnitine deficiency, serum and muscle long-chain acylcarnitine were elevated and renal reabsorption of carnitine was normal. It was postulated that the defect in long-chain fatty acid oxidation in this disorder is caused by an abnormality in the mitochondrial acylcarnitine transport. Detailed studies of the cause of the hypoglycemia revealed that insulin, growth hormone, cortisol, and glucagon secretion were appropriate and that it is unlikely that there was a major deficiency of a glycolytic or gluconeogenic enzyme. Glucose production and alanine conversion to glucose were in the low normal range when compared to normal children in the postabsorptive state. The hypoglycemia in our patients was probably due to a modest increase in glucose consumption, secondary to the decreased oxidation of fatty acids and ketones, alternate fuels which spare glucose utilization, plus a modest decrease in hepatic glucose production secondary to decreased available hepatic energy substrates.
Critical behavior of the Hall conductivity at the metal-insulator transition

We measure the low-temperature longitudinal and Hall conductivities in a series of Ge:Sb samples at the approach to the metal-insulator transition. Both conductivities critically vanish with the same exponent of 1, in contradiction to the ratio of 2 predicted by the scaling theory of localization.
Early lifetime failure detection in FPGAs using delay faults

The reduction in the transistor and interconnect dimensions have a severe impact on the reliable performance of the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) circuits. The process variation effects in nanometer scale technologies result in transient errors or permanent failures that cause undesired behavior of the circuit. In this work, we analyze a method for fault identification to mitigate the impact of lifetime failures such as Electro-migration (EM) and Hot Carrier Effect (HCE) in interconnect of the FPGA. This method is based on the signal delays in routing resources that include switch blocks and interconnect wires.
Plugs versus placements: A comparison of alternatives for within-program brand exposure

A study is presented that compares two forms of within-program brand appearances: product placements and celebrity plugs. Evidence suggests that plugs may often have a retention advantage over placements. This advantage is hypothesized to arise from differences in the way plugs and placements are often presented. Specifically, differences in presentation contexts may create differences in how memory for plugs and placements is organized. This, in turn, may allow plugs to receive more frequent rehearsal during subsequent viewing of a show in which a brand has appeared. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Different Roles for Basic and Aromatic Amino Acids in Conserved Region 2 of Escherichia coli ς70 in the Nucleation and Maintenance of the Single-stranded DNA Bubble in Open RNA Polymerase-Promoter Complexes

Amino acid residues in region 2 of ς70 have been shown to play an important role in the strand separation step that is necessary for formation of the functional or open RNA polymerase-promoter complex. Here we present a comparison of the roles of basic and aromatic amino acids in the accomplishment of this process, using RNA polymerase bearing alanine substitutions for both types of amino acids in region 2. We determined the effects of the substitutions on the kinetics of open complex formation, as well as on the ability of the RNA polymerase to form complexes with single-stranded DNA, and with forked DNA duplexes carrying a single-stranded overhang consisting of bases in the −10 region. We concluded that two basic amino acids (Lys414 and Lys418) are important for promoter binding and demonstrated distinct roles, at a subsequent step, for two aromatic amino acids (Tyr430 and Trp433). It is likely that these four amino acids, which are close to each other in the structure of ς70, together are involved in the nucleation of the strand separation process.
Solid-Phase Synthesis of Linear Ureas Tethered to Hydantoins and Thiohydantoins†

An efficient method for the solid-phase synthesis of hydantoins and thiohydantoins tethered to ureas, starting from a resin-bound amino acid, is presented. Following reduction of the amide with borane-THF, a second amino acid was selectively coupled to the primary amine followed by treatment of the secondary amine by an isocyanate to generate the corresponding urea. Hydantoin and thiohydantoin formation was achieved through the use of carbonyldiimidazole and thiocarbonyldiimidazole, respectively. Cleavage from the solid support using hydrogen fluoride, followed by extraction and lyophilization, provided the desired urea-linked heterocyclic compounds in good yield and high purity.
A halo bias function measured deeply into voids without stochasticity

We study the relationship between dark-matter haloes and matter in the MIP $N$-body simulation ensemble, which allows precision measurements of this relationship, even deeply into voids. What enables this is a lack of discreteness, stochasticity, and exclusion, achieved by averaging over hundreds of possible sets of initial small-scale modes, while holding fixed large-scale modes that give the cosmic web. We find (i) that dark-matter-halo formation is greatly suppressed in voids; there is an exponential downturn at low densities in the otherwise power-law matter-to-halo density bias function. Thus, the rarity of haloes in voids is akin to the rarity of the largest clusters, and their abundance is quite sensitive to cosmological parameters. The exponential downturn appears both in an excursion-set model, and in a model in which fluctuations evolve in voids as in an open universe with an effective $\Omega_m$ proportional to a large-scale density. We also find that (ii) haloes typically populate the average halo-density field in a super-Poisson way, i.e. with a variance exceeding the mean; and (iii) the rank-order-Gaussianized halo and dark-matter fields are impressively similar in Fourier space. We compare both their power spectra and cross-correlation, supporting the conclusion that one is roughly a strictly-increasing mapping of the other. The MIP ensemble especially reveals how halo abundance varies with `environmental' quantities beyond the local matter density; (iv) we find a visual suggestion that at fixed matter density, filaments are more populated by haloes than clusters.