cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrode kinetics in non-aqueous vanadium acetylacetonate redox flow batteries

Three electrode materials (glassy carbon, gold, and platinum) were investigated for application in a non-aqueous single-metal redox flow battery based on vanadium (III) acetylacetonate, supported by tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate in acetonitrile. Redox couples associated with the one-electron disproportionation of V(acac)3 were observed in voltammetry for each metal tested. An elementary kinetic model was created and used to determine rates for oxidation or reduction of the vanadium complex. The oxidation rates for V(acac)3 were mass-transfer limited on all electrode materials, suggesting reversible kinetics. For the V(acac)3 reduction reaction, exchange-current densities of 1.3, 3.8, and 8.4 A m−2 were observed on glassy carbon, platinum, and gold electrodes, respectively.
Vibrotactile masking: Some spatial and temporal aspects

Threshold elevations (TE) were determined for three Os at a test site on the left thigh with a masker placed singly at each of 10 widespread loei on the trunk. Although lateral changes in masker placement did not produce a significant alteration in TE (p> .10), there was a systematic decrease in TE with longitudinal separation between masker and test sites on the body. Appropriate manipulations of the time interval between masker and test signals were found effective in offsetting these decreases. It appeared that longitudinal separations were differentially affecting temporal delays by producing unequal neural distances from the test and masker sites to the CNS. There were, however, some spatial changes that could not be accounted for by temporal offsets. Thresholds at a finger test site were significantly less elevated (p< .01) by contralateral placement of maskers than by ipsilateral placement, and the particular test site chosen for threshold determinations, either index finger or thigh, determined the amount of TE.
Classifying six glioma subtypes from combined gene expression and CNVs data based on compressive sensing approach

It is realized that a combined analysis of different types of genomic measurements tends to give more reliable classification results. However, how to efficiently combine data with different resolutions is challenging. We propose a novel compressed sensing based approach for the combined analysis of gene expression and copy number variants data for the purpose of subtyping six types of Gliomas. Experiment results show that the proposed combined approach can substantially improve the classification accuracy compared to that of using either of individual data type. The proposed approach can be applicable to many other types of genomic data.
Development of DSP-based electromechanical (E/M) impedance analyzer for active structural health monitoring

The electromechanical (E/M) impedance method is a powerful technique in active structural health monitoring (SHM). E/M impedance method utilizes as its main apparatus an impedance analyzer that reads the in-situ E/M impedance of piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) attached to the monitored structure. Present-day impedance analyzer equipments (e.g.HP4194) are bulky, heavy and expensive laboratory equipment that cannot be carried into the field for on-site structural health monitoring. This paper presented the development of a compact and low-cost impedance analyzer system. First, two types of impedance measurement approaches were evaluated in a PC-based simplified impedance analyzer system. It was found that the first approach, which measures impedance frequency by frequency, is very accurate but is not time-efficient and needs more efforts to be implemented. As for the second approach, which measures impedance using broad-band excitation and transfer function method, provides a good compromise among the measurement time-efficient, accuracy and implementation efforts. Experimental results show that this approach can be used for E/M impedance method for structural health monitoring. Second, to eliminate the PC in the measurement system, a DSP-based impedance analyzer system is proposed for further miniaturization. The system hardware configuration and design, software state flow for impedance measurement, and preliminary testing were presented in details.
Does it take two to untangle

The structural integrity of mitotic chromosomes is essential for proper chromatid segregation. In this issue of Cell, Ono et al. (2003) show that vertebrates contain two distinct condensin complexes, both of which are required for normal mitotic chromosome morphology.
Ethics vs. economics: The issue of free trade with Mexico

The authors, one an ethicist and the other an economist, look at the issue of free trade with Mexico and other low wage rate countries from the viewpoints of their disciplines. The conclusion of the paper is that these disciplines differ on their priorities and analytical methods, not on their objectives.
Echocardiographic findings in pheochromocytoma

M-mode and 2-dimensional echocardiography were used to study 26 consecutive, unselected patients with pheochromocytoma over a 3-year period. Only 1 patient had congestive heart failure; more than half had no cardiac symptoms or abnormalities. The most common (80% of patients) echocardiographic pattern was normal left ventricular (LV) mass with normal or even increased systolic performance. When LV mass was increased, LV systolic function was either normal or only borderline depressed in most of the patients. Patients with echocardiographic LV hypertrophy had symmetric thickening of ventricular walls; no case of asymmetric septal hypertrophy was found. There was no correlation between 24-hour urinary norepinephrine excretion and any of the echocardiographic variables studied. In some patients, increased LV wall thicknesses did not correlate with increased LV mass as calculated by the Woythaler echocardiographic method. Left atrial enlargement was not seen in any patient, including those with increased LV mass. The electrocardiogram and echocardiogram may be discordant: Electrocardiographic LV hypertrophy was seen in 6 patients, of whom 5 had normal echocardiographic LV mass. In patients with pheochromocytoma who have no cardiac symptoms or other clinical evidence of cardiac involvement, echocardiographic findings are usually normal.
Lack of evidence for gender bias in the utilization of total hip arthroplasty among Olmsted County, Minnesota residents with osteoarthritis.

Objective. To evaluate whether women have more advanced osteoarthritis (OA) than men prior to total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods. Preoperative clinical and radiographic severity of hip OA was determined among Olmsted County, Minnesota residents who underwent THA. The time from first radiographic changes and first symptoms to THA was compared between genders. Results. Fifty men and 80 women underwent their first THA between 1985 and 1990. Men had higher disease activity levels preoperatively; however, 16 other clinical severity variables and 2 summary measures of OA severity were similar for both genders. Men had radiographically more advanced hip OA preoperatively. The time from first symptom of hip OA to THA was similar for both genders, while the time from first radiographic change to THA was significantly longer for men. Conclusion. These results fail to support the hypothesis that hip OA prior to THA is more severe among women compared with men.
The Nonworseness Claim and the Moral Permissibility of Better-Than-Permissible Acts

Grounded in what Alan Wertheimer terms the “nonworseness claim,” it is thought by some philosophers that what will be referred to herein as “better-than-permissible acts”—acts that, if undertaken, would make another or others better off than they would be were an alternative but morally permissible act to be undertaken—are necessarily morally permissible. What, other than a bout of irrationality, it may be thought, would lead one to hold that an act (such as outsourcing production to a “sweatshop” in a developing country) that produces more benefits for others than an act that is itself morally permissible (such as not doing business in the developing country at all) with respect to those same others, is not morally permissible? In this article, I argue that each of the two groups of philosophers that are most likely to accept the nonworseness claim—consequentialists and non-consequentialists—have reason to reject it, and thereby also have reason to reject the belief that better-than-permissible acts are necessarily morally permissible.
Dietary fibre and cancer.

Early epidemiological studies suggested that dietary fibre could be protective against colon cancer. Many isolated fibres were tested for anticarcinogenic activity in carcinogen-treated rats. Wheat bran was consistently protective. Some human studies suggest that dietary wheat bran may protect against growth of colon adenomas. The precise mechanism by which fibre exerts its effects is still elusive. Fibre exerts many influences in the digestive tract. It can dilute the tract contents, and studies show that decreased concentration of faecal bile acids is correlated with reduced cancer risk. Fibre may enhance energy excretion and caloric intake has been correlated positively with cancer risk. Bacterial degradation of fibre produces, among other compounds, butyric acid which may affect colonic and faecal pH and also shows antiproliferative activity. More data are needed vis-a-vis effects of dietary fibre on human colon cancer. These should include studies of specific fibres as well as of high fibre diets. The mechanism(s) of fibre action, including effects on oncogenes, steroid metabolites and short chain fatty acids, requires elucidation.
ACCELERATION OF THE RATE OF PASSAGE OF FERTILIZED OVA THROUGH THE FALLOPIAN TUBES OF MICE BY MASSIVE INJECTIONS OF AN ESTROGENIC SUBSTANCE1

In earlier experiments on the tube-locking of fertilized ova by small doses (7.5 to 25 R.U.) of estrogenic substances, it was noticed that in a few animals some of the ova were located in the upper end of the fallopian tube (1). Undernormal conditions the ova would have been in either the uterine third of the tube or in the uterine lumen, according to the lapse of time after fertilization. Since ova were occasionally found in the upper tubal region, particularly after injections of 25 R.U. of an estrogen, it was thought possible that increased doses resulted in a proOvarial peristalsis. Experiments were undertaken to determine this possibility. However, we have found that increased injections of an estrogen result in neither a proOvarial peristalsis nor the tubelocking of ova as with smaller amounts but, instead, result in an acceleration of the rate of passage of ova through the tubes. Copulation in mice was determined by the vaginal plug method, and the estrogen used was progynon-B in oil. Autopsies wer...
Variations in the first heart sound in complete A-V block.

Abstract Four patients with complete atrioventricular block have been studied stethographically, and the loudness of the first heart sound related to the preceding P wave. Deductions have been drawn which emphasize the importance of vibrations of valvular origin in the production of the first heart sound.
A top–down bottom–up modeling approach to climate change policy analysis

Abstract This paper analyzes macroeconomic impacts of U.S. climate change policies for three different emissions pathways using a top–down bottom–up integrated model. The integrated model couples a technology-rich, bottom–up model of the U.S. electricity sector with a fully dynamic, forward-looking general equilibrium model of the U.S. economy. Our model provides a unique and consistent modeling framework for climate change analysis. Because of the model's detail and flexibility, we use it to examine additional scenarios to analyze many of the major uncertainties surrounding the implementation and impact of climate change policies — the role of command-and-control measures, loss in flexibility mechanisms such as banking, limits on low-emitting technology, and availability of offsets. The results consistently demonstrate that those policies that combine market-oriented abatement incentives with full flexibility are the most cost-effective.
Intravitreal administration of antibiotic in the treatment of bacterial endophthalmitis. III. Consensus

Five years ago, we established the Viewpoints section on the premise that written constructive expression of differences of opinion about ophthalmic problems would increase the level of understanding in the profession. Since we thought that neither eloquence of expression nor vigor of debate would resolve the questions, we avoided a response-rebuttal format and simply asked each author to express his or her point of view along with the evidence supporting it, without seeing the other's manuscript. Rather than rigidly cementing opinions, we hoped this approach would maintain maleable minds in the search for solutions to perplexing problems. In the inaugural Viewpoints section, Baum and Peyman discussed periocular versus intravitreal administration of antibiotics in the treatment of bacterial endophthalmitis (Antibiotic administration in the treatment of bacterial endophthalmitis. I. Baum JL: Periocular injections. II. Peyman GA: Intravitreal injections. Surv Ophthalmol 21:332-346, 1977). Now, in a novel format, the authors reappraise the subject and come to a consensus that minimizes the therapeutic quandary engendered by the original articles. While acknowledging that intravitreal administration of antibiotic is the preferred route for the treatment of bacterial endophthalmitis, the authors emphasize the lack of controlled and randomized clinical trials in this area. Their practical recommendations will assist the ophthalmologist who tries to forestall the devastation of bacterial endophthalmitis.
Modulus of Natural Rubber Cross-Linked by Dicumyl Peroxide III. Some Molecular Interpretations, Possible Refinements of Theory, and Conclusions.

Abstract The qualitative and quantitative agreement of predictions and results demonstrated in the previous sections is a strong confirmation of the essential validity of all the extremely simplified molecular considerations involved, including the general aspects of the statistical theory of rubber elasticity. We know of no previous experimental study extending over as wide ranges of crosslinking and temperature. In fact the crosslinking and temperature have been varied simultaneously on only a few occasions in previous work. An important advantage of the present work over many previous studies is the fact that measurements are made at very small deformations. Thus the results are expressed in terms of the modulus, defined as the limiting value of the ratio of stress to stain at zero deformation. Consequently, the results are independent of the stress-strain relation or equation of state. This means that no consideration needs to be given here, for example to the difference between the stress-strain rela...
TQM in small manufacturers: an exploratory study in China

Recently, total quality management (TQM) has attracted increasing interest throughout Chinese manufacturing industries and its programs have been widely implemented. Currently, there are few studies conducted about TQM implementation by small manufacturing firms in China, even though small firms are still dominant in many areas of manufacturing industries in China. This study analyzes survey results of Chinese small manufacturing firms to investigate the present status of TQM and its perception and development among them.
From finite to infinite range order via annealing: the causal architecture of deformation faulting in annealed close-packed crystals

We analyze solid-state phase transformations that occur in zinc-sulfide crystals during annealing using a random deformation-faulting mechanism with a very simple interaction between adjacent close-packed double layers. We show that, through annealing, infinite-range structures emerge from initially short-range crystal order. That is, widely separated layers carry structurally significant information and so layer stacking cannot be completely described by any finite-range Markov process. We compare our results to two experimental diffraction spectra, finding excellent agreement.
Immunohistochemical evidence that brain enkephalins arise from a precursor similar to adrenal preproenkephalin.

Abstract We have examined rat brains by immunohistochemistry with an antiserum raised against BAM22P, a synthetic fragment of the adrenomedullary precursor of Leu- and Met-enkephalin, in order to determine whether preproenkephalin derived peptides are detectable in the central nervous system. BAM22P antiserum stained fibers, nerve endings and cell bodies in many areas of the brain, especially the striatum, the septum and the hypothalamus. Comparative topographical studies showed that neurons recognized by anti-BAM22P overlapped structures found immunoreactive for enkephalins in the present study. In addition, BAM22P antiserum stained cell bodies in cerebral cortex and in caudate putamen. The presence of BAM22P immunoreactivity in presumptive enkephalin neurons suggests that some brain enkephalins arise from a precursor identical or closely related to the preproenkephalin A found in the bovine adrenal medulla. This does not preclude the possibility of enkephalins also arising from other precursors molecules.
Isolation of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria in treated dental unit waterlines.

Abstract Objective The purpose of the study was to investigate the presence of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) in dental unit waterlines that were being routinely treated with an intermittent use waterline cleaner. Study design The study was conducted at a hospital dentistry clinic where immunocompromised patients are seen. Water samples from two lines on one of two dental units were taken before and after routine weekend chemical treatment. Sampling was repeated on two subsequent occasions, on the same unit, at three monthly intervals. Laboratory techniques included centrifugation and membrane filtration to detect small numbers of organisms. Results Mycobacterium simiae was isolated from one of the four pre-treatment samples and from two of the four post-treatment samples. Mycobacterium mucogenicum was isolated from one of the four post-treatment samples. Conclusions This pilot study found that NTM were present in DUWLs that were being routinely treated with an intermittent use chemical cleaner. Practitioners are urged to understand the limitations of available DUWL treatments, and to consider the use of sterile water for non-surgical, as well as surgical, treatment of immunocompromised patients.
Endoscopic palliation of colorectal cancer

Multiple endoscopic options exist for physicians seeking to provide palliative therapy for patients with colorectal cancer. Endoscopic decompression tubes can allow urgent stabilization for patients with malignant obstruction requiring some form of surgical palliation. Patients who are not candidates for palliative surgery can experience good symptomatic relief from malignant large bowel obstruction via laser therapy or placement of a colonic stent. Laser therapy can be used in conjunction with SEMS to recanalize and decompress large bowel in certain situations. The use of colonic stents is rapidly becoming more commonplace as acceptance of the technique becomes more widespread. Patients with unresectable disease may be able to avoid surgery altogether and achieve successful and lasting palliation of large bowel obstruction. Overall, they provide effective and durable palliation in patients with malignant obstruction, have an excellent risk/benefit profile, and are within the technical means of both gastroenterologists and interventional radiologists.
Physiologic and molecular characterization of a murine model of right ventricular volume overload.

Pulmonary insufficiency (PI) is a common long-term sequel after repair of tetralogy of Fallot, causing progressive right ventricular (RV) dilation and failure. We describe the physiologic and molec...
MOSAICS OF MAYA LIVELIHOODS: READJUSTING TO GLOBAL AND LOCAL FOOD CRISES

The particularities of how residents in Southern Belize encounter the vagaries of what is commonly referred to as a “global food crisis” (between 2006 and 2008) are explored in this paper. Belize, like many other nation states around the globe, has been structurally (and sequentially) “readjusted” by transnational lending institutions over the last several decades. Cyclical shifts in agricultural practices have taken place in many Maya communities in Southern Belize in the last decade, partly in response to migration, a severe hurricane, land tenure conflicts, and within the last year, skyrocketing staple prices and food scarcity. The costs of basic staples such as corn, wheat, and rice have nearly doubled, in parallel with much of the rest of the globe during the same time frame. Shifts in subsistence strategies have significant implications for the power and politics of land use, access, and mobility. Furthermore, they reflect centuries-old ways of adjusting to changing circumstances in global markets and colonial and postcolonial realities. I conclude by emphasizing the importance of incorporating political and historical ecologies of land use and food production when considering the local impacts of global food crises.
Bladder sensory physiology: neuroactive compounds and receptors, sensory transducers, and target-derived growth factors as targets to improve function

Urinary bladder dysfunction presents a major problem in the clinical management of patients suffering from pathological conditions and neurological injuries or disorders. Currently, the etiology underlying altered visceral sensations from the urinary bladder that accompany the chronic pain syndrome, bladder pain syndrome (BPS)/interstitial cystitis (IC), is not known. Bladder irritation and inflammation are histopathological features that may underlie BPS/IC that can change the properties of lower urinary tract sensory pathways (e.g., peripheral and central sensitization, neurochemical plasticity) and contribute to exaggerated responses of peripheral bladder sensory pathways. Among the potential mediators of peripheral nociceptor sensitization and urinary bladder dysfunction are neuroactive compounds (e.g., purinergic and neuropeptide and receptor pathways), sensory transducers (e.g., transient receptor potential channels) and target-derived growth factors (e.g., nerve growth factor). We review studies related to the organization of the afferent limb of the micturition reflex and discuss neuroplasticity in an animal model of urinary bladder inflammation to increase the understanding of functional bladder disorders and to identify potential novel targets for development of therapeutic interventions. Given the heterogeneity of BPS/IC and the lack of consistent treatment benefits, it is unlikely that a single treatment directed at a single target in micturition reflex pathways will have a mass benefit. Thus, the identification of multiple targets is a prudent approach, and use of cocktail treatments directed at multiple targets should be considered.
Hands-on RFID: wireless wearables for detecting use of objects

Recent research has explored ways to obtain and use knowledge of person-object interactions. We present a novel pair of wearables, a glove and a bracelet, that detect when users interact with unobtrusively tagged objects. The glove can also report whether the grasp was with the palm or the fingertips. Both devices have been built and deployed. We present the, requirements, design and early experiences.
Role of Nitric Oxide in the Control of Renal Oxygen Consumption and the Regulation of Chemical Work in the Kidney

Inhibition of NO synthesis has recently been shown to increase oxygen extraction in vivo, and NO has been proposed to play a significant role in the regulation of oxygen consumption by both skeletal and cardiac muscle in vivo and in vitro. It was our aim to determine whether NO also has such a role in the kidney, a tissue with a relatively low basal oxygen extraction. In chronically instrumented conscious dogs, administration of an inhibitor of NO synthase, nitro-L-arginine (NLA, 30 mg/kg i.v.), caused a maintained increase in mean arterial pressure and renal vascular resistance and a decrease in heart rate (all P<0.05). At 60 minutes, urine flow rate and glomerular flow rate decreased by 44+/-12% and 45+/-7%, respectively; moreover, the amount of sodium reabsorbed fell from 16+/-1.7 to 8.5+/-1.1 mmol/min (all P<0.05). At this time, oxygen uptake and extraction increased markedly by 115+/-37% and 102+/-34%, respectively (P<0.05). Oxygen consumption also significantly increased from 4.5+/-0.6 to 7.1+/-0.9 mL O2/min. Most important, the ratio of oxygen consumption to sodium reabsorbed increased dramatically from 0.33+/-0.07 to 0.75+/-0.11 mL O2/mmol Na+ (P<0.05), suggesting a reduction in renal efficiency for transporting sodium. In vitro, both a NO-donating agent and the NO synthase-stimulating agonist bradykinin significantly decreased both cortical and medullary renal oxygen consumption. In conclusion, NO plays a role in maintaining a balance between oxygen consumption and sodium reabsorption, the major ATP-consuming process in the kidney, in conscious dogs, and NO can inhibit mitochondrial oxygen consumption in canine renal slices in vitro.
Centre of Monoids, Centralisers, and Localisation

Given a monoid object A in a symmetric monoidal category (C, ⊗, 1), we associate a commutative monoid z(A): = Hom A−Bimod (A, A), which we refer to as the set of central elements of A. If A has a centre Z(A) in C, we describe an isomorphism z(A) = Hom A−Bimod (A, A) ≅ Hom Z(A)−Mod (Z(A), Z(A)). When C is closed and complete, we show that every subset S ⊆ Hom A−Mod (A, A) has a centraliser Z A (S) which is a Z(A)-algebra and under certain conditions, we show that Z A (Hom A−Mod (A, A)) = Z(A). Further, for any multiplicatively closed set S ⊆ z(A), we define the localisation M S of any right A-module M with respect to S and show that several properties of classical localisation extend to this context.
Hierarchical patterns of transgene expression indicate involvement of developmental mechanisms in the regulation of the maize P1-rr promoter

The maize P1-rr gene encodes a Myb-homologous transcription factor that regulates the synthesis of red flavonoid pigments. Maize plants transformed with segments of the P1-rr promoter driving a GUS reporter gene exhibit significant variation in transgene expression, both between independent transformation events and among sibling plants derived from a single event. Interestingly, variability in spatial expression is not random; rather, transgene activity occurs predominantly in five patterns that fit a hierarchy: expression is most common in kernel pericarp, with sequential addition of expression in cob glumes, husk, silk, and tassel. The hierarchical expression pattern of P-rr::GUS transgenes suggests a possible model for developmental regulation of the P1-rr gene. Our results demonstrate that variability in transgene expression, a common occurrence in transgenic plant studies, can be informative if adequately analyzed to uncover underlying patterns of gene expression.
Hemipelvectomy in treatment of osteogenic sarcoma of the ilium.

Abstract Since the first successful operation by Girard fifty-three years ago 132 cases have been reported. A mortality rate of 60 per cent was reported in the first seventy-nine cases. In the past eleven years operative mortality has dropped to 14 per cent. The overall mortality was 36 per cent. This drop in mortality has been due to the development of methods of combating shock and hemorrhage. The present mortality rate can be expected to drop still lower by a better understanding of the anatomy involved, technics developed and the institution of active steps to prevent shock by free use of whole blood and plasma transfusions. Follow-up statistics have been unsatisfactory to date. However, of the forty-five patients who survived the operation and who were followed for five or more years, twenty-one remained clinically well; twenty-four died of their disease. Radical amputation seems to be a definite and distinct advancement in the radical treatment of selected cases of malignant tumors of the lower extremity, buttock, groin, innominate bone or pelvic parietes and by careful consideration of these factors in the future, prognosis of such lesions can be favorably influenced.
An Analysis of Student Reflections From a Multidisciplinary New Product Development Class

New Product Development (NPD) classes based around problem-based learning provide an effective vehicle for authentic learning and realistic design experiences. Selfreflection provides one mechanism to expose learning accomplishments to the instructor and help the students develop self-assessment skills for professional practice. As one component of a self-assessment learning process this paper describes a structured ‘lessons learned’ exercise that focuses on what the students themselves found to be the salient learning experiences when engaging in a multidisciplinary product development process. We present an analysis of over 1200 ‘lessons learned’ collected from three years of a graduate multidisciplinary NPD class with students from engineering, information studies, architecture, business and industrial design. Students highlighted skills for working in multidisciplinary teams as their most important learning experience, whereas the area of greatest impact in the NPD process was the gathering and analysis of customer and user needs. By breaking down these sections we draw insights into students' learning experiences and provide implications for design education in terms of skill sets required and recommended course emphases.
Estimation of Characteristic Parameters of a Grain-Bridging Model for Crack-Extension Resistance

An alternative method of analysis was developed to estimate characteristic parameters of a published grain-bridging model for crack-extension resistance (R-curve) and to enable estimations of standard deviations of the parameters, which determine to a large extent the usefulness of the measurement results. The method is based upon fitting the model to both strength and crack-length measurements, corresponding to a range of indentation loads. Indentation-strength data for an alumina ceramic that was hot-pressed with a mean grain size of 10 μm were used to demonstrate the method of analysis. These data were taken from tests where the indentation cracks were much larger than the grain size of the alumina and where residual stresses due to the indentations were annealed out. The model in this situation can be reduced to an explicit expression of strength as a nonlinear function of crack length, which is easily amenable for analysis by a least-squares method for nonlinear functions. The results indicate some limitations in the usefulness of estimating parameters of the grain-bridging model. As many as three of the five major characteristic parameters of the model can be estimated from the selected indentation-strength data, but because the standard deviations of the three parameters are rather large, preferably not more than two parameters should be estimated, assuming the third is known.
Comparison of methods to model the gravitational gradients from topographic data bases

SUMMARY A number of methods have been developed over the last few decades to model the gravitational gradients using digital elevation data. All methods are based on second-order derivatives of the Newtonian mass integral for the gravitational potential. Foremost are algorithms that divide the topographic masses into prisms or more general polyhedra and sum the corresponding gradient contributions. Other methods are designed for computational speed and make use of the fast Fourier transform (FFT), require a regular rectangular grid of data, and yield gradients on the entire grid, but only at constant altitude. We add to these the ordinary numerical integration (in horizontal coordinates) of the gradient integrals. In total we compare two prism, two FFT and two ordinary numerical integration methods using 1″ elevation data in two topographic regimes (rough and moderate terrain). Prism methods depend on the type of finite elements that are generated with the elevation data; in particular, alternative triangulations can yield significant differences in the gradients (up to tens of Eotvos). The FFT methods depend on a series development of the topographic heights, requiring terms up to 14th order in rough terrain; and, one popular method has significant bias errors (e.g. 13 Eotvos in the vertical–vertical gradient) embedded in its practical realization. The straightforward numerical integrations, whether on a rectangular or triangulated grid, yield sub-Eotvos differences in the gradients when compared to the other methods (except near the edges of the integration area) and they are as efficient computationally as the finite element methods.
Pseudorandom bit generators in stream-cipher cryptography

Progress in the design and analysis of pseudorandom bit generators over the last decade is surveyed. Background information is provided, and the linear feedback shift registers that serve as building blocks for constructing the generators are examined. Three methods for attacking keystream generators are reviewed, and three techniques for designing them are considered, focusing on how they fail or how their weakness is exposed under the attacks previously described. These techniques are nonlinear feedforward transformation, step control, and multiclocking. >
New waveguide-to-coplanar waveguide transition for centimetre and millimetre wave applications

A novel waveguide-to-coplanar waveguide adaptor useful for microwave and millimetre wave applications is described. The feasibility of the adaptor has been established through tests performed on X-band and Ka-band prototype structures. Satisfactory operation above 100 GHz is anticipated.< >
Accuracy assessment of mixed land cover using a GIS-designed sampling scheme

Land cover maps, based on remotely sensed data, are widely developed and used for studying global ecosystems and land use/land cover change. However, accuracy assessment of mixed land cover classes, including varying dominance of invasive species, is complicated by uncertainty about where to define a threshold of presence/absence. Geographic Information Science (GIS) can be used to target sampling locations that encompass a range of mixed pixels, but are also easily accessible for an efficient accuracy assessment. Here, an accuracy assessment of a Landsat-derived map of the invasive species cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) in the state of Nevada, USA is presented. The stratified random design used GIS to increase efficiency by limiting the target area while still sampling the distribution of mixed pixels present in the larger study area, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess overall map accuracy with different thresholds of cheatgrass presence/absence. This approach is useful for validating map accuracy in the presence of mixed pixels.
Subjective, psychomotor, and physiological effects profile of hydrocodone/acetaminophen and oxycodone/acetaminophen combination products.

Objectives. To compare within the same individuals two typically prescribed doses of hydrocodone/acetaminophen and oxycodone/acetaminophen products for their subjective, psychomotor, and physiological effects in healthy volunteers. Design. A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover, six-session clinical laboratory study, enrolling 16 healthy participants (27.2 ± 4.4 years of age). Participants received 5 mg hydrocodone/325 mg acetaminophen, 10 mg hydrocodone/650 mg acetaminophen, 5 mg oxycodone/325 mg acetaminophen, 10 mg oxycodone/650 mg acetaminophen, 650 mg acetaminophen, and placebo in different sessions. Results. Oxycodone/acetaminophen and hydrocodone/acetaminophen at the 5-mg opioid dose produced few subjective effects and no significant psychomotor impairment. Relative to placebo, the 10-mg oxycodone combination produced a wider spectrum of subjective effects that were statistically significant than did the 10-mg hydrocodone combination. The 10-mg oxycodone combination also produced a greater degree of miosis than the 10-mg hydrocodone combination. Both drug combinations impaired psychomotor performance at the 10-mg opioid dose. Conclusions. The results of this study, albeit in pain-free individuals, may inform physicians who prescribe, and pharmacists who dispense, two widely prescribed opioid/acetaminophen combination products on how patients might be feeling from the drugs. Patients prescribed either of the two opioid/acetaminophen combination products may experience a number of subjective effects, including effects that would contraindicate certain activities, and they should be cautioned accordingly. However, this study documented rather large differences in magnitude of subjective effects between 10 mg oxycodone/650 mg acetaminophen and placebo, and physicians and pharmacists, and ultimately patients, should be aware of these differences.
Advances in Antiviral Therapy: Acydovir

Abstract: Acyclovir [9-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl)guanine] is a newly licensed acyclic nucleoside analog that is active in vitro and in vivo against herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella zoster virus (VZV). This agent is available in the United States in topical and intravenous forms, and the oral preparation is currently being evaluated in clinical trials. The precise therapeutic role for acyclovir in patients with herpesvirus infections is still evolving. This article reviews the current status of this exciting new antiviral agent.
Efficacy of Bolus-dose Phenylephrine for Peri-intubation Hypotension

Abstract Background Intubation in hypotensive emergency department (ED) patients may increase the risk of life-threatening complications such as hypoperfusion and cardiovascular collapse. Peripherally administered, diluted “push-dose” phenylephrine has been advocated to treat peri-intubation hypotension, however, its effectiveness is unknown. Study Objective To investigate the efficacy and usage patterns of bolus-dose phenylephrine for peri-intubation hypotension at an academic medical center. Methods A retrospective chart review of all adult intubated, hypotensive patients (systolic blood pressure [SBP] Results A total of 119 patients met eligibility criteria. Phenylephrine was given to 29/119 (24%) patients and 20 (17%) were treated during the peri-intubation period. Phenylephrine was given for many different conditions, and treatment timing varied greatly. Phenylephrine was given with other vasopressors 70% of the time (14/20), however, the timing of vasopressor infusion also varied greatly. When phenylephrine was given during the peri-intubation period, there were significant increases in SBP and DBP (p Conclusion In this academic ED, bolus-dose phenylephrine was used by practitioners without a systematic pattern. Although phenylephrine improved hemodynamics, it is possible that nonsystematic use of phenylephrine may cause inadvertent negative effects. Further studies will need to be conducted to better understand the best practices for use of phenylephrine.
The growth model of CdTe thin film by close spaced sublimation

Close spaced sublimation (CSS) has attractive features for high-rate deposition of CdS/CdTe thin film solar modules. CSS has been successfully implemented in commercial production of CdTe solar panels with size of 0.6 m × 1.2 m and 1.2 m × 1.6 m. A CSS growth model is a useful tool to guide the CdTe thin film deposition and the design of CSS. In this paper, a growth model was developed for CdTe deposition including diffusion limited, sublimation limited and reaction limited with the presence of oxygen. The model can explain the effect of source and substrate temperature, ambient gas pressure and the separation between source and substrate on the growth rate of CdTe by CSS. The model may prove very useful for optimization of the CSS process with respect to its design variables (pressure, temperature, etc.).
Mintzberg's Strategy Continuum: Philosophical and Theoretical Underpinnings

This theoretical paper views Henry Mintzberg’s, "Strategy Safari," as representing a strategy continuum along which different styles/modes of strategy making and implementing are spread, with Prescriptive/Planning style of strategizing at one end and the Descriptive/Learning mode of strategizing at the other end. The paper attempts to highlight some of the reasons behind the traditional ‘hype’ created for the Prescriptive/Planning mode, its impact on the teaching behavior of the teachers of strategic management and, the underlying philosophical and theoretical assumptions behind the two extreme end of the strategy continuum. Based on these underpinnings, the paper presents some propositions and calls for launching research efforts to test and verify these propositions. The paper proposes to include the strategy continuum view for the teaching of Strategic Management courses at graduate and under-graduate levels in the business schools.
Assessing the energy impact of traffic management and vehicle hybridisation

We provide a review of methodologies previously used to evaluate impacts of transportation systems and changes in transportation infrastructure on energy consumption. We present a new framework that allows estimating the energy impacts of managed traffic lanes in the context of vehicle automation. The presented framework relies on two major components, an integrated transportation system simulator and a powertrain simulator. For the transportation system simulator we propose using integrated transportation system simulator POLARIS. For the powertrain simulator we use AUTONOMIE, a tool funded by the US Department of Energy. Both tools are developed at Argonne National Laboratory. We demonstrate our approach by modelling a transportation corridor along a major highway. Two scenarios are considered, unmanaged, when both trucks and cars use all the lanes of the highway and managed, under which one of the highway lanes is a dedicated lane for truck traffic and trucks are forming platoons using adaptive cruise control technology. We provide the numerical results of the experiment at the end of the paper. We also present the impact of vehicle hybridisation combined with automation on the energy consumption.
Accounting Changes and Debt Contracting

This paper examines whether firms benefit, in debt contracting, from committing to incorporate future GAAP changes (referred to as rolling GAAP) or not to incorporate any future changes (referred to as frozen GAAP). We show that informative future accounting changes do not necessarily improve the efficiency in debt contracts. We develop a parsimonious model to examine the interplay between the firm's investment decision made ex ante and the accounting information revealed ex post the rule change. These accounting changes enable the creditor to observe an accounting signal about the project state. Firms rationally anticipate such a signal and tailor investment decisions accordingly. If asset substitution is sufficiently severe, accounting changes unambiguously reduce the firm's expected payoff and the efficiency of debt contracting, even though they might reduce information asymmetry between the lender and the borrower. Under such a scenario, a firm would prefer not to incorporate future accounting changes.
Stiff Substrates Increase Inflammation-Induced Endothelial Monolayer Tension and Permeability

Arterial stiffness and inflammation are associated with atherosclerosis, and each have individually been shown to increase endothelial monolayer tension and permeability. The objective of this study was to determine if substrate stiffness enhanced endothelial monolayer tension and permeability in response to inflammatory cytokines. Porcine aortic endothelial cells were cultured at confluence on polyacrylamide gels of varying stiffness and treated with either tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) or thrombin. Monolayer tension was measured through vinculin localization at the cell membrane, traction force microscopy, and phosphorylated myosin light chain quantity and actin fiber colocalization. Cell permeability was measured by cell-cell junction confocal microscopy and a dextran permeability assay. When treated with TNFα or thrombin, endothelial monolayers on stiffer substrates showed increased traction forces, vinculin at the cell membrane, and vinculin phosphorylation, suggesting elevated monolayer tension. Interestingly, VE-cadherin shifted toward a smaller molecular weight in endothelial monolayers on softer substrates, which may relate to increased VE-cadherin endocytosis and degradation. Phosphorylated myosin light chain colocalization with actin stress fibers increased in endothelial monolayers treated with TNFα or thrombin on stiffer substrates, indicating elevated cell monolayer contractility. Endothelial monolayers also developed focal adherens intercellular junctions and became more permeable when cultured on stiffer substrates in the presence of the inflammatory cytokines. Whereas each of these effects was likely mitigated by Rho/ROCK, Rho/ROCK pathway inhibition via Y27632 disrupted cell-cell junction morphology, showing that cell contractility is required to maintain adherens junction integrity. These data suggest that stiff substrates change intercellular junction protein localization and degradation, which may counteract the inflammation-induced increase in endothelial monolayer tension and thereby moderate inflammation-induced junction loss and associated endothelial monolayer permeability on stiffer substrates.
Safety factors to detect flowslides and slips in unsaturated shallow slopes

Unstable movements in slopes can be the outcome of various soil failure processes, each associated with a different degree of post-failure mobility. This note uses plasticity theories for unsaturat...
The Oncologic Impact of Postoperative Complications Following Resection of Truncal and Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcomas.

Postoperative complications (POCs) negatively impact oncologic outcomes in some malignancies; however, little is known regarding their effect in soft tissue sarcoma (STS). The aim of this study was to determine the impact of POCs on survival after resection of truncal and extremity STS. All patients who underwent resection for a primary truncal or extremity STS at a single academic institution from 2000 to 2015 were included and analyzed. Primary outcome was disease-specific survival (DSS). Among 546 STS patients, POCs occurred in 159 (29%) patients; 57% were major and 55% were surgical site infections. Patients with POCs were older (61 vs. 53 years), had more comorbidities (50 vs. 38%), longer operative time (127 vs. 93 min), higher-grade tumors (93 vs. 86%), and were more likely to receive preoperative radiation (42 vs. 33%; all p < 0.05). There was no difference in receipt of postoperative therapy between the POCs and no POCs groups (19 vs. 18%, p = 0.74). Median follow-up for survivors was 37 months, and the 5-year DSS for the entire cohort was 78%. Compared with patients without POCs, patients with POCs had a worse DSS (68% vs. 81%, p = 0.001). Predictors for decreased DSS on univariate analysis included POCs (hazard ratio [HR] 2.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37–3.28, p = 0.001), advanced age, neurovascular/bone resection, positive margin, high grade, and preoperative and postoperative therapy (all p < 0.05). POCs (HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.08–2.87, p = 0.02) remained an independent predictor for reduced DSS on multivariate analysis, along with age (HR 1.02, p = 0.046) and tumor grade (HR 7.62, p = 0.046). POCs following resection of truncal and extremity STS are associated with decreased DSS. Efforts to optimize modifiable risk factors and decrease the rate of POCs warrant further investigation.