cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Irredundant Forms and Prime Implicants of a Function with Multistate Variables

For s-coherent fault trees containing only AND/OR gates, many algorithms can be used to obtain the sum-of-products (s.o.p.), cut set, expressions for the top event. If the tree contains non-coherences such as XOR (exclusive OR) gates, these s.o.p. expressions can be reduced to irredundant prime implicant form by algorithms such as Kumamoto & Henley's or by applying simplification and consensus algorithms such as Nelson's or Quine's. If, however, the trees contain multistate variables, then the Boolean binary logic expressions on which present algorithms are based no longer apply. This paper extends the laws of binary Boolean algebra to encompass multistate variables, and develops simplification and consensus algorithms whereby prime implicants for non-coherent systems containing multistate variables can be obtained. A computer code based on this has been developed.
Magma Ascent Rates

Volcanoes can erupt explosively, generating high columns of ash and occasional pyroclastic flows, or they can erupt slowly forming lava flows and domes. This variation reflects significant differences in mass eruption rate (e.g., Wilson et al. 1980). Mass eruption rates in turn are controlled by the rates of magma ascent through the volcanic conduit, and the conduit size. The magma ascent rate itself is a function of the pressure in the magma storage region, the physical properties of the magma, such as its density, viscosity and crystallinity, and the resistance to flow in the conduit that connects the magma storage zone to the surface (Papale and Dobran 1994; Mastin and Ghiorso 2001; Pinkerton et al. 2002; Sparks et al. 2006). A number of important characteristics of volcanic eruptions are affected or controlled by the rate at which magma ascends from depth. For example, the bubble content (i.e., vesicularity) and the degree of crystallization that develop in the melt phase can be significantly different in rapidly vs. slowly ascended magma. In fact, the inability of rapidly ascending magma to effectively lose exsolved gas may be one factor causing an eruption to change from effusive to explosive behavior, as recently documented for the Soufriere Hills eruption on Montserrat in the West Indies (Sparks et al. 1998). Therefore, in order to better understand the processes involved and the changes that occur in volcanic eruptions, it is important to quantify the rates at which different magmas rise to the surface. The fact that the rate of magma ascent controls a number of reactions that occur in volatile-rich magmas suggests several ways to study magma ascent rates using reaction data and theoretical flow models. One reaction that is a direct result of magma ascent is the exsolution of volatiles from the melt …
Telomerase expression and telomere length in immortal leukocyte lines from channel catfish

Abstract Normal channel catfish leukocytes readily undergo spontaneous in vitro immortalization yielding functionally active diploid cell lines. Since telomerase activation appears to be a critical step in the establishment of immortal mammalian cells, studies were undertaken to determine if and when telomerase expression occurs during the in vitro immortalization process of channel catfish leukocytes. To this end, freshly isolated peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) from normal fish were shown to exhibit low to undetectable levels of telomerase activity and within four days after culture initiation showed dramatic increases in telomerase activity which typically remained high for at least four weeks. This activity then declined, concomitant with decreases in cellular proliferation and increases in cell death. Cells which escaped this culture “crisis” re-expressed high levels of telomerase activity indefinitely. Although telomerase activity was expressed early in the immortalization process, clonal cell lines derived from these cultures had relatively short telomeres. These results suggest that telomerase expression in catfish leukocytes is activation-induced, and its expression does not necessarily stabilize telomere length until a critically, albeit ill-defined, short length is reached.
Selfguiding in multimode interference structures

We combine multimode interference (MMI) and self-guiding to create optical switching and limiting devices. Operation depends upon the light-intensity-controlled switching between the MMI and the self-guiding modes of operation.
Science, politique et conscience aux débuts de l’Académie royale des sciences

Si les savants du xviie siecle revendiquaient la responsabilite morale qui decoulait de leur connaissance particuliere, leurs mecenes preferaient les applications fideles et utiles de cette connaissance. Un savant osait-il, donc, s’opposer a son mecene? Trois associes, au moins, de l’Academie royale des sciences se distinguatient de Louis XIV sur des questions de philosophie naturelle, de religion et de politique. Le cas de l’un d’eux, Nicolas Hartsoeker, un savant hollandais et fabricant d’instruments d’optique, espion de Louis XIV pendant la guerre de la Ligue d’Augsbourg, revele des liens complexes entre science et conscience pendant la revolution scientifique.
Abstract 2954: A noncanonical mechanism for BCL-2 inhibition of pro-apoptotic BAX

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA In response to cellular stress, pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family members such as BAX initiate apoptosis by forming toxic pores in the mitochondrial outer membrane. It is well established that BAX is inhibited by BCL-2 through a sequestering interaction between a surface groove on BCL-2 and the alpha-helical BH3 death domain of BAX. Indeed, BCL-2 overexpression is a cardinal mechanism exploited by cancer cells to resist apoptosis. Novel BCL-2 inhibitors, such as ABT-199, are showing promise as pharmacologic activators of apoptosis in BCL-2-dependent cancers. Emerging data suggest that a distinct interaction between the BH4 domain of BCL-2 and BAX may also account for BCL-2 inhibition of BAX. To dissect this putative interaction mechanism, we generated stabilized alpha-helices of BCL-2 domains (SAHBs) modeled after the BH4 motif of BCL-2 and assessed their capacity to inhibit BAX. We find that distinct BCL-2 BH4 SAHBs directly engage BAX and block BAX-mediated membrane poration. Mutagenesis studies defined key residues for the inhibitory activity of BCL-2 BH4 SAHBs and confirmed the sequence-dependent specificity of action. We extended our findings to full-length BCL-2, demonstrating that point mutagenesis within the BH4 domain disrupts co-immunoprecipitation of expressed BCL-2 and BAX proteins. Taken together, we find that a noncanonical interaction between BCL-2 and BAX contributes to the functional regulation of these critical apoptotic proteins and may serve as a new and complementary target for therapeutic reactivation of cell death in human cancer. Citation Format: Lauren A. Barclay, Susan Lee, Michelle L. Stewart, Craig R. Braun, Gregory H. Bird, Loren D. Walensky. A noncanonical mechanism for BCL-2 inhibition of pro-apoptotic BAX. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2954. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2954
ISolation and characterization of deoxyribonucleoproteins (DNP) from human leukaemic white blood-cells

Abstract 1. 1. When peripheral leucocytes from chronic lymphocytic leukaemic subjects arc extracted with 1.01 M glycine solution and clarified by centrifugation, the resulting supernatant solution is composed of deoxyribonucleoproteins (DNP) particles containing 30 per cent DNA and 70 per cent protein. 2. 2. Characterization of the DNA and protein moieties revealed a highly fibrous, A-T-type DNA and a histone-like protein. 3. 3. Characterization of the DNP preparation by column chromatographic, electrophoretic, immunologic and sedimentation techniques revealed that the DNA-protein complex is homogeneous, intact, antigenic and of high molecular weight. 4. 4. Immunological specificity and equivalence of the sum of basic amino-acids with the DNA phosphate charges indicate that glycine-extracted DNP arc more 'native' than those obtained by other methods of extraction.
Improving Forest Wildfire Suppression Using Penetrating Reconnaissance And Real Time Data Transfer

The suppression of a wildfire is analogous to a combat action. Fires, like battles, spread fast and suppression forces must be highly mobile. The enemy, (in this case) the wildfire, is lethal in that it kills or destroys forces, equipment, and natural resources left in its path. The suppression action must be carried on day and night until the "enemy" is contained. Both air operations and ground forces are used. Just as in a combat situation, wildfire suppression forces need penetrating reconnaissance with real time data transfer. This paper presents a review of the current system of intelligence gathering on a wildfire where aerial observers, infrared detectors, and ground intelligence officers gather data and either radio or carry the data to the command center. It then attempts to show how some current military reconnaissance systems might be applied to wildfire control processes. The payoffs would include improved safety for both air and ground forces and faster containment of the wildfire which would reduce forest resources lost and decrease the total monetary cost of the containment action.
Reduction of rat pup ultrasonic vocalizations by the neuroactive steroid allopregnanolone

Several of the recently characterized neuroactive steroids have been proposed to have anxiolytic effects in behavioral models when subjects were tested as adults. In this experiment, the effects of infant subjects were examined using the isolation distress model of anxiety. The production of ultrasonic vocalizations in week-old rat pups after maternal separation was assessed after ICV injections of vehicle or allopregnanolone (1.25–5 μg), or sham injections. Subjects were also observed for activity and behavioral responses and tested on three measures of sedation. Allopregnanolone caused a dose-dependent decrease in ultrasonic vocalizations, with increasing motor incoordination, ataxia, and turning at the higher doses. Sex differences were not observed for any measure. These results suggest the GABAA receptor binding site for neuroactive steroids is behaviorally active in neonates as well as in adults, and that the anxiolytic effects of the neuroactive steroids at this site may be dissociable from their sedative effects at low doses.
The effect of days postpartum, indomethacin and oxytocin on prostaglandin metabolite concentrations in postpartum suckled beef cows.

Abstract In Experiment 1, blood samples were collected on days 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, and 25 postpartum from the jugular veins of 10 suckled beef cows to determine 13, 14-dihydro-15-keto prostaglandin F 2 α (PGFM) concentrations during the early postpartum period. PGFM concentrations on days 1 and 4 were 207.8 ± 33.9 and 283.6 ± 45.6 pg/ml and then declined linearly (r = −0.71; P
Wavelength and coherent beam combining for high-brightness sources*

Beam combining of laser arrays with high efficiency and good beam quality for power and radiance scaling is a long-standing problem in laser technology. Recently, significant progress has been made using wavelength techniques and coherent techniques.
Outcomes of pregnancies complicated by the presence of maternal cerebrospinal fluid shunts

Objective: Cerebrospinal fluid shunts have dramatically improved the prognosis of patients with hydrocephalus and patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri) refractory to medical therapy. We sought to determine the obstetric and neurosurgical outcomes of pregnant women having previously undergone a cerebrospinal fluid shunting procedure. Methods: Twelve pregnancies between January 1990 and July 1999 in 10 women having previously undergone neurosurgical shunting procedures were analyzed. The frequency of symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, shunt complications, and adverse obstetrical outcomes were determined in these patients. The χ2 test was used for statistical analysis. Results: Two pregnancies were terminated: one secondary to fetal hydrocephalus, the other to severe, progressive idiopathic intracranial hypertension in whom pregnancy was felt hazardous. Of the 10 pregnancies that continued to viability, three were complicated by worsening neurologic symptoms, all in the third trimester. They required neurosurgical interventions to relieve increasing intracranial pressure (shunt revision in two, serial intraventricular taps in one). Delivery at less than 37 weeks of gestation for worsening maternal neurological status was felt indicated in two of these three patients. Four patients had a history of prior shunt revision and of those, three experienced neurosurgical complications during pregnancy. In patients without history of shunt revision, none experienced a change in their neurologic status (P <0.001) nor required preterm delivery (P <0.001). One patient underwent an elective cesarean for unstable neurologic condition. No patients who labored experienced symptoms of increasing intracranial pressure. Conclusion: During pregnancy, in women with cerebrospinal fluid shunts, a history of prior shunt revision may be a risk factor for neurosurgical and obstetric complications.
Impact of sub-grid variability of precipitation and canopy water storage on hydrological processes in a coupled land–atmosphere model

The impact of sub-grid variability of precipitation and canopy water storage is investigated by applying a new canopy interception scheme into the Community Atmosphere Model version 3 (CAM3) coupled with the Community Land Model version 3 (CLM3). Including such sub-grid variability alters the partitioning of net radiation between sensible heat flux and latent heat flux on land surface, which leads to changes in precipitation through various pathways/mechanisms. The areas with most substantial changes are Amazonia and Central Africa where convective rain is dominant and vegetation is very dense. In these areas, precipitation during December–January–February is increased by up to 2 mm/day. This increase is due to the enhanced large-scale circulation and atmospheric instability caused by including the sub-grid variability. Cloud feedback plays an important role in modifying the large-scale circulation and atmospheric instability. Turning off cloud feedback mitigates the changes in surface convergence and boundary layer height caused by inclusion of sub-grid variability of precipitation and water storage canopy, which moderate the effect on precipitation.
States and nationalism in Europe 1492–1992

As an independent state, Romania has not been around much more than a century. Wallachia and Moldavia only acquired autonomy as coupled principalities under Ottoman sovereignty in 1861, and only became an independent kingdom in 1881. The Kingdom of Romania, furthermore, only annexed Bessarabia, Bukovina, and Transylvania more than half of its maximum territory after astute switching of sides during World War I. In the absence of a Romanian state, nevertheless, Romanian chroniclers of the seventeenth century propounded three theories of their ethnic origins, Latinist, indigenist, and mixed: first, that a homogeneous people descended from the Roman legions and colonists established in the new province of Dacia after the emperor Trajan conquered the region in 105-106 AD; second, that a likewise homogeneous people sprang from the highly civilized Dacians already on the spot whom the Romans integrated into their empire; third, that Romans and Dacians not only mixed, but selectively assimilated some later migrants into the region.
High-Yield Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Synthesized on the Small-Pore (C10) Co-MCM-41 Catalyst

High-quality single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) with high yield were produced by using small-pore Co-MCM-41 catalyst, templated by a C10 surfactant and containing 3 wt % Co. A complete incorporation of Co ions in the silica matrix without formation of surface Co oxides and the contact time of the reaction, in the catalyst synthesis and the SWNT production, respectively, were the most critical factors to be considered. By controlling the reduction temperature and contact time in the reaction, the carbon yield could reach 34 wt % or higher with a selectivity of 96 wt % to SWNT. The metal content after purification of SWNT by base-acid treatments was 0.7 wt %, and the surface area was as high as 1800 m 2 /g. The metal surface occlusion effect by amorphous silica might play a key role in the stabilization of the completely reduced Co metallic clusters in the SWNT synthesis procedure, using small-pore C10 Co-MCM-41.
Developing Self-Regulated Learners: Goal Setting, Self-Evaluation, and Organizational Signals During Acquisition of Procedural Skills

The authors examined how 2 types of goal setting (process vs. outcome), self-evaluation (presence vs. absence), and organizational signals (presence vs. absence) affected student ability to perform a set of procedural skills, namely animating slides created via presentation software. They also examined how these variables influenced a variety of affective outcomes, including students' self-efficacy, satisfaction with their performance, evaluation of the instruction, and attributions of success or lack of success in acquiring the skills. Using a 2 X 2 X 2 (Goal Setting X Self-Evaluation X Organizational Signals) design, 96 ninth- and tenth-grade students were randomly assigned to 1 of 8 versions of a print-based instructional module designed to teach slide-animation skills. Results indicated that students in the process goal condition reported a higher degree of self-efficacy, more satisfaction with their performance, and more strategic attributions than students in the outcome goal condition. Moreover, am...
The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Teaching of the Old Testament to Undergraduates

Testament studies generally than to the undergraduate teaching of Old Testament. That is to say, their special contribution will be to Hebrew studies (paleography, orthography, and morphology) and to textual studies (history of the text, pre-Masoretic recensions, elimination of textual errors, etc.). The hope is, of course, that whatever gains are made will "filter down" to us and become a part of our total resources, but that will take time.
373 SELECTIVE INHIBITION OF THROMBOXANE (Tx) SYNTHETASE PREFERENTIALLY REDUCES SEPTIC PULMONARY HYPERTENSION IN PIGLETS

Non-specific inhibition of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis reduces elevated pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in animal models of newborn sepsis. We hypothesized that Tx was the PG which mediated the septic pulmonary hypertension, and investigated the effects of selective inhibition of Tx synthetase during Group B Streptococcal (GBS) sepsis in piglets. 4 piglets were anesthetized, intubated, ventilated and instrumented. Plasma Tx and prostacyclin (PC) metabolites were determined by RIA. Pulmonary hypertension was induced by continuous infusion of GBS. After induction of sepsis, PAP rose from 13±2 (SEM) to 42±5 mmHg, and cardiac output (CO) dropped from 104±6 to 52±6. BP remained unchanged. Concurrently, TxB2 levels rose from 451±264 to 3370±610 pg/ml (p<0.05) and 6 keto PGF1α levels rose from 323±55 to 1322±569. While GBS infusion continued, a thromboxane synthetase inhibitor, dazemgrel (Dz)(UK 38485) was then administered at 1 mg/kg. In response to treatment, PAP decreased rapidly to 16±1 mmHg, BP and CO remained stable. TxB2 levels dropped to 1960±360 and 6 keto PGF1α (a prostacyclin metabolite) levels increased to 2090±363. Conclusions: 1.GBS elevated PAP in piglets while raising both TxB2 and PC metabolites. 2. Dz selectively reduced TxB2 and shunted Pg production towards PC. 3. Dz preferentially diminished PAP during GBS sepsis. 4. Selective inhibition of specific prostaglandins may benefit septic infants with elevated PAP.
Ginzburg-Landau equation coupled to a concentration field in binary-mixture convection

Abstract Localized travelling-wave trains are investigated as they arise in binary-mixture convection. For free-slip-permeable boundary conditions a complex Ginzburg-Landau equation is derived which is coupled to a mean concentration field. This takes the slow mass diffusion into account. Numerical simulations show that in equations of that form the additional concentration field can lead to a substantial reduction of the drift velocity of localized wave trains. Moreover, localized waves can be stable even if all the coefficients of the Ginzburg-Landau equation are real and even if the bifurcation to extended waves is supercritical.
Behavior of Listeria monocytogenes and the spoilage microflora in fresh cod fish treated with lysozyme and EDTA

Raw cod fish fillets were treated before storage by dipping for 10 min at 20 °C in: (a) deionized water; (b) lysozyme (3 mg ml −1 H 2 O); (c) Na 2 EDTA (5–25 mM); and (d) 3 mg ml −1 lysozyme and 25 mM EDTA combination. After removal of excess moisture, half of the samples were surface inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes strain Scott A ( c . 10 3 cells g −1 ), and the other half was allowed to undergo spoilage by the natural microflora. The fish was stored at 20 °C for 3 days or at 5 °C for 17 days. L. monocytogenes was able to multiply in the fish at both storage temperatures. However, the fish shelf life at 5 °C was shorter than the lag phase of Listeria . Lysozyme suppressed listerial growth but had no inhibitory effect against the natural microflora. In contrast, treatment with EDTA (15 or 25mM) was also effective in suppressing growth of the natural microflora and preventing slime formation.
Proposal for a national space monument

The author has serendipitously designed a monument to honor America’s heroic astronauts using holograms
The biology and abundance of kilka (Clupeonella spp.) along the coast of Azerbaijan, Caspian Sea

In the changing environmental conditions of the Caspian Sea, and specifically following the accidental introduction of the comb jelly Mnemiopsis leidyi from the Azov-Black Sea basin in the late 1990s, ecosystem functioning has been disturbed, particularly in the pelagic zone. The main commercial species of kilka in the Caspian, anchovy kilka (Clupeonella engrauliformis), suffered greatly from the introduction. The catch of kilka by Russia, Azerbaijan, and Iran dropped from 182 700 t in 2000 to 74 700 t in 2001, although the total allowable catch remained at 300 000 t. Between 2000 and 2004, the catch by Azerbaijan alone dropped from 18 500 t to 5 100 t. Recruitment of anchovy kilka failed in early 2001, resulting in an increase in the average age of the stock, and a big decline in abundance. During kilka surveys conducted in summer 2003 and summer 2004 along the Azerbaijan coast of the central Caspian, the average cone-net catch varied from 19.8 kg to 30.5 kg at depths of 51-90 m, and along the Azerbaijan coast of the southern Caspian from 6.1 to 33.7 kg at depths of 53-81 m. Information is provided on the biology and apparent environmental preferences of the three kilka species of the Caspian, specifically their age composition, growth rate, and mean weight, off the coast of Azerbaijan.
Effect of sintering on surface chemistry and surface energy of pigmented latex coatings

Drying in the absence of water (sintering) of pigmented coatings made of styrene–butadiene (SB) latex and kaolin clay at different levels of pigmentation was investigated. As found from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, sintered coatings showed a higher SB area percent on the surface than did latex with a high glass-transition temperature (Tg) and dried at room temperature. This was a result of latex spreading at the surface. Sintering the high-Tg coatings that were dried at room temperature caused a decrease in the surface energy. Drying in the presence of water (wet coalescing) was compared to drying in the absence of water (sintering). Even though sintered coatings were more porous and had higher gloss, no significant difference was found in the SB/clay ratio at the surface or in the surface energy above the critical pigment volume concentration (CPVC). However, at and below CPVC, the sintering process yielded a higher SB content at the surface and a lower surface energy than the wet-coalescing process. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 968–975, 2001
Interphase compatibilization of composites with immiscible blends as matrix: Glass beads filled nylon 6 / polypropylene blend‐composite

The effect of a filler on the compatibility of an immiscible Nylon 6/polypropylene blend is studied. A compatibilized system with maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene is used as a reference. Dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy measurements are performed for these two distinct systems containing treated and non-treated glass spheres. An improvement of the properties towards surface-induced compatibilization is observed when the filler surface is treated with a suitable silane coupling agent. Changes in the viscosity and main relaxations of the studied system are correlated with the presence of the filler and with its surface treatment. The crystallinity, adhesion and morphology behavior supports the rheological results. In this system, the filler takes not only the usual role of reinforcing material but also a new role as modifier of the interphase structure.
Maintenance rituximab revisited: is it worth the cost?

As the overall survival of patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) edges closer to 12 or 15 years [1,2], an analysis of therapeutic interventions must be considered in many contexts, including disea...
Latitudinal, taxonomic, sexual, and insular determinants of size variation in pigtail macaques, Macaca nemestrina

Regression analysis demonstrates that body and skull size are correlated with latitude in Sundaic (Macaca nemestrina nemestrina)and Indochinese (M. n. leonina)pigtail macaques. These two contiguously distributed subspecies are unusual in that they exhibit opposite latitudinal gradients of increasing size— M. n. nemestrinabecomes larger in a southerly direction,while M. n. leoninabecomes larger in a northerly direction in accordance with the usual pattern of ecogeographic variation seen in other sympatric macaques and mammals (Bergmann ’s rule). The difference in clinal size gradients is one more of a series of characters which delineate these two macaques as natural biological populations. However, since the size gradients converge on a narrow zone along the Thai-Malay Peninsula, the use of size as a character to evaluate genetic and morphological intergradation is equivocal when population variation is considered. The third subspecies, the Mentawi Island pigtail (M. n. pagensis),is an endemic,insular isolate differentiated from the Sundaic pigtail from similar latitudes in terms of its small size. Thus, latitude, insularity, and taxonomic differentiation all affect size variation in the pigtail macaques;also,although the data are not definitive, there is the suggestion that the degree of sexual dimorphism may be an additional covariate of latitude and/or body size.
Radaition characteristics of linear phased arrays consisting of beam scanning reconfigurable antenna

Beam scanning reconfigurable antenna is used as an element in linear phased arrays to enhance the performance or add new capabilities. Performance study has been carried out using full-wave EM simulation on this type of arrays, aligned in both E-plane and H-plane. The usage of a dual-strip reconfigurable antenna element in phased arrays allows side lobe level (SLL) reduction at wider scanning angle for H-plane alignment and two dimensional beam scanning for E-plane alignment.
THE CHRONICALLY INSTRUMENTED PUPPY: A NEW RESEARCH TECHNIQUE

Since both maturity and anesthesia are known to produce variations in the response of the cardiovascular(CV)system to drugs, we developed a chronically instrumented puppy model to study the effects of drugs on conscious, developing canines. Eight puppies 10 to 82 days old were used. Five were less than 17 days old and not yet weaned. Through a median sternototomy and left flank incision, pulsed doppler flow probes(1-8 mm)were placed around the ascending aorta and left renal artery and the wires exteriorized. An infusion of 20% glucose(100cc/kg)was maintained during the operation and the early postoperative period. Puppies not weaned were returned to their mothers after operation. Three puppies died within 24 hours of operation; 2 died with a ruptured aorta 7 days postoperatively, and 3 are alive 2-3 months after operation. Reproducible blood flow tracings were obtained from flow meters implanted as long as 3 months. In preliminary drug studies(without anesthesia), heart rate(HR) and aortic blood flow were increased more with isoproterenol(I) than with dopamine (D) or dobutamine (Db). In contrast, aortic and renal blood flow were increased more by D and Db than by I and HR was increased equally by all 3 drugs in anesthetized open chest preparations. This technique permits the study of the CV response of conscious immature animals to drugs and changes of these responses with age.
Semiclassical versus quantum behavior in fourth-order interference

A theoretical construct is presented for fourth-order interference between the signal and the idler beams of a parametric downconverter. Previous quantum treatments of fourth-order interference have employed correlated single-photon wave packets. The introduced approach, however, relies on Gaussian-state field correlations, which were previously used to characterize quadrature-noise squeezing produced by an optical parametric amplifier and nonclassical twin-beam generation in an optical parametric oscillator. Three principal benefits accrue from the correlation-function formalism. First, the quantum theory of fourth-order interference is unified with that for the other nonclassical effects of χ(2) interactions, i.e., squeezing and twin-beam production. Second, the semiclassical photodetection limit on Gaussian-state fourth-order interference is established; a purely quantum effect can be claimed at fringe visibilities substantially below the 50% level. Finally, both photon-coincidence counting (within the low-photon-flux regime) and intensity interferometry (in the high-photon-flux limit) are easily analyzed within a common framework.
Why the invariant atomic-scale unit, entity, is essential for understanding stoichiometry without ‘Avogadro anxiety’

The Avogadro constant is generally considered to be the relevant physical invariant for stoichiometry, intimately associated with the SI base unit for the amount of a specified substance. Unfortunately, it has dimensions of reciprocal amount rather than of amount itself, and this appears to be the source of the widespread confusion permeating this subject. It would make sense, instead, to use its reciprocal—an amount consisting of a single representative entity—as the fundamental invariant for amount. Major simplifications in comprehension then result. In particular, the mole would be redefined in a straightforward way as a designated exact number of elementary entities, making stoichiometric calculations much more easily comprehended. Unfortunately, acceptance by the CIPM of recent CCU recommendations for redefining the mole and kilogram (while keeping the inexactly known carbon-12-based dalton definition) would inject even more confusion into this subject, because the proposed definitions violate a basic compatibility condition relating the mole, kilogram and dalton, stemming from the fundamental concept of the mole itself. However, there are a number of alternative mole-concept-compatible and easily comprehended definitions worthy of consideration, where, in each case, a compatible dalton must be an exact sub-multiple of the (redefined) kilogram. These alternatives should receive much wider discussion before final decisions are made in the major restructuring of the international system of units.
Sciatic Nerve Injury Associated with Acetabular Fractures

Sciatic nerve injuries associated with acetabular fractures may be a result of the initial trauma or injury at the time of surgical reconstruction. Patients may present with a broad range of symptoms ranging from radiculopathy to foot drop. There are several posttraumatic, perioperative, and postoperative causes for sciatic nerve palsy including fracture–dislocation of the hip joint, excessive tension or inappropriate placement of retractors, instrument- or implant-related complications, heterotopic ossification, hematoma, and scarring. Natural history studies suggest that nerve recovery depends on several factors. Prevention requires attention to intraoperative limb positioning, retractor placement, and instrumentation. Somatosensory evoked potentials and spontaneous electromyography may help minimize iatrogenic nerve injury. Heterotopic ossification prophylaxis can help reduce delayed sciatic nerve entrapment. Reports on sciatic nerve decompression are not uniformly consistent but appear to have better outcomes for sensory than motor neuropathy.
Modeling veterans’ health benefit grants using the expectation maximization algorithm

A novel application of the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm is proposed for modeling right-censored multiple regression. Parameter estimates, variability assessment, and model selection are summarized in a multiple regression settings assuming a normal model. The performance of this method is assessed through a simulation study. New formulas for measuring model utility and diagnostics are derived based on the EM algorithm. They include reconstructed coefficient of determination and influence diagnostics based on a one-step deletion method. A real data set, provided by North Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs, is modeled using the proposed methodology. Empirical findings should be of benefit to government policy-makers.
A Review of Death Certificates Listing Lyme Disease as a Cause of Death in the United States

Lyme disease was listed as an underlying or multiple cause of death on 114 death records during 1999-2003. Upon review, only 1 record was consistent with clinical manifestations of Lyme disease. This analysis indicates that Lyme disease is rare as a cause of death in the United States.
N-Palmitoyl Glycine, a Novel Endogenous Lipid That Acts As a Modulator of Calcium Influx and Nitric Oxide Production in Sensory Neurons

N-arachidonoyl glycine is an endogenous arachidonoyl amide that activates the orphan G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) GPR18 in a pertussis toxin (PTX)-sensitive manner and produces antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effects. It is produced by direct conjugation of arachidonic acid to glycine and by oxidative metabolism of the endocannabinoid anandamide. Based on the presence of enzymes that conjugate fatty acids with glycine and the high abundance of palmitic acid in the brain, we hypothesized the endogenous formation of the saturated N-acyl amide N-palmitoyl glycine (PalGly). PalGly was partially purified from rat lipid extracts and identified using nano-high-performance liquid chromatography/hybrid quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Here, we show that PalGly is produced after cellular stimulation and that it occurs in high levels in rat skin and spinal cord. PalGly was up-regulated in fatty acid amide hydrolase knockout mice, suggesting a pathway for enzymatic regulation. PalGly potently inhibited heat-evoked firing of nociceptive neurons in rat dorsal horn. In addition, PalGly induced transient calcium influx in native adult dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells and a DRG-like cell line (F-11). The effect of PalGly on the latter cells was characterized by strict structural requirements, PTX sensitivity, and dependence on the presence of extracellular calcium. PalGly-induced calcium influx was blocked by the nonselective calcium channel blockers ruthenium red, 1-(beta-[3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propoxy]-4-methoxyphenethyl)-1H-imidazole (SK&F96365), and La3+. Furthermore, PalGly contributed to the production of NO through calcium-sensitive nitric-oxide synthase enzymes present in F-11 cells and was inhibited by the nitric-oxide synthase inhibitor 7-nitroindazole.
Cost-Effective Optics: Enabling the Exascale Roadmap

This paper examines the impact of cost-effective optical interconnect technologies for petascale to exascale clusters, supercomputing systems, and large-scale data centers.
The power of comparative reasoning

Rank correlation measures are known for their resilience to perturbations in numeric values and are widely used in many evaluation metrics. Such ordinal measures have rarely been applied in treatment of numeric features as a representational transformation. We emphasize the benefits of ordinal representations of input features both theoretically and empirically. We present a family of algorithms for computing ordinal embeddings based on partial order statistics. Apart from having the stability benefits of ordinal measures, these embeddings are highly nonlinear, giving rise to sparse feature spaces highly favored by several machine learning methods. These embeddings are deterministic, data independent and by virtue of being based on partial order statistics, add another degree of resilience to noise. These machine-learning-free methods when applied to the task of fast similarity search outperform state-of-the-art machine learning methods with complex optimization setups. For solving classification problems, the embeddings provide a nonlinear transformation resulting in sparse binary codes that are well-suited for a large class of machine learning algorithms. These methods show significant improvement on VOC 2010 using simple linear classifiers which can be trained quickly. Our method can be extended to the case of polynomial kernels, while permitting very efficient computation. Further, since the popular Min Hash algorithm is a special case of our method, we demonstrate an efficient scheme for computing Min Hash on conjunctions of binary features. The actual method can be implemented in about 10 lines of code in most languages (2 lines in MAT-LAB), and does not require any data-driven optimization.
Quantifying Customer Sacrifice for Use in Product Customization Problems

Every time a customer selects a product from the shelf they make a purchase decision based on trade-offs between available offerings. The available products often exhibit feature excess at a price premium, feature deficiency at a price discount, or some combination of both. By purchasing one of these products a customer experiences some degree of sacrifice. This paper proposes the use of choice-based conjoint analysis and hierarchical Baysian modeling to calculate the perceived utility of a customer’s ideal product and the perceived utility of the best current alternative in the market. A customer’s sacrifice gap, a quantity that mass customization seeks to minimize, is defined as the difference between these values. This paper quantifies a market-average sacrifice gap and uses it in a theoretical product platform customization scenario. This scenario examines the effects of offering customization options on one attribute of a product at a time on a customer-centric objective (sacrifice gap) and a firm-centric objective (aggregate contribution). The results are also used to examine how customer sacrifice is minimized at an individual-level.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Flexural stiffness and composition of the batoid propterygium as predictors of punting ability

Elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays) perform at the extremes of locomotion and feeding (i.e. long migrations, high-speed swimming and durophagy). However, very little is known about their cartilaginous skeletal structure and composition in response to loading regimes. In this study, we investigated a batoid (skate and ray) appendicular skeletal element, the propterygium, and its response to forces experienced during punting (benthic pelvic fin locomotion). Punting places a flexural load on this thin, rod-like element. The goals for our study were to determine: (1) the mechanical and compositional properties of the propterygium and (2) whether these properties correlate with punting ability. Using five batoid species of varying punting ability, we employed a three-point bending test and found that propterygium flexural stiffness (33.74-180.16 Nm(2)) was similar to values found in bone and could predict punting ability. Variation in flexural stiffness resulted from differences in mineral content (24.4-48.9% dry mass) and the second moment of area. Propterygia material stiffness (140-2533 MPa) approached the lower limit of bone despite having less than one-third of its mineral content. This drastically lower mineral content is reflected in the radius-to-thickness ratio of the cross-section (mean ± s.e.m.=5.5 ± 0.44), which is comparatively much higher than bony vertebrates. This indicates that elasmobranchs may have evolved skeletal elements that increase buoyancy without sacrificing mechanical properties. Our results highlight the functional parallels between a cartilaginous and bony skeleton despite dramatic compositional differences, and provide insight into how environmental factors may affect cartilaginous skeletal development.
Intraperitoneal chemotherapy in the management of malignant disease

The intraperitoneal administration of antineoplastic agents has been proposed as a method to improve the efficacy of therapy of malignant disease principally confined to the peritoneal cavity. Phase I studies have demonstrated the safety and pharmacokinetic advantage for a number of drugs delivered directly into the body compartment, with surgically-defined responses documented in the Phase II trial setting. More recently reported randomized Phase III studies have revealed a survival benefit associated with the use of intraperitoneal cisplatin, compared to iv. drug delivery when employed as initial treatment of small volume residual advanced ovarian cancer. While there is far less experience with regional therapy of gastrointestinal cancers, limited data suggest intraperitoneal drug administration should be further explored as a potentially important strategy to improve the outcome for this group of malignancies.
Working safely with robot workers: Recommendations for the new workplace

The increasing use of robots in performing tasks alongside or together with human co-workers raises novel occupational safety and health issues. The new 21st century workplace will be one in which occupational robotics plays an increasing role. This article describes the increasing complexity of robots and proposes a number of recommendations for the practice of safe occupational robotics.
Phase I study of streptozocin- and carmustine-sequenced administration in patients with advanced cancer.

BACKGROUND Fewer than 20% of patients with nonhematologic malignancies treated with chloroethylnitrosoureas (CENUs) respond, but streptozocin (STZ), which depletes O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT), has been shown to reverse resistance to CENUs in vitro. PURPOSE The purpose of this phase I study was to determine (a) the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of carmustine (BCNU), a CENU, plus a fixed dose of STZ; (b) the toxic effects of the drugs; and (c) the effects on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). METHODS A clinical phase I study of STZ followed by BCNU was designed to simulate conditions that produce maximal sensitization of CENU-resistant HT-29 cells in vitro. Patients received a 20-minute infusion of the MTD of STZ (2 g/m2) followed 1 hour later with a 60-minute infusion of BCNU (100, 125, 137.5, or 150 mg/m2). Treatment was repeated after 6 weeks. Twenty-four patients with advanced malignancies received 32 courses of therapy (range, 1-2 courses). RESULTS The MTD of BCNU was 125 mg/m2. The dose-limiting toxic effect was thrombocytopenia occurring about 22 days after treatment, with recovery between days 28 and 35. Transient hypophosphatemia and proteinuria were common, and serum creatinine was elevated in 9% of the courses. Two patients who received therapy died--one due to pulmonary toxic effects and one due to hepatic toxic effects. Two patients with previously untreated carcinoid achieved partial response. In three patients, MGMT levels in PBMC were more than 85% depleted after STZ administration and more than 90% depleted after BCNU infusion. CONCLUSIONS These results show that the magnitude of MGMT depletion by STZ in PBMC is in the range necessary to produce sensitivity to CENUs in resistant cell lines but also that, when BCNU is combined with STZ, the MTD of BCNU is about 50% that of BCNU as a single agent and that platelet count suppression occurs earlier. IMPLICATIONS We plan to conduct phase II studies of STZ plus BCNU in tumor types with low response to CENUs. One of the major goals will be to demonstrate that depletion of MGMT is greater in tumor cells than in normal cells.
Filter-Based Assay for Escherichia coli in Aqueous Samples Using Bacteriophage-Based Amplification

This paper describes a method to detect the presence of bacteria in aqueous samples, based on the capture of bacteria on a syringe filter, and the infection of targeted bacterial species with a bacteriophage (phage). The use of phage as a reagent provides two opportunities for signal amplification: (i) the replication of phage inside a live bacterial host and (ii) the delivery and expression of the complementing gene that turns on enzymatic activity and produces a colored or fluorescent product. Here we demonstrate a phage-based amplification scheme with an M13KE phage that delivers a small peptide motif to an F+, α-complementing strain of Escherichia coli K12, which expresses the ω-domain of β-galactosidase (β-gal). The result of this complementation—an active form of β-gal—was detected colorimetrically, and the high level of expression of the ω-domain of β-gal in the model K12 strains allowed us to detect, on average, five colony-forming units (CFUs) of this strain in 1 L of water with an overnight cult...
Arachne: Integrated Enterprise Security Management

Security policies are a key component in protecting enterprise networks. There are many defensive options available to these policies, but current mechanically-enforced security policies are limited to traditional admission-based access control. There are defensive capabilities available that include logging, firewalls, honeypots, rollback/recovery, and intrusion detection systems, but policy enforcement is essentially limited to allow/deny semantics. Furthermore, access-control mechanisms operate independently on each service, which often leads to inconsistent or incorrect application of the intended system-wide policy. To begin to solve these problems, we propose a new system for defense-in-depth using global security policies. Under a global security policy, every policy decision is made with near-global knowledge, and re-evaluated as global knowledge changes, given an initial configuration provided by the administrator. Using a variety of actuators, we make the full array of defensive capabilities available to the global policy. We outline our proposal for enterprise-wide security policies, explore the design space, and discuss Arachne, our prototype implementation.