cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Experimental Analysis on Rubber-Metal Contact Stress Corrosion in Seawater

Rubber components for liquid sealing are widely used in corrosive environments such as marine applications or food-processing equipment. Corrosion is found more frequently at the rubber-metal contact area or its adjacent area than non-contact area in certain situation. While the role of rubber components in corrosion is not fully understood, the deterioration of rubber in aqueous environments may release chloride or acid to accelerate the corrosion process. Contact stress and local liquid entrapment may also affect the corrosion process. In this work, corrosion of rubber parts in combination with different metals and different contact pressure in seawater is studied experimentally. Metals used include titanium, bronze, nickel, aluminum, stainless steel, and 4130 steel. O-rings with different cross section shapes are used to study the role of different contact area shapes in corrosion process. The contact area of rubber components and the metals are designed to have different contact stress. It is found that the corrosion of metals is accelerated by interaction with rubber and contact stress in seawater. The corrosion initiates from the contact area of metals with rubber O-rings. Different materials show different corrosion behaviors in seawater.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Haemorrhagic complications of thrombocytopenia and oral anticoagulation: is there a role for recombinant activated factor VII?

Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa, ‘NovoSeven’) is indicated for the treatment of bleeding in patients with haemophilia and inhibitors to factors VIII or IX. However, by virtue of its ability to promote thrombin generation on the platelet surface rFVIIa may also be effective in non-haemophilic bleeding, for example, in patients with thrombocytopenic or oral anticoagulant-induced haemorrhage. Studies in thrombocytopenia indicate that rFVIIa increases the generation of thrombin at the site of injury, leading to the control of bleeding episodes in these conditions. Additionally, preclinical and early clinical evidence has demonstrated the ability of rFVIIa to normalise prothrombin times and international normalised ratios in situations of over-anticoagulation. Although initial observations indicate that rFVIIa may be fast, efficacious, and safe in reversing oral anticoagulant-induced bleeds and those associated with thrombocytopenia, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials must be conducted to confirm its utility in these and other investigational uses.
Thyrotoxicosis in children.

The association of goiter and exophthalmos was first recorded in a legal Byzantine text from the third century in which a "man with bulging eyes and a great walnut round the neck" was described. 75 The recognition of the disease known as exophthalmic goiter is attributed, however, to Parry. 24,87 In 1786 he observed a female patient with palpitations, cardiac enlargement, thyromegaly, and "eyes that were protruded from their sockets." His record of six cases was not published until 1825, 3 years after his death. Similar patients with "thyroid enlargement," "unnatural excitement," "lids that were incapable of closing," and "eyeballs that were pushed wide from one another and could not be closed" were reported in 1835 by Graves and in 1840 by Von Basedow. 24,38 In 1909 Osler was the first to hypothesize that the symptoms of Graves' disease were caused by the hypersecretion of certain materials by the thyroid gland. Graves' disease still accounts for most cases of hyperthyroidism in children and adolescents. This review also discusses the less common forms of thyrotoxicosis in the pediatric age group. These rare causes of hyperthyroidism are important to recognize so that proper specific management can be instituted.
A study by the Institution of Production Engineers, UK

Abstract In 1980, the Institution of Production Engineers decided to examine the future of manufacturing techniques in the UK. The reasons for selecting the Delphi method are summarised, together with indications of the kinds of result obtained—which are compared to those from similar studies in the USA and Japan. The Institution would have no hesitation in using the same technique again under similar conditions.
CD19-CD21 complex regulates an intrinsic Src family kinase amplification loop that links innate immunity with B-lymphocyte intracellular calcium responses

CD19 is a B-lymphocyte cell surface molecule that functions as a general response regulator or rheostat, which defines intrinsic and B-cell antigen receptor-induced signalling thresholds that are critical for humoral immunity and expansion of the peripheral B-cell pool. In addition, B-cell responses are influenced by signals transduced through a CD19-CD21 cell surface receptor complex, where the binding of complement C3d to CD21 links humoral immune responses with the innate immune system. This review outlines recent biochemical and genetic studies that characterize the signal transduction pathways utilized by this receptor complex to regulate B-cell intracellular calcium responses.
The Use of Negative-Pressure Therapy in the Closure of Complex Head and Neck Wounds

The evolution of wound care has seen much technological advancement over many decades. Most recently, negative-pressure therapy, by which a vacuum pressure is applied through a wound bed, has dramatically improved the surgical outcomes of complex wounds. Although initial studies focused on wounds to the abdomen, torso, and extremities, more publications are appearing that demonstrate the efficacy of negative-pressure wound therapy in the head and neck. This article reviews the history and evolution of negative-pressure therapy, highlights the current opinions on its mechanism of action, and summarizes its use in complex head and neck wounds.
Analysis in space-time bundles IV. Natural bundles deforming into and composed of the same invariant factors as the spin and form bundles

Abstract We study two interesting new bundles over the universal cosmos M (or maximal isotropic space-time), which may be physically applicable. The treatment is from a homogeneous vector bundle point of view and uses the notation and some of the results of the treatment in Papers I–III ( S. M. Paneitz and I. E. Segal, J. Funct. Anal. 47 (1982), 78–142; 49 (1982), 335–414; 54 (1983) , 18–22)) of conventional bundles over M. The “spannor” bundle deforms into essentially the usual spinor bundle as a conformally invariant parameter that may be interpreted as the space curvature becomes arbitrarily small. From a Minkowski space standpoint, however, the spannors involve a nontrivial action of space-time translations that deforms into a trivial action in the spinor limit and also have more complex transformation properties under discrete symmetries. Also studied are the “plyors,” consisting of the dual to the bundle product of the spannors with themselves. Composition series for the spannor and plyor section spaces are treated, relative to the conformal group, and irreducible subquotients are identified with certain that occur in conventional bundles. In particular, factors corresponding to the Maxwell and massless Dirac equations, and which may represent certain of the observed elementary particles, are determined. A gauge and conformally invariant nonlinear coupling between spannors and plyors, constituting essentially a generalization of that used in quantum electrodynamics, is developed, and an associated invariant nonlinear partial differential equation is derived. Covariant and causal quantization for spannors (as fermions) and plyors (as bosons) is formulated algebraically. The present treatment is basically mathematical, but physical motivations and possible interpretations are briefly noted.
Anorexia by proxy: Are the children of anorexic mothers an at-risk group?

Three different presentations of abnormal eating behavior in children of anorexic women are described. The author believes that the various presentations should increase our awareness of such children who may be considered an at-risk group.
Prevention strategies for antimicrobial resistance: a systematic review of the literature

Antibiotics offer great benefits by reducing the duration and severity of illnesses and aiding in infection transmission control. With this being said, the inexorable process of antimicrobial drug resistance is to some degree unavoidable. Although drug resistance will likely persist and is to be expected, the overall level can be dramatically decreased with increased attention to antibiotic overuse and the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of different drug formulations, and the use of proper hygiene and protective barriers. Implementation of such practices as microbial surveillance and prophylaxis has been shown to result in decreased hospital length of stay, health care costs and mortality due to drug-resistant infections. This review will summarize current progress in preventative techniques aimed at reducing the incidence of infection by antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and the emergence and spread of antimicrobial-resistant strains. By employing a variety of prevention strategies, including proper personal hygiene, prescreening for carrier status before hospital admission, disinfection of hospital rooms, and careful monitoring of antimicrobial prescribing, marked progress can be achieved in the control of drug-resistant pathogens, which can translate into more effective antimicrobial therapy.
Numerical modeling of contaminant transport resulting from dissolution of a coal-tar pool in an experimental aquifer

A previously developed two-dimensional numerical model is further developed for simulating the transport of dissolved contaminants originating from dissolution of a coal tar pool in a stratified, saturated porous medium. The model is used to simulate contaminant transport resulting from a rectangular-shaped coal-tar-pool dissolution experiment conducted in a large-scale experimental aquifer. The experimental porous medium consists of two sand strata, a high-hydraulic-conductivity upper stratum and a low-hydraulic-conductivity bottom stratum. The experiment was conducted to a time of 354 days and the groundwater velocity was changed several times within this duration. Model simulations show good agreement against observed contaminant concentrations, and simulations show that dissolved solute below the pool migrated deeper into the bottom stratum as compared to the upper stratum. Furthermore, simulations also suggest that contaminant concentrations in the lower stratum never reached quasi steady-state during the experimental time frame.
Termination of transcription of ribosomal RNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We have attempted to determine the site of termination of transcription of ribosomal RNA in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. While a quantitative description of the termination sites of RNA polymerase I is not possible using presently available methods, we conclude that transcription of most molecules continues through a large portion of the adjacent enhancer region. There are two potential termination sites within the enhancer, one of which is near the binding site of the DNA binding protein REBI. In addition there is an apparently fail-safe termination site approximately 950 nucleotides beyond the 3' end of 35S ribosomal precursor RNA. Processing at the end of 35S RNA influences the choice of downstream termination site. Conversely downstream sequences also influence the site of termination.
Sense of place and community: Points of intersection with implications for leisure research 1

Abstract Our paper explores the points of contrast and intersection between two theories that have been used to understand the relationships between people and locales: sense of place and community theory. We distil crucial elements from each approach: for sense of place we include setting characteristics, behaviours, symbolic meanings, and evaluations such as attachment and identity. We use the interactional approach to represent community theory, and thus include ecology, society, and action components. We create and introduce a matrix that intersects these elements and find that much common ground exists: there is significant potential for cross fertilization between the approaches. The utility of the approach is illustrated using public participation as an example topic of interest to resource and recreation managers.
Vasopressin use is associated with death in acute trauma patients with shock

Abstract Purpose Traumatic hemodynamic instability is associated with high mortality if not expeditiously corrected. Hypotension despite adequate volume resuscitation is treated with vasopressors. Although catecholamines are typically the first agent used, arginine vasopressin (AVP) is increasingly been used as an adjuvant agent. Mortality with refractory hypotension and vasopressin use in trauma patients is unknown. Materials and Methods A retrospective cohort analysis of trauma patients requiring vasopressors within 72 hours of admission was performed. Two groups were identified: patients who received AVP (AVP+) and those who did not (AVP−). Primary outcome was mortality. Results Five hundred thirty nine patients met the criteria with 189 patients receiving AVP. Demographics, Injury Severity Score, minimum hemoglobin, and blood volume resuscitation (packed red blood cell, fresh frozen plasma, and platelets) were similar between groups. Trauma and Injury Severity Score suggested a higher probability of survival in AVP+ (0.88 vs 0.73, P P = .002). The age, Injury Severity Score, initial lactate, and severe head injury adjusted odds ratio of death for AVP+ patients was 1.6 (95% confidence interval, 1.1-2.4; P = .02). Conclusions Arginine vasopressin is associated with increased mortality in trauma patients with refractory hypotension. Arginine vasopressin may be a marker of illness or possibly play a causal role in adverse outcomes. Clinicians should reconsider expanding the indications of AVP use.
Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: a potential diagnosis for a 16-year-old athlete with knee pain.

Objective This case report aims to raise awareness in chiropractic physicians of the prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in adolescents who participate in sports activities and to alert the chiropractic physician of the necessity to consider potential diagnoses that are not within their typical clinical heuristic.
The CGFFT method with a discontinuous FFT algorithm

In the conjugate gradient–fast Fourier transform (CGFFT) method, the FFT is used to evaluate the convolution integrals. When the function to be transformed has discontinuities, the accuracy of the FFT results, and thus the CGFFT results, will degrade. In this letter, an efficient FFT algorithm is developed for discontinuous functions with both uniform and nonuniform sampled data, with O(Np+N log N) complexity, where N is the number of sampling points and p is the interpolation order. The algorithm is incorporated into the CGFFT method. Numerical results for slabs demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the new FFT and CGFFT algorithms. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 29: 47–49, 2001.
Pseudoaneurysm of the Subclavian-Vertebral Artery Junction: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Pseudoaneurysm of the subclavian-vertebral artery junction (SVJ) is a rare complication of internal jugular vein catheter placement. Because of its retroclavicular location, arterial injury at the SVJ poses a significant therapeutic challenge. A case report and review of the literature are presented.
Bone Biomechanical Property Deterioration Due to Tobacco Smoke Exposure

Tobacco smoking has been implicated in the development of osteoporosis and early onset of menopause in women smokers. We measured various biomechanical properties of femurs and tibiae obtained from smoke-exposed and control mice to determine cigarette smoke influences on bone mass, structure, and strength. Growing female C57BL mice were exposed to sidestream cigarette smoke in a whole-body exposure chamber, set at 30 ± 2 mg smoke particulates/m3 for 4 hours/day and 5 days/week for 12 consecutive weeks. Elevated levels of urinary cotinine and pulmonary ethoxyresorufin deethylase activity in smoke-exposed mice confirmed their effective exposure to cigarette smoke. There were no differences in body weight and physical size (length, medial-lateral and anterior-posterior widths, midshaft cortical area and thickness) of femurs and tibiae between smoke-exposed and control mice. The femoral mid-shaft yield load, stiffness, yield stress, and modulus were, respectively 8%, 13%, 10%, and 14% lower (P < 0.05) in smoke-exposed compared to control mice. The ultimate load and stress in mid-shaft femurs showed decreasing trends (P < 0.1) in smoke-exposed mice. In the femoral neck, the ultimate load and stiffness were 9% and 12% lower (P < 0.05) in smoke-exposed mice, respectively. Further, the ash-to-dry bone weight ratio was smaller (∼6%, P < 0.05), and micro-computed tomographic scanning of distal femoral bone volume/total volume (%) and trabecular thickness showed decreasing trends in smoke-exposed mice compared to the control group. We conclude that exposure to tobacco smoke deteriorates some of the biomechanical properties of bone in growing female mice.
Chemical composition of gum turpentines of pines; a report on Pinus strobus, P. cembra, P. taeda, P. radiata, and P. virginiana.

The physical and chemical properties of turpentine obtained from five species of pines have been determined and are reported in this article.
Spin conservation in electron-capture collisions

The coupling between electron spin and collisional angular momentum has been studied for ${\mathrm{He}}^{++}$-He, Ne, ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, and ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ collisions (4-600 eV) by observing radiation resulting from double electron capture into excited states of Hei and comparing the triplet and singlet emissions. The two-electron targets provide a rigid test of the spin-conservation rule, but of these only ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ yields data in accord with the rule. The apparently anomalous ${\mathrm{He}}^{++}$-He results are attributed to the domination of short-range effects. These short-range effects are not restricted to double-electron capture, but can apply in any process which involves spin flip.
Structure of the p53 Core Domain Dimer Bound to DNA

The p53 tumor suppressor protein binds to DNA as a dimer of dimers to regulate transcription of genes that mediate responses to cellular stress. We have prepared a cross-linked trapped p53 core domain dimer bound to decamer DNA and have determined its structure by x-ray crystallography to 2.3A resolution. The p53 core domain subunits bind nearly symmetrically to opposite faces of the DNA in a head-to-head fashion with a loophelix motif making sequence-specific DNA contacts and bending the DNA by about 20° at the site of protein dimerization. Protein subunit interactions occur over the central DNA minor groove and involve residues from a zinc-binding region. Analysis of tumor derived p53 mutations reveals that the dimerization interface represents a third hot spot for mutation that also includes residues associated with DNA contact and protein stability. Residues associated with p53 dimer formation on DNA are poorly conserved in the p63 and p73 paralogs, possibly contributing to their functional differences. We have used the dimeric protein-DNA complex to model a dimer of p53 dimers bound to icosamer DNA that is consistent with solution bending data and suggests that p53 core domain dimer-dimer contacts are less frequently mutated in human cancer than intra-dimer contacts.
Recent HBT results in Au+Au and p+p collisions from PHENIX

Abstract We present Hanbury-Brown Twiss measurements from the PHENIX experiment at RHIC for final results for charged kaon pairs from s N N = 200 GeV Au+Au collisions and preliminary results for charged pion pairs from s = 200 GeV p+p collisions. We find that for kaon pairs from Au+Au, each traditional 3D Gaussian radius shows approximately the same linear increase as a function of N part 1 / 3 . An imaging analysis reveals a significant non-Gaussian tail for r ≳ 10 fm . The presence of a tail for kaon pairs demonstrates that similar non-Gaussian tails observed in earlier pion measurements cannot be fully explained by decays of long-lived resonances. The preliminary analysis of pions from s = 200 GeV p+p minimum biased collisions show correlations which are well suited to traditional 3D HBT radii extraction via the Bowler-Sinyukov method, and we present R out , R side , and R long as a function of mean transverse pair mass.
The monetarist explanation of inflation: The experience of six Asian countries

Abstract Studies on inflation, employing the Harberger-type monetarist model, have focused almost entirely on the hogh inflation experiences, usually those of Latin American countries. This model is applied here to the six Asian countries, which contain low and moderate inflation cases. The empirical results show that the growth of money stock was not the primary source of inflation in these countries. The failure of the monetarist model to explain the behavior of prices in Asian countries may be due (1) partly to the monetization of these economies which makes the growth of money stock endogenous, and (2) partly to its rigid specification which excludes the impact of the various domestic and external cost pressures. To test the validity of the latter proposition, the monetarist model is augmented by the inclusion of import prices which are widely alleged to have intensified inflationary pressures. The empirical results do indeed provide support for this view. As regards monetary policy the findings of this paper suggest that monetary discipline may be, by and large, ineffective in controlling inflation in moderate inflation countries.
Optical morphological processors

ABSTRACT Optical morphological processor implementations and results are provided using a correlator architecture. The multifunctional MIMD (multiple-instruction multiple-data) advantages of the opticalcorrelator realization used are noted together with the role for optics in the various levels of computervision. Filter realizations of the morphological structuring elements (SEs) as matched spatial filters (MSFs) are considered. All major morphological processing operations are described and optical laboratory data for many cases are provided to unify much of our prior work on this topic. I . INTRODUCTION Optical correlators [1 ] are one of the most powerful and most used optical processing architectures. Recently, considerable attention has been given to the fabrication of a number ofcompact, rugged and wellengineered optical correlators [2-'7]. Thus, the existence and use ofthese processors is assumed and must be considered for image processing. These systems allemploy sequential filters but allow filters to be updated at 1 ,000-5,000 frame/sec data rates. Theygenerally allow use of only binary/ternary phase only filters (POFs). The POFs used thusfar havegenerally used only direct binarization and not preferable error diffusion etc. encoding methods[8-10] that allow multilevel amplitude and phase information to be encoded in a reduced spacebandwidth product (SBWP) with high accuracy. The sequence of filters used have also generallyinvolved filters for only individual object orientations rather than a sequence of distortion invariantfilters [1 1], symbolic encoded filters [1 1-13] and other related inference methods [1 1]. Such
Effect of barrier layers in burnthrough experiments with 351-nm laser illumination.

The time-resolved x-ray emission is measured from spherical targets consisting of glass shells overcoated with plastic in which thin signature layers are embedded. These targets are illuminated at 351 nm by the 24-beam OMEGA laser system at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics of the University of Rochester. We measure a large burnthrough rate for bare plastic targets that can only be replicated in one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations with laser intensities in excess of ten times the nominal intensity. We observe that the burnthrough times are affected by the presence of a thin outer coating (barrier layer). The burnthrough times depend strongly on the barrier-layer material and thickness, whereas one-dimensional simulation results predict only a small effect. Several processes are considered to explain these results: illumination nonuniformity, early shinethrough of the laser light through the plastic, prepulses, filamentation, self-focusing of hot spots, and the Rayleigh-Taylor instability. We conclude that mixing due to the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, enhanced by early shinethrough, is the most probable cause of the observed large burnthrough rates.
Joint Space Loss after Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

Objectives:Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent disease that causes substantial disability and use of medical resources, and knee arthroscopy is frequently performed in patients with OA or at ri...
Examining a processing tradeoff explanation of proactive interference.

Burns (1989) claims that proactive interference effects occur in paired-associate learning because of tradeoffs in relational and response-specific processing. Consistent with this claim, Burns demonstrated that free recall of critical-list responses is better in the interference condition than in the control condition. Burns’s processing trade off explanation predicts that the occurrence of this reverse-interference effect should be positively correlated with the occurrence of traditional interference effects. We present several experiments whose results are inconsistent with-this-prediction. We hypothesize that the reverse-interference effect is a list-length effect. The results of a final experiment, contrasting the predictions of the list-length and processing trade off explanations, support the list-length explanation.
Social Constructionism and the Legacy of James' Pragmatism:

The purpose of this paper is to delineate the role that American philosophy has played in opening the door for social constructionist thought. I assert that James' pragmatism is the main, American, theoretical precursor of the present-day social constructionist movement. More specifically, I compare and contrast William James' work on pragmatism with Kenneth Gergen's approach to social constructionism. There are four main parallels between Gergen's social constructionism and James' pragmatism. The first concerns the importance of `utility' as a method for evaluating truth. Second, James and Gergen both embrace philosophical pluralism. Third, each theorist examines the social construction of knowledge within his respective era. Finally, I examine the parallels of how `progress and knowledge' are viewed within social constructionism and pragmatism. A fuller appreciation of the parallels between pragmatism and social constructionism may lead social constructionists to re-examine the value of James' pragmatism.
Cell lineage in vascularized bone transplantation

Background The biology behind vascularized bone allotransplantation remains largely unknown. We aim to study cell traffic between donor and recipient following bone auto-, and allografting. Methods Vascularized femoral transplantation was performed with arteriovenous bundle implantation and short-term immunosuppression. Twenty male Piebald Virol Glaxo (PVG; RT1c) rats received isotransplants from female PVG (RT1c) rats and 22 male PVG rats received allografts from female Dark Agouti rats (DA, RT1a), representing a major histocompatibility mismatch. Both groups were randomly analyzed at 4 or 18 weeks. Bone remodeling areas (inner and outer cortical samples) were labeled and laser capture microdissected. Analysis of sex-mismatch genes by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction provided the relative Expression Ratio (rER) of donor (female) to recipient (male) cells. Results The rER was 0.456 ± 0.266 at 4 weeks and 0.749 ± 0.387 at 18 weeks (p = 0.09) in allotransplants. In isotransplants, the rER was 0.412 ± 0.239 and 0.467 ± 0.252 at 4 and 18 weeks, respectively (p = 0.21). At 4 weeks, the rER at the outer cortical area of isotransplants was significantly lower in isotransplants as compared with allotransplants (0.247 ± 0.181 vs. 0.549 ± 0.184, p = 0.007). Cells in the inner and outer cortical bone remodeling areas in isotransplants were mainly donor derived (rER 0.5) at 18 weeks. Conclusions Applying novel methodology, we describe detailed cell traffic in vascularized bone transplants, elaborating our comprehension on bone transplantation. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsc. Res. Tech. 34:37–43, 2013.
The distribution of cosmic-ray ionization rates in diffuse molecular clouds as probed by H3+.

Owing to its simple chemistry, H is widely regarded as the most reliable tracer of the cosmic-ray ionization rate in diffuse interstellar clouds. At present, H observations have been made in over 5...
Intra‐flap thrombosis secondary to acute sickle crisis: A case report

We present the case of a 40-year-old patient with sickle cell trait who underwent bilateral breast reconstruction with microvascular TRAM flap transfer. Intraoperatively, the patient developed arterial anastomotic thrombosis of the right breast flap. The left breast flap had already been harvested and was placed on ice. Both anastomoses were then successfully completed. Postoperatively, the patient developed a pulmonary embolism and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. On postoperative day 12, the left cutaneous Doppler signals were lost, and exploration revealed a thrombosed pedicle and nonviable left breast flap. Pathologic specimen evaluation revealed sickled cells within the flap microvasculature. We believe that prolonged ischemia time and hypothermia precipitated erythrocyte sickling within the flap, causing intra-flap thrombosis that propagated to the pedicle. While sickle cell diseases are not a contraindication to free tissue transfer, we believe that flap cooling should be utilized with caution in this circumstance.
Network theory of information engines

The author deals with a formulation of a network theory of a system of information engines, where information is transmitted, processed and memorized. A deterministic procedure applied to information by an information engine is defined as a logical work, and two measures, information quantity and information vitality, are introduced. The power of an information engine is defined as the maximum capacity of the logical works performed by the engine, and important properties of total power of the information network, a system of interconnected information engines, are derived. The minimizing problems of power and cost of information networks are discussed. >
A generalized dimension-reduction method for multidimensional integration in stochastic mechanics

SUMMARY A new, generalized, multivariate dimension-reduction method is presented for calculating statistical moments of the response of mechanical systems subject to uncertainties in loads, material properties, and geometry. The method involves an additive decomposition of an N-dimensional response function into at most S-dimensional functions, where S>N; an approximation of response moments by moments of input random variables; and a moment-based quadrature rule for numerical integration. A new theorem is presented, which provides a convenient means to represent the Taylor series up to a specific dimension without involving any partial derivatives. A complete proof of the theorem is given using two lemmas, also proved in this paper. The proposed method requires neither the calculation of partial derivatives of response, as in commonly used Taylor expansion/perturbation methods, nor the inversion of random matrices, as in the Neumann expansion method. Eight numerical examples involving elementary mathematical functions and solid-mechanics problems illustrate the proposed method. Results indicate that the multivariate dimension-reduction method generates convergent solutions and provides more accurate estimates of statistical moments or multidimensional integration than existing methods, such as first- and second-order Taylor expansion methods, statistically equivalent solutions, quasi-Monte Carlo simulation, and the fully symmetric interpolatory rule. While the accuracy of the dimension-reduction method is comparable to that of the fourth-order Neumann expansion method, a comparison of CPU time suggests that the former is computationally far more efficient than the latter. Copyright 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Scientifically Based Research in Education: Epistemology and Ethics.

In this article, the author begins to trace the concept scientifically based research in federal legislation, in the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, and in the reports of...
Test generation using SAT-based bounded model checking for validation of pipelined processors

Functional verification is one of the major bottlenecks in microprocessor design. Simulation-based techniques are the most widely used form of processor verification. Efficient test generation is crucial for the simulation-based verification. We present an efficient test generation methodology using SAT-based bounded model checking (BMC). This paper addresses two important challenges in test generation using SAT-based BMC: determination of bound for each property, and application of design and property decompositions to improve test generation time as well as memory requirement. Our experimental results using a MIPS processor demonstrate the feasibility and usefulness of our approach.
Long-term outcomes of intraoperative pulmonary artery stent placement for congenital heart disease.

Objective:Our objective was to examine long-term outcomes of intraoperative pulmonary artery stents and determine risk factors for reintervention Background:Short-term outcomes of intraoperative pulmonary artery stents have been reported previously. However, long-term results are unknown. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent intraoperative pulmonary artery stent placement for branch pulmonary artery stenosis. Results: Ninety-six stents were implanted intraoperatively in 67 patients. Twenty-seven patients received two or more stents at initial intervention. Median patient age at initial stent placement was 1.8 years. Median post-inflation diameter was 8 mm. At a mean follow-up of 7.6 ± 4.5 years, 49% of stents required reintervention (balloon angioplasty at catheterization in 28 patients and surgical revision in 19 patients). Actuarial freedom from reintervention at 2, 5, and 10 years was 68%, 49%, and 40%, respectively. In univariate analysis of time to first reintervention, age at implantation < 2 yrs (P < 0.0009) and initial post-inflation stent diameter < 10 mm (P < 0.0002) were associated with risk for reintervention. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed age < 2 years (P < 0.005) and diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot (p < 0.002) or truncus arteriosus (P < 0.007) to be significant risk factors for reintervention. Conclusion: Intraoperative placement of stents in the pulmonary arteries is an alternative to surgical angioplasty, but is associated with a high incidence of reintervention. Age < 2 years and the diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot or truncus arteriosus are risk factors for reintervention. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Power comparison between high-speed electrical and optical interconnects for inter-chip communication

Power dissipation between electrical and optical interconnects for high-speed inter-chip communication is compared. A power minimization strategy for optical interconnects is developed and its scaling trends are shown. Optical interconnect when compared with the state-of-the-art electrical interconnect yields lower power beyond a critical length (43cm at 6Gb/s and 100nm technology node). The critical length is fully characterized as a function of system requirements (bit rate and bit-error rate) and interconnect's end-device parameters (detector capacitance, receiver sensitivity and offset). Higher bit rates yield lower critical lengths making optical interconnects more favorable in the future.
Comparative modeling in CASP5: progress is evident, but alignment errors remain a significant hindrance.

Models for 20 comparative model- ing targets were submitted for the fifth round of the "blind" test of protein structure prediction methods (CASP5; http://predictioncenter.llnl.gov/casp5). The modeling approach used in CASP5 was similar to that used 2 years ago in CASP4 (Venclovas, Proteins 2001; Suppl 5:47-54). The main features of this ap- proach include use of multiple templates, initial assessment of alignment reliability in a region- specific manner, and structure-based selection of alignment variants in unreliable regions. The CASP5 modeling results presented here show significant improvement in comparison to CASP4, especially in the area of distant homology. The improvements include more effective use of multiple templates and better alignments. However, a number of structur- ally conserved regions in submitted distant homol- ogy models were misaligned. Analysis of these er- rors indicates that the absolute majority of them occurred in regions deemed unreliable in the course of model building. Most of these error-prone regions can be characterized by their peripheral location and a lack of conserved sequence patterns. For a few of the error-prone regions, all methods evaluated during CASP5 proved ineffective, pointing to the need for more sensitive energy-based methods. De- spite these remaining issues, the applicability of comparative modeling continues to expand into more distant evolutionary relationships, providing a means to structurally characterize a significant number of currently available protein sequences. Proteins 2003;53:380 -388. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The frequency selectivity of information-processing channels in the tactile sensory system

The frequency selectivity of the P, NP I, and NP II channels of the four-channel model of mechanoreception for glabrous skin was measured psychophysically by an adaptation tuning curve procedure. The results substantially extend the frequency range over which the frequency selectivity of these channels is known and further confirm the hypothesis that the input stage of each of these channels consists of specific sensory nerve fibers and associated receptors. Specifically, the frequency characteristics of Pacinian nerve fibers, rapidly adapting (RA) nerve fibers, and slowly adapting Type II (SA II) nerve fibers were found to be the peripheral neurophysiological correlates of the P, NP I, and NP II channels, respectively. The finding that the tuning characteristic for a test stimulus of 250 Hz delivered through a small (0.008 cm2) contactor depended dramatically on the duration of the test stimulus whereas the detection threshold did not, provides new evidence in support of the hypothesis that separate NP II and P channels exist.
An approach for fault detection and isolation in dynamic systems from distributed measurements

An application is presented for online model-based fault detection and isolation (FDI) in a multitank fluid system. The tank system is equipped with a distributed measurement and control system that implements components of the IEEE standard for smart transducers, IEEE 1451. This standard includes an information model that provides programming constructs to support high level application functionality on a distributed network of smart transducers. The model-based FDI methodology in this work has several aspects that may be realized on such a distributed network. In the current work, the FDI application operates on a workstation that appears on the network as another (virtual) transducer node. The concurrent tasks in the application may be associated with actual transducer nodes. It represents a first effort toward constructing capabilities for distributed FDI in complex dynamic systems.
Spatial and Temporal Eye–Hand Coordination Relies on the Parietal Reach Region

Coordinated eye movements are crucial for precision control of our hands. A commonly believed neural mechanism underlying eye–hand coordination is interaction between the neural networks controlling each effector, exchanging, and matching information, such as movement target location and onset time. Alternatively, eye–hand coordination may result simply from common inputs to independent eye and hand control pathways. Thus far, it remains unknown whether and where either of these two possible mechanisms exists. A candidate location for the former mechanism, interpathway communication, includes the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) where distinct effector-specific areas reside. If the PPC were within the network for eye–hand coordination, perturbing it would affect both eye and hand movements that are concurrently planned. In contrast, if eye–hand coordination arises solely from common inputs, perturbing one effector pathway, e.g., the parietal reach region (PRR), would not affect the other effector. To test these hypotheses, we inactivated part of PRR in the macaque, located in the medial bank of the intraparietal sulcus encompassing the medial intraparietal area and area 5V. When each effector moved alone, PRR inactivation shortened reach but not saccade amplitudes, compatible with the known reach-selective activity of PRR. However, when both effectors moved concurrently, PRR inactivation shortened both reach and saccade amplitudes, and decoupled their reaction times. Therefore, consistent with the interpathway communication hypothesis, we propose that the planning of concurrent eye and hand movements causes the spatial information in PRR to influence the otherwise independent eye control pathways, and that their temporal coupling requires an intact PRR.
Oxygen Displacement through the Ferroelectric Phase Transition of Barium Titanate—High‐Temperature 17O NMR

Perovskite-structured BaTiO3 undergoes a ferroelectric tetragonal-to-cubic phase transition at 130°C. High-temperature 17O MAS and static NMR line shapes and relaxation times were examined to elucidate the nature of the anion motions associated with the transition. 17O MAS spectra show a gradual shift of the two oxygen peaks toward one another with increasing temperature, and a sudden collapse to one peak at the transition, which is consistent with its first-order character. 17O TI data are relatively imprecise below the transition, but appear to decrease above it, indicating an increase in low-frequency motions, suggesting a dynamically averaged high-temperature phase.
Theatre Arts for Improving Cognitive and Affective Health

This article presents, for the first time, the methodological details of a theatrical intervention designed to enhance the mental/emotional health and psychological well-being of older adults. A step-by-step plan is offered for health care professionals and activity directors who might wish to carry out this program in their own facilities. The authors’ supporting research documented significant improvements in performance of activities of daily living, as well as on standard measures of memory, comprehension, problem-solving ability, and personal growth through this unique intervention.
Peaks from Random Data

In an influential and controversial paper, Raup and Sepkoski [2] defined an event of mass extinction to have occurred in any time period (of roughly 6.4 million years) for which the data value for that time period (equal to the proportion of the families existing at the beginning of that period that went extinct during the period) exceeded that of its immediate neighbors. In this article we analyze the occurrence of such events when the data are randomly generated from a continuous distribution.
Review of the Mechanism of Tooth Whitening

Purpose: This review integrated the current literature on diffusion of whitening agents, their interactions with stain molecules, and changes to the surface, with the aim of establishing a better understanding of the mechanism underlying tooth whitening. Materials and Methods: An electronic PubMed database search, with combinations of the following terms was performed:Tooth Bleaching,Tooth Bleaching Agent, Hydrogen Peroxide, Pharmacokinetics,Tooth Permeability, Oxidation-Reduction,Tooth Demineralization, and Color. Results: Tooth whitening is a dynamic process that involves diffusion of the whitening material to interact with stain molecules and also involves micromorphologic alterations on the surface and changes within the tooth that affect its optical properties.The interaction seems not to be limited to stain molecules, but rather an affinity-based interaction process that also accompanies effects on sound enamel and dentin structures. Conclusions: This review underlines that supervision by dental health professionals as recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs is critical to achieving a successful and safe whitening outcome. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE The mechanism that underlies tooth whitening with the use of peroxide-based materials is a complex phenomenon encompassing diffusion, interaction, and surfaces changes within the tooth.Therefore, supervision by dental health professionals as recommended by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs is imperative to achieve a successful and safe whitening outcome. (J Esthet Restor Dent ••:••-••, 2015)
Formalization of ISDN LAPD for conformance testing

Usefulness of a formalization of the specification of ISDN LAPD is demonstrated for designing and developing a comprehensive set of conformance tests. Since many protocol standards are specified in a natural language (i.e., English), a method for formalizing protocol specifications with a view to a number of validation activities, including conformance testing, is also presented. In particular, it is shown how to utilize the state-transition-oriented approach to automatically generate a major component of standard conformance test suites. The use of formalized specifications is also illustrated for verifying the specification by selective executions, and for validating conformance test cases against the specification. >
Combination treatment of osteoporosis: a clinical review.

Objective: Because of the limited efficacy of available agents and to limit toxicity, there is considerable interest in combination pharmacotherapy for osteoporosis. Methods: A search was performed...
Andere anorektale Erkrankungen

Fissuren entstehen in der Regel nach ungewohnlicher Uberdehnung des Analkanals durch harte Stuhlansammlungen, konnen jedoch auch bei Tuberkulose, Morbus Crohn oder einer Colitis ulcerosa auftreten. Sie sind nahezu immer hinten in der Mittellinie lokalisiert und variieren von oberflachlichen Einrissen bis zu sehr tiefen, stark narbig veranderten Verletzungen, die bis zum Sphincter ani internus reichen und 2–3 cm lang sein konnen. Haufig hypertrophiert eine am oberen Ende der Fissur gelegene Papille. In gleicher Weise kann der ausere Rand der Fissur anschwellen und eine „Vorpfostenfalte“ bilden [10]. Die Behandlung hangt ganz von der Schwere des Befundes ab.