cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Liver and Vascular Surgery

The anesthesiologist may encounter patients with pre-exist ing liver disease who are scheduled to undergo surgery and anesthesia or may care for patients with postoperative liver dysfunction caused by various intraoperative events. A re view of pre-existing or intraoperative factors that can con tribute to liver dysfunction will enhance the clinician's abil ity to establish a differential diagnosis and course of clinical care. The clinician should become familiar with the prognos tic indicators of perioperative morbidity and mortality in the patient with pre-existing liver disease to carefully weigh the risks and benefits of proceeding with surgery and anesthe sia; the patient and the surgeon should be counseled accord ingly. The first section of this article, on liver dysfunction after vascular surgery, addresses various intraoperative fac tors that may contribute to postoperative hepatic dysfunc tion and reviews the impact of pre-existing liver disease on perioperative morbidity and mortality. Today, mo...
Implantation of dihydrotestosterone propionate into the lateral septum or medial amygdala facilitates copulation in castrated male rats given estradiol systemically.

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to determine whether unilateral implantation of dihydrotestosterone propionate (DHTP) into different brain regions of castrated rats, bearing silastic capsules containing estradiol, could augment sexual behavior without appreciable leakage of androgen into the peripheral circulation. In Experiment 1 implanation of pulverized crystalline DHTP (via 25-gauge, 1-mm-long pellets) facilitated mating significantly without stimulating penile spine growth, provided the pellets were positioned in the lateral septum or medial amygdala. Insertion of DHTP pellets into the preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus, caudate-putamen, or the border of the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental nucleus or of cholesterol pellets into lateral septum or medial amygdala had no behavioral effects. Implanation of DHTP into the lateral septum also failed to activate penile erections in rats restrained in a supine position. In Experiment 2 implantation of different bone wax dilutions of DHTP (via 25-gauge, 1-mm-long pellets) into the preoptic area-anterior hypothalamus augmented males' sexual performance only in that group in which penile spine growth was also significantly stimulated. The results sugggst that 5α-reduced androgen is capable of activating mating in the male rat by acting locally in the lateral septum and/ or medial amygdala.
A maxi calcium-activated potassium channel from chick lens epithelium.

The apical membrane of embryonic chick lens epithelium contains at high density, a large conductance K+ channel whose open probability is increased by Ca++ at the inner surface of the membrane and by depolarization. The conductance of the channel when it is fully open in symmetrical 150 mM K+ solutions is 214 ± 3 pS (mean ± std. error). The current through the channel is a function of the K+ concentration. Gating (open probability) at positive transmembrane voltages increases as the internal [Ca++] is raised above 10-7M. The open probability decreases monotonically as the transmembrane voltage is made more negative. The channel is at least 87 times more permeable to K+ than to Na+ or Li+ and shows appreciable permeability to Rb+ and NH4+. It has at least three subconductance levels amounting to approximately 3/4, 1/2, and 1/4 the fully open unitary conductance. The occurrence of these subconductance levels is highly variable from one patch to another. The channel is blocked by physiological levels of inte...
Band spreading in two-dimensional microchannel turns for electrokinetic species transport

Analytical and numerical methods are employed to investigate species transport by electrophoretic or electroosmotic motion in the curved geometry of a two-dimensional turn. Closed-form analytical solutions describing the turn-induced diffusive and dispersive spreading of a species band are presented for both the low and high Peclet number limits. We find that the spreading due to dispersion is proportional to the product of the turn included angle and the Peclet number at low Peclet numbers. It is proportional to the square of the included angle and independent of the Peclet number when the Peclet number is large. A composite solution applicable to all Peclet numbers is constructed from these limiting behaviors. Numerical solutions for species transport in a turn are also presented over a wide range of the included angle and the mean turn radius. On the basis of comparisons between the analytical and numerical results, we find that the analytical solutions provide very good estimates of both dispersive an...
Single-query, Bi-directional, Lazy roadmap planner applied to car-like robots

The Single-query, Bi-directional, Lazy roadmap (SBL) algorithm successfully builds upon the traditional Probabilistic Roadmaps (PRM) approach by introducing a number of related optimizations. While these optimizations are applicable in the domain of car-like robots, the non-holonomic constraints of these systems and non-independence of several of their degrees of freedom pose challenges that will be examined in this paper. We present several enhancements that improve the quality of the generated path in comparison with the simple adaptation of the SBL algorithm. Results demonstrate that this work provides a planner that quickly and reliably discovers efficient paths for car-like robots.
A noise propagation model for a 3×3 optical demodulation scheme

This work presents a model of an exact transfer function and its associated probability structure for intensity noise propagation through an operationally-passive fiber optic demodulation scheme used with fiber Bragg grating sensor systems. This new model is generalized to any input noise probability structure and includes the possibility of full or partial correlation among the demodulation input channels. For the specific case of Gaussian-distributed intensity noise, this work shows that the demodulators nonlinear transfer function induces phase-dependent output bias output variance attenuation or amplification. Experimental data are provided to validate the model.
The role of lymphatic vessels in the heart

Although cardiac lymphatic vessels have been described for over three centuries, research progress on the role of cardiac lymphatic vessels in regulating cardiac physiology and their disturbances in the pathogenesis of cardiac disease has progressed very slowly, largely due to technical challenges in developing both animal models and cardiac lymphatic vascular imaging technologies. This review summarizes evidence showing that blocking cardiac lymph flow may contribute to several forms of cardiac injury including cardiac lymphedema, cardiac valvular deformation, coronary arterial injury, conduction disturbances, myocardial injury, and poor heart performance in animal and human heart studies. Conversely, improving cardiac lymph flow may have beneficial effects on heart function after heart attack (myocardial infarction). In addition, this review summarizes recent hypotheses about the forces generating cardiac lymph flow, in which the role of both the subepicardial and mid-myocardial myocytes synchronized contractions causing lymph flow is discussed. Lastly, possible mechanisms of blood vessel injury caused by the failure of perivascular lymphatic remodeling are discussed.
Growth, Grain Yield, and Tissue Mineral Concentration of Corn Treated with Ethephon

Cette etude mesure les effets de la dose et du moment d'application de l'ethephon sur le rendement, la concentration des mineraux (N, P, K, Ca, S, B, Cu et Mg) dans les tissus, et sur la verse du mais
Fast transient behavior of thyristor switches

The fast pulse switching behavior of center-fired and interdigitated thyristors was studied by switching 10 µs, 1000 A (at 800 V) pulses. Single-shot switching was performed up to 5000 A/µs, and repetitive switching, at 500 Hz and 2000 A/µs for ten hours. No damage to the devices resulted from the switching stresses.
Predictors of intensive care unit utilization in gynecologic oncology surgery

Objectives: The objectives of the study were to examine factors predicting intensive care unit (ICU) admission after surgery for gynecologic cancer and to determine the impact of ICU admission on survival. Methods: This was a retrospective study of women undergoing laparotomy for staging and debulking of gynecologic cancer at an academic hospital with tertiary ICU facilities from July 2000 through June 2003. Data on clinicopathologic factors, comorbidities, operative outcomes, and survival were obtained from medical records and institutional cancer registry. The χ2 analysis, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and Cox regression methods were used for analyses. Results: Two hundred fifty-five patients met our inclusion criteria, 43 of whom had a postoperative admission to the ICU. Factors predicting ICU admission on univariate analysis included age 60 years or older, hematocrit of 30% or less, albumin of 3.5 g/dL or less, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score greater than 8; after multivariate analysis, CCI score of greater than 8 (hazard ratio, 2.5; confidence interval, 1.11-5.69) and albumin of 3.5 or less (hazard ratio, 3.8; confidence interval, 1.66-8.85) were associated with an increased risk of ICU admission. After adjusting for albumin and CCI score, ICU admission did not have a significant effect on survival. Conclusions: The ability to predict ICU admission helps in appropriate counseling of patients and identification of institutional resource utilization.
Ultrastructural examination of the axillary skin biopsy in the diagnosis of metabolic diseases.

There is little information in the literature regarding the usefulness of ultrastructural examination of axillary skin biopsies in the evaluation of metabolic diseases. This is a retrospective clinicopathologic review of 143 patients who underwent axillary skin biopsies as part of evaluations for metabolic disease. Twenty-three (16%) had abnormalities, classified as follows: mitochondrial (n = 12), lysosomal (n = 6), increased glycogen (n = 3), nonspecific cytoplasmic inclusions (n = 2), ceroid lipofuscinosis (n = 1), and intradermal giant cells containing vacuoles and tubular inclusions (n = 1). Muscle biopsies were performed in 13 of the 23 patients; 11 showed abnormalities, including those related to mitochondria (n = 4) and other nonspecific changes (n = 7). Two patients underwent postmortem examination. Follow-up was available in 21 patients. A clinical or biochemical diagnosis was reached in 11 patients: metachromatic leukodystrophy (n = 2), electron transport chain abnormalities (n = 2), glutaric aciduria type II (n = 1), Unverricht disease (n = 1), Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (n = 1), ketotic hypoglycemia of childhood (n = 1), probable Leigh disease (n = 1), 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate homocystine methyltransferase deficiency (n = 1), and pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency (n = 1). Of the 120 patients with negative skin biopsy results, 29 had abnormal findings on muscle (n = 27), nerve (n = 7), or brain (n = 3) biopsies. One patient had an abnormal heart biopsy result, and 3 patients underwent postmortem examinations. Follow-up was obtained in 27 of 29 patients. Diagnoses were achieved in 15 patients: electron transport chain abnormalities (n = 5), cortical dysplasia (n = 3), myoclonic epilepsy (n = 1), leukodystrophy (n = 2), Pallister-Killian mosaic syndrome (n = 1), Rett syndrome (n = 1), Landau-Kleffner syndrome (n = 1), and mitochondrial cardiomyopathy (n = 1). In conclusion, axillary skin biopsy is helpful in the evaluation of some causes of metabolic disease, but often the findings are nonspecific. A negative biopsy result does not rule out the possibility of metabolic disease, but a positive result may provide direction for further evaluation.
Clinical outcomes and toxicity using Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) for advanced cholangiocarcinoma

To report single-institutional clinical outcomes and toxicity with SBRT for cholangiocarcinoma. From March 2009 to July 2011, 10 patients with 12 unresectable primary (n = 6) or recurrent (n = 6) cholangiocarcinoma lesions underwent abdominal SBRT. Sites treated included liver (n = 10), abdominal lymph nodes (n = 1), and adrenal gland (n = 1). SBRT was delivered in three (n = 2) or five (n = 10) consecutive daily fractions over one week. The median prescription dose was 55 Gy (range, 45–60). Treatment response was graded by RECIST v.1.1, and toxicities were scored by CTCAE v.4.0. Data was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method to determine rates of local control (LC), freedom from distant progression (FFDM) and overall survival (OS). The median follow-up was 14 months (range, 2–26 months). LC, defined as freedom from progression within the SBRT field, was 100%, but four patients treated to intrahepatic sites experienced progression elsewhere in the liver. Estimates for FFDM at 6 and 12 months were 73% and 31%, respectively. Sites of disease relapse included liver (n = 3), liver and lymph nodes (n = 1), liver and lungs (n = 1), lymph nodes (n = 1), and mesentery (n = 1). OS estimates for the cohort at 6 and 12 months were 83% and 73%, respectively. The most common Grade ≥2 early toxicities were Grade 2 nausea and vomiting (n = 5) and gastrointestinal pain (n = 2). Late ≥2 toxicities included Grade 2 gastrointestinal pain (n = 3), Grade 3 biliary stenosis (n = 1), and Grade 5 liver failure (n = 1). SBRT shows promise as an effective local therapy for properly-selected patients with cholangiocarcinoma. Further follow-up is needed to better quantify the risk of late complications associated with SBRT.
Cue-dependent recovery from ECS-induced amnesia: Evidence for time dependence

Twenty-four hours after the administration of a footshock (FS) followed 4 or 256 sec later by an electroconvulsive shock (ECS), rats exhibited amnesia for the aversive experience. They were then given a “reminder” cue (tone), which was earlier paired as a conditioned stimulus with footshocks. Presentation of the tone resulted in attenuation of the amnestic effect in FS-ECS 256-sec delay group but failed to alter the amnestic effect in FS-ECS 4-sec delay group. Results were interpreted in support of an “incomplete” memory consolidation hypothesis.
Photostability of laser dyes incorporated in Formamide SiO2 ORMOSILs

The sol–gel process provides a low temperature chemical route for the preparation of rigid transparent matrix materials. Under this process, luminescent organic dye molecules were incorporated into organically modified silicate (ORMOSIL) host matrices. The photostability of these laser dyes encapsulated in a solid matrix was studied using optical absorption and luminescence. The photochemical mechanisms of the dye response under N2 laser irradiation were studied using UV and fluorescence spectra measurement. The evolution of the maximum of the emission and excitation curves as function of accumulated irradiated energy was fitted by exponential equations. The matrix protects the dye from the oxidation and dimerization reactions. The dye molecules exhibited photobleaching due to their photodegradation. The ORMOSIL doped with Nile blue exhibits good photostability after 6 h of irradiation.
Self-doping of molecular quantum-dot cellular automata: mixed valence zwitterions

Molecular quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) is a promising paradigm for realizing molecular electronics. In molecular QCA, binary information is encoded in the distribution of intramolecular charge, and Coulomb interactions between neighboring molecules combine to create long-range correlations in charge distribution that can be exploited for signal transfer and computation. Appropriate mixed-valence species are promising candidates for single-molecule device operation. A complication arises because many mixed-valence compounds are ions and the associated counterions can potentially disrupt the correct flow of information through the circuit. We suggest a self-doping mechanism which incorporates the counterion covalently into the structure of a neutral molecular cell, thus producing a zwitterionic mixed-valence complex. The counterion is located at the geometrical center of the QCA molecule and bound to the working dots via covalent bonds, thus avoiding counterion effects that bias the system toward one binary information state or the other. We investigate the feasibility of using multiply charged anion (MCA) boron clusters, specifically closo-borate dianion, as building blocks. A first principle calculation shows that neutral, bistable, and switchable QCA molecules are possible. The self-doping mechanism is confirmed by molecular orbital analysis, which shows that MCA counterions can be stabilized by the electrostatic interaction between negatively charged counterions and positively charged working dots.
Decentralized fault detection for a class of large-scale nonlinear uncertain systems

In this paper, a decentralized fault detection scheme is developed for a class of distributed large-scale nonlinear uncertain systems. For each subsystem in the large-scale system, a fault detection estimator is designed by utilizing local measurements and certain communicated information from interconnected subsystems. Under certain assumptions, adaptive threshold for fault detection in each local subsystem is derived, and the robustness property of the decentralized fault detection scheme is investigated. A simulation example of automated highway systems is used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Electromagnetics for the heart

Previously, the treatment of patients with cardiac arrhythmias was mostly palliative, involving lifelong dependence on medication. Moreover, in a significant portion (10% to 15%) of these patients, available drug therapy has been found unsatisfactory because of a lack of meaningful response or unacceptable, side effects. Surgical intervention has been the principal method of treatment in these cases. However, alternatives to surgery have been sought, in an effort to reduce the cost and morbidity of surgical treatment. During the past decade, minimally invasive microwave and radio-frequency (RF) cardiac ablation - in particular, RF cardiac ablation - has become a widely used procedure for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Minimally invasive intervention offers many benefits: long incisions are replaced with a puncture wound; major cardiac and pulmonary complications are sidestepped; the need for postoperative intensive care is significantly reduced; and, in many cases, minimally invasive intervention offers a "cure" without major surgery. Furthermore, it has important advantages over drugs that are merely palliative, and only alleviate symptoms. Namely, it avoids the side effects and inconvenience of chronic drug therapy.
Remedial Testing and Placement in Community Colleges

Almost half of students who enter college require some sort of remedial coursework. Further, states are increasingly moving the responsibility of postsecondary remediation away from four-year campuses to two-year institutions. Scholars and policymakers have grappled with best practice for successfully filling in academic gaps and moving students forward, and there is variation both within and between states as to the ways in which remediation is defined, determined, and administered (Perin, 2006). Using a regression discontinuity design, this study seeks to answer the following question on one community college campus: How does placement into remedial services affect student outcomes, in particular, successful completion of an introductory college-level English course? Although this study focuses on a single community college system, the findings have bearing on a wider sector as the developmental placement practices of Harper Community College District are not unlike those implemented by two- and four-ye...
Politics and Generosity

This paper argues that generosity as a moral virtue is only consistently and fully possible to practise in the kind of polity that upholds natural individual human rights, including the basic negative right to private property. The paper sketches a characterisation of generosity and explains the sense in which it can be a moral virtue. Some of the assumptions underlying the concept of moral virtue are considered and it is argued that contrary to some recent claims, it is possible to conceptualise as well as to practise moral virtues in our age. Yet it is also shown that certain political prerequisites are necessary for practising generosity. Furthermore, it is shown that there cannot be any generosity involved in a polity in which one is forced to share one's wealth with those who might be the beneficiaries of generous conduct. Finally, it is argued that even in a polity with a very limited government some acts of official generosity are possible.
Brefeldin A and the endocytic pathway Possible implications for membrane traffic and sorting

A number of recent observations have suggested that the endocytic and biosynthetic pathways may share fundamentally similar transport mechanisms at the molecular level. Some of the more striking of these suggestions have come from a comparison of the effects of the macrocyclic lactone brefeldin A (BFA) on endosomes and the Golgi complex. BFA is thought to affect Golgi-specific coat proteins that may be involved in maintaining the structural integrity of the organelle and in regulating membrane transport in the secretory pathway. Many of the effects of BFA on the endocytic system, such as the guanine nucleotide and aluminum fluoride (AlF4-)-regulated induction of microtubule-dependent endosomal tubules, are strikingly reminiscent of the action of the drug on the Golgi complex. Therefore, the similar mechanisms of action of the drug on endosomes suggest that organelles of the endocytic pathway may be associated with similar cytoplasmic coats that could regulate endosome function and integrity.
KINALYZER, a computer program for reconstructing sibling groups.

A software suite KINALYZER reconstructs full-sibling groups without parental information using data from codominant marker loci such as microsatellites. KINALYZER utilizes a new algorithm for sibling reconstruction in diploid organisms based on combinatorial optimization. KINALYZER makes use of a Minimum 2-Allele Set Cover approach based on Mendelian inheritance rules and finds the smallest number of sibling groups that contain all the individuals in the sample. Also available is a ‘Greedy Consensus’ approach that reconstructs sibgroups using subsets of loci and finds the consensus of the partial solutions. Unlike likelihood methods for sibling reconstruction, KINALYZER does not require information about population allele frequencies and it makes no assumptions regarding the mating system of the species. KINALYZER is freely available as a web-based service.
Guidance for Human-System Interfaces to Automatic Systems

Automation is ubiquitous in modern complex systems, and commercial nuclear- power plants are no exception. Automation is applied to a wide range of functions, including monitoring and detection, situation assessment, response planning, and response implementation. Automation has become a 'team player' supporting personnel in nearly all aspects of system operation. In light of its increasing use and importance in new- and future-plants, guidance is needed to conduct safety reviews of the operator's interface with automation. The objective of this research was to develop such guidance. We first characterized the important HFE aspects of automation, including six dimensions: Levels, functions, processes, modes, flexibility, and reliability. Next, we reviewed literature on the effects of all of these aspects of automation on human performance, and on the design of human-system interfaces (HSIs). Then, we used this technical basis established from the literature to identify general principles for human-automation interaction and to develop review guidelines. The guidelines consist of the following seven topics: Automation displays, interaction and control, automation modes, automation levels, adaptive automation, error tolerance and failure management, and HSI integration.
Subduction initiation: spontaneous and induced

Abstract The sinking of lithosphere at subduction zones couples Earth's exterior with its interior, spawns continental crust and powers a tectonic regime that is unique to our planet. In spite of its importance, it is unclear how subduction is initiated. Two general mechanisms are recognized: induced and spontaneous nucleation of subduction zones. Induced nucleation (INSZ) responds to continuing plate convergence following jamming of a subduction zone by buoyant crust. This results in regional compression, uplift and underthrusting that may yield a new subduction zone. Two subclasses of INSZ, transference and polarity reversal, are distinguished. Transference INSZ moves the new subduction zone outboard of the failed one. The Mussau Trench and the continuing development of a plate boundary SW of India in response to Indo–Asian collision are the best Cenozoic examples of transference INSZ processes. Polarity reversal INSZ also follows collision, but continued convergence in this case results in a new subduction zone forming behind the magmatic arc; the response of the Solomon convergent margin following collision with the Ontong Java Plateau is the best example of this mode. Spontaneous nucleation (SNSZ) results from gravitational instability of oceanic lithosphere and is required to begin the modern regime of plate tectonics. Lithospheric collapse initiates SNSZ, either at a passive margin or at a transform/fracture zone, in a fashion similar to lithospheric delamination. The theory of hypothesis predicts that seafloor spreading will occur in the location that becomes the forearc, as asthenosphere wells up to replace sunken lithosphere, and that seafloor spreading predates plate convergence. This is the origin of most boninites and ophiolites. Passive margin collapse is a corollary of the Wilson cycle but no Cenozoic examples are known; furthermore, the expected strength of the lithosphere makes this mode unlikely. Transform collapse SNSZ appears to have engendered new subduction zones along the western edge of the Pacific plate during the Eocene. Development of self-sustaining subduction in the case of SNSZ is signaled by the beginning of down-dip slab motion, causing chilling of the forearc mantle and retreat of the magmatic arc to a position that is 100–200 km from the trench. INSZ may affect only part of a plate margin, but SNSZ affects the entire margin in the new direction of convergence. INSZ and SNSZ can be distinguished by the record left on the upper plates: INSZ begins with strong compression and uplift, whereas SNSZ begins with rifting and seafloor spreading. Understanding conditions leading to SNSZ and how hinged subsidence of lithosphere changes to true subduction promise to be exciting and fruitful areas of future research.
Variation in brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene is associated with symptoms of depression.

Background Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is putatively involved in the pathophysiology of depression. This study examined associations between BDNF genotype at the Val66Met locus, depression symptoms, and serum BDNF levels.
A Comparison of Snow Telemetry and Snow Course Measurements in the Colorado River Basin

Abstract Temporal and spatial differences in snow-water equivalent (SWE) at 240 snow telemetry (SNOTEL) and at 500 snow course sites and a subset of 93 collocated sites were evaluated by examining the correlation of site values over the snow season, interpolating point measurements to basin volumes using hypsometry and a maximum snow extent mask, and variogram analysis. The lowest correlation at a point (r = 0.79) and largest interpolated volume differences (as much as 150 mm of SWE over the Gunnison basin) occurred during wet years (e.g., 1993). Interpolation SWE values based on SNOTEL versus snow course sites were not consistently higher or lower relative to each other. Interpolation rmse was comparable for both datasets, increasing later in the snow season. Snow courses correlate over larger distances and have less short-scale variability than SNOTEL sites, making them more regionally representative. Using both datasets in hydrologic models will provide a range of predicted streamflow, which is potenti...
Compiler optimizations for I/O-intensive computations

This paper describes transformation techniques for out-of-core programs (i.e., those that deal with very large quantities of data) based on exploiting locality using a combination of loop and data transformations. Writing efficient out-of-core program is an arduous task. As a result, compiler optimizations directed at improving I/O performance are becoming increasingly important. We describe how a compiler can improve the performance of the code by determining appropriate file layouts for out-of-core arrays and finding suitable loop transformations. In addition to optimizing a single loop nest, our solution can handle a sequence of loop nests. We also show how to generate code when the file layouts are optimized. Experimental results obtained on an Intel Paragon distributed-memory message-passing multiprocessor demonstrate marked improvements in performance due to the optimizations described in this paper.
Morphogenesis of the Bacillus anthracis Spore

Bacillus spp. and Clostridium spp. form a specialized cell type, called a spore, during a multistep differentiation process that is initiated in response to starvation. Spores are protected by a morphologically complex protein coat. The Bacillus anthracis coat is of particular interest because the spore is the infective particle of anthrax. We determined the roles of several B. anthracis orthologues of Bacillus subtilis coat protein genes in spore assembly and virulence. One of these, cotE, has a striking function in B. anthracis: it guides the assembly of the exosporium, an outer structure encasing B. anthracis but not B. subtilis spores. However, CotE has only a modest role in coat protein assembly, in contrast to the B. subtilis orthologue. cotE mutant spores are fully virulent in animal models, indicating that the exosporium is dispensable for infection, at least in the context of a cotE mutation. This has implications for both the pathophysiology of the disease and next-generation therapeutics. CotH, which directs the assembly of an important subset of coat proteins in B. subtilis, also directs coat protein deposition in B. anthracis. Additionally, however, in B. anthracis, CotH effects germination; in its absence, more spores germinate than in the wild type. We also found that SpoIVA has a critical role in directing the assembly of the coat and exosporium to an area around the forespore. This function is very similar to that of the B. subtilis orthologue, which directs the assembly of the coat to the forespore. These results show that while B. anthracis and B. subtilis rely on a core of conserved morphogenetic proteins to guide coat formation, these proteins may also be important for species-specific differences in coat morphology. We further hypothesize that variations in conserved morphogenetic coat proteins may play roles in taxonomic variation among species.
Shortcomings of modern control as applied to fighter flight control design

The road to applying modern control theory to fighter control design has been a very rocky one. LQR in its purest form has repeatedly been found unsuccessful. When it has worked, it has been so modified as to be unrecognizable. This paper presents the basic requirements for a flight control synthesis theory, plus reasons and examples are given revealing modern control theory to be highly deficient--in particular LQR, LQG, singular value theory, and eigenvalue/ eigenstructure assignment. In contrast, alternative techniques and theories are presented that address the real problems in flight control synthesis-coping with uncertainty and achieving specs. Frequency response has been found to be better suited to flight control design.
Encouraging Teamwork in an Undergraduate Software Engineering Course

Students typically do not like to work in teams, especially computer science majors. Computer science is often perceived as an "asocial" discipline that does not foster teamwork, interactivity, or collaboration. Yet, teamwork and collaboration are the very characteristics that the workplace demands, particularly when designing and developing large scale software projects. Therefore, being able to effectively work in teams is an essential learning outcome for software engineering students and as educators, we must ensure that students not only possess technical skills, but soft skills as well. The goal of the research in progress was to create a collaborative learning environment that fostered teamwork and team learning for students enrolled in an undergraduate software engineering course. The paper summarizes how previous computing experience, background, and computer self-efficacy were used to create teams that represent those found in today's workplace. Implications and suggestions for future research are also provided.
Solid-state NMR assessment of enzyme active center structure under nonaqueous conditions.

By using solid-state NMR spectroscopy, the integrity of the active center of alpha-chymotrypsin was investigated under a variety of nonaqueous conditions. Specifically, 13C cross-polarization/magic angle spinning NMR was used to analyze the ability of alpha-chymotrypsin to stabilize a transition state intermediate analog after freezing, drying, and addition of organic solvents (both anhydrous and hydrated) to the resultant powder. Lyophilization disrupted 42 +/- 5% of the active centers; it was determined that this occurred during drying, as opposed to freezing. Seven anhydrous solvents caused 0-50% additional disruption, which occurred immediately on addition of the solvent to the enzyme powder. The extent of structural integrity loss correlated with the solvent hydrophobicity, indicating that further dehydration, i.e. stripping of water retained by the enzyme during lyophilization, was the cause. Enzyme samples prepared with lyoprotecting additives, sucrose and ammonium sulfate, exhibited varying degrees of stabilization against the drying step of lyophilization. Moreover, when hydrophilic anhydrous solvents, which had the highest propensity to strip bound water, were added to the resultant enzyme powders, no additional damage occurred.
Reducing DRAM latencies with an integrated memory hierarchy design

In this paper we address the severe performance gap caused by high processor clock rates and slow DRAM accesses. We show that even with an aggressive, next-generation memory system using four Direct Rambus channels and an integrated one-megabyte level-two cache, a processor still spends over half of its time stalling for L2 misses. Large cache blocks can improve performance, but only when coupled with wide memory channels. DRAM address mappings also affect performance significantly. We evaluate an aggressive prefetch unit integrated with the L2 cache and memory, controllers. By issuing prefetches only when the Rambus channels are idle, prioritizing them to maximize DRAM row buffer hits, and giving them low replacement priority, we achieve a 43% speedup across 10 of the 26 SPEC2000 benchmarks, without degrading performance an the others. With eight Rambus channels, these ten benchmarks improve to within 10% of the performance of a perfect L2 cache.
Structured cold point thermoelectric coolers

Solid-state thermoelectric coolers can revolutionize thermal management of electronics and optoelectronic systems, and small-scale refrigeration if the coolers could attain thermodynamic efficiency greater than 30% of the ideal Carnot cycle. The maximum temperature differential and the efficiency of thermoelectric coolers are known to depend on material properties through the thermoelectric figure-of-merit ZT=S/sup 2//spl sigma/T//spl lambda/. Z has units of inverse temperature, and depends on the Seebeck coefficient S, the electrical conductivity /spl sigma/, the thermal conductivity /spl lambda/, and the temperature T. The efficiency requirements imply that the figure-of-merit needs to be increased from ZT/spl sim/1 typical of bismuth chalcogenides at room temperatures to ZT>3. The cooling power per unit area is only dependent on the critical transport length of the thermoelement and can easily exceed 50 W/cm/sup 2/ in thin-film cooler structures (U. Ghoshal and R. Schmidt, ISSCC Dig. Tech. Papers, vol. 43, p. 216, 2000). We have been investigating the scaling properties of thin-film thermoelectric coolers, and the properties of structured point contacts at the cold end (Y.S. Ju and U. Ghoshal, J. Appl. Phys., vol. 88, p. 4135, 2000).
Sexuality, rights and personhood: tensions in a transnational world.

This article discusses what happens when normative ‘global’ discourses of rights and individuated sexual identity confront the messiness of ‘local’ realities. It considers the tensions that emerge when the relationship between sexual and social identities is not obvious and the implications of such tensions for public health and sexual rights activism. These questions are addressed through debates over the naming of male-to-male sexualities and desires in the context of globalization and the growth of a large NGO (non-governmental organization) sector in urban Bangladesh. The material in the paper draws on a research project undertaken in 2008-9 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A fundamental objective was to produce a contextualized understanding of sexuality in Dhaka city. Methods used included structured interviews, focus group discussions and informal conversations with a range of participants (students, factory workers, public health professionals and sexual minorities). The aim was to generate a conceptual and analytical framework around sexuality and rights rather than to undertake an empirical survey of any one population. As descriptors, globalized identity categories such as Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), used by public health providers, the state and donors; and gay/lesbian, invoked by human rights activists and transnational NGOs, are too narrow to capture the fluid and highly context-specific ways in which gender and sexually nonconforming persons understand themselves in Bangladesh. Further, class position mediates to a significant degree the reception, appropriation or rejection of transnational categories such as MSM and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT). The tension is reflected in the sometimes fraught relations between service providers to MSM, the people they serve and an emerging group who identify as LGBT. A simple politics of recognition will be inadequate to the task of promoting health and human rights for all; such a strategy would effectively exclude individuals who do not necessarily connect their sexual practices with a specific sexual or social identity.
Foreign Financial Accounts

This article discusses the current status of the IRS's foreign financial account initiative. The article discusses: (i) The FBAR reporting regime and the recently enacted IRC counterpart in Section 6038D; and (ii) Voluntary Disclosure generally and with respect to foreign financial accounts in the IRS OVDP and OVDI initiatives.
Thrombopoietic status of patients on haemodialysis

Thrombocytopenia is a potential dialysis-related treatment complication. Developments in bio-compatible dialyser membranes have decreased the occurrence of thrombocytopenia. We investigated whether thrombopoiesis is impaired in haemodialysis patients by measuring the thrombopoietin level and absolute immature platelet number (AIPN) in the blood of patients undergoing haemodialysis. Samples were collected from the dialysis tubing pre- and post- haemodialysis in a cohort of 45 well-characterized haemodialysis patients. Thrombopoietin levels and AIPN increased following haemodialysis, despite no change in platelet count. Observed increase in release of immature platelets from the bone marrow following haemodialysis indicates possible complement activation secondary to interaction between blood constituents and the dialysis membrane.
Direct anterior total hip arthroplasty: Comparative outcomes and contemporary results

Direct anterior total hip arthroplasty has become increasingly more popular among arthroplasty surgeons, in large part due to the use of an intramuscular interval and desire to reduce soft tissue damage. Several studies have now been published comparing the anterior intramuscular to other commonly used approaches, and many studies have published complication rates on large series of patients. Review of comparative studies indicates direct anterior hips tend towards shorter hospital stays and high rates of patients discharged to home. Although some studies show evidence of early benefit in functional outcomes, there is no strong evidence that the anterior approach provides any long term functional improvements compared to other approaches. Additionally, evidence to support reduced damage to soft tissue may not translate to certain clinical significance. Rates of intra-operative femur fracture, operative time and blood loss rates are notably higher for those developing familiarity with this approach. However, when surgeons have performed a modest number of procedures, the complication rates tend to markedly decrease in most studies to levels comparable to other approaches. Accuracy of component positioning also favors the anterior approach in some studies. This review summarizes the available literature comparing the direct anterior to other approaches for total hip arthroplasty and provides a comprehensive summary of common complications.
Draft genome sequences of seven Pseudomonas fluorescens subclade III strains isolated from cystic fibrosis patients

ABSTRACT We report here the first draft genome sequences of Pseudomonas fluorescens strains that have been isolated from humans. The seven assembled draft genomes contained an average of 60.1% G+C content, were an average genomic size of 6.3 Mbp, and mapped by multilocus sequence analysis to subclade III.
Shoreline Erosion, East Hampton Village, Long Island, New York

A 12,000 ft long stretch of Atlantic Ocean shoreline in East Hampton Village, Long Island, New York has been observed and studied since 1977. Compilation of data from various sources, published and unpublished, as well as measurements made on aerial photographs and field measurements indicate a long-term tendency to erosion for this bluffed coast. A northward retreat of the beach system at an “average annualized” rate of 0.5 to 1.0 ft/year seems highly likely. Shore protection devices installed in 1977–1978 have “hardened” the base of the bluffs. In places the structures have been overtopped, and bluff erosion has continued behind them. Short stretches of the bluff once fronted by protective structures have retreated northward, and several houses along the bluff crests have been moved inland. The centers of several concave-to-the-sea beach stretches seem to maintain their positions along the beach, and these beach stretches tend to be more narrow than adjacent areas. Northward bluff base migration tendencies and beach narrowing tendencies are more closely associated with these beach stretches than where the beach is convex to the sea. Calculations suggest that the revetments and bulkheads presently in place can have a long-term narrowing effect on beach width by limiting the sand supplied to the beach from the bluffs.
Prospect of Laser Drilling Technology

In order to meet the need of petroleum industry development, conventional drilling methods should be improved. In this article, the principle of laser drilling is introduced based on the behaviour of high energy density of laser. By means of lasers, the other forms of energy are transferred into optical energy, and very high temperature is produced to melt, fuse, vaporise and shatter the rock to be drilled. It is pointed out that laser drilling has a power of potential in decreasing drilling cost and environmental pollution, and laser drilling may revolutionize drilling industry. It is suggested that the principle of laser drilling is comprehensively studied, the feasibility of laser drilling under economical and technological conditions of our country, the influences of laser drilling on reservoir and production, the specific need of lasers used in drilling well should all be discussed. The application of laser drilling in the oilfields of our country should be tried.
Theoretical Basis for Closed-Loop Stimulation as a Therapeutic Approach to Brain Injury

Neuroprosthetic devices generally can be categorized as open-loop neuromodulation systems, which directly or indirectly excite neural tissue, or brain–computer interfaces, which derive control signals from the brain to operate external devices. Increasingly, neuroscientists, computer scientists, and engineers are beginning to envision and develop closed-loop systems that stimulate neuronal populations contingent upon a particular neuronal signal derived from another population of neurons. In the near future, investigations into the feasibility and efficacy of closed-loop systems for treating neurological conditions will likely emerge. Such conditions will include epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and potentially stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury. Thus, it is now critical to understand how such systems interact with the neural circuitry and how communication may be altered. The present theoretical model focuses on the potential ability for closed-loop systems to regulate synaptic potentiation in long-distance pathways in the nervous system, particularly corticocortical pathways between different functional areas. Because the demonstration of long-term potentiation and long-term depression in animal preparations has utilized stimulation timing protocols that are not typically feasible using noninvasive techniques, the present theoretical model focuses on the use of recording microelectrodes implanted within the cerebral cortex and that are able to discriminate individual action potentials. Likewise, the proposed model assumes that stimulating microelectrodes are also implanted intracortically, allowing focal stimulation of a small volume of cortical tissue. Despite the challenges of invasive procedures using implantable technology, such closed-loop systems have the potential to provide new treatment avenues in a host of neurological conditions.
One-Sided Conversations: The 2012 Presidential Election on Twitter

Technology has been promoted as a way to facilitate interactions across disparate groups of people. Political discourse has been historically constrained by geographic proximity of participants. The introduction of the Internet and specifically social media has altered these geographic constraints and political discourse is now one of the most prevalent activities in social media. As more individuals begin to use technology for political activity, understanding how the technology is used becomes increasingly important. Previous research exploring political discourse on social media has focused on one discrete event or a narrow time period. This narrow focus limits the understanding of the complex election environment. This study takes a longitudinal approach to examine the use of conversational syntactical features in Twitter derived from a 53 million Twitter message corpus collected during the 2012 Presidential Election (August 20, 2012 -- November 13, 2012). This study identifies that, although candidates and media are the most talked about and talked to, these interactions elicit no response. The lack of response is counter to many of the perceived benefits of social media. These findings have implications for understanding how the public uses social media to engage with political candidates and the possibilities for how technology could be altered to better facilitate these interactions.