cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Specific and non-specific immunity in experimental cryptococcosis in mice.

The course of lethal cryptococcosis in mice was modified by immunization with the same strain or different strains of Cryptococcus neoformans . Protection was associated with a definite decrease in tissue fungus multiplication over the initial 7 days of infection. Such immunity was species-specific and did not protect against heterologous challenge with Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae , or Mycobacterium tuberculosis . Similar modification of lethal cryptococcosis was produced by intraperitoneal inoculation of 100 to 200 µg. of Salmonella endotoxin 7 days prior to challenge. In non-specifically (endotoxin) immunized mice there was only a minimal reduction in tissue cryptococcus census during the 1st week of infection. When small numbers of virulent cryptococci were injected intravenously into normal mice, tissue populations rose markedly in all organs studies during the first 7 days. A progressive fall in tissue fungus census was then observed in most mice during the next 6 months. The increase in resistance to cryptococcal challenge following specific immunization, the non-specific protection conferred by injection of bacterial endotoxin and the ability to control and eventually reduce infections with small inocula may well be dependent in each case on the development of specific antibody.
Muscodor sutura, a novel endophytic fungus with volatile antibiotic activities

Muscodor sutura is described as a novel species that is also an endophyte of Prestonia trifidi. Uniquely, this fungus produces a reddish pigment, on potato dextrose agar (PDA), when grown in the dark. In addition, the organism makes some volatile organic compounds that have not been previously reported from this genus, namely, thujopsene, chamigrene, isocaryophyllene, and butanoic acid, 2-methyl. These and other volatile compounds in the mixture possess wide-spectrum antifungal activity and no observable antibacterial activity. Most unusually, on PDA, the newly developing hyphae of this fungus grow in a perfect stitching pattern, in and out of the agar surface. The partial ITS–DNA sequence of this organism is identical to that of Muscodor vitigenus but it differs from all other Muscodor spp. Justification for a new species, as Muscodor sutura, is collectively based on morphological, cultural, chemical, and bioactivity properties.
Generalized Smagorinsky model in physical space

A simple expression for the Smagorinsky length scale is derived using arguments in physical space. This expression is sensitive to the choice of the basis functions employed in a numerical method and can be used with the finite volume or the finite element method on fully unstructured grids and meshes. It is useful in implementing both the constant parameter and dynamic versions of the Smagorinsky model. For a polynomial basis, the dependence of the Smagorinsky length scale on the order of completeness of the basis functions and the degree of anisotropy of the grid is examined. It is found that the length scale decreases with increasing polynomial order and that it scales with the smallest dimension of the grid. Comparisons are drawn between the new physical space approach and the traditional wavenumber space approach and the extension of the new approach to the finite difference method is discussed. In addition, the effect of a finite inertial range and contribution from molecular viscosity on the Smagorinsky length scale is considered.
Diachronous deposition of ice-rafted debris in sub-Antarctic deep-sea sediments

A simple model to explain the distribution of ice-rafted debris in deep-sea sediments of the Southern Ocean proposes that ice-rafted debris maxima in the high latitudes are associated with interglacial periods and in the lower latitudes with glacial periods. Initial testing of this model is now extended using nine Eltanin piston cores from the southeast Indian Ocean. Frequency variation in the Antarctic radiolarian Antarctissa strelkovi is used as a paleotemperature index, and the ice-rafted debris is measured for the 62- to 250-µm fraction. The merit in using ice-rafted debris–temperature relationships (rather than magnitudes of debris) is demonstrated by the presence of high concentrations of ice-rafted debris in cores of low sedimentation rate, showing that the debris can be a residual coarse fraction rather than an index of higher deposition rates from icebergs. Departures from the predicted ice-rafted debris-paleotemperature correlations during the Brunhes epoch suggest complexities that could be due to such factors as anomalous ice-shelf development, ice surges, variations of preferred iceberg tracks, periods during which conditions are transitional between extreme glacial and interglacial, or between differential sea-floor dynamic processes. To evaluate such possibilities, the model is now developed to include stages intermediate between extreme glacial and interglacial conditions. Complex ice-rafted debris variations are predicted to result across north to south traverses as climatic fronts sweep between extreme climatic conditions, resulting in difficulty in determining between-core correlations. Attempts have been made to isolate periods of departure from the predicted ice-rafted debris–paleotemperature correlations by computation of down-core–running correlation coefficients between the two variables. A lack of fine stratigraphic control, at present, makes it impossible to test definitively the implications of the more complex model, and thus it stands as a proposed, yet un-proven, source of departures from the simple model predictions.
Correlation of Lower Ordovician Rocks to Their Geophysical Log Signature: ABSTRACT

To create meaningful structural maps related to geologic processes from well log data, one must consistently select the boundaries of the formations in question. Different workers use a variety of names and markers for the Lower Ordovician strata in Ohio, causing confusion and discrepancies in correlation and interpretation. So, it is apparent that some standard must be established. The currently accepted nomenclature, in ascending order, is the Knox Dolomite (upper region), Glenwood or Wells Creek Formation, Black River Limestone, and Trenton Limestone. The Ohio Geological Survey has generated a sample log for these formations based on data from several wells in Licking County of central Ohio. One cannot use this as a type log for the entire state, particularly when choosing the top of the Black River Limestone. Previously, a very thorough chemical description and correlation was made and several bentonite beds were used to define the Black River. Still, this description is not easily distinguished on the geophysical logs. However, assuming the postulate that the Trenton and Black River were deposited contemporaneously and those names have no time significance, nly three formations need be considered and can be consistently recognized on any log in the state. End_of_Article - Last_Page 643------------
Clinical applications of dynamic computed tomography

R EMARKABLE ADVANCES IN THE electronic industry during the past decade have been responsible for great progress in many fields. The impact of this new technology has been nowhere more strongly felt than in the area of medical instrumentation. It has made possible advances in the established noninvasive imaging modalities of echocardiography and nuclear medicine. However, more importantly, it has resulted in revolutionary imaging techniques. The first of these occurred in 1973 with the introduction of computed transmission tomography. This technique involved a new concept, namely, imaging by the direct interaction of an x-ray machine with a computer. The computer in CT scanners not only guides the data acquisition, which involves the precise transmission of a thin beam of x-rays through the patient in a specific plane from many angles, but also it reconstructs the CT data obtained and displays it in the form of a cross-sectional image on a television monitor. The transmitted fan beam of radiation exiting through the patient is received by an array of x-ray detectors; this is in the form of an analogue signal which is then converted into digital form so that it can be manipulated by the computer. The CT image is displayed on a digital matrix, the grid size of which determines the spatial resolution. The contrast of the various tissues is expressed in the form of a gray scale of density. The units of density are known as Hounsfield units, named after one of the physicists who pioneered the mathematics of CT back projection imaging.’ Computed transmission axial tomography (CT) was the first of a series of advance imaging modalities that share in common digital processing and imaging. The others are positron emission tomography (PETT), digital subtraction radiography (DSA), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All these digital imaging techniques possess a remarkable potential for direct quantitation and, therefore, are of special interest for cardiovascular diagnosis. The purpose of this article is to describe the current clinical applications of cardiac CT scanning now possible, using presently available whole body scanners. The future prospects for greatly improved imaging with recently developed high speed CT systems will also be addressed.
Optimization of the contact layer for 90-nm node lithography

It is well known that shrinking k1 factors and increasing MEEF are making it more difficult to print contact holes with acceptable latitude and low defectivity. Given the decreasing process latitude this implies, choosing elements of the lithography process independently is becoming less and less of an option. Instead all elements of the lithography process need to be chosen so that a production-worthy process can be rapidly developed. The large number of options available for building a process further complicates the optimization problem. In this study, simulation results are used to explore the tradeoffs between illumination options and reticle substrate choice as applied to contact hole printing. Relative defectivity levels are presented from logic test circuits for selected cases of illumination and reticle type. These selected cases show that what improves defectivity also improves the Normalized Image Log-Slope (NILS). As it has been previously shown that NILS is already an excellent image quality metric NILS improvement will be used as the basis of the work presented in this paper. Extensive simulations will be used to determine the best choice of illumination and mask type to maximize NILS and by implication minimize defect density.
Ancient History, American Time: Chesnutt's Outsider Classicism and the Present Past

This essay advances a theory of black classicism as a mode of resistance to the dominant narrative of American history, according to which the United States was to be a new Rome, rooted in the best traditions of classical antiquity yet destined to surpass its antecedent through the redeeming power of American exceptionalism. In the late nineteenth century this narrative reemerged as a means of getting beyond sectional conflict and refocusing on imperial expansion and economic growth. For Charles Chesnutt, a post-Reconstruction African American writer, the progress of American civilization was a dubious notion, a fiction suited to the nation’s imperial purposes. In opposition, Chesnutt developed an outsider classicism, challenging the figuration of the United States as inheritor of the mantle of Western civilization by linking the nation to the ancient world through the institution of slavery—a very present relic of the past. (JLB)
Nanoporous gold microelectrode prepared from potential modulated electrochemical alloying–dealloying in ionic liquid

Nanoporous gold (NPG) microelectrodes with high surface area and open pore network were successfully prepared by applying modulated potential to a polycrystalline Au-disk microelectrode in ionic liquid electrolyte containing ZnCl2 at elevated temperature. During cathodic process, Zn is electrodeposited and interacted with Au microdisk substrate to form a AuZn alloy phase. During subsequent anodic process, Zn is selectively dissolved from the alloy phase, leading to the formation of a NPG layer which can grow with repetitive potential modulation. Scanning-electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray microscope measurements show that the NPG microelectrodes possessing nanoporous structures can be tuned via potential modulation, and chemically contain a small amount of Zn whose presence has no obvious influence on electrochemical responses of the electrodes. Steady-state and cyclic voltammetric studies suggest that the NPG microelectrodes have high surface area and keep diffusional properties of a microelectrode. Electrochemical nitrite reduction and oxidation are studied as model reactions to demonstrate potential applications of the NPG microelectrodes in electrocatalysis and electroanalysis. These facts suggest that the potential-modulated electrochemical alloying/dealloying in ionic liquid electrolyte offers a convenient green-chemistry method for the preparation of nanoporous microelectrodes.
The spectrum of cardiovascular anomalies in CHF1/Hey2 deficient mice reveals roles in endocardial cushion, myocardial and vascular maturation

CHF1/Hey2 null mice generated in different laboratories have discrepant cardiovascular phenotypes. To determine the effect of genetic background on phenotype, we backcrossed our knockout strain more than eight generations to the inbred strains BALB/c and C57BL/6. Knockout mice on these backgrounds showed disparate phenotypes. Mice on both backgrounds demonstrated ventricular septal defects (VSDs), tricuspid stenosis and mitral valve thickening, but at varying frequencies, suggesting a general defect in endocardial cushion remodeling. Additional defects seen exclusively on the C57BL/6 background included biventricular wall thinning and left ventricular enlargement, implying a more severe myocardial defect than previously observed. In addition, aortas and pulmonary arteries from these null mice had thinner walls. Intercrossing of the CHF1/Hey2 null mice on a C57BL/6 background with a C57BL/6 MLC2v-CHF1/Hey2 transgenic line overexpressing CHF1/Hey2 in the atrial and ventricular myocardium also rescued the VSD and myocardial phenotypes, but did not affect vascular wall thickness. Our results indicate that CHF1/Hey2 provides an important myocardial signal to the endocardial cushion for proper septation and valve formation and also plays an important role in maturation of the myocardium and vasculature.
An Octyl-2-Cyanoacrylate Formulation Speeds Healing of Partial-Thickness Wounds

Background. Occlusive dressings have been known to accelerate the rate of healing. Every year new dressings are being introduced in the marketplace. Objective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a new octyl-2-cyanoacrylate liquid dressing as compared to two over-the-counter bandages on partial-thickness wounds. Performance parameters were epithelialization, erythema, scab formation, material adherence, hemostasis, and infection. Method. Eight pigs with a total of 645 partial-thickness wounds were assigned to one of the following treatments: liquid dressing, standard bandage, hydrocolloid bandage, or untreated air exposed. Result. The liquid bandage enhanced the rate of epithelialization and was the only treatment to provide complete hemostasis, reduced scab formation, and did not induce an irritant response (erythema) or infection. Conclusion The liquid bandage is an easy to use material that stops bleeding (instantaneous hemostasis) while enhancing healing of partial-thickness wounds.
The hmu locus of Yersinia pestis is essential for utilization of free haemin and haem‐protein complexes as iron sources

Summary Yersinia pestis strains utilize haem and several haem-protein complexes as sole sources of iron. In this study, the haemin uptake locus (hmu) of Y. pestis KIM6+ was selected from a genomic library by trans-duction into an Escherichia coli siderophore synthesis (entC) mutant. Recombinant plasmids containing a common 16 kb BamHI insert were isolated that allowed E. coli entC to use haemin as an iron source. An 8.6 kb region of this insert was found to be essential for haemin utilization and encoded at least five proteins with molecular masses of 79/77, 44, 37, 35, and 30/27.5 kDa. A 10.9 kb Clal fragment containing the hmu locus showed varying degrees of homology to genomic DNA from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, Yersinia enter-ocolitica, and other genera of Enterobacteriaceae. An E. coli hemA aroB strain harbouring cloned hmu genes used haemin as both an iron and porphyrin source but only on iron-poor medium, suggesting that haemin uptake is tightly iron regulated. Additionally, haemoglobin and myoglobin were used as iron sources by an E. coli entC (pHMU2.2) strain. Deletion of the hmu locus from Y. pestis KIM6+ chromosome generated a mutant that grew poorly on iron-depleted medium containing free haemin as well as mammalian haem-protein complexes including haemoglobin, haemoglobin-haptoglobin, myoglobin, haem-haemopexin, and haem-albumin unless it was complemented with cloned hmu genes.
Transient Thermal Constriction Resistance in a Finite Heat Flux Tube

The transient constriction resistance has been studied under idealized conditions in a semi-infinite medium with isothermal contact and in a semi-infinite cylinder with uniform heat flux over the contact. Although the transient constriction resistance in finite length cylinders has several practical applications, such a problem has not been analyzed, mainly due to mathematical difficulties involved in the solution for the case of isothermal contact. In this work we use a finite difference scheme with numerical grid generation technique to study the transient constriction resistance in a cylindrical heat flux tube of finite length with a circular contact surface. Two boundary conditions considered for the contact surface included the cases of uniform temperature and uniform heat flux. 10 refs., 3 figs.
Renal Cell Carcinomla in Tuberous Sclerosis: A Case Report and Review

Renal cell carcinoma within an angiomyolipoma was diagnosed in a 21-year-old man with tuberous sclerosis. Ultrasound characteristics are discussed. A review of the 21 cases reported since 1969 suggests an increased incidence of renal cell carcinoma in patients with tuberous sclerosis. Genetic studies in humans and animals support this observation. Awareness of predisposition to renal carcinoma is important to help identify this malignancy in patients with tuberous sclerosis and to differentiate carcinoma from other renal lesions that commonly occur in these patients.
Open-Source CFD Simulations of Liquid–Liquid Flow in the Annular Centrifugal Contactor

Simulation of the fluid dynamics of solvent extraction in centrifugal contactors requires advanced models to account for complex physical phenomena including turbulent free-surface flow and liquid-liquid dispersion physics. The use of an open-source computational fluid dynamics (CFD) framework allows for implementation of advanced models not feasible in commercial CFD applications. The open-source CFD package OpenFOAM has been used to simulate turbulent, multiphase flow in the annular centrifugal contactor, including simulations of the mixing zone (annular region), and of the coupled operation of the mixing and separation (rotor interior) zones. These simulations are based on the Volume of Fluid (VOF) methodology along with Large Eddy Simulation (LES) for turbulence. The results from these simulations compare favorably with previous simulations using a commercial CFD tool and with available experimental data. They also give insight into the requirements for more advanced multiphase models needed to accura...
In vitro reaction of the carcinogen, N-hydroxy-2-naphthylamine, with DNA at the C-8 and N2 atoms of guanine and at the N6 atom of adenine.

The probable ultimate urinary bladder carcinogen, N-hydroxy-2-naphthylamine (N-HO-2-NA), reacted with nucleic acids and proteins under mildly acidic conditions (pH 5) to form covalently bound derivatives. The extent of reaction was in the order: polyguanylic acid > DNA > or = protein > rRNA > tRNA > polyadenylic acid, polyuridylic acid > polycytidylic acid. At pH 7, appreciable reaction occurred only with protein. Enzymatic hydrolyses of the DNA, which contained 1.5 naphthyl residues/1000 nucleotides, yielded 3 nucleoside-arylamine adducts. From chemical, u.v., n.m.r., and mass spectrometric analyses, the adducts were identified as 1-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-2-naphthylamine, 1-(deoxyadenosin-N6-yl)-2-naphthylamine, and a purine ring-opened derivative of N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-naphthylamine, tentatively identified as 1-[5-(2,6-diamino-4-oxopyrimidinyl-N6-deoxyriboside)]-3-(2-naphthyl)urea. The properties of these adducts and their possible role in the initiation of carcinogenesis are discussed.
3D-SCoBeP: 3D medical image registration using sparse coding and belief propagation

There are various medical imaging methods which have been used broadly in clinical and medical research. Consequently, the interests in registering and finding similarities of different images for diagnosis, treatment, and the sake of basic science are increasing. As images are typically captured at different times, angles, and often by different modalities, registering (or aligning) one image with another is challenging. In general, the accuracy of registration techniques will affect the performance and robustness of all subsequent analysis. We propose an efficient 3D medical image registration method based on sparse coding and belief propagation for Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging. We used 3D image blocks as the input features and then we employed sparse coding with a dictionary of the features to find a set of the candidate voxels. To select optimum matches, belief propagation was subsequently applied on a factor graph of voxels generated by these candidate voxels. The outcome of belief propagation was interpreted as a probabilistic map of aligning the candidate voxels to the source voxels. We compared our proposed method (3D-SCoBeP) with the state-of-the-art medical image registration, MIRT and GP-Registration algorithm. Our objective results based on Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) are smaller than those from MIRT and GP-Registration. Our results prove the effectiveness of our algorithm in registering the reference image to the source image.
Multiscale modeling of nucleosome dynamics.

Nucleosomes form the fundamental building blocks of chromatin. Subtle modifications of the constituent histone tails mediate chromatin stability and regulate gene expression. For this reason, it is important to understand structural dynamics of nucleosomes at atomic levels. We report a novel multiscale model of the fundamental chromatin unit, a nucleosome, using a simplified model for rapid discrete molecular dynamics simulations and an all-atom model for detailed structural investigation. Using a simplified structural model, we perform equilibrium simulations of a single nucleosome at various temperatures. We further reconstruct all-atom nucleosome structures from simulation trajectories. We find that histone tails bind to nucleosomal DNA via strong salt-bridge interactions over a wide range of temperatures, suggesting a mechanism of chromatin structural organization whereby histone tails regulate inter- and intranucleosomal assemblies via binding with nucleosomal DNA. We identify specific regions of the histone core H2A/H2B-H4/H3-H3/H4-H2B/H2A, termed “cold sites”, which retain a significant fraction of contacts with adjoining residues throughout the simulation, indicating their functional role in nucleosome organization. Cold sites are clustered around H3-H3, H2A-H4 and H4-H2A interhistone interfaces, indicating the necessity of these contacts for nucleosome stability. Essential dynamics analysis of simulation trajectories shows that bending across the H3-H3 is a prominent mode of intranucleosomal dynamics. We postulate that effects of salts on mononucleosomes can be modeled in discrete molecular dynamics by modulating histone-DNA interaction potentials. Local fluctuations in nucleosomal DNA vary significantly along the DNA sequence, suggesting that only a fraction of histone-DNA contacts make strong interactions dominating mononucleosomal dynamics. Our findings suggest that histone tails have a direct functional role in stabilizing higher-order chromatin structure, mediated by salt-bridge interactions with adjacent DNA.
Who Are the Children Special Education Should Serve and How Many Children Are There

Determining the number of school-age children who need special education has been a persistent problem for many years. The crux of the problem is to clearly identify the population of children who are to be served by special education. A specific concern is OSE's use of the 12.035% prevalence figure for handicapping conditions and the implication that states not serving this percentage of school-age children are not in compliance with the law. A review of over 10,000 special education students indicates that about 1.6% of the total school-age population have quantifiable handicapping conditions. The remainder of the children served in special education have performance deficits. Perhaps special education is serving too many children with only performance deficits and by so doing is perpetuating the reluctance of regular education to alter instructional procedures for all children who are experiencing performance problems.
Of language and land tenure. The transmission of property and information in autonomous Crete

Au tournant de ce siecle, la nouvelle instruction en Grec permit aux autorites cretoises de fixer d'une maniere plus precise les caracteristiques d'evaluation et de situation impliquees dans les procedures de transferts de propriete. Neanmoins, a l'encontre des resultats escomptes par la logique officielle, pratiques et savoirs courants - associes a la culture turque dont les representants quittaient alors le pays - se maintenerent jusqu'a devenir le symbole des agrements dispenses par une intimite sociale tenue en grande estime.
Integrating Optogenetic and Pharmacological Approaches to Study Neural Circuit Function: Current Applications and Future Directions

Optogenetic strategies to control genetically distinct populations of neurons with light have been rapidly evolving and widely adopted by the neuroscience community as one of the most important tool sets to study neural circuit function. Although optogenetics have already reshaped neuroscience by allowing for more precise control of circuit function compared with traditional techniques, current limitations of these approaches should be considered. Here, we discuss several strategies that combine optogenetic and contemporary pharmacological techniques to further increase the specificity of neural circuit manipulation. We also discuss recent advances that allow for the selective modulation of cellular function and gene expression with light. In addition, we outline a novel application of optogenetic circuit analysis for causally addressing the role of pathway-specific neural activity in mediating alterations in postsynaptic transcriptional processing in genetically defined neurons. By determining how optogenetic activation of specific neural circuits causally contributes to alterations in gene expression in a high-throughput fashion, novel biologic targets for future pharmacological intervention may be uncovered. Lastly, extending this experimental pipeline to selectively target pharmacotherapies to genetically defined neuronal populations or circuits will not only provide more selective control of neural circuits, but also may lead to the development of neural circuit specific pharmacological therapeutics.
Early term infants are at increased risk of requiring neonatal intensive care

Increasing evidence is demonstrating that infants born early on during the term period are at increased risk of morbidity compared with infants born closer to a complete 40 week gestational pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to compare early term [gestation age (GA): 37-37 6/7 weeks] neonatal outcomes with those of other full term neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions. Retrospective chart review of all term infants admitted to the NICU at New York University Langone Medical Center over a 17 month period. Subjects were grouped and analyzed according to their GA at birth: 1) early term infants (GA between 37 0/7 to 37 6/7 weeks) and 2) other term infants (38 0/7 weeks and older). Early term infants were more likely to require NICU care than other term infants [relative risk: 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.07-1.88), P=0.01]. In the NICU, they are more likely to manifest respiratory distress syndrome [odds ratio (OR)=5.7, 95% CI=1.6-19.8, P<0.01] and hypoglycemia (OR=4.6, 95% CI=2.0-10.4, P<0.001). In addition, early term neonates were more likely to be born via elective cesarean section than other term neonates (OR=4.1, 95% CI=2.0-8.5, P<0.001). Being born at early term is associated with increased risk of respiratory disease and hypoglycemia requiring neonatal intensive care. Further efforts directed at decreasing early term deliveries may be warranted.
An AI approach in transporting software

A knowledge-base system that combines AI (artificial intelligence) techniques and translation schemes is proposed to solve the three basic problems in transporting software, i.e. project planning, software translation, and human reeducation. The proposed system consists of four major subsystems: knowledge acquisition, transportation planning, software translation, and reeducation. The knowledge-acquisition subsystem is activated by human experts in the training phase to update knowledge saved in the knowledge base. The other three subsystems are activated in the using phase to serve general users in transportation planning, software translation, and reeducation. The knowledge base created through the knowledge acquisition subsystem in the training phase substantially supports the required machine intelligence for the other three working subsystems. >
Advanced Vehicle Control Systems (AVCS)

The concept of the Intelligent Vehicle/Highway System (IVHS) is a direct descendent of earlier work on "roadway automation". Recent advances in a variety of technologies have now made automatic control of the operation of road vehicles a much more realistic proposition than it was even in the recent past. This paper begins by identifying three stages in the likely evolution of these advanced vehicle control systems (AVCS), showing how AVCS is related to the other IVHS functions. The technological elements of AVCS, corresponding to needed research and development work, are then described. The international state of the art in these technologies is reviewed, and the paper concludes with a discussion of an evolutionary progression that could be followed to lead from present-day driving to the long-term concept of an automated freeway network.
Turbulence and mixing in unsteady breaking surface waves

Laboratory measurements of the post-breaking velocity field due to unsteady deepwater breaking are presented. Digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) is used to measure the entire post-breaking turbulent cloud with high-resolution imagery permitting the measurement of scales from O(1 m) down to O(1 mm). Ensembleaveraged quantities including mean velocity, turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) density and Reynolds stress are presented and compare favourably with the results of Melville, Veron & White (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 454, 2002, pp. 203–233; MVW). However, due to limited resolution, MVW’s measurements were not spatially coherent across the turbulent cloud, and this restricted their ability to compute turbulent wavenumber spectra. Statistical spatial quantities including the integral length scale L11, Taylor microscale λf and the Taylor microscale Reynolds number Reλ are presented. Estimation of an eddy viscosity for the breaking event is also given based on analysis of the image data. Turbulent wavenumber spectra are computed and within 12 wave periods after breaking exhibit what have been termed ‘spectral bumps’ in the turbulence literature. These local maxima in the spectra are thought to be caused by an imbalance between the transport of energy from large scales and the dissipation at small scales. Estimates of the dissipation rate per unit mass are computed using both direct and indirect methods. Horizontally averaged terms in the TKE budget are also presented up to 27 wave periods after breaking and are discussed with regard to the dynamics of the post-breaking flow. Comparisons of the TKE density in the streamwise and cross-stream planes with the three-dimensional full TKE density are given in an appendix. Wave breaking at the ocean surface mixes surface waters, generates currents, limits the height of surface waves and dissipates surface-wave energy. Increased knowledge of the structure and evolution of the turbulent field in this regime is essential in order to further understand the role of breaking in air–sea interaction and in the formation of the marine boundary layer. The intermittent nature of breaking makes detailed field measurements with high spatial and temporal resolution very difficult. The laboratory provides us with a well-controlled environment in which high-precision, high-resolution measurements can be conducted in order to better understand the kinematics and dynamics of breaking and their relationship to breaking-generated turbulence. Progress in breaking-wave research has been reviewed several times in
Ferroelectricity in Incommensurate Magnets

We review the phenomenology of coupled magnetic and electric order parameters for systems in which ferroelectric and incommensurate magnetic order occur simultaneously. We first discuss the role that such materials might play in fabricating novel magnetoelectric devices. While the small polarization in these materials precludes their incorporation in many current ferroelectric devices, the strong coupling between magnetism and ferroelectricity in these systems offers entirely new functionalities. Next we briefly review the mean-field description of ferroelectricity and modulated magnetic ordering. Since an understanding of the magnetic structure is so crucial, we present a simplified version of representation theory. In this theory, one considers the symmetry operations whichthat conserve the wave vector of the magnetic ordering to determine how crystal symmetry restricts the possible magnetic structures whichthat can appear at a continuous transition. Here we emphasize a relatively recent observation that even though inversion symmetry need not conserve the incommensurate wave vector, it does lead to important restrictions, usually on the phases of the complex spin Fourier transforms. We introduce magnetic order parameters to characterize the magnetic structure and display their symmetry properties. This enables us to analyze the symmetry of the interaction between the spontaneous polarization and the magnetic order parameters. We show how this formulation provides a phenomenological explanation for the observed phase transitions in Ni3V2O8 and TbMnO3 in which ferroelectric and magnetic order parameters simultaneously become nonzero at a single phase transition. In addition, this approach explains the fact that the spontaneous polarization only appears along a specific crystallographic direction. We analyze the symmetry of the strain dependence of the exchange tensor and show that it is consistent with the above macroscopic symmetry analysis. We devote a section to a discussion of possible directions of new experimental and theoretical research and we indicate how our understanding of these materials might influence the search for materials with larger magnetoelectric couplings at room temperature. Finally, we briefly review recent experiments on dynamical and optical properties whichthat appeared after initial preparation of this manuscript (August, 2005). Keywords: multiferroic; ferroelectricity; incommensurate magnetism; magnetoelectric coupling; spin-phonon coupling; Landau theory of magnetoelectricity
The Effect of Substituting Rdf on the Physical and Environmental Properties of Coal Fly Ash

Refuse-derived-fuel (RDF) consisting mainly of waste paper and plastics is a viable fuel source for the production of power. An experimental test burn partially substituting coal with RDF was undertaken by the Public Service of New Hampshire at the Merrimack Power Station. Five percent and ten percent RDF were substituted, on a BTU basis, for coal in the test bums. The chemical and physical properties of the resulting fly ash were determined. Twelve test burn days were run with 4 days of 5% RDF and 8 days of 10% RDF. Emphasis was placed on investigating the effect of the RDF fly ash on Portland cement concrete. Most of the chemical and physical properties of the coal-RDF fly ash were found to be comparable with ordinary coal fly ash except for the amount of cadmium and lead, the pozzolanic activity index and the compressive strength of fly ash concrete. Cadmium and lead were at average levels of 5.1 ppm and 102.6 ppm for the 5% RDF, and 7.8 ppm and 198.3 ppm for the 10% RDF, respectively. Although the pozzolanic activity index of coal-RDF fly ash increases over normal coal fly ash, preliminary results show that the 28-day compressive strength of concrete with direct replacement of cement and sand decreases by up to 30%. Leaching tests on crushed concrete were conducted to evaluate the environmental effect of acid rain.
Numerical computation of the fiber preform permeability tensor by the homogenization method

This paper uses the homogenization method to formulate governing equations and boundary conditions to predict the permeability of anisotropic fibrous porous media. An approach is also put forth for addressing dual porosity media with this method. It is applicable to a wide range of porous materials, which may be considered with approximately periodic structure. The permeability components are calculated by solving a boundary value problem in a periodic cell. The application of the method is demonstrated on a periodic cell modeling the geometry of woven fiber performs used in composites manufacturing. The resulting equations are solved using CFD package FIDAP. The influence of dual porosity and nesting of adjacent fabric layers on the macro permeability was investigated and the results were compared with experiments.
Intraoperative sonographically guided needle localization of nonpalpable testicular tumors.

2Department of Urology, Stony Brook University School of Medicine, Stony Brook, NY 11790. esticular carcinoma is the most common malignancy in men 15–34 years old. Orchiectomy is considered standard management for testicular masses. In patients with bilateral tumors and those with a solitary testicle, this approach results in infertility, lifelong dependency on androgen substitution, and the psychological distress of castration. For these reasons, testis-sparing surgery has been advocated in a select group of patients with palpable and nonpalpable tumors. For nonpalpable tumors, this approach is based on precise intraoperative localization and accurate frozen tissue analysis of the testicular mass [1, 2]. We report two cases of nonpalpable intratesticular tumors successfully treated by intraoperative sonographically guided needle localization and subsequent microsurgical excision that spared the remainder of the affected testicle.
Effects of integrin-mediated cell adhesion on plasma membrane lipid raft components and signaling.

Anchorage dependence of cell growth, which is mediated by multiple integrin-regulated signaling pathways, is a key defense against cancer metastasis. Detachment of cells from the extracellular matrix triggers caveolin-1–dependent internalization of lipid raft components, which mediates suppression of Rho GTPases, Erk, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase in suspended cells. Elevation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) following cell detachment is also implicated in termination of growth signaling in suspended cells. Studies of integrins and lipid rafts, however, examined mainly ganglioside GM1 and glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked proteins as lipid raft markers. In this study, we examine a wider range of lipid raft components. Whereas many raft components internalized with GM1 following cell detachment, flotillin2, connexin43, and Gαs remained in the plasma membrane. Loss of cell adhesion caused movement of many components from the lipid raft to the nonraft fractions on sucrose gradients, although flotillin2, connexin43, and H-Ras were resistant. Gαs lost its raft association, concomitant with cAMP production. Modification of the lipid tail of Gαs to increase its association with ordered domains blocked the detachment-induced increase in cAMP. These data define the effects of that integrin-mediated adhesion on the localization and behavior of a variety of lipid raft components and reveal the mechanism of the previously described elevation of cAMP after cell detachment.
Teaching Practices in Taiwan's Education for Young Children: complexity and ambiguity of developmentally appropriate practices and/or developmentally inappropriate practices

This study aims to examine the implementation and application of the revised guidelines for developmentally appropriate practice in the care and education of young children in Taiwan. Child-centered philosophy was introduced to Taiwan 30 years ago, but numerous research studies report that Taiwanese early childhood teachers often encounter tensions between unstructured teaching styles and traditional culture values, such as the hierarchical social structure and emphasis on academic achievement. In order to examine the complexity of teaching practices, four Taiwanese early childhood education teachers from different backgrounds were interviewed, and their teaching practices were systematically described and sorted according to the guidelines for developmentally appropriate and inappropriate practices. The results showed that teaching practices were more of a continuous than a dichotomous process. Some of the classroom practices of Taiwanese early childhood education teachers contained both developmentally appropriate and inappropriate practices, whereas other teachers' performances, which are not described in the developmentally appropriate practice guidelines but can be commonly seen in Taiwanese classrooms, were not easy to identify as either developmentally appropriate or inappropriate. The author proposes a need to explore the essences of culturally appropriate practices for Taiwanese children.
Role of Metformin in the Treatment of Gestational Diabetes

ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of metformin in the treatment of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Data SourcesA literature search was conducted via PubMed (1948–December 2008), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1970–December 2008), and Cochrane Library (up to 2008) using the search terms gestational diabetes and metformin. No limits were applied to the search, Reference citations from relevant publications identified were also reviewed.Study Selection And Data ExtractionAll articles identified from the data sources were reviewed for inclusion. Original research and retrospective cohorts were included in the review. Thirty-three articles were selected for review; 6 met the inclusion criteria. Trials evaluating the use of metformin in pregnant women with polycystic ovarian syndrome were not included.Data SynthesisMetformin has been found largely to be effective in the treatment of GDM. One retrospective study reported that preeclampsia and neonatal mortality are increased with the use ...
When is an optimal transform coder orthonormal

We consider optimum Transform coding. The objective is to minimize the distortion variance by selecting an optimum transform matrix and bit allocation among the sub-band signals. Under an asymptotic expression for the quantizer distortion function it is known that the optimum transform can be chosen to be orthonormal and regardless of the precise allocated bit values. In this paper we have given sufficient conditions on the quantizer distortion function that ensure this property.
Malignant Brain Tumors from Cellular Mobile Telephone Radiation - [Telecommunication Health & Safety]

A recent publication from an INTERPHONE-related epidemiological study reporting a connection between malignant brain tumors and long-term use of a cell phone makes the issue difficult to be ignored or easily dismissed
Relation of pH strategy and developmental outcome after hypothermic circulatory arrest.

To examine whether pH management during core cooling is a risk factor for adverse developmental outcome, we studied 16 children with transposition of the great arteries and intact ventricular septum who underwent a Senning procedure in infancy (median age 32 days, range 2 to 154 days) between 1983 and 1988. Information was collected retrospectively on many aspects of perfusion, including lowest carbon dioxide tension during core cooling, duration of core cooling, and duration of circulatory arrest. The pH strategy changed from pH-stat to alpha-stat in 1985, resulting in a wide range of pH values and carbon dioxide tension (34 to 76 mm Hg) during the study period. All children had rapid core cooling to a rectal temperature of 19.8° ± 2.7° C (mean ± standard deviation) and a tympanic temperature of 16.6° ± 3.0° C. Development was assessed at median age 48.0 (11 to 79) months with the Bayley Scales (n = 4, children younger than 30 months) or the McCarthy Scales (n = 12, children older than 30 months). The mean core-cooling duration was 14.5 ± 6.2 minutes, circulatory arrest time was 43.4 ± 6.6 minutes, and total bypass plus circulatory arrest time was 89.7 ± 12.7 minutes. Lower carbon dioxide tension (alpha-stat) before onset of circulatory arrest was associated with worse developmental outcome (r = 0.71, p = 0.002). This relationship remained highly significant when we controlled for sociodemographic and intraoperative variables, including core-cooling time, circulatory arrest time, and total elapsed time. Duration of circulatory arrest was not associated with developmental outcome. We conclude that when relatively rapid core cooling is used to achieve hypothermia before circulatory arrest in young infants, a more alkaline pH strategy such as alpha-stat may result in less effective cerebral protection.
Efficiency and Stability of National Borders: Lecture Summary

It is a pleasure and an honor to give this lecture at the opening of VIVES. It is quite fit that a new center for the study of regional economics and institutions has been created at the Catholic University of Leuven, which has a long and distinguished tradition in those areas of research. And this is an especially appropriate time to study such important issues, which are at the center of a growing and exciting literature.