cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bedside ultrasound curriculum for medical students: report of a blended learning curriculum implementation and validation.

Background Medical students on clinical rotations rarely receive formal bedside ultrasound (BUS) training. We designed, implemented, and evaluated a standardized BUS curriculum for medical students on their Emergency Medicine (EM) rotation. Teaching was aimed toward influencing four cognitive and psychomotor learning domains: BUS instrumentation knowledge, image interpretation, image acquisition, and procedural guidance. Methods Participants viewed three instructional Web-based tutorials on BUS instrumentation, the Focused Assessment for Sonography in Trauma (FAST) examination and ultrasound-guided central venous catheter (CVC) placement. Subsequently, participants attended a 3-hour hands-on training session to discuss the same content area and practice with faculty coaches. A Web-based, multiple-choice questionnaire was administered before and after the session. During the final week of the rotation, students returned for skills assessments on FAST image acquisition and CVC placement. Results Forty-five medical students on an EM rotation were enrolled. Sonographic knowledge overall mean score improved significantly from 66.6% (SD ±11.2) to 85.7% (SD ±10.0), corresponding to a mean difference of 19.1% (95% CI 15.5–22.7; p < 0.001). There were high pass rates for FAST (89.0%, 40/45) and CVC (96.0%, 43/45) skills assessments. There was no significant difference between medical student posttest and EM resident test scores 85.7% (SD ±10.0) and 88.1% (SD ± 7.6) (p = 0.40), respectively. Conclusions A formal BUS curriculum for medical students on EM rotation positively influenced performance in several key learning domains. As BUS competency is required for residency in EM and other specialties, medical schools could consider routinely incorporating BUS teaching into their clinical rotation curricula. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 43:139–144, 2015;
Numerical modeling of a historic storm: Simulating the Blizzard of 1888

[1] The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences Twentieth Century Reanalysis (20CR) is used to explore the feasibility of high-resolution simulation of a historic extratropical cyclone event: The New England Blizzard of 1888. Using the 20CR as initial and lateral boundary conditions for the Weather Research and Forecasting model, a reasonable depiction of the cyclone is obtained, albeit displaced significantly to the north of the observed cyclone during the later stages of the event. Despite the position error, the simulated storm produces heavy snowfall over parts of New England and intense offshore cyclogenesis.
Multilevel signal processing technique for a 30 Gbit/inch/sup 2/ phase change optical disk system

Developed a Viterbi decoder for multilevel signal. Since this decoder compensates nonlinearity and pattern dependence, it improved a noise margin by 3.5dB. We confirmed the feasibility of a phase change optical disk system which has a recording density of 30Gbit/inch/sup 2/.
The role of glutathione in carboplatin ototoxicity in the chinchilla.

The role of glutathione in carboplatin ototoxicity was investigated in the chinchilla. Chinchillas hearing was tested with both distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) and evoked potentials recorded from a chronic electrode in the inferior colliculus (IC). All subjects had an osmotic pump fitted to their right ear and it received buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) at a dose of 15 mM delivered at 5 ml per hour for 14 days. A group (N=4) was given a double dose of carboplatin (25 mg/kg i.p. for 2 days). The pump was implanted three days before the carboplatin dose. The BSO treated ears showed a greater loss in both evoked potential and DPOAE measures, as well as substantially fewer missing hair cells. The results implicate reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a common factor in ototoxic reactions because suppression of glutathione antioxidant leads to greater ototoxic reactions.
IMMUNE RESPONSES IN VITRO : II. SUPPRESSION OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE IN VITRO BY SPECIFIC ANTIBODY

The effects of hyperimmune anti-sheep erythrocyte (SRBC) antibody on the plaque-forming cell (PFC) response to SRBC by mouse spleen cells in vitro were studied. Anti-SRBC antibody specifically suppressed the PFC response against SRBC. The degree of suppression was directly related to the amount of antibody added and was overcome by large amounts of antigen. Suppressive activity was absorbed from the sera by SRBC and could be partially eluted from the antigen by heat. The PFC response in cultures stimulated with antigen-antibody complexes prepared with high concentrations of antibody were suppressed; however, some complexes prepared at lower antibody concentrations stimulated greater responses than SRBC alone. Antibodies collected after four immunizations had greater suppressive ability than those collected after two immunizations. The degree of suppression was as great whether antibody was added at the initiation of the cultures or 24 hr later, suggesting that during the first 24 hr the culture system was antigen-dependent. Incubation of separated lymphoid cells with antibody did not impair their ability to develop a PFC response in vitro. However, if macrophages were incubated with antibody either before or after incubation with SRBC, the subsequent PFC response by lymphoid cells was suppressed. The data are consistent with the conclusion that antibody suppresses the PFC response in vitro by neutralizing the antigenic stimulus at the macrophage-dependent phase of the response.
Dimension reduction and visualization of large high-dimensional data via interpolation

The recent explosion of publicly available biology gene sequences and chemical compounds offers an unprecedented opportunity for data mining. To make data analysis feasible for such vast volume and high-dimensional scientific data, we apply high performance dimension reduction algorithms. It facilitates the investigation of unknown structures in a three dimensional visualization. Among the known dimension reduction algorithms, we utilize the multidimensional scaling and generative topographic mapping algorithms to configure the given high-dimensional data into the target dimension. However, both algorithms require large physical memory as well as computational resources. Thus, the authors propose an interpolated approach to utilizing the mapping of only a subset of the given data. This approach effectively reduces computational complexity. With minor trade-off of approximation, interpolation method makes it possible to process millions of data points with modest amounts of computation and memory requirement. Since huge amount of data are dealt, we represent how to parallelize proposed interpolation algorithms, as well. For the evaluation of the interpolated MDS by STRESS criteria, it is necessary to compute symmetric all pairwise computation with only subset of required data per process, so we also propose a simple but efficient parallel mechanism for the symmetric all pairwise computation when only a subset of data is available to each process. Our experimental results illustrate that the quality of interpolated mapping results are comparable to the mapping results of original algorithm only. In parallel performance aspect, those interpolation methods are well parallelized with high efficiency. With the proposed interpolation method, we construct a configuration of two-million out-of-sample data into the target dimension, and the number of out-of-sample data can be increased further.
Hepatitis Status, Child-Pugh Classification, and Serum AFP Levels Predict Survival in Patients Treated With Transarterial Embolization for Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Most patients are not surgical candidates, and transarterial embolization (TAE) has been used to treat patients with unresectable HCC. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predict survival in patients treated with TAE at a Western medical center. Review of a prospective database identified 345 patients treated for HCC at University Hospital (Newark, NJ) between July 1998 and July 2004. Of these patients, 109 patients underwent TAE. Eleven of these patients were subsequently treated surgically and excluded from this study. Of the remaining 98 patients, demographic data and laboratory values were analyzed to predict survival by univariate and multivariate analysis. Several factors, including hepatitis status, Child-Pugh classification, serum alpha fetoprotein levels 3.5 gm/dl, and multiple treatments, predicted survival by univariate analysis. Serum alpha fetoprotein levels, Child-Pugh classification, and hepatitis status were found by multivariate analysis to independently predict survival. These factors may help to select patients with unresectable HCC who might benefit from TAE.
The effects of milrinone and piroximone on intracellular calcium handling in working myocardium from the ferret.

The effects of milrinone and piroximone were compared to those of isoprenaline, dibutyryl adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (dibutyryl cyclic AMP), forskolin, isobutylmethylxanthine, increased extracellular calcium [( Ca2+]o) and caffeine in ferret right ventricular papillary muscles that were loaded intracellularly with aequorin, a bioluminescent calcium indicator that emits light when it combines with calcium. The positive inotropic action of each drug, except caffeine, was associated with an increase in the peak amplitude of the aequorin light signal (i.e. intracellular Ca2+ transient) reflecting an increased amount of calcium available for excitation-contraction coupling; the positive inotropic effect of caffeine appears to occur by other mechanisms. The time courses of the aequorin light signal and corresponding tension response were shortened by isoprenaline, forskolin, isobutylmethylxanthine, dibutyryl cyclic AMP, milrinone and piroximone; unchanged by increased [Ca2+]o and prolonged by caffeine, suggesting that the rates of Ca2+ release and uptake by the sarcoplasmic reticulum were respectively increased, unchanged or decreased by these groups of drugs. Relative to changes in [Ca2+]o, the ratio of the peak of the aequorin light signal to the peak of the tension response was increased by isoprenaline, milrinone and piroximone, and decreased by caffeine, indicating that the Ca2+-sensitivity of the myofilaments was respectively decreased, and increased by these drugs. The effects of milrinone and piroximone on the amplitude and time course of the aequorin light signal, as they relate to changes in uptake and release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and to changes in the sensitivity of the myofilaments to Ca2+, are consistent with the findings that positive inotropic doses of these agents act by increasing intracellular concentrations of cyclic AMP. Higher doses of milrinone and piroximone produced negative inotropic effects that were characterized by diminution of developed tension but no change or an increase in the amplitude of the aequorin light signal, suggesting a decrease in the sensitivity of the contractile elements to Ca2+. Toxic doses of milrinone, piroximone and isoprenaline were associated with development of a Ca2+-overload state characterized by the presence of after-glimmers, after-contractions and dysrhythmias, and by decreased amplitude of both the aequorin light signal and tension response. The negative inotropic and toxic effects of milrinone and piroximone can be explained only in part by increased intracellular concentrations of cyclic AMP; we suggest that these drugs may have other cardiac actions.
Environmental factors and age of puberty in female house mice

Genetics, urinary chemosignals and related social influences, and ambient conditions affect reproduction in female mice. Five experiments tested the effects of environmental stressors on age at first vaginal estrus in female house mice. Environmental disruption in the form of changing the cage bedding and/or nesting material at various prescribed intervals resulted in different degrees of puberty delay relative to non-disrupted control mice. Disruption in the form of a male chasing the female for one to three 15-min intervals each day or the female being trapped and held in a live-trap for one to three 15-min intervals each day resulted in delays in puberty for treatments involving multiple daily disruptions. Food deprivation, but not water deprivation, influenced the onset of puberty. Variations in temperature and humidity resulted in differences in the age of puberty; low but not high temperatures and extremely low humidity levels delayed sexual maturation.
Do anti‐ticket scalping laws make a difference?

Ticket scalping is the practice of buying tickets at one price and reselling them at a higher one. The practice is controversial and currently almost half the states regulate the resale of tickets to one degree or another. As with other laws that regulate economic activity, the question immediately arises: ‘Who benefits from the law?’ Economists typically view transactions between willing buyers and willing sellers, such as ticket scalping, as welfare improving. They also view any interference with free market transactions as suspect and as possible evidence of rent harvesting. In an attempt to quantify the economic impact of anti-ticket scalping laws this paper presents a regression model of ticket price determination for National Football League teams and uses it to test the proposition ‘Do anti-ticket scalping laws make a difference?’
Effects of oral neomycin and kanamycin in chronic uremic patients: II. Nitrogen balance

Effects of oral neomycin and kanamycin in chronic uremic patients: II. Nitrogen balance. Nitrogen balance was studied for five to seven days before and during oral administration of neomycin or kanamycin to 14 patients with severe chronic renal failure who were receiving long-term nutritional therapy consisting of protein restriction and supplements of essential amino acids or their nitrogen-free analogues. There was a significant improvement in nitrogen balance during the antibiotic period when compared to the control period, averaging +0.80g of N per day (P Effets de la neomycine et de la kanamycine administres par voie orale a des malades atteints d'uremie chronique : II. Bilan d'azote. Le bilan d'azote a ete etudie pendant cinq a sept jours avant puis au cours de l'administration orale de neomycine et de kanamycine a 14 malades atteints d'insuffisance renale chronique severe et qui etaient soumis a une dietetique au long cours comportant une restriction de proteines et l'adjonction d'acides amines essentiels ou de leurs analogues depourvus d'azote. Le bilan d'azote a ete significativement ameliore au cours de l'administration d'antibiotiques par comparaison a la periode controle, la moyenne a ete de + 0,80g N par jour (P
Software-level scheduling to exploit non-uniformly shared data cache on GPGPU

Data cache is introduced to GPUs to mitigate the irregular memory access problem. But few studies have investigated how to exploit its full potential. In this work, we consider some important GPU applications that feature data sharing across thread blocks. We show that the sharing is not well exploited because current GPU runtime ignores such a factor when scheduling threads. We then present an application-level transformation to remap thread blocks to data on the fly. With the software-level scheduler, thread blocks with much data sharing are scheduled to share the cache on a streaming multiprocessor (SM). Experiments on four benchmarks show 1.23X speedup on average.
A Panel Study of U.S. Equity Pension Fund Manager Style Performance

The authors examine the investment performance of 292 U.S. equity pension funds in three major style categories for two consecutive twelve-quarter time periods, including survivors and non-survivors. They offer three major conclusions. First, the choice of an equity benchmark affects the magnitude of alpha. Second, it is difficult to find investment managers within equity styles who consistently add value relative to the S&P 500 and the appropriate style benchmark. Finally, there is no evidence that the number of funds outperforming that appropriate style benchmark index (after fees) exceeds random chance. Including non-survivors and applying selected control variables does not affect the basic results.
Assessment of damage detection methods in GRID-LOCK® structures

Bonded metallic GRID-LOCK® structures are being adopted for a variety of aerospace applications due to their structural efficiency and damage tolerance. However, effective damage detection in these structures is complicated by a lack of interior access. In this paper, the feasibility of various non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques for detecting the presence, location, and magnitude of damage in GRID-LOCK® is investigated. Experiments conducted on a GRID-LOCK® test structure reveal that vibration-based damage detection and optical nde methods are superior to ultrasonic C-scans in detecting disbond defects. Finite-element analysis (FEA) is used to interpret experimental results and highlight the advantages of alternate NDE approaches.
Fellowship Directors’ Perceptions of the 2005 NRMP Radiology Fellowship Match1

Rationale and Objectives The aim of the study is to gauge radiology fellowship directors’ experiences with the fellowship application process and perceptions of the National Resident Matching Program Radiology Fellowship Match, as well as compare these perceptions with those of senior residents. Methods and Materials An electronic survey was sent to 291 members of the Association of Program Directors in Radiology. Responses were compared directly with an earlier survey of senior residents who participated in the same cycle of the Fellowship Match. Results Sixty-seven respondents participated in the survey. Based on our estimates of the total number of US-based radiology subspecialty fellowship programs, this represents between 15.3% (67/438) and 24.2% (67/277) of all fellowship directors. Approximately three quarters (52/76 directors; 77.6%) participated in the Fellowship Match. Respondents believe that the match process makes the process fairer for all applicants (31/43 respondents; 70.5%) and primarily benefits residents (30/76 respondents; 60.0%), a significant difference compared with senior residents (P Conclusion Although there are significant differences in perception of the Match process between fellowship directors and senior residents, the majority of fellowship directors favor continuing the Match in some form. Several potential solutions, including explicit declaration of the number of available positions and strict enforcement of Match rules, may help improve the process in the future.
Force modulation as a source of hand differences in rapid finger tapping

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the factors contributing to hand differences in rapid single finger tapping. To this end, task-defined temporal variables and motor outflow, as reflected by the magnitude and duration of force, were simultaneously measured. Thirty-one right-handed college age subjects performed a rapid finger-tapping task with the index finger of the right and left hands. The order of hand use was counterbalanced across subjects. Significant differences favoring the right hand were found in the rate of tapping as indicated by the inter-tap interval, dwell (duration of key closure), the interval between force peaks and the variance of the force peak intervals. Additionally, relative to the left hand, the right hand used significantly smaller amounts of force and exhibited less variation in force. These data are conceptually consistent with Kimura's (1979) contention that the left hemisphere is uniquely specialized to control sequences of action such as postural transitions. However, Kimura argues that this unique ability is manifest in multiple-finger sequences but not rapid single finger tapping. The present data indicate such a mechanism may be observed in rapid single finger tapping if the appropriate dependent measures are obtained.
Organic based reducing agents. Prediction of oxidation potentials of Election rich radicals from the Analysis of AM1 charge density Distributions [1]

Electrochemical oxidation potentials ofmethoxy substituted benzyl, l-naphthylmethyl, phenethyl, diphenylmethyl and cumyl radicals, substituted at the α-, 2-, 3-, or 4-position have been measured by photomodulation voltammetry. These data are compared to ionization potentials calculated using the AM1 molecular orbital method. Although a plot of the oxidation potentials versus the AM1 ionization potentials is quite scattered, an essentially linear relationship is found for a plot of the relative oxidation potential (i.e. compared to that of the unsubstituted parent radical) and the fraction of charge in the 2pz orbital of the parent cation. The relationship is remarkable considering the potentials span a range of ca. 1 eV (23 kcal mol -1) and the fractional charges span a range of ca. 0.5 of a unit charge. The utility of such a relationship as a predictive tool in the design of simple organic based reducing agents is discussed.
Synthesis and properties of the cyclopentapeptide desthiomalformin

Abstract Desthiomalformin, cyclo - d -alanyl- d -alanyl- l -valyl- d -leucyl- l -isoleucyl, was synthesized by conventional methods. Cyclization of the open chain intermediate through the azide produced the cyclopentapeptide in short reaction time and in high yield and was not accompanied by cyclodimerization. The extreme readiness of the pentapeptide azide to form a cyclic structure can be attributed to the presence of alternating d and l residues in the sequence, a feature that should result in reverse turns stabilized by intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Thus the open chain intermediate could have a preferred cyclic conformation. Desthiomalformin has high thermal stability; it can be sublimed in vacuo without decomposition. It lacks, however, the biological activity of its parent compound, malformin.
The praxis of systems thinking for concurrent design space and business strategy exploration

Systems thinking is a holistic approach to solving complex problems by considering every issue as part of a complex web of interconnected and interacting systems rather than independent issues with unrelated consequences. Such an approach forces attention on the bigger picture and wider processes of change rather than concentrating on discrete outputs at the individual task level. Systems thinking can be especially helpful in navigating the complexity and chaos inherent in technology-based social ventures in developing communities. Lack of clarity in the roles, responsibilities, and returns for the various stakeholders epitomizes this chaos and is a major contributor to the failure of such projects. The E-Spot canvas is a design space and business strategy exploration tool that facilitates group-thinking amongst stakeholders to match project resource requirements with money, time, sweat, and other equities that can be expended by them to sustain their project socially, economically, and environmentally. The canvas serves three roles: an educational tool for studying and practicing systems thinking; an entrepreneurial tool for developing equitable business and implementation strategies; and an ethical reflection tool for understanding motivations and incentives of various stakeholders and for making decisions that optimize short-term and long-term benefit and minimize the risk for everyone involved. This paper discusses the relevance of eight tenets of systems thinking-namely interdependence, holism, multifinality, equifinality, differentiation, regulation, abstraction, and leverage points-to technology-based social ventures from conceptual and practical perspectives. With the help of several examples, the paper describes how the E-Spot canvas operationalizes systems thinking to help identify appropriate stakeholders and determine the forms of equity they might offer towards fulfilling the overarching objectives of the venture while meeting their own needs.
Micromechanical analysis of metal matrix composite laminates with fiber/matrix interfacial damage

Abstract A nonlinear micromechanics based laminate analysis and a statistical representation for failure are combined to model the fiber/matrix interfacial damage on the composite behavior. The micromechanical analysis is based on the method of cells formulation [Aboudi (1989). Applied Mechanics Review 42(7), 193–221]. The statistical approach is based on a Gaussian distribution of the fiber-matrix interfacial stresses coupled with interfacial failure strength. This statistical representation is then modified through a linear approximation so it may be incorporated into the laminate analysis to model interfacial failure readily with minimum empirical constants. The results from the present study are compared with the experimental and finite element data of titanium-based metal matrix laminates with unidirectional and crossply layups from previous studies which demonstrate excellent agreement.
An Interesting Case of a Unilaterally Dilated Pupil

Facial lacerations from minor trauma are a common presenting complaint to the emergency department. With the increasing availability of topical anesthetics, there is a decrease in the need for injectable local anesthetic and sedation services, facilitating the ease of facial laceration repairs for young children. One such topical anesthetic is a widely used pharmacy preparation of lidocaine 4%-epinephrine 0.1%-tetracaine 0.5% gel (LET). Although the use of LET has decreased the need for injectable lidocaine and sedation for facial lacerations, both of which can be unpleasant for children with potentially life-threatening adverse events, it may still lead to unexpected and untoward adverse events. We explore here a little-known adverse effect of LET in a child who presented to a pediatric emergency department with an eyelid laceration after minor head trauma.
Cross-Tenant Side-Channel Attacks in PaaS Clouds

We present a new attack framework for conducting cache-based side-channel attacks and demonstrate this framework in attacks between tenants on commercial Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) clouds. Our framework uses the FLUSH-RELOAD attack of Gullasch et al. as a primitive, and extends this work by leveraging it within an automaton-driven strategy for tracing a victim's execution. We leverage our framework first to confirm co-location of tenants and then to extract secrets across tenant boundaries. We specifically demonstrate attacks to collect potentially sensitive application data (e.g., the number of items in a shopping cart), to hijack user accounts, and to break SAML single sign-on. To the best of our knowledge, our attacks are the first granular, cross-tenant, side-channel attacks successfully demonstrated on state-of-the-art commercial clouds, PaaS or otherwise.
First radiotherapy of human metastatic brain tumors delivered by a computerized tomography scanner (CTRx).

Abstract Purpose: This Phase I study was designed to evaluate the computed tomography (CT) scanner as a device for radiation therapy of human brain tumors (CTRx). This first use in humans of a modified CT for treatment was founded on extensive research experience with canine tumors. An additional objective was to increase the therapeutic radiation dose to tumors compared to normal tissue by concentration of infused contrast material in tumors, an effect available at diagnostic x-ray energies but not at megavoltage energies. Methods and Materials: A small metastatic brain tumor in each of eight patients received 3–5-weekly fractions of 5 Gy equivalent per fraction from a CT scanner modified to deliver radiation therapy. In each patient, one additional tumor, lying completely outside the volume treated by CTRx, served as a control. The tumor receiving CTRx was treated after infusion of iodinated x-ray contrast media (CM) for dose enhancement. Many of these patients also received conventional 40 Gy whole brain radiation, before, during, or after CTRx treatment. Results: None of the patients showed adverse reactions to the CM or necrosis of the normal brain from the CTRx boost radiation. Monte Carlo calculations of the radiation dose distributions in a model tumor showed that the CTRx irradiation of tumors carrying 10 mg or more of iodine per gram of tumor was as good or better than the dose distribution from conventional 10-MV X-rays. The treated tumor in two of the patients vanished after four treatments, whereas a control tumor in one patient remained constant and grew 4-fold in another patient. Conclusion: The CTRx concept effectively combines a modified CT scanner as a diagnostic device, as a simulator dedicated to radiotherapy, and as a treatment machine. Thus, CTRx could be very useful for radiation oncologists in controlling CM-enhanced and other small brain tumors.
An N-terminal clamp restrains the motor domains of the bacterial transcription-repair coupling factor Mfd

Motor proteins that translocate on nucleic acids are key players in gene expression and maintenance. While the function of these proteins is diverse, they are driven by highly conserved core motor domains. In transcription-coupled DNA repair, motor activity serves to remove RNA polymerase stalled on damaged DNA, making the lesion accessible for repair. Structural and biochemical data on the bacterial transcription-repair coupling factor Mfd suggest that this enzyme undergoes large conformational changes from a dormant state to an active state upon substrate binding. Mfd can be functionally dissected into an N-terminal part instrumental in recruiting DNA repair proteins (domains 1-3, MfdN), and a C-terminal part harboring motor activity (domains 4-7, MfdC). We show that isolated MfdC has elevated ATPase and motor activities compared to the full length protein. While MfdN has large effects on MfdC activity and thermostability in cis, these effects are not observed in trans. The structure of MfdN is independent of interactions with MfdC, implying that MfdN acts as a clamp that restrains motions of the motor domains in the dormant state. We conclude that releasing MfdN:MfdC interactions serves as a central molecular switch that upregulates Mfd functions during transcription-coupled DNA repair.
Quantitative visualization of surface flows on rotating disks

A novel scheme of the visualization of surface flows is developed. It utilizes the strong adhesion forces between micrometer-sized particles and solid surfaces to register the surface streaklines, or equivalently, streamlines for steady flows. Fluorescent particles are used to allow the spectral separation of particle fluorescence emission from morphology-related elastic light scattering from the surface. This scheme was employed to investigate the surface flow on rotating disks in a disk-drive-like environment. Trajectories of the streaklines were digitized and quantitatively analyzed using image processing for orientation and spatial distribution. The surface streaklines provide information about the boundary layers on the disk while the spreading angle of the jets in the self-pumped through-flow reveal details about the bulk flow outside the boundary layer. The spiral angle of the streaklines over a major portion of the disk surface was found to be in good agreement with the theory for laminar Ekman boundary layers. The spreading of the streaklines, reflecting the width of the self-pumped jets emanating from holes in the hub, was found to increase linearly with radius.
Distributed Generation System Control Strategies in Microgrid Operation

Abstract Control strategies of distributed generation (DG) are investigated for different combination of DG and storage units in a microgrid. This paper develops a detailed photovoltaic (PV) array model with maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control, and presents real and reactive power (PQ) control and droop control for DG system for microgrid operation. In grid-connected mode, PQ control is developed by controlling the active and reactive power output of DGs in accordance with assigned references. In islanded mode, DGs are controlled by droop control. Droop control implements power reallocation between DGs based on predefined droop characteristics whenever load changes or the microgrid is connected/disconnected to the grid, while the microgrid voltage and frequency is maintained at appropriate levels. This paper presents results from a test microgrid system consisting of a voltage source converter (VSC) interfacing with a DG, a PV array with MPPT, and changeable loads. The control strategies are tested via two scenarios: the first one is to switch between grid-connected mode and islanded mode and the second one is to change loads in islanded mode. Through voltage, frequency, and power characteristics in the simulation under such two scenarios, the proposed control strategies can be demonstrated to work properly and effectively.
Strength and formability of ultra-low-carbon Ti-IF Steels

Ultra-low-carbon interstitial free (IF) steel sheets bearing Ti and/or Nb have been extensively used for automotive panels because of superior formability and nonaging properties. It is well known that the interstitial elements such as C and N play important roles in the formability. The lower the contents of the C and N in steel, the better the formability of the steel. The demands for the steel with excellent formability from automotive industry will accelerate the progress in the steelmaking process, leading to the development of the ultra-low-carbon steel. With the advent and installation of improved vacuum degassing equipment in the steelmaking process, it is now possible to consistently produce ultra-low-carbon content of 0.002 to 0.005 wt pct. It is expected that in the near future, the C and N contents can be lowered to as low as 0.001 pct or less. This study is focused on strength and formability in the extremely ultra-low-carbon IF steels containing about 0.001 pct carbon.
Geometric moire methods with enhanced sensitivity by optical/digital fringe multiplication

A robust fringe-shifting and image processing scheme is applied to geometric moire experiments. High quality contour maps of U, V and W displacement fields are obtained with sensitivity enhanced by a factor of ten. The method is compatible with complicated intensity distributions, variable bar-to-space ratios of gratings, and optical noise. It is applicable to large fields for both in-plane moire and shadow moire measurements.
Two‐scale shear band evolution by local partition of unity

We introduce a methodology to model shear band evolution in the quasi-static regime using the extended finite element method. We enrich the finite element polynomial displacement field with a fine scale function, which models the high displacement gradient in the shear band. For this purpose we use a local partition of unity and a parameterized displacement enrichment based on closed form solutions for one-dimensional shear bands. A stabilized consistent penalty method is used to circumvent locking in the regularized elasto-viscoplastic plane-strain regime and to guarantee element stability. The loss of stability of the boundary value problem is used as an indicator of shear band initiation point and direction. Shear band development examples are shown, illustrating the capabilities of the method to track shear band evolution and strains as high as 1000%. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A simple, yet highly accurate, QSAR model captures the complement inhibitory activity of compstatin.

Abstract Compstatin is a 13-residue cyclic peptide inhibitor of complement activation that was originally identified through phage-mediated presentation of a peptide library to C3b. Recent efforts to improve its activity have led to a rich dataset of complement analogs, with the most active analog being ∼260 times more active than the parent compstatin. In the present work, a highly transparent quantitative structure–activity relationship model ( R adj 2 = 0.89) with four parameters is presented that captures important physico-chemical and geometrical properties of the analog molecules with regard to activity. The number of aromatic bonds and hydrophobicity of the fourth residue of compstatin correlated strongly with activity. Also important were the hydrophobic patch size near the disulfide bond and the solvent-accessible surface area occupied by nitrogen atoms of basic amino acid residues.
995-17 Are Intracoronary Doppler Flow Velocity Measurements Accurate for Assessment of Coronary Flow Reserve?

Coronary flow reserve (CFR) measurements are useful for assessment of coronary stenoses and microvascular function in patients. Intracoronary Doppler probes are commonly used for CFR measurement, but changes in flow velocity reflect volumetric flow only if the conduit vessel size is constant. We hypothesized that potent resistance vessel dilators used for CFR measurement also produce conduit artery dilation that perturbs the relationship between coronary flow velocity and volumetric flow. Methods Coronary flow velocimetry (Doppler-tipped guidewire) and quantitative angiography were performed in a non-stenotic artery at control (Con), and during a maximally dilating dose of intracoronary adenosine before and after nitroglycerin (NTG) 100 μg i.c. in 6 patients. CFR was measured conventionally using peak/rest flow velocity changes alone (Vel) and flow estimates incorporating angiographic vessel cross-sectional area (VxA). Results (mean ± s.e.m.) Coronary Diameter (mm) CFR Con adenosine NTG Con Vel Can VxA NTG Vel 2.50 ± 0.26 2.89 ± 0.30 * 2.93 ± 0.28 * 3.0 ± 0.2 4.0 ± 0.3 † 3.8 ± 0.4 ‡ * p l 0.01 vs control † p l 0.01 vs can Vel ‡ p = 0.08 vs can Vel Conclusions 1) Intracoronary adenosine produces concurrent conduit as well as resistance vessel dilation that is similar in magnitude to nitroglycerin. 2) Coronary flow reserve is underestimated if blood flow changes are assessed using flow velocity measurements alone. 3) Coronary flow reserve measured using velocity changes after pretreatment with nitroglycerin is similar to measurement that incorporates angiographic cross-sectional area, and may obviate the need for area determination.
Stabilization and sclerotization of Raja erinacea egg capsule proteins

Sclerotization of skate egg capsule occurs after secretion of capsule precursors from the shell gland and involves a form of quinone tanning in which catechols are introduced in utero and subsequently oxidized to quinones by catechol oxidase. A latent form of enzyme is incorporated in the capsular matrix during secretion. Oxidase activity increases concomitantly with increasing catechol and quinone contents. Six major proteins ranging in size from 95 kDa to 20 kDa comprise the skate egg capsule, all of which contain elevated levels of glycine, serine, proline and tyrosine. Hydroxyproline occurs in all but one protein, however, none has an amino acid composition typical of collagen. Solubilization of two proteins from pre-tanned capsule requires reducing agents indicating that an early event leading to matrix stabilization is mediated by disulfide bonds. Stabilization of the other proteins along with the disulfide bonded proteins directly correlates with increasing catechol content, catechol oxidase activity and quinone formation.
Synovitis, Acne, Pustulosis, Hyperostosis and Osteitis (SAPHO) and chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO): Role of imaging in diagnosis

Abstract There is a spectrum of musculoskeletal disorders which can be associated with dermatologic findings, the fundamental component of which is a nonbacterial osteitis. CRMO (Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis) and SAPHO syndrome (Synovitis, Acne, Pustulosis, Hyperostosis and Osteitis) describe paediatric and adult conditions, respectively, of inflammatory osteitis that can be associated with palmoplantar pustulosis and acne. Imaging findings are similar and a key component to the diagnosis in both conditions. This report describes two patients with strikingly similar radiologic presentations of clavicular osteitis in whom the diagnosis was made predominantly on the basis of imaging findings. The typical imaging features and radiographic hallmarks of both conditions will also be discussed.
Modeling the Unfolded States of Tau protein and p21(145-164)

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) play essential roles in a number of normal and pathological processes, but unlike most other proteins they can adopt a variety of distinct conformations in solution. Here we propose a novel approach, called Energy-minima Mapping and Weighting (EMW), for constructing models of IDPs. The method samples energetically favorable conformations within an IDP and uses these structures to construct ensembles that are consistent with a given set of experimental data. A unique feature of the method is that it does not strive to generate a single ensemble that represents the unfolded state. Instead we construct a number of candidate ensembles, each of which agrees with a given set of experimental constraints (such as NMR chemical shifts and hydrodynamic radii and residual dipolar coupling constants) and focus our analysis on local structural features that are present in all of the independently generated ensembles. We apply the method to two natively unfolded proteins: tau protein, which plays a role in Alzheimer's Disease pathology, and (p21145-164), a small IDP that binds to approximately 25 targets and is believed to play a role in cellular signaling. For tau protein, we deduce structural features that may explain the proclivity of tau mutants to form pathologic aggregates and in the case of p21, we demonstrate that the peptide's intrinsic structural preferences enable promiscuous - yet high affinity - binding to a diverse array of molecular targets.
Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided pseudocyst drainage as a one-step procedure using a novel multiple-wire insertion technique (with video)

Background The EUS 2008 working group considered the development of equipment and methods to minimize the need for exchanging accessories and to facilitate insertion of multiple transmural stents during endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided pseudocyst drainage as an important advance for therapeutic EUS. The authors aimed to describe their experience with EUS-guided pseudocyst drainage using a novel multiple-wire insertion technique facilitated by the double-lumen biliary cytology brush catheter.
PROMOTING A TALENT DEVELOPMENT VIEW OF EXCELLENCE FOR 2‐YEAR COLLEGES

This study examines faculty perceptions of 2‐ and 4‐year college views of excellence using the 1989‐90 Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) Faculty Survey. Two‐year colleges were perceived to place a lower priority on traditional views of excellence than 4‐year colleges. Talent development is promoted as a more promising view of excellence for 2‐year colleges.
Two-stage liquefaction of a subbituminous coal

Abstract The two-stage conversion of a subbituminous coal has been investigated using an autoclave reactor system. The overall performance of the reaction is found to be determined by the effectiveness of the first-stage operation and by the method of sequencing of the stages. The initial thermal products can undergo condensation reactions which render them unresponsive to subsequent catalytic conversion and which increase the light gas yield. This can occur during the first stage reaction, if there is limited capacity for free-radical stabilization, and upon storage and/or thermal cycling between stages. The latter effects are circumvented by operating the two stages in immediate sequence. Condensation is also reduced by increasing the solvent quality and the solvent:coal ratio. The presence of a catalyst during thermal decomposition of coal can greatly improve conversion and product stability even at short reaction time and can reduce constraints on solvent quality. The more feasible approaches to improving first-stage operation appear to be in controlling the solvent composition and in employing hydrogenation catalysts.
Ceramic coatings on ceramic for improved oxidation-corrosion resistance

Abstract Thin films of covalent ceramics were deposited onto a variety of hot-pressed and pressureless sintered silicon nitride substrates to reduce oxidation-hot corrosion of the underlying material and to minimize pitting and localized attack of the substrate. The extent of oxidation-corrosion of the hot-pressed and pressureless sintered nitride ceramics in the presence of thin films of sodium sulfate at 1000 °C was dependent on the out-diffusion of cations from the intergranular phase into the predominantly silica corrosion product. Silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon carbide and silicon aluminum oxynitride films were deposited by reactive r.f. sputtering to form an effective diffusion barrier to cation migration. The amount of protection provided by these covalent ceramic coatings was dependent on the composition, microstructure and phase distribution within the coating. Crystallization of the as-deposited films was performed by conventional furnace heat treatment. Corrosion rates of the silicon nitride ceramics protected with covalent ceramic coatings were significantly reduced. Pitting of the ceramic substrates was also significantly reduced when protective coatings were applied.
Antiangiogenic therapy for a large splenic hemangioma

Hemangiomas involving the spleen are rare and seldom symptomatic. Treatment options for large lesions usually consist of splenectomy, embolization, or both. Antiangiogenic treatment has not been reported previously as an effective alternative for this type of lesion. We report our experience of successfully using glucocorticoids in an infant with a large hemangioma of the spleen.
Backing out of linear backoff in wireless networks

This paper revisits the randomized backoff problem in CSMA networks and identifies opportunities of improvement. The key observation is that today's backoff operation, such as in WiFi, attempts to create a total ordering among all nodes contending for the channel. Total ordering indeed assigns a unique backoff to each node (thus avoiding collisions), but pays the penalty of choosing the random back-offs from a large range, ultimately translating to channel wastage. We envision breaking away from total ordering. Briefly, we force nodes to pick random numbers from a smaller range, so that groups of nodes pick the same random number (i.e., partial order). Now, the group that picks the smallest number - the winners - is advanced to a second round, where they again perform the same operation. We show that narrowing down the contenders through multiple rounds improves channel utilization. The intuition is that time for partially ordering all nodes plus totally ordering each small group is actually less than the time needed to totally order all nodes.We instantiate the idea with two well known CSMA protocols - WiFi and oCSMA. We resolve new challenges regarding multi domain contentions and group signaling. USRP and simulation based microbenchmarks are promising. We believe the idea of "hierarchical backoff" applies to other CSMA systems as well, exploration of which is left to future work.