cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combined mode I-mode III fracture of a high strength low-alloy steel

Special formulations of theJ integral were used to quantify the combined mode I-mode III fracture behavior of ASTM A710 Grade A steel, a tough material which displays elastic-plastic behavior at room temperature. Experimental fracture initiation loci for two heat-treated conditions were linear inJi-Jiii space, agreeing with analytical predictions based on linear elasticity. As commonly observed in mode I fracture behavior, large tearing modulus values accompanied largeJ values for mode I and mode III components, individually as well as for totalJ values. There was a pronounced tendency toward antiplane shear flow in the modified compact tension specimens tested. This may result from the concentration of mode III shear strains in the plane of the propagating crack as predicted by slip line theory. Shear fractures with the crack propagating at inclined angles to both load line and plate free surfaces are favored energetically over pure mode I cracks even though the total surface area formed by the latter is much smaller.
Wave formations in noctilucent clouds

Abstract The implications of the appearance of wave and billow structure in noctilucent clouds are discussed. While in some cases the billows can be explained as effects of the angle under which the clouds are viewed, the wave motion itself with its varying horizontal convergence and divergence must also give rise to billows. In any case the presence of billow structure presents no difficulty to the hypothesis that the noctilucent clouds consist of dust particles. Observations of the wind and temperature distribution at the heights of the noctilucent clouds and during the time when waves are visible could give information about the dynamics of the atmospheric layers, in conjunction with observations of the lengths and velocities of these waves.
Synthesis of Multiple Antireflection Films over a Prescribed Frequency Band

The synthesis (as opposed to analysis) of multilayer dielectric films as antireflection coatings over any specified frequency band has not been attempted before. The similarity with transmission lines, which can be synthesized as multisection quarter-wave transformers to minimize reflection over any prescribed frequency band, is utilized by applying recently developed synthesis procedures for quarter-wave transformers to the synthesis of multiple antireflection films. [ See O. S. Heavens , Optical Properties of Thin Solid Films ( Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1955); and P. J. Leurgans , J. Opt. Soc. Am.41, 714 ( 1951).] A brief review of network synthesis is given, leading up to the synthesis of quarter-wave transformers and multilayer films. Numerical tables are presented in this paper from which antireflection coatings of up to four layers can be designed by interpolation. The design procedure (synthesis) described herein leads to the best possible antireflection films, but demands precisely controlled materials with certain refractive indices. It is hoped that this paper will help to promote the development of such materials, and will encourage opticists to try experimentally for the optimum performances possible in theory.
The immune privilege of corneal allografts.

Background Corneal transplantation is the oldest, most common, and arguably, the most successful form of tissue transplantation. In the United States alone, over 40,000 corneal transplantations are performed each year. Less than 10% of the uncomplicated, first-time corneal grafts will undergo immune rejection even though HLA matching is not routinely performed and the use of immunosuppressive drugs is limited to the topical application of corticosteroids. The success of corneal transplantations predates the use of corticosteroids and further emphasizes the remarkable privilege of corneal allografts. Methods Several laboratories have used rat and mouse models of orthotopic corneal transplantation (keratoplasty) in an attempt to understand the basis for the immune privilege of corneal allografts. Results The time-honored explanation for the immune privilege of corneal allografts was based on the conspicuous avascularity of the cornea, which was believed to sequester the graft from the immune apparatus. However, results from several laboratories indicate that at least three additional features of the corneal graft contribute to its immune privileged status: (a) absence of donor-derived, antigen-presenting passenger Langerhans cells in the corneal graft; (b) expression of Fas ligand on the epithelium and endothelium of the corneal allograft; and (c) capacity of the corneal allograft to induce immune deviation of the systemic immune response. Conclusions The immune privilege of corneal allografts is a product of at least three unique qualities of the corneal allograft that conspire to interfere with the induction and expression of allodestructive immune responses.
Cytoplasmic basic proteins in the oocytes of three species of molluscs

Abstract Cytoplasmic basic proteins have been described from the oocytes of three widely separated species of molluscs. These proteins occur in the young oocytes and tend to become undetectable with cytochemical methods as oocytes growth proceeds. All of these basic proteins give strong evidence of being bound to cytoplasmic RNA.
High Performance Nonconductive Film with π-Conjugated Self-Assembled Molecular Wires for Fine Pitch Interconnect Applications

In this paper, we introduce a novel approach of using π-conjugated molecular wires to improve the electrical properties of nonconductive films (NCFs) for the electronic interconnects. Two thiol (-SH) terminated conjugated molecular wires, 1,4-benezenedithiol (BDT) and biphenyldithiol (BPD), are incorporated into an NCF formulation and investigated. The molecular wires can be well assembled on the gold (Au) electrodes and improve the interfacial properties of the NCF joints. The BPD exhibits higher thermal stability after curing at 150°C than BDT due to the higher aromaticity (more aromatic rings) and thus more rigid structure. Formation of a self-assembled monolayer on Au electrodes can tune the effective work function (Φ) of Au electrodes and reduce the tunnel resistivity. Therefore, the joint resistance of NCF joints, which is the sum of tunnel resistance and constriction resistance, can be significantly reduced from 0.15 × 10−3 Ω to 0.1 × 10−3 Ω and 0.05 × 10−3 Ω with BDT and BPD, respectively. The improved electrical conduction and current carrying capability enables the application of the NCF in fine pitch and high performance electronic interconnects in microelectronics.
Intermediate-coupling calculations of the effects of interacting resonances on dielectronic recombination in a static electric field

Recently, we demonstrated that the enhancement of dielectronic recombination by an electric field, or crossed electric and magnetic fields, may be reduced by the interaction between resonances through a common continuum @Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 1402 ~1998!#. However, these calculations were carried out in a configurationaverage ~CA! approximation and the question then remained as to how these predicted reductions might be affected when one removes the degeneracy inherent in the CA approximation and includes the interactions between the resonant states associated with individual intermediate-coupled levels. In the present paper we address that issue for the case of dielectronic recombination in the presence of an electric field. Indeed we have found that these more detailed calculations support the general conclusions of our earlier work and provide additional insight into the effects of interacting resonances on dielectronic recombination in the presence of fields. Results for the Li-like ions C, Ne, and Si are presented. @S1050-2947~98!02712-7#
A General Approach for Image and Co-Channel Interference Suppression in Diversity Wireless Receivers Employing ICA

In this contribution, a general approach to suppress image signal and co-channel interference in a wireless receiver is presented. The technique employs diversity reception, and the algorithm is based on complex-valued independent component analysis (ICA). The proposed ICA method increases the channel capacity through greater frequency reuse, and it simplifies the receiver’s front end by eliminating the need for analog image filtering. Also, the new technique is computationally efficient and has attractive implementation features in terms of the requirement for A/D converters’ speed and bandpass filters’ selectivity. Simulation results show that the performance is robust over a wide range of input signal-to-interference ratios, and the algorithm has fast convergence.
Apoptosis of Mo7e leukemia cells is associated with the cleavage of Bcl-2 into a shortened fragment that is not functional for heterodimerization with Bcl-2 and Bax.

Bcl-2 is an integral intracellular membrane protein that can protect cells from apoptosis induced by multiple insults in a variety of cell types. During apoptosis, Bcl-2 was cleaved into a shortened fragment (Bcl-2/Delta34) by a caspase-3-like protease in human Mo7e megakaryocytic leukemia cells deprived of exogenous rhGM-CSF. Results from cell fractionation and immunoblot analyses indicated that both Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/Delta34 were located exclusively on the mitochondria of Mo7e cells. Treatment of isolated mitochondria with recombinant caspase-3 induced the same cleavage of Bcl-2 in vitro and caused the release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the supernatant. The antiapoptotic effect of Bcl-2/Delta34 was investigated using an in vitro protein translation approach. Both Bcl-2/Delta34 and Bax proteins generated in wheat germ extract were readily relocated to the mitochondria isolated from control Mo7e cells. Insertion of Bax, but not Bcl-2/Delta34, into mitochondria triggered a rapid release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria. Coimmunoprecipitation studies showed that, unlike Bcl-2, the cleaved Bcl-2 fragment was no longer functional for dimerization with either Bcl-2 or Bax. Taken together, these findings showed that the integrity of Bcl-2 is necessary for its function of heterodimerization with Bax, which appears to be one of the mechanisms of antiapoptotic effect of Bcl-2.
Critical exponents in a quantum phase transition of an anisotropic 2D antiferromagnet

I use the two-step density-matrix renormalization group method to extract the critical exponents $\ensuremath{\beta}$ and $\ensuremath{\nu}$ in the transition from a N\'eel $Q=(\ensuremath{\pi},\ensuremath{\pi})$ phase to a magnetically disordered phase with a spin gap. I find that the exponent $\ensuremath{\beta}$ computed from the magnetic side of the transition is consistent with that of the classical Heisenberg model, but not the exponent $z\ensuremath{\nu}$ computed from the disordered side. This suggests a possible discrepancy with the classical behavior. I also show the contrast between integer and half-integer spin cases.
Dynamics of a drop in a constricted capillary tube

Here we study the dynamics of a bubble or drop as it is driven by a pressure gradient through a capillary tube. For the case of a straight capillary, the drop can either approach a steady-state shape or the rear of the drop develops a re-entrant cavity. Also, depending on the initial conditions, the drop can break apart into smaller drops. For flow through a constricted capillary tube, depending on the physical parameters of the problem, the drop can either move through the constriction or break into two or more pieces as it moves past the constriction. We study this snap-off process numerically and determine the effect of the physical parameters on the dynamics of the drop.
An economic approach to isotopic enrichment of glycoproteins expressed from Sf9 insect cells

It is estimated that over half of all proteins are glycosylated, yet only a small number of the structures in the protein data bank are of intact glycoproteins. One of the reasons for the lack of structural information on glycoproteins is the high cost of isotopically labeling proteins expressed from eukaryotic cells such as in insect and mammalian cells. In this paper we describe modifications to commercial insect cell growth medium that reduce the cost for isotopically labeling recombinant proteins expressed from Sf9 cells. A key aspect of this work was to reduce the amount of glutamine in the cell culture medium while maintaining sufficient energy yielding metabolites for vigorous growth by supplementing with glucose and algae-derived amino acids. We present an analysis of cell growth and protein production in Sf9 insect cells expressing secreted Thy1-GFP fusion construct. We also demonstrate isotopic enrichment of the Thy-1 protein backbone with 15N and carbohydrates with 13C by NMR spectroscopy.
Neutral-Deriving Transformers for Grounding Low Voltage Systems with Delta-Connected Source Transformers

Recommendations are developed for selecting and connecting three single-phase transformers as a neutral-deriving transformer bank to ground a 480 V low-voltage power system supplied from a delta-connected source transformer. Assumptions made are that the system has no 277 V loads, and that the bank is used solely as a source of ground fault current.
Radiation treatment of carcinoma of the cervix with extension into the endometrium: a reappraisal of its significance.

During the period from 1969-1974, 561 patients with proven invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix were treated by irradiation only in the Department of Radiation Therapy, University of Maryland Hospital. Of these, 82 patients were identified as having D and C positive for squamous cell cancer present in the curettings with or without endometrial tissue. Clinical staging was done using FIGO guidelines and the treatment of endometrial extension was the same as with regular cervical cancer. Of 82 cases who are eligible for a minimum five-year follow-up, the absolute five-year survival is as follows: Stage I, 68% (17/25); Stage II, 62% (18/29); Stage III, 40% (10/25); Stage IV, 0% (0/3). The most interesting features are the local and distant failures in Stage I and II disease. Local failure in Stage I and II in this study is in line with other series. Distant metastasis, however, occurs at the rate of 20% in Stage I between 1-2 years after treatment (as compared to the control of 5%). In Stage II, the distant disease increases to 24% with a substantial number of local failure with distant metastasis. Based on our findings and others, it seems appropriate to suggest D and C more » be done routinely in order to identify the extension of cancer into the endometrium and treat them properly. Also it appears appropriate to re-examine our policy of treatment to minimize both local and distant failures with suggestions outlined in Schema I and II along with possibility of a future chemotherapeutic management to minimize the distant disease. « less
Industrial Land-use and the Conservation of Native Biota in the Shrub-steppe Region of Western North America

The Bitterbrush-Sagebrush/Cheatgrass vegetation-type occupies about 300 km 2 on the US Department of Energy's Hanford Site in the shrub-steppe region of southeastern Washington State. Prior to 1943, part of the land was used for irrigated agriculture and the remainder as grazing land for domestic livestock. In 1943, farming and livestock grazing were terminated and the resident human population was relocated. Use of the land since 1943 has been industrial, mostly for nuclear energy development. The land is not available for public use and shooting of wildlife is prohibited. Nuclear energy development on the Hanford Site consists of a few large buildings that are widely separated, with undeveloped land in between which supports native plants and animals. This undeveloped land provides habitats for native species that are not adapted to intensive irrigated agriculture—a potential use of almost all of the land in the Bitterbrush-Sagebrush vegetation type. The primary disturbance to vegetation is wildfire. Fire destroys Bitterbrush and Sagebrush and these plants are slow to recolonize the burns. Other species are less affected by burning and are capable of quick recovery. The industrial use of the land provides a potential for the ecological study of self-revegetation of abandoned ploughed ground and the response of biota to wildfire.
A Macro-Economic Model for Agricultural Sector Analysis: Errata

Two errors in manuscript preparation have raised questions about the interpretaton of equations (4) and (8). In equation (4), XI(t) is the exponentially lagged value of the rate of change of the output of thejth sector and not the value of the output of the jth sector (pp. 523-24). In equation (8), C(t), I(t), and E(t) are vectors of domestic consumption, capital good demands, and exports, respectively, not the total values defined on p. 524.
Behaviorally Signalled Awakenings in Relationship to Duration of Alpha Activity

This study examined the relationship between behavioral awakening as Indicated by motor responses and electroencephalographic (EEG) measures of awakening as reflected by the duration of alpha (8-12 Hz) activity. Young adult males were monitored polygraphically as they slept in the laboratory for three successive nights. They were instructed to press a button three times whenever they awakened from sleep. Latency from the appearance of alpha activity to subsequent button-presses was determined. Mean latency to button-press across subjects, nights, and sleep stages was 6.54 (±4.38) sec. Differences In latencies as a function of prior sleep stage or night of the study were not statistically significant. It is concluded that the amount of alpha activity preceding behavioral acknowledgement of an awakening is somewhat less than that required to constitute wakefulness by conventional scoring systems.
Laboratory and clinical correlates for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities in pediatric sickle cell anemia.

Children with sickle cell anemia are at risk for brain injury. Physicians obtain brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for clinical indications to determine if a patient has developed a brain injury. Controversy exists whether all children with sickle cell anemia should undergo MRI screening. This retrospective study evaluates the clinical and laboratory correlates for brain injury in 124 MRIs obtained for a variety of clinical indications. Seizure, sensory, or motor events were statistically associated with the highest risk for brain injury while less specific neurologic complaints of headache or poor school performance were not associated. Children with high systolic blood pressure, leukocytosis, and severe anemia demonstrate a higher probability for brain injury. These results indicate that brain MRI should be obtained on all children with seizure, sensory, or motor events. These data suggest that less specific neurologic symptoms should be screened if physical findings or abnormal lab or vital signs ...
Duodenal stenosis, a new finding on congenital rubella syndrome: Case description and literature review

Summary Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) continues to represent a public healthcare problem although an effective vaccination program. Gastrointestinal involvement is rather infrequent and the association of CRS with duodenal stenosis has been never reported. In this study a case of CRS with duodenal diaphragm is reported and the gastrointestinal diseases described in association with CRS are reviewed. A 10-month-old child affected by CRS with congenital hearth disease, perceptive deafness and microcephaly, was admitted because of vomiting and failure to thrive. An upper endoscopy demonstrated dilated proximal duodenum and a perforated diaphragm in the second segment of the duodenum. Endoscopic membranectomy was therefore performed. Two months later the patient was submitted to a further endoscopic evaluation that showed a partial diaphragm persistence and a second excision was performed. Follow-up one year after the first treatment showed good clinical conditions, reasonable physical growth and disappearance of vomiting. In conclusion we report the first case of CRS in association with duodenal stenosis. Duodenal stenosis in the absence of other intestinal localizations may be due to rubella capacity of infecting only small numbers of fetal cells but we cannot exclude that the duodenal stenosis in our patient be only a casual association.
Mobile binding sites regulate glutamate clearance.

Glutamate transporters influence the kinetics of synaptic transmission by acutely buffering synaptically released glutamate. In addition to high synaptic density of EAAT2, the transporter's high mobility contributes to function.
Phase shifts and the quantum-mechanical hamilton-jacobi equation.

A method of obtaining absolute phase shifts by integration of the quantum‐mechanical Hamilton—Jacobi equation is developed and applied to the example of particles interacting through a Lennard‐Jones potential. A new expression for the absolute phase shift is obtained in terms of an irregular solution of the Schrodinger equation.
Epigenetic inheritance of transcriptional states in S. cerevisiae

Abstract SIR1 , one of several genes required for repression of yeast silent mating type loci, has a unique role in repression of the HML α locus. Single-cell assays revealed that cells with mutant alleles of SIR1 , including presumptive null alleles, existed as populations of genetically identical cells whose members were in one of two different regulatory states. A minority of cells had a repressed HML α locus whereas the majority had a derepressed HML α locus. The two states were mitotically stable, although rare changes in state were observed during mitotic growth, possibly reflecting heritable changes to the HML α locus at or before replication. Analysis of changes in state suggests that SIR1 protein has a role in the establishment but not the maintenance of repression of silent mating type genes, whereas SIR2, SIR3, and SIR4 are required for maintenance.
Observation of Polymer Birefringence in Near-Field Optical Microscopy

Birefringence, arising from locally preferred orientation of molecules or functional groups in polymeric and related materials has been observed in a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) a...
Structural Basis of CD8 Coreceptor Function Revealed by Crystallographic Analysis of a Murine CD8αα Ectodomain Fragment in Complex with H-2Kb

Abstract The crystal structure of the two immunoglobulin variable–like domains of the murine CD8αα homodimer complexed to the class I MHC H-2K b molecule at 2.8 A resolution shows that CD8αα binds to the protruding MHC α3 domain loop in an antibody-like manner. Comparison of mouse CD8αα/H-2K b and human CD8αα/HLA-A2 complexes reveals shared as well as species-specific recognition features. In both species, coreceptor function apparently involves the participation of CD8 dimer in a bidentate attachment to an MHC class I molecule in conjunction with a T cell receptor without discernable conformational alteration of the peptide or MHC antigen-presenting platform.
Annotation: childhood-onset schizophrenia: clinical and treatment issues.

Background: In the past 10 years, there has been increased research on childhood-onset schizophrenia and clear advances have been achieved. Method: This annotation reviews the recent clinical and treatment literature on childhood-onset schizophrenia. Results: There is now strong evidence that the syndrome of childhood-onset schizophrenia exists and there are several similarities between childhood- and later-onset schizophrenia. Schizophrenia in youth can be reliably diagnosed using the same criteria employed with adults, and childhood-onset schizophrenia is predictive of schizophrenia or schizophrenia spectrum disorders in adulthood. Data is accumulating to guide pharmacological treatment strategies, and practice parameters have been developed to guide clinical care. Conclusions: Despite significant advances, there remains an urgent need for additional research on treatment and service delivery strategies. Promising work with adults highlights the importance of attending to psychosocial as well as pharmacologic treatment strategies, and the potential value of preventive interventions.
The immunobiology of schistosomiasis

Schistosomes are parasitic worms that are a prime example of a complex multicellular pathogen that flourishes in the human host despite the development of a pronounced immune response. Understanding how the immune system deals with such pathogens is a daunting challenge. The past decade has seen the use of a wide range of new approaches to determine the nature and function of the immune response to schistosomes. Here, we attempt to summarize advances in our understanding of the immunology of schistosomiasis, with the bulk of the review reflecting the experimental focus on Schistosoma mansoni infection in mice.
Rat testis P-45017α cDNA: The deduced amino acid sequence, expression and secondary structural configuration

Summary A complete amino acid sequence for rat testis P-45017α was deduced from nucleotide analysis of a cDNA clone isolated from a rat Leydig cell cDNA library. This DNA clone, containing initiation and termination codons and a polyA tail, translated a polypeptide in COS-1 cells that expressed both 17α-hydroxylase and 17,20 lyase activities. It exhibited significant similarity to the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the bovine and human cytochrome P-45017α, particularly with respect to the highly conserved regions and secondary structure. The P-45017α appears to be anchored to the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum through two transmembrane regions, specifically the N terminal insertion peptide and the stop-transfer sequence. Hydropathic analysis indicates that the remainder of the C terminus is associated with the membrane through four hydrophobic clefts, including the putative steroid binding site.
A scan line algorithm for computer display of curved surfaces

The conventional procedure for generating shaded images of curved surfaces is to approximate each surface element by a mosaic of polygons and to then apply one of several established polygon display algorithms. The method described here extends these polygon based techniques to produce an excellent approximation of bi-cubic parametric surfaces in scan line order.Each surface patch is described in terms of cubic edge curves, including parametric curves on the interior of the patch as well as the patch boundaries. Specifying interior edges has the effect of subdividing the patch and generally results in a more accurate image. The silhouette, approximated by a piecewise cubic interpolant, further divides the patch into front facing and rear facing portions.The edge curves are intersected by successive scanning planes to form the endpoints of scan line segments. Depth and surface normal are linearly interpolated between the endpoint values. Visibility is calculated for each segment by a hybrid priority/z-buffer scheme. Shading is computed using Phong's illumination model with the interpolated surface normal.The algorithm is currently used for display of B-spline surfaces as part of an experimental display processor.
Ethylation interference and X-ray crystallography identify similar interactions between 434 repressor and operator

In the crystal structure of a represser–operator complex (the 434 repressor DNA-binding domain and its 14-base pair (bp) operator), Anderson et al.1 elsewhere in this issue identify six positions of likely contact between repressor protein and phosphates of the DNA backbone. At each of these positions, electron densities of protein and DNA merge. Experiments presented here indicate that intact 434 repressor approaches these phosphates very closely when it is bound to DNA in solution. Specifically, when any one of these phosphates is ethylated2, repressor cannot bind to the modified operator. We also identify another position where ethylation has a significant but less dramatic effect on repressor binding, and note that in the structure, repressor closely approaches this phosphate. Our results strongly support the idea that the interactions between protein and the DNA phosphate backbone in the crystallized complex1 are the same as those made by intact repressor to operator DNA in solution. In addition, our results suggest that DNA is slightly bent by repressor binding.
The use of cereal-thickened formulas topromote maternal nursing

W HEN complemental bottle feedings are given in conjunction with maternal nursing to compensate for deficits in the supply of mother's milk, infants soon acquire an increasing willingness to take the bottle at the expense of a corresponding decline in the vigor with which they nurse the breast. The resultant continued incomplete drainage of the gland progressively diminishes its production of milk, and i t is owing chiefly to these interrelated factors that complemental bottle feedings favor the early discontinuance of maternal nursing. The consumption of semisolid food in amounts sufficient to compensate for various degrees of inadequacy in the suppty of mother's milk usually does not appreciably diminish the vigor with which infants nurse the breast. Consequently, the use of appropriate semisolid foods to the exclusion of complemental bottle feedings has the distinct advantage of favoring the continuance of maternal nursing. Owing to my desire to encourage breast feeding, I have exploited, throughout a period of years, this special superiority of suitable foods of moderately thick consistency over liquid milk mixtures. This report presents observations on a selected group of fifty-one infants (twenty-three males and twenty-eight females) whose records exemplify my general experience with this special method of feeding. Each of these infants nursed throughout a period of eight months but consistently failed to obtain mother's milk in adequate quantities. Instead of complemental bottle feedings, these babies received a moderately thick preparation composed of farina or oatmeal cooked in equal parts of whole cow's milk and water with 5 per cent cane sugar and a pinch of table salt added to the mixture. This complemental feeding was started routinely on the third day of life, and it was given by spoon in amounts that were varied in accordance with individual desire and need for additional food. As customarily occurs during initial spoon feedings, these .young infants used the tongue-to push the semisolid mixture forward out of the mouth, but in a comparatively few days this reflex was replaced by a more mature act of swallowing. After this adjustment was made the babies soon displayed a distinct preference for rapid rather than for slow spoon feeding. The policy 'of starting this method of feeding the third day of life had the advantage of acquainting the infants and their mothers with the procedure before they left the hospital. This brief experience gave the
Method to rotate an endovascular device around the axis of a vessel using an external magnetic field.

A magnetic guidance methodology to rotate a device around the catheter axis is proposed. The specific medical application is to intracranial aneurysms. An endovascular device, the asymmetric stent, has a low porosity region that is rotated to cover the aneurysm neck so as to reduce the blood flow into and hence obliterate the aneurysm. The magnetic guidance system consists of a magnetic device attached to the asymmetric stent and an external homogeneous magnetic field of 0.1 T . This magnetic field puts a torque on the magnetic moment of the magnetic device, thereby rotating the stent for proper orientation. For the magnetic device with the required magnetic moment of 0.001 A m 2 , a cylindrical neodymiumpermanent magnet is proposed due to its favorable material characteristics while a coil electromagnet with iron core appears impractical due to demagnetizing effects.
Relationship impact and African American males' responses to health care practitioner recommendations

This phenomenological research study was conducted to explore and identify reasons African American men comply or do not comply with the medical recommendations of their health care practitioner. The research sample was 20 African American men living in Baltimore City, Maryland, who visited their health care practitioner within the past year. Open-ended, objectively phrased interview questions were used for this study, which allowed participants to respond with their own words to describe their decision making regarding their health care practitioner's advice. Invariant themes were revealed by data mining. Three clusters of themes emerged: relationship, apprehension, and trust. The research revealed participants viewed the doctor-patient relationship as critical in establishing trust and respect and in building rapport. Participants felt these elements would serve to promote patient compliance to their health care practitioner's recommendations.
An electrophoretic investigation of the cytosolic di- and tripeptidases of fish: Molecular weights, substrate specificities, and tissue and phylogenetic distributions

The cytosolic di- and tripeptidases of fish were studied in an electrophoretic phylogenetic survey that included elasmobranchs, a holostean, and teleosts. Antisera against four of the peptidases from tuna were raised in rabbits and used to establish homologies between the peptidases of tuna and other fish and between piscine PEP A, B, and S and corresponding enzymes of the higher vertebrates. Substrate specificities, tissue distributions, and electrophoretic mobilities were conserved during the evolution of the fish. The nomenclature for mammalian peptidases was extended to the piscine enzymes, but with reservations in the case of PEP C and E. Using this nomenclature, the six major, genetically independent peptidases are PEP A, B, C, D, E, and S. Within the fish substrate specificity was a reliable indicator of identity. The peptidases of vertebrates thus consist of a widely distributed group of enzymes with constant characteristics. Much of the confusion in the field is probably due to variable and poorly defined species-specific enzymes.
Coprime factors reduction methods for linear parameter varying and uncertain systems

Abstract We present a generalization of the coprime factors model reduction method of Meyer and propose a balanced truncation reduction algorithm for a class of systems containing linear parameter varying and uncertain system models. A complete derivation of coprime factorizations for this class of systems is also given. The reduction method proposed is thus applicable to linear parameter varying and uncertain system realizations that do not satisfy the structured l 2 -induced stability constraint required in the standard nonfactored case. Reduction error bounds in the l 2 -induced norm of the factorized mapping are given.
Physics and diagnostics of laser ablation plume propagation for high-Tc superconductor film growth

The formation, composition and propagation of laser-produced plasmas used for pulsed laser deposition (PLD) of Y1Ba2Cu3O7−x have been studied under film growth conditions. Four complementary spatially and temporally resolved in situ diagnostic techniques are applied to characterize the expansion of the laser plume into both vacuum and ambient gases: optical emission and absorption spectroscopy, fast ion probe measurements, and fast photography with a gated, image-intensified charge-coupled detector-array (ICCD) camera system. Transient optical absorption spectroscopy reveals large densities of ground state atoms, ions, and molecules in the plume as well as a slower component to the plume transport than is indicated by the plasma fluorescence and ion current. Ablation into background gases results in scattering and attenuation of the laser plume. The exponential attenuation of the positive ion flux transmitted through 50–300 mTorr background oxygen is measured and used to define an overall ion-oxygen reaction cross-section σi−O2 = 2.3 × 10−16 cm2 under the described film growth conditions. The slowing of the laser plasma and formation of shock structures due to collisions with the ambient gas are described using ion probe measurements and ICCD photographic comparisons of expansion into vacuum and background oxygen. At the pressures used for PLD, distance-time R−t plots derived from the photographs and ion probe waveforms indicate that the higher pressure plume initially expands through the ambient gas in accordance with a drag model (where R = xf[1 − exp( − βt)]), experiencing little slowing until a visible shock structure forms. Following a transition period, in which the plume appears to have two components, a single-component shock structure propagates in better agreement with a shock, or blast wave (R = ξ0(E/ϱ0)15t25) model.
Vanishing twin is associated with less favorable obstetric outcome compared to singleton pregnancies in women undergoing IVF-ET

COMPARED TO SINGLETON PREGNANCIES IN WOMEN UNDERGOING IVF-ET SONYA ABDEL-RAZEQ, MOHAMED MITWALLY, LAURA DETTI, MICHAEL SULLIVAN, KENT CRICKARD, MICHAEL DIAMOND, University at Buffalo, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Buffalo, New York, Wayne State University, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Wayne State University, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Detroit, Michigan, Wayne State University, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Detroit, Michigan OBJECTIVE: There is evidence that infertility treatment, including in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET), is associated with less favorable obstetric outcome, specifically, higher pregnancy loss, preterm labor and low birth weight (BW). Vanishing-twin is a phenomenon in which one or more of implanted embryos fail to continue. We studied outcome of singleton pregnancies after vanishing-twin compared to pregnancies that started as singletons. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of 61 consecutive live-births from singleton pregnancies in women undergoing IVF-ET. Five pregnancies started as twins and ended as singletons due to vanishing-twin; 56 pregnancies started as singletons. Vanishing-twin was diagnosed by ultrasound at 6-wks (2 gestational sacs with 2 heartbeats) followed by another ultrasound showing loss of one of the twins at 8 to 12 wks. Gestational age (GA) was calculated from ET day until delivery. BW was calculated as percentage from BW expected according to GA (expected BW was calculated from control population similar to Western New York region matching patients who underwent IVF-ET). RESULTS: Vanishing-twin pregnancies were associated with significantly lower BW and shorter GA. There was no significant difference regarding age, gravity, infertility factor and duration, ovarian stimulation protocol, or in vitro conditions (oocyte insemination, day and number of embryos transferred, fertilization or implantation rate). CONCLUSION: Pregnancies associated with vanishing-twin after IVF-ET are associated with higher risk for low BW and short GA.
Food hoarding is increased by food deprivation and decreased by leptin treatment in Syrian hamsters

Compensatory increases in food intake are commonly observed after a period of food deprivation in many species, including laboratory rats and mice. Thus it is interesting that Syrian hamsters fail ...
Characterization of urinary metabolites of testosterone, methyltestosterone, mibolerone and boldenone in greyhound dogs

Androgenic steroids are used in female greyhound dogs to prevent the onset of estrus; moreover, these steroids also have potent anabolic activity. As anabolic steroids increase muscle mass and aggression in animals, the excessive use of these agents in racing greyhounds gives an unfair performance advantage to treated dogs. The biotransformation of most anabolic steroids has not been determined in greyhound dogs. The objective of the present study was to identify the urinary metabolites of testosterone, methyltestosterone, mibolerone, and boldenone in greyhound dogs. These steroids were administered orally (1 mg/kg) to either male or female greyhound dogs and urine samples were collected pre-administration and at 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 72, and 96 h post-administration. Urine extracts were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) to identify major metabolites and to determine their urinary excretion profiles. Major urinary metabolites, primarily glucuronide, conjugated and free, were detected for the selected steroids. Sulfate conjugation did not appear to be a major pathway for steroid metabolism and excretion in the greyhound dog. Phase I biotransformation was also evaluated using greyhound dog liver microsomes from untreated dogs. The identification of several in vivo steroid metabolites generated in this study will be useful in detecting these steroids in urine samples submitted for drug screening.
Hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier mitigates transfusion-mediated pancreas cancer progression.

Background Perioperative blood transfusion in pancreatic cancer patients is linked to decreased survival; however, a causal mechanism has not been determined. Previously we have shown that the plasma fraction of stored packed red blood cells (pRBCs) promotes pancreas cancer progression and associated morbidity. We hypothesize these untoward effects will be mitigated by use of a hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier (HBOC).
Iddq test: sensitivity analysis of scaling

While technology is changing the face of the world, it itself is changing by leaps and bounds; there is a continuing trend to put more functionality on the same piece of silicon. Without major changes in the CMOS technology, it has been shown that the scaling of devices has significant impact on the effectiveness of Iddq testing. The sensitivity of Iddq testing to individual device parameters is studied. It is explained how Iddq testing becomes increasingly ineffective in the scaled product with respect to most parameters and can be improved with others.
Heparan sulfates mediate pressure-induced increase in lung endothelial hydraulic conductivity via nitric oxide/reactive oxygen species.

We investigated the nonlinear dynamics of the pressure vs. hydraulic conductivity (Lp) relationship in lung microvascular endothelial cells and demonstrate that heparan sulfates, an important compo...
Phosphazene Backbones for Siloxanes and Organic Polymers

2,2,4,4,6,6-Hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene was modified by nucleophilic substitution to obtain building blocks for organic polymers and siloxane networks. 2,2,4,4,6,6-Hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene was substituted with functional groups to enable atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) as well as silicon alkoxide as precursors for the sol-gel process. ATRP was carried out with methyl acrylate followed by a chain extension with iso-bornyl acrylate to obtain new thermoplastic elastomers. The sol-gel process was carried out with acid, base and fluoride catalysts and the resulting materials were compared by TGA and DSC measurements.
Common effector processing mediates cell-specific responses to stimuli

The fundamental components of many signalling pathways are common to most cells in an organism. So why do different cell types respond differently to the same stimulus? A novel systems-modelling approach to this question, focusing on two distinct epithelial cell lines, reveals that cell specificity is mainly determined by the type, strength and combination of upstream signalling events. These cell-type specific signals are integrated by common effectors to create cell-type specific outcomes. Resolving the enigma of cell specificity is important to understanding embryonic development, organismal homeostasis and the side effects of targeted therapeutics. A systems-modelling approach is used to address the question of why cells often respond in a cell type-specific manner to stimulation or pertubations of the signalling network. It shows that the main determinant of cell specificity is the type, strength and combination of upstream signalling events. These cell-type specific signals are integrated by common effectors to create cell type specific outcomes. The fundamental components of many signalling pathways are common to all cells1,2,3. However, stimulating or perturbing the intracellular network often causes distinct phenotypes that are specific to a given cell type4,5. This ‘cell specificity’ presents a challenge in understanding how intracellular networks regulate cell behaviour and an obstacle to developing drugs that treat signalling dysfunctions6,7. Here we apply a systems-modelling approach8 to investigate how cell-specific signalling events are integrated through effector proteins to cause cell-specific outcomes. We focus on the synergy between tumour necrosis factor and an adenoviral vector as a therapeutically relevant stimulus that induces cell-specific responses9,10,11. By constructing models that estimate how kinase-signalling events are processed into phenotypes through effector substrates, we find that accurate predictions of cell specificity are possible when different cell types share a common ‘effector-processing’ mechanism. Partial-least-squares regression models based on common effector processing accurately predict cell-specific apoptosis, chemokine release, gene induction, and drug sensitivity across divergent epithelial cell lines. We conclude that cell specificity originates from the differential activation of kinases and other upstream transducers, which together enable different cell types to use common effectors to generate diverse outcomes. The common processing of network signals by downstream effectors points towards an important cell biological principle, which can be applied to the understanding of cell-specific responses to targeted drug therapies6.
Capacitor energy variation based designer-side switching losses analysis for integrated synchronous Buck converters in CMOS technology

This paper introduces a designer-side switching loss analysis characterized by evaluating parasitic capacitor's energy variation and related losses for integrated synchronous Buck converters in CMOS technology (ISBC). After categorizing losses related to power FET parasitic capacitors' charging/discharging currents as charging/discharging losses (C_loss), it is noticed that the ratio of charging/discharging losses over capacitor's energy variation (ROCL) presents two extreme values; one of which is almost 100% and the other one is ignorable. Also, the same capacitor might encounter different ROCL when switching event is different. Five typical kinds of charging/discharging circuits are further classified in terms of ROCL. In order to evaluate parasitic capacitor's energy variation in a complete switching event, a hypothesis equation is adopted to cope with the variation of capacitance because of the operation mode shift of the power FET. At the same time, a process is introduced about how to verify the hypothesis and extract the unit width variables involved in the energy variation evaluation. The proposed switching losses analysis can provide losses breakdown in terms of semiconductor process technology data. At the same time, the analysis overcomes limitations in previous methods and supports the switching losses analysis for those advanced ISBC utilizing power stage width segmentation technology for the sake of wide load range efficiency. Transistor level simulation in Cadence environment verifies the analysis.
Transforming Early Childhood Education through Critical Reflection

There is tension growing in early childhood education between an emphasis on higher learning standards, teacher-directed activities, and evidence-based instructional methods and maintaining active, dynamic and integrated learning experiences for young children. This short essay highlights the ways in which our existing values and beliefs, theories, and epistemologies about early childhood education can be transformed using a critical lens.