cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EFFECTS OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE (H 2 O 2 ) ON PROSTACYCLIN AND OTHER VASCULAR ARACHIDONIC ACID METABOLITES

Local production of H2O2 by granulocytes during phagocytosis affects the function of red cells and platelets. We evaluated the effects of H2O2 on vascular arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism and report that H2O2 treatment inhibits prostacyclin (PGI2) , PGE2 and PGF2α production. Short term exposure of human umbilical arteries to H2O2 (25 to 200 μm) resulted in a concentration dependent inhibition in the ability of vessels to produce 6KPGF1α(the stable metabolite of PGI2) either from endogenous or exogenously provided substrate. Following exposure to 200 μM H2O2, vessels produced 1.45 ± 0.24 (ISE) pmol 6KPGF1α per mg (by RIA) compared to 2.08 ± 0.29 in paired control segments, an inhibition of 33% (n=8; p <0.001). Mean inhibitions of 15% and 21% were observed at H2O2 concentrations of 50 and 100 μM. Inhibition was present at 5 ' post addition of H2O2 with maximal effects occurring by 15'. Production of 6KPGF1α , PGE2 and F2α from exogenously provided 14C AA was inhibited to a similar degree in microsomes from these vessels, suggesting that the effect occurred at the cyclo-oxygenase level. Following incubation with 200 μM H2O2, mean 14C metabolite production was 449 ± 134 pmol per mg microsomal protein compared to paired control values of 612 ± 146 pmol, (n=5; p<0.01). Catalase (250U/ml) abolished the effect, whereas SOD (2.5μg/ml) did not. PGI2, PGE2 and F2α have been shown to affect leucocyte adherance to vascular endothelium, and to play a role in edema formation. Release of H2O2 from phagocytes may play a role in the inflammatory process by modulating prostaglandin biosynthesis.
Control of Multi-Plate Torque Converter Clutch With an Aggressive Schedule in an Automatic Transmission

In an automatic transmission, torque converter is the main device that transmits torque from the engine to the gear train. An open converter relies on fluid coupling to transmit torque, which causes energy loss and also causes engine to run at a higher speed. A single-plate locking or slipping clutch has been used between the pump and turbine of a torque converter so that the slip across the converter can be reduced to a level that increases the efficiency of the converter. This slip control, called Electronically Controlled Capacity Clutch (ECCC), also provides necessary damping to the driveline to ensure pleasant driveability similar to an open converter. New legislative and environmental pressures on car makers to improve fuel economy have resulted in aggressive use of ECCC in their automobiles. However, the controllability and heat capacity of the single-plate clutch limit the ability to engage the torque converter clutch (TCC) more aggressively (in earlier gears and lower vehicle speeds). At GM, an experimental multi-plate toque converter was designed, fabricated, and implemented in a RWD transmission. It was demonstrated in a 6-speed vehicle that driving pleaseability can be maintained with a more aggressive ECCC strategy. For this purpose, a control algorithm was developed to control the slip speed of the clutch and allow early ECCC starting in second gear. This paper describes in detail hardware implementation of the multi-plate clutch, development and implementation of the aggressive ECCC control strategy, and some vehicle test results.Copyright © 2007 by General Motors Corporation
Free energy and phase equilibria for the restricted primitive model of ionic fluids from Monte Carlo simulations

In this work, we investigate the liquid–vapor phase transition of the restricted primitive model of ionic fluids. We show that at the low temperatures where the phase transition occurs, the system cannot be studied by conventional molecular simulation methods because convergence to equilibrium is slow. To accelerate convergence, we propose cluster Monte Carlo moves capable of moving more than one particle at a time. We then address the issue of charged particle transfers in grand canonical and Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo simulations, for which we propose a biased particle insertion/destruction scheme capable of sampling short interparticle distances. We compute the chemical potential for the restricted primitive model as a function of temperature and density from grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations and the phase envelope from Gibbs Monte Carlo simulations. Our calculated phase coexistence curve is in agreement with recent results of Caillol obtained on the four‐dimensional hypersphere and our own earlier Gibbs ensemble simulations with single‐ion transfers, with the exception of the critical temperature, which is lower in the current calculations. Our best estimates for the critical parameters are T*c=0.053, ρ*c=0.025. We conclude with possible future applications of the biased techniques developed here for phase equilibrium calculations for ionic fluids.
Identification of a high-risk young population for progressive idiopathic scoliosis

PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a 5-year prospective study on idiopathic scoliosis a total of 85,627 children aged 9-15 years were screened for scoliosis and children with curves of at least 10 degrees underwent clinical and radiographic follow-up. The prevalence of scoliosis was 1.7%, with most cases appearing at 13-14 years ages and small scoliotic curves (10 degrees-19 degrees) being most prevalent (prevalence 1.5%). Progression of the curve occurred in 14.7% of 839 children. RESULTS: A high risk of curve progression was associated with the following: sex (girls); curve pattern (right thoracic and double curves in girls, and right lumbar curves in boys); maturity (girls before the onset of menses); age (time of pubertal growth spurt); and curve magnitude (> or = 30 degrees). On the other hand, left thoracic curves showed a weak tendency for progression CONCLUSION: A small percentage of scoliotic curves undergo progression and the pattern of the curve according to curve direction and the sex combined with the maturity of the child plays a significant role in the ability to identify which curves will progress.
Evolutionary bandwidth allocation and routing in large-scale wireless sensor networks

Large-scale distribution, communication and processing of sensed information require the operation of a highly-dynamic, dense, and widely-distributed wireless sensor network. Existing centralized and decentralized solutions require the use of information that may not be readily available to the nodes in a timely fashion. Instead of seeking such techniques, in this paper we propose an evolutionary price-based routing and bandwidth allocation algorithm for the management of information in large-scale distributed wireless sensor networks that will be (1) adaptable and responsive to demands and seek delivery of information to desired nodes despite the fact that the source and destination are not globally known, (2) efficient in allocating bandwidth, and (3) decentralized.
Defect independence of the irreversibility line in proton-irradiated Y-Ba-Cu-O crystals.

Flux pinning in Y-Ba-Cu-O crystals is studied as a function of fluence of 3-MeV protons, which create random local defects. Order-of-magnitude increases in the critical current density are deduced from magnetic hysteresis loops, with values up to 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{5}$ A/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ observed at 77 K and 1 T. However, the irreversibility line in the field-temperature plane and the pinning potentials deduced from flux-creep studies are hardly changed. These results are compared to melting and pinning models.
Oligonucleotide-Modified Gold Nanoparticles for Intracellular Gene Regulation

We describe the use of gold nanoparticle-oligonucleotide complexes as intracellular gene regulation agents for the control of protein expression in cells. These oligonucleotide-modified nanoparticles have affinity constants for complementary nucleic acids that are higher than their unmodified oligonucleotide counterparts, are less susceptible to degradation by nuclease activity, exhibit greater than 99% cellular uptake, can introduce oligonucleotides at a higher effective concentration than conventional transfection agents, and are nontoxic to the cells under the conditions studied. By chemically tailoring the density of DNA bound to the surface of gold nanoparticles, we demonstrated a tunable gene knockdown.
Intelligent Computer-Aided Design By Modeling Chip Layout As A Meta-Planning Problem

We present an approach to VLSI chip layout (placement and routing) based on a new meta-planning paradigm.' By modeling placement and routing as separate planning problems, they can then each be solved within that paradigm. In planning terminology, placement is the conjunction of subgoals, each of which is to place one component; routing is the conjunction of subgoals, each of which is to route one net. As in any planning problem, the complexity of each of these problems is caused by the subgoal interaction in which the solu-tion of one subgoal greatly impacts the ways in which subsequent subgoals may be solved. Meta-planning directly addresses this control task of managing this interaction. Our meta-planning paradigm organizes meta-level decision knowledge into two control policies - graceful retreat, which selects the most critical subgoal to solve next, and least impact, which selects the solution of that subgoal which uses the least crucial resources. This knowledge is organized in a tie-breaking, layered structure which filters the selection candidates until one most critical subgoal and its solution which uses the least crucial resources remain. The result is a dynamic, interaction-sensitive, constructive solution to the layout problem.
Creating ordered small-scale biologically-based rods through force-controlled stamping.

The synthesis of small-scale rods has garnered significant scientific interest because of the novel structures, properties, and potential applications that could be enabled in fields such as optics, electronic nanodevice production, and chemical and biological sensor fabrication. One main concern in this field though is the ability to assemble nanorods at desired locations on a substrate. In this Communication, we showed a printing method that imposes a mechanical force on the upper surface of the stamp to regulate the dewetting process of the inorganic buffer, and, consequently, the evaporation rate of the solvent in this buffer. We used this to influence the characteristics of the dewetting process and the polymerization of G-actin in vitro, ultimately providing us with the ability to obtain organized filamentous actin-based nanorods in defined patterns. This work has potential applications in a variety of fields including the study of self-organized biologically inspired material patterning, and small-...
The Helping Process As Contractual

Virtually all counseling is governed by implicit contracts that define both the treatment goals and procedures and the client-counselor relationship. This article discusses the implications of both types of contracts for counselors, presents a rationale for making these contracts deliberate and overt, and suggests some guidelines for doing so.
Damage structures in fast neutron irradiated magnesium aluminate and electron irradiated aluminum oxynitride spinels

Abstract Single crystals of magnesium aluminate spinel, MgO(Al2O3)n, n = 1, 1.1. and 2 . were neutron irradiated in EBR-II to a fluence of 2 × 10 26 n/m 2 (E > 0.111 MeV ) at 680 and 815 K. Control specimens were aged 1 year at 815 K for comparison. TEM analysis of the irradiated specimens showed that they contained faulted prismatic dislocation loops with fault vectors R = a/4 〈110〉 on {110} planes in the n = 1 and 1.1 spinels, and with R = a/6 〈111〉 on {111} in the n = 1.1 and 2 spinels. Alumina-rich control specimens precipitated a new ordered phase. Polycrystalline aluminum oxynitride spinel, AlN(Al2O3)1.8, was electron irradiated with 0.8 and 1 MeV electrons in the HVEM over the temperature range 300–1100 K. No defect aggregation was observed at any temperature, through thick or thin sections. Coherent twins developed on the facets of sintering pores open to the surface.
Integrating the City of Medicine: Blacks in Philadelphia Health Care, 1910-1965

Racial minority groups have been generally overlooked in recent studies of the evolution of contemporary American medical institutions and health care. David McBride traces the structural development and social and political experiences of one urban community of black medical providers during a period of unprecedented change in health care, race relations, and politics. "Integrating the City of Medicine" reveals the origins and influence of black medical professionals and allied health workers in Philadelphia, a leading center of the nation's medical heritage, hospital resources, and medical education. McBride characterizes the experience of Philadelphia blacks in the medical profession as a transition from a period of wide-scale isolation during the early twentieth health efforts through the Depression, the book examines the technological and political forces that at first sustained the self-enclosed black medical community but later dispersed it into Philadelphia's mainstream health care system. David McBride is Assistant Professor in the Departments of History and Afro-American and African Studies at the State University of New York at Binghamton.
In Search of Authenticity: A Heideggerian Quest

Martin Heidegger's conception of authentic resoluteness gives us a picture of life as an unfolding story aimed at a fulfillment of a specific sort. Such resoluteness provides a focus and continuity to a life that can help an individual find meaning and order during times of personal difficulties. This phenomenology of an attempt to live an authentic life gives an image of how such a personal quest might be worked out. In this article, I talk about how Heidegger's concept of authenticity has affected my life ever since I learned about it from lectures and secondary sources in 1961. The narrative conception of life as a story adding up to something is an idea that has helped me through difficult times, and I continue to embrace it to this day.
THE FORM, WEIGHTS AND PRODUCTIVITY OF TREE SPECIES GROWN IN CLOSE STANDS

During the past three years the ecological conditions in a series of plots of different tree species have been examined at three main localities, namely, Abbotswood in the Forest of Dean, Bedgebury in Kent and West Tofts in Thetford Chase. The environmental factors in the plots are to a considerable extent determined by the type of tree species established, and in the present paper an account is given of the individual trees and the plantations as a whole. It has only been possible to make a summary of the results obtained but it is hoped that these will be published in greater detail elsewhere.
Designing Pedagogy Incorporating Executive Function

The National Academy of Neuropsychology defines clinical neuropsychology as "a sub-field of psychology concerned with the applied science of brain-behavior relationships. Clinical neuropsychologists use this knowledge in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and/or rehabilitation of patients across the lifespan with neurological, medical, neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions, as well as other cognitive and learning disorders" (National Academy of Neuropsychology, 2011 ). Pediatric neuropsychologists have long been concerned about another area of functionality, making their recommendations educationally relevant. This article describes accommodated metacognitive instruction, a pedagogy based on cognitive neuropsychological principles of learning and used to instruct college faculty on a methodology for teaching in all-inclusive environments.
Localization of the beta-globin gene to 11p15 by in situ hybridization: utilization of chromosome 11 rearrangements.

Chromosome preparations from four subjects, one normal 46,XY male and three patients with different rearrangements of chromosome 11:46,XX,del(11)(p11.2→p15.1), 46,XY,inv(11)(p13q24.2), and 46,XY,rec(11)inv(11)(p13q24.2) pat, were utilized for in situ hybridization studies with a tritium-labeled cDNA probe containing a β-globin insert. Using the hybridization technique described by Harper and Saunders (1981), there were 1–2 grains over each labeled metaphase. Of 360 cells scored, 88 were labeled over chromosome 11, band p15 (24%). Approximately half of the chromosome 11s labeled from the abnormal patients were the del(11) or inv(11). These results exclude the β-globin locus from 11p11→p14, since these bands were not present in the recent 11, and assign it to 11p15. This is in agreement with the recent exclusion data of de Martiville and Francke (1984) and Junien (1984), and suggestive assignment data of Morton et al. (1984).
Right paraduodenal hernia leading to bowel strangulation

Up to half of all internal hernias are caused by paraduodenal hernia, a rare congenital midgut malrotation that accounts for less than 1% of all intestinal obstructions. The diagnosis may arise from an incidental finding on abdominal imaging or the patient may present with abdominal pain, vomiting, and obstipation. Early recognition and management of this disease entity are keys because serious complications such as bowel ischemia and infarction may result from a delay in diagnosis. We present a case involving a 14-year-old boy with gangrenous small bowel secondary to right paraduodenal hernia.
Dual transduction of insulin-like growth factor-I and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein controls cartilage degradation in an osteoarthritic culture model.

Abstract This study evaluated the potential of gene induced synoviocyte expression of a combination of insulin-like growth factor-I (AdIGF-I) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist protein (AdIL-1Ra) to control articular cartilage degradation in vitro. Cartilage explants and synovial membrane were harvested from young mature horses. Synovial monolayers were established and either (1) maintained as untransduced controls; (2) transduced with AdIGF-I at 200 MOI in 500 μl serum-free medium; (3) transduced with AdIL-1Ra at 100 MOI; or (4) transduced with a combination of AdIGF-I (200 MOI) and AdIL-1Ra (100 MOI). Following transduction, cartilage explants were exposed to the synovial monolayer medium using co-culture inserts. Cultures were maintained for 6 days in either serum-free medium or medium containing 10 ng/ml recombinant human interleukin-1β. At termination, synovial cell RNA was isolated for real-time PCR analysis, and cartilage explants were collected for H&E and toluidine blue staining, immunohistochemistry for type II collagen and IGF-I, in situ localization of IGF-I and type II collagen gene expression, and biochemical assays. Synovial monolayers were readily transduced with both AdIGF-I and AdIL-1Ra. IGF-I and IL-1Ra protein were secreted at beneficial levels throughout the experiment, having peak concentrations of 94.6 ng/ml and 33.0 ng/ml, respectively. Transduction with IGF-I promoted cartilage production of proteoglycan and type II collagen, suggesting a beneficial role for healing injured cartilage. Transduction with IL-1Ra decreased the synovial expression of IL-1α and IL-1β and matrix metalloproteinases, indicating a mechanism for prevention of matrix degradation. The beneficial effects of the combination of anabolic growth factors and catabolic blockers were evident in improved preservation of proteoglycan content of cartilage explants exposed to the depleting effects of IL-1. These results show that gene therapy combining anabolic growth factors to stimulate matrix synthesis and catabolic blockers to prevent matrix degradation by IL-1, protects and causes partial restoration of cartilage matrix, and suggest a potential benefit of combination gene therapy for cartilage healing.
Steady-state ablation of an Arrhenius material by external heating

This paper calculates the recession speed and surface temperature of materials that thermally decompose over a range of temperatures according to a first-order Arrhenius rate law. Due to in-depth reactions, the surface is mushy and the surface temperature is not only unknown in advance, but also requires a careful definition. An application to Teflon includes improved calculations of the in-depth distribution of density and temperature. The results strongly depend on the heat exchange processes in the evolving gas and adjacent boundary layer. Nomenclature A = Arrhenius pre-exponential factor c (T) = specific heat of polymer cg(T) = specific heat of gas 40)(a) =seeEq.(22) 4°(a) =seeEq. (22) F+ = total heat flux at cutoff density
Taking the die out of diet: Media and interpersonal communication's impact on healthy eating habits

This study employed the citizen communication mediation model to investigate how informational media use and interpersonal communication as well as attitude contribute to the improvement of healthy diet habit, fruit and vegetable consumption. In addition, this study identifies the flow of health information on media through interpersonal communication, leading to the behavior. To examine the relationships between media use on health information, interpersonal communication, attitude, and the dietary behavior, this study uses a nationally representative survey of 3827 adults in the United States, the 2009 National Health Communication Survey. The results show that informational media use and interpersonal communication as well as attitude plays a crucial role in the improvement of the target behavior. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Bond Dissociation Energy in Trifluoride Ion

The bond dissociation energies in F3- are determined from energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation cross sections measurements in two tandem mass spectrometers. The gas-phase F2−F- bond dissociation energy is measured to be 1.02 ± 0.11 eV, and the energy for dissociation to F + F2- is 0.28 ± 0.07 eV higher. After accounting for solvation energies, it is shown that the F3- is not expected to be stable with respect to dissociation in aqueous solution. Last, from the spectroscopic parameters, it is deduced that F2- formation is favored at high energies, in agreement with experimental results.
Effect of deep inspiration on airway caliber in children with asthma

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of deep inspiration (DI) on airway caliber in school-age children with asthma. Thirty children with asthma (10 from each group of mild, moderate, and severe persistent asthma as defined by the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program guidelines of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) were enrolled, and their results were compared to those obtained in 7 healthy children. Subjects performed a partial expiratory flow volume curve (P) initiated from approximately 70% of vital capacity (VC) followed by a maximal expiratory flow volume (M) maneuver begun from total lung capacity (TLC). The M/P ratio at 30% of the VC (M/P30) was calculated. Specific airway conductance (sGaw) was measured before and immediately after DI, using standard techniques. Differences in M/P30 and sGaw ratios between asthma and control groups were compared with Student's unpaired t-tests. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the effect of DI on M/P30 and sGaw ratios among the various asthma severity groups. The M/P30 ratio (mean +/- 1 SD) was significantly lower in children with moderate and severe persistent asthma (0.73 +/- 0.21 and 0.72 +/- 0.1, respectively) than in healthy controls (1.69 +/- 0.62) (P < 0.05). In mild persistent asthmatics, there was limited bronchodilation (M/P30 = 1.1 +/- 0.35, P = 0.052). There was a significant inverse correlation between M/P30 ratio and severity of asthma (r = -0.684, P < 0.01). The mean sGaw ratio was decreased in asthmatic subjects compared to healthy controls (0.98 +/- 0.17 vs. 1.13 +/- 0.16, P = 0.062). In conclusion, in school-age children, the effects of DI on airway caliber are similar in direction to those observed in adults, i.e., bronchodilation in healthy and mild asthmatics, and bronchoconstriction (BC) in moderate to severe asthmatics. This finding suggests that forces that determine airway caliber in school-age children are similar to those forces in adults.
Acid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency Increases Susceptibility to Fatal Alphavirus Encephalomyelitis

Sindbis virus (SV), an enveloped virus with a single-stranded, plus-sense RNA genome, is the prototype alphavirus in the Togaviridae family. In mice, SV infects neurons and can cause apoptosis of immature neurons. Sphingomyelin (SM) is the most prevalent cellular sphingolipid, is particularly abundant in the nervous systems of mammals, and is required for alphavirus fusion and entry. The level of SM is tightly regulated by sphingomyelinases. A defect in acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) results in SM storage and subsequent intracellular accumulation of SM. To better understand the role of the SM pathway in SV pathogenesis, we have characterized SV infection of transgenic mice deficient in the ASMase gene. ASMase knockout (ASM-KO) mice were more susceptible to SV infection than wild-type (WT) or heterozygous (Het) animals. Titers of SV were higher in the brains of ASM-KO mice than in the brains of WT mice. More SV RNA was detected by in situ hybridization, more SV protein was detected by immunohistochemistry, and more terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling-positive cells were present in the cortex and hippocampus of ASM-KO mice than in those of WT or Het mice. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), but not IL-1β or tumor necrosis factor alpha, was elevated in infected ASM-KO mice compared to levels in WT or Het mice, but studies with IL-6-KO mice and recombinant SV expressing IL-6 showed no role for IL-6 in fatal disease. Together these data indicate that the increase in susceptibility of ASM-KO mice to SV infection was the result of more-rapid replication and spread of SV in the nervous system and increased neuronal death.
The Infra-Red Spectrum and Molecular Constants of C 12 O 16 and C 13 O 16

The infra-red spectrum of carbon monoxide has been investigated with a 7200 line-per-inch grating. The fundamental bands of ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}$${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ and ${\mathrm{C}}^{13}$${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ and the overtone of ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}$${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ were measured. The rotational structure has been analyzed by means of combination relations, and the following new values of the molecular constants have been obtained: ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{e}=2169.60$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{e}}^{\ensuremath{'}}=2121.33$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${x}_{e}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{e}=13.22$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${({x}_{e}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{e})}^{\ensuremath{'}}=12.64$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${B}_{e}=1.9238$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${{B}_{e}}^{\ensuremath{'}}=1.8465$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, $\ensuremath{\alpha}=0.0175$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}^{\ensuremath{'}}=0.0169$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, ${I}_{e}=14.548\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}40}$ g ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, ${{I}_{e}}^{\ensuremath{'}}=15.157\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}40}$ g ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, ${r}_{e}$ (average for both molecules) = 1.1291\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ cm. The primed constants refer to the isotopic molecule.
Acculturation and Acculturative Stress as Predictors of Psychological Distress and Quality-of-Life Functioning in Hispanic Psychiatric Patients

This study examined acculturation level and type, acculturative stress, and several demographic variables as predictors of psychological distress and health-related quality of life in a sample of 101 Hispanic patients at a community psychiatric clinic. Acculturative stress was predictive of psychological distress beyond the effects of the demographic variables. It was also predictive of quality of life with regard to mental health, but not with effects of demographic variables controlled. Acculturation level was not predictive of any of the dependent variables. Low-bicultural acculturation type predicted high psychological distress and poor quality of life-mental health. Assimilated acculturation type was predictive of good quality of life-mental health and traditional acculturation type was predictive of good quality of life-physical functioning. Results demonstrated the importance of evaluating acculturative stress in the psychological assessment of Hispanic psychiatric patients.
Detection of colonic dysplasia in vivo using a targeted heptapeptide and confocal microendoscopy

A combination of targeted probes and new imaging technologies provides a powerful set of tools with the potential to improve the early detection of cancer. To develop a probe for detecting colon cancer, we screened phage display peptide libraries against fresh human colonic adenomas for high-affinity ligands with preferential binding to premalignant tissue. We identified a specific heptapeptide sequence, VRPMPLQ, which we synthesized, conjugated with fluorescein and tested in patients undergoing colonoscopy. We imaged topically administered peptide using a fluorescence confocal microendoscope delivered through the instrument channel of a standard colonoscope. In vivo images were acquired at 12 frames per second with 50-μm working distance and 2.5-μm (transverse) and 20-μm (axial) resolution. The fluorescein-conjugated peptide bound more strongly to dysplastic colonocytes than to adjacent normal cells with 81% sensitivity and 82% specificity. This methodology represents a promising diagnostic imaging approach for the early detection of colorectal cancer and potentially of other epithelial malignancies.
Microbiology of stents in laryngotracheal reconstruction.

Objectives: Granulation tissue often forms around a laryngotracheal stent, tracheostomy tube, or other airway prosthesis, especially if infection occurs. We studied the types and frequency of organisms colonizing stents used in pediatric laryngotracheal reconstruction. Study Design: This prospective study included 21 patients undergoing 23 consecutive laryngotracheal reconstructions with stents between 1991 and 1999. Methods: After endoscopic removal, each laryngotracheal stent was placed immediately in a sterile container and transported to the laboratory. Specimens for culture were obtained from biofilms on the stents and plated on agars for growth of aerobic, anaerobic, and fungal organisms. Culture results were analyzed with regard to patient age, duration of stenting, and graft type. Results: All stents were colonized with more than one pathogen (range 2–7). The most frequent aerobic isolates were Streptococcus viridians, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenza, and Neisseria species. Anaerobic organisms were isolated in 26% of cases. Candida species were isolated in 57% of the cases; patients whose stents were colonized with Candida were significantly (P = .007) older (mean 77.5 months) than those not colonized with this organism (mean 26.1 months) Conclusions: The antibiotic agents currently used for children undergoing laryngotracheal reconstruction target mainly aerobic organisms. Despite prophylactic measures, the incidence of granulation tissue formation is clinically significant, and the prevalence of anaerobic, including fungal, pathogens is high. Antibiotic therapy directed toward controlling anaerobic and fungal organisms could help in controlling local inflammation and thus granulation tissue formation.
Porous Layer Open Tubular Gas Chromatography Columns

Abstract Throughout the two decade history of gas chromatography, the design and modification of the column has been the subject of numerous studies resulting in many improvements and innovations. One of the more important innovations is the concept of open tubular columns, and their modification to porous layer open tubular (PLOT) columns.1
Movements of Fluvial Bonneville Cutthroat Trout in the Thomas Fork of the Bear River, Idaho–Wyoming

Abstract The majority of interior subspecies of cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii have been extirpated from large rivers by anthropogenic activities that have fragmented habitats and introduced nonnative competitors. Selective pressures against migratory behaviors and main-stem river occupation, coupled with conservation strategies that isolate genetically pure populations above barriers, have restricted gene flow and prevented expression of the fluvial life history in many populations. Existing knowledge about the movements and home range requirements of fluvial cutthroat trout is, therefore, limited. Our objectives in this study were to (1) determine the extent of seasonal home ranges and mobility of Bonneville cutthroat trout O. c. utah (BCT) in the Thomas Fork and main-stem Bear River and (2) evaluate the role of a water diversion structure functioning as a seasonal migration barrier to fish movement. We implanted 55 BCT in the Thomas Fork of the Bear River, Idaho, with radio transmitters and locat...
Infinite time horizon maximum causal entropy inverse reinforcement learning

Inverse reinforcement learning (IRL) attempts to use demonstrations of “expert” decision making in a Markov decision process to infer a corresponding policy that shares the “structured, purposeful” qualities of the expert's actions. In this paper, we extend the maximum causal entropy framework, a notable paradigm in IRL, to the infinite time horizon setting. We consider two formulations (maximum discounted causal entropy and maximum average causal entropy) appropriate for the infinite horizon case and show that both result in optimization programs that can be reformulated as convex optimization problems; thus, admitting efficient computation. We then develop a gradient-based algorithm for the maximum discounted causal entropy formulation that enjoys the desired feature of being model agnostic, a property that is absent in many previous IRL algorithms. We propose the stationary soft Bellman policy, a key building block in the gradient-based algorithm, and study its properties in depth, which not only lead to theoretical insight into its analytical properties, but also help motivate a large toolkit of methods for implementing the gradient-based algorithm. Finally, we select three algorithms of this type and apply them to two problem instances involving demonstration data from a simple controlled queuing network model inspired by problems in air traffic management.
Choline Deficiency Is Associated With Increased Risk for Venous Catheter Thrombosis

Background: Patients with intestinal failure who require long-term parenteral nutrition (PN) develop catheter thrombosis as a complication. This patient group may also develop choline deficiency because of a defect in the hepatic transsulfuration pathway in the setting of malabsorption. This study was undertaken to determine whether choline deficiency is a risk factor for development of catheter thrombosis. Methods: Plasma free and phospholipid-bound choline concentrations were measured in a group of 41 patients that required long-term PN. Episodes of catheter thrombosis from onset of PN to the time of blood testing were recorded. Results: Sixteen (39%) patients developed catheter thrombosis, and 5 of these had recurrent catheter thrombosis. Plasma free choline was 7.7 ± 2.7 nmol/mL in patients with no history of catheter thrombosis and 6.2 ± 1.7 nmol/mL in patients with previous catheter thrombosis (p = .076 by Wilcoxon rank-sum test). The partial correlation between plasma free choline concentration and...
Place in the City: Place-Based Learning in a Large Urban Undergraduate Geoscience Program.

ABSTRACT One of my principal goals at the University of Minnesota is to transform the university's entry-level geoscience program into an effective “concluding” geoscience course that provides students with a clear understanding of the many interactions between Earth processes and human society. Although place-based learning appeared to be a promising way to achieve that goal, I was initially concerned whether the urban character of the university's campus and student body, the program's size, and its rapidly overturning instructional staff might limit its effectiveness. To test its effectiveness in such an educational setting, I incorporated elements of place-based learning into a multiyear renovation of the university's Earth Sciences 1001 (ESCI 1001) laboratory program. Over half of the laboratory exercises are now place-based learning that explore historical interactions of Earth processes and Upper Midwest society. Since the initiative's goals differ from those of traditional introductory geoscience ...
Geometry, numerical models and revised slip rate for the Reelfoot fault and trishear fault-propagation fold, New Madrid seismic zone

Abstract The geometry and structural relief of late Holocene sediments folded across the Reelfoot scarp are characterized with trench excavations, shallow borings, a digital elevation model (DEM) of topography and Reelfoot Lake (RL) bathymetry. Results suggest the scarp forms by heterogeneous shear in the forelimb of a fault-propagation fold. Seismic data and the accompanying structural analysis support the argument that the Reelfoot fault does not offset the surface, and that the Reelfoot scarp is a fold limb. Structural relief measured across the Reelfoot scarp is slightly higher than previous determinations and varies from 7 to 11 m along the western shoreline of RL. Numerical models based on trishear kinematics constrain growth of the Reelfoot monocline and indicate that the underlying Reelfoot thrust fault is steeply dipping. The shallowest portion of the central Reelfoot thrust segment dips 75° where the fault tip has propagated upward from 911 m to its current location 465 m beneath the surface. The models indicate that the shallowest section of the southern thrust segment in the Reelfoot thrust system dips even more steeply at 80° but has propagated upward only a few tens of meters to its present location 1016 m beneath the surface. The thrust is flatter at deeper levels based on the location of earthquake hypocenters. Strain across the Reelfoot scarp is partitioned into two or three separate fold scarps that collectively record a late Holocene fault slip rate of 3.9±0.1 mm/yr. The slip rate is based on 9 m of structural relief, the 2290±60 ybp age of folded sediment and a 75° dip for the fault. This implies a rate of horizontal contraction in the seismic zone of ∼1.0 mm/yr. This rate is strongly dependent on the dip of the thrust calculated by the structural analysis. The numerical models argue for reactivation of faults that previously offset Paleozoic strata.
Overview of the United States Department of Energy’s Used Fuel Disposition Research and Development Campaign

The United States Department of Energy (US DOE) is conducting research and development (R&D) activities within the Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) to support storage, transportation, and disposal of used nuclear fuel (UNF) and wastes generated by existing and future nuclear fuel cycles. R&D activities are ongoing at nine national laboratories, and are divided into two major topical areas: (1) storage and transportation research, and (2) disposal research. Storage R&D focuses on closing technical gaps related to extended storage of UNF. For example, uncertainties remain regarding high-burnup nuclear fuel cladding performance following possible hydride reorientation and creep deformation, and also regarding long-term canister integrity. Transportation R&D focuses on ensuring transportability of UNF following extended storage, addressing data gaps regarding nuclear fuel integrity, retrievability, and demonstration of subcriticality. Disposal R&D focuses on identifying multiple viable geologic disposal options and addressing technical challenges for generic disposal concepts in various host media (e.g., mined repositories in salt, clay/shale, and granitic rocks, and deep borehole disposal in crystalline rock). R&D will transition to site-specific challenges as national policy advances. R&D goals at this stage are to increase confidence in the robustness of generic disposal concepts, to reduce generic sources of uncertainty that may impact the viability of disposal concepts, and to develop science and engineering tools that will support the selection, characterization, and ultimately licensing of a repository. The US DOE has also initiated activities that can be conducted within the constraints of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act to facilitate the development of an interim storage facility and supporting transportation infrastructure.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Ground state of correlated electrons in a narrow almost half-filled s band☆

Abstract We consider a system of conduction electrons in an almost half-filled s band with an infinitely strong δ-function type repulsive potential, and with non-vanishing transfer matrix elements only between nearest neighbors. We find rigorously that the totally polarized ferromagnetic state is the ground state for sc and bcc and for fcc and hcp with N e > N, N e and N being respectively the number of electrons and atoms, and that it is not the ground state for fcc and hcp with N e
Cell migration after synovium graft interposition at tendon repair site

Background We have recently reported that interpositional synovium grafts from tendon sheath have a potential to accelerate tendon healing when implanted at the repair site. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of orientation of the synovium after synovium graft transplantation, by comparing the ability of cells from the visceral and parietal surfaces to migrate into the tendon in a canine tissue culture model.
An Empirical Study of Ontology-Based Multi-Document Summarization in Disaster Management

Domain ontology, as a conceptual model, provides a meaningful framework for semantic representation of textual information. In this paper, we explore the feasibility of using the ontology in solving multi-document summarization problems in the domain of disaster management. We provide an empirical study of different approaches in which the ontology has been used for summarization tasks. Extensive experiments on a collection of press releases relevant to Hurricane Wilma in 2005 demonstrate that ontology-based multi-document summarization methods outperform other baselines in terms of the summary quality.
Mask CD control requirement at 0.18-μm design rules for 193-nm lithography

In this paper, the mask critical dimension (CD) control budget for the 0.18 micrometers generation design rules are assessed via experimental based data. The lithography tool used for wafer exposure is 193 nm microstepper with NA of 0.6. The resist process used is the top surface imaging (TSI) resist process. In the study, the process CD variation due to mask CD error, mask CD error combined with process variation such as focus and exposure, mask CD error combined with low kl imaging limitation, and mask CD error combined with the characteristics of a given resist process, such as feature dependent silylation, are investigated. It is found that for the lines with a relative larger pitch (e.g., pitch is approximately 2X the line width), the resist CD responds to the mask CD linearly down to a 0.16 micrometers feature size. However, unlike the most single layer resist processes, the slope of the line, i.e., (Delta) CD(wafer)/(Delta) CD(mask), in the above mentioned TSI process is not equal to 1. Their values are between 1.2 - 1.7, depending upon the pitch. This means that for a given mask CD error, the corresponding wafer CD error will be 1.2 - 1.7 times larger. In other words, the mask CD control budget will not scale the same as that of wafer CD control budget when the design rule scales. In fact, the mask CD control budget should be at least 1.2 - 1.7 times tighter than that of the wafer CD budget scaling. In the case of contacts, the resist CD linearity only extends to the 0.375 micrometers feature size with a slope approximately equals to 1. For the contacts smaller than 0.375 micrometers , the slopes are greater than 1 depending upon the exact mask contact sizes. For the contacts smaller than 0.25 micrometers , the slopes are between 2 - 3, depending upon the pitch. In addition, it is found that the defocus increases the slope value significantly for the small contacts sizes. The slopes for the case of lines, however, are found much less sensitive to the defocus conditions (defocus equals +/- 0.2 micrometers approximately +/- 0.3 micrometers ). Our assessment showed that mask CD control budget (4X) for 0.18 micrometers design rules are necessary to be in a range of +/- 8 nm approximately +/- 12 nm (4X), assuming that +/- 25% of total wafer CD budget which is +/- 10% of the target CD is given to the mask.
A VLSI Neural Network for Color Constancy

A system for color correction has been designed, built, and tested successfully; the essential components are three custom chips built using subthreshold analog CMOS VLSI. The system, based on Land's Retinex theory of color constancy, produces colors similar in many respects to those produced by the visual system. Resistive grids implemented in analog VLSI perform the smoothing operation central to the algorithm at video rates. With the electronic system, the strengths and weaknesses of the algorithm are explored.
Comparison of axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric nozzles installed on the F-15 configuration

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley 16-foot transonic tunnel to determine nozzle/afterbody performance of nonaxisymmetric nozzles installed in a 1/12-scale F-15 propulsion model. Tests were performed at Mach numbers from 0.60 to 1.20 at angles-of-attack from -2 to +9 deg and jet-total-pressure ratios from 1.0 (jet-off) to 5.0, depending on Mach number. The baseline F-15 afterbody was tested with axisymmetric nozzles, and two different two-dimensional wedge nozzle afterbody designs. Results of this investigation indicate that one of the two-dimensional afterbody designs had lower drag than the baseline at a Mach number of 1.20, and about the same drag for subsonic Mach numbers at scheduled nozzle pressure ratios. Thrust vectoring of the two-dimensional wedge nozzles produced significant induced lift on the afterbody and horizontal tails, while thrust reversing had little effect on horizontal tail effectiveness.
Reducing power consumption in a sensor network by information feedback

We study the role of information feedback for the problem of distributed signal tracking/estimation using a sensor network with a fusion center. Assuming that the fusion center has sufficient energy to reliably feed back its intermediate estimates, we show that the sensors can substantially reduce their power consumption by using the feedback information in a manner similar to the stochastic approximation scheme of Robbins-Monro. For the problem of tracking an autoregressive source or estimating an unknown parameter, we quantify the total achievable power saving (as compared to the distributed schemes with no feedback), and provide numerical simulations to confirm the theoretical analysis.