cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bartonella interactions with host cells.

Bartonella species are versatile bacterial pathogens that can parasitize a variety of cells within the circulatory system of mammals. Following transmission by the bite of an arthropod, or through wounds inflicted by an infected mammal, bartonellae colonize the blood vasculature and produce an acute episode characterized by bacteremia and hemotrophy, low-grade fever and malaise, vascular lesions (hemangiomas, papules or peliosis) and lymphadenopathy. The course of disease can be life-threatening and frequently culminates in a carrier state within the host. Chronic Bartonella infections have been reported in humans, dogs, cats, rodents, and insect vectors such as lice and fleas. The wide variety of mammalian reservoirs and arthropod vectors (Table 1) suggests that infected animals and their ectoparasites will continue to be a perennial public health risk for humans.
Obesity and youth diabetes: distinguishing characteristics between islet cell antibody positive vs. negative patients over time

Objective Obese youth clinically diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) frequently have evidence of islet cell autoimmunity. We investigated the clinical and biochemical differences, and therapeutic modalities among autoantibody positive (Ab+) vs. autoantibody negative (Ab−) youth at the time of diagnosis and over time in a multi-provider clinical setting. Study design Chart review of 145 obese youth diagnosed with T2DM from January 2003 to July 2012. Of these, 70 patients were Ab+ and 75 Ab−. The two groups were compared with respect to clinical presentation, physical characteristics, laboratory data, and therapeutic modalities at diagnosis and during follow up to assess the changes in these parameters associated with disease progression. Results At presentation, Ab+ youth with a clinical diagnosis of T2DM were younger, had higher rates of ketosis, higher hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and glucose levels, and lower insulin and c-peptide concentrations compared with the Ab− group. The Ab− group had a higher body mass index (BMI) z-score and cardiometabolic risk factors at diagnosis and such difference remained over time. Univariate analysis revealed that treatment modality had no effect on BMI in either group. Generalized estimating equations for longitudinal data analysis revealed that (i) BMI z-score and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were significantly affected by duration of diabetes; (ii) systolic blood pressure (SBP) and ALT were affected by changes in BMI z-score; and (iii) changes in HbA1c had an effect on lipid profile and cardiometabolic risk factors regardless of antibody status. Conclusions Irrespective of antibody status and treatment modality, youth who present with obesity and diabetes, show no improvement in obesity status over time, with the deterioration in BMI z-score affecting blood pressure (BP) and ALT, but the lipid profile being mostly impacted by HbA1c and glycemic control. Effective control of BMI and glycemia are needed to lessen the future macrovascular complications irrespective of antibody status.
Preimplantation Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Using Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH)

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is the screening of embryos at the cleavage stage in order to select and transfer only the desired embryo. The main indications of PGD are monogenic disorders and aneuploidy. Additionally, PGD can be employed to distinguish a male from a female embryo or to choose a HLA-matched embryo to a child requiring bone marrow or cord blood transplant. The European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology classifies PGD into two categories (Hum Reprod 24: 1786–810, 2009): high-risk PGD for patients at high risk of transmitting a genetic or chromosomal abnormality to their children, which includes single gene defects, namely autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant, and X-linked disorders, as well as chromosomal abnormalities (translocations, small deletions, etc.); and low-risk PGD (or PGS for Preimplantation Genetic Screening) for sex selection, and for infertile patients undergoing IVF with the aim of increasing the IVF pregnancy rates. Patients that fall into this category are those of advanced maternal age and repeated IVF failure and couples with normal karyotypes who have experienced repeated miscarriages.
Automated generation of dedicated fixture design

Flexible fixturing is a necessary aspect of FMS and CIMS. Computer–aided fixture design (CAFD) has become a research focus in implementing FMS and CIMS. Although modular fixtures have been used in industry as flexible fixtures, there are some limitations in large–batch and mass productions where dedicated fixtures are utilised. By combining CAFD with 3–D lithographic and/or CNC machining techniques, customised fixtures can be rapidly designed and fabricated to reduce manufacturing lead–time. In this paper, an automated customised fixture design system is introduced. Based on fixture structure analysis, fixtures are divided into functional components, fixture bases, and supporters of connections. A geometry–element generator is designed to adaptively generate fixture components with dimensions according to workpiece geometry and operational information. Locator/clamp selection is automatically conducted with connections to a fixture base. Once fixture units have been designed individually, the connections may be modified into combined units based on certain criteria. Interference checking and fixture unit modifications are also automatically performed in the system. Fixture design examples are given at the end of the paper.
Congenital nephrosis and neonatal cytomegalovirus infection: a clinical association.

This report describes an infant with congenital nephrotic syndrome and cytomegalovirus infection whose renal biopsy was consistent with the pathological diagnosis of diffuse mesangial sclerosis along with intrarenal cytomegaloviral inclusions.
Inhibition of central nervous system aromatase activity: A mechanism for fenarimol-induced infertility in the male rat

Fenarimol (alpha-(2-chlorophenyl)-alpha(4-chlorophenyl)-5-pyrimidine-methanol), a pyrimidine carbinol agricultural fungicide, was previously reported to cause a dose-related decrease in fertility in rats (K. S. Hirsch, E. R. Adams, D. G. Hoffman, J. K. Markham, and N. V. Owen (1986), Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 86, 391-399). Based on the results of a number of reproduction studies (K. S. Hirsch, E. R. Adams, D. G. Hoffman, J. K. Markham, and N. V. Owen (1986), Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 86, 391-399), the infertility appeared to be associated with an impairment of male sexual behavior. When [14C]fenarimol was administered to the dam, high concentrations of radioactivity were observed in the neonatal hypothalamus, which functions in the development and subsequent expression of male sexual behavior. In the present studies fenarimol exhibited neither antiandrogenic nor antiestrogenic activities. The compound did, however, prevent the increase in nuclear estrogen receptors in the brain which normally occurs in the male during the early postnatal period. These results suggested that fenarimol might be acting to inhibit estrogen biosynthesis (via the aromatase enzyme complex) within the central nervous system. [3H]Testosterone was administered to neonatal rats, and the tritiated metabolites were isolated. Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (17 beta-hydroxy-5 alpha-androstan-3-one) concentrations were similar in all treatment groups. Tritiated estrogens were detected in the brain cell nuclei from control neonates but not in neonates exposed to fenarimol. Fenarimol was also observed to inhibit rat ovarian aromatase activity in vitro. These data indicate that the decrease in male sexual behavior and the infertility associated with exposure to fenarimol were, most likely, due to inhibition of aromatase activity within the central nervous system.
Massachusetts weapon-related injury surveillance system

Abstract Context: Surveillance data on nonfatal weapon-related injuries—particularly those treated only in the emergency department (ED)—have been largely unavailable. Objective: To develop a surveillance system for fatal and nonfatal gunshot wounds and sharp instrument assaults. Design: The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) developed an ED-based reporting system for weapon-related injuries. Inpatient discharges and mortality data were linked to ED data, and police data sources were evaluated. Setting: Statewide. Participants: All 84 acute care hospital emergency departments. Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Set (UHDDS), mortality, and police data were obtained from existing systems. Main Outcome Measures: System sensitivity, predictive value positive (PVP), representativeness, flexibility, usefulness, acceptability, and sustainability. Results: The ED reporting system captured 82% of firearm-related injuries and 74% of reportable sharp instrument wounds from 1994 to 1996. Case reporting by demographic characteristics of the victim was representative and largely complete. Reporting by characteristics of the incident (e.g., type of gun) was less reliable. Police data were used to augment the system. From 1994 to 1996, ED-treated gunshot wounds dropped 41%, from 662 in 1994 to 393 in 1996. Unintentional and self-inflicted gunshot wounds showed no declines. For every firearm-related homicide, 4.7 nonfatal firearm assaults were treated; 85% of self-inflicted gunshot wounds were fatal. Conclusions: The system has proven timely (1996 ED data were available for release in March 1997), flexible (the reporting form has been revised several times), useful (DPH responds to 150 weapon injury data requests annually), acceptable (reporting is voluntary and no hospital declined participation), and sustainable (state funding is currently supporting the ED reporting system).
Cobalamin and folate metabolism in helminths.

Abstract Knowledge about the source, metabolism and functions of cobalamins and folates in helminths remains fragmentary. It is likely that all helminths, whether free-living or parasitic, cannot synthesize cobalamins and folates de novo. Folates, but not cobalamins, appear to be ubiquitous in helminths. Of the parasitic helminths that take up free cobalamins in vitro, all but one species showed no uptake of cobalamin bound to transport proteins, although the latter type of cobalamin by far predominates in vivo. Certain free-living and parasitic helminths in vitro and in vivo took up a variety of folyl and antifolyl monoglutamates, but it is not known whether helminths can take up any folyl polyglutamates. Helminths that have any folate-dependent metabolism appear able to produce polyglutamylated forms of the required tetrahydrofolate coenzymes. Helminths that possess a functional cobalamin-dependent pathway from succinyl CoA to propionyl CoA appear able to form the required adenosylcobalamin coenzyme. Only free-living helminths may possess a cobalamin (and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate)-dependent pathway from homocysteine to methionine. It is likely that all helminths possess the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate-dependent pathway from deoxyuridylate to thymidylate. All helminths appear able to salvage purine bases and nucleosides, but 10-formyltetrahydrofolate-dependent de novo purine ribonucleotide synthesis has been demonstrated unequivocally only in nematodes. The primitive parasitic groups of helminths exhibit cobalamin metabolism, whereas the more highly evolved ones seem to have lost the mechanisms for uptake and the associated biochemical pathways utilizing cobalamins.
Quantitative proteomic analysis indicates increased synthesis of a quinolone by Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from cystic fibrosis airways

The opportunistic bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonizes airways of individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) with resultant chronic destructive lung disease. P. aeruginosa adaptation to the CF airway includes biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance. Isolates from asymptomatic individuals in the first 3 years of life have unique characteristics, suggesting that adaptation occurs before clinical symptoms. One defined early adaptation is expression of a specific proinflammatory lipopolysaccharide (LPS) that is associated with antimicrobial peptide resistance. This CF-specific LPS is induced when P. aeruginosa is grown in medium that is limited for magnesium. Therefore, qualitative and quantitative proteomic approaches were used to define 1,331 P. aeruginosa proteins, of which 145 were differentially expressed on limitation of magnesium. Among proteins induced by low magnesium were enzymes essential for production of 2-heptyl 3-hydroxy 4-quinolone, the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS), which interacts with the homoserine lactone signaling pathway. Measurement of PQS in P. aeruginosa isolates from asymptomatic children with CF indicated that strains with increased synthesis of PQS are present during early colonization of CF patient airways.
Measurement of photons via conversion pairs in sqrt{s_{NN}} =200 GeV Au+Au collisions with the PHENIX experiment at RHIC

Thermal photons can provide information on the temperature of the new state of matter created at RHIC. In the pT region of 1–3 GeV/c thermal photons are expected to be the dominant direct photon source. Therefore, a possible excess compared to a pure decay photon signal due to a thermal photon contribution should be seen in the double ratio (γ/γ(π0))Measured/(γ/γ(π0))Simulated, if sufficient accuracy can be reached. We present a method to reconstruct direct photons by measuring e+e--pairs from external photon conversions.
Effect of phenylbutazone (3,5-dioxo-1,2-diphenyl-4-n-butyl-pyrazolidin) on renal function.

Conclusions1) Phenylbutazone causes retention of salt and water in approximately 80% of patients receiving this drug with clinical edema becoming manifest in approximately 10%. 2) Phenylbutazone markedly depresses renal tubular excretion of para-aminohippurate. 3) Excretion of para-amino-salicylic acid does not appear to be inhibited by this drug. 4) Further studies are needed to clarify the relation, if any, between decreased excretion of para-aminohippurate and the clinically observed increased reabsorption of sodium.
Congenital anorectal teratoma: Report of a case

This is the first reported case of congenital anorectal teratoma. Total disconnection from the coccyx and mucomembranous covering distinguish this tumor from the more common sacrococcygeal teratoma. Complete surgical excision is important to avoid recurrence or malignant transformation.
Problems in the theoretical structure of organometallic molecules: generalized molecular orbital, configuration interaction calculations on ferrocene

Abstract Optimization of the metal-to-ring distance in ferrocene at the HartreeFockRoothaan (HFR) level yields a bond distance about 0.25 A longer than the experimental distance of 1.65 A. Here we report generalized molecular orbital, configuration interaction calculations which account for the major portion of the HFR bond-distance error in ferrocene. The HFR method fails because it localizes the metal—ring orbital too strongly, and, consequently, the metal—ligand bonding is too ionic. If similar problems occur in other organometallic systems, calculations such as those reported here may be necessary to obtain accurate theoretical geometries.
Damper Bars and Their Influence in Operating Homopolar Inductor Alternators for Aerospace Supplies - Part II: Subtransient Reactances of Saturated Homopolar Inductor Alternators with Damper Windings

The general differential equations for the circuits of a homopolar inductor alternator are established. The system of equations is modified for the case of nonsymmetrical subtransient operation. The Runge-Kutta and Adams-Moulton methods are used to solve the system of differential equations with variable coefficients. The solution is obtained for different initial conditions. Several damper winding designs are analyzed. A step-by-step correction method in the time domain is used to improve the approximate initial value of the subtransient reactance. This method takes care of saturation, which changes greatly during a subtransient. The analysis of the most advantageous design of the axial damper winding located in the armature slots is given in this paper. All calculations were carried out for the same alternator as used in the companion paper [1].
SKIM MILK IN INFANT FEEDING

Skim milk in infant feeding. Acta Paediatr Scand, 66:17, 1977. --Ninety-four infants were enrolled at 112 days of age in a study of food intake and growth and 88 were considered to have completed satisfactorily the planned 56 days of observation. The infants lived at home. Feedings consisted of a commercially available formula (Similac, 67 kcl/100 ml) or a slightly modified skim milk (Formula 305, 36 kcal/100 ml) and commercially prepared strained foods. Energy intake and gain in weight were significantly greater by infants fed Similac than by those fed Formula 305. Gain in length was nearly identical in the two feeding groups. During the 56 days of observation, triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses changed little in infants fed Similac but decreased approximately 25% in infants fed Formula 305. It is suggested that body fat stores of infants fed Formula 305 were mobilized to permit growth of fat-free tissue.
Comparison of 3 Protocols for Treatment after Induction of Remission in Dogs with Lymphoma

Background: The optimal treatment after inducing complete remission (CR) in dogs with lymphoma has not been established. Hypothesis: After inducing CR with L-asparaginase, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, prednisone (L-CHOP); consolidation with either half-body radiation therapy (HBRT); or lomustine (CCNU) and mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, prednisone (MOPP) would improve first remission duration compared with continuing a CHOP-based protocol for an additional 4 months. Animals: Dogs with stage III-V lymphoma. Methods: Prospective clinical trial in which dogs initially were treated with an 8-week induction protocol that consisted of L-CHOP. Dogs in CR after induction were then allocated to 1 of 2 consolidation arms. A chemotherapy consolidation arm consisted of 2 treatments with CCNU and 1 cycle of MOPP. A HBRT arm consisted of 2 sequential 8.0-Gy fractions to the cranial and caudal half-body separated by 30 days. Vincristine was given between fractions. Results of the consolidation arms also were compared with a historical group treated with the same 8-week induction protocol followed by CHOP therapy until week 24. Results: Overall, 67% of the dogs were in CR after 8 weeks of induction chemotherapy and were compared. Fifty-two dogs were in the historical arm, 23 in the CCNU/MOPP arm, and 27 in the HBRT arm. No difference in first remission duration was found among groups. Median first remission duration for the historical, CCNU/MOPP, and HBRT arms were 307, 274, and 209 days, respectively (P= .28). Overall second CR rate was 82% and was not different among groups (all P > .58). Overall remission duration (P= .28) and survival time (P= .48) were not different among groups. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Consolidation with either CCNU/MOPP or HBRT showed no advantage over a standard CHOP-based protocol.
A low-power digital front-end direct-sampling receiver for flexible radios

Implementation of digital front-end (DFE) for direct-sampling receivers in 65-nm CMOS is presented. The DFE converts a digitized RF signal to a baseband signal, thereby realizing mixing and decimation. It supports fractional decimation from arbitrary RF carriers up to 2.7 GHz to any LTE baseband frequency. Measurements show that the DFE decimates a 16-MHz bandwidth signal centered at a 2.025 GHz carrier, to a baseband frequency of 20 MHz while dissipating 14 mW of power. Noise figure of the DFE is limited to 3 dB.
Comparison of amino acid levels in rat blood obtained by catheterization and decapitation

Abstract A novel, sensitive and highly resolving amino acid analysis procedure was developed and used to compare two methods of obtaining blood from experimental animals. The procedure, utilizing a meter long microbore HPLC column containing spherical cation-exchange resin and fluorescence detection following postcolumn reaction with o-phthaldialdehyde, was shown to reliably measure forty-one primary amine components in rat plasma. Comparison of values from blood obtained by decapitation and by catheterization documented the significant artifactual influence of the decapitation procedure on approximately half of the measured constituents.
Biomembrane liquid-liquid phase separation and detergent resistance: a relationship strengthened

Since evidence first appeared for 'detergent-resistant membranes' in the early to mid-1990s, cell biologists from a wide spectrum of biological sciences have been intrigued by the functional relevance of this indication of membrane heterogeneity, commonly referred to as 'lipid rafts'. Model membrane studies revealed that these lipid rafts are related to the more ordered liquid phase that forms in a ternary mixture of cholesterol with a phospholipid containing saturated acyl chains and one with unsaturated acyl chains. Giant plasma membrane vesicles that pinch off from cells undergo similar liquid-liquid phase separation as ternary model membranes, and have provided an experimental bridge between these and intact cells. The study by Levental et al. in this issue of the Biochemical Journal provides new insights into the relationship between liquid-liquid phase separation in these plasma membrane vesicles and detergent-resistance of cellular lipid rafts.
Correlations of the energy density and conformal invariance in the 2D Ising model with a defect line

Abstract We consider the two-dimensional critical Ising model with a defect line of strength μ. The non-universal correlation functions 〈 ϵ 1 … ϵ n 〉 μ and 〈 Tϵ 1 … ϵ n 〉 μ are calculated for arbitrary μ and n . Here ϵ is the energy density, and T is the stress-energy tensor. The results are consistent with degeneracy of the energy density at level 2 in conformal-invariance theory.
Laser assisted electron beam conditioning for free electron lasers

A new method for electron beam conditioning in free electron lasers is proposed. It uses the electron beam interaction with a laser light in two wiggler magnets separated by a strong-focusing channel. The effect of the conditioning is illustrated by the example of a hypothetical single-pass, high-gain free electron laser operating in the self-amplified spontaneous emission mode with the x-ray emission at ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{x}=1.5\text{ }\AA{}$. The proposed conditioner is relatively compact and can be used as a practical add-on device to short x-ray wavelength free electron lasers.
Shareholder Value Effects of Voluntary Emissions Reduction

The relationship between emissions reduction and firm financial performance has been studied with mixed results. We consider potential sources of this ambiguity by examining announcements of voluntary emissions reduction (VER) from 1990 to 2009. We measure the stock market reaction associated with VER announcements to estimate the effects of time, emissions type, and whether the reduction was announced ex ante or ex post. We find that the market reaction to VER significantly decreased over time. The changing nature of the market reaction to VER over time highlights the importance of evaluating the financial impact of any VER in the current context rather than relying on past findings. We also find that the market reaction is more positive if the reduction is for greenhouse gas (GHG) rather than other emissions types. In light of the increasing concern with GHGs, this finding should be welcome news for managers. Last, we find a more positive market reaction for VER announcements that are pledges or statements of intent rather than realized achievements of VER. Managers contemplating VER might find benefit (and at least no harm) in announcing their intent to reduce emissions rather than waiting until they have achieved the reduction.
Front tracking simulation of deformation and buckling instability of a liquid capsule enclosed by an elastic membrane

The dynamics of a liquid capsule enclosed by an elastic membrane in a shear flow is investigated using a front tracking finite difference method. We compute deformation, orientation and tank-treading of the capsule, as functions of the forcing (capillary number) and the viscosity ratio for two different membrane constitutive equations - Neo-Hookean and Skalak. The computed results compare very well with those obtained by high-order boundary element methods as well as the small deformation perturbation analysis. The simulation shows that a drop and a capsule, even under those circumstances that result in the same Taylor deformation criterion for both, attain very different shapes. The tank-treading period even for different capillary numbers as well as capsules with different constitutive laws, is primarily determined by the deformation and the viscosity ratio. At low capillary numbers the simulation predicts buckling due to large compressive stresses on the membrane. However, we show that in shear, unlike in extension, the tank-treading motion can inhibit the buckling instability and gives rise to a stable evolution even in presence of membrane compressive stresses. At large capillary numbers the capsule experiences large bounded shape followed by tip buckling indicating possible membrane breakup.
Dick receives 2011 Harry H. Hess Medal: Response

Henry J. B. Dick was awarded the 2011 Harry H. Hess Medal at the AGU Fall Meeting Honors Ceremony, held on 7 December 2011 in San Francisco, Calif. The medal is for “outstanding achievements in research on the constitution and evolution of Earth and other planets.”
Potential Value of the Mormon Cricket (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae) Harvested as a High-Protein Feed for Poultry

Adults of Anabrus simplex Haldeman collected near Greystone, Colo., were found to have a mean dry weight (males and females combined) of 1.08 g and a crude protein content of 58%. At cricket densities of 10 to 20/m2, a 1-km2 band of crickets represents ca. 11 to 22 metric tons of potentially harvestable high-protein powder. Corn-cricket-based diets produced significantly better growth of broiler chicks than was produced by a conventional corn-soybean based diet. Based on current prices for corn and soybean meal, the wholesale value of crickets of the aforementioned densities in a km2 band would range from $3,300 to $6,600 if harvested for use as a high-protein feed.
Computational modeling of polyurea-coated composites subjected to blast loads:

This manuscript presents computational modeling and simulation of woven E-glass fiber-reinforced vinyl-ester (EVE) composites and polyurea-coated EVE composites subjected to blast loading. The response of polyurea is idealized based on a temperature- and pressure-dependent visco-elastic constitutive model. The response of the EVE layers is modeled based on a multiscale computational damage model that includes adiabatic heating and rate-dependence in the constituent (i.e. matrix and fiber) behavior. Experimentally validated numerical simulations of EVE composite and polyurea-coated EVE composite specimens subjected to blast loading indicate that the proposed models are capable of accurately capturing the inelastic and failure characteristics of the specimens. The significant shock mitigation effect of polyurea coating is numerically demonstrated. Predictive simulations suggest better blast mitigation characteristics with increasing polyurea thickness and confining the perimeter of the polyurea layers.
Computational biology in the study of cardiac ion channels and cell electrophysiology

The cardiac cell is a complex biological system where various processes interact to generate electrical excitation (the action potential, AP) and contraction. During AP generation, membrane ion channels interact nonlinearly with dynamically changing ionic concentrations and varying transmembrane voltage, and are subject to regulatory processes. In recent years, a large body of knowledge has accumulated on the molecular structure of cardiac ion channels, their function, and their modification by genetic mutations that are associated with cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death. However, ion channels are typically studied in isolation (in expression systems or isolated membrane patches), away from the physiological environment of the cell where they interact to generate the AP. A major challenge remains the integration of ion-channel properties into the functioning, complex and highly interactive cell system, with the objective to relate molecular-level processes and their modification by disease to whole-cell function and clinical phenotype. In this article we describe how computational biology can be used to achieve such integration. We explain how mathematical (Markov) models of ion-channel kinetics are incorporated into integrated models of cardiac cells to compute the AP. We provide examples of mathematical (computer) simulations of physiological and pathological phenomena, including AP adaptation to changes in heart rate, genetic mutations in SCN5A and HERG genes that are associated with fatal cardiac arrhythmias, and effects of the CaMKII regulatory pathway and β-adrenergic cascade on the cell electrophysiological function.
A review of fatigue crack growth analyses

Stress intensity factor range, Delta K, has been shown to correlate well with fatigue crack growth rate, da/dN. A number of fatigue crack growth theories have been developed for such correlations. Often, conjectory theories of fatigue crack growth are constructed from experimental data. On the other hand, fatigue crack growth theories can also be derived rigorously with deductive logic. Four such deductive theories are reviewed: (1) that for the growth of a small crack in a very wide homogeneous plate, (2) the theory of similitude for the correlation of da/dN with Delta K, (3) a theory of crack growth in homogeneous materials in small-scale yielding, and (4) the unzipping theory of fatigue crack growth. This paper synthesizes these four theories into a logic framework useful for fatigue crack growth analysis. The deductive theories and the conjectory theories complement each other in the advances of the understanding of fatigue crack growth. The applications of logic framework to formulating an overview of fatigue crack growth behavior and to defining the complex issues of the growth of small cracks and crack growth in composites are illustrated.
Using stem cells and reprogramming to understand disease

Kevin Eggan received his PhD in Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in February 2003. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology at Harvard University. Dr Eggan has devoted the last 7 years to performing stem cell research. He is currently leading a research group that is investigating the mechanisms regulating epigenetic reprogramming after somatic cell nuclear transfer and using nuclear transfer techniques to derive disease-specific human embryonic stem cell lines from diabetic and Parkinson’s disease patients. His accomplishments include cloning mice from olfactory sensory neurons, deriving embryonic germ cells and male gametes from embryonic stem cells and characterizing the abnormalities that sometimes arise as a result of nuclear transfer.
An iterative current-based hybrid method for complex structures

This paper presents a general unified hybrid method for radiation and scattering problems such as antennas mounted on a large platform. The method uses a coupled electric-field integral equation (EFIE) and magnetic-field integral equation (MFIE) formulation, referred to as the hybrid EFIE-MFIE (HEM), in which the EFIE and MFIE are applied to geometrically distinct regions of an object. The HEM is capable of modeling arbitrary three-dimensional (3-D) metallic structures, including wires and both open and closed surfaces. We show that current-based hybrid techniques that utilize physical optics (PO) are an approximation of the HEM formulation. A numerical solution procedure is given that combines the moment method (EFIE) with an iterative Neumann series technique (MFIE). This permits one to effectively utilize the PO approximation when appropriate, and provides a general and systematic mechanism to correct the errors introduced by PO. Consequently, the HEM overcomes the inherent limitations of hybrid techniques which rely upon ansatz-based improvements of PO. The method is applied to the problem of radiation from objects that can be modeled using wires and metallic surfaces as fundamental elements. A representative example is given to demonstrate that the method can handle the difficult problem of a parasitic monopole located in the deep shadow region.
The Effects of English Proficiency on Earnings of U.S. Foreign-Born Immigrants: Does Gender Matter?

﻿This paper compares the effects of English proficiency on foreign-born male and female immigrants in the U.S. by using data from the 2001 American Community Survey. The analysis demonstrates the importance of English proficiency on earnings for foreign-born immigrants. The results indicate that male immigrants suffer increasing penalties with decreasing levels of English proficiency. However, female immigrants who speak intermediate English suffer the greatest earnings penalty. Moreover, male immigrants may benefit more from well-spoken English than female immigrants. The Quantile Regression approach is adopted to examine the effects of English proficiency’s effects across the entire earnings distribution. The relative importance of English proficiency is greater at the upper tier of the earnings distribution for immigrants as a whole. A similar pattern remains for both gender groups, although slight differences exist for either group.
Overtreatment of young adults with colon cancer: more intense treatments with unmatched survival gains.

Importance Colon cancer is increasing among adults younger than 50 years. However, the prognosis of young-onset colon cancer remains poorly defined given significant age-related demographic, disease, and treatment differences. Objective To define stage-specific treatments and prognosis of colon cancer diagnosed in young adults (ages 18-49 years) vs older adults (ages 65-75 years) outside of the clinical trial setting while accounting for real-world age-related variations in patient, tumor, and treatment factors. Design, Setting, and Participants A nationwide cohort study was conducted among US hospitals accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. Participants were 13 102 patients diagnosed as having young-onset colon adenocarcinoma aged 18 to 49 years and 37 007 patients diagnosed as having later-onset colon adenocarcinoma aged 65 to 75 years treated between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2005, and reported to the National Cancer Data Base. Exposures Patients who underwent surgical resection and postoperative systemic chemotherapy of curative intent. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary end point was stage-specific relative survival, an objective measure of survival among patients with cancer, adjusting for baseline mortality rates and independent of the data on cause of death. The secondary end point was stage-specific likelihood of receiving postoperative systemic chemotherapy. Results Most young-onset colon cancer was initially seen at advanced stages (61.8% had stage III or IV). After adjusting for patient-related and tumor-related factors, young patients were more likely to receive systemic chemotherapy, particularly multiagent regimens, at all stages relative to those with later-onset disease. These odds ratios were 2.88 (95% CI, 2.21-3.77) for stage I, 3.93 (95% CI, 3.58-4.31) for stage II, 2.42 (95% CI, 2.18-2.68) for stage III, and 2.74 (95% CI, 2.44-3.07) for stage IV. The significantly more intense treatments received by younger patients were unmatched by any survival gain, which was nil for stage II (relative risk, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.69-1.17) and marginal for stage III (relative risk, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.81-0.97) and stage IV (relative risk, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.79-0.90). Conclusions and Relevance Young adults with colon cancer received significantly more postoperative systemic chemotherapy at all stages, but they experienced only minimal gain in adjusted survival compared with their older counterparts who received less treatment. This mismatch suggests that attention should be given to long-term cancer survivorship in young adults with colon cancer because they likely face survivorship needs that are distinct from those of their older counterparts.
Norm Derivatives on Spaces of Operators.

We say the norm is Frechet differentiable at x if the convergence to the limit in (1.1) is uniform for all y~X. Norm derivatives of the spaces: LP(dy), 1 ~ p N oo, and C(X) space of real continuous functions on a compact Hausdorff space X have been studied extensively, see for example page 171 in [5]. Also necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of these derivatives in an arbitrary Banach space X have been established in terms of support functionals in the dual space X*, see [2]. In this paper we investigate the existence of norm derivatives in the spaces of compact operators % on a separable Hilbert space whose norm will be defined in the following section. We also give necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of the Gateaux derivative of the norm in B(H): the space of bounded operators, on a Hilbert space H, with the uniform norm. Whenever the derivative exists we write a formula for it. Norm derivatives are important in approximation theory and in the geometry of Banach spaces. We will make use of the following basic theorem in Corollary 3.3. See [5], ex. 3.57.
Multivariate geometric stable distributions in financial applications

We describe a class of multivariate geometric stable laws that can be used in modeling multivariate financial portfolios of securities. These heavy tailed distributions are stable with respect to geometric summation and accommodate the possibility of market crashes. We look at bivariate currency exchange rates data and show that its main features, peakedness and heavy tails, are very well captured by the geometric stable model.
Thermal characterization of tape BGA package by modeling

In microelectronic industry, numerical modeling is an effective way to predict thermal performance of IC packages in the initial development stage. Moreover, thermal simulation can provide a greater understanding of the physics of the problem, allowing design to be optimized quickly and cheaply, thereby shortening packaging development cycle time and keeping expensive experimental measurements to a minimum. In this study, 3D finite element analysis (FEA) thermal models capturing the details of the solder ball and internal structure of the tap BGA package are developed. Accuracy of the developed FEA models is validated by bench marking with the measurement for 35mm by 35mm 352 TBGA package. Numerical results of the thermal performance of the TBGA package under various die size and heat-spreader remaining thickness are presented. The thermal metrics, Theta-JA, Psi-JT, and Psi-JB, of the package are characterized numerically. Relationships between these three thermal metrics are established. These relationships are useful to correlate one thermal parameter of the package to another.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Cosmic calibration: Constraints from the matter power spectrum and the cosmic microwave background

Several cosmological measurements have attained significant levels of maturity and accuracy over the past decade. Continuing this trend, future observations promise measurements of the cosmic mass distribution at an accuracy level of 1% out to spatial scales with $k\ensuremath{\sim}10h\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{Mpc}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and even smaller, entering highly nonlinear regimes of gravitational instability. In order to interpret these observations and extract useful cosmological information from them, such as the equation of state of dark energy, very costly high precision, multiphysics simulations must be performed. We have recently implemented a new statistical framework with the aim of obtaining accurate parameter constraints from combining observations with a limited number of simulations. The key idea is the replacement of the full simulator by a fast emulator with controlled error bounds. In this paper, we provide a detailed description of the methodology and extend the framework to include joint analysis of cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure measurements. Our framework is especially well suited for upcoming large-scale structure probes of dark energy such as baryon acoustic oscillations and, especially, weak lensing, where percent level accuracy on nonlinear scales is needed.
Phylogenetic placement ofAthelia bombacina, Aureobasidium pullulans, andColletotrichum gloeosporioides inferred from sequence comparisons of small-subunit ribosomal RNAs

Complete nucleotide sequences of the small-subunit ribosomal RNA (16 S-like rRNA) coding regions from Athelia bombacina (Basidiomycotina, Corticiaceae) (1809 nucleotides), Aureobasidium pullulans (Deuteromycotina, Dematiaceae (1800 nucleotides), and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Deuteromycotina, Melanconiaceae) (1795 nucleotides) were determined. The coding regions were amplified from total genomic DNA preparations in polymerase chain reactions using oligodeoxynucleotide primers complementary to the 5′ and 3′ termini of the rRNA cistron. Distance matrix methods based on nucleotide sequence comparisons for the small-subunit rRNA were used to infer a phylogeny where the basidiomycete A. bombacina diverged after the separation of chytrids from the ascomycetes. A. pullulans is affiliated with the ascomycetes rather than the basidiomycetes, which implies that if a teleomorph is identified, then it will probably be an ascomycete. A. pullulans is related more closely to Neurospora crassa and Podospora anserina than it is to the ascosporogenous yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae , or to the asporogenous yeast Candida albicans. C. gloeosporioides is more closely related to the Neurospora/Podospora cluster than it is to either Aureobasidium or the Candida/Saccharomyces lineage.
A New Approach to Fabricating Cellulosic–Polymer Composites

The versatility of a process designed to fabricate bicontinuous cellulose–polymer composite has been explored. Bulk samples of bamboo, aspen, black cherry and pine were impregnated with a silicone mixture which was then crosslinked in situ. Incorporation of silicone was confirmed by mass uptake, optical microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Mechanical properties of each material were measured before and after silicone incorporation. In most cases, the density of the composites increases significantly, the ultimate strength of the composite materials is improved, and modulus is unaffected. One notable exception is that pine exhibits a significant increase in both modulus and ultimate strength. Char yield was measured by TGA and all composites exhibit a significant increase of char formation compared to the untreated samples.
E. Willard “Will” Miller (1915–2002)

Will Miller had a major impact on the institutional structure of American Geography, arguably more than anyone else in the 20th century. This occurred in three ways. He established the Department o...
Microscopic Models for Substitutional OH- and CN- Defects in Alkali-Halide Crystals

Microscopic models for substitutional OH− and CN− defect ions in NaCl structure alkali-halide crystals are used to calculate the preferred orientations, electric dipole moments, and tunneling matrix elements of these defects in various host crystals. Both Coulomb and short range interactions are included. The pressure induced transition of OH− in KI from preferred 〈110〉 to 〈100〉 orientations can be plausibly accounted for with the model. Vibration frequencies for translational motion of the defect predicted by the model are too high to be used to explain observed low lying excitations in the 10 to 30 cm−1 range. Mit Hilfe mikroskopischer Modelle fur substitutionelle OH− und CN−-Defektionen in Alkalihalogeniden der NaCl-Struktur werden Gleichgewichtsorientierungen, elektrische Dipolmomente und Matrixelemente der Tunnelubergange fur verschiedene Wirtskristalle berechnet. Dabei werden sowohl Coulomb- als auch kurzreichweitige Wechselwirkungen einbezogen. Das Modell ist in der Lage, den druckinduzierten Ubergang der 〈110〉-Gleichgewichtslage von OH− in KJ in die 〈100〉-Richtung plausibel zu erklaren. Die vom Modell vorhergesagten translatorischen Schwingungsfrequenzen sind zu hoch, um niedrig liegende Anregungen im Bereich von 10 bis 30 cm−1 zu erklaren.
Aging of tristearin: Comparison of DSC and positron lifetime results

Physical aging of tristearin that has been solidified from the melt has been investigated by two techniques: differential scanning calorimetry and positron lifetime measurements. In particular, the α- to β-phase transformation was studied as a function of the annealing temperature.
Treatment of puborectalis syndrome with progressive anal dilation

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to assess the ability of progressive anal dilations to improve frequency of spontaneous bowel movements in patients with puborectalis syndrome (PRS). METHOD: Thirteen patients (9 females and 4 males; mean age, 37 years) with severe, chronic constipation caused by PRS were treated with daily, progressive anal dilation for a three-month period. Three dilators of 20, 23, and 27 mm in diameter were used. Dilators were inserted every day for 30 minutes (10 minutes each dilator). Patients were evaluated with anorectal manometry and defecography halfway through treatment, at the end of treatment, and six months after the end of treatment. At six months, patients also underwent physical examination. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement of weekly mean spontaneous bowel movements from zero to six (P<0.0001), and the need for laxatives decreased from 12 patients with a weekly mean of 4.6 to 2 patients once per week (P< 0.001). Enemas used before treatment by eight patients who had a weekly mean of 2.3 were, after treatment, needed only by three patients once per week (P<0.01). During straining, tone measured with anorectal manometry decreased from 93 to 62 mmHg after six months of the end of therapy (F=6.97; P<0.01), and anorectal angle measured with defecography during the strain increased from 95° to 110° (P=not significant). CONCLUSIONS: Daily progressive anal dilation should be considered as the first and most simple therapeutic approach in patients with PRS.