cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A prototype low-cost handheld ultrasound imaging system

We describe a very low cost handheld ultrasound system that we are currently developing for routine applications such as image guided needle insertion. We provide a system overview and focus discussion on our beamforming strategy, direct sampled I/Q (DSIQ) beamforming. DSIQ beamforming is a low cost approach that relies on phase rotation of in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) data to implement focusing. The I/Q data are generated by directly sampling the received radio frequency (RF) signal, rather than through conventional baseband demodulation. We describe our efficient hardware implementation of the beamformer, which results in significant reductions in beamformer size and cost. We also present the results of experiments and simulations that compare the DSIQ beamformer to more conventional approaches, namely time delay beamforming and traditional complex demodulated I/Q beamforming. Results that show the effect of an error in the direct sampling process, as well as dependence on signal bandwidth and system f number (f#) are presented. These results indicate that the image quality and robustness of the DSIQ beamformer are adequate for routine applications.
A manually retargeted automatic landing system for lunar module /LM/.

Manual steering, hybrid guidance system, in-flight computations and trajectory for automatic descent and landing system for LEM
Imaging cardiac amyloidosis: An opportunity for nuclear cardiology

We completed Mr. W’s dipyridamole infusion and stepped out of the PET scanner room. Suddenly, the baseline of his ECG tracing was swaying, his was bradycardic and his pulse was barely palpable; he was not responding to verbal commands. My mind was racing to understand his extreme hemodynamic response. The fact that he was a research volunteer muddled my emotional reaction to this event. Fortunately, he responded promptly to IV atropine and fluids and after a few hours of observation we felt comfortable sending him home. Mr. W was a 52-year-old man, who had consented a few weeks ago to be a part of our research study on microvascular dysfunction in cardiac amyloidosis. He first noted shortness of breath and chest pain, while playing with his two young children, about 3 years ago. He had a coronary angiogram with insignificant disease and was told his heart was mildly thickened. He had been struggling with intermittent shortness of breath ever since. But, he was only recently diagnosed with familial cardiac amyloidosis due to a severely thickened heart. After a long conversation with me about the study, he read the 32 page consent form. He acknowledged that the study results may not help him personally. Nonetheless, he volunteered to participate in the study, in his words—to advance cardiac amyloidosis research.
Estimation of Ventilatory Reserve by Stair Climbing: A Study in Patients With Chronic Airflow Obstruction

Clinicians and surgeons have used the subjective response to the climb of “one or two flights of stairs” to assess the “reserve” of patients with chronic airflow obstruction (CAO). Very little objective data exist regarding the metabolic and ventilatory cost for any level of stair climbing in these patients. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the use of symptom-limited stair climbing as a simple method to estimate the peak oxygen uptake ( V ˙ o 2 ) and minute ventilation ( V ˙ E ) in patients with CAO. We studied 31 men with varying degrees of CAO, who climbed stairs until they stopped at their symptom-limited maximum. During this climb, timed expired gas was intermittently collected and analyzed, and oxygen saturation and heart and respiratory rates were recorded. The patients achieved 81 ± 14 percent of their predicted maximal heart rate and 90±27 percent of their predicted maximal V ˙ E . The number of steps or flights climbed correlated linearly with peak V ˙ o 2 (r=0.72, p<0.01) and with V ˙ E (r=0.7, p<0.01). Stair climbing peak V ˙ E , V ˙ o 2 , heart and respiratory rate correlated well with those achieved during standard leg cycle ergometry. The mean±SD number of flights climbed was 4.2±1.7 with most patients (87%) reaching at least 3 flights (54 steps). The group of eight patients with very severe CAO (FEV, <0.9 L) climbed 3.4±0.9 flights (61± 16 steps). We conclude that a symptom-limited maximal stair climb helps estimate peak V ˙ o 2 and V ˙ E in patients with CAO. The frequently advocated test to climb one to two flights to evaluate cardiopulmonary reserve is not adequate for most patients with CAO. Symptom-limited maximal stair climbing is a simple, inexpensive and readily available test that may be used to evaluate the cardiopulmonary reserve of stable patients with CAO.
Theory of underdoped cuprates.

We develop a slave-boson theory for the $t\ensuremath{-}J$ model at finite doping which respects an $\mathrm{SU}(2)$ symmetry---a symmetry previously known to be important at half filling. The mean field phase diagram is found to be consistent with the phases observed in the cuprate superconductors, which contain $d$-wave superconductor, spin gap, strange metal, and Fermi liquid phases. The spin gap phase is best understood as the staggered flux phase, which is nevertheless translationally invariant for physical quantities. The electron spectral function shows small Fermi pockets at low doping which continuously evolve into the large Fermi surface at high doping concentrations.
Mice Lacking Selenoprotein P and Selenocysteine Lyase Exhibit Severe Neurological Dysfunction, Neurodegeneration, and Audiogenic Seizures

Selenoproteins are a unique family of proteins, characterized by the co-translational incorporation of selenium as selenocysteine, which play key roles in antioxidant defense. Among selenoproteins, selenoprotein P (Sepp1) is particularly distinctive due to the fact that it contains multiple selenocysteine residues and has been postulated to act in selenium transport. Within the brain, Sepp1 delivers selenium to neurons by binding to the ApoER2 receptor. Upon feeding a selenium-deficient diet, mice lacking ApoER2 or Sepp1 develop severe neurological dysfunction and exhibit widespread brainstem neurodegeneration, indicating an important role for ApoER2-mediated Sepp1 uptake in normal brain function. Selenocysteine lyase (Scly) is an enzyme that plays an important role in selenium homeostasis, in that it catalyzes the decomposition of selenocysteine and allows selenium to be recycled for additional selenoprotein synthesis. We previously reported that constitutive deletion of Scly results in neurological deficits only when mice are challenged with a low selenium diet. To gain insight into the relationship between Sepp1 and Scly in selenium metabolism, we created novel transgenic mice constitutively lacking both genes (Scly−/−Sepp1−/−) and characterized the neurobehavioral phenotype. We report that deletion of Scly in conjunction with Sepp1 further aggravates the phenotype of Sepp1−/− mice, as these mice needed supraphysiological selenium supplementation to survive, and surviving mice exhibited impaired motor coordination, audiogenic seizures, and brainstem neurodegeneration. These findings provide the first in vivo evidence that Scly and Sepp1 work cooperatively to maintain selenoprotein function in the mammalian brain.
Early histologic changes in fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis C

Recurrent hepatitis C (RHCV) after liver transplantation is almost universal, and occasional patients will have an aggressive course characterized histologically by pericellular/sinusoidal fibrosis and cholestasis, known as fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (FCH). The early stages and evolution of this disease have not been well characterized. A total of 77 liver biopsies performed for indication (nonprotocol) were evaluated for necroinflammation, rejection, cholestasis, and fibrosis. Control groups were composed of protocol biopsies from HCV transplant patients (10 biopsies) as well as non-HCV transplant patients (6 biopsies). Scoring for necroinflammation, rejection, and fibrosis were compiled using standard criteria (hepatic activity index, Banff, Ishak, METAVIR). Pericellular fibrosis was staged with a novel "sinusoidal" system. A cholestasis scoring system was developed to quantitate parenchymal and portal features of cholestasis. Biopsies were categorized as rejection, RHCV, FCH, and stable based on histology and clinical information. FCH was found to have a higher fibrosis stage overall when compared to most diagnostic groups, regardless of the staging system used. Additionally, sinusoidal fibrosis was significantly higher in the FCH diagnosis group. Cholestasis was more prominent in biopsies of FCH in all comparisons. In conclusion, the presence of cholestasis and fibrosis with mild to moderate RHCV should raise the suspicion of FCH. When studying the evolution of these cases, the first abnormality to appear is RHCV and cholestasis, fibrosis develops soon after, and both continue to worsen until the point of allograft failure or patient death.
Screening for Pancreatic Cancer

Even with improved cancer care generally, the incidence and death rate is increasing for pancreatic cancer. Concern exists that a further increase in deaths caused by pancreatic cancer will be seen as other causes of death, such as heart disease and other cancers, decline. Critical exploration of screening high-risk patients as a tool to reduce deaths from pancreatic cancer should be considered. Technological advances and improved understanding of pancreatic cancer biology provides an opportunity to identify and test a panel of early detection biomarkers easily, accurately, and inexpensively measured in blood, urine, stool, or saliva samples. These biomarkers may have additional usefulness in staging, stratification for treatment, establishing prognosis, and assessing response to therapy in this disease. Screening may prove to be one of several strategies to improve outcomes in a disease that has otherwise been difficult to defeat.
The problem of auroral NO+ concentration and the intensity of 1·27μ bands of O2

Abstract The problem of the theoretical computation of the emission intensities and ion composition in a weak aurora which has been preceded by a stronger event is examined. For this purpose a model auroral precipitation consisting of biexponential primaries is considered. The softer of the two components is brighter, and begins to decay after remaining steady for ten to fifteen minutes. The other, harder component starts to build up at that instant. Our results suggest that at least a part of the high n( NO + ) n( O 2 + ) or I (1·27 μ) I (3914 A ) ratios could be attributed to the retention, by the atmosphere, of the memory of previous auroral precipitations. Thus, the serious energy paradox in the context of 1·27 μ intensity need not arise, and, in the context of the large NO + density, it may perhaps be unnecessary to invoke any major conversion of O 2 to NO thus avoiding the associated energy problem.
Comparison of Cognitive Complexity With Achievement and Adjustment: A Convergent-Discriminant Study.

A multitrait-multimethod study was conducted with 50 Ss. Three traits (Cognitive complexity, Achievement and Adjustment) and two methods (True-False and Projective) were employed. The results were: (a) discriminant support for the traits, (b) significant method variance was present for all three traits, and (c) convergent support was found for Adjustment but not for Complexity or Achievement. It was concluded that the two measures of Complexity did not converge upon the same underlying psychological construct.
Cytoplasmic accumulation of α-catenin in thyroid neoplasms

Background Alpha-catenin (α-cat) is one of the anchoring proteins of E-cadherin. It has been shown that deviation in its function may alter the cadherin–catenin complex leading to disturbed cell–cell adhesion. Immunohistochemical studies have shown that cytoplasmic localization of α-cat in tumors is associated with aggressive behavior. In this study, we evaluated the expression of α-cat in various thyroid tumors by immunohistochemical analysis. Methods Fifty cases were selected:18 papillary carcinoma classic type (PTC), 9 follicular variant of PTC (FVPTC), 6 follicular carcinoma (FCA), 4 anaplastic carcinoma (ACA), 8 follicular adenoma (FA), 3 nodular goiter (NG), and 2 lymphocytic thyroiditis (LT). The staining reaction was classified as membranous, cytoplasmic, or both. The intensity of the staining was graded as negative (0), weak (+), moderate (++), and strong (+++). Results Staining along the cell membrane was observed in 36 (72%) and cytoplasmic expression was present in 28 (57%) cases. The cytoplasmic staining was more commonly seen in malignant lesions; it was more common in PTC (78% of all PTC) than follicular patterned lesions (FVPTC, FCA). All cases of ACA (4 of 4) showed only cytoplasmic expression. No correlation was found between lymph node involvement and α-cat staining patterns. Conclusions Cytoplasmic expression of α-cat is more common in (1) malignant lesions of thyroid and (2) PTC than FVPTC and FCA. The lack of membrane and presence of cytoplasmic expression suggest a role of α-catenin in the aggressive biology of ACA. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 23: 573–578, 2001.
Gender and Work in South Africa: What Can Time-Use Data Reveal?

Abstract Using data from the 2000 South Africa National Time Use Survey, this study argues that a gender-aware understanding of men's and women's time use can help complement information on productive work missed in labor force surveys. Further, time-use information on job searches and household work provides insights into the interconnectedness of gender inequalities in the labor market and the household. An analysis of the time-use patterns of 10,465 working-age women and men in South Africa shows that a nontrivial proportion classified as either “not in the labor force” or “unemployed” actually engaged in subsistence, temporary, and casual forms of employment. This study finds that while women's and men's hours of unpaid work do not vary greatly across employment status, these obligations affect women's employment options andtheir ability to look for paid work. Time-use data help identify the salient characteristics of these individuals and the nature of their occupations.
Esophageal foreign bodies as child abuse. Potential fatal mechanisms

Foreign bodies being forced into the esophagus as a form of fatal child abuse is rare. A 4.5-month-old female infant presented to clinicians with respiratory distress. Several coins were recovered from the esophagus. One month later, she was found dead in her crib. At autopsy, there were three coins in the esophagus. In addition, there were cutaneous contusions of various ages, acute and partially healed fractures of the extremities, old aspirated foreign material in the lungs, and pulmonary fat emboli. Although the fat emboli may have contributed to the death, several potentially fatal mechanisms from the esophageal foreign bodies deserve consideration. These include vagal stimulation from esophageal distention, aspiration of swallowed fluids after esophageal obstruction, compression of the trachea or the heart by the coins, and cardiac compression or airway occlusion by the introducing finger.
The stereochemistry of cis- and trans-3,6-dimethyl-o-dithiane☆

Abstract cis- and trans-3,6-dimethyl-o-dithiane have been prepared from 2,5-dithiane have been prepared from 2,5-dibromohexane through the dithiocyanate and the diisothiouronium salt. Differences in the methylene hydrogen NMR spectra are diagnostic for distinguishing between the two isomers. Evidence is presented which indicates a magnetic anisotropic effect by the SS bond. A marked difference in the intensity of the UV spectra of the two isomers is noted. There is a direct correspondence between the physical properties of these compounds and the cis- and trans-1,4-dimethylcyclohexanes.
Eigenvalue expansions for Brownian motion with an application to occupation times

Let $B$ be a Borel subset of $R^d$ with finite volume. We give an eigenvalue expansion for the transition densities of Brownian motion killed on exiting $B$. Let $A_1$ be the time spent by Brownian motion in a closed cone with vertex $0$ until time one. We show that $\lim_{u\to 0} \log P^0(A_1 < u) /\log u = 1/\xi$ where $\xi$ is defined in terms of the first eigenvalue of the Laplacian in a compact domain. Eigenvalues of the Laplacian in open and closed sets are compared.
Genetic Improvement Trends in Agronomic Performances and End-Use Quality Characteristics Among Hard Red Winter Wheat Cultivars in Nebraska

Evaluation of wheat cultivars from different eras allows breeders to determine changes in agronomic and end-use quality characteristics associated with grain yield and end-use quality improvement over time. The objective of this research was to examine the trends in agronomic and end-use quality characteristics of hard red winter wheat cultivars grown in Nebraska. Thirty historically important and popular hard red winter wheat cultivars introduced or released between 1874 and 2000 were evaluated at Lincoln, Mead and North Platte, Nebraska in 2002 and 2003. An alpha lattice design with 15 incomplete blocks of two plots and three replications was used at all locations. Agronomic (days to flowering, plant height, spike length, culm length, grain yield and yield components, and grain volume weight) and end-use quality (flour yield, SDS-sedimentation value, flour protein content, and mixograph time and tolerance) traits were measured in each environment. Highly significant differences were observed among environments, genotypes and their interactions for most agronomic and end-use quality characteristics. Unlike modern cultivars, older cultivars were low yielding, and less responsive to favorable environments for grain yield and yield components. Semidwarf cultivars were more stable for plant height than traditional medium to tall cultivars. All cultivars had high grain volume weight since it is part of the grading system and highly selected for in cultivar release. Modern cultivars were less stable than older cultivars for SDS-sedimentation and mixing tolerance. However, the stability of older cultivars was attributed to their having weak mixing tolerance and reduced SDS-sedimentation values. The reduced protein content of modern cultivars was offset by increased functionality, as measured by mixograph and SDS sedimentation. In conclusion, breeders have tailored agronomic and end-use quality traits essential for hard red winter wheat production and marketing in Nebraska.
Local Calibration of Rigid Pavement Cracking Model in the New Mechanistic- Empirical Pavement Design Guide using Bootstrapping

The local calibration of the performance models in the new mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide is a challenging task, especially due to the lack of needed data. For the selected set of pavement sections for local calibration, the data requirements include: (a) a wide range of inputs related to traffic, climate, design and material characterization, and (b) a reasonable extent and occurrence of observed performance data over time. In addition, to data limitations, the conventional statistical methods of split sampling for model calibration and validation further add to these complications. In the traditional approach about 70% of the data set is used for calibration and remaining 30% is utilized for validation. However, most of the States have a limited number of identified pavement sections for local calibration. Therefore, there is a need to employ statistical methodologies that are more efficient and robust for model calibrations given the data related challenges encountered by state highway agencies. In this paper, the rigid pavement cracking model was calibrated using the traditional and advanced statistical resampling approaches like jackknifing and bootstrapping. Jackknifing and bootstrapping methods provide more reliable assessment of the model prediction accuracy than the alternative methods. While traditional split sample approach uses a two-step process for calibration and validation, advance approaches can simultaneously consider both steps. Moreover, the goodness-of-fit statistics are based on predictions rather than on data used for fitting the model parameters. The efficiency and robustness of such approaches become more important when the sample size is small. The results in the paper show the effect of different approaches on model parameter estimations and compare the role of such parameters in reducing the bias and the standard error of the cracking model.
Investigation of vacancy formation by a jogged dissociated dislocation with large-scale molecular dynamics and dislocation energetics

Abstract A series of massively parallel molecular dynamics simulations with up to 54 million atoms is performed to investigate the formation of vacancies by a moving jogged dissociated dislocation in copper at low temperatures. The jog line is formed by the intersection of two perpendicular dislocations [Zhou et al., Science 279 , 1525 (1998)]. It is initially oriented in the [0 1 1 ] direction, along which its motion is conservative, but immediately begins to deviate toward [1 1 2 ]. Vacancies are formed behind the jog line either individually or in the form of tubes along [1 1 2 ] or [10 1 ]. The mechanism responsible for the deviation of the jog line is revealed with the help of dislocation energetics and its implication is discussed.
Aerosol generation and circulation in the shore zone of a Large Alpine lake - 2 - Aerosol distributions over Lake Tahoe, CA

Abstract The temporal, spatial, and size-distribution patterns of particles in ambient air over the surface of Lake Tahoe (Nevada and California) were studied as part of the 2003–2004 Lake Tahoe atmospheric deposition study (LTADS). The concentration of population along the shoreline of Lake Tahoe makes accurate characterization of local aerosol generation and transport especially important in estimation of annual particle flux to the surface of the lake. Measurements taken while cruising on the lake show that aerosol concentrations in near shore areas are primarily controlled by a combination of diurnal cycling of land- and lake- breezes and particle emissions driven by cycles of human activity near the shore. These effects were observed to be highly localized. Highest concentrations were found just offshore from urbanized areas, especially shoreline centers of activity; lowest concentrations were found along undeveloped shoreline; low-to-intermediate concentrations were measured over the middle areas of the lake. The on-lake data reported here indicate that aerosols over the lake, and thus dry deposition to the lake, are dominated by the same processes that control onshore emissions, and that the impact is strongest in the near shore areas of the lake.
Quadrupole surface oscillations and the elastic form factor of 16O and 12C

Abstract By using a volume-conserving liquid-drop model for quadrupole surface oscillations, the elastic form factors for 16O and 12C have been calculated. It is shown that zero-point oscillations of the quantized drop produce an effective charge density which differs from that of the uniform, unquantized drop by having a reasonable skin thickness. The resulting elastic form factors are in reasonable agreement with recent experimental data. The transition density for exciting the lowest quadrupole state in this model is shown to be the same as that of Tassie's hydrodynamical model.
Dragons in the stacks: an introduction to role‐playing games and their value to libraries

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce the genre of tabletop fantasy role‐playing games and provide guidance in building an initial collection.Design/methodology/approach – The first part of the paper is designed to present the development of tabletop fantasy role‐playing games in a historiographic model, tracing the history of these games from the 1970s to 2006. The second portion is a bibliographic essay and critique of several noteworthy fantasy role‐playing games, including analysis of the settings and systems of each game.Findings – The paper provides a history of the development of fantasy role‐playing games and provides guidance on how to start a collection. The study recognizes a lack of academic research on the topic and seeks to provide a brief introduction.Practical implications – The paper provides a clear concise history of role‐playing game development and balanced advice for librarians who wish to begin collecting role‐playing games.Originality/value – This paper begins to fill...
A new subgroup lattice characterization of finite solvable groups

Abstract We show that if G is a finite group then no chain of modular elements in its subgroup lattice L ( G ) is longer than a chief series. Also, we show that if G is a nonsolvable finite group then every maximal chain in L ( G ) has length at least two more than the chief length of G , thereby providing a converse of a result of J. Kohler. Our results enable us to give a new characterization of finite solvable groups involving only the combinatorics of subgroup lattices. Namely, a finite group G is solvable if and only if L ( G ) contains a maximal chain X and a chain M consisting entirely of modular elements, such that X and M have the same length.
Error analysis of stochastic flight trajectory prediction models

This paper focuses on the analysis of errors between a flight trajectory prediction model and flight data. A novel stochastic prediction flight model is compared with the popular fly-by and fly-over turn models. The propagated error is measured using either spatial coordinates or angles. Depending on the case, the distribution of error is estimated and confidence bounds for the linear and directional mean are provided for all three stochastic flight models.
Design Principles for Problem-Driven Learning Laboratories in Biomedical Engineering Education

This article presents a translational model of curricular design in which findings from investigating learning in university BME research laboratories (in vivo sites) are translated into design principles for educational laboratories (in vitro sites). Using these principles, an undergraduate systems physiology lab class was redesigned and then evaluated in a comparative study. Learning outcomes in a control section that utilized a technique-driven approach were compared to those found in an experimental class that embraced a problem-driven approach. Students in the experimental section demonstrated increased learning gains even when they were tasked with solving complex, ill structured problems on the bench top. The findings suggest the need for the development of new, more authentic models of learning that better approximate practices from industry and academia.
Effects of viscoelasticity of blood on wave propagation in the circulation.

Abstract The influence of blood viscoelasticity on the wave propagation characteristics of sections of the human circulation, is determined using a linear, small signal theory for wave propagation in a viscoelastic tube filled with a viscoelastic fluid. Simple models of three vessels are considered, the aorta, the radial artery, and the coronary artery. Sections of these vessels 20 cm long and of uniform diameter are given realistic termination conditions. The propagation velocity, attenuation, input impedance, and spatial distributions of the pressure and flow are determined in the frequency range from 0·1 to 1000 Hz. The results delineate specifically the influence of blood elasticity on these wave propagation-related properties. Generally, this influence is greatest in the smallest vessel.
Comparison of computerized digital and film-screen radiography: response to variation in imaging kVp.

A controlled prospective study, in an animal model chosen to simulate protable neonatal radiography, was performed to compare the response of the Philips Computed Radiography (CR) system and conventional 200 speed film-screen (FS) to variation in imaging kVp. Acceptable images were obtained on the CR system over a very wide kVp range. In contrast the FS system produced acceptable images over a narrow kVp range. This ability suggests that the CR system should eliminate the need for repeat examinations in cases where a suboptimal kVp setting would have resulted in an unacceptable FS image. CR technology should therefore be ideally suited to portable radiography especially in situations where selection of correct exposure factors is difficult as in the neonatal nursery.
Surgical treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors in the imatinib (STI-571) era.

Abstract Background Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are rare mesenchymal tumors that are characterized by constitutive overexpression of the tyrosine kinase receptor KIT (CD117). Imatinib mesylate is a selective inhibitor of tyrosine kinase-mediated activity. This study reports a single-institution experience of surgical resection and the use of imatinib in the treatment of GIST. Methods A retrospective review from 1995 to 2002 identified 57 patients (M:F, 29:28; median age, 61 years) with GIST who were treated at the University of Chicago. Twenty-eight patients underwent exploratory surgery with curative intent; 29 patients were referred for treatment of metastatic disease after surgery at outside institutions. Twenty-nine patients were treated with oral imatinib for either metastatic disease (n = 26 patients) or in the adjuvant setting after complete resection (n = 3 patients). Results Resections were performed in 53 patients, and metastatic disease was identified in 17 patients at the time of exploratory surgery. Immunohistochemical staining for CD117 was positive in 96% of patients. A size larger than 5 cm, a mitotic rate larger than 1/10 high-power field, and tumor necrosis predicted recurrence in patients after resection. The median follow-up period was 18 months (range, 4-81 months). Twenty-three patients (40%) are alive without disease; 22 patients (39%) are alive with disease; 7 patients died, and 5 patients are lost to follow-up. Among the 26 patients with metastatic disease who were treated with imatinib, 5 deaths have occurred, and disease stabilization or tumor regression was observed initially in 22 patients, with a median duration of response of 19 months. Conclusions Complete surgical extirpation remains the only curative treatment of GIST. Imatinib-targeted therapy of metastatic disease yields encouraging clinical responses. The true efficacy of imatinib in this setting, as induction therapy or as an adjuvant treatment in patients with GIST, is unknown pending the completion of ongoing prospective trials.
On the hydrodynamic interaction of two spheres oscillating in a viscous fluid. II. Three dimensional case

Asymptotic solution of the Navier-Stokes equations is derived for the problem of the viscous flow induced by two spheres oscillating in a direction perpendicular to their central line.
Intermediate-frequency conduction in Si:As below the metal-insulator transition.

The electrical conductivity of Si:As has been measured from 0.1 to 2 GHz in the temperature range 1 to 4 K. At donor densities \ensuremath{\lesssim}6.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{18}$ As/${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$, the conductivity approached a temperature-independent value \ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\omega}) which exhibited a superlinear frequency dependence [\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\omega})\ensuremath{\infty}${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}^{\mathrm{s}}$, sg1] for sufficiently low donor density. The superlinear dependence is not in agreement with a Shklovskii-Efros prediction in the regime \ensuremath{\Elzxh}\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\ll}${\mathrm{e}}^{2}$/\ensuremath{\epsilon}${\mathrm{r}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}$. Although in qualitative agreement with the Mott ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\omega}}}^{2}$ law, the density variation of s(n) is much more rapid than theoretical predictions. Photon-assisted correlated multiple-electron absorption of large clusters is considered as a possible explanation of the results.
On the minority charge storage for an epitaxial Schottky-barrier diode

The minority-carrier injection and charge storage in an epitaxial Schottky-barrier diode are analyzed. Based on the assumption of negligible recombination in the epitaxial layer, formal solutions for the minority current injection ratio and charge storage time are derived. In contrast to Scharfetter's analysis [1], present analysis takes both the drift and diffusion components of majority- and minority-carrier currents into consideration and is valid for all injection levels. Simple analytical expressions result for the special cases of low and high injection levels. The effects of device parameters on the minority carrier storage time are studied.
Quantitative structural changes in white and gray matter 1 year following traumatic brain injury in rats

There is evidence for chronic atrophy after human head trauma, which may be associated with long-term functional deficits. However, using established models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) only limited data are available for clarifying the extent of progressive gray and white matter atrophy. In the present study, male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent moderate (2.01–2.21 atm) parasagittal fluid percussion brain injury (n=7) or sham (n=3) surgery and were killed at 1 year post TBI. Semiserial sections were obtained through the neuraxis and double stained with hematoxylin and eosin to demarcate gray matter structures and Luxol fast blue for white matter visualization. Both ipsilateral and contralateral volume measurements were obtained for the following structures: cerebral cortex, hippocampus, dentate gyrus, thalamus, lateral ventricle, external capsule, internal capsule, cerebral peduncle and corpus callosum. Quantitative assessment of ipsilateral gray matter structures from TBI rats revealed significant reductions in cerebral cortical area measurements posterior from the trauma epicenter compared to sham animals. Importantly, several white matter tracts exhibited dramatic atrophy. A comparison of TBI and sham groups demonstrated a significant (P<0.05) decrease in the external capsule and cerebral peduncle volumes (P<0.007). In addition, there was a significant volume expansion (533% of control) of the ipsilateral lateral ventricle (P<0.03). These novel data emphasize the need to clarify the pathophysiology of progressive white matter damage after TBI and the development of therapeutic strategies to target white matter pathology.
Theory of Energy-Balance Climate Models.

Abstract A class of mean annual, zonally averaged energy-balance climate models of the Budyko-Sellers type are studied by a spectral (expansion in Legendre polynomials) method. Models with constant thermal diffusion coefficient can be solved exactly, The solution is approached by a rapidly converging sequence with each succeeding approximant taking into account information from ever smaller space and time scales. The first two modes represent a good approximation to the exact solution as well as to the present climate. The two-mode approximation to a number of more general models are shown to be either formally or approximately equivalent to the same truncation in the constant diffusion case. In particular, the transport parameterization used by Budyko is precisely equivalent to the two-mode truncation of thermal diffusion. Details of the dynamics do not influence the first two modes which fortunately seem adequate for the study of global climate change. Estimated ice age temperatures and ice line latitud...
Integrating network-calculus-based simulation with packet-level simulation for TCP-operated networks

In this paper, we investigate the issue of integrating packet-level simulation with network-calculus-based simulation for TCP-operated networks in order to simultaneously achieve within one simulation framework the performance gains acquired by the latter and the packet-level details afforded by the former. In such mixed-mode simulation, a foreground flow is simulated at the packet-level while the other background flows are simulated in network-calculus-based simulation. One major challenge in realizing this notion is how to characterize the interaction between packet-level flows and network-calculus-based flows. In this paper, we develop the model of interaction at routers. We then implement mixed-mode simulation in ns-2, and conduct a simulation study to evaluate it in the perspective of efficiency in execution time and error discrepancy in simulation results.The simulation results indicate that mixed-mode simulation is an effective candidate for carrying out large-scale simulation for TCP networks since it makes significant performance improvement while retaining the packet-level details. Specifically, mixed-mode simulation achieves an order of magnitude or more improvement (maximally 20 times) in execution time and the improvement becomes more pronounced as the network size increases. On the other hand, the error discrepancy is within 1-2% of the bottleneck link capacity (e.g., the system throughput).
The problem of choosing between using and avoiding equality predicates

This article is the twentieth of a series of articles discussing various open research problems in automated reasoning. The problem proposed for research asks one to find criteria for effectively choosing between using and avoiding equality predicates. Since there exist inference rules (such as paramodulation) that enable an automated reasoning program to treat equality as ‘understood’, the discovery of such criteria would mark an important advance for the field. For evaluating a proposed solution to this research problem, we suggest possible test problems from group theory, ring theory, and Boolean algebra.
A note on regression analysis of ordinal data with variability of classification

SUMMARY The effect of observation variability in the classification of an ordinal response is examined within the framework of the proportional hazards regression model for ordinal data. A model is proposed which incorporates this type of variability and the behaviour of the proportional hazards model when this new model is appropriate is examined. Four data sets are used to illustrate the practical application of the model.
Pediatric pain syndromes and management of pain in children and adolescents with rheumatic disease

This article introduces important issues related to pain in children with musculoskeletal pain syndromes and rheumatic disease, using juvenile primary fibromyalgia syndrome (JPFS) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) as models. A brief summary of the prevalence of pain in healthy children is followed by a summary of existing pain-assessment techniques. The remainder of the article describes the pain experience of children with JPFS and JIA and discusses issues related to pain management.
Modeling Electrochemical Interfaces in Ultrahigh Vacuum: Molecular Roles of Solvation in Double-Layer Phenomena

Some virtues of modeling electrochemical systems by dosing interfacial components onto clean metal surfaces in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) are discussed, with an emphasis on elucidating the nature of double-layer solvation and how solvent molecules influence the intermolecular interactions. This “non situ” strategy (as distinct from ex situ approaches involving electrode transfer to/and from UHV) allows each interfacial component (solutes, ions, solvent) to be added sequentially and in controlled amounts, enabling the various molecular (and hence intermolecular) ingredients that constitute the double layer to be accessed in incremental fashion. The approach also provides an invaluable means of understanding the differences in structure and bonding between analogous electrochemical interfaces and the constituent metal−UHV systems. Such issues are particularly germane with the recent advent of microscopic-level structural information for in situ electrochemical systems. Described specifically here is the UHV-bas...
MATERNAL RESPONSES TO THE LIFE AND DEATH OF A CHILD WITH A DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY: A STORY OF HOPE

Losing a child is probably the most devastating event that a mother can experience. When a child with a developmental disability dies, this painful loss may follow months or years of exhausting parenting. How do mothers of children with developmental disabilities respond to this dual loss (the loss of their ideal child and then the loss of their actual child)? This project used a semistructured interview and the Grief Experience Inventory to explore the bereavement experience of eight mothers who have lost such children. It explored variables that are associated with optimal or complicated bereavement. It was found that most of the mothers were very successful in using cognitive coping strategies to find meaning and benefit in the life and death of their children and were able to continue seeing the world as benevolent and purposeful. Exceptional cases are discussed, and implications for helping professionals are offered. The findings of this study fill a significant gap in the theory of parental coping a...
Object-oriented databases for quality function deployment and Taguchi methods

Abstract In this paper, Object-Oriented Databases are proposed as being a new tool for Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Taguchi Methods. Quality Function Deployment can help identify key product or process concerns with respect to customer requirements. Taguchi Methods, such as using Design of Experiments (DOE), can help identify what product or process relationships truly exist, their relative strengths and the nature of the relationship. In order to implement these two powerful quality control techniques for assuring that customer requirements are consistently met, a well organized information is required. Object-Oriented Databases are able to store, organize and manipulate both, the customer requirements and the product information for the performance of QFD and DOE.
Relationship of medical home quality with school engagement and after-school participation among children with asthma.

Objectives: To examine the relationship between medical home quality and measures of daily life experiences among children with asthma. Methods: A nationally representative sample of children from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH), aged 6–17 years (n = 6357), who have asthma was used to assess the relationship of a quality medical home and its features with their daily life experiences. Five medical home features – access, continuity, comprehensiveness, family-centered care, and coordination of care – were examined individually and in total in relation to measures of school engagement (missed school days, parents contacted about problems with the child, repeating a grade since kindergarten) and after-school activity participation (physical activity, sports participation, and community service or volunteer work). Results: Before and after adjustment for personal characteristics, health insurance status, family environment, neighborhood variables, and asthma severity, total medical home s...
Difference-based variance estimator for nonparametric regression in complex surveys

A difference-based variance estimator is proposed for nonparametric regression in complex surveys. By using a combined inference framework, the estimator is shown to be asymptotically normal and to converge to the true variance at a parametric rate. Simulation studies show that the proposed variance estimator works well for complex survey data and also reveals some finite sample properties of the estimator.
Detection and cultivation of intestinal trichomonads of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus)

Routine examinations of fecal samples from squirrel monkeys suggested that intestinal trichomonads might be common inhabitants of these animals. In pursuit of these observations, microscopic examination of fecal suspensions and cultures have demonstrated a 100% incidence of trichomonads in 30 arbitrarily selected animals from a colony of more than 300 housed in groups of ten. The most prominent species was Pentatrichomonas hominis. A not yet fully characterized tritrichomonad was also found on several occasions. The main obstacle in establishing individual strains in culture was the presence of bacterial and fungal flora in the samples. Nevertheless, abundant cultures were obtained from 28 animals by inoculation of fecal suspensions into tissue cultures with appropriately formulated medium and high concentration of antibiotics. In several unattended cultures maintained at room temperature, the flagellates retained motility for at least 4 months. This long survival may explain the widespread occurrence of the parasites within a confined animal community.
Influence of Allopurinol and Azaserine on Nitrogen Metabolism in the Chick

Abstract Allopurinol [4-hydroxypyrazolo (3, 4d) pyrimidine] and azaserine (o-diazoacetyl- l -serine) were used to interrupt uric acid biosynthesis by chicks in studies on the influence of the previous level of protein intake on the metabolism of exogenous nitrogen from ammonium acetate or dl -alanine injections. An oral dose of 50 and 150 mg. of allopurinol/kg of body weight inhibited liver xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) and resulted in low plasma uric acid concentrations at 4 hours post-dosage in chicks fed semi-purified diets containing 25% and 75% isolated soybean protein (ISP), respectively. An intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg. of azaserine/kg. of body weight significantly decreased (P dl -alanine were not greatly increased above those observed in previous experiments in which uric acid biosynthesis was not interrupted prior to ammonium acetate or dl -alanine injection. Evidence for the incorporation and excretion of nitrogen as the urinary oxypurines, hypoxanthine and xanthine, is presented as a means by which the chick circumvents the inhibition of XDH by allopurinol. Possible mechanisms by which the chick circumvents the inhibitory effects of azaserine are discussed.
Catfish spine envenomation and bacterial abscess with Proteus and Morganella: a case report

Abscess formation and cellulitis in the setting of envenomation are rare complications of handling catfish. To the best of our knowledge, isolation of Proteus vulgaris has not been previously recorded, and recovery of Morganella morganii has been reported in only one prior case from wound cultures in patients injured by catfish stings. We report a case of catfish envenomation characterized by abscess formation and cellulitis, in which wound cultures grew these unusual organisms. A 52-year-old Chinese-American man was hospitalized with erythema and swelling of his right arm of 10 days’ duration after skin penetration by a catfish barb. An abscess of his right thumb had undergone incision and drainage, with purulent drainage sent for wound culture immediately prior to admission. Laboratory studies revealed elevated white blood count, sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein. The patient was treated with intravenous ampicillin-sulbactam and vancomycin during his hospitalization, and symptoms improved. Wound cultures obtained prior to presentation grew many Proteus vulgaris and Morganella morganii. He was subsequently discharged on a 10-day course of oral ciprofloxacin and amoxicillin-clavulanate. At a 12-month telephone follow-up, the patient denied developing further symptoms and reported that the wound had healed completely without complication. Although envenomation and secondary infection are not uncommon sequelae of handling catfish, the present case is unique by virtue of the infecting organisms isolated. Given the prevalence of injury from catfish stings, a review of the literature is presented in order to provide recommendations for prevention and treatment of catfish envenomation.