cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery in a 1-month-old Infant with Pleural Empyema

Pleural empyema is a frequent complication of bacterial pneumonia in childhood but is rare in neonates. Various modalities of treatment from intravenous antibiotics, chest tube drainage, intrapleural fibrinolytic agent installation, video-assisted thoracostomy to surgical decortication have been suggested to treat different stages of empyema in children, but management of progressive empyema in neonates is still at the stage of antimicrobial therapy and tube thoracostomy. Here, we report a 1-month-old infant with staphy-lococcal pneumonia complicated with multiloculated empyema who was successfully treated with video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) after 4 days of chest tube drainage and parenteral antibiotics. The patient's condition improved rapidly after the operation and the antimicrobial therapy was continued for 3 weeks. He was asymptomatic and thriving at follow-up 1 year later. Chest radiography at 1 month was free of any lesion. This case suggests that VATS can be a safe and effective treatment for neonatal empyema.
A Continuous Monitoring Technique for Management of Acute Pulmonary Failure

Continuous monitoring of mixed venous oxygen saturation ( S v ¯ O 2 ) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO 2 ) was used to guide cardiovascular and pulmonary physiologic manipulations in three patients. An index, termed the “shunt index” (SI), of venoarterial admixture ( Q ˙ v ¯ a / Qt ) was calculated at the bedside. SI correlated significantly in each patient with Q ˙ v ¯ a / Qt ( p .01 ) . In one of the patients, continuous end-tidal CO 2 (ETco 2 ) was also monitored, allowing rapid titrations of ventilator settings and cardiovascular support free from the need to sample arterial and mixed venous blood to assess the effect of each intervention.
On calculating the transfer of carbon-13 in reservoir models of the carbon cycle

An approach to calculating the transfer of isotopic tracers in reservoir models is outlined that takes into account the effects of isotopic fractionation at phase boundaries without any significant approximations. Simultaneous variations in both the rare isotopic tracer and the total elemental (the sum of its isotopes) concentration are considered. The proposed procedure is applicable to most models of the carbon cycle and a four-box model example is discussed. Although the exact differential equations are non-linear, a simple linear approximation exists that gives insight into the nature of the solution. The treatment will be in terms of isotopic ratios which are the directly measured quantities.
Ethical implications of ethnic disparities in chronic kidney disease and kidney transplantation

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major epidemic in underserved and minority populations largely due to excess rates of hypertensive and diabetic kidney disease. Multiple complex socioeconomic barriers to early diagnosis and optimal therapies as well as delayed referral for kidney transplantation have created disparities in CKD care provided to ethnic minorities. Disparities exist in wait list time and kidney transplant rates for Native Americans and blacks, independent of insurance status. Moreover, independent of genetic matching, long-term transplant outcomes in blacks remain significantly lower than all other ethnic groups, suggesting that poorly understood social factors contribute to these survival differences. The existence of these disparities raises ethical concerns of equity and social justice in terms of the allocation of scarce resources. Although current changes in allocation policies will improve some disparities, more efforts are ultimately needed to improve access to care and the overall health and survival for all individuals at risk for CKD, independent of their race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
Exploring classroom teachers’ spelling practices and beliefs.

Abstract Using three perspectives on spelling instruction (i.e., memorization, generalizations, and developmental) as a framework, teachers in grades 2 to 5 were interviewed to investigate the practices and beliefs about spelling instruction which exist in a school system which has de‐emphasized formal spelling instruction. An analysis of the respones to open‐ended questions suggests that the classroom teachers in this sample (n=42) persist in the use of weekly lists and testing. About half create their own lists and half rely on a published speller to some extent While there is a range of activities associated with spelling, many traditional activities are still employed such as writing words multiple times and using words in sentences. Many of the teachers questioned such practices as invented spelling and do not appear to take a developmental view of spelling. The interviewed teachers were largely dissatisfied with the spelling ability of their students and current spelling instruction, but appeared to...
The surface membrane of pulmonary alveolar walls.

Abstract The lungs of bats, rats, mice, frogs and one chicken were prepared for electron microscopy by freezing and drying. Blocks were stained with platinic tetrabromide and the PAS technique. A number of mouse, bat and frog lungs were also fixed by intratracheal injection of buffered osmium tetroxide. The alveoli of bat lungs prepared by freezing and drying are lined by a probably complete, homogeneous, non-cellular layer, staining intensely with platinum, and giving a positive reaction with the PAS stain. A similar but more attenuated layer was seen in rat, mouse and chicken lung. There are indications that this surface layer is water soluble. It was not found after fixation with buffered osmium tetroxide, nor could it be seen in the presence of pneumonic exudate. It was not present in the frog lung, where the alveoli were covered by alveolar cells.
Real-time and integrated measurement of potential human exposure to particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from aircraft exhaust.

We used real-time monitors and low-volume air samplers to measure the potential human exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations during various flight-related and ground-support activities of C-130H aircraft at an Air National Guard base. We used three types of photoelectric aerosol sensors (PASs) to measure real-time concentrations of particle-bound PAHs in a break room, downwind from a C-130H aircraft during a four-engine run-up test, in a maintenance hangar, in a C-130H aircraft cargo bay during cargo-drop training, downwind from aerospace ground equipment (AGE), and in a C-130H aircraft cargo bay during engine running on/off (ERO) loading and backup exercises. Two low-volume air samplers were collocated with the real-time monitors for all monitoring events except those in the break room and during in-flight activities. Total PAH concentrations in the integrated-air samples followed a general trend: downwind from two AGE units > ERO-loading exercise > four-engine run-up test > maintenance hangar during taxi and takeoff > background measurements in maintenance hangar. Each PAH profile was dominated by naphthalene, the alkyl-substituted naphthalenes, and other PAHs expected to be in the vapor phase. We also found particle-bound PAHs, such as fluoranthene, pyrene, and benzo[a]pyrene in some of the sample extracts. During flight-related exercises, total PAH concentrations in the integrated-air samples were 10-25 times higher than those commonly found in ambient air. Real-time monitor mean responses generally followed the integrated-air sample trends. These monitors provided a semiquantitative temporal profile of ambient PAH concentrations and showed that PAH concentrations can fluctuate rapidly from a baseline level 4,000 ng/m(3) during flight-related activities. Small handheld models of the PAS monitors exhibited potential for assessing incidental personal exposure to particle-bound PAHs in engine exhaust and for serving as a real-time dosimeter to indicate when respiratory protection is advisable.
Inflation and growth

Abstract Inflation reduces the ability of economic agents to operate efficiently in a private enterprise system. To test and evaluate the strength of this effect, inflation variables are included in an empirical growth relationship for the U.S. private business sector. Both the rate of inflation and the change in the rate of inflation have significant negative effects on output growth. Two by-products of the analysis are the following. First, some but not all of the apparent post-1973 decline in productivity growth can be explained by an increase in the size of the services producing sector relative to the goods producing sector. Second, the rate of growth of private sector output is independent of the rate of growth of government non-military capital stock.
Naturally occurring quinones and flavonoid dyes for wool: Insect feeding deterrents

This study investigated the ability of natural dyes to impede the attack of black carpet beetles on wool. The dyes evaluated were naturally occurring quinines (cochineal, madder, and walnut) and flavonoids (chestnut, fustic, indigo, and logwood). All of the dyes, except indigo, were applied by using five mordanting agents (aluminum, chrome, copper, iron, and tin). Mordanting agents were used to bind natural dyes on wool. The insect resistance of the controls and dyed specimens was evaluated, following the fabric weight loss procedures in AATCC Test Method 24. All of the dyes, except indigo, increased the insect resistance of the wool fabric to attack by black carpet beetles. The wool specimens dyed with cochineal and madder, naturally occurring anthraquinone dyes, had the lowest fabric weight loss among eight natural dyes investigated. The flavonoid dyes were not effective in enhancing insect resistance. Alum, copper, and iron have no significant effect on enhancing or reducing insect resistance of any of the eight natural dyes used in this study. However, tin and chrome, when used as a mordant for cochineal, reduced the insect resistance dramatically. Surprisingly, tin improves the insect resistance of wool fabrics dyed with fustic dyes. The anthraquionones including cochineal, madder, and walnut were found to be quite effective in protecting wool fabric against black carpet beetles. Thus, the naturally occurring mordant dyes provide an alternative to insecticides in protecting wool textiles from insect attack. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 322–328, 2005
Anti-HIV effect of immunomodulating agent, levamisole, in vitro

An anthelminthic agent, levamisole, also known as a potent immunomodulator, has been successfully used for adjuvant therapy of malignancies and chronic infections underlined by immunodeficiency. We have tested the effect of this drug on de novo viral infection by exposing MT-4 T lymphocytes to HIV in the presence of serial ten-fold dilutions of levamisole (range 10(-3)-10(-9) M). The results indicate that 50% reduction in viral infectivity (IC50) of levamisole starts from as low as 10(-7) M, whereas even the highest millimolar dose of the drug has not shown any appreciable cytotoxicity. Although the mechanism of levamisole action remains unknown, our observation in vitro suggests that levamisole, a clinically established immunomodulator, can be potentially effective for treatment of HIV infection.
Spectral response of n-type InSb in the submillimeter range

Abstract The spectral response of an n-type InSb bolometer and a Golay detector were compared between about 10 and 100 cm−1. The optical systems were held nearly constant and major wave number dependent deviations were removed from the data. The relative responsivities are given with the detector, cathode followers, and preamplifiers treated as a single component with the detector.
Genealogy and memory

Determining how two members of a family are related ordinarily requires a deductive process that operates on information drawn from memory. We investigate this process in two experiments in which subjects must decide on the truth of sentences involving familial relations. In Experiment 1 the sentences referred to families known to the subjects through their own experience, while in Experiment 2 the sentences were about hypothetical families that were learned in the laboratory. In both cases, the time required for subjects' decisions suggests that memory for families is organized in terms of parent—child relations, together with knowledge of which members belong to the same generation. In addition, we obtained “fanning” effects, similar to those obtained in experiments on sentence memory.
Electrospray Ionization–Ion Mobility Spectrometry Identified Monoclonal Antibodies that Bind Exclusively to Either the Monomeric or a Dimeric Form of Prostate Specific Antigen

Macroion mobility spectrometry was used to distinguish between a monoclonal antibody (clone M612165) that bound exclusively to monomeric prostate specific antigen and a different monoclonal antibody (clone M612166) that bound exclusively to a dimeric form of the antigen that only comprised 6.8% of the total protein. In the presence of excess antigen, the mobility spectrum of M612165 was replaced by a composite spectrum that represented a mixture of antibodies that included either one or two equivalents of the protein antigen. In similar circumstances, the mobility spectrum of M612166 was replaced by a composite spectrum that represented a mixture of antibodies that included either two or four equivalents of the protein antigen. When exposed to either of the two antibodies, the mobility spectrum of the prostate specific antigen showed a concomitant decrease in the monomeric antigen in one case and in the dimeric antigen in the other case. While sensitive kinetic exclusion assays demonstrated large differences in the antigen binding behavior of the two antibodies, these functional studies alone were insufficient to reveal the likely structural origins of the observed differences. Macroion mobility measurements were shown to be a useful and informative complement to functional studies in understanding complex macromolecular interactions.
Space–time surface gravity wave caustics: structurally stable extreme wave events

Abstract The structure of the wavefields in the vicinity of space–time surface gravity wave caustics is investigated within a linear theory framework. Owing to dispersion, transient surface gravity wave caustics are not frozen in space — as is the case in optics and acoustics when the wave source and environment are stationary — and the corresponding wavefields have rich spatio-temporal structure. Associated with these wavefields are extreme wave events — spatially and temporally localized occurrences of anomalously high wave crests and/or deep wave troughs. Our analysis exploits properties of both the Maslov and Fourier integral representations of the wavefield, and results from the study of singularities of mappings (popularly known as ‘catastrophe theory’). The latter dictates that structurally stable caustics take on only certain forms, each of which is describable by a canonical polynomial generating function whose form is known. Particular attention is paid to those caustics whose complete structure is observable in space–time without varying any external control parameters. These are the fold, the longitudinal cusp, the transverse cusp, the elliptic umbilic, the hyperbolic umbilic, the ‘lips’ and ‘beak-to-beak’ structures, and the swallowtail. Attention is focused on the surface gravity wave problem, but the results presented apply to a large class of linear dispersive waves in inhomogeneous moving media.
Curriculum Placement, Race, Class and Gender Differences in Wage Growth Amongst Non-College Workers: Evidence from the NELS 1988-2000 Data

This study assessed competing predictions from neoclassical human capital and social reproduction theories regarding the role of students’ gender, class and racial status in determining high school curriculum placement, early post secondary job destination and wage attainment. Our findings support predictions from reproductive theories in that they revealed significant class, race and gender disparities in students’ educational and employment outcomes, even after accounting for workers prior achievement. These findings have important implications for two fields of research: education and labor market inequality, especially within the context of the education literature where institutional processes are often assumed to be neutral. Moreover, our results highlighted the mechanisms underpinning high school curriculum tracking that discriminate against race, class and gender subgroups. We conclude with a discussion on policy recommendations and suggestions for future research.
Mucosal antigen presentation and the control of tolerance and immunity

The authors were the program organizers for the meeting, which was sponsored by the Center for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. Additional support was provided through unrestricted educational grants from Amgen Inc., Biogen Inc., Celgene Corp. and Immunex Corp.
Evaluation of image quality in individual films of double film packets

A total of 47 double film packets were exposed of a radiographic standard (step-wedge), a clinical model (dried skull), and a clinical situation (endodontic therapy). Dentists were employed as expert observers to compare detail and definition between front and back films within each packet. Front films (those closest to the source) had significantly superior image quality compared to back films (those further from the source). In vitro radiographic trials were significantly similar to in vivo radiographic results.
Apoptotic body engulfment by a human stellate cell line is profibrogenic

Hepatocyte apoptosis and stellate cell activation are both features of chronic liver diseases, but a relationship between these events has not been explored. In macrophages, engulfment of apoptotic bodies induces expression of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), a profibrogenic cytokine. We examined whether a similar response occurs in stellate cells. Fluorescently labeled hepatocyte apoptotic bodies were added to cultures of primary and immortalized human stellate cells. Stellate cells, but not hepatocytes, readily engulfed apoptotic bodies in a time-dependent manner as assessed by confocal microscopy. The activation of primary and immortalized human stellate cells after incubation with apoptotic bodies, as well as their fibrogenic activity, was indicated by an increase in alpha-smooth muscle actin (primary cells), TGF-beta1, and collagen alpha1(I) mRNA (primary and immortalized cells). The profibrogenic response was dependent upon apoptotic body engulfment, because nocodazole, a microtubule-inhibiting agent, blocked both the engulfment and the increase of TGF-beta1 and collagen alpha1(I) mRNA. As described in primary rodent stellate cells, up-regulation of collagen alpha1(I) mRNA was inhibited by a PI-3K inhibitor (LY294002) and a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor (SB203580) in LX-1 cells. In conclusion, these data support a model in which engulfment of hepatocyte apoptotic bodies by stellate cells leads to a fibrogenic response by eliciting a kinase-signaling pathway.
Rosebud: technological toys for storytelling

Rosebud is a user-interface prototype which elicits storytelling by child users though interaction with a computationally-augmented physical artifact. In particular, Rosebud links children's stories to their toys, such that toy and computer augment one another. The toy engages children in a familiar mode of interaction, while the computer makes a previously passive object active. The children are able to write, edit, collaborate, and share their stories, activities which have particular attraction for female users.
Synergies and Tensions between Rural Social Movements and Professional Researchers

This essay outlines approaches to analysing and managing relations between rural activists and academic researchers. It suggests (a) that contemporary social movements engage in knowledge production practices much like those of academic and NGO-affiliated researchers and (b) that the boundaries between activists and researchers are not always as sharp as is sometimes claimed. These blurred boundaries and shared practices can create synergies in activist–academic relations. The essay then examines tensions in the relationship, including activists' expectation that academic research will be immediately applicable to their struggles and researchers' expectation that movement participants will accommodate their needs. The final section discusses the pros and cons, from the perspective of each side, of several models of activist–researcher relations, ranging from ‘militant’ or ‘engaged’ research to the contractual agreement between a movement and those involved in research on it. It argues that one of the most...
Biomedical Nanomagnetics: A Spin Through Possibilities in Imaging, Diagnostics, and Therapy

Biomedical nanomagnetics is a multidisciplinary area of research in science, engineering and medicine with broad applications in imaging, diagnostics and therapy. Recent developments offer exciting possibilities in personalized medicine provided a truly integrated approach, combining chemistry, materials science, physics, engineering, biology and medicine, is implemented. Emphasizing this perspective, here we address important issues for the rapid development of the field, i.e., magnetic behavior at the nanoscale with emphasis on the relaxation dynamics, synthesis and surface functionalization of nanoparticles and core-shell structures, biocompatibility and toxicity studies, biological constraints and opportunities, and in vivo and in vitro applications. Specifically, we discuss targeted drug delivery and triggered release, novel contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging, cancer therapy using magnetic fluid hyperthermia, in vitro diagnostics and the emerging magnetic particle imaging technique, that is quantitative and sensitive enough to compete with established imaging methods. In addition, the physics of self-assembly, which is fundamental to both biology and the future development of nanoscience, is illustrated with magnetic nanoparticles. It is shown that various competing energies associated with self-assembly converge on the nanometer length scale and different assemblies can be tailored by varying particle size and size distribution. Throughout this paper, while we discuss our recent research in the broad context of the multidisciplinary literature, we hope to bridge the gap between related work in physics/chemistry/engineering and biology/medicine and, at the same time, present the essential concepts in the individual disciplines. This approach is essential as biomedical nanomagnetics moves into the next phase of innovative translational research with emphasis on development of quantitative in vivo imaging, targeted and triggered drug release, and image guided therapy including validation of delivery and therapy response.
Role of Aerobic Fitness and Aging on Cerebral White Matter Integrity

Neuroimaging research suggests that cerebral white matter (WM) integrity, as reflected in fractional anisotropy (FA) via diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), is decreased in older adults, especially in the prefrontal regions of the brain. Behavioral investigations of cognitive functioning suggest that some aspects of cognition may be better preserved in older adults who possess higher levels of aerobic fitness. There are only a few studies, however, investigating potential mechanisms for the improvements in aerobic fitness. Our study suggests that greater aerobic fitness may be related to greater WM integrity in select brain regions.
Is John Dewey Eternal

However, to believe in a hierarchy of reality with fixed and eternal "underlying structures" would be, for Dewey, to commit "the philosophic fallacy" of confusing structures, enduring but not eternal essences and identities that are the constructed consequences of controlled inquiry, with transcendent (or supernal) structures that lie in some mysterious realm beneath (or above) events.... Dewey's realism simply will have nothing to do with eternal structures or with structures that are putatively more fundamental (foundational?) than the events that we can at least occasionally experience.
Unilateral amplifier S-parameter extraction technique

A technique for extracting the S-parameters of a unilateral device is presented. The proposed method requires five output power measurements, allowing for real-time evaluation of an active device. An overview of the method, along with simulation and measurement data, is presented here.
Comparison of two fractionation strategies for characterization of wastewater effluent organic matter and diagnosis of membrane fouling

Two fractionation strategies were compared for characterizing organic components in effluent organic matter (EfOM) and natural organic matter (NOM). The first method is widely used and requires sample acidification and then re-neutralization during sequential organic removals onto resins. The second method uses a different suite of separation methods, does not require pH manipulation, and sequentially removes particles, colloids, organic acids, and hydrophobic neutrals without the need for adjusting pH. The NOM samples were dominantly organic acids while EfOM contained a broader distribution of organic functionalities so further evaluation was focused on EfOM. The new method completely removed colloidal matter from EfOM while the conventional fractionation method resulted in an increase in the percentage of EfOM >100 kDa with each fractionation step after filtration. Organic acids were removed in one fractionation step using the new method instead of three steps with the conventional method. The conventional method resulted in increased fouling after the final separation step apparently caused by production of inorganic colloids. The new fractionation method provided a clearer diagnosis that organic acids were the primary cause of fouling even though they were only 14% of EfOM organic carbon. We suggest that the new fractionation method should be considered for diagnosing the effects of NOM or EfOM on the performance of membrane filtration.
The effects of exposure to violence and victimization across life domains on adolescent substance use

This study uses longitudinal data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) to examine the effects of exposure to school violence, community violence, child abuse, and parental intimate partner violence (IPV) on youths' subsequent alcohol and marijuana use. We also examine the cumulative effects of being exposed to violence across these domains. Longitudinal data were obtained from 1,655 adolescents and their primary caregivers participating in the PHDCN. The effects of adolescents' exposure to various forms of violence across different life domains were examined relative to adolescents' frequency of alcohol and marijuana use three years later. Multivariate statistical models were employed to control for a range of child, parent, and family risk factors. Exposure to violence in a one-year period increased the frequency of substance use three years later, though the specific relationships between victimization and use varied for alcohol and marijuana use. Community violence and child abuse, but not school violence or exposure to IPV, were predictive of future marijuana use. None of the independent measures of exposure to violence significantly predicted future alcohol use. Finally, the accumulation of exposure to violence across life domains was detrimental to both future alcohol and marijuana use. The findings support prior research indicating that exposure to multiple forms of violence, across multiple domains of life, negatively impacts adolescent outcomes, including substance use. The findings also suggest that the context in which exposure to violence occurs should be considered in future research, since the more domains in which youth are exposed to violence, the fewer "safe havens" they have available. Finally, a better understanding of the types of violence youth encounter and the contexts in which these experiences occur can help inform intervention efforts aimed at reducing victimization and its negative consequences.
β1-Receptors increase cAMP and induce abnormal Cai cycling in the German shepherd sudden death model

We studied the role of β-adrenergic receptor subtype signaling to cAMP and calcium in the genesis of catecholamine-dependent arrhythmias in German shepherd dogs that develop lethal arrhythmias at ∼...
Contemporary Morbidity From Lymphadenectomy For Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Experience

Purpose: Inguinal lymphadenectomy can be curative in patients with small volume inguinal metastases and those with more significant adenopathy responding to combination chemotherapy. However, several series collected for 15 to 40 years attest to the significant morbidity associated with lymphadenectomy. We reviewed our recent experience with lymphadenectomy in patients with invasive penile cancer who were judged to require inguinal staging and therapeutic procedures to assess the incidence and magnitude of complications caused by this procedure, especially in those with no palpable adenopathy (prophylactic group).Materials and Methods: A total of 106 lymphadenectomy procedures were performed in 53 patients. The indications for dissection were prophylactic in 66 (62%) patients in whom a superficial dissection alone was completed on the ipsilateral side, therapeutic in 28 (26%) in whom superficial, deep and ipsilateral pelvic dissections were performed, and palliative in 12 (11%) undergoing extensive resect...
An Engineered Minimal WASP-Myosin Fusion Protein Reveals Essential Functions for Endocytosis

Actin polymerization powers membrane deformation during many processes, including clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). During CME in yeast, actin polymerization is triggered and coordinated by a six-protein WASP/Myosin complex that includes WASP, class I myosins (Myo3 and Myo5), WIP (Vrp1), and two other proteins. We show that a single engineered protein can replace this entire complex while still supporting CME. This engineered protein reveals that the WASP/Myosin complex has four essential activities: recruitment to endocytic sites, anchorage to the plasma membrane, Arp2/3 activation, and transient actin filament binding by the motor domain. The requirement for both membrane and F-actin binding reveals that myosin-mediated coupling between actin filaments and the base of endocytic sites is essential for allowing actin polymerization to drive membrane invagination.
Optimization of Darrieus turbines with an upwind and downwind momentum model.

This paper presents a theoretical inviscid aerodynamic optimization method for straight-bladed Darrieus wind turbines. First, a generalized Betz limit has been derived for an arbitrary number of actuator disks in series. Then a momentum-type velocity model is introduced with separate cosine-type interference coefficients for the upwind and downwind half of the rotor. The cosine-type velocity interference permits the rotor blades to become unloaded near the junction of the upwind and downwind rotor halves. A closed-form solution for the optimum and off-design value of the interference coefficients has been obtained by equating the jc component of force on each of the rotor halves to that on each of two semicylindrical actuators in series. The values for the optimum rotor efficiency, solidity, and corresponding interference coefficients have been obtained in a closed-form analytical solution by maximizing the power extracted from the downwind rotor half as well as from the entire rotor. The Betz limit for two uniformly loaded actuator disks in series is shown to equal CP = 0.64 and for two cosine loaded semicylindrical actuators in series Cp = 0.617 and for a straight-bladed Darrieus rotor CP = 0.610.
An algorithm basis for systolic/Wavefront array software

In many signal processing, image processing, and scientific computation applications, there are tremendous demands for large-volume and/or high-speed computations. At the same time, the advent of VLSI offers computing hardware at extremely low cost. These factors combined are bound to have a major effect on the up-grading of future supercomputers. With very large scale integration of systems in mind, a special emphasis is placed on massively parallel, highly modular, and locally interconnected array processors. The algorithmic, architectural, and software principles for the design of VLSI array processors are discussed.
Limits on the Application of Frequency-Based Language Models to OCR

Although large language models are used in speech recognition and machine translation applications, OCR systems are "far behind" in their use of language models. The reason for this is not the laggardness of the OCR community, but the fact that, at high accuracies, a frequency-based language model can do more damage than good, unless carefully applied. This paper presents an analysis of this discrepancy with the help of the Google Books n-gram Corpus, and concludes that noisy-channel models that closely model the underlying classifier and segmentation errors are required.
The Impact of an Instructional Intervention on the Science and Language Learning of Middle Grade English Language Learners

Abstract The goal of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an intervention—Quality English and Science Teaching (QuEST)—designed to develop the science knowledge and academic language of middle grades English language learners studying science in their second language and their English-proficient classmates. Ten sixth-grade science teachers in 5 middle schools in a large south Texas district participated in the study. For each teacher, 2 sections were randomly assigned to the intervention, Project QuEST, and 2 sections were randomly assigned to the district curriculum. The sample of students included English language learners, former English language learners, and fluent English-speaking students. Treatment effects were tested separately for science knowledge and vocabulary using a 3-level multilevel analysis of covariance (students nested within section, sections nested within teacher, and teacher) with the analogous pretest serving as the covariate. Analyses included fixed effects of treatment a...
Imaging as an educational tool in natural resources engineering

Application of engineering to design "real world" situations is the goal of most engineering design courses. Unfortunately, achieving this is easier said than done, particularly for situations including land use and engineering structures. Computer imaging provides one alternative that has potential for bridging the gap between an instructor's view of a situation and that of the student. Changing conditions are often used in "what if ...?" problems related to runoff and erosion. For example, runoff and erosion estimates from a forested condition are compared with results from a developed condition. A common difficulty in explanation and analysis of such problems is difficulty in describing the land use. Either the instructor provides a description that is almost word for word like one shown in a textbook's table or the students have widely varying perceptions as to what the situation is. In either case, students are unable to demonstrate engineering judgement. Thus, little applicability to real world problems exists. The paper describes application of computer imaging to improve engineering design associated with soil and water engineering. Specific objectives include the following: investigate feasibility of available imaging methods to improve educational delivery; evaluate use of imaging for applications in soil and water engineering; demonstrate applications that relate engineering judgement to real world problems.
Cosmogenic Nuclide Burial Dating in Archaeology and Paleoanthropology

Cosmogenic 26 Al and 10 Be in quartz can be used to date when mineral grains were buried, over a timescale ranging up to 5 Ma. 26 Al and 10 Be accumulate over time in quartz that is exposed near the ground surface. If this quartz is buried, for example, in a cave or in a river terrace deposit, then the inherited 26 Al and 10 Be decay over time, providing a clock that dates sediment burial. The burial dating method is widely applicable to quartz contained either in sediment or stone tools, and is increasingly being applied in archaeology. This chapter explains the theory of burial dating, with examples from archaeology and paleoanthropology. Applications include simple burial dating, applied to very deeply buried deposits such as cave sediments; complex burial dating, which can apply minimum and maximum constraints to a burial age; and isochron burial dating, which can be applied to sediment buried beneath only a few meters of overburden.
The Development of a Descriptive Measure of Early Childhood Writing: Results From the Write Start! Writing Assessment

This study describes the development of an observational tool, the Write Start! Writing Assessment, created to provide descriptive information on four features of preschoolers’ writing: forms, directional patterns, intentionality (ways of assigning meaning to marks), and message content. Observational categories were generated from a review of research and then refined through constant-comparative analysis of the writing of 139 low-income, African American children aged 2:6 to 5:11. Children participated in the study from 1 to 3 years. Fall and spring writing samples were collected as children responded to a standard task asking them to write a photo caption. Cross-sectional analyses across seven age bands show the range and relative frequencies of writing categories. A wide range of normal variation was observed within age groups. Growth curve analyses confirmed that children showed significant change in all four writing features over the preschool years. Data from a subsample of 10 children were analyze...
Primitive Rings and the Density Theorem

We saw in Theorem 1.15 that simple artinian rings are precisely those artinian rings which have a faithful simple module. It is useful to drop the finiteness condition and to study those rings which have a faithful simple module but are not necessarily artinian. Such a ring is called a primitive ring. Primitive rings, a generalization of simple rings, play a role analogous to that of simple rings in that they may be viewed as the basic building blocks of other rings, though in an extended, infinite dimensional context. This perhaps justifies the name primitive. The theory of primitive rings can be developed along lines parallel to that of simple rings. The two theories intertwine, and in fact some authors choose to study simple rings from the point of view of primitive rings. This chapter explores such an approach.
Designer Dual Therapy Nanolayered Implant Coatings Eradicate Biofilms and Accelerate Bone Tissue Repair

Infections associated with orthopedic implants cause increased morbidity and significant healthcare cost. A prolonged and expensive two-stage procedure requiring two surgical steps and a 6–8 week period of joint immobilization exists as today’s gold standard for the revision arthroplasty of an infected prosthesis. Because infection is much more common in implant replacement surgeries, these issues greatly impact long-term patient care for a continually growing part of the population. Here, we demonstrate that a single-stage revision using prostheses coated with self-assembled, hydrolytically degradable multilayers that sequentially deliver the antibiotic (gentamicin) and the osteoinductive growth factor (BMP-2) in a time-staggered manner enables both eradication of established biofilms and complete and rapid bone tissue repair around the implant in rats with induced osteomyelitis. The nanolayered construct allows precise independent control of release kinetics and loading for each therapeutic agent in an ...
Estimating the Effectiveness of Advertising: Some Pitfalls in Econometric Methods:

The attempt to estimate the effectiveness of advertising by means of standard econometric models often fails because (i) data are contaminated, (ii) the preconditions for the applicability of the s...
The interrelationship of virulence, cytadsorption, and peroxide formation in Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

SummaryA study of the relationship between virulence, peroxide formation, and cytadsorption in M. pneumoniae was undertaken. Two pairs of homologous virulent and attenuated strains were derived by passage of parent strains in animals and artificial media. Comparison of their cytadsorptive activity and peroxide formation by measurement of hemadsorption and hemolysis revealed variations between heterologous strains, but no differences consistently related to virulence. The existence of additional mediators of virulence is suggested.
Abstract PL01-02: Building the Texas Cancer Diagnostics Pipeline one biomarker at a time

Diagnostic tools have not kept pace with medical knowledge. Fields of proteomics, genomics, and bioinformatics have enjoyed explosive growth, but precious few biomarkers found are translated into clinical practice. More than 20,000 scientific-discovery papers for cancer and 6,000 for cardiac disease have been published, yet only about one biomarker per year for ALL diagnostics areas received FDA each year. Unless biomarkers receive FDA approval they cannot move into widespread clinical practice in the US. Rich biomarker data combined with microfabrication techniques can provide means to deploy quick, affordable point-of-care diagnostics. This newfound wealth of information has strong potential to be used to build a “biomarker highway” and develop low-cost, advanced diagnostic tools that identify diseases early including various types of cancers, when they are less costly. This presentation features creation of programmable nano-bio-chip sensors that are capable of sophisticated measurements of strategic biomarkers from bio-fluid samples like blood, urine and saliva. This universal detection modality is now of a fast track to FDA approval through the simultaneous completion of 6 clinical trials in the area of HIV immune function (number one global humanitarian issue), cardiac heart disease (largest killer globally) and three types of cancers (oral, ovarian, prostate). These powerful devices have secured Popular Science Best of What9s New (medical device category) as well as Science Coallition9s Discovery of Year. The talk will highlight activities related to the recent launching of the Texas Cancer Diagnostics Pipeline. Short Description: Programmable bio-nano-chip sensors are now in development with goal to diagnose cancer early while at the same time making healthcare more affordable and accessible globally. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2011;4(10 Suppl):PL01-02.
TISSUE CULTURE OF CELLS ALREADY IN DNA SYNTHESIS FROM PATIENTS WITH INFECTIOUS MONONUCLEOSIS

1. Peripheral blood cultures from patients with infectious mononucleosis contained approximately 50 times more cells incorporating tritiated thymidine at time 0 than normal cultures. 2. Cultures from these patients showed active cell division within the first 24 hours. No cell division was seen during this time in cultures of normal cells. 3. Cells dividing within the first 24 hours were identified as cells which had incorporated thymidine at time 0 by observation of metaphases containing tritiated thymidine. 4. Cell division ceased after 18-24 hours in the absence of phytohemagglutinin. 5. The data suggest that a population composed of immature lymphocytic cells in the circulation of patients with infectious mononucleosis is in the process of cell division. Proliferative capacity of peripheral blood cells cannot be studied adequately by ordinary morphologic technic.
Morbidity of Measles in Weishan County of Yunnan Province,2002-2012

Objective To understand the current epidemiological characteristics of measles in Weishan county of Yunnan province,and to provide prevention and control references.Methods Data of measles and measles vaccination within 2002-2012were collected and analyzed with descriptive epidemiological methods. Results Altogether 68cases of measles were reported,with no deaths,the average annual incidence was 2.01/105;6outbreaks happened during 2005-2008and the incidence decreased dramatically since 2009.The incidence peaked in January to March.The cases in children with age of 15or below reached to 50(73.52%)and 28cases were reported in 7or below age group(41.12%).The distribution of the cases were:scattered children,24(35.29%);students,28(41.76%)and peasants, 12(17.65%).Only 28cases had a vaccination history,18had no vaccination history and 22cases' vaccination history was unclear.Conclusion The prevalence of measles in Weishan county is fluctuating and accompanied with outbreaks,and thus more efforts should be made to elevate the vaccination rate among vulnerable populations.
Molecular Tools for Monitoring and Source-Tracking Salmonella in Wildlife and the Environment

Salmonella causes an estimated 1.2 million cases of gastroenteritis per year (Scallan et al. 2011) or 16.42 illnesses per 100,000 persons (Gilliss et al. 2013). Salmonellosis is also associated with the largest incidence of food-associated hospitalizations and deaths (Gilliss et al. 2013). Furthermore, no significant change in the incidence of Salmonella infections has occurred since the beginning of surveillance during 1996–1998 (Gould et al. 2013; Gilliss et al. 2013). Many foodborne diseases, including salmonellosis, were once classified as strictly zoonotic infections because they were mostly attributed to meats and products derived from domesticated animals (Chisholm et al. 1999; van Duijkeren et al. 2002). However, recent outbreaks of salmonellosis from produce grown on farms with minimal or no contact with domesticated livestock exemplify the contribution of environmental reservoirs of infections (Gould et al. 2011; Hanning et al. 2009; Danyluk et al. 2007). In fact, the number of illnesses per outbreak is often greater for produce than for any other food product (Franz and van Bruggen 2008). Therefore, wildlife as a source of preharvest contamination of produce with human pathogens is under consideration, including reptiles, amphibians, and birds that may harbor potentially virulent strains of Salmonella (Gorski et al. 2013; Reche et al. 2003; Pfleger et al. 2003).
A Kind of Data Acquisition Algorithm of Adaptive Data Change Rule

The traditional equal-time interval data acquisition algorithm has defects in occupancy network bandwidth and fitting accuracy.In view of this,present a new data acquisition algorithm of adaptive data change rule.In this algorithm,according to the collected data changing situation assessment during the current period of time,set up a strategy of judging data change smoothness.According to the change trend of network performance parameters in the present moment,adjust the data gathering time interval,when data change judged is gentle,add data acquisition time interval;when data change judged is severe,reduce data acquisition time interval.Finally,through theoretical and experimental analysis verify that the data acquisition algorithm in small occupancy network bandwidth,can get more accurate data fitting curve.