cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Next Frontier in Engineering Education: The Master's Degree

Engineering education in the United States is at an evolutionary turning point, poised to move forward by elevating and strengthening the educational base of the profession through greater utilization of the master's degree. The primary reasons for this are (a) the demands placed on the engineer arising from the increased rate of change of technology, (b) the need to cope with the increased breadth and complexity of modern professional practice, and (c) the impossibility of crowding ever more material into the four-year curriculum. Educators need to examine the program structure and curricular content of master's level education to take into account these changes in the engineering workplace and the need to appreciably extend the years of productive performance. A recent comprehensive study by the Council of Graduate Schools reveals that the professionalization of master's education has advanced to the stage where virtually every profession has adopted the master's degree as the basis for modern practice.
Low vs high dose-rate effects on the acute reaction of pig skin to cobalt-60 gamma rays☆

Abstract The acute moist reaction of pig skin to regimens of low and high dose-rate irradiation with plaques containing a single, small 60 Co source was studied in order to determine the application time for a continuous, low dose-rate exposure which is equivalent to a fractionated, high dose-rate course. The dose distributions for the high and low dose rate sources were identical. All irradiations were carried out without anesthesia. The visual threshold for moist desquanwtion, i.e., the margin of the initial peak reaction, served as the biological endpoint. Ten young Chester White female pigs were irradiated—eight areas on the high dose-rate (control) side, and eight corresponding areas on the low dose-rate (experimental) side. During the subsequent 60-day observation period the longitudinal and transverse diameters of the acute moist reactions were measured three times weekly (Mon.-Wed.-Fri.). For the purpose of analysis the average initial peak diameter of the moist reaction was plotted against application time for the low dose-rate (experimental) side of each pig. linear regression was employed to determine the isoeffect low dose-rate application time. It was found that a continuous, low dose rate application of 63.8 hours duration at a dose-rate of 88.6 ran per hour was equivalent to four 1100 ran high dose-rate fractions separated by 24-hour intervals. The present experimental data for 60 Co gamma rays are useful in calculating the parameters of time-dose formulae desinged to equate low and high dose-rate radiotherapy.
The economic benefits of FASB's recommended disclosures: Evidence from the pharmaceutical industry

Abstract Prior research has documented an association between disclosure quality and various economic benefits, most notably between the cost of equity capital and market liquidity. We extend this literature by investigating whether pharmaceutical firms that comply with recommended voluntary disclosures of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) exhibit lower bid–ask spreads, greater market depth, and lower cost of equity capital. Cross-sectional analysis using pharmaceutical firms reveals a negative association between disclosure quality and bid–ask spreads (both the total spread and its adverse-selection component), but no association between disclosure quality and either market depth or the ex ante cost of equity capital. Overall, our findings provide some evidence of benefits accruing to pharmaceutical firms that comply with the FASB's recommended voluntary disclosures under the assumption that lower bid–ask spreads reduce the cost of capital and strong evidence that complying with FASB's recommended disclosures provide a direct benefit to small investors, those who bear the entire weight of bid–ask spreads.
The Interparental Relationship and Family Problem Solving with Preadolescent Males

This study examines associations between the quality of the interparental relationship and how well 68 family triads (mother, father, preadolescent son) solved salient problems which arose at home. Four aspects of the interparental relationship (marital satisfaction, parental agreement, conflict during family problem solving, and parental coalitions) were included in a regression analysis which controlled for family structure and child externalizing. A longitudinal design assessed families when mean child age was 9.7 years and 2 years later. Parental agreement consistently facilitated family problem solving. However, strong parental coalitions inhibited family problem solving, which may be attributed to frustrated autonomy needs of preadolescent males in response to the parental coalition. Stepfamilies had less effective problem solving at Time 1. The results confirm the benefits of parental agreement to child outcomes via enhanced family problem solving but show a reverse effect when agreement occurs in the context of coalitions against a preadolescent son.
Nanophase materials assembled from atom clusters

Nanometer-scale atom clusters (with average diameters below 20 nm) of a variety of materials, including both metals and ceramics, have been synthesized by precursor evaporation and condensation in high-purity gases. The gas-entrained clusters can be collected and subsequently consolidated in situ under ultrahigh vacuum or other controlled atmosphere conditions to create bulk nanophase materials. These ultrafine-grained materials have properties that are often significantly different and considerably improved relative to those of their coarser-grained counterparts. The observed property changes relate to both their small grain sizes and the large percentage of their atoms in grain boundary environments. Since it is becoming apparent that their properties can be engineered during gas-phase synthesis and subsequent processing, nanophase materials assembled from atom clusters should have significant potential for technological development in a variety of applications. Some of the recent research on nanophase materials is reviewed.
MULTICOPY CUP1 PLASMIDS ENHANCE CADMIUM AND COPPER RESISTANCE LEVELS IN YEAST

A 3.3 kb fragment of yeast genomic DNA was isolated by screening a genomic library constructed in the high copy number 2 micron plasmid YEp351 vector for clones capable of enhancing the degree of resistance of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain MW3070-8B to cadmium. The insert contained two complete copies of the CUP1 gene open reading frame (183 bp), including the upstream promoter sequences (450 bp) with two conserved metal responsive cis-acting elements. Northern analysis showed that addition of cadmium (0.02 microM) or copper (50 microM) to overnight liquid cultures of yeast induced expression of CUP1 transcripts from both chromosomal and plasmid-borne gene copies. The cloned 3.3 kb DNA in a high copy number plasmid restored copper resistance to the sensitive strain LS70-3B delta, deleted for the CUP1 gene (cup 1 delta), but failed to restore cadmium resistance. Thus, CUP1 gene expression in yeast appears to be influenced differently by cadmium and copper ions. Resistance to heavy metal poisoning resulted from enhanced gene product levels attributable to amplification of the CUP1 gene as well as to increased transcriptions. Two distinct gene product levels mediate cadmium and copper resistance; a higher gene product level was required to confer cadmium resistance.
Sedimentary evidence against large strike-slip translation on the Northern Altyn Tagh fault, NW China

Abstract Whether the oblique left-reverse Northern Altyn Tagh fault has large cumulative offset (>120 km) is one of the most controversial issues concerning the deformation mechanics for the northern Tibetan Plateau. In order to obtain material constraints on its total displacement, sedimentologic and bedrock provenance analysis of Oligocene–Pleistocene strata on the northern side of the fault was conducted. Lithofacies analysis and 970 paleocurrent measurements show that these strata were products of fluvial systems originating from south of the fault, making it possible to constrain the fault's slip history by establishing cross-fault sediment/source linkages. Identification of 5217 conglomerate clasts in the field indicates that major clast types are quartzite (30–50%), schist/gneiss (increasing upsection from 10% to 40–50%), and marble (decreasing upsection from 20–30% to 30 km) strike-slip translation on the Northern Altyn Tagh fault and support the model that strain induced by Indian indentation has been partitioned into left-slip on the Altyn Tagh fault and reverse dip-slip on the Northern Altyn Tagh fault.
Absolute configurational assignments for the1H-NMR spectrum of poly(vinyl alcohol) by use of two-dimensional NMR methods

FOCSY two-dimensional J-resolved NMR spectroscopy is used to resolve1H NMR resonances corresponding to triad and tetrad configurations of poly(vinyl alcohol). Two-dimensional auto correlation with ω1-scaling NMR spectroscopy is used to observe connectivities between triad and tetrad1H NMR resonances. Comparison of these connectivities to the necessary compositional relationships at triad-tetrad level leads to absolute configurational assignments for the1H NMR spectrum of poly(vinyl alcohol).
Interleukins-6 and -8 levels in sera and cervical mucus of fertile, idiopathic infertile, and immunoinfertile women: implication in infertility.

PROBLEM: The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of interleukin-6 and −8 (IL-6 and IL-8) in sera and cervical mucus of infertile (idiopathic and immunoinfertile) women and to compare the levels with those in age-matched normally cycling fertile women. METHODS: Levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were measured in the sera and cervical mucus of fertile and infertile women by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A non-parametric Mann-Whitney test was used to evaluate significance between the means. Linear regression analysis of IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations in serum versus cervical mucus and with antisperm antibody titers was performed by condition as well as all groups together. P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: Both IL-6 and IL-8 were detected in sera and cervical mucus of fertile as well as infertile groups. Although serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly different between fertile and infertile groups, the differences were more pronounced in the cervical mucus samples. Cervical mucus of idiopathic and immunoinfertile women demonstrated significantly (P = 0.002 to < 0.0001) greater concentrations of IL-6 and IL-8 compared to fertile controls. In general, there was no significant correlation between the serum and cervical mucus IL-6 and IL-8 levels, whether analyzed by condition or all groups together. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in cervical mucus of infertile groups may play a role in etiology of idiopathic and immunologic infertility. These findings suggest that the measurements of cytokines (especially IL-6 and IL-8) in cervical mucus may provide a tool for specific diagnosis and possibly treatment of infertility, especially idiopathic infertility.
Biologic characteristics of specific human papillomavirus types predicted from morphology of cervical lesions

Abstract Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA was detected by Southern blot hybridization in cervicovaginal lavage samples from 199 of 329 (60.5%) women attending a municipal hospital colposcopy clinic. Human papillomavirus was identified in 195 of 264 (73.9%) patients with a squamous intraepithelial lesion or cancer on biopsy or Papanicolaou smear (Bethesda system) compared with 11 of 65 (16.9%) without squamous intraepithelial lesion ( P P = .007), suggesting early abnormalities in cellular differentiation in lesions infected with highly oncogenic HPVs.
Partitioning-based clustering for Web document categorization

Abstract Clustering techniques have been used by many intelligent software agents in order to retrieve, filter, and categorize documents available on the World Wide Web. Clustering is also useful in extracting salient features of related Web documents to automatically formulate queries and search for other similar documents on the Web. Traditional clustering algorithms either use a priori knowledge of document structures to define a distance or similarity among these documents, or use probabilistic techniques such as Bayesian classification. Many of these traditional algorithms, however, falter when the dimensionality of the feature space becomes high relative to the size of the document space. In this paper, we introduce two new clustering algorithms that can effectively cluster documents, even in the presence of a very high dimensional feature space. These clustering techniques, which are based on generalizations of graph partitioning, do not require pre-specified ad hoc distance functions, and are capable of automatically discovering document similarities or associations. We conduct several experiments on real Web data using various feature selection heuristics, and compare our clustering schemes to standard distance-based techniques, such as hierarchical agglomeration clustering , and Bayesian classification methods, such as AutoClass .
Parallel threads: parallel computation labs for CS 3 and CS 4

One objective in establishing our NSF ILI funded parallel computation laboratory was to use closed, formal laboratory assignments to introduce parallelism throughout the core computer science curriculum. We discuss laboratory assignments developed for the Computer Organization (CS 3) and Algorithms (CS 4) courses.The CS 3 lab introduces parallelism based upon processor replication and two-performance indices for evaluating performance of parallel algorithms, speedup and efficiency. One factor that effects performance on MIMD message passage architectures, the ratio of computation to communication, is also introduced.The CS 4 lab guides students in developing a parallel version of Dijkstra's single source shortest path algorithm. A case study using parallel addition assists students in identifying potential parallelism by examining the data dependency of computations. Students working in teams of two develop a pseudo-code version of the single source shortest path algorithm for an abstract parallel machine. They also analyze the speedup and efficiency of an implementation of the algorithm for one, four and eight processors.
The TOP-C parallel model and symbolic algebra

The TOP-C parallel model was specifically designed to be optimal for many symbolic algebra algorithms. Symbolic algebra problems are irregular and differ from typical problems of numerical analysis in two respects.1. They have large amounts of intermediate swell.2. They are usually not able to make good use of data parallelism.The TOP-C model was developed on the basis of experience over ten years. The model was first implemented for distributed memory for GCL (GNU Common LISP), and is currently available as ParGCL [1]. That work was extended to ParGAP [3], a binding to the interactive language GAP (Groups, Algorithms and Programming). Finally, a C/C++ version, Task Oriented Parallel C/C++, lent its acronym to the TOP-C model [2].A sign of the maturity of TOP-C is the parallelization of Geant4 (Geometry and Tracking) [4]. Geant4 is a million-line program for the simulation of particle-matter interaction used in the design of collider experiments at CERN. Current issues facing parallelization include the slowness of RAM [5] and the need for semi-automated marshalling (serialization of objects) [6].
Chain codes and their linear reconstruction filters

A differential chain code implementation of the basic eight-directional and N-ring chain code for the encoding of line drawings is considered. Several distortion and rate criteria are considered, and they are evaluated for the special case of encoding infinite straight lines. These results indicate that the differential code outperforms ring codes and the ring delta code. Using a linear decoding filter for reconstructing a smoothed approximation to the original line is also considered. Optimal reconstruction filters for infinite straight lines at various angles are derived. An angle-invariant reconstruction filter that minimizes the expected square distortion taken over all angles is derived. The overall performance using this filter is close to that of the optimum filter. Furthermore, the impulse response of the angle-invariant filter is approximately rectangular, which can lead to simple hardware implementations. >
Plasma expansion by polyethylene-glycol-modified albumin

Systemic inflammatory response conditions are associated with capillary leak and haemodynamic compromise. Fluid resuscitation to reverse the ensuing hypovolaemia is, however, complicated by the decreased endothelium reflection coefficient to albumin and other colloids. We developed PEG-Alb (albumin covalently linked to polyethylene glycol) as a potential resuscitative agent. PEG was covalently linked to human albumin at multiple sites on the protein. The modified protein was heterogeneous when examined by SDS/PAGE, size-exclusion chromatography and SELDI-TOF MS (surface-enhanced laser-desorption ionization-time of flight MS). Based on size-exclusion chromatography and osmotic pressure data, the effective volume of PEG-Alb is increased 13- to 16-fold compared with unmodified albumin. In an LPS (lipopolysaccharide) model of shock, rats treated with PEG-Alb showed better blood pressure, lower Hct (haematocrit) consistent with haemodilution and less lung injury than rats treated with unmodified albumin or saline. In a CLP (caecal ligation and puncture) model of sepsis, PEG-Alb was more effective than albumin or saline in maintaining blood pressure and in decreasing Hct. When fluorescein-labelled PEG-Alb and Texas Red-labelled albumin were administered to rats with LPS- or CLP-induced shock, PEG-Alb was retained within blood vessels, whereas albumin extravasates into the interstitial space. Based on these data, PEG-Alb appears to be retained within blood vessels in models of capillary leak. PEG-Alb may ultimately be effective in the clinical treatment of shock associated with capillary leak.
Mechanotransduction of fluid stresses governs 3D cell migration

Solid tumors are characterized by high interstitial fluid pressure, which drives fluid efflux from the tumor core. Tumor-associated interstitial flow (IF) at a rate of ∼3 µm/s has been shown to induce cell migration in the upstream direction (rheotaxis). However, the molecular biophysical mechanism that underlies upstream cell polarization and rheotaxis remains unclear. We developed a microfluidic platform to investigate the effects of IF fluid stresses imparted on cells embedded within a collagen type I hydrogel, and we demonstrate that IF stresses result in a transcellular gradient in β1-integrin activation with vinculin, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), FAKPY397, F actin, and paxillin-dependent protrusion formation localizing to the upstream side of the cell, where matrix adhesions are under maximum tension. This previously unknown mechanism is the result of a force balance between fluid drag on the cell and matrix adhesion tension and is therefore a fundamental, but previously unknown, stimulus for directing cell movement within porous extracellular matrix.
967-17 Initial Experience of Cordis Stent Implantation

To assess the safety and efficacy of the Cordis stent, implantation was attempted in 63 consecutive patients and 64 lesions from Jan. to Aug. 1994 (mean age: 63 years, % male: 79%, % previous MI: 62%, % multi vessel disease: 47%). The balloon expandable Cordis stent was made up of a single strand, very flexible, radiopaque continuous tantalum wire, and was 3.0 or 3.5 mm in diameter and 18 mm in length. The Cordis stent was implanted electively in 44 lesions (69%), thirty-four of the 64 (58%) were restenotic lesions. Locations of the stented artery were LMT in 1, LAD in 28, LCX in 10 and RCA in 25 lesions (single stealing: 51. multiple stenting: 13,3.0 mm stent: 39, 3.5 mm stent: 25). Unfavorable angiographic morphology (eccentricity, dissection. calcification. ulceration or bend g 45°) was noted in 43 lesions (67%). Delivery success was achieved in 57 lesions (90%). Rescue stenting with this stent after the placement of a different stent had failed was successful in 3 lesions. Complications and angiographic findings are as follows. Complications acutelsubacute occlusion: 0 Q/non Q-MI: 1 12%) CABG: 0 death: 0 groin hematoma: 2 (4%) blood transfusions: 3 (5%) Angiographic findings lesion length: 9.0 ± 5.4 mm reference diameter (mm) MLD (mm) stenosis (%) binary restenosis rate(%) pre procedure 2.94 ± 0.37 0.94 ± 0.28 68.7 ± 9.9 pre-dilatation 2.91 ± 0.36 1.59 ± 0.32 45.9 ± 13.5 post stenting 2.89 ± 0.39 2.69 ± 0.22 5.9 ± 10.8 next day (n = 36) 2.88 ± 0.32 2.64 ± 0.21 8.0 ± 8.0 1mo FlU (n = 35) 2.91 ± 0.35 2.57 ± 0.23 11.2 ± 8.7 0 (0%) 3moF/U (n = 41) 2.84 ± 0.32 2.02 ± 0.52 28.9 ± 17.3 5 (12%) 6 mo FlU (n = 15) 2.84 ± 0.32 1.82 ± 0.56 36.6 ± 18.2 3 Repeat angioplasty was required in 4 of 8 patients with restenosis. Thus, the Cordis stent implantation can be achieved with a high degree of technical and clinical success because of its flexible design and good visibility. Furthermore, its very low complication rates are encouraging. Restenosis rate at 3 months follow-up period is acceptably low.
Measuring and improving health care quality: nursing's contribution to the state of science

Concern over the quality of health care is a recurring topic in the United States. A “state of the science” invitational conference on quality health care, titled “Measuring and Improving Health Care Quality, Towards Meaningful Solutions To Pressing Problems, Nursing’s Contribution to the State of the Science” was held April 18–20, 2002 in Philadelphia at the Annenberg Center for Public Policy, University of Pennsylvania. This conference stemmed from the work of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) Expert Panel on Quality Health Care and had its genesis in June 1996 during the AAN Expert Panel on Quality’s Conference titled, “Outcome Measures and Care Delivery Systems.” This conference was also responsive to recent reports published by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and others, which have concluded that quality problems can lead to poorer health and that widespread quality problems exist throughout American medicine.
Degrees of Parametrizations of Elliptic Curves by Shimura Curves

Abstract In this paper, we study some properties of parametrizations of elliptic curves by Shimura curves. Fix a square-free positive integer N and an isogeny class E of elliptic curves of conductor N defined over Q. Consider a pair (D, M) such that N=DM and the number of prime factors of D is even. Let J be the Jacobian of Shimura curve XD0(M) associated with an Eichler order of level M in an indefinite quaternion albebra of discriminant D defined over Q. There is a unique E in E and a homomorphism J→E having the connected kernel. For a prime r ∣ N, we study the map on groups of connected components of Neron fibers at r induced from J→E. We show that if r divides D, then the map is surjective. Moreover, we study some relations among degrees of parametrizations XD0(M)→E when D and M vary. Also, we describe a method of computing the degree of XD0(M)→E when D>1.
Determination of Volatile Hydrocarbons in Coals and Shales Using Supercritical Fluid Extraction and Chromatography

Conventional analytical techniques, such as headspace gas chromatography and Soxhlet extraction, can provide compositional information for the gaseous (C 1-5 ) and heavy (C 15+ ) hydrocarbon constituents, respectively. The volatile (C 6-14 ) hydrocarbons, if present, usually go undetected because of volatility fractionation and loss. In this study, supercritical CO2 was used to extract the C6-C14 volatile hydrocarbons from pulverized coal samples. Capillary column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to identify the mixture components, and packed capillary column supercritical fluid chromatography was used to separate and quantify the aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon class fractions. It was found that the compositions of the light hydrocarbon fractions included several homologous series of normal and branched aliphatic hydrocarbons, cyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons, and alkyl-substituted benzenes and naphthalenes ; the concentrations of these volatile hydrocarbons ranged between 0.01 and 0.2 wt % of the bulk material for different coal and shale samples.
Synchronization of estrus in yearling beef heifers with the melengestrol acetate/prostaglandin F2α system: Efficiency of timed insemination 72 hours after prostaglandin treatment

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to determine the conception rates of heifers time-inseminated following melengestrol acetate/prostaglandin F 2α (MGA/PG) estrous synchronization treatment. In Experiment 1, timed insemination of heifers at 72 h after the PG injection, without regard for behavioral estrus, tended to improve (P 4 ) concentrations higher than 1 ng/ml compared with that of heifers with concentrations lower than 1 ng/ml. Of heifers with serum P 4 greater than 1 ng/ml, the pregnancy rate to AI tended to be higher when concentrations exceeded 2 ng/ml than when concentrations were 1 to 2 ng/ml. In cyclic heifers, timed insemination can increase the percentage of heifers pregnant after being synchronized with MGA/PG.
Livelihood and Resistance: Peasants and the Politics of Land In Peru

Livelihood and Resistance: Peasants and the Politics of Land In Peru. Gavin Smith. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989. 279 pp., notes, glossary, bibliography, Index. $37.50 (cloth). ISBN 0-520-06365-1.
Is intraoperative parathyroid hormone testing in patients with renal insufficiency undergoing parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism accurate

Abstract Background Our aim was to determine whether chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) impacted intraoperative parathyroid hormone (ioPTH) monitoring during parathyroidectomy. We hypothesized that ioPTH monitoring in patients with CRI would show slower decline, but would still accurately predict cure. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism who underwent curative single adenoma parathyroidectomy. The percentage of patients reaching 50% decline of ioPTH was compared between groups stratified by renal function. Results Between 2000 and 2013, 950 patients met inclusion criteria. At 5 minutes, 66% of patients with CRI met curative criteria versus 77% of normal renal function patients ( P = .001). At 10 minutes, 89% vs 92% met criteria ( P = .073), and by 15 minutes, the gap narrowed to 95% vs 97% ( P = .142), respectively. Conclusions Despite CRI patients with primary hyperparathyroidism having slower ioPTH decline after curative parathyroidectomy, 95% met ioPTH criteria by 15 minutes. Standard ioPTH criteria can be used with CRI patients.
Coming Out Under Fire: The History of Gay Men and Women in World War Two

Despite the many histories of the fighting men and women in World War II, none has been written about the estimated one million homosexuals. Here is a dramatic story of these people, revealing the history of the anti-gay policy pursued by the U.S. military authorities in World War II. Two 8-page photo inserts.
A simple frequency doubling Schmitt trigger circuit

A simple frequency doubling Schmitt trigger circuit that requires only three transistors is presented and its performance described.
KEEPING QUALITY OF EGGS PACKAGED IN ACRYLONITRILE POUCHES1

A comparative study was conducted on quality and shelf-life of fresh shell eggs stored at room temperature with four different treatments (not-packaged, packaged in air, packaged with 15% CO2, and oil coated). Another group, oiled and stored at refrigeration, was used as control. There was a decrease of interior quality as storage day increased but the greatest decline was observed for the not-packaged group which had the highest albumen pH and greatest weight loss. The percent weight loss of an individually packaged egg in a high barrier pouch was about 40–50% less than those not-packaged. No significant difference in Haugh unit was found between the packaged systems and the oiled plus refrigeration. It was concluded that controlled atmosphere is the most efficient method in preserving egg quality at room temperature for a period of 7 weeks.
An investigation of skin deformation around percutaneous devices

Abstract According to the literature one of the primary failure models of percutaneous devices (PDs) in soft tissue implantation sites is that of mechanically induced trauma along the implant/tissue interface. In order to avoid such avulsion, subcutaneous flanges have been incorporated into PD designs to provide a better distribution of stresses along the implant/tissue interface. Tissue necrosis and inflammation were then observed to be most pronounced around the rim of the subcutaneous flange. It was the goal of this study to develop and test PDs with subcutaneous flanges of varying stiffnesses in order to allow the flange to distribute stresses into the surrounding tissues more evenly, thereby reducing the likelihood of failure due to avulsion. PDs were tested with flanges of constant thickness or varying linearly, reducing toward the flange rim. They were evaluated using an in-vitro testing method which was designed to simulate the situation of an implanted PD subjected to external loading. The results indicated that the stiffness characteristics of the subcutaneous flange had a substantial effect on the behavior of the devices under loading. A PD having a radial stiffness decrease would improve the likelihood of implant survival in the clinical situation due to the reduction of mechanically induced trauma along the implant/tissue interface.
Investigation of the formation of nanostructures on silicon thin films by excimer laser irradiation

We present a theoretical study and experimental results on the formation of conical nano-tips on silicon thin films as a result of single-pulse excimer laser irradiation. The fabricated structures have heights of about 1 µm and apical radii of curvature of several tens of nanometers. An individual cone is formed when a mono-crystalline silicon film on an insulator substrate is irradiated in air environment with a single 25ns pulse from a KrF excimer laser, homogenized and shaped to a circular spot with diameter of several micrometers. Atomic force microscopy was used to study these structures. A simplified analytical model for the formation of these structures is proposed. We also present computer simulations of heat transfer in Si films that results from irradiation with a single laser pulse, shaped to a circular spot.
Serum and insulin initiation of DNA synthesis in mammary gland epithelium in vitro

These experiments demonstrate that serum, like insulin, can initiate DNA synthesis in mouse mammary gland epithelium, resulting in a three- to four-fold increase in the rate of DNA synthesis and number of cells synthesizing DNA. Both serum and insulin also increase the tritiated thymidine counts in the acid soluble material of these cells, suggesting that each alters thymidine transport. When combined at any concentration, these agents produce an additive effect on DNA synthesis, number of cells synthesizing DNA and thymidine transport. The factor(s) in serum responsible for these effects is associated with high molecular weight material. These experiments suggest that DNA synthesis and thymidine transport are affected independently by serum and insulin in mammary gland epithelium.
Metabolomic response of human skin tissue to low dose ionizing radiation

Understanding how human organs respond to ionizing radiation (IR) at a systems biology level and identifying biomarkers for IR exposure at low doses can help provide a scientific basis for establishing radiation protection standards. Little is known regarding the physiological responses to low dose IR at the metabolite level, which represents the end-point of biochemical processes inside cells. Using a full thickness human skin tissue model and GC-MS-based metabolomic analysis, we examined the metabolic perturbations at three time points (3, 24 and 48 h) after exposure to 3, 10 and 200 cGy of X-rays. PLS-DA score plots revealed dose- and time-dependent clustering between sham and irradiated groups. Importantly, delayed metabolic responses were observed at low dose IR. When compared with the high dose at 200 cGy, a comparable number of significantly changed metabolites were detected 48 h after exposure to low doses (3 and 10 cGy) of irradiation. Biochemical pathway analysis showed perturbations to DNA/RNA damage and repair, lipid and energy metabolisms, even at low doses of IR.
Reinforcing and discriminative-stimulus effects of ephedrine isomers in rhesus monkeys

Ephedrine is a sympathomimetic drug that is currently found in many over-the-counter preparations. This compound exists as four isomers which, in addition to a racemic mixture, were evaluated for their positive reinforcing effects and for their similarity to (+)-amphetamine as a discriminative stimulus. Rhesus monkeys (N=3) with intravenous cocaine (0.1 mg/kg/inj) or saline as a consequence for lever pressing were shown to self-administer all of the ephedrine compounds (range tested: 0.03-3.0 mg/kg/inj), with the exception of (-)-pseudoephedrine, when each drug/dose was substituted for cocaine or saline during test sessions. However, the (-)-pseudoephedrine isomer was evaluated within a limited dose range due to solubility limitations. Systematically increasing the number of responses required for an injection indicated that these isomers were not as effective as reinforcers as was cocaine. Rhesus monkeys (N=3) trained to discriminate intragastric 1.0 mg/kg (+)-amphetamine from saline were given substitution tests with the ephedrine isomers and the racemic mixture. When given intragastrically, at least one dose of all the ephedrine isomers substituted for the (+)-amphetamine discriminative stimulus in at least one of the subjects tested. However, (+)-amphetamine-like effects were not systematically related to dose. When the discriminative-stimulus effects of (-)-ephedrine were also compared with those of (+)-amphetamine across three different routes of administration, full, dose-related, (+)-amphetamine-like responding was observed with both the intramuscular and intravenous routes. Taken together, these results suggest that the ephedrines have psychomotor stimulant-like abuse potential, lower than that of cocaine. Parenteral administration may enhance psychomotor-stimulant-like effects.
A communication-bandwidth-aware hybrid estimation framework for multi-robot cooperative localization

This paper presents hybrid Minimum Mean Squared Error-based estimators for wireless sensor networks with time-varying communication-bandwidth constraints, focusing on the particular application of multi-robot Cooperative Localization. When sensor nodes (e.g., robots) communicate only a quantized version of their analog measurements to the team, our proposed hybrid filters enable robots to process all available information, i.e., local analog measurements (recorded by its own sensors) as well as remote quantized measurements (collected and communicated by other sensors). Moreover, these filters are resource-aware and can utilize additional bandwidth, whenever available, to maximize estimation accuracy. Specifically, in this paper, we present two filters, the Hybrid Batch-Quantized Kalman filter (H-BQKF) and the Hybrid Iteratively-Quantized Kalman filter (H-IQKF), that can process local analog measurements along with remote measurements quantized to any number of bits. We test our proposed filters in simulations and experimentally, and demonstrate that they achieve performance comparable to the standard Kalman filter.
In-Line Interferometer

An interferometer is described for the measurement of beam dividing surfaces. The apparatus consists essentially of the elements for a Twyman-Green interferometer. The end mirrors are made of optical glass and the reflecting surfaces of these mirrors transmit a part of the beam. The advantages of the instrument are (a) a sensitivity (n+1) times that of the Fizeau viewer, which is usually used for this test, (b) compactness, and (c) ruggedness.
Female Juvenile Offenders Incarcerated as Adults: A Psychoeducational Group Intervention

• Summary: A pilot study was conducted which examined the development and implementation of a psychoeducational group intervention for young female offenders incarcerated in adult jail. The purpose...
A phase II study of insulin-like growth factor receptor inhibition with nordihydroguaiaretic acid in men with non-metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-mediated signaling is a newly recognized clinical target in prostate cancer, and it is hypothesized that blockade of the IGF receptor (IGF1R) will impair downstream signaling and slow tumor growth. In this study the efficacy of nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), a small molecule inhibitor of the IGF-1R, was prospectively evaluated in patients with non-metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC). Eligible patients had non-metastatic HSPC with a rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and a normal testosterone level. NDGA 2000 mg was given orally daily in 28 day cycles and treatment continued until PSA progression or toxicity. Accrual was stopped early after a pre-planned interim analysis showed no significant PSA declines after 3 cycles of treatment among the first 12 patients enrolled. Median time on treatment was 9 cycles (range 2-19) for 11 patients now off study; 1 patient continues to receive therapy and has been on study for 29 months. Seven patients experienced non-sustained declines in PSA ranging from 1.9 to 15.8% of baseline. PSADT lengthened by a median of 1.4 months for all evaluable patients when compared to pretreatment PSADT (range -6.1 to +19.8 months). Grade 3 events were rare and included nausea/vomiting, syncope due to dehydration, and elevated liver function tests in 1 patient, and cognitive disturbance in another patient. NDGA therapy lengthens median PSADT but does not induce significant PSA declines. Further study may require a placebo-control to determine if changes in PSADT are drug related.
The interstellar Li-7/Li-6 isotope ratio toward Zeta Ophiuchi and Zeta Persei

High S/N, high-resolution observations of the interstellar Li absorption lines toward the stars Zeta Ophiuchi and Zeta Persei are reported. Li I line profiles indicate the presence of both the Li-7 and Li-6 doublets in these two sightlines. Best-fit values for the interstellar Li-7/Li-6 isotope ratio are 6.8 (+1.4/-1.7) towards Zeta Ophiuchi and 5.5 (+ 1.3/-1.1) toward Zeta Persei. Measurement of 6.8 (+1.4/-1.7) for the interstellar Li-7/Li-6 isotope ratio towards Zeta Ophiuchi does not support the lower limit of 25 determined by Ferlet and Dennefeld (1984). The current value of the interstellar Li-7/Li-6 isotope ratio is the result of various lithium production and destruction processes involving stars, cosmic rays, and the big bang.
Influence of ι-Carrageenan on Droplet Flocculation of β-Lactoglobulin-Stabilized Oil-in-Water Emulsions during Thermal Processing

The influence of thermal processing on droplet flocculation in oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by either β-lactoglobulin (primary emulsions) or β-lactoglobulin−ι-carrageenan (secondary emulsions) at pH 6 has been investigated. In the absence of salt, the ζ-potential of the primary emulsion was less negative (−40 mV) than that of the secondary emulsion (−55 mV) due to adsorption of anionic ι-carrageenan to the anionic β-Lg-coated droplet surfaces. The ζ-potential and mean diameter (d43 ≈ 0.3 μm) of droplets in primary and secondary emulsions did not change after storage at temperatures ranging from 30 to 90 °C. In the presence of 150 mM NaCl, the ζ-potential of the primary emulsion was much less negative (−27 mV) than that of the secondary emulsion (−50 mV), suggesting that the latter was less influenced by electrostatic screening effects. The ζ-potential of the primary emulsions did not change after storage at elevated temperatures (30−90 °C). The ζ-potential of the secondary emulsions became less negat...
MicroRNA Expression Profile in Lieber-DeCarli Diet-Induced Alcoholic and Methionine Choline Deficient Diet-Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Models in Mice

Background Alcoholic and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis are leading causes of liver diseases worldwide. While of different etiology, these share common pathophysiological mechanisms and feature abnormal fat metabolism, inflammation and fibrosis. Micro-RNAs (miRNA) are highly conserved non-coding RNAs that control gene expression at the post-transcriptional level either via the degradation of target mRNAs or the inhibition of translation. Each miRNA controls the expression of multiple targets; miRNAs have been linked to regulation of lipid metabolism and inflammation.
Variational nodal transport solutions of multigroup criticality problems

Abstract Variational nodal methods are extended to treat multigroup and criticality problems and are implemented as a module for the production code DIF3D at Argonne National Laboratory. New within-group solution algorithms based on the partitioning of the response matrix equations result in computing times that are comparable to those obtained with a widely employed nodal transport method. Accuracy and timing comparisons are made for three few-group criticality problems in X-Y geometry.
An Experimental Test of a Craving Management Technique for Adolescents in Substance-abuse Treatment

This paper describes an experiment designed to test an imagery-based craving management technique with a sample of adolescents diagnosed with substance-use disorders. Seventy adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 (41 males) were recruited through two substance-abuse treatment programs. The experimental procedure involved stimulating craving using a previously tested imagery technique and then administering a newly developed procedure for reducing craving. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: an “interpersonal help” craving reduction condition; an “interpersonal distracter” craving reduction condition; and a control condition in which craving was stimulated and allowed to attenuate naturally, without intervention. Results indicated that following exposure to imagery-based drug cues, the “interpersonal distracter” condition effectively interrupted craving, compared to the control condition. The “interpersonal help condition” did not attenuate participant’s craving response relative to the control condition. This study illustrates how experimental methods can be used to test and refine the efficacy of clinical interventions.
A supercharger for single electrode voltage and current clamping

The theory and several circuits for supercharging is described for single micro and patch electrode voltage and current clamping. Supercharging is of use where the charging time of the cell membrane capacity results in the membrane potential change to considerably lag behind the command potential. This membrane capacity charging time is dependent on the series electrode resistance, the membrane resistance and capacity. Thus although amplifier voltage response times may be in microseconds, the membrane potential response to a step command potential often requires several milliseconds. Supercharging overcomes this difficulty by accelerating the membrane capacity charging time by applying a large initial and brief supercharging or 'booster' potential or current, to the command signal. Supercharging can improve membrane potential rise times by more than a hundred and thus bring membrane potentials to a stationary state well under a millisecond. Early changes in membrane properties are thus more readily observed during voltage and current clamping without being masked by capacitive currents. This technique also provides for the measurement of membrane time constants. The circuitry described is a simple add-on to the command signal pathway, is easy to adjust and provides the appropriate supercharging potentials for sequential step command signals of different amplitudes.
Cryoablation Therapy for Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia in Children: A Multicenter Experience of Efficacy

Atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT), a common tachycardia in children, is routinely treated by catheter ablation using radiofrequency or cryothermal energy. Acute success rates of 95–97 % are reported for cryoablation, similar to those achieved with radiofrequency ablation (RFA). However, early studies reported higher recurrence rates after cryoablation for treatment of AVNRT than those reported for RFA. This study evaluated the success and recurrence rates for cryoablation in a current cohort of pediatric patients across several institutions. Patients 21 years old or younger with AVNRT who underwent cryoablation at five participating centers between 2004 and 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics and procedural data were extracted from patient records and analyzed. A total of 434 patients with AVNRT who underwent cryoablation were identified. Cryoablation was used as the exclusive ablation method for 379 patients. For 97 % (368/379) of these patients, cryoablation was acutely successful. A higher acute success rate was found with the 6-mm-tip catheter (99 %) than with the 4-mm-tip catheter (91 %) (p < 0.01). Recurrence was experienced by 7.3 % of the patients. Recurrence was more likely for those treated with the 4-mm-tip catheter (6/42, 14 %) than for those who had the larger catheters (12/204, 6 %) No patient experienced permanent heart block. Success and recurrence rates for this cohort of patients were similar to those reported for RFA used to treat AVNRT in pediatric patients. The findings show a higher success rate and a lower recurrence rate after cryoablation with a 6-mm-tip catheter than after use of the 4-mm-tip catheter, with an associated excellent safety profile.
Sample Selection for Statistical Grammar Induction

Corpus-based grammar induction relies on using many hand-parsed sentences as training examples. However, the construction of a training corpus with detailed syntactic analysis for every sentence is a labor-intensive task. We propose to use sample selection methods to minimize the amount of annotation needed in the training data, thereby reducing the workload of the human annotators. This paper shows that the amount of annotated training data can be reduced by 36% without degrading the quality of the induced grammars.
80Gb/s all-optical XNOR using a dual four wave mixing scheme in highly nonlinear fibers

80Gb/s All-optical Boolean function XNOR has been demonstrated using a dual four wave mixing scheme in two identical highly nonlinear fibers. A numerical model based on nonlinear Schrodinger equation (NLS) in fiber has been employed to simulate the wave mixing process. The NLS equations have been solved using the split-step Fourier method. From the numerical model, system transmission rate is predicted to be as high as 250Gb/s.
Mycoflora and fungal vector capacity of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) in honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies

Abstract Female adults of the honey bee mite, Varroa destructor, have fungi on their surfaces, and have the potential to disperse fungal spores (conidia) throughout the bee colony. Fungi present are typical of those associated with bees, their combs and provisions, and are common filamentous, soil saprophytes (listed in order of relative abundance): Aspergillus, Penicillium, Fusarium, Trichoderma, Alternaria, Rhizopus and Mucor. These fungi have no biological control implications (i.e., entomopathogenic) because none were recovered internally within the mites; absence of fungi internally also implies that this mite is not a fungivore. Our isolation of Aspergillus flavus, agent of stonebrood disease in honey bees, implicates Varroa as a potential fungal vector of stonebrood disease.