cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Power-logarithmic stress singularities at bi-material corners and interface cracks

—Knowledge of the dominant singular behavior is crucial to any computer-based stress analysis of finite regions which harbor sharp composite corners. Most numerical methods encounter the problems of lack of convergence and poor accuracy in such regions because of the unbounded stresses (or even unbounded stress derivatives). The introduction of design requirements based on the concepts of linear elastic analyses has made it particularly important that the efficiency of numerical methods be improved when applied to singular problems. Williams treated the plane, elastic infinite wedge for several combinations of homogeneous boundary conditions. The Airy stress function used by Williams is not sufficient whenever the stress singularities are not of the power type, O(r-λ). By appropriately augmenting the class of biharmonic stress functions, Dempsey and Sinclair showed that stress singularities O(r-λ In r) also may occur for homogeneous boundary conditions. The present paper examines particular cases in which...
Relational analysis and dictionaries

The aim of the paper is to propose adequate models for the description of and appropriate solutions to dictionary optimization. A dictionary dedicated to human users is (as with any human artefact) full of errors and inconsistencies which cannot be handled by a computer as an end user. Thus, it is necessary to check and optimize the contents. By using ‘pairwise optimal clustering’ approaches, similarity aggregation and the new quadri-decomposition methods, we will show how they are adapted to handle linguistic data in different configurations (a dictionary of synonyms and a bilingual dictionary). On these real-life applications (i.e. our processed dictionary of synonyms corresponds to more than 2.5 billion matrix cells) we will describe how different aspects of such a method can be a good tool for designing new dictionaries for both applications.
A multi-purpose facility for research on hearing protection

Abstract Assessment of the efficacy of personal hearing protectors is based on a wide range of factors, requiring a diversity of experimental methodologies and acoustic test environments. This paper describes the development of a multi-purpose facility which complies with current Canadian and American standards for the measurement of the real-ear attenuation of hearing protectors. The facility also allows for a variety of experiments in auditory perception, including speech intelligibility and sound localization, known to be particularly relevant in the workplace. Two main features are: (1) an acoustic test chamber with a modular sound absorption system, and (2) computer-controlled signal presentation and subject monitoring instrumentation. As an application of the facility, the attenuation results generated using two psychophysical methodologies, a variation of Bekesy tracking and two-interval forced-choice, were compared for two insert hearing protectors (E-A-R formable foam and Bilsom Soft) and two earmuffs (E-A-R 3000 and Hellberg No-Noise). The difference due to method was not statistically significant.
Neuromodulation: Spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation

Spinal cord and peripheral nerve stimulation for relief of chronic intractable pain have been used since the mid-1960s. Multiple mechanisms of action have been theorized without a clear-cut winner. The early frustrations with patient selection criteria and equipment difficulties have diminished secondary to carefully controlled studies and improvements in equipment designs. Efficacy studies consistently show an overall 50% improvement in long-term pain control in patients who have failed conservative or other invasive modalities. With improvements in today’s technology, one hopes that better analgesia will be attainable.
Alternating electric field light scattering from spheroidal macromolecules

Abstract The intensity of light scattered from a solution of spheroidal macromolecules placed in a small alternating electric field was calculated for the limit of small scattering angles. Calculation was accomplished by expansion of the scattering amplitude in a series of spherical harmonics. The intensity of the alternating component of scattered light was found to be a function of the radius of gyration of the scatterer and a particle shape factor. Using the Rayleigh-Gans-Debye approximation, the particle shape factor was calculated for prolate and oblate spheroids.
Tunable diode laser probe of chlorine atoms produced from the photodissociation of a number of molecular precursors

Abstract Time resolved diode laser absorption spectroscopy is used to probe Cl atoms produced from the photolysis of a number of molecular precursors at excimer laser wavelengths 193,248 and 308 nm. The diode laser was tuned to the Cl atom fine structure transition, 2 P 3/2 → 2 P 1/2 . For 248 and 193 nm photolysis of S 2 Cl 2 , the translational energy of nascent Cl atoms is measured to be 7± and 10±3 kcal/mol, respectively, from the Doppler lineshape of the diode laser absorption. Only 17±2% and 15±4% respectively, of the available energy appear as translational recoil energy of the photofragments produced at 248 and 193 nm. This result is generally consistent with a staistical model, suggesting a long-lived transition state complex. The relative yield, ϕ * =[Cl 2 P 1 2 )]/{[Cl( 2 P 3 2 )}, for producing Cl( 2 P 1 2 ) is 0.21±0.03 at 248 nm, 0.20±0.03 at 193 nm, and 0.48±0.06 at 308 nm, respectively. The relative yield for producing Cl( 2 P 1 2 ) has also been measured for the photodissociation of various Cl precursors such as Cl 2 , HCl, ICl, NOCl, SCCl 2 , PCl 3 and CCl 4 .
Relation of lumen size to restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary balloon angioplasty

Abstract In summary, although larger lumens by core laboratory readings result in a lower restenosis rate at restudy, the relation between post-PTCA and restudy results as measured by the local site operator is weak, and the strategy of trying to obtain the largest lumen possible when using balloon angioplasty may not offer consistent benefits to patients in the reduction of future clinical events.
Kinetic and Thermodynamic Studies of Purine Repressor Binding to Corepressor and Operator DNA

Abstract The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for purine repressor (PurR)-operator and PurR-guanine binding were determined using fluorescence spectroscopy and nitrocellulose filter binding. Operator binding affinity was increased by the presence of guanine as demonstrated previously (Choi, K. Y., Lu, F., and Zalkin, H. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 24066–24072; Rolfes, R. J., and Zalkin, H. (1990) J. Bacteriol.172, 5637–5642), and conversely guanine binding affinity was increased by the presence of operator. Guanine enhanced operator affinity by increasing the association rate constant and decreasing the dissociation rate constant for binding. Operator had minimal effect on the association rate constant for guanine binding; however, this DNA decreased the dissociation rate constant for corepressor by ∼10-fold. Despite significant sequence and structural similarity between PurR and LacI proteins, PurR binds to its corepressor ligand with a lower association rate constant than LacI binds to its inducer ligand. However, the rate constant for PurR-guanine binding to operator is ∼3-fold higher than for LacI binding to its cognate operator under the same solution conditions. The distinct metabolic roles of the enzymes under regulation by these two repressor proteins provide a rationale for the observed functional differences.
Fluctuation electron microscopy of medium-range order in ion-irradiated zircon

A fluctuation electron microscopy study of amorphous zircons is reported. A natural metamict zircon sample was compared with amorphous samples prepared by irradiating a gem-quality zircon crystal with a 1.0 MeV beam of N2+ ions over a range of fluences up to 1.5 × 1017 ions/cm2. The two types of amorphous material exhibit similar selected-area diffraction patterns. However, the statistics of the scattering from 1 nm wide volumes indicates that they have significantly different normalised intensity variance plots. Modelling of the variance suggests that the natural metamict zircon consists of paracrystalline grains of zircon embedded within an amorphous ZrSiO4 matrix. The ion-irradiated samples are better modelled as segregated paracrystalline grains of ZrO2 composition within an amorphous SiO2-rich matrix. Although both samples have been rendered disordered by radiation damage, there are two important differences. First, the ion-irradiated materials experience significantly higher fluence rates compared w...
The Development of Lung Disease in Cystic Fibrosis Pigs

The leading cause of death in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is lung disease; yet despite enormous research efforts, its pathogenesis is not well understood. Because CF mice do not develop human-like airway disease, CF pigs were produced on the premise that they would offer insights into the pathogenesis of CF lung disease. But CF pigs develop severe intestinal blockage and often die shortly after birth. Now, a team of scientists report results from five CF pigs that lived for ~2 to 6 months; during this time, they developed some of the key features of human CF lung disease and revealed that infection precedes inflammation.
Conifer genetic engineering: Particle bombardment and Agrobacterium -mediated gene transfer and its application in future forests

Many important advances in forest biotechnology have been made. The use of genetic transformation and the applications of transgenic trees in modern forestry is now an important field. Two basic methodologies particle bombardment andAgrobacterium-mediated transformation have been used on conifers. However, routine procedures exist for only a limited number of conifers. As a result only a few species have been successfully transformed into stable transgenic plants. The use of a particle bombardment has been more successful and transgenic plants have been produced inPicea abies, Picea glauca, Picea mariana, andPinus radiata, although the level of production of stable transgenic plants is lower than that ofAgrobacterium. At present, breeding programs have been directed toward improving bole shape, growth rate, wood properties, and quality, as well as toward improving root and shoot performance, pest resistance, stress tolerance, herbicide resistance, and ability to resist stresses, which will drive forestry to enter a new era of productivity and quality. This article provides a brief overiew of the current state of knowledge on genetic transformation in conifers.
Repression of aerobic leukotoxin transcription by integration host factor in Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans has been implicated as the primary etiologic agent in localized aggressive periodontitis. This bacterium produces a leukotoxin which may help the bacterium evade the host immune response. Leukotoxin transcription is induced when A. actinomycetemcomitans is grown anaerobically, as in the periodontal pocket. Previously, a 35 bp oxygen-response-element (ORE) was shown to be responsible for oxygen regulation at the leukotoxin promoter. However, the gene’s transcription is not controlled by Fnr or ArcA, the major oxygen regulators in other bacteria. To identify the potentially novel protein(s) that regulate leukotoxin transcription, protein extracts of A. actinomycetemcomitans were tested for ORE binding by mobility shift assays; one ORE-specific binding complex was found. Standard fractionation protocols and protein sequencing identified the ORE binding protein as integration host factor (IHF). DNaseI protection assays showed that the IHF binding site overlaps the first half of the ORE. To assess the effect of IHF on leukotoxin synthesis, an A. actinomycetemcomitans deletion mutant in ihfB was constructed and characterized. Interestingly, leukotoxin RNA and protein synthesis was de-repressed in the ihf mutant, although leukotoxin synthesis in still oxygen-regulated in the mutant cells. Thus, IHF plays a direct role in repressing leukotoxin transcription, but another protein is also involved in regulating leukotoxin expression in response to oxygen.
Glucocorticoids enhance the mitogenic action of insulin in serum-free cultures of chick embryo cells.

Addition of insulin to nonproliferating serum-free cultures of secondary chicken embryo (CE) cells caused a 30% to 50% increase in cell number. Addition of any one of several glucocorticoids (dexamethasone, cortisol, or corticosterone) to the cultures two days before insulin addition increased the mitogenic effect of insulin by about twofold at each insulin concentration tested. This glucocorticoid stimulation of cell proliferation was “permissive” because in the absence of insulin glucocorticoids caused little increase in cell number (usually less than 15%). Glucocorticoids were maximally active at low concentrations (e.g., 10−10 M dexamethasone). Steroids without glucocorticoid activity were inactive over a wide range of concentrations. Glucocorticoids increased the mitogenic response to insulin largely by increasing the percentage of cells that insulin stimulated to synthesize DNA. The maximum mitogenic effect of insulin upon CE cells rapidly decreased after the cells were serially subcultured. After only nine population doublings (4 passages) in culture, the response to insulin was diminished by about 70%. The mitogenic effect of insulin plus dexamethasone declined similarly during serial subculture, and was always about twofold greater than the effect of insulin alone. The cells maintained their mitogenic responsiveness to serum as these responses decreased. In contrast to the growth promoting influence of glucocorticoids in the presence of insulin, glucocorticoids inhibited the mitogenic response of CE cells to serum. This result may resolve our above findings with reports that glucocorticoids inhibit the proliferation of CE cells.
Precipitation temperature of poly(ethylene glycol) in some electrolyte solutions

The effect of sodium fluoride, sodium bromide, tetramethyl ammonium chloride, tetramethyl ammonium bromide and sodium formate on both precipitation and θ-temperatures of poly(ethylene glycol) (Mw = 4000) in aqueous solution have been determined. Curves have been drawn to represent the effect of such ions on both the θ and the precipitation temperatures of the polymer. The effectiveness increases in the order (CH3)4 NBr, NaBr, (CH3)4NCl, NaF and HCOONa. The Mw-temperatures obtained at infinite dilution are 445 K for NaBr, NaF, (CH3)4 NBr and (CH3)4NCl and 415 K for HCOONa.
Origin, evolution, and imaging of vortices in proton-hydrogen collisions

Using a novel computational approach, we have elucidated the origin of unexpected vortices in the electronic wavefunction during ion-atom collisions. It is shown how they could be observed in experiments and how they play a new and wide ranging role in angular momentum transfer and other atomic processes.
DNA sequence patterns in human, mouse, and rabbit immunoglobulin kappa-genes.

DNA sequences of the human, mouse, and rabbit immunoglobulin kappa-gene (J-C regions) are compared with respect to various DNA patterns, including dyad symmetry pairings, runs of nucleotides, repeat clusters, and repeats that occur with unusually high frequency. The significant dyad symmetry pairings within each of the sequences emphasize the two “control-enhancer” elements of the J5-C intron. Dyad symmetry pairs between the J-C region and a number of kappa variable (V)-gene domains suggest differences in the affinities between the V and J segments. It is the “consensus heptamer” rather than the “consensus nonamer” that embodies the longest V-J dyad symmetry combinations. In the rabbit there are long runs and repeat clusters of the sequences that identify regions of high duplication; these regions are absent in the human and mouse sequences. High-frequency oligonucleotides feature the consensus nonamer 5′ to the J segments, especially in the mouse sequence.
Analysis of cellulose-cellulase adsorption data: a fundamental approach.

Etablissement d'equations pour l'analyse de donnees sur l'adsorption d'enzymes cellulolytique sur un adsorbant cellulosique
TU‐D‐204B‐02: Tumor Motion Assessment with 4D Cone Beam CT Using Prior Image Constrained Compressed Sensing (PICCS)

Purpose: 4D‐CBCT provides capability of in‐room measurement of breathing induced tumor motion before the treatment. However, to ensure sufficient image quality for motion assessment, investigators have proposed to prolong the data acquisition from 1 minute to 4 minutes or more. In this paper, we present a method which could generate high quality 4D‐CBCT images and support tumor motion extraction using the standard 1‐minute protocol with an on‐board imager.Method and Materials: The enabling technique is Prior Image Constrained Compressing Sensing (PICCS) reconstruction method. PICCS maintains high temporal resolution for each phase‐bin image after resorting the projection data. Within each phase bin, although the number of projections is vastly undersampled, PICCS reconstruction ensures high SNR characteristics since the SNR is primarily determined by the prior imagereconstructed from all cone‐beam projection data without gating. Patient studies were conducted for validation. The first case was a 1‐minute CBCT scan; the second case, although originally a 4‐minute scan, was used to simulate a 1‐minute scan by down‐sampling the projection data by 4 times. For both cases, both FBP and PICCS algorithms were performed to reconstruct 4DCBCT images; a deformable registration method was also applied to extract the tumor motion. For the second case, a comparison was also made between 4‐minute FBP images and 1‐min PICCS images.Results: For 1‐minutes scans from both studies, PICCS images showed superior image quality to FBP ones; as a result, PICCS images generated physically acceptable tumor motion profiles which agree well with direct observation. Compared with FBP images from the 4‐minute scan, PICCS images from the simulated 1‐minute scan showed higher SNR and more physically accurate motion profile. Conclusion: Clinical feasibility of 1‐minute PICCS‐4DCBCT was demonstrated. The proposed method is able to reconstruct high SNR 4D images for tumor motion assessment, without slowing down the data acquisition.
Pre-hospital resuscitation with HBOC-201 and rFVIIa compared to HBOC-201 alone in uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock in swine.

Abstract: In a previous dose escalation study our group found that combining 90μg/kg rFVIIa with HBOC-201 reduced blood loss and improved physiologic parameters compared to HBOC alone. In this follow-up study in a swine liver injury model, we found that while there were no adverse hematology effects and trends observed in the previous study were confirmed, statistical significance could not be reached. Additional pre-clinical studies are indicated to identify optimal components of a multifunctional blood substitute for clinical use in trauma.
Studies on NADH(NADPH)-cytochrome c reductase (FMN-containing) from yeast: steady-state kinetic properties of the flavoenzyme from top-fermenting ale yeast

A study of the steady-state kinetics of NADH(NADPH)-cytochrome c reductase (FMN-containing) from ale yeast (M. S. Johnson and S. A. Kuby (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 12341-12350) has led to a postulated three-substrate random-ordered hybrid mechanism, where NAD(P)H and FMN add randomly and very likely in a steady-state fashion, followed by an ordered addition of cytochrome c. Kinetic parameters have been derived from this mechanism. Arrhenius plots showed large differences between NADH and NADPH, as the substrate-reductant. Menadione accelerated cytochrome c reduction and also O2 uptake, but vitamin K1 and coenzyme Q10 were ineffective as electron mediators, possibly as a result of their insolubility. With NADPH as the substrate-reductant, the order of the rate of reduction of electron acceptors was ferricyanide greater than DCIP greater than cytochrome c greater than oxygen; with menadione, the specificity sequence was cytochrome c greater than ferricyanide greater than DCIP greater than oxygen. With NADH, the order was ferricyanide greater than cytochrome c greater than oxygen greater than DCIP, which changed to cytochrome c greater than ferricyanide greater than oxygen greater than DCIP on addition of menadione. Cytochrome b5 was also reduced in the absence of oxygen. No transhydrogenase activity was observed, but the reduced thionicotinamide analogs of NADH and NADPH acted as substrates. Superoxide dismutase inhibited cytochrome c reduction in air by 50%, but O2-. was not necessary for cytochrome c reduction, as evidenced by the increase in rate in the absence of O2. The product of the reaction with oxygen appeared to be H2O2.
Estimation in the three-state markov learning model

The problem of estimation of the parameters of the Bower three-state learning model is discussed for three forms of the model. In the simplest case, a minimum variance unbiased estimator is found and is presented with its asymptotic distribution theory and with a method of obtaining approximate confidence intervals. In the other cases, methods are discussed for obtaining the maximum likelihood estimators at least approximately. All estimation techniques are illustrated by application to a set of data obtained by Theios.
Safety and efficacy of tubeless percutaneous nephrostolithotomy

The experience at this institution with tubeless percutaneous nephrostolithotomy was reviewed to determine its safety and efficacy. Between April 1997 and June 1998, 33 “tubeless” percutaneous nephrostolithotomies were performed. All procedures were performed by a single surgeon (R.W.W). All patients had an internal ureteral stent placed at the time of surgery, and a Foley catheter remained in place overnight. All patients had their nephrostomy tube removed in the OR at the end of their surgery. The length of hospitalization, operative time, patients' comorbid conditions, pre- and postoperative hematocrits, transfusion requirements, reasons for a stay of longer than 24 h, complications, stone burdens treated, residual stone disease, any additional procedures required, and postoperative analgesia requirements were reviewed. All 33 percutaneous procedures were performed without significant complication. No transfusion was required. The average length of hospital stay was 1.5 days, with two-thirds of patients staying less than 24 h. A 94% stone-free rate was achieved, and patients had minimal analgesia requirements. This experience with the “tubeless” percutaneous nephrostolithotomy indicates that it is a safe and effective means of stone management. It will likely have an expanding role in the treatment of stone disease and other urologic problems of the upper urinary tract.
The only X and Y principle

In this paper, I consider the validity and proper formulation of the only‐x‐and‐y principle, which states, roughly, that whether a later individual, y, is numerically identical to an earlier individual, x, can depend only on facts about x and y and the relationships between them. In the course of my investigation, I distinguish between two classes of physical entities – those that exist in a ‘real’ sense, and those that exist in a mere Cambridge sense. This distinction is grounded in Peter Geach's distinction between ‘real’ and mere Cambridge change. I argue in favor of a modified version of the only‐x‐and‐y principle – the qualified only‐x‐and‐y principle – which applies to entities that exist in a ‘real’ sense, but not to mere Cambridge entities. It is also argued that the plausibility of the qualified only‐x‐and‐y principle has more to do with facts about the nature of causality than with intuitions we have about existence or numerical identity. I finish by considering some traditional objections to th...
Conformational Equilibria of Bulged Sites in Duplex DNA Studied by EPR Spectroscopy

Conformational flexibility in nucleic acids provides a basis for complex structures, binding, and signaling. One-base bulges directly neighboring single-base mismatches in nucleic acids can be present in a minimum of two distinct conformations, complicating the examination of the thermodynamics by calorimetry or UV-monitored melting techniques. To provide additional information about such structures, we demonstrate how electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) active spin-labeled base analogues, base-specifically incorporated into the DNA, are monitors of the superposition of different bulge-mismatch conformations. EPR spectra provide information about the dynamic environments of the probe. This information is cast in terms of "dynamic signatures" that have an underlying basis in structural variations. By examining the changes in the equilibrium of the different states across a range of temperatures, the enthalpy and entropy of the interconversion among possible conformations can be determined. The DNA constructs with a single bulge neighboring a single-base mismatch ("bulge-mismatches") may be approximately modeled as an equilibrium between two possible conformations. This structural information provides insight into the local composition of the bulge-mismatch sequences. Experiments on the bulge-mismatches show that basepairing across the helix can be understood in terms of purine and pyrimidine interactions, rather than specific bases. Measurements of the enthalpy and entropy of formation for the bulge-mismatches by differential scanning calorimetry and UV-monitored melting confirm that the formation of bulge-mismatches is in fact more complicated than a simple two-state process, consistent with the base-specific spectral data that bulge-mismatches exist in multiple conformations in the premelting temperature region. We find that the calculations with the nearest-neighbor (NN) model for the two likely conformations do not correlate well with the populations of structures and thermodynamic parameters inferred from the base-specific EPR dynamics probe. We report that the base-specific spin probes are able to identify a bistable, temperature dependent, switching between conformations for a particular complex bulged construct.
Taste perception in the newborn infant

Four experiments were concerned with the effects of brief intraoral fluid stimulation upon the nonnutritive sucking rhythm of newborn infants. When it occurred during a pause in the rhythm, such stimulation was rapidly followed by a burst of sucking. The length of the potentiated burst reflected taste properties of the stimulus. Relative to stimulation with distilled water, sucrose solutions tended to potentiate longer bursts, but those potentiated by salt solutions were shorter. Brief sucrose stimulation within a sucking burst tended to lengthen that burst. The method is as sensitive as any available alternative for the study of infant taste perception and has the advantage of requiring only minimal ingestion of the sapid solution. Results are discussed in relation to the hedonic properties of taste and the implications of these properties for nutrient intake by newborns.
The influence of social support and health on everyday problem solving in adult African Americans.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between social support, health status, and everyday problem solving in African Americans. The sample included subjects recruited from Baltimore, Maryland. The sample consisted of 249 community-dwelling African American adults, 32% of whom were male, with a sample mean age of 67.8 years ( SD =8.47 years). Variables included: Everyday Problem Solving Test (EPT), social support given and received, physical limitations, counts of chronic illness, smoking, and demographic information. Using stepwise regression, age, education, physical limitations, and social support given were found to be significant predictors of performance on the EPT. Further analysis found support for a partial mediating effect of physical limitations on the relationship between social support and everyday problem solving. The results indicate that there may be differences in the cognitive abilities of those actively involved in social activities.
Molecular Accessibility in Relation to Cell Surface Topography and Compression Against a Flat Substrate

The recruitment of cells to the vascular wall in vivo or the capture of cell subpopulations at the surface of a fabricated device requires the formation of bonds between specific molecular pairs on the cell and the substrate. The ability of a molecule to form a bond depends critically on its localization relative to the cell surface topography. In this report, we present a framework for the quantitative assessment of molecular availability that accounts for the deformability of the cell surface and the balance of forces in the interface, as well as the variability of surface protrusion lengths and the preference for molecules to reside at or away from the tips of surface projections. We also examined how molecular availability should change with increasing compression of the cell against the substrate. Finally, we convolved the distribution of molecules at the interface with a decaying evanescent excitation to predict the fluorescence intensity in total internal reflectance fluorescence microscopy, which can provide a quantitative measure of the relative availability of different molecules at a cell-substrate interface. Model predictions show good agreement with measurements of fluorescence intensity of different molecules labeled fluorescently on the surface of a human neutrophil compressed against a glass surface.
Graft vs. host disease after liver transplantation in humans: A report of four cases

Four cases of patients in whom graft vs. host disease developed after liver transplantation are described. The clinical course of each patient was similar with fever, pancytopenia, diarrhea and a skin rash developing 1 or 2 mo after liver transplantation. The clinical diagnosis was made from skin or colon biopsy specimens. Liver dysfunction did not occur in the patients at the time of diagnosis. Extrahepatic donor DNA was identified in the three patients it was tested for. Three patients died from the complications of the disease primarily related to sepsis. The other patient recovered from the graft vs. host disease but died from lymphoproliferative disease. (HEPATOLOGY 1991;14:274–281.)
How will dust from Shoemaker-Levy 9 alter Jupiter's stratospheric aerosol populations?

Jupiter's stratospheric haze is most abundant in the polar regions. This polar stratospheric haze has a distinctive signature: bright polar caps are visible in methane absorption band images at 0.89 µm. The upcoming Shoemaker-Levy 9 impacts should significantly add to the stratospheric haze population, as a result of direct dust impact and perhaps as a result of a splash component of dust explosively ejected from the impact sites. The extra material will predominantly land in the southern hemisphere. Comet dust has a low albedo, and will generally lower Jupiter's brightness in continuum images, particularly near the limb. However, in the 0.89 µm methane absorption band images we expect Jupiter to brighten in dust impact regions, since the dust scatters light above most of the methane absorbers. Stratospheric sedimentation times are generally on the order of years, so this new haze component will be persistent.
Assessing Sediment-Related Effects of Dam Removals: Subcommittee on Sedimentation: Sediment Management and Dam Removal Workshop; Portland, Oregon, 14–16 October 2008

For a host of reasons including dam safety, maintenance costs, and ecological concerns, more dams are currently being removed each year in the United States than are being constructed. Because many reservoirs have accumulated sediments within their pools, dam removal can potentially impose a variety of sediment-related risks, including downstream effects on habitat, water quality, infrastructure, and flood storage. Sediment-related risks are particularly heightened when the sediment stored behind a dam is contaminated.
Split-flow theory: Stormwater design to emulate natural landscapes

This article reviews the development and application of existing stormwater management theories with a focus on emulating natural on site hydrological processes and discusses the design intentions, merits, and weaknesses of each theory. A new stormwater management theory is then proposed using elements found in each of these existing theories. This new theory proposes to systematically split runoff into three volumes and evaporate, infiltrate and discharge; and manage these volumes in ways that emulate natural hydrological site processes, thereby creating stormwater management systems that are more ecologically based. The intent is to provide a stormwater management theory that can be used to emulate natural processes of evapotranspiration, infiltration, and runoff and, by extension, emulate pre-development stormwater rate, quality, frequency, duration, and volume. The article then discusses limitations of this theory, including lack of established methods, need for evaluation against existing methods, obstacles to implementation under current regulations, and suggested additional research.
Combined Use of Bowel and the Artificial Urinary Sphincter in Reconstruction of the Lower Urinary Tract: Infectious Complications

Combined use of the artificial urinary sphincter and bowel in reconstruction of the lower urinary tract is currently being performed with increasing frequency. We reviewed our experience with 31 patients undergoing augmentation cystoplasty and insertion of the artificial urinary sphincter with respect to device infections to determine if a single operation was associated with increased morbidity compared to staged procedures. Of the patients who underwent simultaneous reconstruction 50% had prosthetic infections as opposed to 9.5% when the procedure was staged. More than half of the infections presented longer than 1 year after placement of the artificial urinary sphincter. The lowest incidence of device infection occurred in patients who underwent a staged procedure with implantation of the artificial urinary sphincter initially followed by augmentation cystoplasty. The discrepancy in infection rates between single and staged procedures is dramatic in this series and, therefore, a staged approach is recommended to decrease infectious complications.
Studies on in vitro activation of high molecular weight pancreatic lipase.

Summary Effect of protein kinase, cAMP, Mg, Ca and ATP on the activation of high molecular weight purified pancreatic lipase and adipose tissue homogenate has been studied. A 60% stimulation of lipase activity was observed in pancreatic supernatant fraction by the addition of Mg, ATP, cAMP and with or without protein kinase. With purified high molecular weight pancreatic lipase, a 40% stimulation was observed by the addition of protein kinase, Mg, ATP and cAMP. Both cAMP and Ca were found to be essential for maximum activation. A 120% stimulation of lipase activity was observed in homogenates of epididymal fat pads by the addition of various cofactors.
P50 Small molecule probes for detection and quantification of hydrogen sulfide

Background Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), although historically known for its toxicity and rotten egg smell, is now accepted as one of three biosynthetic gaseous transmitters along with nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO). In addition to its proposed role in numerous signaling pathways in the cardiovascular and nervous system, biological hydrogen sulfide levels correlate highly with different disease states including Down syndrome, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes. Despite the emerging importance of H 2 S, few biologically-compatible methods are available for its detection or quantification. Based on these needs, our research group is focused on the development and application of new methods for biological H 2 S detection and quantification. Methods Hydrogen sulfide is both a strong reductant and a potent nucleophile. Based on these two chemical properties, we have developed fluorescent probes based on H 2 S-mediated reduction of nitro (RNO 2 ) and azido (RN 3 ) functional groups and colorimetric probes based on the nucleophilic attack of H 2 S on activated electrophiles. Results The developed fluorescent probes based on H 2 S-mediated reduction of nitro or azido groups are selective for H 2 S over other reactive sulfur, oxygen, nitrogen, species (RSONs) including cysteine, glutathione, α-lipoic acid, nitric oxide, hydrogen peroxide, sulfite, and thiosulfate. Furthermore, the developed probes can detect H 2 S in the presence of physiological (10 mM) concentrations of glutathione, thus highlighting the selectivity of these probes. As a proof of concept, the developed probes were demonstrated to detect exogenous H 2 S in live cells. Similarly, the developed colorimetric probes for H 2 S are selective for H 2 S over other reactive species and amino acids. Based on the unique off–on-off colorimetric detection by these probes, estimation of H 2 S levels in aqueous samples is possible. Summary Our group has developed highly-selective fluorescent probes for H2S that are selective for H 2 S over other reactive sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen species. Similarly, we have developed colorimetric methods for H 2 S detection and quantification.
Parallel genetic algorithm for search and constrained multi-objective optimization

Summary form only given. Parallel genetic algorithm for search and constrained multiobjective optimization introduces the design and complexity analysis of a parallel genetic algorithm to generate a "best" path for a robot arm to follow, given a starting position and a goal in three dimensional space. Path generation takes into account any obstacles near the arm. This algorithm uses multiple optimization criteria, independent cross-pollinating populations, and handles multiple hard constraints. Individuals in the population consist of multiple chromosomes. The complexity of the algorithm is the number of generations processed times O(N ) where N is the total number of individuals used for path generation on all of the optimizations.
A Half-century monopoly (1880-1930s): the black diamonds (carbonados) of Bahia and Jewish Merchants

Bahia’s black diamond (carbonado) production and trade is rarely mentioned in the academic literature though reports were made in popular magazines, in U.S and British consular reports and in trade journals. This diamond trade was mostly carried out by foreigners having few connections with the local Bahia elite and the small physical volume of diamonds made transportation easy (or invisible through smuggling). Carbonados began figuring importantly in Bahia’s exports after the invention of the Leschot diamond head drill in 1862.
Interspecies Scaling: Predicting Volumes, Mean Residence Time and Elimination Half‐life.* Some Suggestions

Extrapolation of animal data to assess pharmacokinetic parameters in man is an important tool in drug development. Clearance, volume of distribution and elimination half-life are the three most frequently extrapolated pharmacokinetic parameters. Extensive work has been done to improve the predictive performance of allometric scaling for clearance. In general there is good correlation between body weight and volume, hence volume in man can be predicted with reasonable accuracy from animal data. Besides the volume of distribution in the central compartment (Vc), two other volume terms, the volume of distribution by area (Vbeta) and the volume of distribution at steady state (VdSS), are also extrapolated from animals to man. This report compares the predictive performance of allometric scaling for Vc, Vbeta and VdSS in man from animal data. The relationship between elimination half-life (t(1/2)) and body weight across species results in poor correlation, most probably because of the hybrid nature of this parameter. To predict half-life in man from animal data, an indirect method (CL=VK, where CL=clearance, V is volume and K is elimination rate constant) has been proposed. This report proposes another indirect method which uses the mean residence time (MRT). After establishing that MRT can be predicted across species, it was used to predict half-life using the equation MRT=1.44 x t(1/2). The results of the study indicate that Vc is predicted more accurately than Vbeta and VdSS in man. It should be emphasized that for first-time dosing in man, Vc is a more important pharmacokinetic parameter than Vbeta or VdSS. Furthermore, MRT can be predicted reasonably well for man and can be used for prediction of half-life.
Adaptive distributed Kalman filters for a class of continuous time finite dimensional linear systems

In this paper, we propose two different modifications to the distributed Kalman filtering algorithms for sensor networks. The distributed filters, whether are based on Luenberger observer or Kalman filter design, are coupled with terms that penalize the pairwise difference of their estimates. The weights of the penalty terms are adjusted adaptively using a Lyapunov-redesign approach. The two adaptive schemes are either node-dependent, in which case all pairwise differences of the state estimates are uniformly penalized by the same adaptive weight for every given node, or edge-dependent in which case the pairwise differences of the state estimates are penalized by different adaptive weights. The significant benefit of the proposed adaptive interconnected weights is described by the communication costs associated with information exchange amongst the nodes. Representative numerical results are included to demonstrate the proposed adaptive schemes.
Transpulmonary lactate gradient after hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass

Several studies demonstrated that the lungs could produce lactate in patients with acute lung injury (ALI). Because after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) some patients develop ALI, the effect of CPB on pulmonary lactate release was investigated. Prospective observational clinical study. Twenty-beds, surgical ICU at a university hospital. Sixteen deeply sedated, ventilated and post-cardiac surgery patients, all equipped with a pulmonary artery catheter. Lactate concentration was measured using a lactate analyser in simultaneously drawn arterial (A) and mixed venous (V) blood samples. Three measurements per patients were taken at 30-min interval, after body temperature reached 37°C. Concomitantly, measurements of cardiac output were also obtained. Pulmonary lactate release was calculated as the product of transpulmonary A-V lactate and cardiac index. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass duration was 100±44 min (SD), and the aortic cross-clamping time was 71±33 min. After CPB, lactate release was 0.136±0.210 mmol/min m−2. These values were not correlated with cardiopulmonary bypass duration. The present study shows that in patients receiving mechanical ventilation after CPB, the lung is a source of lactate production. This pulmonary release was not dependent on cardiopulmonary bypass duration.
Increasing Solar Absorption for Photocatalysis with Black Hydrogenated Titanium Dioxide Nanocrystals

When used as a photocatalyst, titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) absorbs only ultraviolet light, and several approaches, including the use of dopants such as nitrogen, have been taken to narrow the band gap of TiO(2). We demonstrated a conceptually different approach to enhancing solar absorption by introducing disorder in the surface layers of nanophase TiO(2) through hydrogenation. We showed that disorder-engineered TiO(2) nanocrystals exhibit substantial solar-driven photocatalytic activities, including the photo-oxidation of organic molecules in water and the production of hydrogen with the use of a sacrificial reagent.
Application of Impedance Spectroscopy for On-Line Monitoring of Solder Paste

The technique of impedance spectroscopy is suggested for industrial monitoring of solder paste in the surface mount assembly process. Being an on-line implementable technique, it has the potential of giving valuable insight to the manufacturing characteristics of solder paste and can facilitate application of statistical process control methods. This exploratory study evaluates impedance spectroscopy as a monitoring tool and focuses on key topics which can lead to the creation of on-line standards for solder paste. The presented technique is supported by experimental results and statistical analysis.
PREVENTIVE CHOICES: ORGANIZATIONS' HEURISTICS, DECISION PROCESSES AND CATASTROPHIC RISKS*

Organizational decision processes and criteria for making choices about reducing the chances of catastrophic accidents are examined in six case studies of large chemical firms. The processes and heuristics observed are not consistent with the compensatory decision rules presumed by strict liability laws. They are consistent with satisficing, ambiguity management, and some aspects of threat-rigidity behaviours observed in other arenas of organization studies. They are also consistent with psychological findings about how individuals make decisions about lowprobability catastrophe risks. The heuristics may derive in part from anticipated accountability to outsiders and higher managers. They may lead to ‘too much’ attention to some catastrophe risks, ‘too little’ to others.
Global bifurcation analysis of an adaptive control system

The authors present a complete bifurcation analysis of a two-parameter, two-dimensional quadratic ODE (ordinary differential equation) which arises in the study of model reference adaptive control systems. The 2-D ODE exhibits saddle-node, (subcritical) Hopf, and saddle-loop bifurcations. The authors are able to describe the bifurcation diagram completely by identifying all the bifurcation curves. All but the saddle-loop bifurcation curves are explicitly characterized. The saddle-loop bifurcation curve, however, is described qualitatively, and its endpoints as well as its relative position are identified. >
Meat Animals, Humane Standards, & Other Legal Fictions

Law and food are distinct concepts, though the discipline (Law and Food) implies a relationship worthy of study. The conjunction (“and”) creates meaning. However, its absence also conveys meaning. For example, “meat animal” suggests that animals can be both meat and animal. This conflation has powerful legal implications. National Meat Association v. Harris (2012) makes chillingly plain the law’s indifference to whether a meat animal is alive or dead. This essay examines the way supposedly humane federal practices ignore the systematic brutalization of “food animals” as those animals get processed into marketable flesh. It concludes with some observations about why this legal blindness exists.
Terrain categorization using a background spectral library

We describe development of a background spectral library for northeastern Virginia, USA, based on hyperspectral images and an extensive land cover database. The library consists of mean spectra and standard deviations measured in 14 areas of uniform land cover. Terrain categorization products include classification maps and fractional abundance maps determined by linear mixture analysis. There is excellent qualitative agreement between the linear unmixing results and the known land covers.