cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemistry and Biology of DNA Containing 1,N2-Deoxyguanosine Adducts of the α,β-Unsaturated Aldehydes Acrolein, Crotonaldehyde, and 4-Hydroxynonenal

The α,β-unsaturated aldehydes (enals) acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and trans-4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) are products of endogenous lipid peroxidation, arising as a consequence of oxidative stress. The addition of enals to dG involves Michael addition of the N2-amine to give N2-(3-oxopropyl)-dG adducts, followed by reversible cyclization of N1 with the aldehyde, yielding 1,N2-dG exocyclic products. The 1,N2-dG exocyclic adducts from acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and 4-HNE exist in human and rodent DNA. The enal-induced 1,N2-dG lesions are repaired by the nucleotide excision repair pathway in both Escherichia coli and mammalian cells. Oligodeoxynucleotides containing structurally defined 1,N2-dG adducts of acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and 4-HNE were synthesized via a postsynthetic modification strategy. Site-specific mutagenesis of enal adducts has been carried out in E. coli and various mammalian cells. In all cases, the predominant mutations observed are G→T transversions, but these adducts are not strongly miscoding...
Measuring Land Subsidence Using GPS: Ellipsoid Height versus Orthometric Height

AbstractGlobal positioning system (GPS) technology has been frequently used to monitor geological hazards associated with ground deformations, such as long-term landslides and subsidence. When GPS data are processed, they yield ellipsoid heights, which are the distances above a smooth ellipsoid surface. However, orthometric heights are often used in practical surveying and engineering applications. Orthometric height is a physical quantity that refers to the surface of the geoid. In this study, a more practical alternative definition of orthometric height is used. This approximation is the one commonly implemented in practical surveying and engineering applications to compute relative orthometric height values. This well-known procedure computes orthometric heights by combining GPS-measured ellipsoid height and a geoid model. Any type of orthometric height is a physically based quantity. GPS alone, which is a geometric technique, cannot directly measure orthometric heights. This study investigates the ver...
Effects of benzene and naphthalene addition on soot inception in a well-stirred reactor/plug flow reactor

Abstract A well-stirred reactor (WSR) followed by a plug flow reactor (PFR) is being used to study soot inception. Soot size distributions were measured using two different dilution probes followed by a nano-differential mobility analyzer (nano-DMA). One of the dilution probes was developed for the PFR section, while the second probe was specifically developed for use in the WSR section. Results are presented on the effect of residence time on the soot size distributions obtained for fixed dilution ratio and equivalence ratio. In addition, a technique to inject aromatics and PAH species in the transition region between the WSR and PFR was developed. Results are presented on the effect of benzene and naphthalene on the soot size distributions obtained for differing seeding concentrations and residence times. The results demonstrate for the first time the sensitivity of the soot particle size distribution to the seeding of aromatic species in a WSR/PFR.
Atomic Exchange between CO Molecules Coadsorbed with Potassium on Ni(111)

On montre que la presence de potassium sur la surface de Ni(111) induit l'echange d'atomes entre les molecules de CO adsorbees. La relation entre la temperature et le spectre d'extinction metastable indique qu'il s'agirait plus d'un processus d'echange que d'une dissociation suivie d'une recombinaison d'atomes avec desorption de CO
Multiple Receptor-Ligand Interactions Direct Tissue-Resident γδ T Cell Activation.

Gamma delta T cells represent a major T cell population in epithelial tissues, such as skin, intestine, and lung, where they function in maintenance of the epithelium and provide a crucial first line defense against environmental and pathogenic insults. Despite their importance, the molecular mechanisms directing their activation and function have remained elusive. Epithelial resident gamma delta T cells function through constant communication with neighboring cells, either via direct cell-to-cell contact or cell-to-matrix interactions. These intimate relationships allow gamma delta T cells to facilitate the maintenance of epithelial homeostasis, tissue repair following injury, inflammation, and protection from malignancy. Recent studies have identified a number of molecules involved in these complex interactions, under both homeostatic conditions, as well as following perturbation of these barrier tissues. These interactions are crucial to the timely production of cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and extracellular matrix proteins for restoration of homeostasis. In this review, we discuss recent advances in understanding the mechanisms directing epithelial-T cell crosstalk and the distinct roles played by individual receptor-ligand pairs of cell surface molecules in this process.
The Annette and Irwin Eskind biomedical library at Vanderbilt

Opened in March 1994, the new library at Vanderbilt was planned to be at the intellectual and geographical heart of the medical center. Constructed of white precast blocks with a glass curtain wall, the building cost $12.5 million. Under an integrated advanced information management system (IAIMS) initiative, the building includes a center for biomedical informatics, which serves as the nerve center of the information enterprise at the medical center. Floor by floor descriptions are provided, including such design details as placing workstations directly inside the first floor entrance, a measure thought to contribute to increased use of the medical center network. User reaction to the building was highly positive in the first month of operation.
The host response to infection: advancing a novel diagnostic paradigm

Capturing the host response by using genomic technologies such as transcriptional profiling provides a new paradigm for classifying and diagnosing infectious disease and for potentially distinguishing infection from other causes of serious respiratory illness. This strategy has been used to define a blood-based RNA signature as a classifier for pandemic H1N1 influenza infection that is distinct from bacterial pneumonia and other inflammatory causes of respiratory disease. To realize the full potential of this approach as a diagnostic test will require additional independent validation of the results and studies to examine the specificity of this signature for viral versus bacterial infection or co-infection.
mStruct: a new admixture model for inference of population structure in light of both genetic admixing and allele mutations

Traditional methods for analyzing population structure, such as the Structure program, ignore the influence of mutational effects. We propose mStruct, an admixture of population-specific mixtures of inheritance models, that addresses the task of structure inference and mutation estimation jointly through a hierarchical Bayesian framework, and a variational algorithm for inference. We validated our method on synthetic data, and used it to analyze the HGDP-CEPH cell line panel of microsatellites used in (Rosenberg et al., 2002) and the HGDP SNP data used in (Conrad et al., 2006). A comparison of the structural maps of world populations estimated by mStruct and Structure is presented, and we also report potentially interesting mutation patterns in world populations estimated by mStruct, which is not possible by Structure.
A network model for deep bed filtration processes

Equations for the deep bed filtration problem are obtained as a special case of a general model formulated earlier. The filtration coefficient λ is expressed as an explicit function of system parameters such as fluid flow rate, pore density, and pore size distribution. For a unimodal pore size distribution it is found that λ remains constant both in space and time. In general, however, λ is shown to decrease. Explicit solutions to the problem, including particle density profiles and permeability, are obtained for the two cases of large values of the coordination number Z (capillary tube model), and for a bimodal pore size distribution with a finite coordination number.
Measuring affective reactions to print apparel advertisements: a scale development

Purpose – To develop and validate a new scale for affective reactions to print apparel advertisements.Design/methodology/approach – Following the guidelines suggested by Churchill, the scale for measuring affective reactions to print advertisements was developed. A questionnaire was then administered to assess validity and reliability of measures. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted by using the LISREL.Findings – The confirmatory factor model supported that unipolar categories of warm, negative, upbeat, sensual, and bored feelings effectively represent affective reactions to apparel advertisements. Evidence was established for reliability and validity.Research limitations/implications – The major limitation of this study was the reliance on student subjects for scale development and testing. It limits the generalizability of the results to other populations. Further research is recommended to test the scale by using different samples and stimuli.Practical implications – The identification of the ...
Acute and chronic angiotensin-(1–7) restores vasodilation and reduces oxidative stress in mesenteric arteries of salt-fed rats

This study determined the effect of ANG-(1–7) on salt-induced suppression of endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in the mesenteric arteries of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Chronic intravenous infusio...
Urethral sphincter needle electromyography in women: Comparison of periurethral and transvaginal approaches

Needle electromyography (EMG) of the striated urethral sphincter is the only technique that permits detection of individual motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) and is a valuable diagnostic tool in the evaluation of women with urinary incontinence and voiding disorders. The purpose of this study was to compare two methods of urethral needle EMG with respect to the number of MUAPs identified, the amount of patient discomfort, and the duration of the examination. Twenty consecutive women referred for electrodiagnostic testing to evaluate symptoms of urinary incontinence and/or voiding dysfunction underwent both methods of the needle examination in a prospective randomized cross-over study design with each patient acting as her own control. A full cross-over analysis was conducted to detect period and sequence effects using analysis of variance with a power of 0.85 and a significance level of P < 0.05. Twice as many MUAPs were identified using the periurethral approach (8.8 versus 3.9) with a mean difference of 5.0 (P=0.0008). There was a non-significant trend to greater patient discomfort with the periurethral approach; however, the discomfort was generally rated as mild to moderate. The length of time required to count all identifiable MUAPs did not vary significantly between the two methods. We conclude that the periurethral approach is superior to the transvaginal approach with respect to the quantity of electrodiagnostic information obtained and propose that this method be standardized to characterize more accurately the neurogenic component of urinary incontinence and voiding dysfunction for future electrodiagnostic studies.
Hydrothermal reactions of methylamine

We have examined the reactivity of methylamine in supercritical water (SCW) at temperatures between 386 and 500 °C. The major products measured are ammonia and methanol. Batch reactor studies revealed a global reaction order of 0.66 ′ 0.11 for methylamine disappearance. For water densities less than 0.28 g/cm 3 and pressures less than or equal to 250 atm, the effect of water on the reaction rate appears to be negligible, and there is little evidence of hydrolysis (very little methanol formed). Under these conditions, most typical of supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) reactors, the reaction seems to be governed by pyrolysis. The rate constant for methylamine disappearance in this region is described by an activation energy of 38 ′ 7 kcal/mol and a pre-exponential factor of 10 6 . 1 ′ 2 . 0 (mol/cm 3 ) 0 . 3 4 s - 1 . At higher water densities, hydrolysis becomes more important and the methanol yield increases with water density. Potential mechanisms for methylamine hydrolysis include S N 2 and molecular mechanisms.
The Prognosis of an Abnormal Electrocardiographic Stress Test

Treadmill walking for 10 min at 3 mph against a 5% grade has been used as an electrocardiographic (ECG) stress test as part of a prospective epidemiologic study of 2,437 men. From 1953 through 1966, 22,223 tests have been done without untoward event. The criteria of an abnormal postexercise ECG were ischemic flattening or coving of the S-T segment, T-wave changes consistent with focal left ventricular epicardial ischemia, and paroxysmal left bundle-branch block. Of the 2,003 men exercised two or more times, 264 developed some manifestation of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and in 75 (30%) this was an abnormal ECG response to exercise. They had higher blood pressures and were more often heavy smokers than normal responders. Body weight and serum cholesterol were similar in the two groups. Over the next 5 years there was an 85% probability that these abnormal responders would develop angina pectoris or experience a myocardial infarction. These relatively insensitive but highly specific and reproducible ECG cr...
Radiation boundary conditions in collisional quenching of fluorescence; determination by frequency-domain fluorometry

Abstract Quenching of 1,2-benzanthracene (BA) by CBr 4 was studied by frequency-domain fluorometry. The frequency response of the BA emission could not be fit using the Smoluchowski decay law for transient effects in quenching, exp(- t /τ-2 bt 1 2 ). However, the data were consistent with the expression for the radiation boundary conditions. We believe these are the first reported data which support the “radiation boundary condition” model for collisional quenching. Our ability to detect the inadequacy of the t 1 2 model indicates that the frequency-domain method can yield considerable detail about diffusive processes in solution.
Quantitative study of fluctuation effects by fast lattice Monte Carlo simulations: Compression of grafted homopolymers

Using fast lattice Monte Carlo (FLMC) simulations [Q. Wang, Soft Matter 5, 4564 (2009)] and the corresponding lattice self-consistent field (LSCF) calculations, we studied a model system of grafted homopolymers, in both the brush and mushroom regimes, in an explicit solvent compressed by an impenetrable surface. Direct comparisons between FLMC and LSCF results, both of which are based on the same Hamiltonian (thus without any parameter-fitting between them), unambiguously and quantitatively reveal the fluctuations/correlations neglected by the latter. We studied both the structure (including the canonical-ensemble averages of the height and the mean-square end-to-end distances of grafted polymers) and thermodynamics (including the ensemble-averaged reduced energy density and the related internal energy per chain, the differences in the Helmholtz free energy and entropy per chain from the uncompressed state, and the pressure due to compression) of the system. In particular, we generalized the method for ca...
Investigations of interference between electromagnetic transponders and wireless MOSFET dosimeters: a phantom study.

Purpose: To evaluate both the Calypso Systems’ (Calypso Medical Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA) localization accuracy in the presence of wireless metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET)dosimeters of dose verification system (DVS, Sicel Technologies, Inc., Morrisville, NC) and the dosimeters’ reading accuracy in the presence of wireless electromagnetic transponders inside a phantom.Methods: A custom-made, solid-water phantom was fabricated with space for transponders and dosimeters. Two inserts were machined with positioning grooves precisely matching the dimensions of the transponders and dosimeters and were arranged in orthogonal and parallel orientations, respectively. To test the transponder localization accuracy with/without presence of dosimeters (hypothesis 1), multivariate analyses were performed on transponder-derived localization data with and without dosimeters at each preset distance to detect statistically significant localization differences between the control and test sets. To test dosimeterdose-reading accuracy with/without presence of transponders (hypothesis 2), an approach of alternating the transponder presence in seven identical fraction dose (100 cGy) deliveries and measurements was implemented. Two-way analysis of variance was performed to examine statistically significant dose-reading differences between the two groups and the different fractions. A relative-dose analysis method was also used to evaluate transponder impact on dose-reading accuracy after dose-fading effect was removed by a second-order polynomial fit.Results:Multivariate analysis indicated that hypothesis 1 was false; there was a statistically significant difference between the localization data from the control and test sets. However, the upper and lower bounds of the 95% confidence intervals of the localized positional differences between the control and test sets were less than 0.1 mm, which was significantly smaller than the minimum clinical localization resolution of 0.5 mm. For hypothesis 2, analysis of variance indicated that there was no statistically significant difference between the dosimeter readings with and without the presence of transponders. Both orthogonal and parallel configurations had difference of polynomial-fit dose to measured dose values within 1.75%.Conclusions: The phantom study indicated that the Calypso System’s localization accuracy was not affected clinically due to the presence of DVS wireless MOSFETdosimeters and the dosimeter-measureddoses were not affected by the presence of transponders. Thus, the same patients could be implanted with both transponders and dosimeters to benefit from improved accuracy of radiotherapy treatments offered by conjunctional use of the two systems.
The contribution of glacial erosion to shaping the hidden landscape of East Antarctica

The topography hidden beneath the East Antarctic ice sheet has been unveiled by airborne surveys. Dating of detrital mineral grains reveals that, in contrast to low pre-glacial erosion rates, strong localized erosion has occurred since the expansion of the ice sheet, suggesting a dynamic early ice sheet.
The ultimate vacuum

Abstract The ultimate vacuum, defined as the lowest pressure that can be produced and measured reproducibly in a vacuum system at room temperature, has decreased by a factor of about 10 14 since the first measurement of sub-atmospheric pressure by Robert Boyle in about 1660. A brief historical review is presented of the key advances that caused significant decreases in the ultimate vacuum during the period 1660–1900. Much of modern vacuum technology was developed in the period from 1900 to 1950 and it was notable for the limitation of the lowest measurable pressure to about 10 -8 Torr. In 1950 the principal limitation to the lowest pressure measurable by ionization gauges was finally understood and means for measuring lower pressure developed, this ushered in the modern period of vacuum technology (including the development of the UHV and XHV techniques) when a clearer understanding of the physical and chemical processes limiting the ultimate vacuum has been developed. The major improvements in ultimate vacuum in the period from 1950 to the present are reviewed and the limitations to the ultimate vacuum at the present time examined.
Legal Orientalism: China, The United States, and Modern Law. By Teemu Ruskola. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2013. 338 pp. $39.95 cloth.

Legal Orientalism: China, The United States, and Modern Law.By Teemu Ruskola. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2013. 338 pp. $39.95 cloth.What does one make of the fact that the U.S. Congress passed an act in 1906 establishing a U.S. court, in China? This historical anachronism and its attendant contortions is the focus of Teemu Ruskola's brilliant excavation of the legal products wrought from colonial pillage, orientalist judgments, high-minded legal rhetoric, and gritty international relations. Rhetorically, the U.S. Court of China was intended to provide the rule of law for China, a country deemed terribly deficient in this regard. Practically, as Ruskola points out, the court was needed to try and make U.S. citizens in China behave, as their lawlessness was giving the American empire a bad reputation.As law was generally linked to territory, putting together a code for U.S. jurisprudence in China was a challenge that was met with almost laughable creativity. Its codes were comprised of "English common law as it existed prior to American independence, general congressional acts, the municipal code of the District of Columbia, and the territorial code of Alaska, parts of which continued to be applied in China even after they were repealed in Alaska" (7). The resulting jurisprudence meant that judges could pick and chose from the legal codes available to them seemingly at random. The result was U.S. legally sanctioned imperial despots who could send prisoners away to the Philippines where they could be physically retrained into being model citizens. I now have a new episode to add to the long catalogue of the ironies and tragedies of colonial administration.The general observation of the book is that this court was "a placeless law that was justified, ultimately, by the Orientalist axiom that China itself was a fundamentally lawless place" (156). Ruskola has great fun picking apart the absurdities that result. What is most valuable about this discussion is that the author does not rest content to show how colonial legality was a practice destined to undermine its foundational rhetoric. He also uses his argument to point out the absurdities of, for instance, American law. All jurisdictions are based upon fictions, desires, projections, and messy histories. "[L]egally the United States, too, is an edifice of extraordinary complexity, a Babel of jurisdictions not unlike extraterritorial Shanghai" (184).As the title of the book suggests, orientalism plays a very large role in Ruskola's argument, as he details the fantasies and projec- tions creating laws and policies that ultimately undermine the very distinctions they were meant to reaffirm. It is unclear whether orientalist tropes serve as the justification for the United States' legal regime in China, or if these ideas are truly the catalyst in the history he presents. I am not sure if that question can be answered, but at times, it feels that orientalism is a figure acting in Ruskola's argument, and not a critical lens he is applying. …
JVIR clouds, maps, and data visualization: what we write and build upon--and a plea for better views.

Data visualization uses aesthetic means to represent information, gain insight, and enable discovery. Good visual renderings, from deceptively simple infographics that clarify serum lab results to network graphs exploring gene ontology, should explain data and stimulate unique analyses. Bibliometrics benefits from the same tools by charting scientific progress, trends, societal relevance, and status. Here are examples of simple data visualizations I’ve used in considering the JVIR universe. First, two tag clouds (Figs 1, 2) that map the frequency of words appearing during two 3-year periods of JVIR: 1998–2000 and 2008–2010. The words are chosen from the titles of manuscripts that were cited more than five times in 2001 and 2011. The larger the words, the greater number the times they appeared in a well-cited paper. The second figure set (Figs 3, 4) goes further by mapping the citation impact of “hot words” appearing in the titles and abstracts of all papers, not only in the highly cited ones. Word frequency is the beginner’s course in information visualization, and not a measure of scientific merit or standing. Still, a comparison of the two “wordles” suggests findings. Consider the focus of published papers during those periods and one’s own experience —for example, the early days of uterine artery embolization were also spent creating its core literature. Compare that with the preponderance of oncologic questions being asked today. Our quotidian interventional practice is not measured, nor diminished, by the size of a tag, no more than the infrequency of inguinal
Absence of cross-reactivity between sulfonamide antibiotics and sulfonamide nonantibiotics.

background The safety of sulfonamide nonantibiotics is unclear in patients with prior allergic reactions to sulfonamide antibiotics. methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the General Practice Research Database in the United Kingdom, examining the risk of allergic reactions within 30 days after the receipt of a sulfonamide nonantibiotic. Patients with evidence of prior hypersensitivity after the receipt of a sulfonamide antibiotic were compared with those without such evidence. Similar analyses were also performed with the use of penicillins instead of sulfonamides, to determine whether any risk was specific to sulfonamide cross-reactivity. results Of 969 patients with an allergic reaction after a sulfonamide antibiotic, 96 (9.9 percent) had an allergic reaction after subsequently receiving a sulfonamide nonantibiotic. Of 19,257 who had no allergic reaction after a sulfonamide antibiotic, 315 (1.6 percent) had an allergic reaction after receiving a sulfonamide nonantibiotic (adjusted odds ratio, 2.8; 95 percent confidence interval, 2.1 to 3.7). However, the risk of allergic reactions was even greater after the receipt of a penicillin among patients with a prior hypersensitivity reaction to a sulfonamide antibiotic, as compared with patients with no such history (adjusted odds ratio, 3.9; 95 percent confidence interval, 3.5 to 4.3). Furthermore, among those with a prior hypersensitivity reaction after the receipt of a sulfonamide antibiotic, the risk of an allergic reaction after the subsequent receipt of a sulfonamide nonantibiotic was lower than the risk of an allergic reaction after the subsequent receipt of a penicillin (adjusted odds ratio, 0.7; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.5 to 0.9). Finally, the risk of an allergic reaction after the receipt of a sulfonamide nonantibiotic was lower among patients with a history of hypersensitivity to sulfonamide antibiotics than among patients with a history of hypersensitivity to penicillins (adjusted odds ratio, 0.6; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.5 to 0.8). conclusions There is an association between hypersensitivity after the receipt of sulfonamide antibiotics and a subsequent allergic reaction after the receipt of a sulfonamide nonantibiotic, but this association appears to be due to a predisposition to allergic reactions rather than to cross-reactivity with sulfonamide-based drugs.
A Novel Method of Medical Image Registration Based on DTCWT and NPSO

This paper presents a novel non-rigid medical image registration method to improve the quality in image registration based on feature. As DTCWT (Dual-Tree Complex Transform) is directionally selective, optimally decimated at coarse scales, invertible and has smoothly shift invariance, it is adopted instead of DWT (Discrete Wavelet Transform) in the algorithm presented. First multi-scale keypoints are detected using DTCWT, and then HD (Hausdorff distance) is used as the similarity measure between two point sets. Finally optimal affine transformation parameters are computed with NPSO (Niche Particle Swarm Optimization). The experiment results show the method presented has better robustness, antinoise and accuracy.
CXCR4 Enhances Engraftment of Muscle Progenitor Cells

Cell-based therapy is a possible avenue for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), an X-linked skeletal muscle-wasting disease. We have demonstrated that cultured myogenic progenitors derived from the adult skeletal muscle side population can engraft into dystrophic fibers of non-irradiated, non-chemically injured mouse models of DMD (mdx(5cv)) after intravenous and intraarterial transplantation, with engraftment rates approaching 10%. In an effort to elucidate the cell-surface markers that promote progenitor cell extravasation and engraftment after systemic transplantation, we found that expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4, whose ligand SDF-1 is overexpressed in dystrophic muscle, enhances the extravasation of these cultured progenitor cells into skeletal muscle after intraarterial transplantation. At 1 day post-transplantation, mice that received CXCR4-positive enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP)-positive cultured cells derived from the skeletal muscle side population displayed significantly higher amounts of eGFP-positive mononuclear cells in quadriceps and tibialis anterior than mice that received CXCR4-negative eGFP-positive cells derived from the same cultured population. At 30 days posttransplantation, significantly higher engraftment rates of donor cells were observed in mice that received CXCR4-positive cells compared with mice transplanted with CXCR4-negative fractions. Our data suggest that CXCR4 expression by muscle progenitor cells increases their extravasation into skeletal muscle shortly after transplantation. Furthermore, this enhanced extravasation likely promotes higher donor cell engraftment rates over time.
HPPD: A Hop-count Probabilistic Packet Dropper

Network applications and users have very diverse service expectations and requirements, demanding for provisioning of different levels of quality of service on the Internet. Packet loss rate differentiation has been an active research topic. However, the existing packet dropping schemes for loss rate differentiation have not considered an important issue, that is, the retransmission overhead of dropped packets. In this paper, we design a hop-count based probabilistic packet dropper (HPPD) for congestion mitigation and loss rate differentiation. HPPD aims to meet a two-fold objective by two-dimensional loss rate differentiation: one is the congestion mitigation that aims to reduce congestion in the first place by dropping intra-class packets differently based on their maturity levels to reduce retransmission cost; the other is inter-class proportional loss rate differentiation. The maturity level of a packet, the number of hops travelled, is inferred from its time-to-live value in the IP header. We propose an intra-class nth-root proportional dropping scheme, where n is a controllable parameter trading off dropping fairness for congestion mitigation. Simulation results show that HPPD can significantly mitigate the congestion by reducing the retransmission overhead of dropped packets and achieve the proportional loss rate differentiation at the same time.
Summary Talk II: Massive star birth sequence

I begin with a very brief summary of the nature of the physics problems facing us in massive star birth, and present a couple of (now belated) admonitions to the participants. I will say a few words about several of the high spots from papers on the newly born massive stars that caught my attention. This is thus a very personal and highly biased summary. There is no way I could mention all of the really new and interesting results presented at this meeting and I apologize in advance for leaving out many fine reports.
Using Simulation to Teach Child Injury Prevention to Mothers Recovering from Substance Abuse

A paucity of literature regarding strategies for injury prevention in children for mothers with substance abuse exists. Substance abuse propagates distractions such as inattention; therefore, these mothers should be targeted for injury prevention education. A quasi-experimental design compared the results of traditional classroom teaching with an innovative home hazard simulation activity to teach injury prevention to mothers recovering from substance abuse. Study results identified a need to employ multiple modalities when teaching injury prevention. Information obtained from this research suggests a need for continued study and adaptation of current teaching strategies for injury prevention education in other high-risk populations.
Cognitive Abilities and Achievement Status of Children with Myelomeningocele: A Contemporary Sample

Designed study as a conceptual replication of Shaffer, Friedrich, Shurtleff, and Wolf (1985). Intelligence, school achievement, and perceptual motor skill data from 73 children with uncomplicated myelomeningocele were examined to determine their deviation from test norms. The respective impact of shunting and functional motor level was also assessed. The sample as a whole functioned below WISC-R and VMI norms. On the WRAT, deviation from the norms was evident only for the Arithmetic subtest. Partial replication of the Shunt X Motor level interaction reported by Shaffer et al. (1985) was obtained. Limitations of small-sample studies are discussed.
Using hedonic property models to value public water bodies: an analysis of specification issues.

[1] The hedonic literature has established that public water bodies provide external benefits that are reflected in the value of nearby residential real estate. The literature has employed several approaches to quantify these nonmarket services. With a residential hedonic model, this paper tests whether model specification affects resource valuation using an actively managed reservoir in Indiana and a passively managed lake in Connecticut. The results indicate that valuation is quite sensitive to model specification and that omitting either the waterview or waterfront variables from the hedonic function likely results in a misspecified model. The findings from this study are important for researchers and public agencies charged with managing water resources to bear in mind as the external benefits from existing or proposed man-made lakes and reservoirs are estimated. Therefore, while it requires considerably more effort to determine which properties are in waterfront locations and which properties have a view, the potential mispecification of “distance-only” models likely justifies these extra research costs. Further, the findings in this analysis call into question results from distance-only models in the literature.
GaAs IMPATT diodes for 60 GHz

High-performance GaAs double-drift Read IMPATT diodes have been demonstrated at 60 GHz. 1.24-W CW output power at 11.4-percent dc to RF conversion efficiency was obtained with a junction temperature rise of 225°C. The doping profiles and test circuits have not yet been optimized and we expect that still higher power and efficiency should be achievable.
Multiple transmitter localization via interference subtraction

We consider the estimation of the locations of multiple transmitters based on received signal strength measurements at a network of randomly-placed receivers. We develop a simple and computationally efficient interference subtraction method for estimating the locations of multiple emitters that transmit simultaneously in adjacent coverage areas. The method estimates the location of each emitter independently by computing a low-complexity approximation to the maximum likelihood location estimate. Results reveal that, under constraints on computational complexity, the proposed interference subtraction method outperforms competing schemes in multiple transmitter localization.
Creativity through design heuristics: A case study of expert product design

Research has shown that cognition often relies on simplified heuristics; however, few studies have explored the role of heuristics in design. We propose that designers utilize specific heuristics to explore the problem space of potential concepts, leading to the generation of novel and creative solutions. Design heuristic use in the early stages of product conception was examined through a case study of an expert industrial designer working on a real-world project. Sequences of exploratory concept sketches were analyzed for evidence of design heuristic use in generating concepts. This case study uncovers design heuristics that promote variation in concepts and alter existing solutions, supporting the claim that expertise incorporates the use of heuristics to maximize creativity and diversity in designs.
Epitope mapping of antibodies to VlsE protein of Borrelia burgdorferi in post-Lyme disease syndrome

The VlsE lipoprotein of Borrelia burgdorferi elicits a strong immune response during the course of Lyme disease. The present study was aimed at characterization of the epitopes of VlsE targeted by the antibody response in patients with post-Lyme disease syndrome, a condition characterized by persisting symptoms of pain, fatigue, and/or neurocognitive impairment despite antibiotic treatment of B. burgdorferi infection. Epitope mapping was carried out using microarrays that contained synthesized overlapping peptides covering the full sequence of VlsE from B. burgdorferi B31. In addition to the previously characterized IR6 region in the variable domain, specific sequences in the N- and C-terminal invariable domains of VlsE were found to be major B cell epitopes in affected patients. The crystal structure of VlsE indicated that the newly described epitopes form a contiguous region in the surface-exposed membrane-proximal part of the monomeric form of the protein.
SEX HORMONES AND SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

Lupus is one disease in which sex hormones and gender are quite important. Studies of autoimmune diseases like lupus have made the hormone connection more important and increased our overall understanding of the sexual dimorphism of the immune system. It is clear that some fundamental biologic mechanism is at work here and that only knowledge of the molecular mechanisms behind the action of the hormones can help us to understand the gender preference in this illness. Hormones may be potent regulators of cytokine levels and, consequently, disease activity.
A new specific endonuclease from Xanthomonas badrii.

Abstract A restriction-like endonuelease, XbaI , has been partially purified from Xanthomonas badrii . This enzyme cleaves adenovirus-2 DNA at four sites, bacteriophage lambda DNA at only one site, and does not cleave simian virus 40 DNA. It recognizes the sequence and cuts at the sites indicated by the arrows.
Decoupling capacitors for power distribution systems with multiple power supply voltages

To decrease power consumption without affecting circuit speed, several power supply voltages are used in modern high performance ICs such as microprocessors. To maintain the impedance of a power distribution system below a specified level, multiple decoupling capacitors are placed at different levels of the power grid hierarchy. The system of decoupling capacitors used in power distribution systems with multiple power supplies is the focus of this paper. The dependence of the impedance on the power distribution system parameters is investigated. Design techniques to cancel and shift the antiresonant spikes out of range of the operating frequencies are presented.
Optimization of the Fixed-Geometry Valve for Increased Micropump Performance

The fixed-geometry valve micropump is a seemingly simple device in which the interaction between mechanical, electrical, and fluidic components produces a maximum pump output near resonance. This type of pump offers advantages such as scalability, durability, and simplicity of fabrication in a variety of materials. Past work has focused on the development of a predictive linear dynamic model for pump design, while little has been done to improve valve shape. Here we present a process to optimize valve shape using 2D computational fluid dynamics in conjunction with an optimization algorithm. The calculated valve diodicity was maximized by manipulating six independent, non-dimensional geometric variables for a Tesla-type valve. The resulting optimally shaped valve had a 25% increase in calculated diodicity averaged over the Reynolds number range [0, 2000] compared to a non-optimized Tesla-type valve. Overall pump design was investigated by sizing the optimized Tesla valve shape in relation to all other parameters in linear dynamic model that was modified to include the effects of cavitation and other limiting factors. Four pump prototypes were fabricated in acrylic and polycarbonate using numerical-control machining techniques and miniature end mills. Testing demonstrated that a pump with the optimal shape produced nearly three times the performance of the same pump with a non-optimized valve.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Robotic control of sliding object motion and orientation

The models and control strategies presented allow repositioning an object that slides on a surface or between the jaws of a parallel-jaw gripper. Such techniques can save the need to pick up payloads for moving, or to deposit a gripped object for grasp modification. Precisely controlling a sliding object's position and orientation requires a model of its motion that recognizes both imposed motion and frictional forces. This paper presents an analysis of sliding-object motion that is based in part on Mason's quasistatic integral for frictional force (1985). Mason's model is extended to create linearized models of both straight-line and curvilinear sliding motion that permit deriving feedback control strategies based on purely proportional feedback of position errors, relative to reference trajectories. These controllers are very robust due in part to the simplicity of the model and of the physical plant, despite the nonlinearity of the true plant dynamics. Application of integral control is straightforward, in order to correct for modeling errors or disturbance forces, and control saturations are suggested to ensure stability even for large errors. Closed-loop control simulations confirm the effectiveness and robustness of these feedback control strategies.
Modification of cement mortar with recycled ABS

Abstract Cement mortar was modified using recycled acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) in powder form. Mixtures with polymer–cement ratios of 8, 15, and 25 wt.% were investigated for changes in compressive properties and adhesion to steel rebar. Compressive tests indicated an increase in Young's modulus for samples with 8% and 15% ABS. Adhesion strength to the steel rebar decreased on adding the ABS. However, when the ABS was treated with maleic anhydride, an increase in adhesion strength was obtained. The decrease in adhesion of the untreated ABS-modified cement to steel was attributed to the disruption of the interface between the cement mortar and steel rebar. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated changes in the cured cement with addition of ABS. Gas adsorption measurements of pore size distribution indicated an increase in pore volume of the 8 and 15 wt.%-containing cement mortar.
The meaning of before and after for preschool children.

Abstract Preschool children's understanding of temporal relationships was examined in terms of their comprehension of sentences containing clauses linked by before and after . The relative importance of order of mention and main-subordinate relations strategies in children's interpretation of temporal order information was also evaluated. Divergent error patterns emerged on the tasks; omissions prevailed on the two tasks involving response to commands, reversals prevailed on the other. Further examination revealed that omissions reflected ambiguity in the linguistic structure of commands. Thus the effect of main-subordinate relations was confounded with directness of command. On all comprehension tasks, however, performance was superior on sentence forms in which order of mention and order of occurrence correspond.
Epidemiology of Polyneuropathies Associated with Plasma Cell Dyscrasias

Whenever an association between two relatively uncommon disorders is described, usually in case reports of one or a few patients, the temptation exists to link the two etiologically. Although these isolated reports are useful in alerting us to possible relationships, caution must be exercised before accepting them at face value since such associations may be merely fortuitous. Unless it can be shown that the two disorders occur more commonly together than can be explained by chance, or that they share a causative link, the value of this connection is doubtful.
Addition of Organolithium Reagents to Allyl Alcohol: 2‐Methyl‐1‐Hexanol

Addition of Organolithium Reagents to Allyl Alcohol: 2-Methyl-1-Hexanol reactant: 7.25 g. (0.125 mole) of 2-propen-1-ol reactant: 1.16 g. (0.0100 mole) of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,2-ethanediamine product: 2-methyl-1-hexanol Keywords: addition, to CC; hydrolysis, miscellaneous; metalation reactions, lithium; pentane
Obstacle count independent real-time collision avoidance

Robotic manipulator real-time collision avoidance is a safety critical mode of teleoperation where motion commands which would result in a collision are disallowed. To achieve real-time performance, it is necessary to efficiently detect impending collisions between the manipulator and the workspace obstacles. A collision detection method is presented which is based upon two representations. The dynamic elements, such as the manipulator links, are modelled as sets of spheres. The static elements, such as the workspace obstacles, are represented as a weighted voxel map, in which the value of any voxel is indicative of its distance to the nearest obstacle. Combining these two representations results in a collision detection method which is obstacle count independent, i.e. independent of the number of obstacles in the workspace. This property is desirable for operation in cluttered environments with many obstacles, where the total number of calculations in the alternative collision detection paradigm of pairwise comparison will prohibit real-time performance. The method is efficient enough to satisfy a hard real-time constraint Novel algorithms are described to generate the voxel map and spherical model representations, and an implementation is described which uses the collision detection method for real-time teleoperated collision avoidance and online path planning of a Puma 560 manipulator.
Clickers in Large Classes: Evaluating How Technology Can Foster a Seminar Experience

We study the potential for clickers to create a seminar environment in large introductory Political Science and First Year Experience courses. Using behavioral surveys, we test a range of hypotheses related to attendance, student attention in class, and student participation. When used to maximize each of these learning correlates, we find that clickers facilitate student attendance and participation, even in large lectures.
Trauma-Informed Schools: Introduction to the Special Issue

This special issue on trauma-informed schools is the first compilation of invited manuscripts on the topic. The forces behind the movement and key assumptions of trauma-informed approaches are reviewed. The first eight manuscripts in Part 1 of the special issue present original empirical research that can be used to support key assumptions of trauma-informed approaches to school service delivery. Part 2 of the special issue opens with a blueprint for the implementation of trauma-informed approaches using a multitiered framework, which is followed by three case studies of the use of multitiered frameworks to implement trauma-informed approaches in schools. The special issue concludes with a commentary on future directions for the trauma-informed school movement.
Distance Based Binary Matching

A probabilistic procedure for weighting matches in a binary template matching problem is considered where the underlying distribution on the set of all possible binary lists of length n is not necessarily uniform. The procedure uses the Mallow’s model found in the ranking literature along with some modifications as proposed by Fligner and Verducci.
Changes in uterine venous oxygenation during pregnancy in the rabbit.

An examination of the degree of oxygenation of the uterine venous blood of the rabbit at several stages of pregnancy has been carried out under spinal anesthesia.