cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two-dimensional echocardiographic study of right ventricular outflow and great artery anatomy in pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defects and in truncus arteriosus

In this study, we reviewed M-mode and two-dimensional (2DE) echocardiographic observations in 13 patients with pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and in six patients with truncus arteriosus in order to attempt to identify echocardiographic features distinguishing these two abnormalities in which no anatomic connection exists between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. M-Mode features compatible with the diagnosis of pulmonary atresia with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) were a small but identifiable space anterior to the aorta and/or immobile pulmonic valve echoes appearing to open during diastole rather than systole. By 2DE, the proximal and distal segments of the right ventricular outflow tract could be imaged and the length of the atretic segment estimated. In truncus arteriosus, no outflow tract of the right ventricle could be identified by 2DE or M-mode echocardiography, and the origin of the pulmonary artery from the truncus could be imaged directly in four patients with type I and in one patient with type II truncus. Abnormalities of the truncal valve were also present and were imaged by 2DE in three of our five patients. Our study identified specific echocardiographic criteria for diagnosing truncus arteriosus and pulmonary atresia with VSD and for differentiation between them.
Vaginal Estrogen Therapy for the Treatment of Atrophic Vaginitis

Abstract The prevalence of atrophic vaginitis (AV) is particularly high among postmenopausal women who experience decreased ovarian estrogen production. This common menopausal condition, which is often underreported and underdiagnosed, is caused by estrogen-related changes to the vaginal epithelium and can adversely affect quality of life. An accurate diagnosis of AV and its severity is important in choosing the appropriate treatment. Numerous formulations for estrogen therapy are available, and the safety and efficacy of these preparations for the treatment of AV have been evaluated in randomized controlled clinical trials. Although systemic administration of estrogen is effective in treating acute vasomotor symptoms typically associated with perimenopause and early menopause, standard doses may not be sufficient for the treatment of AV-related symptoms that generally arise after long-term estrogen deficiency. Thus, vaginal estrogen preparations (e.g., creams, tablets, rings) are more often recommended f...
Accuracy, usefulness and the evaluation of analysts’ forecasts

Abstract This paper provides evidence that forecast immediacy (FI), which is the speed with which analysts respond to a significant change in the publicly available information set, is an ex-ante determinant of analysts’ forecast properties. Specifically, the greater the FI the less accurate analysts’ forecasts and the greater the dispersion in analysts’ forecasts. Conversely, FI is positively related to forecast usefulness, which is the extent to which the forecast improves upon the accuracy of existing forecasts. One implication of these results is that it may be appropriate to evaluate separately analysts whose forecasts tend to have high FI and analysts whose forecasts tend to have low FI. A second implication is that, to the extent that forecasts with high FI tend to be more accurate than prior forecasts, one might place less weight on forecasts that precede high FI forecasts.
GENERAL METHODOLOGY FOR SIMULTANEOUS REPRESENTATION AND DISCRIMINATION OF MULTIPLE OBJECT CLASSES

We address a new general method for linear and nonlinear feature extraction for simultaneous representation and classification. We call this approach the maximum representation and discrimination feature (MRDF) method. We develop a novel nonlinear eigenfeature (NLEF) extraction technique to represent data with closed-form solutions and use it to derive a nonlinear MRDF algorithm. Results of the MRDF method on synthetic databases are shown and compared with results from standard Fukunaga-Koontz transform and Fisher discriminant function methods. The method is also applied to an automated product inspection problem (discrimination) and for classification and pose estimation of two similar objects under 3-D aspect angle variations (representation and discrimination).
Competition between asymmetrically informed principals

This paper derives the set of equilibria for common agency games in which the principals compete in piece rates and lump sum payments and one principal has incomplete information about the agent's preferences. We show that the uninformed principal's expected payoff function is discontinuous with respect to the identity of the marginal agent type. This discontinuity is shown to support an open set of equilibria. For games in which the first-best equilibrium strategies are measurable with respect to the uninformed principal's information partition, this result implies the existence of an open set of Pareto inefficient equilibria.
The 10B(3He, n)12N reaction

Time-of-flight neutron spectra from the bombardment of 10B targets by 2.6, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.8 MeV 3He particles show neutron groups corresponding to the ground state of 12N and to excited states at Ex = 0.959±0.020 (Λ < 50 keV), 1.24±0.03 (Λ = 140±40 keV), 2.4±0.13.14±0.08 (Λ = 280±keV), and 3.57±0.08 MeV (Λ = 270±80 keV). There is also some indication of additional low intensity neutron groups. The ground state Q-value is measured to be 1.568±0.020 MeV, corresponding to a 12N atomic mass excess of 17.358±0.020 MeV. The angulars distribution at E(3He) = 4 and 5.8 MeV show the influence of direct interaction. The results are discussed in terms of the known information on the T = 1 states in the A = 12 isobaric triad.
Efficient Embeddings of Binary Trees in VLSI Arrays

We consider the problem of embedding a complete binary tree in squareor hexagonally-connected VLSI arrays Of processing elements (PE's). This problem can be solved in a radically different manner from current layout techniques which are aimed at laying out a given graph in the plane. The difference is due to the fact that a PE can be used both as a tree node and as a connecting element between distant nodes. New embedding schemes are presented in which (asymptotically) 100 percent of the PE's are utilized as tree nodes. This is a significant savings over known schemes, which achieve 50 percent utilization (the well-known H-tree) and 71 percent for some hexagonal schemes. These schemes also speed up signal propagation from the root to the leaves.
Perceptions of informed consent for care practices: hospitalized patients and nurses

In a descriptive comparative survey study, nurse and patient perceptions differed regarding the practices of information giving, allowing decision making, and informed consent for nursing procedures during hospitalization. Nurses should consider giving patients more information about primary physical needs and activities related to nursing care (e.g., bowel/bladder needs, wound, and hygiene).
Emergency physician ability to predict methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infections.

Abstract Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has a high prevalence in Emergency Departments (EDs). The objective of this study was to determine the ability of emergency physicians to predict MRSA infection in purulent wounds. A prospective observational study was conducted in an urban, tertiary academic center in ED patients presenting with purulent wounds and abscesses that received wound culture. Physicians completed a questionnaire with patient demographic data and their own suspicion for MRSA infection in eligible patients. For emergency physician ability to predict positive culture for MRSA, sensitivities, specificities, and positive and negative likelihood ratios (LRs) were calculated. Risk factors were assessed for statistical significance using a chi-squared test with p
Laser or electrocautery for laparoscopic cholecystectomy

There are few concerns related to laparoscopic cholecystectomy that evoke as much emotion as the question of which is the superior energy source, laser or electrocautery. Monopolar radio frequency electricity (electrosurgery) and collimated coherent light (laser) injure tissue by the generation of heat, and in this regard are remarkably similar. The greatest differences between these sources of heat are related to predictability of injury, selective absorption of free beam laser energy, ability to coagulate, and cost. Although there are no prospective data yet available to answer the question of superiority, it appears that electrosurgical dissection may be faster and is generally less costly. Laser dissection may be more precise. In difficult cases, hemostasis appears to be superior with electrosurgery.
Resonant terahertz radiation from layered superconductors: mechanisms of damping and structure of dynamic states

Intrinsic Josephson-junction stacks realized in high-temperature superconductors may generate powerful electromagnetic radiation in terahertz frequency range. A major challenge is to synchronize phase oscillations in many junctions. A promising way of efficient synchronization is to excite an internal cavity mode, with the frequency set by the stack lateral size. We discuss several issues relevant for this mechanism: (i) damping of the resonance mode due to radiation into free space and into the base crystal, (ii) mechanisms of coupling to the internal mode, (iii) structures and stability of coherent states.
The National Cancer Data Base report on breast carcinoma characteristics and outcome in relation to age

t has been previously reported that frequency of use of breast con- servation surgery has been increasing over time, but that not all population groups have participated equally in this treatment change pattern.’-3 The breast carcinoma surgery decision is understood to include many factors and to be influenced both by patient preference and physician recommendation. It has also been hypothesized that breast carcinoma may be a more aggressive disease in young women, and more indolent in older patients, particularly the very elderly. In the latter group, comorbid
Wikipedia, Scholarpedia, and References to Journals in the Brain and Behavioral Sciences: A Comparison of Cited Sources and Recommended Readings in Matching Free Online Encyclopedia Entries

In a follow up to an earlier article in the previous issue of this journal on book references in 47 matching entries in the brain and behavioral sciences in two competing free online encyclopedias, the anonymously authored and unrefereed Wikipedia and the assigned expert authored and refereed Scholarpedia, references to journals are now compared. Much as was the case with book references, it is now shown that both encyclopedias predominantly cite reputable scholarly and professional journals, with Scholarpedia predictably having more entries and Wikipedia just as predictably having somewhat newer ones. However, in all categories except journals related to psychiatry and psychotherapy, Scholarpedia authors placed a notably stronger emphasis on citing papers from the most highly ranked titles.
Decentralised drinking water regulation: risks, benefits and the hunt for equality in the Canadian context

Drinking water management in Canada is based on the intervention of provinces and territories. This contrasts with the American and European approach of uniform, legally enforced regulation at the federal or super-federal level. The Canadian model has been widely criticised for the unequal level of regulation between provinces and territories and the passive role taken by the federal government. This paper: 1) puts calls for greater centralisation in the context of Canada's social and political climate; 2) reviews government, academic and environmental advocacy literature on competing drinking water regulation paradigms; 3) evaluates strengths and weaknesses of centralised and decentralised frameworks for drinking water regulation in the context of risk management theory and practical challenges. Notably, we evaluate drinking water decision-making as one of many competing opportunities for public spending on risk abatement and posit that increasing the uniformity of drinking water quality does not necessarily increase overall equality.
Laparoscopic Billroth II gastrectomy in the canine model

The feasibility and safety of laparoscopic Billroth II gastrectomy were evaluated in an animate model. After developing the technique in acute animal experiments, laparoscopic antrectomy and Billroth II anastomosis was performed in six mongrel dogs. Video laparoscopic access to the peritoneal cavity was accomplished with six ports (five, 10 mm; one, 12–18 mm). The operations were performed without complication in 150–200 min (mean ± SEM, 171±10 min). The animals tolerated solid oral meals on the 2nd or 3rd postoperative day. One dog developed frequent diarrheal stools and lost 3.4 kg prior to sacrifice 18 days postoperatively when a gastroileostomy was discovered. The remaining five animals did well and were sacrificed at 49–77 days postoperatively. Adhesions were minimal and the gastrojejunostomy was widely patent in all animals without evidence of leakage or obstruction. Laparoscopic Billroth II gastrectomy in the canine model is thus feasible and safe. Using laparoscopic guidance, it may be more difficult to identify the ligament of Treitz, which must be assured at the time of operation.
Blockade of both D1- and D2-dopamine receptors inhibits amphetamine-induced ascorbate release in the neostriatum

In vivo recordings with electrochemically modified microvoltammetric electrodes revealed that several neuroleptic drugs, including haloperidol, clozapine, and thioridazine, blocked the rise in extracellular ascorbate produced by amphetamine in the neostriatum of urethane-anesthetized rats. This effect was also observed in animals that received a combined injection of Sch-23390 and sulpiride, but not when either of these drugs were administered alone or in combination with the 5-HT2 blocker, ritanserin. These results indicate that a combined blockade of D1- and D2-dopamine receptors blocks amphetamine-induced ascorbate release.
Dual detection of peptides in a fluorescence binding assay by employing genetically fused GFP and BFP mutants.

A competitive fluorescence microplate assay based on a red-shifted green fluorescent protein (rsGFP) and a blue fluorescent protein (BFP) was developed for the detection of two model peptides in the same sample. The assay employed gene fusion to prepare the fluorescently labeled peptide conjugates. Specifically, plasmids were constructed in which the genes encoding for the two small peptides (less than 12 amino acids in length) were fused to either the gene of the rsGFP or the BFP, as desired. The newly constructed plasmids were transformed into E. coli for expression of the fusion proteins. By employing the technique of gene fusion, one-to-one homogeneous populations of peptide−rsGFP or −BFP conjugates were produced. These peptide−GFP mutant conjugates exhibited the same excitation and emission spectral characteristics as the unmodified proteins. The naturally fluorescent proteins act as labels to provide sensitive dual detection of the two selected small peptides in a competitive assay format. To our kn...
Optimal control of the transverse vibrations of a beam with a bound on the potential energy

The problem of the optimal control of the transverse vibrations of a uniform beam with a bound on the potential energy is considered. Approximation theory is used. It is shown that the optimal control exists, and a simple method for its computation is suggested.
Enhancing Functional Fit with Continuous Training During the ERP Post-Implementation Phase

Enterprise Resource Planning ERP systems, such as SAP, feature a rich set of integrated business applications. However, to maximize the long term benefits from ERP implementations, organizations need to careful manage the post-implementation phase and focus on supporting end users to achieve better fit between their business processes and the ERP system features. This study develops a research model based on the resource-based view RBV of the firm and finds support for a positive and complementary relationship between continuous training resources, functional fit capability and business process success. An increase in continuous training resources increases the functional fit capability for the organization and is seen to improve business process success. The results support the need to focus on continuous end user training throughout the post implementation phase as a key contributor to ERP systems success for any organization.
Maps and the geospatial revolution: teaching a massive open online course (MOOC) in geography

The massive open online course (MOOC) is a new approach for teaching online. MOOCs stand apart from traditional online classes in that they support thousands of learners through content and assessment mechanisms that can scale. A reason for their size is that MOOCs are free for anyone to take. Here we describe the design, development, and teaching of a MOOC called Maps and the Geospatial Revolution. We explore the geography of the student population, the experience of teaching a MOOC, and evaluate its impacts on learning. We conclude with several key challenges and opportunities we see for MOOCs in geography.
Volcanic flame: source of fuel and relation to volcanic gas-lava equilibrium

Abstract Flame formation at or near volcanic vents is a somewhat unusual phenomenon, but during October 1970 true flames were observed to issue at intervals from a series of vents in a lava tube or from spatter cones associated with the new eruptive center (Mauna Ulu) on the southeast rift of Kilauea volcano, Hawaii. This situation was similar to that under which successful volcanic gas collections have been made in the past in Hawaii and elsewhere. After several attempts two gas samples were collected successfully between flaming episodes. Analysis showed these to be chiefly water vapor with a small amount of hydrogen and carbon dioxide. The probable source of the hydrogen in the gas is explained on the basis of the high-temperature equilibria involved. The flame-forming properties of dilute mixtures of hydrogen and non-combustible gas were studied and the most dilutemixtures that would produce flames under volcanic conditions were measured (flammability limit). Intermittent flaming can be ascribed to the periodic attainment of the flammability limit for hydrogen in the volcanic gas mixture, which was found to be achieved in one of the collected samples.
Dielectric meta-atoms coupled by nonresonant metallic antennas: high-quality metamaterial resonances

We demonstrate a new class of metamaterials with dielectric meta-atoms coupled to the incident waves by nonresonant metallic antennas. The storage of energy in the dielectric enables high-quality resonances in negative-permittivity and negative-permeability sheet metamaterials.
Illusion, Disillusion, and the Buffering Effect of Groups

Abstract After performing a task, groups typically hold positive illusions about their performance while individuals hold negative illusions (Jourden & Heath, 1996). This paper reconciles negative illusions with previous research on positive illusions by showing that individuals hold positive illusions before a task but become disillusioned during task performance. Post-performance disillusionment is stronger when people experience a larger contrast between the targets they set before a task and their actual performance. Group members also experience disillusionment but manage to maintain their positive illusions. Group activity produces higher mean levels of positive affect (the enthusiasm effect), and severs the relationship between negative affect and performance evaluations (the buffering effect). An analysis shows that these two effects hold across six studies. Although previous literature has highlighted the enthusiasm effect of group activity, the buffering effect increases performance evaluations three times more.
Rugby in Contemporary New Zealand

This essay describes the socio-historical background of New Zealand rugby from its British origins in the middle of the nineteenth century up to present and examines the great importance of the game within New Zealand society. The paper examines the events leading up to the disorder surrounding the 1981 rugby visit to New Zealand by the South African team and the controversial 1985 decision by the New Zealand Rugby Football Union to decline to send a national touring team to play in South Africa. The concluding section indicates that the complex issue of sporting relations with South Africa has still not been satisfactorily resolved.
EFFECTIVENESS OF A DAPSONE COMPLIANCE PROGRAM IN LEPROSY

Background. Long-term effectiveness of a dapsone compliance program was assessed in patients with leprosy. Methods. The monitoring program consists of urine dap-sone/creatinine ratio determination at each visit with subsequent patient feedback and education. Eighty-eight patients receiving dapsone and seen in a leprosy clinic from 1985–1990 were included. Results. The proportion of patients compliant with dapsone during a given year ranged from 70.0% (1987) to 94.4% (1989). Overall compliance for the 6-year period was 81.6%. This level of compliance was significantly different (P < 0.05) than the baseline compliance in the leprosy clinic of 46.7%. Conclusions. Compliance monitoring, combined with active patient involvement, was effective in sustaining high compliance over a 6-year period.
Contribution of CCR4 and CCR8 to antigen-specific TH2 cell trafficking in allergic pulmonary inflammation

Background Recruitment of antigen-specific T H 2 cells into the lung is critical for the development of allergic airway inflammation. Although CCR4 and CCR8 are preferentially expressed on T H 2 cells and CCR4, CCR8, and CXCR3 ligands are increased in asthma, the specific relative contribution of these receptors to antigen-specific T H 2 cell trafficking into the allergic lung is not known. Objective To determine the relative contribution of the chemokine receptors CCR4, CCR8, and CXCR3 to antigen-specific T H 2 cell trafficking in a murine model of allergic pulmonary inflammation. Methods We used adoptive transfer experiments to compare the trafficking of wild-type antigen-specific T H 2 cells with antigen-specific T H 2 cells deficient in CCR4, CCR8, or CXCR3. Results CCR4-deficient antigen-specific T H 2 cells failed to traffic efficiently into the lung and the airways. In contrast, CCR8-deficient antigen-specific T H 2 cells accumulated in these sites. Trafficking of CXCR3-deficient antigen-specific T H 2 cells and CCR4-deficient and CCR8-deficient antigen-specific T H 1 cells were comparable to their wild-type counterparts. Approximately 60% of IL-4–producing antigen-specific T cells expressed CCR4. Disruption of CCR4-mediated antigen-specific T H 2 cell trafficking decreased the levels of T H 2-type cytokines in the airways and reduced airway eosinophilia and mucus production. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that CCR4 is required for the efficient entry of antigen-specific T H 2 cells into the lung and the airways in a murine model of allergic pulmonary inflammation.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus nosocomial pneumonia patients treated with ceftaroline: retrospective case series of 10 patients.

AbstractBackground:Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a common nosocomial pneumonia (NP) pathogen in US ICUs. Ceftaroline fosamil is a novel cephalosporin with activity against MRSA.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed patients (pts) who received ceftaroline therapy for MRSA NP.Results:A total of 10 pts received ceftaroline from September 2011 to September 2012 for MRSA NP. Nine pts received prior anti-MRSA therapy before initiation of ceftaroline. Ceftaroline duration of therapy ranged from 4 to 28 days. Three pts pursued palliative care prior to completion of therapy and expired off antibiotics. Of the remaining seven pts, six pts were considered to have clinical cure or improvement either at the end of therapy with ceftaroline or total antibiotic treatment. One pt had a relapse 1 week after ceftaroline treatment.Conclusions:This case series suggests the potential of ceftaroline as an alternative agent for the treatment of MRSA NP and warrants further investigation.
Double Kelvin waves with continuous depth profiles

The possibility of long waves in a rotating ocean being trapped along a straight discontinuity in depth was demonstrated in a recent paper (Longuet-Higgins 1968). The analysis is now extended to the situation where the depth varies continuously, in a zone separating two regions of different depths. The trapping of waves in the transition zone is investigated, taking full account of the horizontal divergence of the motion.If the profile of the depth is assumed to be monotonic, then it is shown that the trapped waves always travel along the transition zone with the shallower water to their right in the northern hemisphere and to their left in the southern hemisphere. The wave period must always exceed a pendulum-day. The period is also bounded below by a quantity depending inversely on the maximum bottom gradient.By allowing the width W of the transition zone to vary, asymptotic forms for the trapped modes are obtained, both as W → 0 and as W → ∞. In the limit as W → 0 the depth becomes discontinuous, and it is shown that the lowest mode then becomes a double Kelvin wave (Longuet-Higgins 1968) propagated along the discontinuity. The periods of the higher modes, on the other hand, all tend to infinity; these modes become steady currents.Numerical calculations of the trapped modes are presented for two different laws of depth in the transition zone. It is found that as W → 0 the lowest mode is insensitive to the form of the depth profile. Higher modes depend on the details of the profile. Hence the lowest mode is the most likely to be observed in the real ocean.The dispersion relation is also investigated. It is shown that the group-velocity of all modes must change sign at some point in the range of wave-numbers, if the divergence is taken into account. When the divergence was neglected the lowest mode appeared to be exceptional, in that the group-velocity was always in the same direction. This anomaly is now removed.
Alkylation of isobutane with 1-butene on a solid acid catalyst in supercritical reaction media

Alkylation of isobutane with n-butenes to form highly branched isoparaffins is an important process in gasoline manufacture. This reaction is currently catalyzed using either liquid hydrofluoric acid or sulfuric acid. Although these liquid acids rapidly catalyze the alkylation reaction, there are a number of drawbacks associated with their use. Solid acids have been studied extensively as possible catalysts for alkylation. However, with solid acid catalysts, the catalyst deactivates rapidly with time on stream. It is been hypothesized and shown that when the reaction is carried in supercritical media, the solid acid catalyst deactivation slows down considerably; however, high temperatures are needed to bring the reaction mixture to supercritical conditions, which results in the formation of undesired products. In this study, the effects of using different operation conditions for alkylation on a USY zeolite were investigated. It was observed that the deactivation rate was slower in supercritical-phase alkylation. Carbon dioxide was used as a diluent to lower the critical temperature of the reaction mixture in the ratio 27/9/1 for carbon dioxide/isobutene/1-butene. The use of diluent favored both alkylate selectivity and coke precursor removal.
Thoracic epidural catheters placed by the caudal route in infants: the importance of radiographic confirmation.

Background: Cephalad advancement of epidural catheters to the thoracic region via the caudal route has been shown to be feasible in neonates and small infants. This has allowed many young infants to receive thoracic level epidural analgesia with dilute local anaesthetic solutions using the simpler caudal approach. Since radiographic confirmation of the catheter tip is routine at this institution, we wished to determine how often radiographic studies led to adjustment or replacement of the epidural catheter. Methods: After institutional review board approval, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of neonates and infants less than 6 months of age who had thoracic or lumbar epidural analgesia via the caudal route between August 1995 and January 2000. Demographic data were recorded, including age, weight and type of surgery. The epidural catheter type, tip location by radiograph and any manipulation of the catheter after the radiograph were also noted. Results: During the study period, a total of 115 infants were identified as having received caudal placement of a thoracic catheter. Radiographic studies were available for 86 of these infants. The position of 28 (32%) of the epidural catheters was considered to be inadequate after review of the confirmatory radiograph. Ten of these catheters were determined to be in the high thoracic or cervical region and were pulled back to the desired level. Seventeen of these catheters were coiled in the lumbosacral area and 15 of these were replaced at an adequate level. One catheter was found to be outside the epidural space in the presacral area. No correlation could be found between age, weight, type of catheter or type of surgery and the need for catheter manipulation. Conclusions: Even in young infants, radiographic determination of the catheter tip appears warranted when thoracic catheters are placed via the caudal route.
An inexpensive system for classifying tool wear states using pattern recognition

Abstract The purpose of this research work is to develop an inexpensive model tool wear sensing system using pattern recognition. Accordingly, the combined output of radial force, feed force and acoustic emission (r.m.s. value) is utilized to model the tool flank wear in a turning operation. The tool wear sensing system consists of two phases: training and classification. The training phase is done off-line and is used to determine the weight coefficients for the linear decision functions using the prototype patterns from the cutting tests. The classification phase is in real time. In the first stage of the classification phase, the minimum distance classifier selects a prototype (conditions already trained) cutting test that is closest to the cutting test to be performed. The linear decision functions of the prototype test selected are used for classifying the incoming signal of the actual cutting test into one of three wear classes. The success rate of training for various tests varied between 39.57% and 100%. The success rate of classifying signals from actual tests was also encouraging, demonstrating that the proposed methodology can be successfully applied to predict the status of the cutting tool on-line using low budget equipment.
Mini-computers in urban society—Where to use them and how to choose them

Abstract This paper consists of three urban applications of mini-computers—Air Traffic Control, Vehicular Ground Traffic Control, and Automatic Medical Diagnosis of Heart Ailment—and a tutorial about mini-computer hardware and software, as an aid to the urban planner choosing a mini-computer.
DPN-Generated Nanostructures Made of Gold, Silver, and Palladium

Dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) has been used to generate resist layers on Au, Ag, and Pd that when combined with wet-chemical etching can lead to nanostructures with deliberately designed shapes and sizes. Monolayers of mercaptohexadecanoic acid (MHA) or octadecanethiol (ODT), patterned by DPN, were explored as etch resists. They work comparably well on Au and Ag, but ODT is the superior material for Pd. MHA seems to attract the FeCl3 etchant and results in nonuniform etching of the underlying Pd substrate. Dots, lines, triangles, and circles, ranging in size from sub-100 to several hundred nanometers have been fabricated on Si/SiOx substrates. These results show how one can use DPN as an alternative to more complex and costly procedures such as electron beam lithography to generate nanostructures from inorganic materials.
SR-IOV support for virtualization on infiniband clusters: early experience

High Performance Computing (HPC) systems are becoming increasingly complex and are also associated with very high operational costs. The cloud computing paradigm, coupled with modern Virtual Machine (VM) technology offers attractive techniques to easily manage large scale systems, while significantly bringing down the cost of computation, memory and storage. However, running HPC applications on cloud systems still remains a major challenge. One of the biggest hurdles in realizing this objective is the performance offered by virtualized computing environments, more specifically, virtualized I/O devices. Since HPC applications and communication middlewares rely heavily on advanced features offered by modern high performance interconnects such as InfiniBand, the performance of virtualized InfiniBand interfaces is crucial. Emerging hardware-based solutions, such as the Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-IOV), offer an attractive alternative when compared to existing software-based solutions. The benefits of SR-IOV have been widely studied for GigE and 10GigE networks. However, with InfiniBand networks being increasingly adopted in the cloud computing domain, it is critical to fully understand the performance benefits of SR-IOV in InfiniBand network, especially for exploring the performance characteristics and trade-offs of HPC communication middlewares (such as Message Passing Interface (MPI), Partitioned Global Address Space (PGAS)) and applications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that offers an in-depth analysis on SR-IOV with InfiniBand. Our experimental evaluations show that for the performance of MPI and PGAS point-to-point communication benchmarks over SR-IOV with InfiniBand is comparable to that of the native InfiniBand hardware, for most message lengths. However, we observe that the performance of MPI collective operations over SR-IOV with InfiniBand is inferior to native (non-virtualized) mode. We also evaluate the trade-offs of various VM to CPU mapping policies on modern multi-core architectures and present our experiences.
Compact real-time acousto-optic image correlator

The design and development of a compact acousto-optic image correlator capable of performing real-time correlations on grayscale imagery will be described. The system utilizes one-dimensional optical devices to perform the desired two-dimensional correlation. The two-dimensional correlation is performed as a series of multichannel time-integrating correlations between each input image line and a reference template that is stored in an electronic memory. The rows of the reference template are introduced into the processor in parallel using a one-dimensional laser diode array. The correlation in the vertical direction is performed using a modified charge-coupled device (CCD) operating in the shift-and-add mode. A laser diode array, as opposed to an LED array used in previous systems, provides more power so that full use can be made of the dynamic range capabilities of the acoustooptic device and CCD. Key features of the system will be presented, including the random access template memory, the custom laser diode array consisting of 64 individually addressed laser diodes, and the custom optical design to achieve nearly diffraction-limited image quality and compactness.
Interindividual differences in β-receptor density contribute to variability in response to β-adrenoceptor antagonists

To determine the role of changes in receptor density and the considerable interindividual variability in the response to beta-adrenergic antagonists, we determined the relationship between the beta-blockade produced by propranolol and the beta-adrenergic receptor density (Bmax) in 16 healthy subjects who received 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg propranolol every 8 hours for 1 day at each dosage level. The extent of beta-blockade produced was assessed as the reduction in exercise tachycardia. The extent of beta-blockade correlated with pretreatment lymphocyte Bmax (30 mg/day: r = 0.6290, p less than 0.05; 60 mg/day: r = 0.5279, p less than 0.05; 120 mg/day: r = 0.5888, p less than 0.01; 240 mg/day: r = 0.6783, p less than 0.005). When the extent of beta-blockade was corrected for plasma propranolol concentrations, the correlation was further improved (30 mg/day: r = 0.7636, p less than 0.001; 60 mg/day: r = 0.7218, p less than 0.002; 120 mg/day: r = 0.7814, p less than 0.001; 240 mg/day: r = 0.6899, p less than 0.005). We conclude that the density of beta-adrenergic receptors is one of the principal factors that control beta-receptor response to antagonists in human beings.
Neurophysiologic Studies in Morvan Syndrome

This study was conducted to clarify the clinical and neurophysiologic characteristics of patients with Morvan syndrome, and to compare and contrast this syndrome with other forms of autoimmune encephalitis. A retrospective chart review of the clinical features and neurophysiologic studies of two cases of Morvan syndrome seen at the Mayo Clinic was performed. Neurophysiologic studies included polysomnography, comprehensive autonomic testing, MRI, positron emission tomography, EEG, and single-photon emission computed tomography. In two cases of Morvan syndrome, the clinical features, electrophysiologic findings, and immunologic studies (high levels of voltage-gated potassium channel antibodies) were consistent with previously reported findings. Several novel observations were made. Autonomic testing demonstrated peripheral autonomic neuropathy in addition to autonomic hyperactivity. Polysomnography showed complete absence of sleep. Neuroimaging study findings were largely normal. Morvan syndrome is an autoimmune disorder affecting both the peripheral and central nervous system. Neurophysiologic studies demonstrate hyperexcitability of peripheral nerves, autonomic dysfunction, and severe insomnia. The absence of abnormalities on imaging studies suggests that central nervous system symptoms are related to functional rather than structural disruption of neural networks.
Endovascular Treatment of a Temporal Bone Pseudoaneurysm Presenting as Bloody Otorrhea

Objective This case report is designed to illustrate an uncommon presentation of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the temporal bone and a treatment method for bloody otorrhea from a pseudoaneurysm of the internal carotid artery (ICA). Design This is a single patient case report Setting University of Missouri-Columbia Hospital and Clinics. Participants The report describes a patient with a history of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA) who was previously treated with chemoradiation therapy and salvage bilateral neck dissections and then presented in a delayed fashion with profuse, episodic bloody otorrhea. Computed tomography (CT) was consistent with ORN of the temporal bone. The patient underwent emergent cerebral angiography. A pseudoaneurysm of the cervicopetrous ICA was confirmed to be the source of the patient's bloody otorrhea. The lesion was treated by endovascular sacrifice of the ICA using the two-catheter coiling technique. Results The patient had no neurologic sequelae or further bleeding after treatment. Conclusions Bloody otorrhea is an uncommon presentation of ORN. Sacrifice of the internal carotid can be considered as a treatment when the source is pseudoaneurysmal.
What kind of atomic cooperation is necessary for resonant absorptive optical bistability

The role of atomic cooperation in producing optical bistability in a system consisting of resonant atoms in a low- Q cavity driven on resonance is investigated. It is shown that while completely correlated atomic cooperation precludes steady-state bistability, the assumption that each atom behaves independently and is affected only by the average behavior of the others leads to a bistable steady state. Certain physical and mathematical aspects of the two kinds of cooperation are discussed, and the relationship of the results to the problem of optical bistability without a resonator is indicated.
Rotavirus nonstructural protein NSP2 self-assembles into octamers that undergo ligand-induced conformational changes.

The nonstructural protein NSP2 is a component of the rotavirus replication machinery and binds single-stranded RNA cooperatively, with high affinity, and independent of sequence. Recently, NSP2 has been shown to form multimers and to possess an NTPase activity, but its precise function remains unclear. In the present study, we have characterized the solution structure of recombinant NSP2 by velocity and equilibrium ultracentrifugation, dynamic light scattering, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. We found that NSP2 exists as an octamer, which is functional in the binding of RNA and ADP. In the presence of magnesium, a partial dissociation of the octamer into smaller oligomers was observed. This was reversed by binding of ADP and RNA. We observed an increased sedimentation rate in the presence of ADP and a nonhydrolyzable ATP analogue, which suggests a change toward a significantly more compact octameric conformation. The secondary structure of NSP2 showed a high fraction of β-sheet, with small changes induced by magnesium that were reversed in the presence of RNA. That NSP2 can exist in different conformations lends support to the previously proposed hypothesis (Taraporewala, Z., Chen, D., and Patton, J. T. (1999) J. Virol. 73, 9934–9943) of its function as a molecular motor involved in the packaging of viral mRNA.
Performance of a large streamer chamber in extensive air showers

Abstract The operating parameters and performance of a large streamer chamber used in a cosmic ray extensive air shower experiment are described. Track densities greater than 500/m 2 were observed in the chamber. The mean streamer density was found to decrease gradually as the track density increased. The standard deviations of the observed streamer densities were larger by a factor of 1.2-1.7 than what was statistically expected.
DNA‐based immunotherapeutics for the treatment of allergic disease

Allergic diseases are a growing health concern in industrialized countries. Despite a number of effective therapeutic options for the prevention and treatment of the pathophysiologic responses which characterize allergic diseases, the induction of true allergen desensitization remains an elusive therapeutic goal. Only immunotherapy (IT) has been shown to have any effect on the underlying hypersensitivities which mediate allergic reactions, and traditional protein-based allergen IT has a limited scope of efficacy However, a number of reagents collectively termed DNA-based immunotherapeutics have proven highly effective in both the prevention and reversal of Th2-mediated hypersensitivity states in mouse models of allergic disease. Four basic DNA-based immunotherapeutic modalities have been used for these studies. These include immunization with gene vaccines, allergen mixed with immunostimulatory oligodeoxynucleotide (ISS-ODN), and physical allergen-ISS-ODN conjugates (AIC), as well as immunomodulation with ISS-ODN alone. Results from many laboratories have generated guarded optimism that DNA-based immunotherapeutics may be effective for the reversal of allergic hypersensitivity states in humans, and several clinical trials have already been initiated. This review will focus on our present understanding of the biological activities of DNA-based immunotherapeutics and their application to the treatment of allergic diseases.
3D Articulated Human Body Tracking using KLD-Annealed Rao-Blackwellised Particle Filter

The difficulties introduced by large degrees of freedom are still a challenge in articulated human body tracking. In this paper, an efficient tracker is proposed based on the integration of a set of statistical techniques including KLD sampling, Rao-Blackwellisation, and Particle filtering. This results in a KLD-Annealed Particle filter with Rao-Blackwellisation, which can address the key issues in 3D human tracking, such as accuracy, stability, and speed simultaneously. Both synthetic and real data were used in our experiments to demonstrate the improved performance of the proposed tracker.
The sustained snapshot: Incidental ethnographic encounters in qualitative interview studies

The literature on qualitative methods assumes that researchers will conduct interviews in the course of a participant-observation study but not that extensive observations of interviewees might hap...
Barriers to Success: A Narrative of One Latina Student's Struggles.

In this essay, Jannell Robles explores and discusses some common themes found in her experiences as a Latina undergraduate student. During the summer of 2008, she conducted fieldwork in a rural town in Mexico. Her experiences as the only Latina student on this trip were similar to her experiences at her university and those discussed by Latina scholars. Robles considers the pros and cons of being an insider and an outsider to a rural town in Mexico, the use of Latinos as cultural brokers while denying their contributions as social scientists, and the blame she experienced for her lack of adjustment. She also discusses the ways she resists these obstacles through survival strategies.
Macroscopic optical mapping of excitation in cardiac cell networks with ultra-high spatiotemporal resolution

Optical mapping of cardiac excitation using voltage- and calcium-sensitive dyes has allowed a unique view into excitation wave dynamics, and facilitated scientific discovery in the cardiovascular field. At the same time, the structural complexity of the native heart has prompted the design of simplified experimental models of cardiac tissue using cultured cell networks. Such reduced experimental models form a natural bridge between single cells and tissue/organ level experimental systems to validate and advance theoretical concepts of cardiac propagation and arrhythmias. Macroscopic mapping (over 4 1c m 2 areas) of transmembrane potentials and intracellular calcium in these cultured cardiomyocyte networks is a relatively new development and lags behind whole heart imaging due to technical challenges. In this paper, we review the state-of-the-art technology in the field, examine specific aspects of such measurements and outline a rational system design approach. Particular attention is given to recent developments of sensitive detectors allowing mapping with ultra-high spatiotemporal resolution (45 megapixels/s). Their interfacing with computer platforms to match the high data throughput, unique for this new generation of detectors, is discussed here. This critical review is intended to guide basic science researchers in assembling optical mapping systems for optimized macroscopic imaging with high resolution in a cultured cell setting. The tools and analysis are not limited to cardiac preparations, but are applicable for dynamic fluorescence imaging in networks of any excitable media. r 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.