cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An efficient technique for device and interconnect optimization in deep submicron designs

In this paper, we formulate a new class of optimization problem, named the general CH-posynomial program, and reveal the general dominance property. We propose an efficient algorithm based on the extended local refinement operation to compute lower and upper bounds of the exact solution to the general CH-posynomial program. We apply the algorithm to solve the simultaneous transistor and interconnect sizing (STIS) problem under the table-based device model, and the global interconnect sizing and spacing (GISS) problem with consideration of the crosstalk capacitance. Experiment results show that our algorithm can handle many device and interconnect modeling issues in deep submicron designs and is very efficient.
High-Conductance GaAs Tunnel Diodes by OMVPE

GaAs p+-n+ tunnel diodes have been grown by atmospheric-pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) using zinc as the dopant for the p+ regions and either Se or Si as the dopant for the n+ regions. At a growth temperature of 700° C, using a “cycled” growth for just the Zn-doped p++-GaAs layer both the conductance and the peak current of the tunnel diode has been increased by a factor of ≈65. The conductance of the tunnel diode, maximized at a growth temperature of 650° C with the cycled growth, is comparable to the best reported values by MBE. Cycled growths for n+ Se-doped regions reduce the tunnel-diode conductance by more than two orders of magnitude. However, the cycled growth for n+-GaAs regions formed with Si doping shows no conductance degradation. A model for these observations is presented.
ALLERGIC LOBAR PNEUMONIA : EXPERIMENTAL STUDY.

The injection of small amounts (1 cc.) of horse serum into the lungs of normal rabbits produces a transient pneumonitis confined to the dorsal aspect of both lungs. The injection of the same amount of horse serum into the lungs of rabbits that have been previously sensitized to the same serum causes in a high percentage of cases a lesion which is confined to one lung with the gross and microscopic features of lobar (fibrinous) pneumonia as seen in man.
Quality of Restructured Steaks: Effects of Days on Feed, Fat Level, and Cooking Method

Top rounds from steers fed grain 0, 28, or 56 days were flaked and formed into restructured steaks containing 15, 20, or 25% fat. Steaks were cooked on a browning dish in a microwave oven or broiled. Microwave-heated steaks appeared more well done, were less tender, released less moisture, and had greater cooking losses and penetration hardness and chewiness than broiled steaks. As fat level increased, tenderness, moisture release, and greasiness increased. Length of time on grain influenced Warner-Bratzler shear values but did not affect sensory scores. Results of the study suggest that the use of meat from grain-fed animals in the production of restructured steaks is feasible.
Health behavior of elderly Hispanic women: Does cultural assimilation make a difference?

The role of cultural assimilation in Hispanic health behavior has received little empirical examination. Prior studies have operationalized assimilation primarily in terms of language preference and have obtained weak or no effects. We interviewed 603 elderly Hispanic women residing in Los Angeles to evaluate the usefulness of cultural factors as predictors of preventive health behavior (e.g., physical examination, screening for breast cancer) more rigorously. Factor analysis of responses yielded four dimensions of cultural assimilation: "language preference", "country of birth", "contact with homeland", and "attitudes about children's friends." After controlling for education and age, no dimension of assimilation associated strongly or consistently with health behavior. Of the four dimensions, use of English language associated most closely with increased screening, although most of the effects for language were small in magnitude. These findings, coupled with those of other studies, strongly suggest tha...
Localization and modulatory actions of zinc in vertebrate retina

Zinc ions are colocalized with glutamatergic synaptic vesicles in vertebrate photoreceptors and may act as a diffusible molecular switch regulating neurotransmitter signaling at two distinct sites in the outer retina. In the dark, extracellular zinc acts presynaptically at rods and cones to minimize the depletion of tonically released glutamate, and selectively reduces GABA-mediated depolarization in horizontal cells, accelerating the response kinetics of the second-order cells. The discovery of zinc ions in photoreceptors provides a mechanism for gain control, kinetics modulation, and the balance of rod vs cone output at the first synapse in the visual system.
Object-oriented data management for interactive visual analysis of three-dimensional fluid-flow models

A strategy that allows researchers interactively to visualize, analyze, and query scientific data from computational modeling is presented. The strategy, implemented in an object-oriented visualization interface, addresses a key issue in interactive data analysis, namely, how the user can maintain a direct connection between the visual representation on the screen and the actual data set. This is accomplished by constructing hashing maps to a data set of objects based on the unique spatio-temporal coordinates of each object. A plane is defined as a two-dimensional array of objects; a volume, as an array of planes. A timeseries is an array of volumes. The indices of the arrays are mapped to the mesh values of the computation along the relevant axis. These data structures provide the programmatic elements to manage data as volumes over time. The data itself is collected into an indexed list as it occurs; the volumetric temporal organization is constructed as a set of maps that point to the location of the original data. All queries to the data are framed as queries about these maps and are in effect queries about the computational mesh. Thus, from one data organization format, nonlocal values in the mesh can be retrieved; polygons, triangles and contours can be constructed and visualized. Physical formations (pathlines, streamlines, streaklines) can be computed.
Open Heart Surgery in Infective Endocarditis

Fourteen patients with bacterial endocarditis had open heart surgery. Thirteen were operated upon because of congestive heart failure, and in one the indication for surgery was persistent infection. The aortic valve alone was involved in six patients; two patients had both aortic and mitral valve endocarditis. Five patients had infection of the mitral valve, and one patient had tricuspid valve involvement. All the patients received preoperative antibiotics for a variable period. Ten patients left the hospital and four died in the hospital. Of the 10 patients discharged, one died 9 months later of congestive heart failure. Seven patients developed valvular leaks either through the suture line or the homograft, and two deaths resulted. Nine patients are alive and in good functional status. Antibiotics were given for 5 to 10 days postoperatively; one patient, however, received antibiotics for 49 days. Early open heart surgery is recommended in bacterial endocarditis if heart failure is progressive. Shorter p...
Influence of a stellar wind on the evolution of a star of 30 solar masses

A coarse grid of theoretical evolutionary tracks was calculated for a 30 solar mass star to determine the role of mass loss in the evolution of the star during core He burning. The Cox-Stewart opacities were applied, and the rate of mass loss, criterion for convection, and initial chemical composition were taken into consideration. Using the Schwarzschild criterion, the star undergoes little mass loss during core He burning and remains a blue supergiant separated from main sequence stars on the H-R diagram. The stellar remnant consists of the original He core and may appear bluer than equally luminous main sequence stars; a variety of possible evolutionary tracks can be obtained for an initial solar mass of 30 with proper choices of free parameters.
Mass Budget of Perfluorooctane Surfactants in Lake Ontario

Perfluorooctane surfactants have been reported in biota, water, and air samples worldwide. Despite these reports, the main environmental sources of these compounds remain undefined. To address this gap in knowledge, an annual lake-wide mass budget of eight perfluorooctane surfactants was developed for Lake Ontario. To determine the atmospheric contribution to the mass budget, over-the-lake gas-phase air concentrations for N-EtFOSE and N-EtFOSA and particulate-phase air concentrations for PFOS in any air sample are reported for the first time, with mean concentrations when present of 0.5 ± 0.32 (N-EtFOSE gas-phase), 1.1 ± 0.9 (N-EtFOSA gas-phase), and 6.4 ± 3.3 (PFOS particulate-phase) pg/m3. The mass budget finds inflow from Lake Erie (14 361 ± 4489 kg Σperfluorooctane surfactants) and wastewater discharge (1762 ± 2697 kg Σperfluorooctane surfactants) to be the major sources, while outflow through the St. Lawrence River is the dominant loss mechanism (22 727 ± 7060 kg/year Σperfluorooctane surfactants). U...
Temperature Responsive Hydrogel with Reactive Nanoparticles.

The application of temperature responsive hydrogels with ion-exchange domain for nanoscale catalytic reactions is an emerging and attractive area because of the combination of individual unique features: temperature responsive tunability by the polymer domain and the high catalytic reactivity of the nanomaterial. Here, we report the entrapment and/or direct synthesis of reactive Fe and Fe/Pd nanoparticles (about 40–70 nm) in a temperature responsive hydrogel network (N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm), and NIPAAm—PAA). These nanoparticles are stabilized in the hydrogel network and the dechlorination (using trichloroethylene, TCE, as a model compound) reactivity in water is enhanced and controllable in the temperature range of 30–34°C involving polymer domain transitions at lower critical solution temperature (LCST) from hydrophilic to collapsed hydrophobic state. Water fraction modulation of the network and the enhancement of pollutant partitioning by the thermally responsive polymers play an important role in the catalytic activity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
The effect of protein impurities on lysozyme crystal growth.

While bulk crystallization from impure solutions is used industrially as a purification step for a wide variety of materials, it is a technique that has rarely been used for proteins. Proteins have a reputation for being difficult to crystallize and high purity of the initial crystallization solution is considered paramount for success in the crystallization. Although little is written on the purifying capability of protein crystallization or of the effect of impurities on the various aspects of the crystallization process, recent published reports show that crystallization shows promise and feasibility as a purification technique for proteins. In order to further examine the issue of purity in macromolecule crystallization this study investigates the effect of the protein impurities, avidin, ovalbumin and conalbumin, at concentrations up to 50%, on the solubility, crystal face growth rates and crystal purity, of the protein lysozyme. Solubility was measured in batch experiments while a computer controlled video microscope system was used to measure the f {101} and {101} lysozyme crystal face growth rates. While little effect was observed on solubility and high crystal purity was obtained (>99.99%), the effect of the impurities on the face growth rates varied from no effect to a significant face specific effect leading to growth cessation, a phenomenon that is frequently observed in protein crystal growth. The results shed interesting light on the effect of protein impurities on protein crystal growth and strengthen the feasibility of using crystallization as a unit operation for protein purification.
Continuity despite change: Kenya’s new constitution and executive power

What explains the continuation of strong executive power despite the introduction of new formal constraints on presidents? This article focuses on the elites working within the state agencies that execute presidential power, who benefit materially from their authority and have incentives to defy formal constraints placed on their own power. To evaluate this claim, I examine Kenya's 2010 constitution, which intended to reduce the power of Kenya's “imperial presidency” through formal constraints on the executive. As implementation has progressed, however, the executive bureaucracy – the Provincial Administration (PA) – has not changed in size, structure, or function, contrary to the explicit goals of the constitution's drafters. Using original interview and archival evidence, I find that the persistence of this agency – and by extension strong executive power – is due to PA administrators’ attempts to protect their material interests. This article shows that formal rule change may be insufficient to spur de...
The Armenian Magical Scroll and Outsider Art

Unordained clergy make Armenian prayer scrolls, which go back to the amulets against the Child-stealing Witch. They are analogous to the MSS of Ethiopian Christians, made often by charismatic and socially marginal figures. This art found a niche in East Christian society; but none was provided for the appropriately named "outsider" art and the art of the insane in the West, which often expresses religious visions and sentiments that the artistic and mental health establishments—rather than an ecclesiastical order this time!—have forced to the margin of society or beyond it.Despite the early efforts of Frederic Macler, though Armenian magical and talismanic texts have been edited and published there has been little study of the art as such of the manuscripts that contain them. Perhaps because of their greater flamboyance and their situation partially in an African context, it is the analogous material of the Ethiopian Christian tradition that has received art historical attention. And modern avowedly religious art of almost any kind in the West became so generally marginalised in criticism that much of it, including the art of people labelled insane, has come to be studied, if at all, under the rubric of art brut or outsider art. Since the makers of folk-religious-magical art in Armenia (the tirac'u) and in Ethiopia (the debtera) are sometimes marginal figures like outsider artists, I have attempted in this essay to initiate an approach to Armenian magical and talismanic art that employs the comparative method and takes advantage of the insights of studies of outsider art, the art of the psychologically abnormal, and the art of self-taught religious visionaries.
Some comments on sister chromatid exchange (SCE) in human neoplasia

Abstract The incidence of sister chromatid exchange (SCE) in bone marrow cells and/or lymphocytes of patients with various leukemias and the effects of drugs on the SCE incidence in the cells of patients with leukemia or cancer are presented and discussed. The possible use of SCE for screening antileukemic drugs, mutagenic and/or carcinogenic agents and susceptible human populations is presented.
Intragastric self-administration of psychoactive drugs by the rhesus monkey.

Abstract A new technique allowing intragastric self-administration of drugs by subhuman primates has been developed. The technique was found to be durable and dependable. Eleven of the fifteen opportunities for animals to initiate self-administration resulted in the acquisition of the behavior. The drugs studied were pentobarbital sodium, ethanol, d-amphetamine sulfate, and methadone hydrochloride. The acquisition of ethanol self-administration yields relatively predictable patterns of drug intake — commonly, alternating epochs of high and low drug intake. The cyclical pattern is similar to the patterns of oral intake of many drugs by the human drug abuser. Because of this similarity and several other features of the model, we conclude that the intragastric self-administration model in the subhuman primate provides a useful method to study drugs abused orally by man.
Ab initio study of nonlinear optical properties of aromatic fused rings

Abstract The nonlinear optical properties of benzene, naphthalene, anthracene, and pyrene are investigated. Static and dynamic polarizability, α (− ω ; ω ), and second hyperpolarizability, corresponding to dc electric-field-induced Kerr effect (DCKE), intensity dependent refractive index (IDRI), dc electric field-induced second harmonic generation (EFISHG), and third harmonic generation (THG) have been calculated. The calculated α and γ show good agreement with the available theoretical and gas-phase experimental data. The second hyperpolarizabilities exhibit the following trend: γ (THG) > γ (EFISHG) > γ (IDRI) ∼ γ (DCKE) > γ (static). We find that the second hyperpolarizabilities increase as the number of rings in the system increases in either dimension, but the magnitude of increase is more pronounced along the molecular chain axis.
Data-randomized confidence intervals for discrete distributions

In practice non-randomized conservative confidence intervals for the parameter of a discrete distribution are used instead of the randomized uniformly most accurate intervals. We suggest in this paper that a part of the data be used as the random mechanism to create “data-randomized” confidence intervals. A thoughtful utilization of the data leads to intervals that are shorter than the usual conservative intervals but avoids the arbitrariness of the randomized uniformly most accurate intervals. Examples are given using the binomial, Poisson, and extended hypergeometric distributions, as well as applications to a metched case-control study and a randomized clinical trial.
To Be or Not to Be Committed: The Effects of Continuance and Affective Commitment on Absenteeism and Turnover Intent among Private Prison Personnel

Despite the recent burgeoning of the private prison industry, little research has focused on private prison personnel. This study attempts to help fill this research gap by examining the relationship between two distinct forms of organizational commitment, continuance and affective, and the withdrawal outcomes of absenteeism and turnover intent for personnel at a Midwestern U.S. private prison. Results of an ordinary least squares (OLS) multivariate regression analysis supported our prediction of an inverse relationship between affective organizational commitment and the withdrawal outcomes of absenteeism and turnover intent; however, contrary to our hypotheses, the analysis indicated no statistically significant relationship between continuance organizational commitment and these withdrawal outcomes, after controlling for custody position, gender, age, tenure, education, race, and supervisory status. Our results suggest that enhancing employees’ affective organizational bonds should be a priority for pri...
Functional Imaging of Rat Somatosensory Cortex using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

Simultaneous OCT and video microscopy were performed on rat somatosensory cortex during forepaw stimulation. Fractional changes in localized regions of OCT images reveal a functional signal time-course similar to hemodynamic signal measured with video microscopy.
Age-Related Changes in Cochlear Gene Expression In Normal and Shaker 2 Mice

The vertebrate cochlea is a complex organ optimized for sound transduction. Auditory hair cells, with their precisely arranged stereocilia bundles, transduce sound waves to electrical signals that are transmitted to the brain. Mutations in the unconventional myosin XV cause deafness in both human DFNB3 families and in shaker 2 (sh2) mice as a result of defects in stereocilia. In these mutant mice, hair cells have relatively normal spatial organization of stereocilia bundles but lack the graded, stair-step organization. We used sh2 mice as an experimental model to investigate the molecular consequences of the sh2 mutation in the Myo15 gene. Gene expression profiling with Affymetrix GeneChips in deaf homozygous (sh2/sh2) mice at 3 weeks and 3 months of age, and in age-matched, normal-hearing heterozygotes (+/sh2) identified only a few genes whose expression was affected by genotype, but a large number with age-associated changes in expression in both normal mice and sh2/sh2 homozygotes. Microarray data analyzed using Robust Multiarray Average identified Aim1, Dbi, and Tm4sf3 as genes with increased expression in sh2/sh2 homozygotes. These increases were confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Genes exhibiting altered expression with age encoded collagens and proteins involved in collagen maturation, extracellular matrix, and bone mineralization. These results identified potential cellular pathways associated with myosin XV defects, and age-associated molecular events that are likely to be involved in maturation of the cochlea and auditory function.
Effect of nitrogen and sulfur mustard on nucleic acid synthesis in Escherichia coli.

Abstract 1. 1. Treatment of Escherichia coli with nitrogen- or sulfur mustard resulted in a cessation of cell division and a marked reduction of the viable count. Strain B/r was much more resistent to mustard than was B. Bacteria inactivated with mustard could still grow for several hours, giving rise to filaments. 2. 2. The nucleic acid content, per cell, of E. coli B and B/r was found to be the same. Samples of DNA isolated from these two strains were found to have the same base composition. 3. 3. Nitrogen- and sulfur mustards induced a transient inhibition of DNA synthesis in both E. coli B and B/r. The duration of the inhibition depended on the concentration of mustard. Ultimately, DNA synthesis resumed and the rate of DNA synthesis of the filaments returned to normal. 4. 4. Growth (increase of turbidity) and RNA synthesis continued while DNA synthesis was blocked. 5. 5. Deoxyribose accumulated in the acid-soluble fraction of E. coli treated with either sulfur-or nitrogen mustard. 6. 6. E coli B and B/r, treated with sulfur mustard, excreted into the growth medium acid-soluble material, whose absorption spectrum showed a peak at 260 mμ. Bacteria treated with nitrogen mustard did not release such substances.
Exploring the effects of luteinizing hormone–releasing hormone agonist therapy on bone health: implications in the management of prostate cancer

Osteoporosis is a complication that may be associated with long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in men with prostate cancer. Androgen deprivation increases bone resorption, thereby leading to a more rapid decrease of bone mineral density (BMD) at multiple skeletal sites as compared with age-matched healthy men. ADT has been associated with an increased risk of skeletal fracture in several retrospective analyses. The role of androgens in maintaining bone health appears to be mediated indirectly through their conversion to estrogens, although testosterone may be an important factor in bone formation. Physicians need to be aware of the potential for osteoporosis and should inform patients of appropriate lifestyle and diet modifications, such as calcium and vitamin D supplementation, and exercise at the initiation of ADT. Evaluating BMD may become the accepted norm. Several studies suggest that bisphosphonates may be beneficial in preventing and treating osteoporosis in patients with prostate cancer. The overall benefit of ADT in men with prostate cancer will continue to improve as potential side effects, such as osteoporosis, are recognized and addressed successfully.
Dynamic filtering of sparse signals using reweighted ℓ 1

Accurate estimation of undersampled time-varying signals improves as stronger signal models provide more information to aid the estimator. In class Kalman filter-type algorithms, dynamic models of signal evolution are highly leveraged but there is little exploitation of structure within a signal at a given time. In contrast, standard sparse approximation schemes (e.g., L1 minimization) utilize strong structural models for a single signal, but do not admit obvious ways to incorporate dynamic models for data streams. In this work we introduce a causal estimation algorithm to estimate time-varying sparse signals. This algorithm is based on a hierarchical probabilistic model that uses re-weighted L1 minimization as its core computation, and propagates second order statistics through time similar to classic Kalman filtering. The resulting algorithm achieves very good performance, and appears to be particularly robust to errors in the dynamic signal model.
A new hydroxylase system in Actinomadura sp cells converting compactin to pravastatin

The hydroxylase in cell-free extracts of Actinomadura sp strain 2966 converts compactin to pravastatin. It requires NADPH as coenzyme and Mg2+ as cofactor; Mn2+ can partially replace Mg2+. In contrast with the inducible cytochrome P-450 system of Streptomyces carbophilus which catalyzes the same overall reaction, this constitutive hydroxylase is stimulated by ATP and ascorbic acid and is not inactivated by CO.
Synthesis of rhenium oxide nanoparticles (RexOy) by gamma irradiation

Abstract Rhenium nanoparticles in the form of Re x O y were synthesized by gamma irradiation. A solution of sodium perrhenate in a mixture of water–isopropanol with a volume ratio of 2:1 was prepared. The solution was irradiated with a cobalt-60 gamma source with absorbed doses of 10, 20, 30 and 40 kGy. During gamma irradiation of water, strong oxidizing and reducing species are produced, thus isopropanol was primarily added in order to scavenge the oxidizing species. Radiolytic reduction of perrhenate ions leads to nucleation and growth of nanoparticles with average sizes between 10 and 55 nm. The size and size distribution of the resulting nanoparticles were investigated at three different concentrations of sodium perrhenate, 1, 3, and 5 mM, without the addition of any surfactant or stabilizer. Morphological and structural characteristics of the nanoparticles were performed with STEM, TEM, and UV–vis spectroscopy. Average particle size was found to increase in general with increased absorbed dose and initial concentration of sodium perrhenate. Nonetheless, for the 5 mM solution of sodium perrhenate, the particle size increased from 10 to 30 kGy and a decrease was observed at 40 kGy. The nanoparticles were found to be amorphous.
Reexamination of the polymeric distributions of κ-Casein isolated from bovine milk

κ-Casein the stabilizing protein of the colloidal milk protein complex was purified from bovine skim milk by the method of McKenzie and Wake (Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 47, 240, 1961). The preparations were examined by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis in the presence and absence of a reducing agent. In the presence of a reducing agent, the κ-casein migrates as a single low molecular weight band. However, in the absence of a reducing agent, a characteristic pattern of aggregates of varying molecular weight was observed with components ranging from monomer to octamer in integer steps. Densitometry of the Coomassie blue stained gels showed an almost equal distribution of components in each band; carbohydrate staining showed preferential location of sugar residues in lower molecular weight components. Treatment with chymosin (rennin) caused a downward shift in apparent molecular weight for each band with no change in the relative intensity of the Coomassie blue stained bands. Similar gel patterns were observed in whole caseins and partially purified κ-caseins, indicating that this size distribution is a natural disulfide-linked reporter for the distribution of κ-casein in casein colloids (micelles).
Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia Associated With Generalized AA-Amyloidosis

The authors present a case of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia (WM) associated with generalized amyloidosis of amyloid-A type. A 77-year-old man with a 25-year history of degenerative joint disease and a 13-year history of WM died of multisystemic failure. At autopsy, generalized and severe amyloid deposits were detected. Special conventional stains and immunohistochemical examination revealed amyloid-A de posits, which are extinguishingly rare in WM. This is probably related to the disease being chronic, which results in excessive production of precursor protein. The detection of amyloid-A type fibrils was possible only through the application of the immunohis tochemical procedure. The authors emphasize using the immunohistochemical typing of amyloid deposits for the purpose of classification, therapy, and prognosis. Int J Surg Pathol 1 (2):123-128, 1993
High heat flux issues for plasma-facing components in fusion reactors

Plasma facing components in tokamak fusion reactors are faced with a number of difficult high heat flux issues. These components include: first wall armor tiles, pumped limiters, diverter plates, rf antennae structure, and diagnostic probes. Peak heat fluxes are 15 - 30 MW/m2 for diverter plates, which will operate for 100 - 1000 seconds in future tokamaks. Disruption heat fluxes can approach 100,000 MW/m2 for 0.1 ms. Diverter plates are water-cooled heat sinks with armor tiles brazed on to the plasma facing side. Heat sink materials include OFHC, GlidcopTM, TZM, Mo-41Re, and niobium alloys. Armor tile materials include: carbon fiber composites, beryllium, silicon carbide, tungsten, and molybdenum. Tile thickness range from 2 - 10 mm, and heat sinks are 1 - 3 mm. A twisted tape insert is used to enhance heat transfer and increase the burnout safety margin from critical heat flux limits to 50 - 60 MW/m2 with water at 10 m/s and 4 MPa. Tests using rastered electron beams have shown thermal fatigue failures from cracks at the brazed interface between tiles and the heat sink after only 1000 cycles at 10 - 15 MW/m2. These fatigue lifetimes need to be increased an order of magnitude to meet future requirements. Other critical issues for plasma facing components include: surface erosion from sputtering and disruption erosion, eddy current forces and runaway electron impact from disruptions, neutron damage, tritium retention and release, remote maintenance of radioactive components, corrosion-erosion, and loss-of-coolant accidents.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Mutational analysis verifies that "kneed" sequence of fibronectin participates in cell-substrate interactions

Interactions between cell-surface integrins and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins underlie a versatile recognition system providing cells with anchorage and traction for migration or matrix remodeling. Short peptide sequences of fibronectin (FN), most notably RGD found on a loop in the tenth type III domain, are effective in promoting cell adhesion when immobilized to a biomaterial scaffold. Using bioinformatics, we identified a candidate cell-binding peptide sequence, KNEED, located on the loop region of the 8/sup th/ domain of fibronectin that from in vitro studies appears to participate in cell attachment and spreading. To demonstrate its importance, the KNEED sequence of Fibronectin type III domains 7-10 (FN7-10) was mutated to AAAAA or SNSSS (FN7-10 AAAAA and FN7-10 SNSSS respectively). Wildtype and mutant proteins were expressed in E. coli, purified by conventional chromatography and tested in cell adhesion assays. Results indicate that the extent of cell spreading on surfaces coated with either FN7-10 AAAAA or FN7-10 SNSSS was measurably less than on surfaces coated with wildtype FN7-10. Mutational analysis may aid in the characterization of new targets for applications where biorecognition plays a key role.
The Influence of Parental Bonding on Emotional Distress in Caregiving Sons for a Parent With Dementia

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of childhood parental bonding on emotional distress experienced by primary caregiving sons for a parent with dementia. Design and Methods: Data from the 40 participants were obtained using the Parental Bonding Inventory (PBI), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and Caregiver Survey Questionnaire (CSQ). A multivariate analysis of variance was conducted to investigate any main effects or interaction between the two PBI bonding variables (care and overprotection) and the two distress variables, the BSI’s Global Severity Index and the CSQ’s distress percentage. Results: Caregiving sons who identified more care in the childhood bond with their parent attributed less distress to their primary caregiver role. Sons reporting less care attributed more distress to the primary caregiver role. Implications: Results suggest that the parental bond developed during childhood may play a role in predicting the extent to which caregiving sons will attribute distress to their caregiving role.
A 2-D decomposition based parallelization of AIM for 3-D BIOEM problems

A novel parallelization of the adaptive integral method (AIM) is presented for accelerating the large-scale solution of volume integral equations pertinent to bioelectromagnetics (BIOEM) problems. The proposed method improves the parallel scalability of AIM by (i) using different workload distribution strategies to load balance the different steps of the algorithm (rather than a single global decomposition strategy) and (ii) using a 2-D rather than a 1-D stencil decomposition of the auxiliary grid to parallelize the 3-D FFTs and the related anterpolation/interpolation steps. With the proposed modifications, the maximum number of processes that can be used effectively scales as Pmax ∼ N2/3, where N denotes the number of volumetric unknowns. Numerical results demonstrate the scalability of the method and its application to BIOEM problems.
Not All Alternatives Are Complementary

so simple?like human kindness and respect. Establishing empathy, for ex ample, seems a prerequisite to empow erment, and CAM-influenced encounters (measured before any resultant medi cine is dispensed) currently seem better at this than an orthodox structure alone allows for (Mercer et al. 2001). So pro posing that everyone study CAM (use ful as it might be) seems like an avoid ance of the real challenge?to confront the dehumanization of medicine.
Physostigmine-induced reversal of EEG and behavioral effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol

The effects of Δ9-THC) in combination with physostigmine (PHYSO) on the electroencephalogram (EEG) and behavior were measured in adult unrestrained rabbits. The increase in mean cortical electrogenesis (voltage output) of the EEG induced by Δ9-THC was clearly reversed by PHYSO. Hippocampal theta rhythm disrupted by Δ9-THC was restored by PHYSO. Physostigmine also antagonized Δ9-THC-induced alteration of postural and activity behaviors. Except for very brief periods of retching, no behavioral indications of toxicity were observed.
Induction of Eph B3 after spinal cord injury.

Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) in adult rats initiates a cascade of events producing a nonpermissive environment for axonal regeneration. This nonfavorable environment could be due to the expression of repulsive factors. The Eph receptor protein tyrosine kinases and their respective ligands (ephrins) are families of molecules that play a major role in axonal pathfinding and target recognition during central nervous system (CNS) development. Their mechanism of action is mediated by repellent forces between receptor and ligand. The possible role that these molecules play after CNS trauma is unknown. We hypothesized that an increase in the expression of Eph proteins and/or ephrins may be one of the molecular cues that restrict axonal regeneration after SCI. Rats received a contusive SCI at T10 and in situ hybridization studies 7 days posttrauma demonstrated: (i) a marked up-regulation of Eph B3 mRNA in cells located in the white matter at the lesion epicenter, but not rostral or caudal to the injury site, and (ii) an increase in Eph B3 mRNA in neurons in the ventral horn and intermediate zone of the gray matter, rostral and caudal to the lesion. Immunohistochemical analyses localizing Eph B3 protein were consistent with the mRNA results. Colocalization studies performed in injured animals demonstrated increased Eph B3 expression in white matter astrocytes and motor neurons of the gray matter. These results suggest that Eph B3 may contribute to the unfavorable environment for axonal regeneration after SCI.
Light scattering properties of quartz particles in seawater

Existing models of seawater optical properties usually do not explicitly include quartz particles. These models are good for open ocean waters and biologically stable coastal waters but fail to adequately predict optical properties of coastal waters with shallow sandy bottoms. In this paper the authors try to fill this gap by extending their previous optical model of quartz suspensions in seawater by including calculations of all inherent optical properties.
On a different plane: Cross-language effects on the conceptual representations of within-language homonyms

We examined whether bilinguals’ conceptual representation of homonyms in one language are influenced by meanings in the other. One hundred and seventeen Spanish–English bilinguals generated sentences for 62 English homonyms that were also cognates with Spanish and which shared at least one meaning with Spanish (e.g., plane/plano). Production probabilities for each meaning were calculated. A stepwise multiple regression revealed that whether a meaning was shared with Spanish or not accounted for a significant portion of the variance, even after entering production probabilities from published monolingual norms (Twilley et al., 1994). Homonyms classified as highly biased based on monolingual responses became less biased if the less frequent meaning was shared whereas balanced homonyms increased in polarisation if the dominant meaning was shared. Results are discussed in terms of models of bilingual conceptual and lexical representation as well as theories of ambiguity resolution.
On equitable Δ-coloring of graphs with low average degree

An equitable coloring of a graph is a proper vertex coloring such that the sizes of any two color classes differ by at most 1. Hajnal and Szemeredi proved that every graph with maximum degree Δ is equitably k-colorable for every k ≥ Δ + 1. Chen, Lih, and Wu conjectured that every connected graph with maximum degree Δ ≥ 3 distinct from KΔ+1 and KΔ,Δ is equitably Δ-colorable. This conjecture has been proved for graphs in some classes such as bipartite graphs, outerplanar graphs, graphs with maximum degree 3, interval graphs We prove that this conjecture holds for graphs with average degree at most Δ/5.
The Cognitive Assessment Screening Test (CAST) for Dementia

The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness, the sensitivity, and the specificity of the Cognitive Assessment. Screening Test (CAST), a paper-and-pencil self-administered cognitive test designed to screen elderly people for possible dementia, for use in general physicians' offices, requiring little expertise or staff time. CAST consists of three parts: part A (relatively easy), part B (more demanding), and part C (self-report of concerns). CAST was administered in two studies to: (1) 19 patients known to be mildly to moderately demented versus 24 age-matched normal controls (to establish cutoff standards); and (2) a "real world" sample of 26 elderly patients not known to be demented, attending a general medicine clinic. The sensitivity and specificity of CAST were compared with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Blessed Dementia Scale cognitive portion (BDS-cog). In study 1, controls were given a detailed neuropsychological battery; in study 2, all patients were given the neuropsychological battery, which served as the "gold standard" to identify individuals with cognitive impairment. In study 1, the cutoff scores for dementia using CAST (Parts A and B) were established. CAST discriminated demented patients from controls with a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 88%; the MMSE had a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 100%; and the BDS-cog had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 96%. In study 2, CAST discriminated cognitive impairment with a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 100%, the MMSE had a sensitivity of 38% and a specificity of 100%; and the BDS-cog had a sensitivity of 50% and a specificity of 94%. Part C was not used to discriminate demented from normal elderly individuals, but to screen for those concerned about their cognitive functioning. CAST is highly useful as a dementia screening test, with sensitivity and specificity equal to or better than the MMSE and BDS-cog, yet requiring minimal examiner time and little training or experience to administer.
Locating deciduous trees

Presents a method to obtain information about the presence of deciduous trees in images. Since a single measure, observation or model is unlikely to yield robust recognition of trees, we present an approach that combines color measures and estimates of the complexity, structure, roughness and directionality of the image based on entropy measures, grey-level co-occurrence matrices, Fourier transforms, multi-resolution Gabor filter sets, steerable filters and the fractal dimension. A standard backpropagation neural network is used to arbitrate between the different measures and to find a set of robust and mutually consistent ltree expertsr
Reduced order models for boundary feedback flow control

This paper deals with the practical and theoretical implications of model reduction for aerodynamic flow based control problems. Various aspects of model reduction are discussed that apply to partial differential equation (PDE) based models in general. Specifically, the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) of a high dimension system as well as frequency domain identification methods are discussed for initial model construction. Projections on the POD basis give a Galerkin model. Then, a model reduction method based on empirical balanced truncation is developed and applied to the Galerkin model. The proposed empirical balanced truncation uses the Galerkin model with a chirp signal as input to produce the output in the eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA). This method estimates the system's Markov parameters that accurately reproduce the output. Then, balanced truncation is used to show that model reduction is still effective on ERA produced approximated systems. The linear empirical balanced truncation algorithm is applied to the Galerkin model which is nonlinear. The rationale for doing so is that linear subspace approximations to exact submanifolds associated with nonlinear controllability and observabilty require only standard matrix manipulations utilizing simulation/experimental data. The proposed method is applied to a prototype convective flow on obstacle geometry. A Hinfin feedback flow controller is designed based on the reduced model to achieve tracking, and then applied to the full order model with excellent performance.
Infection With Novel Respiratory Syncytial Virus Genotype Ontario (ON1) in Adult Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients, Texas, 2011–2013

BACKGROUND Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can cause severe respiratory disease in adult hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) recipients. RSV subgroups A and B have evolved into multiple genotypes. We report on a recently described RSV genotype (ON1) in a cohort of adult HCT recipients in Texas. METHODS Twenty adult HCT recipients were enrolled as a part of an efficacy trial of ribavirin therapy. RSV identification and genotyping was performed using molecular techniques. RSV-specific neutralizing antibody (NAb) responses were measured. RESULTS ON1 genotype was detected in 3 of 6 patients in the 2011-2012 season and in 8 of 14 patients in 2012-2013 season. Other genotypes detected were NA1 and BA. NAb levels were low at enrollment. Eight of 9 patients who cleared the RSV infection within 2 weeks mounted a ≥4-fold NAb response, compared with 2 of 8 who shed the virus for >2 weeks. The clinical course of those infected with ON1 was comparable to the course for individuals infected with other genotypes. CONCLUSION This is the first report of RSV ON1 genotype in the United States, and ON1 genotype was dominant genotype in adult HCT recipients. Interestingly, faster viral clearance was associated with a ≥4-fold NAb response, likely indicating a reconstituted immune system.
The role of personality characteristics in young adult driving

Background. Motor vehicle injury is the major cause of mortality among young adults. Information about the individual characteristics of those who drive dangerously could enhance traffic safety programs. The goal of this research was to examine the association between various personality-related characteristics and risky driving behaviors. Methods. Young adults in Michigan, USA (n = 5,362) were surveyed by telephone regarding several personality factors (risk-taking, hostility, aggression, tolerance of deviance, achievement expectations) and driving behaviors (competitive driving, risk-taking driving, high-risk driving, aggressive driving, and drink/driving). Michigan driver records were obtained to examine offenses, serious offenses, driving offense points, crashes and serious crashes in the three pre-interview years. Multivariate regression analyses, adjusting for age, race, and marital status were conducted separately by sex to identify personality factors related to driving. Results. For men and women...
The kinetics of sorption by ion exchange resin beds

The kinetics of sorption of dilute aqueous solutions of acetone, n-propanol, ethylen glycol, and glycerine by packed beds of Dowex 50W-X8 (H+) resin have been investigated experimentally. Data indicate that intraparticle diffusion of the solute is rate controlling and that density mixing and nonlinear equilibrium effects must be considered in analyzing this type of operation.
Electron-Induced Surface Reactions of η3-Allyl Ruthenium Tricarbonyl Bromide [(η3-C3H5)Ru(CO)3Br]: Contrasting the Behavior of Different Ligands

Toward the goal of better understanding the elementary steps involved in the electron beam-induced deposition (EBID) of organometallic precursors, the present study is aimed at understanding the sequence of electron-stimulated reactions of surface-bound η3-allyl ruthenium tricarbonyl bromide [(η3-C3H5)Ru(CO)3Br], an organometallic complex with three different ligands: carbonyl (CO), halide (Br), and η3-allyl (η3-C3H5). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and mass spectrometry were used in situ to probe the effects of 500 eV electrons on nanometer scale films of [(η3-C3H5)Ru(CO)3Br]. Initially, electron irradiation decomposes the precursor, reducing the central Ru atom and causing the ejection of CO ligands into the gas phase. Experimental evidence points to the inability of electron irradiation to remove the carbon atoms of the η3-allyl (η3-C3H5) ligand from the resulting EBID deposits. Although the Br atoms are not labile in the initial molecular decomposition step, they are removed from the film after expo...
An interactive approach for situated task specification through verbal instructions

The ability to specify a task without having to write special software is an important and prominent feature for a mobile service robot deployed in a crowded office environment, working around and interacting with people. In this paper, we contribute an interactive approach for enabling the users to instruct tasks to a mobile service robot through verbal commands.The input is given as typed or spoken instructions, which are then mapped to the available sensing and actuation primitives on the robot. The main contributions of this work are the addition of conditionals on sensory information that the specified actions to be executed in a closed-loop manner, and a correction mode that allows an existing task to be modified or corrected at a later time by providing a replacement action during the test execution.We describe all the components of our approach along with the implementation details and illustrative examples in depth. We also discuss the extensibility of the presented approach, and point out potential future extensions.