cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthetic thrombus model for in vitro studies of laser thrombolysis

Laser thrombolysis is the controlled ablation of a thrombus (blood clot) blockage in a living arterial system. Theoretical modeling of the interaction of laser light with thrombi relies on the ability to perform in vitro experiments with well characterized surrogate materials. A synthetic thrombus formulation may offer more accurate results when compared to in vivo clinical experiments. We describe here the development of new surrogate materials based on formulations incorporating chicken egg, guar gum, modified food starch, and a laser light absorbing dye. The sound speed and physical consistency of the materials were very close to porcine (arterial) and human (venous) thrombi. Photographic and videotape recordings of pulsed dye laser ablation experiments under various experimental conditions were used to evaluate the new material as compared to in vitro tests with human (venous) thrombus. The characteristics of ablation and mass removal were similar to that of real thrombi, and therefore provide a more realistic model for in vitro laser thrombolysis when compared to gelatin.
Are g.p.a. and ethics related

This article reports results of a study of some 200 college-aged students at California State University. Ethical values are measured using a subset of the well-known and frequently used Rokeach Value Survey. Using nonparametric statistical analysis, four value measures, and four different consistent tests of significance and probability, the research data, perhaps disappointedly for many observers including the authors, reveal that there is no relationship between college grade point average and student ethics. Statistical analysis was done on g.p.a. splits of “less than 3.0” versus “3.0 or more” and also on g.p.a. data for “2.5 or less” versus “3.5 or more”. In all cases, there are no significant relationships between high or low grade point averages and scores on ethical value rankings.
To Commit or Not to Commit: The Psychiatry Resident as a Variable in Involuntary Commitment Decisions

Objective To study whether psychiatry residents’ personalvariables (such as age, gender, level of training, previous experience with patient suicide or lawsuits) and their temperamental predispositions have an impact on their decisions to seek involuntary commitment.
RNA sequence and secondary structural determinants in a minimal viral promoter that directs replicase recognition and initiation of genomic plus-strand RNA synthesis.

Viral RNA replication provides a useful system to study the structure and function of RNAs and the mechanism of RNA synthesis from RNA templates. Previously we demonstrated that a 27 nt RNA from brome mosaic virus (BMV) can direct correct initiation of genomic plus-strand RNA synthesis by the BMV replicase. In this study, using biochemical, nuclear magnetic resonance, and thermodynamic analyses, we determined that the secondary structure of this 27 nt RNA can be significantly altered and retain the ability to direct RNA synthesis. In contrast, we find that position-specific changes in the RNA sequence will affect replicase recognition, modulate the polymerization process, and contribute to the differential accumulation of viral RNAs. These functional results are in agreement with the phylogenetic analysis of BMV and related viral sequences and suggest that a similar mechanism of RNA synthesis takes place for members of the alphavirus superfamily.
Pesticides in fish from a Hawaiian canal

The Ala Wai Canal s e r v e s as a d ra inage unit for the city of Honolulu and i t r e c e i v e s the wa te r f rom two s t r e a m s which pa s s through r e s i d e n t i a l a r e a s of the ci ty and runoff wate r f rom a golf course which b o r d e r s o n e t h i r d of the cana l ' s length. Samples of sed iment , wa te r , and biota were obtained f rom the canal to de te rmine the degree of pes t i c ide contaminat ion of this environment .
TiO2 film oxygen sensors made by chemical vapour deposition from organometallics

Abstract This paper describes a new type of resistive TiO 2 oxygen sensor that can be used for monitoring and control of combustion processes such as the combustion in an engine. In contrast to the existing ceramic TiO 2 sensors, the new sensor is based on TiO 2 films grown by chemical vapour deposition from organometallics such as tetraisopropyl titanate. The condition for obtaining films with the stable rutile phase and the required properties are discussed. The electrical properties of these films were studied in the range 300 – 900 °C for oxygen pressures between 1 and 10 −35 atm and were generally found to be similar to those of TiO 2 ceramics. With the addition of noble metal catalysts, these films are capable of measuring the thermo-dynamic equilibrium oxygen pressure and can thus be used as stoichiometric air-to-fuel sensors. The properties of experimental TiO 2 film devices were studied in the laboratory and on engines. The main result is that these film sensors possess a faster transient response than available ceramic TiO 2 and electrochemical ZrO 2 oxygen sensors. In addition to having improved performance, film-type TiO 2 sensors can be inexpensively fabricated with multi-component structures for heating or temperature compensation.
HISTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF ENZYME ACTIVITY IN THE SHOOT APICAL MERISTEM OF BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS DURING TRANSITION TO FLOWERING. IV. GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATASE

Glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P) activity was determined in fresh-frozen, cryostat sections in the shoot apical meristem of Brassica campestris L. Enzymatic activity was differentially distributed in a zonate pattern in the vegetative meristem, but not in the transition and floral meristem. Vegetative apices showed a heterogenous localization with the highest activity in the central zone and the pith-rib meristem zone. At the early transition stage of development, G6P activity in the peripheral zone increased slightly. At the late transitional (prefloral) stage, G6P activity was not localized within the peripheral zone in island-like areas of activity. This is the first demonstration of G6P in shoot apical meristem at the vegetative, transition, and floral stage. The results indicate that G6P activity 1) is an accompanying event of evocation, but 2) does not mark incipient floral primordia. G6P may play an important role in the maintenance of glucose-6-phosphate homeostasis in an evoked shoot apical meristem.
Calibration and use of a Clark-type oxygen electrode from 5 to 45°C☆

A calibration procedure for a Clark-type oxygen electrode over a wide range of temperatures is described. The autoxidation of duroquinol (2,3,5,6-tetramethyl-1,4-benzenediol) was used to verify the electrode's ability to accurately sense the total amount of dissolved O2 in an aqueous buffer. Electrode response time was measured by using oxygenated ethanol to deliver a rapid increase in O2 concentration to the reaction medium. An oxygen-producing system (spinach thylakoids) was utilized to test the range of O2-evolution rates able to be sensed. It was concluded that a Clark-type oxygen electrode has the absolute sensitivity, rapidity, and range necessary to accurately track rates of O2 production or consumption from 5 to 45 degrees C.
Centralized Versus Decentralized Resource Allocation: The Yugoslav “Laboratory”

I. Introduction: comparing allocation mechanisms in an ideal laboratory, 561. — II. The "administrative" period in postwar Yugoslavia, 567. — III. The decentralized mechanism in Yugoslavia, 572. — IV. The administrative and the decentralized periods: comparison of aggregates, 574. — V. The performance of the new mechanism: noncomparative analysis, 579. — VI. Concluding remarks, 585.
The synthesis of methionine by enzymic transmethylation. IV. Light scattering studies of the depolymerization of thetin-homocysteine methylpherase.

Abstract 1. 1. The parameters affecting the state of polymerization of horse liver thetinhomocysteine methylpherase were subject to quantitative study employing the measurement of light-scattering. 2. 2. The pH and temperature, the concentration of the protein, and the presence of metal-chelating agents appeared to have virtually no effect on the extent of polymerization. 3. 3. The rates of depolymerization produced by a number of disulfide cleaving agents were compared. The efficacy of various thiols roughly paralleled the acid strengths of their respective sulfhydryl groups, and for a given thiol the rate was increased by a rise in the temperature or pH. 4. 4. Under conditions suitable for kinetic measurements, the depolymerization reaction slows progressively, and appears to cease before attaining completion. 5. 5. The monomer mol wt. of the enzyme was approximately determined by sedimentation-diffusion and light scattering, and is estimated to be 180,000 ± 10%.
Thoracic Aortic Mobile Thrombus: Is There a Role for Early Surgical Intervention?

Background The diagnosis of thoracic aortic mobile thrombus (TAMT) is rare and is usually made after debilitating embolic events. The optimal treatment strategy is unknown. We report 14 patients with TAMT and aim to better define the role of early (less than 2 weeks) surgical thrombectomy. Methods Between February 1996 and February 2010, we treated 14 patients (9 women; aged 32 to 84 years, mean age 51 years) with TAMT. Hypercoagulable disorders or a strong family history of vascular thrombosis, or both, occurred in 9 patients. Diagnosis was made by transesophageal echocardiogram in 6, computed tomography angiography in 7, and digital subtraction angiography in 1. Embolic locations were extremities (n = 9), cerebral (n = 6), and abdominal (n = 6). Aortic thrombi (n = 17) locations were ascending/arch (n = 7), descending (n = 8), and thoracoabdominal (n = 2). Results All patients were initially treated with heparin and aspirin. Thoracic aortic thrombectomies were performed in 8 patients within 2 weeks of diagnosis: left thoracotomy (n = 5), thoracoabdominal (n = 1), and median sternotomy (n = 2). Left atrial-femoral bypass was used in 5 patients, cardiopulmonary bypass in 2, and no support in 1. Additional procedures were celiac artery (n = 1) and left subclavian artery (n = 2) thrombectomies. Procedures for embolic complications were performed in 7 patients before aortic thrombectomy. Operative mortality was 0%, with no recurrent embolic events after 24 ± 16 months. One patient had thrombectomy of the ascending aorta and medical therapy with warfarin and aspirin for a second concurrent small thrombus in the descending aorta. One patient presented with multiorgan failure and died shortly after admission. Six patients treated medically were discharged on a regimen of oral warfarin and aspirin (14 ± 11 months follow-up), with 2 fatal recurrent embolic events within 6 weeks ( p = 0.09). Conclusions Thoracic aortic mobile thrombus is rare and is commonly associated with morbid thromboembolic events. In our experience, early surgical aortic thrombectomy had a low operative risk and may prevent fatal recurrent embolic events.
X-Chromosome Linked Inheritance of Thyroxine-Binding Globulin Deficiency1

ABSTRACT We have presented evidence for the inheritance of absent or reduced thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) capacity as a co-dominant, sex-linked trait (J Clin Endocr 26: 835, 1966). The study of a second unrelated family with this defect has yielded additional evidence that the trait is transmitted by x-chromosome linked dominant inheritance. The 8 male members of the present 3-generation kindred had no detectable TBG binding activity for either thyroxine or triiodothyronine. The 13 presumably heterozygous females had binding activity varying from very low to normal but always present. This pedigree contains normal male children of affected fathers, not demonstrated in the previous study. Thyroxine half-life studies in affected males gave times of 3.8 days as compared to the normal of 6–8 days. However, the daily thyroxine degradation rate was normal. Estrogen treatment of affected males did not elicit detectable TBG activity, whereas heterozygous females responded to treatment with increases in activi...
On the Original Publication of the General Canonical Functional of Linear Elasticity

The general canonical functional of linear elastostatics is associated with the names of Hu and Washizu, who published it independently in 1955. This note discusses how that functional, in a generalized four-field form, had been derived by B. M. Fraeijs de Veubeke in a 1951 technical report, This report presents five of the seven canonical functionals of elasticity. In addition to the general functional, it exhibits what is likely the first derivation of the strain-displacement dual of the Hellinger-Reissner functional. The tour of five variational principles takes only a relatively small portion of the report: 8 pages out of 56. The bulk is devoted to the use of energy methods for analysis of wing structures. The title, technology focus, and limited dissemination may account for the subsequent neglect of this original contribution to variational mechanics.
Understanding the relationship between relative and absolute risk

BACKGROUND Relative risks are the most common statistics used to quantify the risk of mortal or morbid outcomes associated with different patient groups and therapeutic interventions. However, absolute risks are of greater value to both patient and physician in making clinical decisions. METHODS The relationship between relative and absolute risks is explained using graphical aids. A program to estimate absolute risks from relative risks is available on the Internet (see ftp://ftp.vanderbilt.edu/pub/biostat/absrisk.txt). This program uses a competing hazards model of morbidity and mortality to derive these estimates. RESULTS When a patient's absolute risk is low, it can be approximated by multiplying her relative risk by the absolute risk in the reference population. This approximation fails for higher absolute risks. The relationship between relative and absolute risk can vary dramatically for different diseases. This is illustrated by breast cancer morbidity and cardiovascular mortality in American women. The accuracy of absolute risk estimates will be affected by the accuracy of relative risk estimates, by the appropriateness of the reference groups used to calculate relative risks, by the stability of cross-sectional, age-specific morbidity and mortality rates over time, by the influence of individual risk factors on multiple causes of mortality, and by the extent to which relative risks may vary over time. CONCLUSIONS Valid absolute risk estimates are valuable when making treatment decisions. They can often be obtained over time intervals of 10 to 20 years when the corresponding relative risk estimates have been accurately determined. Cancer 1996;77:2193-9.
Attitudes Toward Aging and Death Anxiety: Aging and Death Class:

Attitudes toward aging and fear of death were examined and compared before and after completion of a course on aging or a course on death and dying. Dramatic decreases in fear of death were observed in both classes at post-test. Despite the reduction in fear, the death class maintained negative attitudes toward aging. The aging class, however, managed to maintain positive attitudes toward older adults, while at the same time reducing death anxiety. Contradictions with the existing literature are discussed, and implications are presented for course development and implementation.
Sudden infant death syndrome: a critical review of approaches to research

This review explores the various research approaches taken attempting to solve the problem of SIDS. It would appear that major clues provided by pathological findings have been largely overlooked and as a consequence much effort, time, and money has been wasted on projects that satisfy only sub-specialty and political needs. Close examination of the pathological clues would provide better insights into the mechanisms underlying this enigmatic and heartbreaking problem.
ANALYSIS OF NEW TECHNIQUES FOR PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT IN WATER PLANNING

: The growing demands by the public for a more active role in planning have recently generated considerable interest among researchers and planners in the subject of public involvement techniques. Numerous surveys have found that standard public participation techniques (e.g., public hearings) by themselves are considered inadequate. Several techniques that have potential for overcoming some of the limitations of standard public involvement techniques have recently been developed. This paper describes several of these new techniques and analyzes each of them in terms of their potential utility in water resources planning.
A CT-based evaluation method for permanent implants: application to prostate

Abstract A computerized tomography-based 3-dimensional evaluation scheme, using semi-automatic seed localization from transverse computerized tomography-images, has been developed for permanent implants. The treatment isodose contour is generated at each scan plane and overlaid on the corresponding target contour for coverage visualization. Volume and surface dose histograms are generated for the target and neighboring normal structures. Dose inhomogeneity within the target is also estimated from the full-width at half maximum of the differential volume dose histogram. The matched peripheral dose is calculated from the ellipsoidal volume approximation for the target. The present evaluation method has been applied here to 10 actual permanent 1–125 prostatic implantations. Coverages by 150 Gy and 100 Gy levels are found to range from 78–96% and 91–99% of the target volume, respectively. The average matched peripheral dose is found to be about two times the average peripheral dose (the dose encompassing 99% target) and about three times the average minimum peripheral dose (the dose encompassing 100% target). The dose inhomogeneities within the target volume, in these 10 cases, range from 220–420 Gy.
Growth behavior prediction of fresh catfish fillet with Pseudomonas aeruginosa under stresses of allyl isothiocyanate, temperature and modified atmosphere

Abstract Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic pathogen which can be found on fresh catfish fillet, grows rapidly when temperature rises above 4 °C. The combination of allyl isothiocyanate (AIT) and modified atmosphere (MA) was applied and proved effective to retard the growth of P. aeruginosa. The objective of this research was to develop simple mathematical models to predict the growth behavior of P. aeruginosa in catfish fillet and its potential storage time (in abuse temperature condition) as a function of AIT and temperature with/without MA treatment. The antimicrobial effect of gaseous AIT (0, 18 and 36 μL/L) on the growth of P. aeruginosa cocktail was evaluated at 8, 15 and 20 °C. Furthermore, the effects of MA (49% CO2, 50.5% N2 and 0.5% O2) alone and AIT/MA combination were also investigated. These data obtained through an experimental design were used for model development. The regression models for lag phase, growth rate and “shelf life” (based on P. aeruginosa which closely related to Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas pudita and all belong to the same RNA group used to classify the Pseudomonas at the subgenus level) were validated experimentally. Surface plot of models was also drawn to lucidly represent the interaction of AIT and temperature. The developed models may provide useful information for food industry in designing or selecting the proper packaging system with incorporation of AIT to attain the food safety with acceptable “shelf life” of fresh fish products under specified and potential abuse (with temperature deviation) distribution and storage conditions.
Methods Old and New for Analyzing Occupational Cohort Data

The person-years approach to analyzing mortality data from occupational cohorts was introduced in the midtwentieth century. It cross-classifies all observed deaths and observation times into cells, computes the number of expected deaths for each cell based on referenced mortality rates, and then examines the ratio of total number of observed deaths to total number of expected deaths (the standardized mortality ratio). The maximum likelihood method of statistical inference was developed in the early twentieth century. However, only recently has it been applied to the analysis of occupational cohort data. When so applied, it provides estimates of measures of association between exposures and disease by maximizing the probability of the observed data. This paper shows how recent developments in the use of this tool justify and extend the person-years approach. In particular, problems with the standardized mortality ratio cited in the literature are shown to result from reliance on assumptions that are inappropriate for the data at hand. Methods for testing these assumptions are described. The discussion is illustrated with examples from occupational cohort studies of lung cancer.
Peer review at a crossroads--a case study.

Prepublication peer review has been the subject of scores of editorials, articles, critiques and letters, and an occasional book. The Sixth International Conference on Peer Review and Biomedical Publication will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada next year (Rennie et al. 2007). Collectively, these efforts discuss all aspects of the mechanics of the process, its virtues and faults and the reviewers who make it all work. They address specific problems such as fraud, poor quality, plagiarism, uninvolved authors and double publication of the same data. And while misconduct leads to heated discussions off the printed page, the hard facts often surface as relatively gentle words. In a history of peer review and discussion of misconduct, Fox (1994) provides a paragraph that may provoke argument, but may also hit the mark:
A simplified routine method for determining carbohydrate fermentation by yeasts.

The use of commercially available materials in a minimal medium contributes to the simplicity, reliability, and reproducibility of a method described to demonstrate carbohydrate fermentation reactions by yeasts. The medium consists of 1% yeast extract and 2% test carbohydrate in distilled water, dispensed in a modified Durham fermentation tube. Carbohydrate fermentation patterns can usually be obtained within a period of 7 days. The ability of yeasts to ferment carbohydrates is determined strictly on the basis of gas production from the substrate. The method proved reliable in reproducing established fermentation patterns for 112 different yeast strains representing 13 separate genera.
Social Factors in Childhood and Adulthood Associated with Adult Obesity in African American and White Women

Background. Few studies have examined how individual and neighborhood poverty in childhood and adulthood influence the likelihood of adult obesity. We used a longitudinal cohort to examine these associations. Methods. Our cohort consisted of children born in Baltimore, MD, USA with followup as adults from ages 27 to 33. We used logistic regression to examine the multivariate association between individual and neighborhood poverty in childhood and adulthood and adult obesity, (body mass index ≥ 3 0 ), based on self-reported height and weight. Results. Of the 986 female respondents, 82% were African American and 18% were White. Both groups had similar rates of adulthood obesity (African American 25% versus Whites 26% , 𝑃 = 0 . 9 1 ), and similar rates of poverty as children and adults. There was no statistically significant association between individual or neighborhood poverty during childhood and the likelihood of adult obesity. Adults at risk for overweight or overweight as children had significantly greater odds of adult obesity (OR 2.8 and 12.1, resp.). Conclusion. In this sample of women with high rates of childhood and adulthood poverty, obesity rates were high. Childhood risk for overweight and overweight were strongly associated with adult obesity. Individual and neighborhood poverty in childhood were not independently associated with adulthood obesity.
Release of antibiotics from electrospun bicomponent fibers

Biocompatible nanofibers that are capable of adapting to the physiological conditions of the human body have become increasingly important for clinical applications in recent years. Electrospun fiber mats offer particular advantages due to their large surface area and their sorption/release properties. If loaded with drugs, delivery properties can be tailored to a specific release rate. This research work focuses on poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) incorporating three different model antibiotics as well as bicomponent fibers made from PLA and PCL containing the same model drugs. Tetracycline and chlorotetracycline hydrochloride, and amphotericin B were selected as model drugs and their release properties and antimicrobial effectiveness studied. The surface morphology and the average diameter of the fibers strongly depended on the individual spinning system which in turn influenced the release of the therapeutic compounds from the fibers. Tetracycline was discharged from PCL at the highest rate while amphotericin B was slowest. PCL almost completely liberated any of the drugs over time while PLA only released about 10% total. By forming bicomponent PCL–PLA fibers surface and release characteristics could be modified to fit a sensible drug delivery.
Collaborative Goal-Setting with Families: Resolving Differences in Values and Priorities for Services:

Parents and professionals often differ in values and priorities for services. This article argues that interventionists should not attempt to force their values on families; rather they should engage in collaborative goal-setting in order to achieve a mutually acceptable plan. Issues related to value conflicts between parents and professionals are discussed and strategies for effective collaborative goal-setting are described.
Robust decentralized direction-of-arrival estimation in the presence of outlier contaminated noise

A novel scheme for direction-of-arrival estimation is presented. In particular, the authors develop a procedure that provides estimates that are robust against outliers and distributional uncertainties. It also employs decentralized processing such that each subarray provides a set of robust estimates of the directions-of-arrival accompanied by some confidence measures of the estimates. At the fusion center, a robust combination technique is used to combine estimates from each subarray site. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the robust properties achievable with the scheme relative to a similar nonrobust approach. >
Topographically Flat, Chemically Patterned PDMS Stamps Made by Dip-Pen Nanolithography

Flexible nanolithographic and printing methods are essential tools in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology.[1–5] Scanning probe techniques such as dip-pen nanolithography (DPN)[3, 6–12] and nanografting[13, 14] are extremely useful since they allow one to make nanostructures from a wide variety of different chemical compositions. In the case of DPN, despite significant advances in parallelization,[2,15–17] it is still challenged for certain applications with regard to throughput, especially when compared to lower resolution contact printing methods. Indeed, microcontact printing (μCP) has emerged as a “bench-top” technique for preparing patterns of various active structures in a massively parallel manner.[18–20] In conventional μCP, a soft elastomer stamp (typically polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) with relief structures predefined by photo- or e-beam lithography is brought into contact with a substrate, where the ink is transferred from the stamp to the substrate surface at the area of contact. [21] PDMS has a Young’s Modulus of ~1 MPa, which is soft enough to make conformal contact with planar or nonplanar surfaces to facilitate ink transfer. However, since the relief structures are separated by air voids in the stamp, the mechanical instability (pairing, sagging, etc.) of the stamp deriving from the “soft” nature of PDMS, has been a major limitation for a variety of applications in μCP.[5, 22, 23] The volatility of the inks and their diffusion properties on a surface also can be limiting factors when printing small features (Scheme 1).[24] Although many solutions have been suggested to address both mechanical and ink-transport issues, such as using harder elastomers[25, 26] and establishing control over printing time, [27] the lateral resolution of printed features and the design of such stamps are still limited to ~150 nm (in terms of alkanethiols) and a ~1/20 filling factor, respectively.[23, 28]
Design and evaluation of dynamic text-editing methods using foot pedals

Abstract The objective of this study was to design and evaluate new dynamic text-editing methods (chatting, instant messenger) using a foot pedal control. A first experiment was to assess whether the foot-based method enhanced editing performance compared to conventional mouse use and to identify which type of foot control is most convenient for users. Five prototype methods including four new methods (two pedals or one pedal, 0 order or 1st order control), and one mouse method were developed and tested by performing a task requiring changing text sizes, dynamically. Results revealed methods involving 1st order pedal control to be comparable to the conventional method in task completion time, accuracy and subjective workload. Among the four foot control prototypes, two pedals with 1st order control was superior to in performance. A second experiment was conducted to test another prototype foot-based method for controlling font face, size, and color through feature selection with the left pedal and level selection with the right pedal. Text-editing performance was compared to conventional mouse-based editing. Results showed the foot pedals to degrade performance in terms of task completion time. However, the prototype interface has the advantage of making certain system functionality accessible to special populations that might not otherwise be able to use dynamic text-editing applications. Subjective comments demonstrated the foot pedal methods to be considered useful, time efficient and to reduce workload. It was observed that skilled users might perceive some relief from cumbersome mouse handling behaviors during typing. Although the foot pedal control was not revealed to significantly increase text-editing performance over conventional mousing, the use of foot pedals may be considered in computing operations, including dynamic text-editing tasks, as an alternative or additional input method, particularly for special populations. Relevance to industry The development and evaluation of foot control interaction methods for text editing may provide useful insight for human-computer system designers considering the use of additional input devices or ways to support user expressions of emotion in text. The foot control approach may also be useful in interaction design for special populations (with functional limitations of the upper limbs) in terms of accessibility.
Circuit-Level Performance Benchmarking and Scalability Analysis of Carbon Nanotube Transistor Circuits

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) show great promise as extensions to silicon CMOS due to their excellent electronic properties and extremely small size. Using a Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistor (CNFET) SPICE model, we evaluate circuit-level performance of CNFET technology in the presence of CNT fabrication-related nonidealities and imperfections, and parasitic resistances and capacitances extracted from the CNFET circuit layout. We use Monte Carlo simulations using the CNFET SPICE model to investigate the effects of three major CNT process-related imperfections on circuit-level performance: 1) doping variations in the CNFET source and drain regions; 2) CNT diameter variations; and 3) variations caused by the removal of metallic CNTs. The simulation results indicate that metallic CNT removal has the most impact on CNFET variation; less than 8% of CNTs grown should be metallic to reduce circuit performance variation. This paper also presents an analytical model for the scalability of CNFET technology. High CNT density (250 CNTs/mum) is critical to ensure that performance (delay and energy) gains over silicon CMOS are maintained or improved with shrinking lithographic dimensions.
Antiphospholipid antibodies and reproductive outcome: the current state of affairs.

Abstract Antiphospholipid antibodies were first linked to pregnancy loss more than 20 years ago, and the condition known as antiphospholipid syndrome is perhaps the most convincing ‘immunologic’ disturbance other than anti-erythrocyte and anti-platelet alloimmunization disorders. Specific criteria for the antiphospholipid syndrome have been delineated, the anticardiolipin assay has been standardized, and authorities agree on laboratory criteria defining lupus anticoagulant. Nonetheless, considerable confusion exists regarding antiphospholipid syndrome and related reproductive problems. The state of affairs primarily derives from two problems: the first is the premature introduction of non-standardized antiphospholipid assays into clinical use without rigorous standardization and prior to convincing proof of clinical utility. As a result, well-intending, but less well-versed clinicians sometimes make the diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome in women who are negative for lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies. This is especially confusing in the face of growing evidence that the relevant in vivo antiphospholipid antigen is formed by a complex between β 2-glycoprotein 1 and phospholipids. A second major problem is that of unwarranted discrepancies in the clinical and laboratory features of patients considered to have a diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome. This problem is most apparent in the case selection for pregnancy-loss treatment series and trials. Many series have included women with predominantly pre-embryonic and embryonic pregnancy losses, while others included a large majority of patients with one or more second or third trimester pregnancy losses. Some treatment trials purposefully excluded patients with a history of thrombosis or systemic lupus erythematosus, features found in nearly 50% of patients in other series. Though most authorities require the presence of either lupus anticoagulant or medium-to-high titer IgG anticardiolipin antibodies to make a diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome, in some series no more than half of the study patients had lupus anticoagulant and as many as 20% had only IgM anticardiolipin antibodies. It is very unlikely that patients with such disparate clinical and laboratory findings have the same autoimmune syndrome, and a stated or implicit diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome in such a wide variety of women is scientifically unsound and clinically dangerous. The relationship between antiphospholipid antibodies and poor reproductive outcomes must be approached through rigorous scientific study and appropriate treatments established by well-designed clinical trials.
THE IMPACT OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ENFORCEMENT ON OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE ADOPTION

We investigate how intellectual property (IP) enfor cement against open source software (OSS) projects affects OSS adoption. We hypothesize that adoption of OSS sharing similar technological features with the litigated OSS technology and OSS typically used within organizations and complementary with the litigated OSS would be dispr oportionately affected by IP enforcement. We examine two widely publicized lawsuits ‐ SCO v. IBM and FireStar/DataTern v. Red Hat ‐ using data from SourceForge.net. Our difference-in- difference estimates show OSS projects similar to the litigated OSS had a 14% greater decl ine than projects in the control group in the months following the filing of SCO v. IBM and had agreater decline following the filing of FireStar/DataTern v. Red Hat; OSS projects for orga nizations and complementary with the litigated OSS had a 37% greater decline following t he filing of SCO v. IBM and a 16% greater decline following the filing of FireStar/DataTern v . Red Hat.
A semi‐analytical method for time‐domain analyses of dam–reservoir interactions

Non-linear responses of dam–reservoir systems are not well understood, because of the lack of an exact time-domain solution for the far field (extending to infinity) of the fluid. This paper presents a procedure for efficient time-domain analyses. It is based on a semi-analytical solution and is suitable for the determination of the interactive behaviour of dam–reservoir systems. In this formulation, the fluid domain is divided into a near (to the dam) field, which is finite, and a far field extending to infinity. Arbitrary shapes of the upstream face of the dam, and of the bottom of the reservoir floor in the near field, are presumed. Furthermore, the far field is assumed to have a constant depth. The irregular near field is modelled by using the finite element method. A time-domain semi-analytical solution is obtained for the far field. For a vertical dam subjected to earthquake and ramp loadings, numerical solutions obtained compared well with the piecewise exact form of the analytical solution.
Lymph flow and 131I-albumin resorption from pericardial effusions in man☆

Abstract The characteristics of albumin movement across the pericardium were determined to clarify whether certain longstanding pericardial effusions were due primarily to decreased lymph drainage and albumin resorption rather than to increased capillary permeability and albumin leak. Albumin resorption from the pericardial space was studied in 9 patients with effusion of various origin. At the time of pericardiocentesis 131I-human serum albumin (RISA) was instilled into the pericardial space. Complete mixing was usually achieved by 15 minutes and the volume of the effusion was calculated by the indicator-dilution principle. Precordial scans of pericardial radioactivity delineated the effusion and verified the absence of fluid leak from the pericardial space into the pleural space. RISA disappeared from the pericardial space (determined by precordial scintillation counting) as a single exponential function. Half-times for such disappearance ranged from 49 hours to 15.5 days. Simultaneously the rate of appearance of RISA in blood varied directly with its disappearance from pericardial fluid. Total protein of the fluid was 5.1 ± 0.77(mean ± S.D.) gm./100 ml. (range 3.5 to 6.0) while the albumin concentration ranged from 1.6 to 3.0 gm./100 ml. (40 to 56 per cent of the total protein when determined by electrophoresis). Albumin resorption from the pericardial space was 1.86 ± 0.57 gm./day (mean ± S.D.) and ranged within relatively narrow limits (1.4 to 3.2 gm./day). Lymph flow draining the pericardial space averaged 82 ± 26 (± S.D.) ml./day (range 46 to 128) and bore little relation to the size of the effusion. Because of the narrow range of values for albumin resorption found in the patients studied, we were unable to identify any patient in whom lymphatic obstruction appeared to be a primary or major contributing factor in the development of pericardial effusion.
Delayed presentation of uterine rupture postpartum.

FIGURE 2 Computed tomography scan of pelvis: transverse view Case notes A 32-year-old G2P1 with a history of cesarean delivery had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery at term. Two days after giving birth, she developed high-grade fever, tachycardia, hypotension, lower abdominal pain, and right flank pain. Computed tomography (CT) scan at that time revealed bladder wall thickening and a small amount of pelvic free fluid. She was started on broad-spectrum antibiotics for suspected pyelonephritis and sepsis. However, urine cultures were
DETERMINISTIC LEFT TO RIGHT PARSING OF TREE ADJOINING LANGUAGES

We define a set of deterministic bottom-up left to right parsers which analyze a subset of Tree Adjoining Languages. The LR parsing strategy for Context Free Grammars is extended to Tree Adjoining Grammars (TAGs). We use a machine, called Bottom-up Embedded Push Down Automation (BEPDA), that recognizes in a bottom-up fashion the set of Tree Adjoining Languages (and exactly this set). Each parser consists of a finite state control that drives the moves of a Bottom-up Embedded Pushdown Automaton. The parsers handle deterministically some context-sensitive Tree Adjoining Languages. In this paper, we informally describe the BEPDA then given a parsing table, we explain the LR parsing algorithm. We then show how to construct an LR(0) parsing table (no lookahead). An example of a context-sensitive language recognized deterministically is given. Then, we explain informally the construction of SLR(1) parsing tables for BEPDA. We conclude with a discussion of our parsing method and current work.
Surgery for allergic rhinitis.

Background Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a highly prevalent disorder that significantly impacts quality of life and affects millions of people annually. The most bothersome complaint is nasal obstruction, which is most commonly due to inferior turbinate hypertrophy. Methods This work presents a review of the literature and an overview of operative techniques. Results A variety of methods are available for addressing inferior turbinate hypertrophy in patients afflicted with AR. Although no single modality has been defined as the gold standard for treatment, the otolaryngologist should be familiar with an armamentarium of surgical techniques. Conclusion The inferior turbinate is the initial deposit point for allergens and undergoes dynamic changes through the allergic cascade, which results in nasal obstruction. Targeting the inferior turbinate to augment the nasal airway is the mainstay of surgical treatment in AR. Judicious technique and a mucosal sparing philosophy are necessary to maximize outcomes and improve quality of life.
Membrane association of the hyaluronate stimulatory factor from LX‐1 human lung carcinoma cells

LX-1 human lung carcinoma cells interact with human fibroblasts in culture to cause an increase in hyaluronate production (Knudson et al: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 81:6767, 1984). It is shown here that a similar increase in hyaluronate production also occurs when membranes derived from LX-1 cells, or detergent extracts thereof, are added to cultures of the human fibroblasts. However, no stimulation occurs when membranes or extracts from fibroblasts are added to cultures of the LX-1 cells. The hyaluronate stimulatory factor present in the detergent extracts is a heat- and trypsin-sensitive protein, requires more than 12 h for its action on fibroblasts, causes an elevation in hyaluronate synthetase activity in membranes derived from the fibroblasts, and can be reconstituted into artificial lipid vesicles. Thus, it is concluded that the stimulatory factor is a membrane-bound protein present on the surface of the LX-1 cells and that it interacts with fibroblasts to induce increased hyaluronate synthesis.
Nonparametric frontier estimation via local linear regression

Abstract In this paper we propose a nonparametric regression frontier model that assumes no specific parametric family of densities for the unobserved stochastic component that represents efficiency in the model. Nonparametric estimation of the regression frontier is obtained using a local linear estimator that is shown to be consistent and nh n asymptotically normal under standard assumptions. The estimator we propose envelops the data but is not inherently biased as free disposal hull—FDH or data envelopment analysis—DEA estimators. It is also more robust to extreme values than the aforementioned estimators. A Monte Carlo study is performed to provide preliminary evidence on the estimator's finite sample properties and to compare its performance to a bias corrected FDH estimator.
Supporting student collaboration for image indexing

We describe the Image Tagger system - a web-based tool for supporting collaborative image indexing by students. The tool has been used in three successive graduate-level classes on content representation. To fully satisfy the class' requirements and provide support for student indexing activities, it was designed and developed iteratively in accordance with the feedback and suggestions from the students as well as the instructor. The tool was well received by most students. They expressed a positive opinion toward collaboration support and thought it enhanced the overall learning experience in the class' image indexing project.
Highly sensitive III–V nitride based piezoresistive microcantilever using embedded AlGaN/GaN HFET as ultrasonic detector

We report, for the first time, an ultra high gauge factor of more than 3500 observed using AlGaN/GaN Heterostructure Field Effect Transistor (HFET) embedded GaN piezoresistive microcantilever. In addition, the deflection transduction signal from the HFET was utilized to determine dynamic bending as well as AC frequency response of the cantilever. Finally, the piezoresistive microcantilver was used to detect very small acoustic pressure waves generated by a piezo chip oscillated at sub nm amplitude at the resonance frequency of the cantilever positioned 1 cm away, highlighting the utility of these cantilevers as highly sensitive ultrasonic transducers.
Battery-assisted and photovoltaic-sourced switched-inductor CMOS harvesting charger-supply

A challenge wireless microsensors and other microsystems face is short lifetime, because tiny batteries store little energy. Fortunately, the environment holds vast amounts of energy, and of available sources, like light, motion, temperature, and radiation, solar light produces the highest power density. Still, micro-scale photovoltaic (PV) cells harness a diminutive fraction of light and artificial lighting avails a small percentage of what solar light can, which means the PV cell needs assistance from a battery. Mixing PV and battery power to supply a microwatt system, however, requires a smart and low-loss circuit. For that, the battery-assisted pulse-width-modulated (PWM) buck-boost single-inductor 0.18-μm CMOS harvester-supply proposed and simulated here uses up to 100 μW from a PV cell to supply up to 1 mA and regulate 1 V within 25 mV at 10-80 kHz and with 77%-89% efficiency.
A Computerized Stroop Experiment That Demonstrates the Interaction in a 2 × 3 Factorial Design

This article describes a computerized Stroop-type experiment that demonstrates the effects of an interaction in a factorial design. The independent variables in this experiment are (a) the presenta...