cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FCD: Fast-concurrent-distributed load balancing under switching costs and imperfect observations

The problem of distributed load balancing among m agents operating in an n-server slotted system is considered. A randomized local search mechanism, FCD (fast, concurrent and distributed) algorithm, is implemented concurrently by each agent associated with a user. It involves switching to a different server with a certain exploration probability and then backtracking with a probability proportional to the ratio of the measured loads in the two servers (in consecutive time slots). The exploration and backtracking operations are executed concurrently by users in local alternating time slots. To ensure that users do not switch to other servers asymptotically, each user chooses the exploration probability to be decaying polynomially with time for decaying rate β ∈ [0.5, 1]. The backtracking decision is then based on an estimate of the server load which is computed based on local information. Thus, FCD algorithm does not require synchronization or coordination with other users. The main contribution of this work, besides the FCD algorithm, is the analysis of the convergence time for the system to be approximately balanced, i.e. to reach an c-Nash equilibrium. We show that the system reaches an c-Nash equilibrium in expected time O (max {n log n/ϵ + n1/β, (n3/m3 log n2/ϵ)1/β}) when m > n2. This implies that the convergence rate is robust with large scale system(large user population), and is not affected by imperfect measurements of the server load. We also extend our analysis to open systems where users arrive and depart from a system with an initial load of m users. We allow for general time-dependent arrival processes (including heavy-tailed processes) and consider a uniform and a load-oblivious routing of the arrivals to the servers. A wide class of departure processes including load-dependent departures from the servers is also allowed. Our analysis demonstrates that it is possible to design fast, concurrent and distributed load balancing mechanisms in large multi-agent systems via randomized local search.
Patterns of Doctoral Student Degree Completion: A Longitudinal Analysis:

Despite decades of interest in Ph.D. student outcomes, there have been few comprehensive studies of doctoral student completion. Compared to research on undergraduate students, longitudinal studies...
Mitral valve surgery in the patient with left ventricular dysfunction.

Abstract Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a frequent complication of end-stage cardiomyopathy. Historically, these patients were managed either medically or with mitral valve replacement, both associated with poor outcomes. We studied 125 patients with cardiomyopathy and severe MR who were managed with mitral reconstruction. One hundred twenty-five patients with 4+ MR, left ventricular ejection fractions from 8% to 24% (mean 14%), and New York Heart Association class III or IV symptoms were prospectively studied. All patients underwent mitral valve repair with an undersized flexible annuloplasty ring. There was one intraoperative death and five 30-day mortalities. Intraoperative echocardiography showed mild to trivial MR in seven patients, and no residual MR in the majority of patients. There were 26 late deaths; three of these patients had progression of the disease and underwent transplantation. One- and 2-year actuarial survival has been 80% and 70%, respectively. New York Heart Association class has improved for all the patients from a preoperative mean of 3.2 ± 0.2 to 1.8 ± 0.4 postoperatively. At 24-month follow-up, all patients showed an improvement of ejection fraction, cardiac output, and end-diastolic volumes, along with a reduction in sphericity index and regurgitant volume. Mitral valve repair with an undersized flexible annuloplasty ring is a safe and effective approach to correct MR in cardiomyopathy patients. All observed changes contribute to reverse remodeling and the restoration of the normal left ventricular geometric relationship. Mitral reconstruction offers a new treatment strategy for patients with MR and end-stage heart failure. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
1,2,3-thiadiazolo[5,4-b]pyrimidin-4(5H)ones

The synthesis of 1,2,3-thiadiazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidin-4(5H)ones substituted in the 6-position with hydrogen, all possible isomers of alkyl methyl through butyl, and 2,2-dirnethylpropyl is deseribed.
“Give Me Happiness” or “Take Away My Pain”: Explaining consumer responses to prescription drug advertising

AbstractWe examine how consumers react to direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) by investigating the role of goal compatibility between motivation to process advertisements and consumer self-concept. Specifically, we examine the interaction between self-regulatory (prevention versus promotion) focus and self-construal orientation (independent versus interdependent) and find that prevention (versus promotion) focused consumers form stronger intentions to speak with physicians and are more likely to discuss an advertised drug, when the ad uses an interdependence self-construal theme, whereas promotion (versus prevention) focused consumers form stronger intentions to speak with physicians and are more likely to discuss an advertised drug, when the ad uses an independent self-construal theme. The above two-way interaction was further found to be governed by attitudes toward DTCA. Under goal compatibility, consumers who had positive or neutral attitudes toward DTCA (versus negative) had stronger (a) intentions...
Enforcing Structural Connectivity to Update Damped Systems Using Frequency Response

To benefit computational model validation, improve active vibration control algorithms, and aid damage detection for aging structural systems, new approaches are developed to update the analytical system matrices of a damped structure using frequency response. When the difference between the measured frequency response data and the analytical predictions is used and the resulting matrix equations are manipulated, the mass, stiffness, and damping correction matrices can be isolated in turn. When these correction matrices are rearranged into vector forms, the readily available structural connectivity information of the analytical matrices can be enforced, thereby preserving the physical configuration of the system and reducing the size of the least-squares problems that need to be solved. The required solution techniques to perform the model update are introduced, and the numerical issues associated with solving overdetermined and underdetermined least-squares problems are investigated. Heuristic criteria are given for determining the minimum number of frequency-response data points that need to be measured to ensure sufficiently accurate updated system matrices, and numerical experiments are performed to validate the proposed model updating techniques based on using the frequency-response data.
Brain shape regression components

Identifying associations between the shape properties of brain regions, measured from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and numerical measures of neurodegenerative disease burden can clarify whether disease processes lead to distinctive spatial patterns of brain atrophy. However, prior methods for identifying such associations between shape and clinical variables either failed to summarize shape patterns into a concise set of summary measurements, or risked failing to discover such associations by extracting summary shape features blinded to the clinical variables. We present a method that overcomes these limitations by directly searching for a small set of linear shape features-shape regression components-that simultaneously account for a large amount of population shape variability and are highly correlated with a numerical clinical variable of interest. When applied to hippocampi of 299 Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) participants, the method identified correlations between hippocampal atrophy and markers of AD pathology and cogniton that were stronger than, and covered a more extended spatial region than, those identified by competing approaches.
Impact of Diastolic and Systolic Blood Pressure on Mortality: Implications for the Definition of “Normal”

BACKGROUND The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute currently defines a blood pressure under 120/80 as “normal.”
Solar variability: Implications for global change

Solar variability is examined in search of implications for global change. The topics covered include the following: solar variation modification of global surface temperature; the significance of solar variability with respect to future climate change; and methods of reducing the uncertainty of the potential amplitude of solar variability on longer time scales.
Kinetic Analysis of Arginine-Finger Motif Function in S. cerevisiae Clamp Loader

Replication factor C (RFC) loads a circular clamp, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), onto a primer-template junction at the replication fork during DNA replication. RFC consists of five subunits, A-E, each of which belongs to the AAA+ family member of ATPases. The subunits are arranged in an open ring form with four ATPase sites located at the interfaces of subunits A-B, B-C, C-D and D-E. In each ATPase site, an Arginine-finger motif (SRC), which is provided by the adjacent subunit, is implicated in sensing ATP binding and regulating ATP hydrolysis. According to a recent study of SRC→SAC point mutations, it appears that RFC subunits play distinct roles during clamp assembly (Johnson, et al. 2006). We analyzed these mutants by measuring their pre-steady state functions of DNA binding and ATPase activities. We found that CSAC (Binactive) and DSAC (Cinactive) mutants have severe defects in DNA binding, while BSAC (Ainactive) and ESAC (Dinactive) mutants have severe defects in DNA dissociation. These disruptions in RFC interactions with DNA, and corresponding effects of RFC ATPase activities, elucidate further the distinct functions of individual RFC subunits in the clamp assembly reaction.Reference: Johnson A. et al., (2006) J. Biol. Chem. 281, 35531-35543.
Extent of branching from linear viscoelasticity of long‐chain‐branched polymers

We present new results and examine literature data concerning the linear viscoelastic behavior of polyethylene with sparse to intermediate levels of long-chain branching (LCB). These branched polymers displayed a common rheological signature, namely, a region of frequency-independent loss tangent along with the corequisite scaling of the storage and loss moduli to the same frequency exponent. This apparent power-law response occurred within a finite frequency window and bore resemblance to the behavior of physical gels. The appearance of this region, however, was the consequence of the presence of two distinct, yet partially overlapping, terminal relaxation processes. After considering the analogous relaxation behavior of wholly linear polymers with bimodal molecular weight distributions, we considered the polymers with LCB as blends of linear and branched species to develop a simple method of quantifying the extent of LCB.
Synthesis of sub-optimal feedback controls for a class of distributed parameter systems†

Technique are derived for the synthesis of sub-optimal feedback controls for parabolic and first-order hyperbolic systems. An explicit result for the time-invariant gain of a specified controller is obtained by a least square approximation of the closed-loop control to the optimal open-loop control. If a least square approximation of the state trajectories is used, a parameter search is shown to give the time-invariant gain. A time-varying gain can be obtained by a re-definition of the original optimal control problem, again with the controller functionality specified. The only require-mont in the closed-loop synthesis is that an optimal open-loop solution exists and is computable.
Metabolism of beta-methyl[1-11C]heptadecanoic acid in canine myocardium

To assess the contributions of metabolism to CO2 and back-diffusion of nonmetabolized tracer to total clearance of beta-methyl[1-11C]heptadecanoic acid ([1-11C]BMHDA) from myocardium and its distribution into lipid pools, 10-15 mCi of [1-11C]BMHDA were rapidly infused into the circumflex coronary artery of seven open-chest dogs. Externally detected clearance of myocardial 11C-activity was protracted (t1/2 = 41 +/- 18 min) with over 50% of extracted tracer retained in tissue after 20 min. Efflux of extracted [1-11C]BMHDA between 5 and 20 min was comprised of both 11CO2 (16.5 +/- 15.2%) and nonmetabolized [11C]BMHDA (24.6 +/- 11.5%). At 20 min, 11C-activity in lipid was distributed primarily between triglyceride (47 +/- 16% of total) and phospholipid (39 +/- 17%) pools. Partial oxidation to 11CO2 and partitioning into more than one lipid pool are likely to hinder evaluation of fatty acid metabolism based on residue detection of [1-11C]BMHDA with tomography.
Linear Accelerator as a Neurosurgical Tool for Stereotactic Radiosurgery

A new system has been developed for stereotactically delivering prescribed high doses of radiation to precisely located volumes of approximately 0.6 to 10.0 ml within the brain. A Brown-Roberts-Wells stereotactic apparatus and a 6-MeV linear accelerator equipped with a special collimator (12.5 to 30 mm in diameter) have been adapted. The 20-mm collimator allows treatment of a nearly spherical volume of 2.1 ml. Outside the treatment field, the dosage declines to 80% of the dose prescribed for the periphery of the lesion over a distance of 1.8 mm and to 50% over the next 3.4 mm. Localization can be accomplished via computed tomography or cerebral angiography. Treatment is accomplished with an arcing beam of photon radiation with the turntable (couch) in each of four positions. The entire system has been extensively tested for accuracy in alignment and distribution of radiation. Errors have been measured for the alignment of the apparatus and for the process of localization. Safety of operation was emphasized throughout the design and testing phase.
Strengthening mechanisms in nanocrystalline alloys

Abstract The mechanisms for strengthening nanocrystalline metals by alloy additions are reviewed and a new model for nano-particle strengthening by Orowan bypassing in nano-grains is proposed. Recent experimental results for three different nanocrystalline alloy systems, Fe–Pb, Fe–Al 2 O 3 and Al–Pb are presented and analyzed in terms of non-equilibrium solid solution strengthening, nano-composite strengthening and Orowan particle strengthening, respectively. Conflicting alloy hardening and softening effects observed in Al–Pb appear to be the result of interplay between Orowan particle hardening and a softening mechanism due to grain-boundary segregation. Preliminary MD simulations support the latter suggestion.
Gustatory sensitivity of an anuran to cantharidin.

Glossopharyngeal nerve stimulation of the bullfrog,Rana catesbiana revealed responsiveness to low levels of cantharidin (1.3×10−6M), providing a first demonstration of neural gustatory sensitivity of an animal to this defensive chemical from blister beetles, (Meloidae).
Effects of Explicit Instruction to “Be Creative” Across Domains and Cultures

To explore whether the facilitation effects of an explicit instruction to “be creative” vary across cultures and types of tasks, 248 U.S. and 278 Chinese college students were administered a battery of tests of verbal, artistic, and mathematical creativity. Half of the participants were tested under the standard condition, and the other half under the explicit instruction condition. Results showed that the facilitation effects of the explicit instruction varied by domains of the creativity tasks (greater for artistic and mathematical creativity than for verbal creativity), but not across cultural and ethnic groups. The explicit instruction had a small “detrimental” effect on the clarity and grammar of story writing, but not on any other aspects of the technical quality of creative products. Methodological and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
Creatinine clearance in 118 diabetic outpatients

Abstract With the aid of a computer the correlation between the usual clinical criteria, presumed to be associated with renal disease in diabetics, and renal function as measured by the endogenous creatinine clearance was evaluated in 118 diabetic out-patients. The criteria considered in this study included: age of patient, age at onset, duration of known diabetes, retinopathy, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, “qualitative” proteinuria, twenty-four hour urinary excretion of protein, blood urea nitrogen, “control of diabetes” and the presence of “other vascular disease.” Interpretation of these data indicated no significant correlation between “control of diabetes” as usually judged and renal function as measured by the endogenous creatinine clearance. These data would further suggest that in maturity-onset diabetics one can not rely on the usual clinical criteria for the appraisal of renal function in diabetics. In juvenile diabetics the correlation, between the same clinical criteria, taken as a group but not individually, and the creatinine clearance values, was significant. However, it would appear that serial determinations of endogenous creatinine clearance would provide a more accurate and practical measure of renal function than reliance upon these clinical indices.
Polymethylmethacrylate particle exposure causes changes in p38 MAPK and TGF-β signaling in differentiating MC3T3-E1 cells

Periprosthetic osteolysis of joint replacements caused by wear debris is a significant complication of joint replacements. Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) particles have been shown to inhibit osteogenic differentiation, but the molecular mechanism has not been previously determined. In this study, we exposed differentiating MC3T3-E1 preostoblast cells to PMMA particles and determined the changes that occurred with respect to p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity and the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathways. In the absence of particles, MC3T3-E1 cells demonstrate activation of p38 MAPK on day 8 of differentiation; however, when treated with PMMA particles, differentiating MC3T3-E1 cells demonstrate the suppression of p38 activity on day 8 and show activation of p38 on days 1 and 4. On day 4 of particle exposure, the differentiating MC3T3-E1 cells show significant downregulation of TGF-beta1 expression, which is involved in osteoblast differentiation, and a significant upregulation of the expression of BMP3 and Sclerostin (SOST), which are negative regulators of osteoblast differentiation. By day 8 of particle exposure, the changes in TGF-beta1, BMP3, and SOST expression are opposite of those seen on day 4. This study has demonstrated the distinct changes in the molecular profile of MC3T3-E1 cells during particle-induced inhibition of osteoblast differentiation. (c) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2010.
The next decade in magnetic recording

Experimental data are given on the recording performance of several modern magnetic recording materials. On the basis that the signal to reproduce head noise will prove to be the eventual limit, estimates of the attainable recording densities are made. Areal densities of several hundred megabits per square inch are forecast.
Dialogue of the Soul: The Phenomenon of Intrapersonal Peace and the Adult Experience of Protestant Religious Education

Abstract This year-long study explored how adult church members experienced the phenomenon of spirit and the relationship between their experience and peace. Four themes emerged from the analysis of personal journal entries and transcripts of individual and group interviews: depth in the encounter with spirit, soul as the locus of spiritual growth, dialogue as the language of spiritual communication, and the phenomenon of third space. The intersection of these themes suggests that spiritual encounter is an intrapersonal, dialogical process leading to changes in perspective and action. These findings extend the concepts of peacemaking and adult education pedagogy in parish settings.
Interface reaction for the self-assembly of silver nanocrystals under microwave-assisted solvothermal conditions

We propose a one-step interface reaction for the direct synthesis of hexagonally arranged spherical silver nanoparticles under microwave-assisted solvothermal conditions without the requirement of the presynthesis of uniform silver nanoparticles or special precursors and the technique of size-selective precipitation. The ratio between ethylene glycol and dodecylthiol shows its effect on the nucleation and growth of silver and thus the morphology and arrangement of the obtained nanoparticles. At a low volume ratio, nanoparticles with a rectangular shape arranged in orthogonal arrays could be observed. This simple method has its generality, and by easily substituting thiourea aqueous solution for ethylene glycol, silver sulfide superlattices of nanoparticles could be synthesized.
Discerning electrical and water usage by individuals in homes

Energy auditing and feedback is an effective and low cost technique that has the potential to save 20-50% energy in homes. Several new sensing technologies can now detect and disaggregate energy usage in homes at a fixture level, which is helpful for eco-feedback in homes. However, without disaggregating and assigning fixture energy usage to individuals (fixture assignment problem), it is hard for residents to discover individual energy saving actions. In this paper, we explore the hypothesis that fixture assignment can be performed based on coarse-grained room-level location tracking -- even when a fixture is used and multiple people are in the same room. To test this hypothesis, we perform a study with 5 groups of 2 participants each, who lived together for 7-12 days in a test home. We find that fixture assignment can be performed with an average accuracy of 87% using room-level tracking. In comparison, fixture assignment has 12% accuracy with house-level tracking (who is home vs not home) and 97% accuracy with coordinate-level tracking (who is standing at the oven vs fridge).
Locating and identifying avalanche victims with GPR

A headline in The Rocky Mountain News on 2 January 2006 read “Avalanche kills 2 snowmobilers.” A full-page color photo accompanied the article which, unfortunately, was not describing an uncommon event. Snow slides or avalanches kill between 150 and 200 people every year around the world, and many more are injured. Combine an average of 2300 snow avalanches in the Colorado mountains every winter with increasingly popular winter tourism, and it is no surprise that Colorado has more avalanche fatalities than the next two states (Alaska and Washington) combined. Avalanches not only bury people, but they close roads (sometimes with snow more than 50 ft deep for 1000 ft along the road) for days at a time, and they damage facilities (such as the 2003 avalanche that destroyed a water treatment plant and closed a major interstate highway for several days). During the 2004–2005 winter in Colorado, 2985 avalanches buried nearly six miles of highway; 76 people were reportedly caught in the snow slides, resulting in ...
Interplay of Function Morphemes and Prosody in Early Language

Previous studies have demonstrated that children are aware of the function morphemes in their language despite their failure to produce them. However, none of these studies tested whether children are aware of the linguistic contexts in which particular function morphemes occur. Only if children are aware of such co-occurrence patterns could they use function morphemes to determine the linguistic categories of words and phrases. Young 2-year-olds demonstrated their awareness of function morpheme co-occurrence patterns by performing better in a picture identification task when the target word was preceded by a grammatical article than an ungrammatical auxiliary. Children who heard the sentences produced in a female voice performed better than those who heard a male voice, and this was especially true for sentences exhibiting the most regular co-occurrence patterns
Activating FLT3 Mutations Are Detectable in Chronic and Blast Phases of Chronic Myeloproliferative Disorders Other Than Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

FLT3 gene mutations, either internal tandem duplication (ITD) or D835 point mutations, have been studied extensively in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Little is known about FLT3 mutations in chronic myeloproliferative diseases (CMPDs) or their relationship with V617F JAK2 mutations. We analyzed bone marrow samples from 142 patients with Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome- CMPD or CMPD/MDS and from 119 patients with Ph+ chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay. FLT3 mutations, 11 ITD and 2 D835, were detected in 13 (9.2%) patients with CMPD or CMPD/MDS, 7 in blast phase and 6 in chronic phase. Analyses for JAK2 mutations in 11 of 13 cases were all negative. By contrast, no FLT3 mutations were detected in CML, including 108 chronic and 11 blast phase cases. FLT3 mutations occur in approximately 10% of CMPD and CMPD/MDS but are not observed in JAK2+ CMPD or in CML.
Dietary Manipulation of Mammary Tumor Development in Adult C3H/Bi Mice:

AbstractChronic energy intake restriction (CEIR) in virgin female mice is one of the most effective ways of reducing significantly mammary adenocarcinoma in C3H/Bi mice, a strain which develops mammary adenocarcinoma associated with the murine mammary tumor virus spontaneously and at high incidence. In this study, the influence of chronic energy intake restriction imposed on fully mature (4- to 5-month-old), breeding female C3H/Bi mice was addressed, and the influence of energy intake where energy was derived largely from fat versus diets in which energy was derived largely from carbohydrates on tumor development and survival rate was investigated. The results show that chronic energy intake restriction can be delayed until full maturation and successful reproduction and still reduce significantly the incidence of mammary tumor development in this relatively short-lived strain of mice. Our findings demonstrate that the overriding dietary factor controlling mammary tumor development in these experiments in...
High-frequency P-wave seismic noise driven by ocean winds

[1] Earth’s background vibrations at frequencies below about 0.5 Hz have been attributed to ocean-wave energy coupling into the ground and propagating as surface waves and P-waves (compressional waves deep within the Earth). However, the origin and nature of seismic noise on land at frequencies around 1 Hz has not yet been well studied. Using array beamforming, we analyze the seismic noise fields at two remote sites (Parkfield and the Mojave Desert) in California, for durations of one and six months respectively. We find that (1) the seismic background noise at about 0.6–2 Hz consists of a significant amount of continuous P-waves originating offshore, and (2) the power of the P-wave noise is highly correlated with the offshore wind speed, demonstrating that these high-frequency Pwaves are excited by distant ocean winds. Our result suggests a land-based seismological proxy for monitoring oceanic weather. Citation: Zhang, J., P. Gerstoft, and P. M. Shearer (2009), High-frequency P-wave seismic noise driven by ocean winds, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L09302, doi:10.1029/ 2009GL037761.
The hydrophobic residues phenylalanine 184 and leucine 187 in the type-1 parathyroid hormone (PTH) receptor functionally interact with the amino-terminal portion of PTH-(1-34).

Recent mutagenesis and cross-linking studies suggest that three regions of the PTH-1 receptor play important roles in ligand interaction: (i) the extreme NH(2)-terminal region, (ii) the juxtamembrane base of the amino-terminal extracellular domain, and (iii) the third extracellular loop. In this report, we analyzed the second of these segments in the rat PTH-1 receptor (residues 182-190) and its role in functional interaction with short PTH fragment analogs. Twenty-eight singly substituted PTH-1 receptors were transiently transfected into COS-7 cells and shown to be fully expressed by surface antibody binding analysis. Alanine-scanning analysis identified Phe(184), Arg(186), Leu(187), and Ile(190) as important determinants of maximum binding of (125)I-labeled bovine PTH-(1-34) and (125)I-labeled bovine PTH-(3-34) and determinants of responsiveness to the NH(2)-terminal analog, PTH-(1-14) in cAMP stimulation assays. Alanine mutations at these four sites augmented the ability of the COOH-terminal peptide [Glu(22), Trp(23)]PTHrP-(15-36) to inhibit the cAMP response induced by PTH-(1-34). At Phe(184) and Leu(187), hydrophobic substitutions (e.g. Ile, Met, or Leu) preserved PTH-(1-34)-mediated cAMP signaling potency, whereas hydrophilic substitutions (e.g. Asp, Glu, Lys, or Arg) weakened this response by 20-fold or more, as compared with the unsubstituted receptor's response. The results suggest that hydrophobicity at positions occupied by Phe(184) and Leu(187) in the PTH-1 receptor plays an important role in determining functional interaction with the 3-14 portion of PTH.
Creation of clinical research databases in the 21st century: a practical algorithm for HIPAA Compliance.

Background: Enforcement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) began in April, 2003. Designed as a law mandating health insurance availability when coverage was lost, HIPAA imposed sweeping and broad-reaching protections of patient privacy. These changes dramatically altered clinical research by placing sizeable regulatory burdens upon investigators with threat of severe and costly federal and civil penalties. This report describes development of an algorithmic approach to clinical research database design based upon a central key–shared data (CK-SD) model allowing researchers to easily analyze, distribute, and publish clinical research without disclosure of HIPAA Protected Health Information (PHI). Methods: Three clinical database formats (small clinical trial, operating room performance, and genetic microchip array datasets) were modeled using standard structured query language (SQL)–compliant databases. The CK database was created to contain PHI data, whereas a shareable SD ...
Determination of band-spreading effects in high-performance liquid chromatographic instruments

Abstract The fundamentals of the measurement and computation of band spreading generated in chromatographic systems are discussed. A computer program was written that allows the characterization of the dispersion effects by calculating the second statistical moment of the concentration profiles emerging from the system. Experimental determination is necessary, as the existing theoretical models give quantitatively accurate values only in certain instances. In this way the dispersion contributions of various system elements were determined and useful hints for their design were obtained.
Frequency-Domain Analysis of Fluctuating Pressure on a Pusher Propeller Blade Surface

Chordwise distribution of unsteady surface pressure is measured on a pylon-mounted pusher propeller in flight. Spectral decomposition of the fluctuating surface pressure signals reveals a strong presence of upstream wake interaction. The growth and decay behavior of the fundamental disturbance wave along the propeller chord exhibits the same characteristics as a separated, reattaching shear layer. Frequency-domain analysis further suggests a single or multiple vortex-shedding phenomenon from the pusher propeller trailing edge, per revolution, in an upstream wake interaction. The rms amplitude of higher harmonics (i.e., k = 3, 4, 5, and 6) along the propeller chord attains values corresponding to boundary-laye r random turbulence levels. Joint statistical properties between selected transducers on the propeller suction surface suggest a linear frequency response of the dynamical system to the fundamental and first harmonic disturbances, while higher-frequency Fourier components result in a nonlinear response behavior.
Electrochemical reduction of chloropermethylpolysilanes

Abstract Investigation of several chloropermethylpolysilanes by a.c. polarography and cyclic voltammetry indicate increasing interaction between chlorine and the polysilane chain as the chain length increases. The reduction potentials for 1-chloropermethylpolysilanes are in all cases, including the hexasilanes, less negative than those for the corresponding α, ω-dichloropermethylpolysilanes. The cathodic EC processes for chloropermethylpolysilanes involve the formation of permethylpolysilyl hydrides.
Planar 4H- and 6H-SiC p–n diodes fabricated by selective diffusion of boron

Abstract Graphite film was used as a protective and selective mask for realizing diffusion of boron in SiC. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy was employed to identify the diffusion profile in SiC. No significant difference between diffusion profiles in 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC was found. Planar p–n diodes with local p-type emitter regions were fabricated in 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC based on this process. The current density versus voltage ( J–V ) curves of the formed diodes exhibited good rectification characteristics. The 4H-SiC p–n diodes had much lower forward voltage drops and much less temperature dependence in comparison with 6H-SiC p–n diodes.
Analysis of retroviral packaging lines for generation of replication-competent virus.

Abstract Amplification of retroviral vector sequences occurs in cocultures of ecotropic and amphotropic packaging cell lines. Mixed packaging line cocultures were used to determine both the host range and time of appearance of replication-competent virus after introduction of a retroviral vector. Replication-competent virus was generated at a characteristic time for a given ecotropic and amphotropic packaging line combination. The time required to generate replication-competent virus in a packaging line varied with the number of recombination events necessary to generate replication-competent virus from the retroviral sequences present in the line. The ψ2 packaging line generated replication-competent virus within 10 days after transfection of the N2 vector into a mixture of ψ2 (ecotropic) and PA317 (amphotropic) packaging cells. Under the same conditions, it took only 3 days to develop replication-competent virus in ψ2/PA12 cocultures. The host range of replication-competent virus was used to identify the packaging line that initially generates virus. Each packaging line combination generated replication-competent virus at a characteristic time and this time period can be used as a measure of the “safety” of the packaging line and vector combination.
Comparison of different ELISA protocols for the detection of IgA against influenza nucleoproteins in trachea of vaccinated chickens

Vaccines targeting mucosal immunity are important for the control of infection by pathogens with mucosal portals of entry, such as avian influenza. However, reliable and effective methods for determining levels of mucosal IgA stimulated by vaccination are not well developed in poultry and are necessary for determining efficacy. The objective of the present study was to compare different ELISA protocols to evaluate levels of mucosal IgA against two different sequences of nucleoprotein (NP:), a highly conserved internal protein in avian influenza virus, in trachea. Positive control tracheas were obtained through hyperimmunization of birds with adjuvated NP1 and NP2 peptide conjugated with keyhole limpet hemocyanin administered both orally and parenterally; negative birds received no antigen. Trachea samples were homogenized, and supernatant fluid was collected to separate IgA. ELISA was performed on NP1- or NP2-positive trachea samples, negative trachea samples, and blank wells with different levels of NP1 and NP2 coating peptides (5 or 10 μg/mL) using two different secondary antibodies (Gene Tex, GT:, or Thermo Scientific, TS:), with or without an acetate wash, and using maximum, medium, or low binding ELISA plates. The TS antibody resulted in a higher background signal compared to GT. Furthermore, coating plate wells with NP2 resulted in very high background compared to NP1. An acetate buffer wash resulted in the muffling of signals, and medium and low binding plates used in the study resulted in better results than maximum binding plates. These results suggest that the selection of appropriate secondary antibodies, binding plates, and ELISA reagent protocols all play important roles in determining NP1- or NP2-specific IgA levels in trachea samples.
Baseline hepatitis B vaccination coverage among persons with diabetes before implementing a U.S. recommendation for vaccination.

Abstract Background Recent data suggest that adults with diabetes are at increased risk of incident hepatitis B infection and may suffer increased morbidity or mortality from chronic hepatitis B infection. In October 2011, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended hepatitis B vaccination (HepB) for persons with diabetes aged 19–59 years and stated that persons with diabetes aged 60 years and older should be considered for vaccination. Objective To determine HepB coverage among persons with diabetes aged ≥19 years prior to implementation of the new ACIP recommendation and to determine predictors for vaccination. Methods We used the 2009 National Health Interview Survey to determine weighted proportions of self-reported HepB coverage (≥1 and ≥3 doses) among persons with diabetes aged ≥19 years. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors independently associated with vaccination. Results Overall, 19.5% (95% CI: 17.4–21.6%) and 16.6% (14.7–18.6%) of persons with diabetes, aged ≥19 years, reported receiving ≥1 and ≥3 doses of HepB, respectively, compared with 30.3% (29.4–31.3%) and 26.5% (25.5–27.4%) among persons without diabetes. While unadjusted HepB coverage was higher among persons without diabetes, diabetes status was not associated with ≥1 or ≥3 dose vaccination. Among persons with diabetes, being a healthcare provider (OR 4.2, 2.5–7.0), ever tested for HIV (OR 2.6, 1.8–3.6), high-risk behaviors (OR 1.8, 1.0–3.4, P -value = 0.053) and having some college education (OR 1.7, 1.2–2.4) were all independently associated with vaccination. Conclusion HepB coverage among persons with diabetes is low. These data can be used to provide a baseline for measuring future progress toward vaccination of persons with diabetes.
Diffusion and phase transformations during interfacial reaction between lead-tin solders and palladium

The interfacial reaction between Pb-Sn solders and bulk Pd substrate is studied both in the liquid- and solid-state of the solder. The interfacial microstructures are characterized by imaging and energy dispersive x-ray analysis in scanning electron microscope. The correlation between the diffusion path and interfacial microstructure in 62Sn38Pb/Pd, 95Pb5Sn/Pd, and Pb/Pd diffusion couples is demonstrated by means of calculated isothermal sections of the Pb-Sn-Pd system and the metastable phase diagram of the Pb-Pd system.
Role of intrinsic antioxidant enzymes in renal oxidant injury.

To investigate the functional role of renal intrinsic antioxidant enzymes (AOEs), the levels of AOE activities in isolated glomeruli and the changes in renal function to oxidant insults were assessed in normal control rats (NC, N = 23) and rats subjected to 30-minutes of complete renal ischemia for three days (day-3, N = 20) or six days (day-6, N = 23) prior to study. When compared to NC, the activities of total and manganese (cyanide-insensitive) superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase were increased more than twofold in day-6 animals, on average, from 36 +/- 4 U/mg protein, 9 +/- 1 U/mg protein, 129 +/- 21 U/mg protein and 1.32 +/- 0.20 k/mg protein, respectively, to 80 +/- 5, 27 +/- 3, 283 +/- 41 and 3.20 +/- 0.20, respectively (P less than 0.05 for all). There were no changes in AOE activities in day-3 animals. In day-6 animals, however, the activities of non-AOEs, LDH and fumarase were found to be unaffected. Separate groups of NC (N = 12), day-3 (N = 5) and day-6 (N = 12) rats were subjected to either 30 minutes of ischemia plus 60 minutes of reperfusion (I/R) or unilateral i.a. infusion of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2, 35 mu moles in 1 hr). The degree of reduction in inulin and para-amino hippurate clearance rates following I/R were significantly less in day-6 (-21 +/- 3% and -12 +/- 2, respectively) compared to NC (-69 +/- 9% and -59 +/- 11, respectively) or day-3 rats (-73 +/- 7% and -62 +/- 10, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Calculational aspects of the Stark line broadening of multielectron ions in plasmas

Abstract Recently a theoretical formalism and computer code were developed suitable for computing the Stark broadening of X-ray line transitions in highly ionized multielectron ions immersed in hot, dense plasmas. This problem can be formulated in terms of time-dependent autocorrelation functions. In this paper we present and discuss the formulation, computational techniques and algorithms used in the implementation of the theory into a computer code. We also present some examples of our results.
Viscoelasticity and Temperature Variations Decrease Tension and Stiffness of Hamstring Tendon Grafts Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Background: Hamstring tendon grafts used for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction are typically harvested early in the surgical procedure and are preconditioned prior to reimplantation. Postoperatively, the grafts undergo stress relaxation and warm from the temperature of the operating room to body temperature. The hypothesis of this study was that the tension within semitendinosus and gracilis tendon grafts and the stiffness of the grafts significantly decrease postoperatively because of both stress relaxation and an increase in temperature. Methods: Double-strand grafts were created from six semitendinosus tendons and six gracilis tendons harvested from cadaver specimens. The grafts were loaded to 65 N while at operating-room temperature (20°C). After fifteen minutes of stress relaxation, graft tension was measured and the grafts were stretched by 0.1 mm to determine stiffness. The tension and stiffness measurements represented graft properties immediately following reconstruction. Additional tension and stiffness measurements were made following three hours of stress relaxation and after increasing the temperature to the body temperature at the knee (34°C). Both types of graft were examined for differences in stiffness and tension due to stress relaxation and the temperature increase. Results: For both types of graft, the tension and stiffness decreased following stress relaxation to approximately 50% and 80%, respectively, of the value immediately after reconstruction. Increasing the temperature decreased the tension and stiffness further to approximately 40% and 70%, respectively, of the value after reconstruction for both types of graft. All changes in tension and stiffness were significant (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Graft tension and stiffness achieved immediately following reconstruction are not maintained postoperatively because of stress relaxation and a temperature increase. This could lead to increased knee laxity. Clinical Relevance: Keeping hamstring tendon grafts warm may prevent the decrease in stiffness and tension caused by a postoperative temperature increase. Grafts should be preconditioned to the extent possible, although postoperative stress relaxation cannot be eliminated.
Cooling China: The Weather Dependence of Air Conditioner Adoption

One of the major adaptation mechanisms to climate change is increased demand for cooling via the air conditioning of indoor environments. China’s demand for air conditioners has displayed explosive growth since 1995. This paper provides estimates of the income and short run weather sensitivity of air conditioner adoption across urban areas for 29 Chinese provincial entities. We show that the adoption decision displays significant income and weather sensitivity in the short run, with adoption being higher the year following a hot summer.
Interactive collaborative media environments

Virtual reality (VR) provides a revolutionary interface between man and machine. However, present display and interface peripherals limit the potential of virtual environments within many activities or scenarios. Mainstream immersive VR is centred on head mounted display (HMD) based solutions in which the user is isolated from their surrounding environment. The occlusion of real world interaction within such systems imposes unnatural social and physical constraints on the user. Media environments can be classified as one form of enhanced reality based around immersive physical spaces intensified for effective collaborative activities. Current research is directed at three forms of enhanced spaces — immersive projected displays, interactive video environments, and immersive desktop environments. While HMD and desktop VR facilitates many collaborative tasks, the synthesis of real and virtual realities within a life-size environment offers distinct advantages within other applications. This paper introduces the concepts behind media environments, reviews current research and presents applications being explored at BT Laboratories.
Numerical simulations of target hole diameters for hypervelocity impacts into elevated and room temperature bumpers

Abstract Normal impacts between 3.175 mm diameter 1100-O Al spherical projectiles and 1.6 mm thick 6061-T6 Al targets are considered for both room temperature and heated targets. The elevated target temperatures under examination are 110 and 210 °C, and the simulated impact velocities range from approximately 2 to7 km/s. The AUTODYN v.5 hydrocode is used to generate data that are compared to empirical data obtained from the literature, and to that obtained with the University of Denver Research Institute's (DRI) two-stage light gas gun. The effect of using applicable strength and fracture models currently available in AUTODYN to replicate both room and elevated temperature target hole diameters is also examined. It was found that the numerical simulations for both room and elevated temperature targets predict hole diameters that differ approximately 0.1–13% from the DRI empirical data.