cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Benefit of Hydrogen Addition to the Boiling Water Reactor Environment on Stress Corrosion Crack Initiation and Growth in Type 304 Stainless Steel

Integranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) in type 304 stainless steel in high temperature high purity water requires the simultaneous presence of sensitized material, high tensile stress and oxygen. Laboratory and in-reactor stress corrosion test have shown the benefits of adding hydrogen to the boiling water reactor feedwater to reduce the dissolved oxygen concentration and thereby reduce the chemical driving force for IGSCC. The purpose of this program was to verify the benefit of hydrogen additions on the stress corrosion crack behavior. The program investigated the fatigue and constant load crack growth behavior using fracture mechanics specimens in hydrogen water chemistry (HWC). Isothermal heat treatments were used to sensitize type 304 stainless steel. Additionally, full size pipe tests containing actual welds were used to evaluate crack initiation, as well as propagation of cracks, to verify the results of the fracture mechanics tests. These pipe tests were performed under a trapezoidal loading cycle. The results of the small specimen tests show that hwc inhibits IGSCC in type 304 stainless steel. The effects of cyclic loading at slow frequencies which promote IGSCC were also evaluated. Computer aided methods were used in the collection and interpretation of the high temperature crack growth data.
Reactive real time behavior for mobile robots in unknown environments

The objective is to emulate the stimulus-response behavior for robot navigation in unknown environments. The robot's objective is to move from its current position to some predefined coordinates, namely, a predefined goal point. The proposed behavior is reactive and the robot has no prior information about the size and location of the obstacles in the environment. This control algorithm is a combination of two main behaviors: wall following and goal seeking, and is based totally on real-time data acquisition from immediate surroundings of the robot. A carefully designed fuzzy inference system (FlS) is used to determine the change in velocity and direction of the robot based on the sonar sensor and inertial cube (Gyro) sensor readings.
Sex role endorsement among homosexual men across the life span.

This study assessed the sex role endorsement of homosexual men at different ages across the life span. A sample of homosexual men from dignity chapters in the northeastern, midwestern, southern, southwestern, and western United States was mailed a demographic questionnaire and the Bem Sex Role Inventory. Respondents were classified into four age brackets and categorized as androgynous, masculine, feminine, and undifferentiated. A pattern of diverse sex role endorsement was found from adolescence to maturity in which gay men were equally androgynous, masculine, feminine, and undifferentiated at each age level. This finding contradicted an earlier study of heterosexual men that reported increasing numbers of androgynous males with age. The contrast suggests that the sex role endorsement of gay men may be very different from their heterosexual counterparts. It was further suggested that gay men are capable of meshing masculine and feminine aspects of their personalities early as well as later in life, that gay men do not comprise a homogeneous group, and that the stereotype of cross-gender role endorsement is unfounded.
Finite-element solution of Maxwell’s equations with Helmholtz forms.

Interest in scattering and/or absorption involving three-dimensional penetrable bodies has driven numerous efforts to develop computational methods for such problems. When the object is geometrically and electrically complex, the finite-element method is a logical numerical choice. Helmholtz weak forms have recently been advocated, and computational successes have been achieved with the approach. An overview of the Helmholtz formulation, with particular emphasis on its spurious-mode-resistant properties, some efficient and reliable solution procedures for the algebra that it generates, and an approach to unstructured mesh generation, is presented. As a whole these procedures provide the basis for a methodology for realizing three-dimensional finite-element solutions of Maxwell’s equations in a workstation computing environment. Examples of calculations that demonstrate several important properties of the Helmholtz technique and illustrate the extent to which practical three-dimensional calculations can be accomplished with readily available computing power are shown.
Analysis and evaluation of a fruit bin for apples

A fruit bin is an essential part of apple harvesting, storage, and transport. The lateral pressure distribution on the bin walls by apples in the bin are not well understood, thus making it harder to predict the behavior of the vertical walls of the bin. In this study, a bin was loaded with apples and deflections of the base and a vertical wall were experimentally measured and then modeled using finite element methods to understand typical static load distribution. One of the factors determining the accuracy of an analytical model is accurate representation of load distribution on the structure. A mathematical model was used to validate the lateral pressure distribution applied by the apples on the vertical walls and the bottom plate of the bin. The effect of unit weight of an apple and the angle of repose of apples on load distribution in the bin has been analyzed. Angle of repose is found to be a significant parameter for the lateral pressure distribution on the bin walls. A nonlinear lateral pressure distribution was observed along the depth from top to bottom of the bin. The resulting finite element model allows for comparison of deformation behavior of fruit bins constructed with a variety of materials, such as plywood, wood plastic composites, or a thermoplastic polymer. Although this study dealt with bins for apples, the sensitivity analyses for a range of unit weights and angles of repose for apples makes the analysis results versatile for use with other kinds of fruits and vegetables that fall within the reported range of unit weight and angle of repose.
Lack of Effect of Improved Glycemic Control on C-Peptide Secretion in Patients Without Residual B-Cell Function

Ten patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus underwent a program of intensification of therapy that resulted in marked improvement in glycemic control. C-peptide secretion in response to a test meal and to an intravenous glucagon challenge was used to assess pancreatic B-cell function in terms of residual endogenous insulin secretion. Patients, who had diabetes for a mean (±SEM) of 8.4 ± 1.9 yr, had minimal or no C-peptide response at baseline evaluation. C-peptide responses remained unchanged when reassessed after 2, 4, and 6 mo of improved glycemic control.
Infrared-Induced Processes in a Disordered Crystal of a Tutton Salt

Hole burning of the four N−D stretching bands of NH3D+ in a mixed Tutton salt [(NH4)2Co0.25Ni0.75(H2O)6(SO4)2], dilute in NH3D+ and HDO, has been investigated. The burning changes the orientational distribution of the NH3D+ ions. Relaxation in the dark of the altered distribution is accompanied by slower changes of the HDO molecules. The motion of the HDO molecules demonstrates long-range coupling among the orientational coordinates of the molecules in the crystal and the propagation of strain through the crystal.
Building materials for the renewal of civil infrastructure

Fibre reinforced polymers are increasingly being used to rehabilitate and renew the built infrastructure, ranging from use as reinforcing elements in concrete and as externally bonded elements for strengthening of deteriorating and under-strength concrete and steel components, to use as structural components in bridges and industrial systems. But there are still some challenges that need further work including improvements in fire resistance, lower cost manufacturing, and accurate prediction of service life. Vistasp M. Karbhari, professor of structural engineering at the University of California San Diego, explains.
Measurement of rat plasma adenosine levels during normoxia and hypoxia.

Abstract A stop solution containing EDTA, EGTA, dipyridamole, erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)adenine (EHNA) and d, l-α-glycerophosphate has been used to prevent adenosine formation and loss from rat femoral arterial blood samples prepared for measurement of plasma adenosine levels. The femoral anterial plasma adenosine concentration in normoxic rats was 79.2 ± 12.7 nM. During a 5 min period of hypoxia (8% oxygen) plasma adenosine increased to 190.2 ± 32.2 nM. A resting plasma adenosine level of circa 80 nM, which is 10X lower than most previous estimates, approximates the threshold levels of adenosine required for arterial dilation.
Recognition and integration of dimension sets in vectorized engineering drawings

The benefits of the existing CAD systems are not available to a large number of engineering drawings which were created manually on paper using conventional drafting methods. An automated system which will scan and convert these drawings into CAD files recognizable by the existing CAD systems is very desirable. An important element in the conversion process is the automatic recognition and understanding of dimensional information which is used to denote the exact size and location of the various entities present in the geometry described in the drawing. This paper discusses a system which has been developed to recognize the dimension sets from the vectorized image of the drawing and obtain the logical relationship between the dimension sets and the geometry. The recognized dimension sets are also integrated with the geometry of the object using a variational geometry approach to rectify the errors which are introduced during preprocessing. The drawing obtained after processing consists of an accurate vectorized representation of the geometry in terms of the basic geometric entities and a vectorized representation of the dimension sets which can be used in an dimension-driven CAD system.
Is computed tomography a reliable diagnostic modality in detecting placental injuries in the setting of acute trauma

Objective The objective of this study was to determine whether computed tomography (CT) is a reliable method of imaging to assess placental injury after acute trauma during pregnancy. Study Design This study was a retrospective review of digital CT images and electronically scanned charts of pregnant trauma patients identified from the hospital trauma registry list. Results Using delivery within 36 hours of trauma as the clinical marker for the occurrence of placental abruption, positive radiologic readings showed 86% sensitivity and 98% specificity. The overall accuracy was 96%. Conclusion Given that defined patterns on CT can be identified and those can be correlated to actual abruption, CT may be a reliable method for evaluation of placental abruption after maternal trauma, especially in the face of abdominal trauma. Our results show that CT has both good sensitivity and specificity identifying abruption and should be considered for use in the management in the pregnant patient after trauma.
Super-reflexivity and the girth of spheres

It is shown that a Banach space is super-reflexive if and only if the girth of its unit ball is greater than 4. Consequently, “girth greater than 4” is a property preserved under isomorphisms and duality.
A Qualitative Study of Patient and Family Perceptions of Chaplain Presence During Post-Trauma Care

Improving the provision of spiritual care to hospitalized patients requires understanding what patients look for from a hospital chaplain, and why. This qualitative study uses grounded theory methodology to analyze data from 25 interviews with adult patients and/or adult family members who received spiritual care in a large tertiary care hospital. Analysis reveals three key themes in chaplaincy care: the attributes valued in the chaplain's presence, the elements necessary to form relationship with the chaplain, and the role of the chaplain in helping patients to discover and express meaning in their experiences. The authors weave these three themes together into a grounded theory and propose an assessment model that incorporates psychological theory about human motivation, faith development, and the development of autonomy. An understanding of the proposed assessment model can guide chaplain interventions and benefit all members of the clinical care team.
Differential Diagnosis between Malignant and Benign Breast Diseases Using Localized Proton Magnetic Resonance

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ('H MRS) has demontrated ilS abilities to detect an increase of choline containing compounds (Cho) in various brain tumors and prostatic cancer tissues. Based on preclinical works done by other authors using multinuclei MRS, it is reasonable to assume malignant breast tumors will have elevated level of Cho compared to that of .n011!lal, tissues and be,ugn breast lesions. Several challenges must be met to 'obtain clinically useful'lH bteast speetnun. Good water and fat suppression, Bo homogeneity are required to detec' low level metabolic signals like choline if any. In this study, we investigated the clinical utility of 'H MRS with simultaneous suppresSion of water and fat signals, using breast imaging surface coil'for evaluating breast cancer with sman lesions. All studies were perfonned using a GB signa MRI unit (1.5 T. Vet 5.5) and 2-channel breast coil (GB). Water suppression was achieved by cheniical seJceti.v.e saturation, and fat signal was B"enuated using inversion recovery sequence. Spectroscopic data.were ~cquired with PRESS sequence. Twenty-~three patients. age 14·7~, were examined. . Eleven pf th,e;se patients presented with invasive ductal carcinoma. The remaining patients presented with benign processes including fibroadenoma, fibrocystic change, galactocele. adenosis, ductal. eetasl_B,' and dystrophic calcification. The size of lesions were veriable (8-90 nun in diameter). Choline at 3.25 ppm was visible in the spectra of all cancer patients. while invulible in the ,speetru of all benign lesions except a lesion of dyslrophic calcification. We concluded thai' in vivo detection of choline containing compounds in breast carcinomas u.$,ing proton magnetic :resoriance specll'05COpy demonstrated ilS pctential as a nonin~asive. tool for differential diagnosis of malignant and betlign. breast lesions lar.ger than 7 rnm In diameter, <Korean J of Breast Cancer 1998;1:1-3)
HYPERTROPHIC OSTEOPATHY ASSOCIATED WITH PULMONARY BLASTOMYCOSIS IN A DOG

Hypertrophic osteopathy (HO) associated with pulmonary blastomycosis was diagnosed in a 5–year-old male mixed-breed dog. One year prior to referral, increased pulmonary opacity had been identified on radiographs made during an examination for a chronic cough. Although serologic tests for blastomycosis were negative, the dog was treated with oral ketoconozole on the basis of suspicious lesions seen on radiographs and clinical signs. Ten months after completing the ketoconozole therapy, the dog was presented for a persistent cough and lameness. Intrapulmonary masses and periosteat proliferation were observed radiographically. A biopsy of the pulmonary masses was done, and Blastomyces dermatitidis was identified. Amphotericin B and ketoconozole administration resulted in clinical improvement and partial resolution of the HO lesions five months after initiation of therapy.
Axoplasmic flow in ventral root nerve fibers of the cat.

A new technique was used to measure the content of radioactive phosphorus in the ventral roots. After injection of P32 into the spinal cord of cats, the isotope was recorded at intervals along the ventral roots and was found to be exponentially distributed. Destroying the cell bodies of the segment of the cord before injecting P32, either by pressure asphyxiation or by local injection of cyanide, caused a reduced efflux of P32 in those ventral roots. The reduction of P32 outflow depended upon the degree of cellular loss, a result which lends further support to the view that efflux of P32 in the ventral roots is intra-axonic. Lowering body temperature reduced the slope of the P32 efflux, indicating interference with an active process controlling the rate of flow. An axonal “pump” is suggested by our evidence.
A top-down language analyzer

Parsing is the process which matches a given input against prestored possibilities (a grammar) to discover the structure of acceptable candidates. It is relevant to both natural and artificial languages--both English and command or query languages. Although parsing is necessary to computer processing of all languages, and the parser described in this paper (PARSYN) is a general-purpose top-down parser, the focus of this paper is its applicability as a computationally efficient processor of natural language. In natural language, a grammar is taken to cover a subset of the language; parsing proceeds both top-down looking for constituents and bottom-up replacing the words by syntactic categories for processing. Since procedural formulation is equivalent to an ATN, complete computational coverage of all natural language parsers can be obtained with template processing and an ATN. PARSYN is a computational accelerator for parsing which provides this coverage. The algorithm of PARSYN is a Recursive Transition Network (RTN) with interrupt capability; the combination can serve as an ATN or template processor. Yet, PARSYN is simple enough to be attached to a microprocessor based English-language processing system ( — BE—, “microBE”, for micro-processor-Based English). It is flexible enough to provide pattern-matching, template processing and parsing all with the same formulation, bringing these facilities to the micro-system level efficiently and economically.
Postnatal development of NR2A and NR2B mRNA expression in rat auditory cortex and thalamus.

Sensory cortex in the rat undergoes rapid postnatal development, especially following the onset of sensory function during so-called "critical periods." To investigate potential mechanisms in the auditory forebrain involving different NMDA receptor subunits, we have used in situ hybridization to determine expression patterns of NR2A and NR2B mRNA at postnatal days 4, 10, 13, 18, 25, and adult. In auditory cortex, NR2A mRNA expression is initially weak but increases rapidly over ~2 weeks. NR2B mRNA levels are initially high and remain high. For both subunits, expression tends to be highest in superficial layers of the cortex (except layer 1). Expression is weaker in the auditory thalamus (medial geniculate). Initially, NR2A mRNA expression is very low, whereas NR2B mRNA expression is moderate; both levels increase over ~2 weeks. Among medial geniculate subdivisions, NR2A mRNA expression occurs preferentially in the medial division, whereas NR2B mRNA expression is strongest in the ventral division. For auditory cortex and thalamus, NR2A and NR2B mRNA expression peaks about 1 week after the onset of hearing before declining slightly into adulthood. The heterogeneous distribution of NMDAR subunit mRNA throughout development may play a role in auditory forebrain development and function.
Medical Pharmaceuticals and Distributive Justice

There are deep structural conflicts between the mission of healthcare as cooperative care to the sick and injured and that of healthcare as a business whose mission is maximizing profits. These conflicts come to the fore in the medical pharmaceutical industry. I first set these out in a context that addresses the mission of healthcare, then examine the relative roles of competitive and cooperative systems of distributive justice, and then argue for the creation of nonprofit pharmaceutical companies and the transformation of many for-profit companies into companies subject to public oversight and profit curbs. The recommendations are aspirational for the United States (because it does not yet offer universal health coverage) but it is meant to be action guiding for those industrialized countries wealthy enough to provide universal health coverage.
ROTATIONAL MAGNETIC MOMENTS OF ALKALI-HALIDE MOLECULES

The rotational magnetic moments of a number of alkali-halide molecules have been measured by the molecular-beam magnetic-resonance technique. The gyromagnetic ratios in units of nuclear magnetons are: Only the absolute values were determined experimentally. However, the absolute values are reasonably consistent with the theoretical ones, so signs from the theory are listed above in parentheses. It is shown that for weak fields the molecular rotational magnetic moments do not correspond directly to the peaks of the reasonance curves. A statistical analysis has been carried out to determine the rotational $g$ values from the peaks of the observed resonances. Since the correction is large (up to 50%), the above results would be wrong by an amount beyond the indicated experimental error if the interpretation of the correction is not valid. No such uncertainty arises in the LiF measurements or in other rotational-moment measurements where the correction does not need to be made. The measured values determined in accordance with the above analysis are found to be in good agreement with the predictions from a theory of Foley. The spin-rotational interaction constant of ${\mathrm{F}}^{19}$ in ${\mathrm{Cs}}^{133}$${\mathrm{F}}^{19}$ has been measured by a new method to be 13.5\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.5 kc/sec.
The photopic hill: a new phenomenon of the light adapted electroretinogram.

Utilizing a high intensity photographic flash unit, electroretinograms were recorded from normal adults under fully light adapted conditions over a 5 log unit range of stimulus luminance (-1.35 to 3.34 log cd-s/m2). At lower luminance levels b-wave amplitude increased with increased luminance until it reached a maximum (Vmax of the Naka-Rushton equation) in agreement with previous work. At higher luminance levels, the b-wave amplitude decreased to 33% of Vmax and then plateaued. This previously unreported phenomenon has been named the photopic hill. There was no appreciable change in b-wave amplitude with increased interstimulus intervals from 15 sec to 5 min and luminance-response functions serially recorded for increasing and for decreasing stimulus luminance were very similar. These latter results indicate that the photopic hill is not due to light adaptation. The reason for the photopic hill and possible clinical implications are discussed.
A description of low-frequency atmospheric oscillations over the extratropical Northern Hemisphere using singular spectrum analysis

The method of singular spectrum analysis (SSA) is used to describe low-frequency atmospheric variability over the extratropical Northern Hemisphere (NH) from 500 hPa geopotential heights. Analysis reveals significant intraseasonal and interannual oscillations confined principally to eastern sections of the Pacific Ocean and northern sections of the Atlantic Ocean, generally where earlier studies have identified persistent anomalies. From the results it is suggested that persistent anomalies may undergo significant modulation on the quasi-biennial time scale.
Management science approaches to the determination of urban ambulance requirements

This research paper summarizes a systematic approach to the determination of urban ambulance requirements. Quantitative measures of ambulance system performance and alternative system configurations were developed, and these were examined for the city of Detroit, Michigan. Sampling techniques and data analysis procedures were used to develop an analytical model of the Detroit emergency recovery system, and this model was then utilized to predict the performance of alternative system configurations under varying operating policies. Results and conclusions are presented for the specific system under consideration; extensions of these techniques to other urban emergency systems are also suggested. THE DEVELOPMENT of effective methods for transporting the victims of emergencies to a hospital is a major problem in contemporary society. Various studies have estimated that 18-20 per cent of the 50,000 annual traffic fatalities in the United States could be avoided with more adequate emergency medical services. Although comparable statistics are not available for medical emergencies (heart attacks, strokes, etc.) and other accidental injuries, it seems clear that the failure to provide rapid, effective care for these emergencies leads to increased morbidity and mortality for many victims. This paper reports on a study conducted in Detroit, Michigan to consider one aspect of the emergency medical care problem--the determination of the number and placement of ambulances necessary to provide adequate service in an urban area. Increasing the number of ambulances assigned to a service area and placing these vehicles closer to the sites of potential emergencies should reduce the system response time. This reduction will place an emergency victim into contact with appropriate medical care more rapidly, and this rapid care should reduce the extent of victim morbidity and mortality. Consequently it would appear that the effects of changing the number and placement of recovery vehicles (the recovery system configuration) can be evaluated in terms of changed victim mortality/morbidity indices, Unfortunately, two factors make such evaluation criteria inappropriate. First, victim morbidity/mortality is influenced by many factors in addition to the ambulance system configuration. The quality of ambulance attendant training and medical capability, the victim's pre-emergency physical condition, the severity of the emergency and the quality of medical treatment in the hospital emergency room all influence the victim's condition. Since the effects and interactions between these * This paper is based upon remarks prepared for the 1971 Systems Engineering Conference ofthe American
Prediction of Discrimination from Generalization after Variations in Schedule of Reinforcement

The relationship between generalization and discrimination is explored in the present study by utilizing the results of systematic changes in the generalization gradient to predict changes in discrimination behavior. In the first of two experiments, differing groups of pigeons were trained to respond to a wavelength of 550 mmicro under conditions of varying schedules of reinforcement. Generalization gradients were then obtained and the ratios of the responses to selected discriminative stimuli calculated. These were used to predict discrimination behavior in a second experiment using the same stimuli. Both the number of trials to a discrimination criterion and the ratio of response indicate the plausibilty of an inverse hypothesis, and the applicability of the generalization model to related behavior such as discrimination.
State of the science: Outcomes of acute inpatient psychiatric care

Identifying client outcomes related to nursing care is critical to establish empirical evidence that supports the effectiveness of psychiatric nursing. The purpose of this article is to conduct a methodological review of the literature that examines client outcomes after treatment in acute care inpatient psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units of general hospitals. The databases Medline, CINAHL, HealthSTAR/Ovid HealthSTAR and psycINFO were searched for articles published between 1991and 2004. A review of literature was conducted of studies related to client outcomes after inpatient psychiatric treatment. Forty-seven studies were reviewed. There is a dearth of literature related to client outcomes after inpatient psychiatric treatment. The existing literature has conceptual and methodological limitations. The organization of psychiatric nursing care, in relation to outcomes is nonexistent in the literature. Outcomes that are sensitive to nursing care must be conceptualized theoretically and then examined empirically. The Quality Health Outcomes model is proposed to conceptualize outcomes of acute inpatient psychiatric treatment that are sensitive to nursing interventions and the organization of nursing care.
Ionization of Inert Gases by Positive Alkali Ions

The ionization potentials of the noble gases under impact of various positive alkali ions have been determined in a new and independent manner which employs the neutralization of an electron space-charge by the newly formed positive ions to show the ionization. The method is extremely sensitive to the positive ions but is not affected by the secondary electrons which are liberated from the walls. The potentials found are different for each combination of gas and alkali ion and range in value from 5 to 20 times the electron ionization potentials. They are lower, by amounts running as high as 45 volts in some cases, than those found by Beeck and Mouzon. No ionization was observed by ${\mathrm{Li}}^{+}$ ions, none by ${\mathrm{Na}}^{+}$ ions except in Ne gas, or in Ne gas by any ions but ${\mathrm{Na}}^{+}$. When the actual energies available for ionization, after conservation of energy and momentum have been taken into account, are calculated, the results are strikingly self-consistent, whereas the unreduced results are not at all so. Certain results published by Beeck and Mouzon, but which could not be checked by the author, fail to show this self-consistency.
Bayesian identification of system parameters

A common problem is that of identifying system parameters from short-term signal observations. If the signals have random components, and the parameters of interest are treated as random variables, then a Bayesian point of view provides at least one general approach to the problem. Although not too practical from a computational standpoint, this approach can give valuable insight into the fundamental limitations on how rapidly and accurately system parameters can be estimated, in situations where speed and accuracy may be critically important, and the number of unknown parameters is not too large. Two situations are discussed in this paper-that in which the input (driving) signals of the system are observable, and that in which they are not observable, but have known statistics. An example, involving the estimation of the natural frequency of a lightly damped second-order system in each of these situations is presented, in which the “threshold effect” in accuracy versus observation time is clearly illustrated.
Node cooperation with local views in the two-user interference channel

We study the role of cooperative infrastructure in distributed interference-limited networks. We focus on the two-user interference channel with a per-node model of channel state knowledge known as local views which emphasizes the mismatched knowledge held by each node. Prior work established that, without cooperation, a significant amount of knowledge is needed by each node to outperform basic orthogonalization schemes. By characterizing the capacity region under both unlimited transmitter cooperation and unlimited receiver cooperation, we provide insight into how cooperation may compensate for limited and mismatched channel state knowledge to enable more sophisticated transmission and higher performance.
Co-administration with DNA encoding papillomavirus capsid proteins enhances the antitumor effects generated by therapeutic HPV DNA vaccination

DNA vaccines have emerged as attractive candidates for the control of human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated malignancies. However, DNA vaccines suffer from limited immunogenicity and thus strategies to enhance DNA vaccine potency are needed. We have previously demonstrated that for DNA vaccines encoding HPV-16 E7 antigen (CRT/E7) linkage with calreticulin (CRT) linked enhances both the E7-specific CD8+ T cell immune responses and antitumor effects against E7-expressing tumors. In the current study, we aim to introduce an approach to elicit potent CD4+ T cell help for the enhancement of antigen-specific CD8+ T cell immune responses generated by CRT/E7 DNA vaccination by using co-administration of a DNA vector expressing papillomavirus major and minor capsid antigens, L1 and L2. We showed that co-administration of vectors containing codon-optimized bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) L1 and L2 in combination with DNA vaccines could elicit enhanced antigen-specific CD8+ in both CRT/E7 and ovalbumin (OVA) antigenic systems. We also demonstrated that co-administration of vectors expressing BPV-1 L1 and/or L2 DNA with CRT/E7 DNA led to the generation of L1/L2-specific CD4+ T cell immune responses and L1-specific neutralizing antibodies. Furthermore, we showed that co-administration with DNA encoding BPV1 L1 significantly enhances the therapeutic antitumor effects generated by CRT/E7 DNA vaccination. In addition, the observed enhancement of CD8+ T cell immune responses by DNA encoding L1 and L2 was also found to extend to HPV-16 L1/L2 system. Our strategy elicits both potent neutralizing antibody and therapeutic responses and may potentially be extended to other antigenic systems beyond papillomavirus for the control of infection and/or cancer.
Applications of Ellipsoidal Approximations to Polyhedral Sets in Power System Optimization

The paper presents a computational method that approximates feasible sets specified by linear or convex inequalities. This numerically efficient approach to power system optimization is based on computational geometry of multidimensional ellipsoids and is potentially applicable to problems with high dimensions, as it builds on recent advances in convex optimization. In an important application, it provides ranges in which nodal (generator) injections can vary without violating operational constraints in security analysis. The model is applied to two important problems in deregulated power systems: optimal economic dispatch (OED) and calculation of locational marginal prices (LMPs) in a day-ahead power market. Optimization problem with convex (ellipsoid-based) constraints is solved by a linear matrix inequality (LMI)-based procedure. The method is verified on the benchmark example with 68 buses, 16 generators, and 86 lines.
Deep oxidation of methane over zirconia supported Ag catalysts

Abstract Zirconia supported silver catalysts were studied for deep oxidation of methane. The catalyst structure was examined by XRD, XPS, STEM-EDX, HR-TEM and UV–Vis spectroscopy and related to the catalyst activity. Methane conversion strongly depends on Ag state and dispersion. At low Ag loading ( + were studied for comparison. High conversion of methane was found only in zeolite catalysts containing a large amount of silver, some of which was in particle form. The reaction rate on zirconia-supported Ag particles is 0.77 order in methane and 0.37 order in oxygen. The reaction products, carbon dioxide and water, do not affect the methane oxidation rate in levels up to of 1.7 and 3.5 mol% in the feedgas, respectively. The active phase under reaction conditions for both low and high Ag loading is the oxygen covered metallic Ag surface, as was confirmed by XPS and UV–Vis spectrometry.
Land-use and land-cover assessment for the study of lifestyle change in a rural Mexican community: the Maycoba project.

In 1995, a study was conducted to identify the effects of traditional and westernized environments on the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Pima Indians (Pimas) in Mexico and the United States. The study concluded that the more traditional lifestyle in Mexico had a protective effect against this metabolic disorder. In the ensuing 15 years, the environmental circumstances of the Mexican Pimas changed, and a follow-up study was conducted to determine the role environmental change plays in the development of diabetes in this genetically susceptible population. A major element of environmental transition relates to land-use and land-cover (LULC) changes that could affect physical activity and promote an obesogenic environment. This study examined changes in the region’s LULC to determine whether there have been transitions in agricultural land use and urbanization that would be consistent with a more sedentary lifestyle. Changes were assessed from 1994 aerial photographs and 2007 satellite images. The land-cover analysis showed that mixed vegetation and dense trees cover most of the study area. It suggested a rural environment that includes a low percentage of impermeable areas, and it indicated that the area experiencing human intervention covers 7% of the total area. The land-use-change findings showed a decrease or no change in agricultural or ranching areas and a decrease in farmland due to reforestation or revegetation. Three variables from the land-use-change analysis were examined as proxies for lifestyle change: urban development, dwelling-unit density, and variation in the road network. Two of the measures –the amount of urbanization and the number and density of dwelling units—showed increases, most notably in the town of Maycoba. There were only minor changes in the road network: most of the road segments are short and concentrated in Maycoba where most of the buildings, points of interest (e.g., church, stores), and cars are located. The LULC in Maycoba and surrounding settlements had changed during the study period. LULC change was used as a proxy to examine lifestyle changes that can affect levels of physical activity.
Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of rat brain acetylcholinesterase: isoenzymes of normal rat brain.

— Triton-solubilized acetylcholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.7) of rat brain was submitted to vertical flatbed polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Three anodally migrating isoenzyme zones with low relative mobilities could be resolved, each of which on quantitative densitometry appeared to consist of more than one subzone. More than 50 per cent of the total AChE activity was exhibited by the isoenzyme zone closest to the origin (isoenzyme zone 3). Regional differences in AChE isoenzyme activity were quantitative only with the caudate-putamen complex, midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata exhibiting relatively high content of the three isoenzymes and the cerebral cortex and olfactory bulb possessing weak isoenzyme activities. Intermediate levels of isoenzyme activities were observed in the cerebellum and hippocampus. In all areas examined, the relative percentage values for each isoenzyme remained constant. AChE isoenzymes from the forebrain, brain stem and cerebellum of 15- and 30-day-old rats appeared to have identical patterns. In brain stem, no quantitative differences could be detected in the isoenzyme activities between 15 and 30 days of age. At both ages, the isoenzymes of male and female rats did not show any qualitative differences. The single cholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8) isoenzyme which could be identified in brain stem supernatants of 30-day-old rats was weakly reactive and appeared to have the same relative mobility as the major acetylcholinesterase zone, zone 3. Acetylcholinesterase isoenzymes failed to demonstrate any differential response toward varying concentrations of inhibitors and to changes in pH. While there were basic similarities in the acetylcholinesterase and cholinesterase isoenzyme patterns of brain, serum, liver, skeletal muscle and intestine, brain alone exhibited a marked preponderance of the acetylcholinesterase isoenzyme zone 3.
A novel HSP90 modulator with selective activity against thyroid cancers in vitro

Background Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a chaperone protein regulating several client proteins involved in thyroid cancer development. The purpose of this study was to mechanistically evaluate a novel, natural product drug with anticancer activity in thyroid cancer cell lines in vitro for future translational applications. Methods A total of 285 natural plant extracts and compounds were evaluated for anticancer activity by MTS assay. Apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were characterized by annexin V-propidium iodide (PI) flow cytometry. HSP90 and client protein modulation, as well as apoptosis confirmation, as demonstrated by Western blot analysis. Results Of the 285 compounds and products tested, 45 demonstrated antiproliferative activity in thyroid cancers by MTS assay. BTIMNP_D004 demonstrated the greatest inhibition (IC 50 = 155–2,890 nM in thyroid cancers). Activity was cancer-cell selective compared to fibroblasts, with increased potency over 17-AAG in BCPAP, FTC133, and DRO81-1 cells. D004 modulated cell cycle arrest after 18 hours (G 1 /G 0 → S and G 2 /M) with 30% FTC133 cells shifted, 22% BCPAP cells shifted, and 15% SW1736 cells shifted versus controls ( P P P P P Conclusion BTIMNP_D004 is a novel natural product drug with anticancer activity against thyroid cancers in vitro, and may act through induction of apoptosis, modulation of cell cycle arrest, and modulation of heat shock chaperone proteins including HSP90. These preliminary in vitro data support future preclinical studies for translational applications.
Biomolecular surface construction by PDE transform.

This work proposes a new framework for the surface generation based on the partial differential equation (PDE) transform. The PDE transform has recently been introduced as a general approach for the mode decomposition of images, signals, and data. It relies on the use of arbitrarily high order PDEs to achieve the time-frequency localization, control the spectral distribution, and regulate the spatial resolution. The present work provides a new variational derivation of high order PDE transforms. The fast Fourier transform is utilized to accomplish the PDE transform so as to avoid stringent stability constraints in solving high order PDEs. As a consequence, the time integration of high order PDEs can be done efficiently with the fast Fourier transform. The present approach is validated with a variety of test examples in two and three-dimensional settings. We explore the impact of the PDE transform parameters, such as the PDE order and propagation time, on the quality of resulting surfaces. Additionally, we utilize a set of 10 proteins to compare the computational efficiency of the present surface generation method and the MSMS approach in Cartesian meshes. Moreover, we analyze the present method by examining some benchmark indicators of biomolecular surface, i.e., surface area, surface enclosed volume, solvation free energy and surface electrostatic potential. A test set of 13 protein molecules is used in the present investigation. The electrostatic analysis is carried out via the Poisson-Boltzmann equation model. To further demonstrate the utility of the present PDE transform based surface method, we solve the Poisson-Nernst-Planck (PNP) equations with a PDE transform surface of a protein. Second order convergence is observed for the electrostatic potential and concentrations. Finally, to test the capability and efficiency of the present PDE transform based surface generation method, we apply it to the construction of an excessively large biomolecule, a virus surface capsid. Virus surface morphologies of different resolutions are attained by adjusting the propagation time. Therefore, the present PDE transform provides a multiresolution analysis in the surface visualization. Extensive numerical experiment and comparison with an established surface model indicate that the present PDE transform is a robust, stable and efficient approach for biomolecular surface generation in Cartesian meshes.
Imaging-based observational databases for clinical problem solving: the role of informatics

Imaging has become a prevalent tool in the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases, providing a unique in vivo, multi-scale view of anatomic and physiologic processes. With the increased use of imaging and its progressive technical advances, the role of imaging informatics is now evolving—from one of managing images, to one of integrating the full scope of clinical information needed to contextualize and link observations across phenotypic and genotypic scales. Several challenges exist for imaging informatics, including the need for methods to transform clinical imaging studies and associated data into structured information that can be organized and analyzed. We examine some of these challenges in establishing imaging-based observational databases that can support the creation of comprehensive disease models. The development of these databases and ensuing models can aid in medical decision making and knowledge discovery and ultimately, transform the use of imaging to support individually-tailored patient care.
Effect of Composition and Bead Settling on Debonding of Underfill Layers

With the increased complexity of microelectronic devices continuing to drive chip packages to smaller sizes, the need for reliable high-density flip chip packaging is increasingly important. In these packages, epoxy underfills are used to surround a solder ball grid array in order to support thermomechanical stresses in the system. This research focuses on determining the mechanisms that cause debonding at interfaces in these packages, particularly between the underfill and chip passivation. A fracture mechanics approach is used to study the adhesion of Si3N4 to two model underfills, one based on aliphatic epoxy and the other based on bisphenol F epoxy. Interestingly, these two underfills, which are similar mechanically, appear to show very different critical and subcritical behavior. The aliphatic underfill exhibits subcritical debond growth under constant displacements, behavior typically seen in interface systems, while the bisphenol F underfill surprisingly shows little susceptibility to stress corrosion. Although both underfills show evidence of silica bead settling, the addition of filler has opposing effects on their critical adhesion values. The effects of varying filler content in these underfills as well as environmental effects on the critical and subcritical behavior of these systems will be examined.
Multi-objective evacuation routing in transportation networks

In this paper, the optimal design and analysis of evacuation routes in transportation networks is examined. An methodology for optimal egress route assignment is suggested. An integer programming (IP) formulation for optimal route assignment is presented, which utilizes M/G/c/c state dependent queueing models to cope with congestion and time delays on road links. M/G/c/c simulation software is used to evaluate performance measures of the evacuation plan: clearance time, total travelled distance and blocking probabilities. Extensive experimental results are included.
Pressure-induced stiffness of Au nanoparticles to 71 GPa under quasi-hydrostatic loading

The compressibility of nanocrystalline gold (n-Au, 20 nm) has been studied by x-ray total scattering using high-energy monochromatic x-rays in the diamond anvil cell under quasi-hydrostatic conditions up to 71 GPa. The bulk modulus, K0, of the n-Au obtained from fitting to a Vinet equation of state is ~196(3) GPa, which is about 17% higher than for the corresponding bulk materials (K0: 167 GPa). At low pressures (<7 GPa), the compression behavior of n-Au shows little difference from that of bulk Au. With increasing pressure, the compressive behavior of n-Au gradually deviates from the equation of state (EOS) of bulk gold. Analysis of the pair distribution function, peak broadening and Rietveld refinement reveals that the microstructure of n-Au is nearly a single-grain/domain at ambient conditions, but undergoes substantial pressure-induced reduction in grain size until 10 GPa. The results indicate that the nature of the internal microstructure in n-Au is associated with the observed EOS difference from bulk Au at high pressure. Full-pattern analysis confirms that significant changes in grain size, stacking faults, grain orientation and texture occur in n-Au at high pressure. We have observed direct experimental evidence of a transition in compressional mechanism for n-Au at ~20 GPa, i.e. from a deformation dominated by nucleation and motion of lattice dislocations (dislocation-mediated) to a prominent grain boundary mediated response to external pressure. The internal microstructure inside the nanoparticle (nanocrystallinity) plays a critical role for the macro-mechanical properties of nano-Au.