cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Driver Differentiation With Seat Settings: Part II—Feasibility Study for US Household

The addition of user-customizable features to automobiles increases the need to differentiate among drivers so that each driver’s custom settings can be automatically applied. Part 1 of this study modeled driver component positioning as a function of the stature difference between sharing drivers. To fully understand the feasibility of this approach to driver identification, we need to model the distribution of stature differences in the population of sharing drivers. Monte Carlo simulation is used to simulate both population variability in stature and positioning and the effect of initial conditions on positioning are included. The simulation of 10,000 households showed that for 87% of target pairs, differentiation performance of fewer than 2% errors can be achieved, even when the drivers share a vehicle equally (the most difficult differentiation scenario).Copyright © 2010 by General Motors
Hemodynamic pattern resembling pericardial constriction after acute inferior myocardial infarction with right ventricular infarction

Two patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock are presented. Cardiac catheterization 2 and 7 days after infarction, respectively, revealed a hemodynamic pattern resembling constrictive pericarditis. Right coronary occlusion proximal to the right ventricular marginal branches was present in both patients. Resolution of the constrictive hemodynamic pattern was demonstrated in the one survivor at repeat catheterization 7 weeks after infarction. The mechanism for constrictive hemodynamics in these patients is unclear.
On the Riemann–Hilbert–Birkhoff Inverse Monodromy Problem Associated with the Third Painlevé Equation

A linear system of ordinary differential equations corresponding by the isomonodromy deformation method to the third Painleve equation is considered. The surjectivity of the monodromy map generated by this system is proven using the Riemann–Hilbert factorization method.
Fabrication and programming of large physically evolving networks

Physically Evolving Networks (PENs) were first proposed by Alan Turing in his 1948 paper “Intelligent Machines” [1]. PENs capture some important features of the information processing of biological neural systems, such as mimicking animal and human error patterns, and implement massively parallel, non-algorithmic processes, where the sequence and concurrency of operations is determined at run time. PENs simulations on conventional digital computers have been successfully used for speech recognition, image analysis, and adaptive control. But PEN implementations on computers with von Neumann architecture are slow compared to other algorithms which are optimized for the sequential processing of explicit instructions. In the following we discuss hardware implementations of PENs. Would it be possible to fabricate a PEN of the size of a human brain with a billion times more neurons? And if so, how could such a PEN be programmed or trained?
Lesser Tuberosity Osteotomy: The Door to Shoulder Replacement

As total shoulder replacement has evolved, the subtle nuances of soft tissue balancing and subscapularis function have emerged as key issues for improving patient outcomes. Subscapularis dysfunction is an under-recognized problem within the orthopedic community. Causes of dysfunction are rupture of the subscapularis tendon, nerve injury, or nonanatomic restoration of the muscle tendon unit moment arm. Lesser tuberosity osteotomy provides excellent surgical exposure, optimizes healing potential, and improves postoperative subscapularis function.
ADENOSINE-DEAMINASE DEFICIENCY IN A CHILD DIAGNOSED PRENATALLY

Abstract Deficiency of red-blood-cell adenosine deaminase (R.B.C.-A.D.A.) has been reported in a proportion of patients with the autosomal recessive form of severe combined immunodeficiency (S.C.I.D.). In a family in which a child had died with S.C.I.D., R.B.C.-A.D.A. levels in the parents and other members of the family were compatible with a heterozygous state for A.D.A. deficiency. Cultured amniotic-fluid cells obtained from a subsequent pregnancy contained less than 1·5% of A.D.A. activity of normal amniotic cultures. The prenatal diagnosis of A.D.A. deficiency was confirmed at birth by the absence of A.D.A. activity in the child's red blood-cells. Clinical and laboratory findings in this child are similar to those of the sibling who had died with S.C.I.D.
Modification of chitosan films with environmentally benign reagents for increased water resistance

Abstract Chitosan is a non-toxic, renewable, abundant natural material with excellent film-forming properties. It is shown here that water absorption by chitosan films can be decreased by chemical modification with the bio-based reagents citric acid and glycerol. Infrared spectroscopy showed that citric acid reacted with chitosan amine groups to form an acyclic amide structure. Glycerol imparted flexibility and water repellency to the films. When soaked in water for six hours, a chitosan–citric acid–glycerol (1:1:9) film absorbed 44% water by weight after initial exposure and remained unchanged for the duration of the experiment. In comparison, a pure chitosan membrane initially absorbed 70% water and gradually increased to 96%. After soaking, the modified film swelled by only 11% compared to 42% for pure chitosan. Similar results were observed for water contact angle with the film surfaces. For the modified film, change in contact angle over time could be attributed solely to evaporation, whereas the pur...
Sound production and pairing behavior of Leperisinus californicus Swaine and L. oregonus Blackman (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) attacking Oregon ash1

Both L. californicus and L. oregonus have an elytra-abdominal tergites type of stridulatory apparatus. Left files are shorter and much wider than right files, females have fewer ridges per file than males, and L. californicus have shorter files than L. oregonus. Left file ridge spacing of males averaged 1.9 μm for L. californicus and 3.0 μm for L. oregonus, with no species overlap. Distance between scrapers was greater in L. oregonus males than in L. californicus males; these structures are absent in females. In the laboratory, half the L. californicus pairs copulated at or partly inside the gallery entrance. Copulation of L. oregonus and the other L. californicus pairs was not observed. In both species, male stress and rivalry stridulation consisted of a nearly continuous run of short chirps. Male premating and postmating stridulation consisted of intermittent series of longer chirps of two alternating forms labeled “major” and “minor”. L. oregonus had faster stress and premating chirp rates, shorter series durations, shorter minor chirp durations and fewer tooth-strikes in both major and minor chirps than L. californicus. No female stridulation was detected. Zusammenfassung Lauterzeugung und Paarungsverhalten von Leperisinus californicus Swaine and L. oregonus Blackman (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), Schadlinge der Oregon Esche Die zwei Arten Leperisinus californicus und L. oregonus besitzen einen elytral-abdominalen Lauterzeugungsapparat. Die linke pars stridens ist kurzer und auch breiter als die rechte. Die Weibchen haben weniger Furchen pro pars stridens als die Mannchen. Die pars stridens des L. californicus ist kurzer als die des L. oregonus. Die Furchen des linken pars stridens bei L. californicus-Mannchen sind durchschnittlich 1.9 μm voneinander entfernt, wahrend die des L. oregonus 3.0 μ voneinander entfernt sind. Die Entfernung zwischen den Kegeln des Plektrum von L. oregonus-Mannchen ist groser als die von L. californicus. Weibchen besitzen keine Kegeln. Ungefahr die Halfte der L. californicus-Pazre kopulierten nahe des Eintritts des Frasganges oder innerhalb desselben. Kopulation des Eschenbastkafers L.-oregonus auserhalb des Ganges wurde nicht beobachtet. Die Stres- und Rivalitats-Stridulation der Mannchen von beiden Arten ist ein ununterbrochenes kurzes Zirpen. Die Stridulationssignale der Mannchen vor und nach der Paarung sind unterbrochene Signale mit zwei wechselnden Formen, die man “Haupt-” und “Neben”-Zirpen nennt. L. oregonus-Mannchen produzieren Stres-Zirpen sowie auch Zirpen vor der Paarung, die sich durch die schnellere Rate und kurzere Dauer der “Neben”-Zirpen von denen des L. californicus unterscheiden. Lauterzeugung bei Weibchen wurde nicht beobachtet.
Religious Attendance, Health Maintenance Beliefs, and Mammography Utilization: Findings from a Nationwide Survey of Presbyterian Women

Preventive health services, such as mammography, play an increasingly important role in maintaining women’s health. Social factors, such as religion, may influence utilization rates by expanding access, offering information, and increasing motivation. The current study examines the relationship between religious involvement, religious beliefs, and mammography usage in a nationally representative sample of Presbyterian women (N = 1,070). We use multivariate logistic regression models to estimate the influence of religious service attendance and two health-related religious beliefs on self-reported mammography use. The findings show that religious attendance is significantly associated with mammogram use. Women who attend services nearly every week are almost twice as likely to use mammograms compared to women who attend services less frequently or never. Furthermore, the belief that spiritual health is related to physical health is also associated with the use of mammograms.
Neuroprotection by ovarian hormones in animal models of neurological disease

Overian hormones can protect against brain injury, neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline. Most attention has focused on estrogens and accumulating data demonstrate that estrogen seems to specifically protect cortical and hippocampal neurons from ischemic injury and from damage due to severe seizures. Although multiple studies demonstrate protection by estrogen, in only a few instances is the issue of how the steroid confers protection known. Here, we first review data evaluating the neuroprotective effects of estrogens, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), and estrogen receptor α-and β-selective ligands in animal models of focal and global ischemia. Using focal ischemia in ovariectomized ERαKO, ERβKO, and wild-type mice, we clearly established that the ERα subtype is the critical ER mediating neuroprotection in mouse focal ischemia. In rats and mice, the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was used to represent cerebrovascular stroke, while in gerbils the two-vessel occlusion model, representing global ischemia, was used. The gerbil global ischemia model was used to evaluate the neuroprotective effects of estrogen, SERMs, and ERα-and ERβ-selective compounds in the hippocampus. Analysis of neurogranin mRNA, a marker of viability of hippocampal neurons, with in situ hybridization, revealed that estrogen treatment protected the dorsal CA1 regions not only when administered before, but also when given 1 h after occlusion. Estrogen rarely is secreted alone and studies of neuroprotection have been less extensive for a second key ovarian hormone progesterone. In the second half of this review, we present data on neuroprotection by estrogen and progesterone in animal model of epilepsy followed by exploration into ovarian steroid effects on neuronal damage in models of multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury.
Reflexive Field Containment in Dynamic Inductive Power Transfer Systems

We present a new topology appropriate for “dynamic” wireless charging. Possible applications include charging of electric vehicles or robots moving in a large, predesignated area. We propose a system with a transmitter made from multiple coils commensurable with the moving receiver(s), and powered by a single inverter. The proposed system uses the reactance reflected by the receiver to automatically increase the field strength in coupled portions of the transmitter-receiver system, thus allowing efficient power transfer and adherence to electromagnetic field emission standards without complex shielding circuits, switches, electronics, and communication. The power transfer is at its peak when the transmitting and receiving coils approach their maximum coupling (as defined by the geometrical constraints of the system), resulting in improved system-level efficiency. The presented analysis is supported with simulations and experiments.
Surfactant-aided, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry of hydrophobic and hydrophilic peptides.

The analysis of hydrophobic and hydrophilic peptides in an aqueous medium using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) is reported. The key development allowing for simultaneous analysis of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic components of the sample mixture is the use of surfactants to solubilize the hydrophobic components in the MALDI matrix solution. A wide variety of anionic, cationic, zwitterionic, and nonionic surfactants were evaluated for their ability to assist in the generation of an abundant pseudomolecular ion from a model hydrophobic peptide ([tert-butoxycarbonyl]Glu[γ-O-benzyl]-Ala-Leu-Ala[O-phenacyl ester]). The results indicate that the most successful surfactant among those studied for analyzing the model hydrophobic peptide is sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). SDS exhibited no interfering surfactant background ions, little to no loss of the acid-labile protecting groups from the model hydrophobic peptide, and an abundant pseudomolecular ion of the analyte. In a...
Biofeedback treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.

Biofeedback has had a greater impact on gastroenterology than on any other medical subspeciality. Biofeedback is the treatment of choice for many of the most common types of fecal incontinence, and preliminary studies suggest that it is likely to become a preferred method for treating patients with constipation related to inability to relax the striated pelvic floor muscles during defecation. This dysfunction may account for up to 50% of patients with chronic constipation. Thermal biofeedback forms part of a multicomponent behavioral treatment for irritable bowel syndrome that is reported to be effective, and other promising applications of biofeedback for gastrointestinal disorders are under investigation.
New large-sample confidence intervals for a linear combination of binomial proportions

Abstract In this paper, we consider the problem wherein one desires to estimate a linear combination of binomial probabilities from k > 2 independent populations. In particular, we create a new family of asymptotic confidence intervals, extending the approach taken by Beal [1987. Asymptotic confidence intervals for the difference between two binomial parameters for use with small samples. Biometrics 73, 941–950] in the two-sample case. One of our new intervals is shown to perform very well when compared to the best available intervals documented in Price and Bonett [2004. An improved confidence interval for a linear function of binomial proportions. Comput. Statist. Data Anal. 45, 449–456]. Furthermore, our interval estimation approach is quite general and could be extended to handle more complicated parametric functions and even to other discrete probability models in stratified settings. We illustrate our new intervals using two real data examples, one from an ecology study and one from a multicenter clinical trial.
The effects of rotational flow, viscosity, thickness, and shape on transonic flutter dip phenomena

The transonic flutter dip phenomena on thin airfoils, which are employed for propfan blades, is investigated using an integrated Euler/Navier-Stokes code and a two degrees of freedom typical section structural model. As a part of the code validation, the flutter characteristics of the NACA 64A010 airfoil are also investigated. In addition, the effects of artificial dissipation models, rotational flow, initial conditions, mean angle of attack, viscosity, airfoil thickness and shape on flutter are investigated. The results obtained with a Euler code for the NACA 64A010 airfoil are in reasonable agreement with published results obtained by using transonic small disturbance and Euler codes. The two artificial dissipation models, one based on the local pressure gradient scaled by a common factor and the other based on the local pressure gradient scaled by a spectral radius, predicted the same flutter speeds except in the recovery region for the case studied. The effects of rotational flow, initial conditions, mean angle of attack, and viscosity for the Reynold's number studied seem to be negligible or small on the minima of the flutter dip.
The digital reality: e-government and access to technology and internet for American Indian and Alaska Native populations

Information and communications technologies are powerful resources and tools for tribal governments to engage with their constituents, deliver services, conduct efficient and transparent administration, interact with other governments, and carry out policies. Digital government may in many ways be even more critical for tribes than for many other governments. As sovereign nations, tribal governments are engaged in complex relationships with other governments: local, state and federal governments. They are frequently in geographically isolated locations, with often-dispersed populations. The capacity to bridge distance can convey benefits for service delivery and civic engagement, and can connect communities with resources for health, economic development, and education. In this paper, we review research on Native American technology use and the limitations of available data. Because of the contrast between residents of urban areas and tribal lands, we examine differences in cell phone, computer and Internet use for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan Native populations, by education and income. We propose a research agenda utilizing this data, to support action to remedy disparities and to harness the potential of technology for tribal governments.
TU-E-304A-06: A 3D Solution for Advanced Photon Arc Therapy Quality Assurance

Purpose: Recently, radiation treatment technology has out‐paced the advances in QA technology, and a critical gap has been created within the arc motion delivery systems such as Rapid Arc®, High Art®, and VMAT®. Gantry position, speed and MU rate create extra degrees of complexity unaccounted for by several traditional 2D QA verifications due to directional dependence and/or inadequate spatial resolution. We present the 1st 3D dosimetry verification of a Rapid Arc treatment and general dosimetry technique based on a radio‐chromic plastic (PRESAGE™)/optical‐CT (OCTOPUS™) combination suitable for today's complex treatment technology. Method and Materials: A radio‐chromic plastic cylinder 17cm diameter × 11cm height was used to verify a simplistic Rapid Arc 6MV prostate plan. The radiation induced OD change (proportional to dosedelivered) was acquired by an optical‐CT scanner with a voxel size of 1×1×2.5mm3. The measured distribution was then compared with the corresponding dose distribution calculated by the treatment planning system (Eclipse® AAA, voxel size 2.5×2.5×2.5mm3). Comparisons between the two dose distributions were made using dose profiles and stacked 2D gamma maps (with criteria 3% dose difference and 3mm distance to agreement) for a quasi 3D gamma volume. Results: The 3D dose distribution measured profiles in the dosimeter showed agreement amongst the calculated treatment plan down to lower dose regions (down to ∼35%). Gamma map comparisons show the dosimeter measurements generally agree with the calculated treatment plan with a few low dose bath problem areas superior and inferior. More traditional QA techniques showed the same discrepancy areas of the plan. This aided in the verification of the system commissioning process. Conclusion: Radio‐chromic plastic/optical‐CT dosimetry techniques are capable of providing 3D, high spatial resolution verification for patient QA with advanced treatment techniques or commissioning, and the potential for its use at other treatment sites where the fluence is more complex.
Explaining collective violence in India: Social cleavages and their consequences

Although the ideal of nonviolence is often identified with the culture of India, it has, in comparison to other countries, high rates of collective violence. This is usually related to the presence of a variety of social cleavages in India. Utilizing a catalog of verified instances of collective violence in India, three issues concerning the linkage between social divisions and collective violence are explored. First, which among the six cleavages results in the most violence: political, economic, religious, ethnic, linguistic, or caste divisions? Second, what are the trends in the various forms of violence over time? Third, the consequences of multiple cleavages in terms of enhancing or diminishing collective violence are considered by examining the locations where such violence occurs. The findings emphasize the primacy of political violence, the relationship over time of all forms of collective violence to the political climate, and how social cleavages (because of their salience and relationship to st...
Communication complexity of convex optimization

We consider a situation where each one of two processors has access to a different convex function fi, i = 1, 2, defined on a common bounded domain. The processors are to exchange a number of binary messages, according to some protocol, until they find a point in the domain at which f1+f2 is minimized, within some prespecified accuracy ?. Our objective is to determine protocols under which the number of exchanged messages is minimized.
Eutaxial growth of hematite Fe2O3 films on perovskite SrTiO3 polycrystalline substrates

Abstract The grain-by-grain orientation relationships between an Fe2O3 film, grown using pulsed laser deposition, and a polycrystalline SrTiO3 substrate were determined using electron backscatter diffraction. This high-throughput investigation, we call combinatorial substrate epitaxy, enables the characterization of film growth on all grain orientations in a single experiment, allowing the determination of the preferred epitaxial orientation (PEO) of this non-isostructural film/substrate pair. Heavily-twinned rhombohedral α-Fe2O3 (hematite) grew epitaxially over the entire orientation space of the cubic perovskite substrate. Over 500 local orientation relationships (ORs) were investigated and more than 90% of these ORs, regardless of the interface plane normal, could be described using a single epitaxial OR: 0001 10 1 ¯ 0 Fe 2 O 3 111 1 1 ¯ 0 SrTiO 3 . This OR aligns the eutactic (nearly close-packed) planes and directions between these dissimilar crystal structures. Importantly, the growth of Fe2O3 on a single crystalline (100)-SrTiO3 results in several different orientation relationships. These results suggest that growth on high Miller-index (low-symmetry) surfaces provides more general information about the PEO than growth on low Miller-index (high-symmetry) surfaces. The epitaxial film growth on high Miller-index surfaces and the overwhelming observation of the eutaxial OR support the hypothesis that a very small number of simple crystallographic descriptors guide epitaxial film growth over all of orientation space, even for non-isostructural film/substrate pairs.
Interests and lobbying in Lithuania: a spectrum of development

By focusing on the case of Lithuania, this paper develops a framework for understanding the development and characteristics of interest groups and the broader category of interest systems in the former Communist countries of Eastern Europe. Nearly two decades have passed since the transition to democracy in the former Baltic Soviet republics and Eastern Europe. These nations have established democratic elections, modern judicial systems, institutions of representative government and guarantees of civil rights and civil liberties. Successful democratization, however, also requires the construction of a civil society characterized by open channels of communication between citizens and interests and their governments. Recent studies of the democratization of the former Soviet republics and satellite states in Eastern Europe have rarely addressed the development and role of interest groups and lobbying in these nations. This paper fills this void by presenting the findings of the first major study of interest group politics and lobbying in Lithuania. The major findings are based upon interviews of nearly 50 Lithuanian political, academic, bureaucratic and media elites conducted in the July of 2005. Overall, the lobbying community in Lithuania is underdeveloped, often corrupt, and is negatively perceived by many Lithuanians elites. Much of this is due to the legacy of communism which heavily influences the perception and efficacy of interest groups and lobbying resulting in a suspicion among the public and government officials that has impeded the development of an effective lobbying community. Lithuanian interest groups do not use sophisticated practices or tactics of lobbying; access is largely based on personal connections and corrupt practices. The business community is the most effective lobby due to its contacts and extensive resources; in contrast, the labour lobby is weak due to a hangover from communist times. Looking to the future development of the Lithuanian lobbying community, it is unclear what effect the entry of Lithuania into the European Union (May 2004) will have on the development of interest group activities and lobbying. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chitinase 3-like-1 exacerbates intestinal inflammation by enhancing bacterial adhesion and invasion in colonic epithelial cells.

Background & Aims: Dysregulated host/microbial interactions appear to play a central role in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, molecular events leading to the dysregulation have not yet been defined fully. Studies were designed to characterize a key molecule that is involved in the dysregulation. Methods: Colonic mucosal RNA from C57BL/6 mice on days 4 and 8 with administration of 4% dextran sulfate sodium for 5 days were subjected to DNA microarray analysis. Chitinase 3-like-1 (CHI3L1) messenger RNA and protein expressions were examined by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. A gentamicin protection assay of Salmonella typhimurium was performed using epithelial cell lines that are engineered genetically to overexpress or lack mouse CHI3L1. To examine the functional role of CHI3L1 in vivo, anti-CHI3L1 antibody was administered into the dextran sulfate sodium colitis model. Results: Microarray analysis identified that CHI3L1 is up-regulated specifically in inflamed mucosa. The expression of CHI3L1 protein clearly was detectable in lamina propria and colonic epithelial cells (CECs) in several murine colitis models and ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease patients but absent in normal controls. The gentamicin protection assays using intracellular bacteria showed that CHI3L1 is required for the enhancement of adhesion and internalization of these bacteria in CEC. In vivo neutralization experiments showed that CHI3L1 contributes to the facilitation of bacterial invasion into the intestinal mucosa and the development of acute colitis. Conclusions: CHI3L1 plays a pathogenic role in colitis, presumably by enhancing the adhesion and invasion of bacteria on/into CEC. Inhibition of CHI3L1 activity would be a novel therapeutic approach for IBD.
Self-consistent calculation of the electronic structure and electron-electron interaction in self-assembled InAs-GaAs quantum dot structures

We have performed a detailed self-consistent calculation of the electronic structure and electron-electron interaction energy in pyramidal self-assembled InAs-GaAs quantum dot structures. Our model is general for three-dimensional quantum devices without simplifying assumptions on the shape of the confining potential nor fitting parameters. We have used a continuum model for the strain, from which the position-dependent effective mass and band diagram are calculated. The number of electrons in the dot is controlled by applying an external voltage to a metal gate on the top of a complete multilayer device containing a single dot. In order to determine the electron occupation number in the dot that minimizes the total energy of the system, we have adopted the concept of transition state as defined by Slater for shell filling in atoms. We have calculated the exchange and correlation terms of the many-body Hamiltonian using the local (-spin) -density approximation. By accounting for spins we have been able to determine the shell structure in the pyramid and to calculate the energy differences between the various spin configurations. We have also calculated the different contributions to the total electronic energy in the dot, i.e., the single-particle energies, the exchange-correlation energy, and the classical electrostatic electron-electron repulsion energy as a function of the gate voltage and number of electrons in the dot. Comparison with recent experimental data of Fricke et al. [Europhys. Lett. 36, 197 (1996)] shows good agreement.
Maximum-shortest-path (MSP): an optimal routing policy for mesh-connected multicomputers

This paper presents a new routing policy maximum-shortest-path (MSP), within the class of shortest-path routing policies for mesh-connected topologies which include popular 2-D and 3-D meshes, 2-D and 3-D tori, and n-dimensional binary hypercubes (n-cubes). In MSP, the routing message is always forwarded to a neighbor from which there exists a maximum number of shortest paths to the destination. The optimal routing (defined in this paper) maximizes the probability of reaching the destination from a given source without delays at intermediate nodes, assuming that each link in the system has a given failure probability. The results show that: the optimal e-cube routing in n-cubes is a special implementation of MSP. MSP is equivalent to the Badr and Podar zig-zag (Z/sup 2/) routing policy in 2-D meshes which is also optimal. The Z/sup 2/ routing policy is not optimal in any N/spl times/N torus, where N>4 is an even number. A new routing algorithm implements MSP in 2-D tori and is at least suboptimal. Two examples are used in 6/spl times/6 and 8/spl times/8 tori to demonstrate that MSP is optimal for some 2-D tori. This is the first attempt to address optimal routing in the torus network, which still is an open problem.
Free radical involvement in the oxidate phenomena induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide in erythrocytes

Abstract Free radical involvement in the oxidative events induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide in erythrocytes has been demonstrated by the use of the electron spin resonance technique of spin trapping with the spin trap 5.5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO). The reactions of tert-butyl hydroperoxide with haemoglobins and intact cell systems were studied. Oxyhaemoglobin-containing system showed exclusive production of the t-butyloxy radical spin adduct of DMPO (DMPO-OBut), indicating t-butyloxy radical production. Methaemoglobin-containing systems showed the production of an oxidised derivative of DMPO, 5,5-di-methyl-2-ketopyrrolidino-1-oxyl (DMPOX)-previously associated with the generation of highly oxidised haem-iron. Carbon monoxyhaemoglobin-containing systems show the production of both DMPO-OBut and DMPOX but markedly slower than in either of the other haemoglobin systems. Generally, free radical production in haemoglobin systems was faster than in intact cell systems, indicating a membrane transport rate-limiting step for the tert-butyl hydroperoxide-mediated effects. Data from the use of free radical scavengers to inhibit DMPO-OBut production was consistent with the known reactivities of the scavengers toward t-butyloxy radicals. These and previously reported results (Trotta, R.J., Sullivan, S.G. and Stern, A. (1981) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 679, 230–237 and (1982) Biochem. J. 204, 405–415) implicate important roles for t-butyloxy radicals and haem intermediates in ter-butyl hydroperoxide-induced lipid peroxidation and haemoglobin oxidation in erythrocytes, respectively.
Roles of membrane structure and phase transition on the hyperosmotic stress survival of Geobacter sulfurreducens.

article i nfo Geobacter sulfurreducens is a δ-proteobacterium bacteria that has biotechnological applications in bioremediation and as biofuel cells. Development of these applications requires stabilization and preservation of the bacteria in thin porous coatings on electrode surfaces and in flow-through bioreactors. During the manufacturing of these coatings the bacteria are exposed to hyperosmotic stresses due to dehydration and the presence of carbohydrates in the medium. In this study we focused on quantifying the response of G. sulfurreducens to hyperosmotic shock and slow dehydration to understand the hyperosmotic damage mechanisms and to develop the methodology to maximize the survival of the bacteria. We employed FTIR spectroscopy to determine the changes in the structure and the phase transition behavior of the cell membrane. Hyperosmotic shock resulted in greatly decreased membrane lipid order in the gel phase and a less cooperative membrane phase transition. On the other hand, slow dehydration resulted in increased membrane phase transition temperature, less cooperative membrane phase transition and a small decrease in the gel phase lipid order. Both hyperosmotic shock and slow dehydration were accompanied by a decrease in viability. However, we identified that in each case the membrane damage mechanism was different. We have also shown that the post-rehydration viability could be maximized if the lyotropic phase change of the cell membrane was eliminated during dehydration. On the other hand, lyotropic phase change during re- hydration did not affect the viability of G. sulfurreducens. This study conclusively shows that the cell membrane is the primary site of injury during hyperosmotic stress, and by detailed analysis of the membrane structure as well as its thermodynamic transitions it is indeed possible to develop methods in a rational fashion to maximize the survival of the bacteria during hyperosmotic stress.
Liberated and Inclusive? An Analysis of Self-Representation in a Popular Lesbian Magazine

Comparisons of a popular lesbian lifestyle magazine to a popular heterosexual women's magazine show that lesbian-controlled media do indeed expand representation when it comes to weight, age, and degree of femininity/masculinity, but not in terms of racial representation. An examination of the textual material and visual images also shows that the lesbian publication gives women a more active role, while the heterosexual magazine depicts females as more passive. However, the evidence also shows that the lesbian and heterosexual magazines have similar rates of objectification, but substantively, the lesbian magazine is less severe in degree of objectification.
Identification of Nonlinear and Viscoelastic Properties of Flexible Polyurethane Foam

Analysis of the steady-state response of a polyurethane foam and masssystem to harmonic excitation is presented. The foam's uni-directionaldynamic behavior is modeled by using nonlinear stiffness, linearviscoelastic and velocity proportional damping components. Therelaxation kernel for the viscoelastic model is assumed to be a sum ofexponentials. The harmonic balance method is used to develop one- andtwo-term approximations to periodic solutions, and the equationsdeveloped are utilized for system identification. The identificationprocess is based on least-squares minimization of a sub-optimal costfunction that uses response data at various excitation frequencies andamplitudes. The effects of frequency range, spacing and amplitudes ofthe harmonic input on the results of the model parameter estimation arediscussed. The identification procedure is applied to measurements ofthe steady-state response of a base-excited foam-mass system. Estimatesof the system parameters at different levels of compression and inputamplitudes are thus determined. The choice of model-order and thefeasibility of describing the system behavior at several inputamplitudes with a single set of parameters are also addressed.
Mechanism of depigmentation by hydroquinone.

Histochemical (dopa reaction) and electron microscopic studies were carried out to elucidate the nature of the chemical depigmentation produced by hydroquinone (HQ). Depigmentation was induced by topical application or subcutaneous injection of HQ in black guinea pigs. The present study showed that HQ preferentially affected the nonfollicular and follicular melanocyte system. It caused decreased formation of melanosomes, a marked alteration in the internal structure of melanosomes, an increased degradation of melanosomes , and , finally, a destruction of the membranous organelles in the melanocytes. These findings indicate that HQ affects not only the formation, melanization, and degradation of melanosomes, but that it affects also the membraneous structures of melanocytes and eventually causes necrosis of whole melanocytes.
Functional and biochemical characterization of ADAMs and their predicted role in protein ectodomain shedding.

Proteolysis on the cell surface and in the extracellular matrix is essential for normal cellular functions during development and in the adult, but it may also have undesirable consequences by promoting diseases such as cancer, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease. A particularly interesting function of proteolysis on the cell surface is to release ectodomains of membrane proteins from the plasma membrane. This process, which is referred to as protein ectodomain shedding, affects a variety of proteins with important roles in development and in disease, including cytokines, growth factors, receptors, adhesion proteins and other proteins such as the amyloid precursor protein. In principle, protein ectodomain shedding can dramatically change the properties of a substrate protein. For example, membrane anchored growth factors such as transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α) are only able to activate their receptor, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), after they are shed from the plasma membrane. Inhibitor studies have implicated zinc-dependent metalloproteases in protein ectodomain shedding, and in particular a family of metalloproteases termed ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloprotease). The main focus of my lab is to understand the role of different ADAMs in protein ectodomain shedding, and to learn about the functional consequences of protein ectodomain shedding for individual substrates.
Deep fungal infections of concern today

A wide variety of mycoses afflict patients in the West. Skin lesions are a common manifestation and so the patient may present first to the dermatologist. Over 100,000 new cases of coccidioidomycosis occur in the USA each year. Dissemination occurs in about 0.5% of patients with clinical disease. Skin lesions can take many forms. Samples and cultures should be handled with care because of the risk of spreading the infection. Itraconazole is likely to replace ketoconazole as the treatment of choice. Histoplasmosis is a systemic disease. Skin lesions again take a variety of forms. Mycological diagnosis may be possible without special stains. Itraconazole is the drug of choice and due to its negligible adverse effects can be used prophylactically. North American blastomycotic lesions, and the organisms responsible, both have a characteristic appearance. However, although the organisms are fairly easy to identify in some tissues, special stains may be needed to demonstrate them in the skin. Itraconazole is now the treatment of choice for blastomycosis dermatitidis. Systemic sporotrichosis is extremely rare. Cutaneous sporotrichosis appears both as a localized, and as lymphangitic form. The organism is easy to culture, but histological demonstration may be extremely difficult. Itraconazole is virtually 100% effective and in future will make all other treatments redundant. Almost all cases of disseminated aspergillosis occur in immunocompromised patients, particularly those treated with high-dose steroids. Itraconazole is the only effective drug and may also be used prophylactically. The dermatologist may be the first physician to see patients with these mycoses and thus needs to be aware of the possible diagnoses and their implications. Itraconazole is now the treatment of choice and at last enables the physician to reduce both morbidity and mortality.
Foreign direct investment and factor demand elasticities

Abstract This paper argues that the liberalisation of foreign direct investment (FDI) has made labour costs more important to domestic investment and long-run labour demand. It provides evidence from British and German data that is consistent with this view. First, high unit labour costs increase FDI outflows and lower FDI inflows. Second, the effect of unit labour costs on domestic manufacturing investment was more negative in the high-FDI 1980s than in the low-FDI 1970s, and this change was concentrated in high-FDI industries. The estimates suggest that the long-run labour demand elasticity may have risen substantially.
Examination of Optical Depth Effects on Fluorescence Imaging of Cardiac Propagation

Optical mapping with voltage-sensitive dyes provides a high-resolution technique to observe cardiac electrodynamic behavior. Although most studies assume that the fluorescent signal is emitted from the surface layer of cells, the effects of signal attenuation with depth on signal interpretation are still unclear. This simulation study examines the effects of a depth-weighted signal on epicardial activation patterns and filament localization. We simulated filament behavior using a detailed cardiac model, and compared the signal obtained from the top (epicardial) layer of the spatial domain with the calculated weighted signal. General observations included a prolongation of the action upstroke duration, early upstroke initiation, and reduction in signal amplitude in the weighted signal. A shallow filament was found to produce a dual-humped action potential morphology consistent with previously reported observations. Simulated scroll wave breakup exhibited effects such as the false appearance of graded potentials, apparent supramaximal conduction velocities, and a spatially blurred signal with the local amplitude dependent upon the immediate subepicardial activity; the combination of these effects produced a corresponding change in the accuracy of filament localization. Our results indicate that the depth-dependent optical signal has significant consequences on the interpretation of epicardial activation dynamics.
Planning and response to Ebola virus disease: An integrated approach.

The care of patients with Ebola virus disease (EVD) requires the application of critical care medicine principles under conditions of stringent infection control precautions. The care of patients with EVD requires a number of elements in terms of physical layout, personal protective apparel, and other equipment. Provision of care is demanding in terms of depth of staff and training. The key to safely providing such care is a system that brings many valuable skills to the table, and allows communication between these individuals. We present our approach to leadership structure and function—a variation of incident command—in providing care to 3 patients with EVD.
Extracting the gamma ray signal from dark matter annihilation in the galactic center region

The GLAST satellite mission will study the gamma ray sky with considerably greater exposure than its predecessor EGRET. In addition, it will be capable of measuring the arrival directions of gamma rays with much greater precision. These features each significantly enhance GLAST's potential for identifying gamma rays produced in the annihilations of dark matter particles. The combined use of spectral and angular information, however, is essential if the full sensitivity of GLAST to dark matter is to be exploited. In this paper, we discuss techniques for separating dark matter annihilation products from astrophysical backgrounds, focusing on the Galactic Center region, and perform a forecast for such an analysis. We consider both point-like and diffuse astrophysical backgrounds and model them using a realistic point-spread-function for GLAST. While the results of our study depend on the specific characteristics of the dark matter signal and astrophysical backgrounds, we find that in many scenarios it is possible to successfully identify dark matter annihilation radiation, even in the presence of significant astrophysical backgrounds.
Jet-to-Plate Distance Effect on Heat Transfer From a Flat Plate to an Impinging Jet at Various Reynolds Numbers

Local turbulent convective heat transfer from a flat plate to a circular impinging air jet is numerically investigated. The jet-to-plate distance (L/D) effect on local heat transfer is the main focus of this study. The eddy viscosity V2F turbulence model is used with a nonuniform structured mesh. Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations (RANS) and the energy equation are solved for axisymmetric, three-dimensional flow. The numerical solutions obtained are compared with published experimental data. Four jet-to-plate distances, (L/D = 2, 4, 6 and 10) and seven Reynolds numbers (Re = 7,000, 15,000, 23,000, 50,000, 70,000, 100,000 and 120,000) were parametrically studied. Local and average heat transfer results are analyzed and correlated with Reynolds number and the jet-to-plate distance. Results show that the numerical solutions matched experimental data best at low jet-to-plate distances and lower Reynolds numbers, decreasing in ability to accurately predict the heat transfer as jet-to-plate distance and Reynolds number was increased.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Impact of point-of-care ultrasound training on surgical residents' confidence.

Objective Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a vital tool for diagnosis and management of critically ill patients, particularly in resource-limited settings where access to diagnostic imaging may be constrained. We aimed to develop a novel POCUS training curriculum for surgical practice in the United States and in resource-limited settings in low- and middle-income countries and to determine its effect on surgical resident self-assessments of efficacy and confidence. Design We conducted an observational cohort study evaluating a POCUS training course that comprised 7 sessions of 2 hours each with didactics and proctored skills stations covering ultrasound applications for trauma (Focused Assessement with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) examination), obstetrics, vascular, soft tissue, regional anesthesia, focused echocardiography, and ultrasound guidance for procedures. Surveys on attitudes, prior experience, and confidence in point-of-care ultrasound applications were conducted before and after the course. Setting General Surgery Training Program in Seattle, Washington. Participants A total of 16 residents participated in the course; 15 and 10 residents completed the precourse and postcourse surveys, respectively. Results The mean composite confidence score from pretest compared with posttest improved from 23.3 (±10.2) to 37.8 (±6.7). Median confidence scores (1-6 scale) improved from 1.5 to 5.0 in performance of FAST (p Conclusions After a POCUS course designed specifically for surgeons, surgical residents had improved self-efficacy and confidence levels across a broad range of skills.