On measures of vulnerability of interconnection networks

With the advent of distributed and multiple processing systems, the study of interconnection networks has developed into a field of its own. In most cases, the performance measures used to characterize the reliability of such networks have been primitive.It is our purpose, in this brief paper, to survey the many available measures of the vulnerability of interconnection networks. The most widely known is classical connectivity; however, measures more recently introduced in the graph theory literature are probably a better practical metric of reliability. Our objective is to make these measures more widely known, and to spur the development of good algorithms to calculate them in practical instances.     

Intensive postremission chemotherapy in adults with acute myeloid leukemia. Cancer and Leukemia Group B

BACKGROUND: About 65 percent of previously untreated adults with primary acute myeloid leukemia (AML) enter complete remission when treated with cytarabine and an anthracycline. However, such responses are rarely durable when conventional postremission therapy is administered. Uncontrolled trials have suggested that intensive postremission therapy may prolong these complete remissions. METHODS: We treated 1088 adults with newly diagnosed AML with three days of daunorubicin and seven days of cytarabine and randomly assigned patients who had a complete remission to receive four courses of cytarabine at one of three doses: 100 mg per square meter of body-surface area per day for five days by continuous infusion, 400 mg per square meter per day for five days by continuous infusion, or 3 g per square meter in a 3-hour infusion every 12 hours (twice daily) on days 1, 3, and 5. All patients then received four courses of monthly maintenance treatment. RESULTS: Of the 693 patients who had a complete remission, 596 were randomly assigned to receive postremission cytarabine. After a median follow-up of 52 months, the disease-free survival rates in the three treatment groups were significantly different (P = 0.003). Relative to the 100-mg group, the hazard ratios were 0.67 for the 3-g group (95 percent confidence interval, 0.53 to 0.86) and 0.75 for the 400-mg group (95 percent confidence interval, 0.60 to 0.94). The probability of remaining in continuous complete remission after four years for patients 60 years of age or younger was 24 percent in the 100-mg group, 29 percent in the 400-mg group, and 44 percent in the 3-g group (P = 0.002). In contrast, for patients older than 60, the probability of remaining disease-free after four years was 16 percent or less in each of the three postremission cytarabine groups. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the concept of a dose-response effect for cytarabine in patients with AML who are 60 years of age or younger. The results with the high-dose schedule in this age group are comparable to those reported in similar patients who have undergone allogeneic bone marrow transplantation during a first remission.     

Pore‐free mold‐pattern‐transfer method for barrier ribs of HD PDPs

Abstract— Among various barrier‐rib manufacturing processes, the mold‐pattern‐transfer method has potential to reduce processing cost as well as the manufacture of high‐resolution pixels. In this study, the effects of major processing variables of the mold‐pattern‐transfer process on the formation of air‐trapped pores within barrier ribs were examined. The results indicated that with an optimum combination of the processing variables, barrier ribs without trapped defects can be produced, demonstrating the possibility of reducing the number of processing steps and costs of barrier ribs.     

Validation of a limited sampling model to determine etoposide area under the curve

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To validate the utility of a previously reported 3-point limited sampling model (LSM) for determining etoposide area under the curve to infinity (AUC(infinity)). DESIGN: Secondary analysis of data from two clinical trials of etoposide. SETTING: University medical center clinical research center. PATIENTS: Thirty-four patients with different malignancies. INTERVENTIONS: Etoposide was administered as a 2-hour infusion to 34 patients. Serial plasma samples were drawn over 24 hours after the infusion and analyzed for etoposide by high-performance liquid chromatography. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The 3-point LSM AUC was compared with a 14-point actual AUC calculated by the linear trapezoidal rule. Actual and predicted AUC(infinity) by the LSM were highly correlated (r=0.97, p<0.0001). The LSM predictions had a mean absolute error of 10.9% (95% CI -14.1, -5.3) and a mean error of -9.7% (95% CI 6.9, 14.9). Nine patients with poor AUC(infinity) estimations by the LSM (error > 12%) tended to have abnormally low or high peak concentrations. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest the development of more robust LSM using other techniques, such as pharmacostatistical models, that can accommodate a greater degree of pharmacokinetic variability.     

Unconstrained and constrained motion control of a planar two-link structurally flexible robotic manipulator

Unconstrained and constrained motion control of a planar two-link structurally-flexible robotic manipulator are considered in this study. The dynamic model is obtained by using the extended Hamilton's principle and the Galerkin criterion. A method is presented to obtain the linearized equations of motion in Cartesian space for use in designing the control system. The approach to solving the control problem is to use feedforward and feedback control torques. The feedforward torques maneuver the flexible manipulator along a nominal trajectory and the feedback torques minimize any deviations from the nominal trajectory. The feedforward and feedback torques are obtained by solving the inverse dynamics problem for the rigid manipulator and designing linear quadratic Gaussian with loop transfer recovery (LQG/LTR) compensators, respectively. The LQG/LTR design methodology is exploited to design a robust feedback control system that can handle modeling errors and sensor noise, and operate on Cartesian space trajectory errors. Computer simulated results are presented for an example planar, two-link, structurally flexible robotic manipulator. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Steroidal glycosides of the 14,15-seco-18-nor-pregnane series from Cynanchum ascyrifolium

Three new steroidal glycosides named cynascyrosides A-C were isolated from the roots of Cynanchum ascyrifolium. The structures of these compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical evidence as cynajapogenin A 3-O-alpha-D-oleandropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-L-cymaropyranosyl -(1-->4)-beta-D- digitoxopyranoside; cynajapogenin A 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha-L-cymaropyranosyl- (1-->4)-beta-L-cymaropyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-L-cymaropyranoside+ ++; cynajapogenin A 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha-L-cymaropyranosyl- (1-->4)-beta-D-digitoxopyranosyl-(1-->4)-beta-L-cymaropyranosid e.