Lessons learned from the DIASTAT vascular access graft

In male Syrian hamsters, short days induce regression of the reproductive system, but eventually spontaneous recrudescence occurs ensuing from refractoriness to the inhibitory photoperiod. Although the photoperiod of 12 L:12 D (12 h light:12 h dark) may act like a short day by inducing the testicular cycle outlined above, it may fail to evoke the increase of circulating concentrations of prolactin that accompanies testicular recrudescence. This photoperiod may fail to induce photorefractoriness, as indicated by the prolonged low concentrations of prolactin in the blood. Herein, hamsters were exposed to either 8 L:16 D or 12 L:12 D from weaning and by 28 weeks exposure to either photoperiod, the hamsters had large testes following recrudescence from a photoperiod induced-regression). Transfer to 8 L:16 D from 12 L:12 D at 28 weeks resulted in a second testicular regression and recrudescence. In a second experiment, the testes of hamsters moved to 8 L:16 D from 12 L:12 D after 29 weeks exposure to the latter photoperiod similarly regressed and then regrew. Serum concentrations of prolactin decreased in these males after transfer to the shorter daylength but also decreased in hamsters kept under 12 L:12 D both groups were usually below those of hamsters moved to 14 L:10 D. These results show that exposure for 28 or 29 weeks to 12 L:12 D was insufficient to induce photorefractoriness, despite the recrudescence of the testes following involution.     

Shape from Sharp and Motion-Blurred Image Pair

Motion blur due to camera shake is a common occurrence. During image capture, the apparent motion of a scene point in the image plane varies according to both camera motion and scene structure. Our objective is to infer the camera motion and the depth map of static scenes using motion blur as a cue. To this end, we use an unblurred–blurred image pair. Initially, we develop a technique to estimate the transformation spread function (TSF) which symbolizes the camera shake. This technique uses blur kernels estimated at different points across the image. Based on the estimated TSF, we recover the complete depth map of the scene within a regularization framework.     

Miscibility behavior and coil overlap in ionic blends of phenylated polytriphenylene oxide and poly(methyl methacrylate)

Blends of sulfonated phenylated polytriphenylene oxide and poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐4‐vinyl pyridine) were examined by dynamic mechanical, Fourier transform infrared, and NMR techniques. A high degree of miscibility was evident from a single drop in a plot of the storage modulus versus the temperature. The presence of ionic moieties due to proton transfer from sulfonic acid to 4‐vinyl pyridine was confirmed by both NMR and IR spectroscopy studies. The coils were found to be close to one another in dimethyl sulfoxide‐d₆ because the aromatic shielding effect of the phenyl rings of the phenylated polytriphenylene oxide units was observed from the upfield shift of most of the protons of poly(methyl methacrylate) in the NMR spectrum. However, the absence of cross peaks in the nuclear Overhauser and exchange spectroscopy experiments suggested that the intermolecular distance between the chains had to be larger than 4 Å. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 728–733, 2003     

A multiperiod set covering location model for dynamic redeployment of ambulances

Emergency medical service (EMS) providers continually seek ways to improve system performance particularly the response time to incidents. The demand for ambulances fluctuate throughout the week, depending on the day of week, and even the time of day, therefore EMS operators can improve system performance by dynamic relocation/redeployment of ambulances in response to fluctuating demand patters. The objective of the model is to determine the minimum number of ambulances and their locations for each time cluster in which significant changes in demand pattern occur while meeting coverage requirement with a predetermined reliability. The model is further enhanced by calculating ambulance specific busy probabilities and validated by a comprehensive simulation model. Computational results on experimental data sets and data from an EMS agency are provided.     

Paramagnetic 1H-NMR relaxation probes of stereoselectivity in metalloporphyrin catalyzed olefin epoxidation

Enantioselective catalytic epoxidation of olefins is an important problem from both practical and mechanistic points of view. The origins of chiral induction by asymmetric porphyrin and salen complexes were investigated by FT-NMR T1 relaxation techniques. A new chiral vaulted porphyrin (1) that carries (S)-binaphthyl-L-alanine straps across both faces of the porphyrin macrocycle was synthesized and characterized. (R)-styrene oxide was obtained in > 90% ee in the initial stages of styrene epoxidation with F5PhIO catalyzed by 1-Fe(III)Cl. The transition state for olefin epoxidation with high-valent metal-oxo species was modeled by coordinating epoxides to paramagnetic copper complexes of the corresponding ligands. The epoxide enantiomer that better fit the chiral cavity of the catalyst, as revealed by T1 relaxation measurements, was also the major product of catalytic olefin epoxidation. These results are consistent with the "lock-and-key" mechanism of asymmetric catalysis by metalloporphyrins. The copper complex of a chiral salen ligand showed no differentiation in terms of T1 relaxation rates between the enantiomers of cis-beta-methylstyrene oxide in contrast to the high enantioselectivity observed for catalytic epoxidation.     

Chemical amplification — A novel approach to ultratrace analysis

The lowest concentration that can be estimated with 100% error in chemical analysis by instrumental technique is referred to as detection limit. It is equal to the ratio of twice the background signal to the magnitude of analytical signal corresponding to a concentration of unity. Detection limit (dl) could be improved if the analytical signal alone could be selectively amplified without affecting the background. It is shown that this could be achieved by chemical amplification. Atomic amplification of two or three orders of magnitude could be obtained by combining two chemical amplifications in series. It is demonstrated that by using heteropoly acid formation as the first amplification reaction and determining molybdenum in the heteropoly acid by catalyticdc polarographic wave, a detection limit for the hetero atom of less than a ppb can be obtained. It is pointed out that the approach of selectively amplifying analytical signals by tandem chemical amplification reactions makes it possible to perform ultratrace analysis (ppb level) with classical instrumental analytical techniques which havedl at ppm level.     

Infections due to Lancefield group F and related Streptococci (S. milleri, S. anginosus)

We can no longer accept classification of streptococci solely on the basis of hemolytic reactions or Lancefield agglutinations. While the "viridans" streptococci cannot be serologically differentiated, physiological separation of the species offers a satisfactory method of classifying human isolates. We review the microbiology of Lancefield group F and related streptococci (S. milleri, S. anginosus), emphasizing microbial ecology and current taxonomic considerations. A series of 28 patients infected with these organisms is presented. There was a striking male predominance in the series (6:1) as well as an obvious association with underlying diseases and/or antecedent trauma. The most remarkable feature of these pathogens is their predilection for abscess formation, confirming their overdue recognition as the most common "viridans" streptococcus recovered from abscesses within internal organs. We observed purulent disease of the nervous and skeletal systems, oral cavity, lung and pleural space, abdomen and subcutaneous tissues. Microbial synergy (i.e. polymicrobic infection) was not a requisite for abscess formation. Four of the five deaths in this series occurred in patients 60 years of age of older. Some degree of variability in antimicrobial susceptibility was noted, so speciation alone may not always provide sufficient information on which to base a therapeutic decision.     

Pattern identification in dynamical systems via symbolic time series analysis

This paper presents symbolic time series analysis (STSA) of multi-dimensional measurement data for pattern identification in dynamical systems. The proposed methodology is built upon concepts derived from Information Theory and Automata Theory. The objective is not merely to classify the time series patterns but also to identify the variations therein. To achieve this goal, a symbol alphabet is constructed from raw data through partitioning of the data space. The maximum entropy method of partitioning is extended to multi-dimensional space. The resulting symbol sequences, generated from time series data, are used to model the dynamical information as finite state automata and the patterns are represented by the stationary state probability distributions. A novel procedure for determining the structure of the finite state automata, based on entropy rate, is introduced. The diversity among the observed patterns is quantified by a suitable measure. The efficacy of the STSA technique for pattern identification is demonstrated via laboratory experimentation on nonlinear systems.     

Graph structure in the Web

The study of the Web as a graph is not only fascinating in its own right, but also yields valuable insight into Web algorithms for crawling, searching and community discovery, and the sociological phenomena which characterize its evolution. We report on experiments on local and global properties of the Web graph using two AltaVista crawls each with over 200 million pages and 1.5 billion links. Our study indicates that the macroscopic structure of the Web is considerably more intricate than suggested by earlier experiments on a smaller scale.     

A general technique for derivation of average current mode controllaws for single-phase power-factor-correction circuits without inputvoltage sensing

This paper presents a general technique to derive average current mode control (CMC) laws without input voltage sensing to achieve high power factor for single-phase topologies operating in continuous conduction mode (CCM). The control laws are derived based on the steady-state input-output voltage relationships and the CCM large-signal averaged pulsewidth modulation (PWM)-switch model. Using this methodology, average CMC laws with linear PWM waveforms are discovered for commonly used single-phase power stage topologies such as boost, flyback, SEPIC, and buck/boost. Conventional three-loop-controlled average CMC converters can now be controlled with a two-loop architecture. Hardware results for a boost power factor correction (PFC) and simulation results for flyback, SEPIC, and buck/boost topologies verify operation. The small-signal models of the current loop and voltage loop are derived for the boost topology and are used for control loop design. Input current harmonic distortion measurements demonstrate improved performance compared to the conventional three-loop control technique