cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Delayed Systemic Treatment with Cannabinoid Receptor 2 Agonist Mitigates Spinal Cord Injury-Induced Osteoporosis More Than Acute Treatment Directly after Injury.

Nearly all persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) will develop osteoporosis following injury, and further, up to 50% of all persons with SCI will sustain a fracture during their lives. The unique mechanisms driving osteoporosis following SCI remain unknown. The cannabinoid system modulation of bone metabolism through cannabinoid 1/2 (CB1/2) has been of increasing interest for the preservation of bone mass and density in models of osteoporosis. Using a thoracic vertebral level 8 (T8) complete transection in a mouse model, we performed daily treatment with a selective CB2 receptor agonist, HU308, compared with SCI-vehicle-treated and naive control animals either immediately after injury for 40 days, or in a delayed paradigm, following 3 months after injury. The goal was to prevent or potentially reverse SCI-induced osteoporosis. In the acute phase, administration of the CB2 agonist was not able to preserve the rapid loss of cancellous bone. In the delayed-treatment paradigm, in cortical bone, HU308 increased cortical-area to total-area ratio and periosteal perimeter in the femur, and improved bone density in the distal femur and proximal tibia. Further, we report changes to the metaphyseal periosteum with increased presence of adipocyte and fat mass in the periosteum of SCI animals, which was not present in naive animals. The layer of fat increased markedly in HU308-treated animals compared with SCI-vehicle-treated animals. Overall, these data show that CB2 agonism targets a number of cell types that can influence overall bone quality.
Variant Histology: Management Pearls

Variant histology in the urothelial tract encompasses variants of urothelial carcinoma as well as non-urothelial tumors seen in varying proportions. Though universally designated as aggressive in the beginning, gradual understanding of the biology and clinical behavior has led to better categorization of these tumors. Most variant tumors present at an advanced stage but, apart from certain subtypes, share similar stage matched clinical characteristics to conventional urothelial carcinoma. In non-urothelial variants like the small-cell neuroendocrine cancer, upfront chemotherapy has an established role with distinct survival advantage whereas optimal management of the micropapillary variant is controversial. Notwithstanding these facts, radical cystectomy is the principal management approach for most invasive, variant histology bladder tumors. Our current knowledge of these uncommon tumors is based mostly on retrospective analyses. Growing knowledge of molecular heterogeneity along with improvements in multimodal approaches will further enhance our management of these tumors.
A review on techniques employed for topology optimization in implant dentistry

Topology optimization is a technique which has proven to be a very crucial and effective tool in modification of the geometry of various mechanical or load bearing components. This technique has been used in aerospace, mechanical and civil applications to save material and reduce the overall mass of the component. There are various existing topology optimization algorithms which produce remarkable results, each algorithm is unique, and the results obtained are different. Implant dentistry has become a new area where topology optimization has found a good scope. The goal of modifying a dental implant is to improve the osseointegration and enhance its stability, hence when a topological optimization study is being performed on a dental implant these additional factors are necessary to be considered. The literature pertaining to the topology optimization employed in dental implants is limited and this study focuses on the available literature and other important aspects like selection of the optimization algorithm, bone density and manufacturing method which influence the topology optimization procedure when employed in the modification of dental implants.
ON THE DYNAMICS OF COLUMN-STABILIZED PLATFORMS INCLUDING THREE-DIMENSIONAL INTERACTION EFFECTS

A method utilizing the Green's function integral equation is developed for determining the load and response characteristics of platforms composed of vertical axisymmetric legs in both regular and irregular seaways. The method is developed in detail and special attention is given to the numerical surface element representation, the various symmetry relations that exist, and a novel method for error minimization of the radiation potentials. By several comparisons to known analytic or other numerical solutions found in the literature, the validity of the technique is established for both fixed and free, submerged or surface-piercing axisymmetric and systems of axisymmetric bodies. A numerical example of a three-leg platform for two variations of the leg spacing is shown. It is found that the interaction effect is very significant, especially at high frequency. This interaction is manifested by modification of both the amplitude and phase of the forces affecting each leg. The conclusions reached in this study are that: the hydrodynamic interaction effects must be considered in order to properly determine the design load and response characteristics of axisymmetric platforms; the variational refinement method can in many cases improve the estimates of the hydrodynamic coefficients; and the present method is efficient for platforms composed of multiple legs, but is less efficient than existing methods for single shapes.
Enhanced treatment of livestock wastewater: III. Enhanced aerobic treatment of swine waste by anaerobic pre-conditioning

Abstract A slurry of screened hog waste, diluted fivefold (1 : 5), was pre-treated anaerobically for periods of several days prior to the beginning of aerobic treatment. The rates of COD and TS reduction in the aerobic stage were enhanced by the anaerobic pretreatment. Thus, in systems designed for remote oxidative treatment, possible savings in aeration power requirements can be realized.
THE ULTRAVIOLET LUMINOSITY FUNCTION OF THE EARLIEST GALAXIES

In this paper, we present the first results from the Renaissance Simulations, a suite of extremely highresolution and physics-rich AMR calculations of high redshift galaxy formation performed on the Blue Waters supercomputer. These simulations contain hundreds of well-resolved galaxies at z 25- 8, and make several novel, testable predictions. Most critically, we show that the ultraviolet luminosity function of our simulated galaxies is consistent with observations of high-z galaxy populations at the bright end of the luminosity function (M1600 -17), but at lower luminosities is essentially flat rather than rising steeply, as has been inferred by Schechter function fits to high-z observations. This flattening of the luminosity function is due to two factors: (i) the strong dependence of the stellar fraction on halo virial mass in our simulated galaxy population, with lower-mass halos having systematically lower stellar fractions and thus lower luminosities at a given halo virial mass; and (ii) the fact that halos with virial masses below’ 2 10 8 M do not universally contain stars, with the fraction of halos containing stars dropping to zero at’ 7 10 6 M . Finally, we show that the brightest of our simulated galaxies may be visible to current and future ultra-deep space-based surveys, particularly if lensed regions are chosen for observation. Subject headings: galaxies: formation — galaxies: high-redshift — galaxies: evolution
The Aggregation of Slime Mold Amoebae

Two kinds of slime mold play central roles in this book. Later on we will meet the “true” slime mold (Myxomycetes), an acellular jelly remarkable for the regularity and synchrony of mitosis in its many nuclei. Topologically, the true slime mold is one single monstrous cell. But in the present chapter, our concern is with the cellular slime molds (Acrasiales), the best studied of which is Dictyostelium discoideum (Bonner, 1967; Gerisch, 1968). This creature is more conventional in its cellular structure but is equally astonishing topologically in that its cells wander independently, like the individual workers of an ant colony. Like the ant hive, Dictyostelium is a “superorganism,” a genetically homogeneous being composed of autonomous individuals, nevertheless organized altruistically for the collective good. Some think it represents an early stage in the evolution of multicellular organisms. The life cycle runs as follows.
Supermanagers, inequality, and finance

Comment on Piketty, Thomas. 2014. Capital in the twenty-first century . Translated by Arthur Goldhammer. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press of Harvard University.
Classical and quantum chaotic scattering

In this paper, several recent results on classical and quantum chaotic scattering by the author and collaborators are reviewed. New phenomena regarding qualitative changes of scattering characteristics as parameter changes in the classical context and quantum manifestation of chaotic scattering are discussed.
An innovative top-down approach to teaching engineering courses

An innovative top-down teaching approach has been used for the first time in the Fall 2000 with a freshman electrical/computer engineering class using web and advanced technologies, such as: Blackboard learning software, Power point, Bisquare logic, Xilinx software, Omnipage Web, and Dreamweaver. Through the use of these technologies, more material was covered with greater understanding, greater participation among students, and with a sense of ownership and pride. In addition, the local engineering companies made more offers to those students for part time employment. The "Logic and Computer Design Fundamentals" a traditional sophomore or junior year course, has been taught for the last 10 years as a freshman level course at Florida Tech. With a generous grant from the F.W. Olin foundation, it became possible in the Fall 2000, to integrate the above-mentioned technologies to the-top down approach developed by the author during the last ten years.
WBANDZ: a C program to calibrate the hydrologic model and calculate monthly water balance and Palmer's Z -index

Abstract Derived from modified Palmer's water-balance model, program WBANDZ simulates continuous monthly time series for major water-budget variables and Palmer's Z -index (the monthly moisture anomaly index) based on monthly precipitation and temperature data, and also calibrates the water-balance model by comparing observed and predicted streamflow. The calibration procedure produces optimal estimation of model parameter values which include available water-holding capacities of two soil layers and the coefficient accounting for the lag between moisture surplus and runoff from a watershed. Water-balance calculation results including monthly time series of the Z -index and major state variables in the water-balance model such as streamflow, soil moisture, moisture surplus and deficit, etc. as well as long-term average monthly water budget are output as formatted text files to be used in further analysis. The ability of the program to simulate streamflow is demonstrated by the results on two small watersheds in Ohio and California as the predicted monthly streamflow has a high similarity to the observed data, which is reflected both in the patterns of time-series plots of observed and simulated streamflow and in the correlation coefficients (⩾0.9) and slopes (⩾0.92) of the regression lines derived from the plots of predicted streamflow data versus observed ones.
Quaternary Glaciations of the White River Valley, Alaska, with a Regional Synthesis for the Northern St. Elias Mountains, Alaska and Yukon Territory

During Quaternary ice ages, a complex piedmont glacier repeatedly formed north of the St. Elias Mountains in Yukon Territory and Alaska. During the Macauley glaciation (the youngest), the White River valley in Alaska served as a conduit of ice that filled the valley to thicknesses of 850 to 1,150 ft (256 to 351 m) and flowed eastward into Yukon Territory, where it fed the western margin of the Macauley piedmont glacier. C 14 dates fail to pinpoint Macauley expansion in the valley, but they do indicate deglaciation by 11,270 yr B.P. and subsequent spruce immigration by 8,020 yr B.P. On as many as five occasions prior to 37,000 yr B.P., pre-Macauley ice filled the valley; on at least three occasions, it spilled northward over the valley rim. Along its upper surface, Macauley drift in the White River valley and in the adjacent Snag-Klutlan area (Rampton, 1971a) can be traced into Kluane Drift exposed farther east near Kluane Lake (Denton and Stuiver, 1966, 1967), thus permitting reconstruction of the Macauley-Kluane piedmont glacier. Near Kluane Lake, the main Kluane ice advance postdated 29,600 yr B.P., but the initial Macauley advance in the Snag-Klutlan area is not associated with finite C 14 dates. The maximum Macauley-Kluane ice extent was attained near Snag about 14,000 yr B.P. (Rampton, 1971a); subsequent recession was very rapid. Prior to the Kluane glaciation, Shakwak Trench was deglaciated to the vicinity of Kluane Lake during the Boutellier nonglacial interval ( 49,000 yr B.P.). Whether similar recession characterized the Snag-Klutlan area and White River valley is not known. The earlier Icefield glaciation (>49,000 yr B.P. near Kluane Lake) correlates with, or is younger than, the Mirror Creek glaciation (>38,000 yr B.P. in the Snag-Klutlan area). The still older Silver nonglacial interval and the Shakwak glaciation in the Kluane Lake area cannot be correlated now with other St. Elias events. Nor can pre-Macauley glaciations in the White River valley be correlated yet on a regional basis. The most striking late Wisconsin event in the St. Elias Mountains was the nearly complete disintegration of Macauley-Kluane ice within only 1,500 to 2,700 yr after attaining its maximum about 14,000 yr B.P. Several other alpine glacier systems in cordilleran North and South America showed similar rapid recession, as did larger ice sheets to a less marked degree. Quite possibly, the behavior of these sensitive alpine glaciers reflects an abrupt background climatic event that essentially terminated the late Wisconsin glaciation shortly after 14,000 yr ago. These data indicate that Termination I of Broecker and van Donk (1970) began shortly after 14,000 yr B.P. The glacial chronology of the northern St. Elias Mountains suggests that early man could have inhabited Shakwak Trench, perhaps using it as a route to British Columbia or coastal southeastern Alaska, during the Boutellier nonglacial interval, and again by 11,000 to 12,000 yr B.P. at the end of the Kluane-Macauley glaciation.
SALL4 is a novel sensitive and specific marker for metastatic germ cell tumors, with particular utility in detection of metastatic yolk sac tumors.

BACKGROUND: The correct diagnosis of metastatic germ cell tumors is critical, because these tumors can be effectively treated and are even cured with modern therapy. Their histopathologic diagnosis can be challenging without immunohistochemical markers, which currently have limitations. SALL4 is a novel stem cell marker essential to maintain pluripotency and self-renewal of embryonic stem cells. In the current study, the authors investigated the utility of SALL4 as a potential diagnostic marker for metastatic germ cell tumors. METHODS: Ninety metastatic germ cell tumors from testis, ovary, and extragonadal sites were stained with a monoclonal SALL4 antibody. In addition, 170 metastatic nongerm cell malignancies, including 158 carcinomas (6 head and neck, 8 thyroid, 12 lung, 8 breast, 7 hepatocellular, 3 cholangiocarcinomas, 2 ampullary, 10 pancreatic, 18 gastric, 15 esophageal, 10 renal cell, 10 urothelial, 12 prostatic, 18 ovarian, 6 uterine, and 13 colonic) and 12 melanomas, were also stained to test SALL4 specificity. RESULTS: All 22 seminomas, 7 dysgerminomas, 22 embryonal carcinomas, and 14 of 15 yolk sac tumors displayed strong and diffuse SALL positivity in >90% of tumor cells (80% of tumor cells were strongly positive in the remaining yolk sac tumor). Five of 7 choriocarcinomas and 9 of 18 teratomas were also variably positive for SALL4. In contrast, only 10 (esophageal, gastric, and colonic adenocarcinomas) of 170 metastatic somatic tumors demonstrated focally weak SALL4 reactivity (<25% tumor cells). CONCLUSIONS: SALL4 is a novel sensitive and highly specific marker for metastatic germ cell tumors, and is particularly useful for detecting metastatic yolk sac tumors. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Microfluidic-SERS devices for one shot limit-of-detection

Microfluidic sensing platforms facilitate parallel, low sample volume detection using various optical signal transduction mechanisms. Herein, we introduce a simple mixing microfluidic device, enabling serial dilution of introduced analyte solution that terminates in five discrete sensing elements. We demonstrate the utility of this device with on-chip fluorescence and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection of analytes, and we demonstrate device use both when combined with a traditional inflexible SERS substrate and with SERS-active nanoparticles that are directly incorporated into microfluidic channels to create a flexible SERS platform. The results indicate, with varying sensitivities, that either flexible or inflexible devices can be easily used to create a calibration curve and perform a limit of detection study with a single experiment.
Vasopressin in Alzheimer's disease: a study of postmortem brain concentrations

Vasopressin (AVP) and its analogues are reported to improve learning- and memory-related performance in experimental animals, and perhaps also in humans. Memory impairment is a clinical hallmark of the dementing disorder, Alzheimer's disease. We have examined AVP concentrations in postmortem brain tissue from 12 patients with histologically confirmed Alzheimer's disease and 13 control subjects. AVP was measured by a highly specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay, validated by parallel inhibition curves and high-performance liquid chromatography. Alzheimer brains had either normal or slightly increased AVP levels in the neocortex, which does not have AVP cell bodies. Significant reductions in AVP content were found in the hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, and globus pallidus interna. Levels were normal in all other regions studied. Abnormalities of the brain vasopressin system may contribute to the memory deficit associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Managed care and mental health: the silencing of a profession

Rapid change in the organization and financing of health care has created a bewildering and threatening climate for psychotherapists. Fearful of exclusion from preferred provider and health maintenance organizations, and aware that patient advocacy is interpreted as antagonism to these organizations' goals, many therapists have fallen silent, acquiescing to practices they do not support. Crystallization of these practices into policy and law is now imminent. It is crucial that therapists reclaim their authority, speaking out on behalf of current and future patients as well as the concealed constituency of historically disenfranchised persons for whom psychotherapy has provided a voice.
Biochemical Properties of Purified Recombinant Human β-Carotene 15,15′-Monooxygenase

Beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase (BCO), formerly known as beta-carotene 15,15'-dioxygenase, catalyzes the first step in the synthesis of vitamin A from dietary carotenoids. We have biochemically and enzymologically characterized the purified recombinant human BCO enzyme. A highly active BCO enzyme was expressed and purified to homogeneity from baculovirus-infected Spodoptera frugiperda 9 insect cells. The K(m) and V(max) of the enzyme for beta-carotene were 7 microm and 10 nmol retinal/mg x min, respectively, values that corresponded to a turnover number (k(cat)) of 0.66 min(-1) and a catalytic efficiency (k(cat)/K(m)) of approximately 10(5) m(-1) x min(-1). The enzyme existed as a tetramer in solution, and substrate specificity analyses suggested that at least one unsubstituted beta-ionone ring half-site was imperative for efficient cleavage of the carbon 15,15'-double bond in carotenoid substrates. High levels of BCO mRNA were observed along the whole intestinal tract, in the liver, and in the kidney, whereas lower levels were present in the prostate, testis, ovary, and skeletal muscle. The current data suggest that the human BCO enzyme may, in addition to its well established role in the digestive system, also play a role in peripheral vitamin A synthesis from plasma-borne provitamin A carotenoids.
Comparison of orthogonal liquid and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry platforms for the determination of amino acid concentrations in human plasma.

Concentrations of amino acids in a human plasma pool were determined using four independent quantification methods. Orthogonal separation schemes (LC, GC, or GC×GC) and detection systems (triple quadrupole or time-of-flight mass spectrometry) are shown to demonstrate excellent consistency among platforms for quantifying 18 amino acids in NIST Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1950 Metabolites in Human Plasma using a well-characterized isotope dilution (ID) quantification method. Measured levels were consistent with reference values in plasma from the literature. Individual amino acid concentrations in plasma varied by over an order of magnitude ranging from 1.83 μg/g to 28.0 μg/g (7.78 μmol/L to 321 μmol/L). Average variability (coefficient of variation) between experimental amino acid concentrations (excluding cysteine) among all methods was 6.3%. Certified mass fraction values for amino acids in NIST SRM 1950 will be established from statistically weighted means of all experimental results.
Iontophoresis: A needle-free, electrical system of local anesthesia delivery for pediatric surgical office procedures

Abstract Background/Purpose: Delivery of local anesthesia for surgical office procedures for pediatric patients can be difficult. Injections are painful and often lead to patient anxiety, and topical anesthetics frequently provide incomplete anesthesia. The authors prospectively studied the efficacy of iontophoresis, a needle-free technique in which positively charged lidocaine and epinephrine molecules are drawn into the tissue by an electrical current as an anesthetic for pediatric surgical office procedures. Methods: Children undergoing an office procedure were offered local anesthesia via iontophoresis. Prospectively collected data included patient characteristics, procedure, iontophoresis dose and time, need for additional injected anesthetic, pain during the procedure as determined by a 0 to 5 faces scale, and complications. A satisfaction questionnaire was completed at the follow-up visit or by telephone. Results: Over an 8-month period, 34 patients with a mean age of 6.8 years (range, 3 months to 15 years) underwent 38 office procedures with anesthesia supplied through iontophoresis. Skin lesion excision (n = 14) and abscess drainage (n = 12) were the most common procedures. Seven patients required unplanned injected anesthetic. A small, superficial burn was the only complication. Sixty percent of patients and 84% of parents rated pain as 0 to 2 (zero to mild). Overall, 88% were satisfied with the anesthetic. Conclusion: Iontophoresis appears to be an effective and safe alternative method of local anesthesia delivery for pediatric surgical office procedures.
Selective Attention With Human Earphones

A method to conduct dichotic listening tasks in the classroom for demonstration purposes is described. It involves substituting humans for earphones, thereby allowing direct student observation of various selective attention phenomena.
Weak genetic relationship between trabecular bone morphology and obesity in mice

Obesity, in addition to being associated with metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, has also been found to lower the risk of osteoporotic fractures. The relationship between obesity and bone trabecular structure is complex, involving responses to mechanical loading and the effects of adipocyte-derived hormones, both directly interacting with bone tissue and indirectly through central nervous system signaling. Here we examine the effects of sex, a high fat diet, and genetics on the trabecular density and structure of the lumbar and caudal vertebra and the proximal tibia along with body weight, fat pad weight, and serum leptin levels in a murine obesity model, the LGXSM recombinant inbred (RI) mouse strains. The sample included 481 mice from 16 RI strains. We found that vertebral trabecular density was higher in males while the females had higher tibial trabecular density. The high fat diet led to only slightly higher trabecular density in both sexes despite its extreme effects on obesity and serum leptin levels. Trait heritabilities are moderate to strong and genetic correlations among trabecular features are high. Most genetic variation contrasts strains with large numbers of thick, closely-spaced, highly interconnected, plate-like trabeculae with a high bone volume to total volume ratio against strains displaying small numbers of thin, widely-spaced, sparsely connected, rod-like trabeculae with a low bone volume to total volume ratio. Genetic correlations between trabecular and obesity-related traits were low and not statistically significant. We mapped trabecular properties to 20 genomic locations. Only one-quarter of these locations also had effects on obesity. In this population obesity has a relatively minor effect on trabecular bone morphology.
Micropolarity of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate reverse micelles prepared in supercritical ethane and near-critical propane

The micropolarity of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse micelles prepared in supercritical ethane and near-critical propane has been determined in terms of a solvent polarity parameter, E T(30) values, by using absorption probes, 1-ethyl-4-methoxycarbonyl pyridinium iodide and 2,6-diphenyl-4-(2,4,6-triphenylpyridinio)-phenolate as a functions of pressure and the molar ratio of water to AOT, W 0, at a constant temperature of 310 K. The micropolarity comparable to that of ethanol was observed for reverse micelles containing water of W 0 = 2. The micropolarity increased with the water content and became independent of pressure after the system changed to a one-phase reverse micelle solution. For a given W 0 value, no difference in the micropolarity was noticed in the micelles prepared in ethane and propane. Phase behaviour investigations have revealed that complete dissolution of 50 mM AOT occurred at 20 MPa in supercritical ethane, while a much lower pressure of 1 MPa was required in near-critical propane. The amount of water solubilized in reverse micelles formed in supercritical ethane was relatively low, reaching a W 0 value of 7 at 36 MPa. In contrast, the amount of water solubilized in near-critical propane reverse micelles was W 0 = 11 at a much lower pressure of 6 MPa. A higher pressure was required to solubilize larger amount of water in reverse micelles prepared in both ethane and propane.
Continuous Visual Memory Test Performance in Healthy Persons 60 to 94 Years of Age

Performance of elderly subjects on the Continuous Visual Memory Test (CVMT) was examined in a sample of neurologically normal adults (74 males and 103 females). Means for age and education were 71.20 years (SD = 6.02) and 14.77 years (SD = 2.48). Results revealed that the recommended impairment cut-off scores provided in the CVMT manual did not generalize to the current sample with 8% to 50% of healthy elderly persons falling within the impaired range. Therefore, the current sample was used to provide updated preliminary elderly normative data for the CVMT.
A method of synthesizing C14 carboxyl acetylsalicylic acid

Abstract The historical Kolbe synthesis of aromatic hydroxy acids with Schmitt's modification for synthesizing the salicylic acid from sodium phenolate and carbon dioxide at 110-140°; and high pressure was used in this method of synthesizing the Cu carboxyl salicylic acid followed by acetylization to C 14 carboxyl acetylsalicylic add.
Semilunar Valve Switch Procedure: Autotransplantation of the Native Aortic Valve to the Pulmonary Position in the Ross Procedure

Abstract Background . The Ross procedure has gained wide acceptance in young patients with aortic valve disease. The durability of the pulmonary autograft in the aortic position has been proved, with up to 24 years of follow-up. The homograft pulmonary valve, however, has limited longevity. To circumvent this problem we harvested, repaired, and reimplanted the native aortic valve with intact commissures in the pulmonary position in 13 patients undergoing the Ross procedure for aortic insufficiency. Methods . The cause of aortic insufficiency was rheumatic in 6 patients, congenital in 4, post–aortic valvotomy in 2, and bacterial endocarditis in 1. Patient age ranged from 5 to 45 years (mean, 17 ± 9 years). Root replacement technique with coronary artery reimplantation was used. In the first 4 patients, the native aortic valve was sutured into the right ventricular outflow tract, and a polytetrafluorethylene patch was used to reconstruct the main pulmonary artery. In the last 9 patients, the aortic valve and polytetrafluorethylene patch were made into a conduit by another surgeon while the left-sided reconstruction was performed. Results . All patients had marked reduction of left ventricular dilation and good function of the reimplanted native aortic valve, with up to 50 months of follow-up (mean, 29.9 ± 14.2 months; range, 12 to 50 months). Two patients died 15 and 26 days, respectively, of a false aneurysm rupture at the distal aortic anastomosis. In the remaining 11 patients, 9 (82%) had mild or absent, and 2 (18%) had mild to moderate, neoaortic valve regurgitation. Similarly, 9 patients (82%) had mild or absent, and 2 (18%) had mild to moderate, neopulmonary valve regurgitation. Mild neopulmonary valve stenosis was present in 6 patients (54%) (mean gradient, 29 ± 4 mm Hg; range, 25 to 35 mm Hg). All surviving patients are in functional New York Heart Association functional class I. Conclusions . We conclude that use of the native aortic valve with the Ross procedure makes the procedure attractive and potentially curative. The diseased aortic valve works well in the pulmonary position because of lower pressure and resistance. The valve leaflets should remain viable and grow in both the pulmonary and aortic positions because they derive nutrition directly from the blood.
Predicting stochastic behaviour of fatigue crack nucleation and small crack growth in ductile alloys based on stochastic behaviour of large crack growth

Statistical fatigue life of a ductile alloy specimen is traditionally divided into three phases, viz., crack nucleation, small crack growth and large crack growth. Crack nucleation and small crack growth shows a wide variation and hence a big spread on life in cycles versus crack length graph. Relatively, large crack growth shows a lesser variation. It is also easier to carry out crack length measurements of large cracks compared to nucleating cracks and small cracks. Thus, it is easier to collect statistical data for large crack growth compared to painstaking effort it would take to collect statistical data for crack nucleation and small crack growth. This paper presents a fracture mechanics based stochastic model of fatigue crack growth in ductile alloys that are commonly encountered in mechanical structures and machine components. This model has been validated for crack propagation by various statistical fatigue data. Extending this model, this paper proposes a technique to predict statistical information of fatigue crack nucleation and small crack growth properties based on the statistical properties of large crack growth under constant amplitude stress excitation. The statistical properties of large crack growth under constant amplitude stress excitation can be obtained via experiments.
Is endoscopy hazardous to your liver

In a survey of a gastrointestinal endoscopy society, 92 members (84%) filled out a questionnaire and donated serum specimens for testing for hepatitis B markers and alanine aminotransferase. The frequency of serologic evidence of exposure to hepatitis B was only slightly higher than that seen in the general population and comparable to that reported in “low-risk” health-care workers. Overall, 12% had markers of previous hepatitis B exposure and 3% had an abnormal aminotransferase determination. There was no correlation between hepatitis B exposure and endoscopic experience.
Stability of polymorphic enzyme phenotypes in human tumor cell lines.

SummaryConcordance of polymorphic enzyme phenotypes in various comparisons of human normal and malignant cells in vitro and in vivo establishes isozyme stability after change to the malignant state and after long-term tissue culture. Such enzymes, therefore, can be used with considerable confidence to individually distinguish human tumor cell lines. The stability validates the use of phenotype frequency data obtained from surveys of normal human populations in the analysis of data on human tumor cell lines.We gratefully acknowledge the collaboration of Dr. Francis E. Sharkey and the Department of Pathology, Memorial Hospital, New York, for providing tissue specimens.
Interaction of Sucrose with Starch During Dehydration as Shown by Water Sorption

Component interactions in the sucrose-starch-water system were investigated. Starch, sucrose, a mechanical starch:sucrose mixture and four powders obtained by freeze drying dilute aqueous mixtures were equilibrated to aw ranging from 0.33–0.93. Both raw and gelatinized starch were included. Sucrose-starch interaction was determined by measuring the reduction in water sorption as compared to theoretical. Only the freeze-dried mixtures showed interaction. Interacted sucrose, calculated as the sucrose that did not bind water, (1) decreased from a maximum at 0.86 aw to zero at 0.936 aw, and (2) rose sharply with increasing sucrose-starch ratio to a maximum at a ratio of 0.4 and decreased to zero with further increase in ratio to 1.5. More sucrose interacted with gelatinized than raw starch.
On nonconservative gyroscopic eigenvalue problems in elasticity

Abstract The influence of nonconservatism on the dynamics of rotating systems modelled by 3-D elasticity is considered. The fields are treated as small dynamic excursions about a potentially large initial state. Particular emphasis is given to determining the various properties of the associated eigenvalue/function problem. This is made possible through the development of a generalized Rayleigh quotient which is used in conjunction with the positive-negative-semi definiteness/symmetry properties of the various property tensors to establish the existence of potential eigenvalue bifurcations induced by various of the conservative/nonconservative fields. In addition, a specialized first order form is introduced which enables the development of a multiply connected biorthogonality principle. To further illustrate the generality of the various developments, the results are specialized to eigenvalue/vector problems arising from finite-element/difference simulations of nonconservative systems.
Stability of control systems with multiple nonlinearities and multiple inputs

Abstract This paper gives two theorems for the stability and asymptotic stability of control systems with multiple nonlinearities and multiple inputs. A frequency criterion is used in connection with the transfer function matrix which may have elements involving simple poles on the imaginary axis. Theorem I can be applied to systems with bounded inputs. For the asymptotic stability, Theorem II requires only that the input functions approach zero as the time goes to infinity. The multiple nonlinearities are specified in a compositor sector.
The use of state-to-state college migration data in developing a hierarchy of higher educational regions

States are frequently grouped into regions for higher educational purposes. This paper shows how systems of regions within which interstate migration flows are relatively great can be determined using state-to-state college migration data. Measures of the strength of regional identities are computed. New England and the northwestern states of Idaho, Oregon, Utah, and Washington, for example, are found to be well-defined regions. Comparisons between regional systems obtained when intrastate flows are taken into account, and when they are not, are made.
RoSCAR: robot stock car autonomous racing

In this paper, we present the development of a low-cost, high-performance mobile robot platform for educational and research use called RoSCAR. The platform is based on a 1/10-scale short track race car, integrated with an on-board desktop-class computer, odometry, and RGB-D sensing. As part of an experimental robotics course, three student teams used RoSCAR to compete in a race around a 200 m indoor track. Students demonstrated reliable lane tracking and attained average lap speeds of up to 5.7 m/s (equivalent to 202 km/h at full scale). We are currently investigating the viability of a regional robotics competition centered around this concept.
Exercise blood pressure response during assisted circulatory support: Comparison of the total artifical heart with a left ventricular assist device during rehabilitation

Background The total artificial heart (TAH) consists of two implantable pneumatic pumps that replace the heart and operate at a fixed ejection rate and ejection pressure. We evaluated the blood pressure (BP) response to exercise and exercise performance in patients with a TAH compared to those with a with a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Methods We conducted a single-center, retrospective study of 37 patients who received a TAH and 12 patients implanted with an LVAD. We measured the BP response during exercise, exercise duration and change in tolerated exercise workload over an 8-week period. Results In patients with a TAH, baseline BP was 120/69 ± 13/13, exercise BP was 118/72 ± 15/10 and post-exercise BP was 120/72 ± 14/12. Mean arterial BP did not change with exercise in patients with a TAH (88 ± 10 vs 88 ± 11; p = 0.8), but increased in those with an LVAD (87 ± 8 vs 95 ± 13; p p = 0.4). MAP correlated positively with METs achieved in patients with LVADs (MAP: β = 0.26, p = 0.04). Despite the abnormal response to exercise, patients with a TAH participated in physical therapy (median: 5 days; interquartile range [IQR] 4 to 7 days) and treadmill exercise (19 days; IQR: 13 to 35 days) early after device implantation, with increased exercise intensity and duration over time. Conclusions During circulatory support with a TAH, the BP response to exercise was blunted. However, aerobic exercise training early after device implantation was found to be safe and feasible in a supervised setting.
A remainder estimate for the normal approximation of perturbed sample quantiles

Abstract For a smooth statistical model, the rate of convergence in distribution of the kernel-smoothed quantile estimator to the normal law is considered. Under suitable assumptions, a Berry—Esseen type result with a rate O( n −1 2 log n ) is established.
What Does Africa Have to Do with Being African American? A Microethnographic Analysis of a Middle School Inquiry Unit on Africa

In the United States, "race" and "black identity" are becoming more complex with the increasing numbers of individuals who identify as "black and foreignborn." Emanating from a year-long study in an urban middle school classroom and a microethnographic investigation of a two-week unit on Africa, this article employs a Pan-African framework to examine how schools and the broader society serve as sites where black identity is contested. The article concludes with implications for education, society, and the study of race and black identity in classroom life. Amid the growing diversity of the U.S. population, particularly among school-age children and adolescents, there has been a concurrent growth in the population of individuals who identify as "black and foreignborn" (i.e., of African ancestry, but emigrating from outside the United States). In 1970, the number of individuals in the United States who identified as "black and foreign-born" was approximately 250,000 (Gibson and Lennon 1999). Over the past three decades, this population in
A General Model of Query Processing in Information Retrieval Systems.

Abstract Most current document retrieval systems require that user queries be specified in the form of Boolean expressions. Although Boolean queries work, they have flaws. Some of the attempts to overcome these flaws have involved “partial-match” retrieval or the use of fuzzy-subset theory. Recently, some generalizations of fuzzy-subset theory have been suggested that would allow the user to specify queries with relevance weights or thresholds attached to terms. The various query-processing methods are discussed and compared.
Coal Use Report

The world’s coal reserves have been estimated to be about one exagram (1 · 10 kg or 1 trillion mt) accessible with current extraction technology. The energy content has been valued at 290 zettajoules (2.9 · 10 J). Using a value of 15 terawatt as the current global energy consumption, the coal supply could meet global needs for 600 years (http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal). In the time of impending petroleum depletion, it is incumbent on society to properly set the role of coal as part of the energy system for the global community. The recent expansion of China has been supported in part by large coal burning power plants with limited effluent controls. A recently published 192 page interdisciplinary study looked at the future global demand for energy with the objective to avoid increasing emissions of CO2 and a focus on the future role coal as a plentiful and inexpensive energy source. The study calls for the United States to take a lead in developing technology to meet the environmental needs for this projected role and respond to its contribution to the global air pollution scenario. For continued coal use, CO2 emissions must be controlled and CO2 capture and sequestration (CCS) is identified by the study as the only major hope. The scale of CCS is considering the daily production levels and how much CO2 needs to be intercepted. To sequester one giga mt of carbon equivalent to nearly 4 giga mt of CO2 yearly, 50 million barrels of supercritical CO2 daily from 600 1,000 MWe must be injected. Scenarios leading to the use of CCS technology were modeled by MIT’s Emissions Predictions and Policy Analysis model. Two limiting range scenarios of $25/mt and $7/mt CO2 were used to evaluate future effects. The study offers to policy makers substantial information to begin the plans to develop the interception technology and evaluate it for environmental, economic, and social effects. (http://www.web.mit.edu/coal/)
pT1 clear cell renal cell carcinoma: a study of the association between MIB-1 proliferative activity and pathologic features and cancer specific survival.

BACKGROUND The majority of patients with pT1 clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are cured with nephrectomy. However, a few patients will die of RCC. In several studies, MIB-1 proliferative activity was identified as an independent predictor of survival in patients with RCC. The objective of the current study was to examine MIB-1 proliferative activity in a large series of patients with pT1 clear cell RCC who were treated uniformly with radical nephrectomy, and to examine the association between proliferative activity and cancer specific survival in a multivariate model incorporating tumor size, nuclear grade, and tumor necrosis. METHODS Patients with solitary pT1 clear cell RCC who underwent radical nephrectomy between 1970–1997 were eligible for the current study. For each of the 40 patients who died of RCC, a stratified random sample of at least 3 year-matched patients who still were alive or had died of other causes at the time of last follow-up was selected. Patient age at nephrectomy, patient gender, tumor size, nuclear grade, and tumor necrosis were evaluated, and the MIB-1 proliferative activity was assessed using digital image analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were fit to assess the features associated with cancer specific survival. The associations between MIB-1 proliferative activity and pathologic features were assessed using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. RESULTS The mean MIB-1 value for those patients who died of clear cell RCC was 6.5% compared with 3.6% for those patients who died of other causes or were still alive at the time of last follow-up. Patients whose tumor had an MIB-1 proliferative activity ≥ 5.0% were more than twice as likely to die of RCC than patients whose tumors had a MIB-1 activity < 5% (P = 0.02). However, after adjusting for tumor size, nuclear grade, and necrosis, MIB-1 proliferative activity was not found to be associated significantly with cancer specific survival. There was a significant association between MIB-1 proliferative activity and tumor size, nuclear grade, and necrosis. CONCLUSIONS After adjusting for tumor size, nuclear grade, and necrosis, MIB-1 proliferative activity was not found to be an independent predictor of outcome in patients with pT1 clear cell RCC who were treated with radical nephrectomy. There was a significant association between MIB-1 and other well established pathologic prognostic features of pT1 clear cell RCC. Cancer 2002;94:2180–4. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10433
How the Brain Sees Smells

Genetically encoded transneuronal tracers provide the first glimpse into the logic of olfactory processing in higher cortical areas of the brain. The results suggest a complex distributed coding scheme, which is remarkably similar in different individuals.
Exploring Knowledge Management and Knowledge Sharing in a Non-Profit Human Service Organisation

Non-profit, human service organisations are continuing to struggle for limited money and are being held accountable more than ever before to prove an increase in quality and efficacy of services. Agency administrators have to think creatively in order to help their agencies stand out. Efforts include tapping not only into the knowledge of their employees but also knowledge of their consumers. Utilising qualitative methods, with a highly successful non-profit agency, this document investigates the information sharing activities and the knowledge gained from consumers when knowledge transfer backflow was allowed. Shared are findings on how public service agencies, often dealing with those individuals in need, can use knowledge management processes to inform and improve future service delivery. The thick descriptions provided in this document give context to the multi-layered knowledge dimensions involved. Highlighted is the importance of the embedded knowledge their participants come in with and the need for agencies to consider the intricacies of this knowledge. Noticeably, this study also delineates how the historical and current oppression experienced contributes to this complexity. The data reported in this study is the first step in understanding the individual and organisation factors contributing to the collaboration efforts of non-profit agencies.