cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Machiavelli, Civic Humanism, and the Humanist Politics of Virtue

Modern studies of Italian humanist political thought emphasize the theme of republican liberty, but this conception has been understood in anachronistic ways and exaggerated in importance. Much more central is the problem of how to encourage virtuous and prudent behavior in the ruling class. The humanist answer — a classical education in virtue and wisdom, along with the creation of new social technologies of persuasion — was comprehensively rejected by Machiavelli, whose own approach to political success truly introduced new modi e ordini.
A design for parts storage/feeding in PC board assembly

Abstract The flexible, automated, high speed assembly of printed circuit (PC) boards offers productivity gains over hard automation. While significant progress has been made to automate the component insertion on PC boards, there still remains a class of components, commonly referred to as ‘odd-form’ components, whose handling has posed significant constraints on the flexibility of automation designs. This paper presents conceptual designs for the storage and feeding of such odd-form components to facilitate their automated assembly. Moreover, the problem is made more difficult because the component storage and feeding system technology has lagged behind the development of flexible assembly systems that it supports. In this paper, different design alternatives for the component storage/feeding system and its integration into an overall flexible assembly workstation are presented and quantitatively analysed. With appropriate software control and sensing techniques, these designs will enable a large variety of components to be assembled on a number of different types of PC boards, facilitating flexible, automated assembly at high speeds.
Composition and sources of fine and coarse particles collected during 2002–2010 in Boston, MA

Identifying the sources, composition, and temporal variability of fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM2.5–10) particles is a crucial component in understanding particulate matter (PM) toxicity and establishing proper PM regulations. In this study, a Harvard Impactor was used to collect daily integrated fine and coarse particle samples every third day for 9 years at a single site in Boston, MA. In total, 1,960 filters were analyzed for elements, black carbon (BC), and total PM mass. Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) was used to identify source types and quantify their contributions to ambient PM2.5 and PM2.5–10. BC and 17 elements were identified as the main constituents in our samples. Results showed that BC, S, and Pb were associated exclusively with the fine particle mode, while 84% of V and 79% of Ni were associated with this mode. Elements mostly found in the coarse mode, over 80%, included Ca, Mn (road dust), and Cl (sea salt). PMF identified six source types for PM2.5 and three source types for PM2.5–10. S...
The action of perchlorate on malignant-hyperthermia-susceptible muscle

To better understand the altered skeletal muscle excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling that occurs in malignant hyperthermia, we have examined the potentiating actions of perchlorate in intact muscle fiber bundles, isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles, and the purified ryanodine receptor/Ca2+ release channel (RyR) isolated from malignant-hyperthermia-susceptible (MHS) and normal porcine muscle. The concentration of perchlorate that half-maximally potentiated twitch tension (2.5–3.5 mM) was not significantly different for MHS and normal muscles. The effect of perchlorate on fractional twitch force was significantly greater for normal than for MHS muscle, although the absolute twitch potentiation was similar for both muscle types. The K-contracture threshold of MHS muscle bundles is significantly lower than that of normal bundles; perchlorate shifted the K-contraction activation curves of both MHS and normal muscle bundles to lower K+ concentrations. Perchlorate both increased ryanodine binding to MHS and normal SR vesicles and increased single-channel open probability of the purified MHS and normal RyR. In both cases, the percentage increase was greater for normal than for MHS preparations; however, the absolute increase in activity was not different for MHS and normal RyR indicating that there is no difference in the perchlorate sensitivity of MHS and normal SR Ca2+ release channels. Thus, the greater absolute responses of the MHS Ca2+ release channel in the presence of perchlorate is likely to be due to the greater basal activity of the MHS release channel and does not reflect an underlying defect in the site of action of perchlorate on the MHS skeletal muscle Ca2+ release channel.
Volume manufacturing and deployment of large-scale photonic integrated circuits

Manufacturing statistics are presented for 100 Gb/s transmitter and receiver large-scale photonic integrated circuits (LS-PICs). The data demonstrate the feasibility of the cost-effective deployment and volume manufacturing of these devices.
Estimating service level impacts from changes in cycle count, buffer stock, or corrective action

Abstract Inventory managers, tasked with providing adequate levels of material support, need to be able to gain insights, in a computationally easy manner, to the magnitude of improvements in protection levels against stockouts that can be gleaned from the three mechanisms available to them—more buffer stock, more physical inventories, or more corrective action to eliminate or reduce the causes for the errors arising in the first place. Armed with quantitative conservative estimates of the types of improvements available from any of these three mechanisms or combinations of the mechanisms, and the relative cost of each, the manager is is a better position to select a cost-effective, remedial course of action.
Decreased sensitivity to ethanol reward in adolescent mice as measured by conditioned place preference.

Background: Many preclinical studies have demonstrated age-related differential sensitivity to various effects of ethanol between adolescent and adult animals. However, published data addressing possible differences in ethanol’s motivational effects are sparse, particularly in mice. The present study examined age-related differences in the conditioned rewarding effects of ethanol in DBA/2J mice. Methods: In the first experiment an unbiased place conditioning procedure was used to determine the rewarding effects of 2 g/kg ethanol in adult and adolescent DBA/2J mice. In a subsequent place conditioning experiment, the effects of 2 and 4 g/kg were assessed in adolescent mice. Results: Adolescents demonstrated a place preference with the high dose of 4 g/kg but not with a more moderate dose of 2 g/kg. In contrast, 2 g/kg was sufficient to produce place preference in adult mice. Conclusions: Adolescents are less sensitive than adults to the rewarding effects of ethanol but can experience reward with high doses. These results extend the current literature on ethanol’s effects in adolescent animals.
Disruption of Nrf2/ARE signaling impairs antioxidant mechanisms and promotes cell degradation pathways in aged skeletal muscle

Age-associated decline in antioxidant potential and accumulation of reactive oxygen/nitrogen species are primary causes for multiple health problems, including muscular dystrophy and sarcopenia. The role of the nuclear erythroid-2-p45-related factor-2 (Nrf2) signaling has been implicated in antioxidant gene regulation. Here, we investigated the loss-of-function mechanisms for age-dependent regulation of Nrf2/ARE (Antioxidant Response Element) signaling in skeletal muscle (SM). Under basal physiological conditions, disruption of Nrf2 showed minimal effects on antioxidant defenses in young (2months) Nrf2-/- mice. Interestingly, mRNA and protein levels of NADH Quinone Oxidase-1 were dramatically (*P 24months) had a significant increase in ROS along with a decrease in glutathione (GSH) levels and impaired antioxidants in Nrf2-/- when compared to WT SM. Further, disruption of Nrf2 appears to induce oxidative stress (increased ROS, HNE-positive proteins), ubiquitination and pro-apoptotic signals in the aged SM of Nrf2-/- mice. These results indicate a direct role for Nrf2/ARE signaling on impairment of antioxidants, which contribute to muscle degradation pathways upon aging. Our findings conclude that though the loss of Nrf2 is not amenable at younger age; it could severely affect the SM defenses upon aging. Thus, Nrf2 signaling might be a potential therapeutic target to protect the SM from age-dependent accumulation of ROS by rescuing redox homeostasis to prevent age-related muscle disorders such as sarcopenia and myopathy.
New Tools for Analyzing the Thermal and Daylighting Performance of Fenestration in Multistory Buildings

ABSTRACT Accurately predicting the energy–related impact of fenestration is essential to the design of energy–efficient buildings. For complex nonresidential buildings, a complete understanding of fenestration performance requires not only thermal modeling but daylighting prediction as well. Multistory buildings tend to have higher skin–to–floor ratios than shorter, more compact structures of equal floor area and, thus, their performance is influenced to a greater extent by design decisions that affect the thermal and solar optical properties of the building skin. Despite the computational power of modeling programs, there are tradeoffs and limitations among accuracy, the cost of running the model, and the flexibility to model the large range of architectural solutions for high–rise buildings. We recently completed the first phases of a project to add a daylight–modeling capability and related thermal algorithms to the DOE 2.1B energy analysis program. In order to provide accuracy and computational efficiency along with the ability to model geometrically complex buildings, we developed a family of supporting computational tools and experimental techniques. The next version of the DOE 2 program will have a daylighting model driven by a library of stored coefficients of utilization, which are either developed from scale model measurements in our sky simulator or calculated by a new daylighting illumination program, SUPERLITE. In addition, coefficients for unique designs can be determined from model measurements and entered into the program. SUPERLITE provides detailed data on illuminance distribution in an interior space, but is too complex for use directly within the hour–by–hour model. Because the solar gains through sophisticated daylighting apertures are not adequately calculated in current models, our procedure will also use a library of coefficients stored in DOE 2. These coefficients will be determined from sun and sky simulator measurements of the solar optical properties of devices. We describe our major experimental procedures and analytical models and present validation studies of DOE 2.1B and SUPERLITE. We illustrate the applicability of these tools by showing results from a study of optimal fenestration performance as a function of climate and orientation.
Comments on ``A Z-R Relationship for the GATE B-Scale Array''

Abstract It is shown that the Z-R relationship determined by Cunning and Sax (1977) includes additional useful information of cloud physics. The physical processes by which the tropical rainshafts were formed was simple, probably with a single method of drop formation. Comparable Z-R relationships from the Marshall Islands are given. It is shown that the selection of R as the independent variable usually results in a laser coefficient and a smaller exponent than when Z is taken as the independent variable.
Leucine oxidation in diabetes and starvation: Effects of ketone bodies on branched-chain amino acid oxidation in vitro

Abstract Both starvation and diabetes markedly increase the rate of α-decarboxylation of leucine by gastrocnemius muscle homogenate of rat. Since hyperketonemia is common to both these conditions, the effect of acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate on the rate of α-decarboxylation of leucine by tissue homogenates of fed rats was investigated. The rate of leucine decarboxylation by muscle homogenate increased markedly when 1–20 mM acetoacetate was added to the incubation medium (109% increase at 20 mM). In contrast, β-hydroxybutyrate was without significant effect until its concentration in the medium was increased to 30 mM (24% increase). Acetoacetate also increased α-decarboxylation of valine, but had no effect on other amino acids, namely, alanine and glutamate. There was a significant correlation between the rates of leucine decarboxylation and the endogenous concentrations of acetoacetate in the gastrocnemius muscle of fed, starved, and diabetic rats (r = 0.83, p
Angiogenesis Inhibition Using an Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus Expressing Endostatin in a Murine Lung Cancer Model

Herpes-mediated viral oncolysis alone is not sufficient to completely eradicate tumors. In this study we used a replication conditional, endostatin-expressing herpes simplex virus-1 mutant (HSV-Endo) in a murine lung cancer model. We hypothesized that the anti-angiogenic action of endostatin would improve upon the oncolytic effect of HSV-1. HSV-Endo was evaluated in a pulmonary metastases and orthotopic flank model, where there was significantly less tumor burden and reduced microvessel density compared to a control virus. Endostatin expression appears to improve the anti-tumor effect of HSV-1 in a lung cancer model.
Color contingent motion aftereffects: Single or multiple levels of processing?☆

Abstract The monocular spiral aftereffect can be observed in the stimulated and unstimulated eye. When the aftereffect is made contingent upon a specific color, transfer does not occur. The experiments reported show this to be the result of separate coding for color and movement, whereby the color coding occurs prior to binocular interaction.
Lag-recursive estimation of the average autocorrelation of an arbitrarily time-variant system response

Several techniques have been proposed for identifying the impulse response of arbitrarily time-variant systems. The majority of such techniques rely on a statistical characterization of the time-variant impulse response in terms of its average power spectrum or, equivalently, its average autocorrelation. We present here a computationally-efficient lag-recursive method for estimating the desired average autocorrelation over a wide range of lag values, and using only measurements of the input and output signals of the system of interest. Our method involves L sets of M2 linear equations each, where L is the number of distinct lag values, and M is the length of the system's impulse response. We rely on two distinct types of lag-recursive shift invariance to reduce the cost of setting up these equations by a factor of M2 and the cost of solving them by a factor of M, as compared with a non-structured solution.
Failure of ritanserin to block cocaine cue reactivity in humans

As part of a double-blind placebo-controlled study of the effects of ritanserin on cocaine use and craving, reactivity to cocaine-related events was assessed both before and during medication. Twenty-two patients receiving ritanserin and 23 receiving placebo were exposed to cocaine cues while continuous measures of heart rate, skin temperature, and skin resistance were taken. Self-reports of high, withdrawal, and craving were also collected. The cues produced significant physiological responding as well as significant increases in high and craving during both sessions. Ritanserin reduced cue-elicited decreases in skin temperature, but had no effect on heart rate and skin resistance or on cue-induced high and craving. The results demonstrate that cue reactivity is a robust phenomenon across two assessment sessions but fail to support the use of ritanserin as a means of reducing cue-elicited drug states.
Evolution of inclined galactic gas disks. I - A cloud-fluid approach

In this paper, numerical models are developed to follow the time-dependent behavior of inclined gas disks in nonspherical galaxies. Differential equations are developed which describe the time rate of change of the orbits of mass elements composing a thin, smoothly warping and twisting gas disk. These equations include multiple moments due to the nonsphericity of the galactic mass distribution, Coriolis effects arising from determination of orbits in a reference frame which tumbles with the surface figure of the galaxy, and viscous forces arising from cloud-cloud collisions. A cloud-fluid approach is used in determining the viscous forces. Physical arguments are used to determine the maximum permissible local value of the coefficient of kinematic viscosity. For small initial inclinations, analytic expressions are obtained for the inclination as a function of time and for the settling time, and the features of the solution are discussed.
Bending the cost curve: a critical component of health care reform.

THE ESTIMATED 10-YEAR COST (2010-2019) OF EXpanding health insurance coverage is at least $1 trillion. New revenue sources will not cover this cost. Thus, to make such coverage affordable, it is necessary to “bend the cost curve” in the rate of annual increases in health care spending, which in most years has significantly exceeded the overall rate of inflation. This will require addressing the underlying determinants: primarily the behavior of patients, hospitals, and physicians as they use available technologies and treatments.
Molecular biology and gene therapy in the treatment of chronic pain.

In the last two decades, advances in the fields of gene transfer and cellular grafting have rendered application of these technologies to the nervous system practical. The potential for cellbased therapies has benefited from new concepts in the means for cell delivery as well as a broadened repertoire of potential cells for grafting. Both developments create the opportunity for increased control of graft behavior and safety of application. Similarly, gene transfer strategies have evolved such that potentially therapeutic transgene expression lasts longer and poses less of a risk to host tissue. Finally, the fusion of these technologies raises the potential for enhanced control of graft behavior as well as enhanced delivery of the therapeutic proteins encoded by gene transfer. Current pain therapies are encumbered by a variety of limitations. Systemic pharmacologic manipulation of pain is plagued by addiction and tolerance as well by as the secondary effects of these drugs on the patients’ level of consciousness and emotional status. Surgical interventions for medically refractory pain also possess inherent limitations. Both neuroablation and neuroaugmentation are discussed in other articles in this issue. The former has the inherent limitation of being destructive to the nervous system, whereas the latter requires implanted hardware that is susceptible to the vicissitudes of infection, breakage, and malfunction. The nervous system takes advantage of both anatomic and pharmacologic specificity to pro
Structure–activity studies of cyclic ketone inhibitors of the serine protease plasmin: Design, synthesis, and biological activity

Three series of cyclic ketone inhibitors were synthesized and evaluated against the serine protease plasmin. Peptide inhibitors that incorporated 3-oxotetrahydrofuran and 3-oxotetrahydrothiophene 1,1-dioxide groups had the highest activities. Alkylamino substituents, which were designed to bind in the S1 subsite of plasmin, were attached to the inhibitors. Compounds 5c and 5g, which incorporated 6-aminohexyl substituents, were found to be optimal and demonstrated IC(50) values in the low micromolar range. Incorporating conformationally constrained peptide segments into the inhibitors did not improve their activities.
The Meaning of Component Analysis: Decomposition of the Free Energy in Terms of Specific Interactions

Free energy simulations are of particular interest for the interpretation of macroscopic data in terms of microscopic interactions. This can be done by expressing calculated free energies as a sum of components that correspond to the contributions of different energy terms or different parts of the system. Since the resulting components depend on the integration path, care is required for their use. We show that a linear coupling scheme for the alchemical creation of a chemical identity corresponds to a particularly useful path because it leads to a symmetric decoupling of the free energy components. The path dependence also provides an additional degree of freedom that can be used to study different processes. This latter point is illustrated by a reinterpretation of a recent simulation on wild-type and mutant azurin by Mark and van Gunsteren.
Structure of human Bloom's syndrome helicase in complex with ADP and duplex DNA

Bloom's syndrome is an autosomal recessive genome-instability disorder associated with a predisposition to cancer, premature aging and developmental abnormalities. It is caused by mutations that inactivate the DNA helicase activity of the BLM protein or nullify protein expression. The BLM helicase has been implicated in the alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) pathway, which is essential for the limitless replication of some cancer cells. This pathway is used by 10–15% of cancers, where inhibitors of BLM are expected to facilitate telomere shortening, leading to apoptosis or senescence. Here, the crystal structure of the human BLM helicase in complex with ADP and a 3′-overhang DNA duplex is reported. In addition to the helicase core, the BLM construct used for crystallization (residues 640–1298) includes the RecQ C-terminal (RQC) and the helicase and ribo­nuclease D C-terminal (HRDC) domains. Analysis of the structure provides detailed information on the interactions of the protein with DNA and helps to explain the mechanism coupling ATP hydrolysis and DNA unwinding. In addition, mapping of the missense mutations onto the structure provides insights into the molecular basis of Bloom's syndrome.
Further studies in aesthetic field theory VI: The lorentz group

In studying Γ = 0,g ij;k = 0 field theory we require that the underlying structure (Γ ,g αβ ) be invariant underL (4), the four-dimensional Lorentz group. This can be accommodated into the theory by increasing the dimension to five. In our computer studies we still found a turnabout point forg 44 on running down thex-axis, suggesting that this group may be consistent with a bounded particle. However, with still longer runs down thex-axis, there was some indication that a singularity may be developing.
A Checklist for Assessing Graduate Student Competencies in the Area of Fluency

Abstract This competencies checklist is suggested as a resource for instructing and evaluating graduate student clinicians in the assessment and treatment of stuttering. It was adapted for use with...
Door-to-needle time in myocardial infarction: Is there an ideal benchmark?

Efforts to improve the quality of medical care increasingly permeate modern medicine. Recent cardiovascular care innovations such as drug-eluting stents, cardiac defibrillators, computed tomography angiography of the heart, and cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitors among many others have attracted considerable national attention. In the face of this technology explosion, there are multiple long-established therapies that improve survival after myocardial infarction but are not always fully adopted. Examples of the latter are smoking cessation counseling, h-blocker therapy, antiplatelet agents, statins, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, especially when left ventricular ejection fraction is b0.40. These bolderQ therapies have been included in evidence-based guidelines and adherence to them is known to have a profound impact. Based on evidence-based guidelines, quality performance measures are now widely used to compare providers and to improve care by feeding back their performance to the individual providers. Commonly, such feedback involves a comparison of individual provider performance to a bbenchmarkQ level of performance. Frequently, the benchmark used is the median (or mean) performance on a given measure. Predictably, from the statistical definition of median, about half of a provider group will perform worse than the median performance on any given measure. Thus, setting a benchmark based on average performance could be viewed as encouraging mediocrity. To address the above, previous work such as the achievable benchmarks of care (ABC) methodology has focused on data-driven definitions of benchmarks
Review: Natural volatile organic substances and their effect on air quality in the United States

Abstract The literature on sources, emission rates, emission inventories, ambient air concentrations, lifetimes and reaction products of natural volatile organic compounds has been reviewed. Relationships between emission inventories and air quality measurements are considered. The effectiveness of natural hydrocarbons in contributing to ozone formation and aerosol formation in ambient air are discussed. It is concluded that natural hydrocarbons do not contribute substantially to the formation of either ozone or aerosols in ambient air.
Aggressive responses to betrayal: Type of relationship, victim’s sex, and nature of aggression

The present investigation explored young adults’ aggressive responses to hypothetical and actual episodes of betrayal. In two studies, we tested the following hypotheses: (a) aggressive responses would be most severe in romantic relationships when compared with friendships; (b) men and women would respond similarly to betrayal; and (c) verbal aggression would be more frequently described than physical and psychological aggressive tactics. Participants endorsed greater use of verbal aggressive tactics in response to hypothetical transgressions committed in romantic relationships when compared with friendships. In response to actual transgressions, betrayals in friendships and romantic relationships elicited similar reactions. As predicted, no sex differences were found in responses to betrayals.
A Liquid Solution for Solid Tumors

Few things are certain in science, but most biomedical researchers agree that DNA can reveal secrets of biology—and pathobiology. Next-generation genomic sequencing of patient tumors in parallel with adjacent noncancerous tissue is now a common research tool in cancer genomics. This approach has
The Rent of Mineral Lands

I. Present disagreement on analysis of mine royalties, 290. — Ricardo's analysis, 291. — Modern writers: Taussig, Marshall, 292. — Limitation of Ricardian theory to settled countries and established industries, 293. — Rent of mineral land and agricultural land distinguished, 294. — Analysis of royalties in practice, 296. — II. Proof of the theory. Differences in royalties due to quality of coal, 297; to date of lease, location, fertility of mines, 299. — Relation of thickness to value of seam, 300. — The no-rent mine, 301. — Mine royalties in France, England, the United States, 302. — Graphic representation, 308. — Extensive and intensive margins; diminishing returns, 311. — III. Nationalization. Possible division of royalties if mines are purchased; if confiscated, 312. — Possible results under government operation, under lease to private operators, under free mining, 313. — Effect of nationalization on price of coal; on wages, 314. — Conclusion, 317.
Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and risk of antenatal depression: application of latent variable modeling.

This study sought to determine the impact of passive smoking on the risk for depressive symptoms during pregnancy. In this prospective study, 236 pregnant women were recruited at less than 20 weeks of gestation from a university-affiliated obstetric clinic from November 2009 through July 2011. Tobacco use/exposure was measured using questionnaire and confirmed by salivary cotinine analysis. The Edinburgh Perinatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was employed to capture perinatal depressive symptomatology. Traditionally, a cutoff of 13 is utilized to indicate depressive symptoms in the perinatal population. However, this approach is vulnerable to measurement errors that are inherent in assessing depression using cutoff points. Therefore, in this analysis, we apply a flexible approach (latent variable modeling) that accounts for measurement errors thereby reducing bias in the estimates of association. Significant differences were observed in the mean EPDS scores across non-smokers (mean ± SD = 4.8 ± 4.8), passive smokers (5.3 ± 5.5) and active smokers (7.4 ± 6.1) [p value = 0.02]. For each itemized response of the EPDS, passive smokers demonstrated an increased risk for depressive symptoms with the greatest risk exhibited by items 8 and 9 of the questionnaire (feeling sad or miserable and feeling unhappy [and]crying, respectively). In addition, for each item of the EPDS, a dose–response pattern was revealed with non-smokers having the least risk of depressive symptoms during pregnancy and active smokers having the greatest risk. Women who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at elevated risk for depressive symptoms during pregnancy.
The sensor spectrum: technology, trends, and requirements

Though physical sensing instruments have long been used in astronomy, biology, and civil engineering, the recent emergence of wireless sensor networks and RFID has spurred a renaissance in sensor interest in both academia and industry. In this paper, we examine the spectrum of sensing platforms, from billion dollar satellites to tiny RF tags, and discuss the technological differences between them. We show that battery powered sensor networks, with low-power multihop radios and low-cost processors, occupy a sweet spot in this spectrum that is rife with opportunity for novel database research. We briefly summarize some of our research work in this space and present a number of examples of interesting sensor network-related problems that the database community is uniquely equipped to address.
Introduction of laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy in a private teaching community hospital

Abstract Study Objective. To compare laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) with traditional total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) when the laparoscopic approach is introduced into a private hospital. Design. During 1 year, 49 LAVHs were performed and compared with 51 consecutive TAHs using retrospective chart review and statistical analysis. Setting. A private, university-affiliated, teaching hospital. Patients. All patients undergoing LAVH, and the first 51 TAHs performed during the study year. Measurements and Main Results. No major complications occurred in either group. Significant differences were observed in uterine weight (161±92 g vs 331±354 g), operating time (164±48 min vs 108±28 min), and hospital stay (2.93±1.21 days vs 4.00±1.54 days) for LAVH and TAH, respectively. Hospital charges for LAVH averaged $4074 more than for TAH, primarily due to the use of disposable laparoscopic equipment. Conclusions. Laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy may be performed safely in a private community hospital with appropriate surgeon credentialing and training. Modifying techniques to minimize the use of disposable equipment would make the procedure more cost effective.
Paleomagnetic on-line data archive established

During the recent International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics meeting in Vienna, it was suggested that it would be useful to place paleomagnetically important information at a computer archive site that could be accessed by anyone at any time. Setting up such a site would increase the ease with which paleomagnetists can access on-line databases and computer program source code. The present situation, with some exceptions, is poor, with most researchers working alone, or mailing floppy disks or magnetic tape to colleagues. Using the File Transfer Protocol, a central archive site has been established for paleomagnetic information that can be accessed at any time. Files can be very rapidly downloaded at no charge. The archive is located at FTP site 130.49.3.1 (earth.eps.pitt.edu) at the University of Pittsburgh.
Multi-objective inverse design of sub-wavelength optical focusing structures for heat assisted magnetic recording

We report using Inverse Electromagnetic Design to computationally optimize the geometric shapes of metallic optical antennas or near-field transducers (NFTs) and dielectric waveguide structures that comprise a sub-wavelength optical focusing system for practical use in Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR). This magnetic data-recording scheme relies on focusing optical energy to locally heat the area of a single bit, several hundred square nanometers on a hard disk, to the Curie temperature of the magnetic storage layer. There are three specifications of the optical system that must be met to enable HAMR as a commercial technology. First, to heat the media at scan rates upward of 10 m/s, ~1mW of light (<1% of typical laser diode output power) must be focused to a 30nm×30nm spot on the media. Second, the required lifetime of many years necessitates that the nano-scale NFT must not over-heat from optical absorption. Third, to avoid undesired erasing or interference of adjacent tracks on the media, there must be minimal stray optical radiation away from the hotspot on the hard disk. One cannot design the light delivery system by tackling each of these challenges independently, because they are governed by coupled electromagnetic phenomena. Instead, we propose multiobjective optimization using Inverse Electromagnetic Design in conjunction with a commercial 3D FDTD Maxwell’s equations solver. We computationally generated designs of a metallic NFT and a high-index waveguide grating that meet the HAMR specifications simultaneously. Compared to a mock industry design, our proposed design has a similar optical coupling efficiency, ~3x improved suppression of stray optical radiation, and a 60% (280°C) reduction in NFT temperature rise. We also distributed the Inverse Electromagnetic Design software online so that industry partners can use it as a repeatable design process.
Helium potential of structures in Bet-Pak-Dala

(1974). Helium potential of structures in Bet-Pak-Dala. International Geology Review: Vol. 16, No. 6, pp. 685-689.
Modeling of short-pulse-driven nickel-like x-ray lasers and recent experiments

The technique of using a nsec pulse to preform and ionize the plasma followed by a psec pulse to heat the plasma has enabled low-Z nickel-like ions to achieve saturated output when driven by small lasers with less than ten joules of energy. We model experiments done using the COMET laser at LLNL and the P102 laser at Limeil to produce Ni-like Pd and Ag lasers. The COMET experiments use a 2 J, 600 ps prepulse followed 700 psec later by a 6 J, 6 psec drive pulse in a 1.6-cm long line focus. The P102 experiments used a somewhat larger energy and were able to use different combinations of frequency doubled light for both the prepulse and short pulse drive. The LASNEX code is used to calculate the hydrodynamic evolution of the plasma and provide the temperatures and densities to the CRETIN code, which then does the kinetics calculations to determine the gain. The temporal and spatial evolution of the plasmas are studied both with and without radiation transport included to understand the role of the self photopumping process on the gain of the Ni-like 4f implies 4D laser lines as well as the gain of the usual collisionally driven Ni-like 4d implies 4p laser lines. In particular we study why the 4f implies 4d line lases well only when frequency doubled light is used with the prepulse in the P102 experiments. Experimental results are presented for Ni-like Pd including two- dimensional near-field and far-field images.
Fault prediction process for large analogue circuit networks

To make the existing fault diagnosis algorithms suitable and feasible for practical large analogue networks, a large network must be decomposed into small uncoupled subnetworks. Recently, an efficient decomposition approach fault diagnosis process has been proposed by Bandler et al. This approach keeps both the computations and measurements to acceptable bounds. However, the error effect due to component tolerance in practical circuits may drastically affect the identification of the faulty components. In this paper, a fault prediction approach fault diagnosis process is presented to diagnose precisely the faulty components. the result of this study shows that error effect can be alleviated significantly if the network can be continuously monitored. the proposed fault prediction approach results a significant improvement in both computation and error effect over the original decomposition approach.
Brain sex matters: estrogen in cognition and Alzheimer's disease.

Estrogens are the primary female sex hormones and play important roles in both reproductive and non-reproductive systems. Estrogens can be synthesized in non-reproductive tissues such as liver, heart, muscle, bone and the brain. During the past decade, increasing evidence suggests that brain estrogen can not only be synthesized by neurons, but also by astrocytes. Brain estrogen also works locally at the site of synthesis in paracrine and/or intracrine fashion to maintain important tissue-specific functions. Here, we will focus on the biology of brain estrogen and its impact on cognitive function and Alzheimer’s disease. This comprehensive review provides new insights into brain estrogens by presenting a better understanding of the tissue-specific estrogen effects and their roles in healthy ageing and cognitive function.
The Northern Extension of the Radio Arc near the Galactic Center

High-resolution observations of the positive-latitude extension of the radio continuum arc at 1 = 0.2 deg, the northern polarized lobe, have been carried out at both 6 and 20 cm wavelengths. These observations show clearly that the northern lobe is composed of a number of filaments which join continuously with the more prominent, linear, filamentary structures constituting the radio continuum arc, thus confirming the suggestion based on single-dish observations that the polarized lobe and the arc are physically associated. Attention is drawn to a puzzling absorption filament adjacent to the nonthermal filaments in the 6 cm images, implying the existence of a thermal component associated with the system of nonthermal filaments. These observations help clarify the spatial relationship between the thermal and nonthermal structures constituting the continuum arc, provide pictorial evidence that the nonthermal and thermal features are interacting, and support the hypothesis that the geometry of the magnetic field is poloidal near the Galactic center. The images are used to argue against the suggestion that the lobe is a manifestation activity associated with the Galactic nucleus.
Assessing Employee Attitudes in a Community-Based Aids Service Organization

This study surveyed employees of the Comprehensive AIDS Program of Palm Beach County, Florida, a community-based AIDS service organization, to understand employees'motives for working for the organization and their attitudes toward theirjobs, the organization, its clients (persons withAIDS), and governments. The study revealed that the primary reasons employees work for the organization are a desire for personal involvement in the AIDS fight and the personal lifestyle and/orfeeling of each employee. These employees were highly motivated, showing some very positive attitudes toward theirjobs, organization, and clients. On the otherside, these employees reported concern for future funding of their organization and unhappiness with both federal and state governments' role in the fight against AIDS. Based on these findings, the authors discuss implications for the management of AIDS service organizations, the quality of the AIDS sevice delivery system, and the future development of AIDS service organizations.
Specifying subject-oriented composition

Subject-oriented programming supports composition of object-oriented programs or program fragments called subjects. This article presents an approach to specifying desired compositions in a convenient and concise manner. We motivate the need for subject composition, and illustrate the key issues. We define a low-level model in which composition is controlled by detailed attributes. We then describe higher-level composition rules as collections of attributes that, together, provide some desired aspect of composition functionality. Compositions are specified by means of composition expressions written as collections of rules, typically a general rule along with rules specifying exceptions. A rule library is thus an open-ended collection of useful abstractions in terms of which to define compositions. We give definitions of a few common rules, Including merge and override, as a first step towards a generally useful composition rule library. We also outline an object-oriented framework for implementing our composition approach, which we are currently building as part of our support for subject-oriented programming in C++. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Contemporary Experience with Postpancreatectomy Hemorrhage: Results of 1,122 Patients Resected between 2006 and 2011

Background Postpancreatectomy hemorrhage (PPH) is a life-threatening complication of pancreatic resection. Most published series span decades and do not reflect contemporary practice. This study analyzes the rate, management, and outcomes of PPH during a recent 5-year period. Study Design Patients in whom PPH developed between 2006 and 2011 were identified from a prospective database. Postpancreatectomy hemorrhage was defined as evidence of bleeding associated with a drop in hemoglobin (≥3 g/dL) and/or clinical signs of hemodynamic compromise, and categorized as early or late ( 24 hours from operation). Demographics and operative and perioperative outcomes were analyzed using standard descriptive statistics. Results Overall incidence of PPH was 3% (33 of 1,122 pancreatectomies) and was similar for pancreaticoduodenectomy (25 of 739 [3%]), distal (6 of 350 [2%]), and central pancreatectomy (2 of 31 [6%]) (p = 0.26). Early hemorrhage was seen in 21% (7 of 33) and was always extraluminal; these patients underwent reoperation and recovered fully. Late hemorrhage (26 of 33 [79%]) was predominantly intraluminal (18 of 26 [69%]), occurring at a median of 12 days postoperatively (4 to 23 days), and was treated endoscopically (13 of 26 [50%]), angiographically (10 of 26 [38%]), or surgically (3 of 26 [10%]). Postpancreatectomy hemorrhage was associated with longer hospitalization (10 [range 8 to 17] days vs 7 [range 6 to 9] days; p Conclusions Postpancreatectomy hemorrhage can be managed successfully with low mortality (3%). Early hemorrhage requires urgent reoperation, and management of delayed hemorrhage should be guided by location (intra- vs extraluminal). Greater pressure to reduce length of hospital stay appears to have increased the likelihood of PPH occurring after discharge; patients and physicians should be aware of this possibility.
Parental modification of a child's behavior in an experimental residence☆

An apartment-like setting with observational facilities was used to train the parents of a 9-yr-old hyperactive, aggressive boy in the application of behavioral principles. The entire family lived in this setting for five consecutive days, receiving training by instructional materials, prompting, modeling, and feedback. They then returned home and maintained contact by telephone. There were significant reductions in the child's rate of noncompliance (p<0.01), and in destructive acts towards people (p<0.01) and property (p<0.01).
A second messenger role for monoacylglycerols is suggested by their activating effects on the sodium pump.

Abstract Receptor-mediated activation of the sodium pump has been noted in several intact tissues. To test the hypothesis that this may be due to the direct effects of the second messenger diacylglycerols on the pump, we studied the effects of various long-chain acylglycerols on the purified Na+/K+-ATPase. With optimal ATP, acylglycerols had no effect on enzyme activity. When ATP was suboptimal, tri- and diacylglycerols had no effects, but monoacylglycerols caused up to 3-fold increase in ATPase activity. Using sealed vesicles of red cell membranes and cardiac sarcolemma, stimulation of the ion transport function of the enzyme by monoacylglycerols in the presence of suboptimal ATP was also shown. Since the sodium pump may not be saturated with ATP in the intact cell, the possibility arises that monoacylglycerols are the second messengers for the receptor-mediated regulation of the pump.
Characterization of the tryptophan residues of Escherechia coli alkaline phosphatase by phosphorescence and optically detected magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

The phosphorescence and zero field optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) of the tryptophan (Trp) residues of alkaline phosphatase from Escherechia coli are examined. Each Trp is resolved opt...
The Metabolism and Mode of Action of Gentian Violet

Gentian violet has been used in medicine for almost 100 years: as an antiseptic for external use, as an antihelminthic agent by oral administration, and more recently, as a blood additive to prevent transmission of Chagas' disease. To date, no serious side effects have been reported when used externally. However, oral administration can cause gastrointestinal irritation, and intravenous injection can cause depression in the white blood cell count. Surprisingly, no acute toxic side effects were reported after administration of large amounts of gentian violet-treated blood. No studies have been done on long-term effects (chronic toxicity, carcinogenicity) of gentian violet-treated blood either in humans or in laboratory animals. Gentian violet is a mutagen, a mitotic poison, and a clastogen. The carcinogenic effects of gentian violet in rodents have been reported recently. In addition, a number of triphenylmethane-classed dyes, of which gentian violet is a member, have been recognized as animal and human carcinogens. A photodynamic action of gentian violet, apparently mediated by a free-radical mechanism, has been described in bacteria and in T. cruzi. However, the main target of gentian violet toxicity in the dark is the mitochondrion. Gentian violet is actively demethylated by liver microsomes from different animals and is reduced to leucogentian violet by intestinal microflora. Although the first process may represent a detoxication reaction, the second pathway may have toxicological significance because the completely demethylated derivative leucopararosaniline has been demonstrated to be carcinogenic in rats. A free-radical derivative of gentian violet is also formed by the action of rat liver microsomes, but whether this radical is involved in the cytotoxic effects of gentian violet in mammalian cells remains to be elucidated. Other pathways of gentian violet metabolism have recently been investigated that involve its oxidative N-demethylation by peroxidases. The N-demethylation of gentian violet by prostaglandin synthetase deserves further study. In this regard, the PGS system is being studied as an alternative activating pathway in xenobiotic metabolism because some carcinogenic intermediates can be formed during this cooxidation reaction.
A human-robot interface based on electrooculography

Design and implementation of an electrooculography based gaze-controlled robotic system is presented. The robot system consists of signal acquisition, pattern recognition, control strategy and robot motion modules. The user's eye gaze movements are reconstructed from electrooculogram (EOG) signals, which are recorded from the face in real time. The eye movement patterns, e.g., saccades, fixation and blinks are detected from the raw eye gaze movement data by a pattern recognition module. The control strategy module interprets the user's intention from the eye movement patterns based on predefined protocols. A horizontally mounted robot, emulating the skeletomuscular configuration of the human arm, is controlled by the robot motion control module to execute the interpreted user intention. The performance results of two control strategies are discussed.