cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cutting seton versus two-stage seton fistulotomy in the surgical management of high anal fistula

Background The aim of this study was to compare the clinical results obtained with the cutting seton and the two-stage seton fistulotomy (TSSF) in the surgical management of high anal fistula. Methods The case records of 59 patients with high anal fistula of cryptoglandular origin treated with cutting seton (n = 12) or TSSF (n = 47) over a 5-year period were retrospectively reviewed. There was no difference between the groups in age, sex distribution, or estimated percentage of anal sphincter involved by the fistula. Follow-up was by a mailed questionnaire inquiring about fistula recurrence, incontinence, and degree of satisfaction. Mean follow-up was similar in both groups (27 months for cutting seton versus 33 months for TSSF). Comparisons were made by Student t and χ2 tests, as required. Results There were no differences in the rate of fistula recurrence between the groups treated with cutting seton or TSSF (one of 12 versus four of 47), difficulty holding gas (six of 12 versus 25 of 47), underwear staining (six of 12 versus 18 of 47), stool incontinence (three of 12 versus 12 of 27), overall incontinence (eight of 12 versus 31 of 47) and mean incontinence score (4·9 versus 4·2). The fistula healing time and degree of satisfaction with the operation were not significantly different between the groups. One-half of the patients treated by TSSF had the seton removed under general or epidural anaesthesia. Conclusion Both techniques are equally effective in eradicating the fistula, and both are associated with a similar rate of incontinence. © 1998 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd
How DRM-based content delivery systems disrupt expectations of "personal use"

We set out to examine whether current, DRM-based online offerings of music and movies accord with consumers' current expectations regarding the personal use of copyrighted works by studying the behavior of six music, and two film online distribution services. We find that, for the most part, the services examined do not accord with expectations of personal use. The DRM-based services studied restrict personal use in a manner inconsistent with the norms and expectations governing the purchase and rental of traditional physical CDs, DVDs, and videocassettes. If adopted by consumers the DRM systems stand to alter the norms governing personal use of copyrighted content and create pitfalls of legal liability for unsuspecting consumers. In conclusion, we present technological and legal considerations which may help current and future DRM system designers better accommodate consumers' expectations of personal use.
Laparoscopic versus robotic radical prostatectomy

In response to Thomas Ahlering's Viewpoint published in our December 2004 issue, Bertrand Guillonneau argues that there are no robust and reliable data to support the use of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy over a conventional laparoscopic approach. He concludes that it is wiser to invest in a laparoscopic training program.
Non-nested tests of three competing theories of business cycles

This paper tests the Keynesian, new classical and real business-cycle theories against each other as non-nested hypotheses using quarterly data for the US covering the period 1959:1–1989:2. The results indicate that no one theory stands out as the dominant explanation of the business cycle. This contrasts with the findings of earlier work which is mostly concerned with testing the Keynesian against the new classical theory. We find that the introduction of a third theory, the real business-cycle theory which accounts of real factors, blurs the distinction between the demand-sided Keynesian, and the new classical theories.
Secondary Teachers as Cultural Mediators for Language Minority Students

(2006). Secondary Teachers as Cultural Mediators for Language Minority Students. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas: Vol. 80, No. 1, pp. 29-32.
Ozone cracking and flex cracking of crosslinked polymer blend compounds

Ozone cracking and flex cracking of crosslinked elastomer blends of brominated isobutylene/para-methylstyrene copolymer (BIMSM) and unsaturated elastomers, such as polybutadiene rubber (BR) and natural rubber (NR), are studied. This saturated BIMSM elastomer, which is a terpolymer of isobutylene, para-bromomethylstyrene, and para-methylstyrene, functions as the ozone-inert phase of the blend. Ozone cracking is measured by the failure time of a tapered specimen under a fixed load in a high severity ozone oven, whereas flex cracking is ranked by the De Mattia cut growth. The ozone resistance of BIMSM/BR/NR blends is compared to that of a BR/NR blend (with or without antiozonant) at constant strain energy densities. The effects of the BIMSM content in the blend, the structural variations of BIMSM, and the network chain length between crosslinks on these two failure properties, which are important in crosslinked compounds for applications in tire sidewalls, are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103: 2183–2196, 2007
Double injection enzymatic flow analysis of glucose using amperometric detection and an oxygen-permeable reaction coil

Abstract A flow-injection system for the enzymatic assay of glucose is described. It utilizes double injection of sample and enzyme [glucose oxidase (GOD), ca. 500 U ml −1 ] or mixed enzyme [GOD, ca. 500 U ml −1 ; horseradish peroxidase (POD), ca. 220 U ml −1 ) into an air-saturated phosphate carrier stream (pH 7.0). The reaction product(s) were monitored amperometrically in a three-electrode wall-jet microflow cell (4 μl). Product hydrogen peroxide analysis by pulsed amperometric detection was compared with analysis using the electrode mediators 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenz- thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and potassium hexacyanoferrate(II). The last method was favored, coupled with oxygen supplementation achieved by use of a gas-permeable silicone-rubber tube reaction coil. This provided a useful curvilinear response to > 14 mM glucose, with a linear response to ca. 7 mM; the relative standard deviations for 3.0 and 0.3 mM glucose were 1.3% and 1.8%, respectively, and the detection limit was 0.01 mM glucose using stopped-flow. Both sensitivity and linearity were improved significantly by the use of stopped-flow techniques.
An Unusual Form of Superficially Disseminated Glioma in Children: Report of 3 Cases

Three children, aged 4, 5, and 9 years, had an insidious onset of ataxia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed hydrocephalus and countless foci of high T2 signal coating the cerebellum, basilar cisterns, brainstem, and fourth ventricle. Similar lesions were present in the spinal cord. Symptoms were relatively mild given the massive tumor burden. Biopsies were composed of superficially infiltrating cells with oligodendroglioma-like features (perinuclear halos and cytologic monotony) and microcysts. Classical cytogenetic analysis of 2 cases showed normal karyotypes. Chromosome fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed 1p36 deletion with intact 19q in 2 cases and no abnormality in one. A similar combination of clinical, MRI, and histopathologic findings has been reported previously in 10 other cases. The pathologic findings suggest a glioma with diffuse or multifocal superficial origin and do not correspond to a described entity in the current World Health Organization (WHO) classification of brain tumors.
Using Video Modeling to Teach Children with PDD-NOS to Respond to Facial Expressions

Abstract Children with autism spectrum disorders often exhibit delays in responding to facial expressions, and few studies have examined teaching responding to subtle facial expressions to this population. We used video modeling to train 3 participants with PDD-NOS (age 5) to respond to eight facial expressions: approval, bored, calming, disapproval, disgusted, impatient, pain, and pleased. Probes consisted of showing an adult performing these facial expressions in a video, and we conducted generalization probes across people and settings. Training was showing a video of an adult modeling a response to each facial expression. In the context of a multiple probe across behaviors design, two participants correctly responded to all facial expressions across people and settings after viewing the video models one or two times. Experimental control was achieved with the other participant though he required more training sessions and was less consistent with responding. Future researchers should evaluate ways to teach and test responding to facial expressions under naturalistic conditions.
Analysis of commercial beverage products by size exclusion chromatography coupled with UV–vis absorbance detection and dynamic surface tension detection

Multidimensional analysis of instant coffee and barley beverage samples using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) combined with a dynamic surface tension detector (DSTD) and a UV-vis absorbance detector (UV) is reported. A unique finding of this study was the action of the tetrabutylammonium (TBA) cation as a modifying agent (with bromide as the counter anion) that substantially increased the surface pressure signal and sensitivity of many of the proteins in the chromatographically separated samples. The tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) enhancement of the surface pressure signal was further investigated by studying the response of 12 commercial standard proteins (alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, human serum albumin (HSA), albumin from chicken egg white (OVA), bovine serum albumin (BSA), hemoglobin, alpha-chymotrypsinogen A, cytochrome C, myoglobin, RNase A, carbonic anhydrase, and lysozyme) in buffer performed using flow injection analysis (FIA) coupled with the DSTD with and without various concentrations of TBAB. The FIA-DSTD data show that 1mM TBAB enhances sensitivity of HSA detection, by lowering the limit of detection (LOD) from 2mg/mL to 0.1mg/mL. Similarly, the LOD for BSA was reduced from 1mg/mL to 0.2mg/mL. These FIA-DSTD experiments allowed the detection conditions to be optimized for further SEC-UV/DSTD experiments. Thus, the SEC-UV/DSTD system has been optimized and successfully applied to the selective analysis of surface-active protein fractions in a commercial instant coffee sample and in a soluble barley sample. The complementary selectivity of using the DSTD relative to an absorbance detector is also demonstrated.
Measurement of the lowest S-state lifetime of Al, Ga, In, and Tl†

The lifetimes of the lowest 2S1/2 state in Al, Ga, In, and Tl have been measured by observing the exponential decay of the fluorescence arising from the 2S1/2–2P3/2 transition in each atom, following selective excitation of the 2S1/2 state by an N2 laser-pumped dye laser. The values obtained for the 2S1/2 state lifetimes were τ(A1) = (6.8 ± 0.3) ns, τ(Ga) = (7.0 ± 0.4) ns, τ(In) = (7.4 ± 0.3) ns, τ(Tl) = (7.8 ± 0.3) ns.
Time seizures and the self: institutional temporalities and self-preservation among homeless women.

This article documents temporalities of homelessness as experienced by many homeless people today, those living in the midst of an urban “services ghetto”—where social service organizations abound, but such organizations fail to coordinate the provision or timing of services, producing an incoherent multiplicity of offerings and schedules. I analyzed distinct but related temporal modes by which institutional timetables controlled homeless women’s existence, what I call empty time and overscheduled time. The paradoxes of institutionalized waiting and strict yet inconsistent timetables exacted profound material and psychological tolls. For homeless women in Chicago, many of whom experienced symptoms of severe mental illness, simply securing their daily needs was such a time-consuming endeavor that they had to focus on short-term self-preservation rather than seeking stable employment or housing. Using anthropological theories of self and subjectivity, I argue that what was at stake for many women was more than the exhaustion of shelter life—negotiating institutional timetables also threatened their sense of dignity and humanity. Through the everyday patterning of women’s time, non-profit agencies whose stated aim was to eliminate homelessness paradoxically frustrated women’s efforts to escape life on the streets. I conclude the analysis with policy suggestions to address these problems.
Effects of six-week clarithromycin therapy in corticosteroid-dependent asthma: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study.

Background: Although corticosteroids such as prednisone are efficacious for the treatment of severe asthma, chronic administration of oral corticosteroid therapy is associated with significant adverse effects. Previous studies have shown that clarithromycin is effective in reducing bronchial hyperresponsiveness and allergen-induced bronchoconstriction. However, the effect of long-term clarithromycin therapy in patients with prednisone-dependent asthma is uncertain. Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effects of oral clarithromycin on prednisone daily dosage, pulmonary function, quality of life (QOL), and asthmatic symptoms in patients with corticosteroid-dependent asthma. Methods: This 14-week, prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study was conducted at Pulmonary Associates (Phoenix, Arizona) and the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center (Chicago, Illinois). Patients aged 18 to 75 years with an established diagnosis of asthma and who had been receiving ≥5 mg/d of prednisone for the preceding 6 months were enrolled. After a 4-week data-collection period, patients received clarithromycin 500 mg BID for 6 weeks, followed by a 4-week follow-up period. The effects of clarithromycin therapy on prednisone dosage requirements, pulmonary function (as assessed using spirometry), QOL, and asthmatic symptoms (nocturnal asthma, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, wheezing, and cough) were assessed. Results: Fourteen patients (9 men, 5 women; mean [SD] age, 62 [13] years) completed the study and were included in the final analysis. One patient withdrew from the study due to clarithromycin-related nausea. After 6 weeks of clarithromycin therapy, patients were able to tolerate a significant reduction in mean (SD) prednisone dosage from baseline (30% [18%]; P- 0.020). Pulmonary function, QOL, and asthmatic symptoms did not significantly worsen despite reduction in prednisone dose. All patients who completed the study tolerated clarithromycin therapy. Conclusions: In this pilot study of patients with corticosteroid-dependent asthma, 6-week clarithromycin 500 mg BID was clinically effective in allowing a reduction in prednisone dosage, without worsening pulmonary function, QOL, or asthmatic symptoms. In addition, clarithromycin was well tolerated, with only 1 patient discontinuing therapy due to treatment-related nausea.
Preventive health care among HIV positive women in a Utah HIV/AIDS clinic: a retrospective cohort study

Despite evidence that HIV positive women may suffer higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, human papillomavirus infection, and some types of cancer, the provision of preventive health services to HIV positive women is unknown. Preventive health services recommended for such women include breast, colorectal and cervical cancer screening, sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, vaccinations, and patient counseling on a number of issues including sexual behaviors. This retrospective cohort study utilized medical record reviews of 192 HIV positive women who were patients at the University of Utah Infectious Diseases Clinic in 2009. Medical records were reviewed for all encounters during 2009 using a standardized data collection form; data were collected on patient demographics and a variety of preventive health services. Chi squared tests were used to assess receipt of preventive health services by demographic factors, and multivariable logistic regression was used to determine predictors of receiving select services. The most commonly recorded preventive services included blood pressure screening, screening for Hepatitis A and B, Tetanus-Diphtheria-Pertussis vaccination, Pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination, substance abuse screening, and mental health screening. STI testing and safe sex counseling were documented in the medical records of only 37% and 33.9% of women, respectively. Documentation of cancer screening was also low, with cervical cancer screening documented for 56.8% of women, mammography for 65% (N = 26/40) of women, and colorectal cancer screening for 10% (N = 4/40) of women, where indicated. In multivariable models, women with private health insurance were less likely to have documented STI testing (OR 0.20; 95% CI 0.08 - 0.52), and, Hispanic women were less likely to have documented safe-sex counseling (OR 0.26; 95% CI 0.07 - 0.94). HIV/AIDS providers should focus on the needs of all women for preventive care services, including those with fewer socio-demographic risk factors (i.e., insured, stable housing etc.). In addition, failure to provide STI testing, cancer screening, or safe sex counseling to all patients represents a missed opportunity for provision of services that are important from both a clinical and public health perspective.
PRAISDPD: An aging pipe reliability analysis PC code

Abstract A double guillotine break of primary piping when a reactor is at full power has long been considered a bounding accident. But just what is its probability of occurrence? This paper presents a review of attempts to assess the probability of this never occurring event from WASH-1400 through the Thomas model to efforts using probabilistic fracture mechanics as exemplified in the PRAISE code which resulted in a revision of the Code of Federal Regulations to recognize the tendency of pipe to leak-before-break. The interactive PC code PRAISDPD implements the PRAISE algorithms and was used to perform safety optimizing parametric studies of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Advanced Neutron Source (ANS) reactor. From this, the sensitivity of the pipe break probability to the piping parameters were determined and suggestions were made to minimize the break probability. Qualitative conclusions are: 1. • Pipe lengths should be minimized. 2. • Large diameter pipe is more reliable than smaller pipe because of the greater wall thickness through which a crack must grow and the larger circumference around which a crack must grow before becoming unstable with subsequent breakage. 3. • The probability of leakage and breakage is significantly reduced by periodic non-destructive examination (NDE—specifically ultrasound testing). 4. • Aging increases the probability of leak/break.
Residues forming a hydrophobic pocket in ARF3 are determinants of GDP dissociation and effector interactions

Three residues of human ADP-ribosylation factor 3 (ARF3) (F51, W66 and Y81) cluster into a hydrophobic pocket in the inactive, GDP-bound protein. Disruption of the hydrophobic pocket with mutations at these residues increased the rate of GDP dissociation and association, but not always that of GTPγS. Several of the same mutants were found to be defective, often selectively, in binding different ARF effectors in two-hybrid assays. These results highlight three features of these hydrophobic residues in regulating (1) the rate of GDP dissociation, (2) the conformational changes that promote GTP binding and (3) their role in binding target proteins.
Algorithms for simple object reconstruction using the largest possible object approach

Recently, three-dimensional motion analysis and shape recovery have attracted growing attention as promising avenues of approach to image understanding, object reconstruction as well as computer vision for robotic Systems. The image generation problem and the model generation problem are presented. More specifically, the inputs to the image generator are an old image, object model, motion specification, and hidden line and hidden surface algorithms. The output is a new image. Since the object model is given, the top-down approach is usually used. On the other hand, for the model generation problem, the input is an image sequence while the output is an object model. Since the object model is not given, and bottom-up approach is usually used.In this paper, the largest possible object approach is proposed and the advantages of this approach are stated. They are:1. This approach may be applicable to objects with planar surfaces as well as nonplanar surfaces.2. This approach may be applicable to the case that there are more than one face change per frame.3. This approach may be applicable when the camera is moving.4. This approach may be applicable when the object is measured by several measuring stations.By using this approach, algorithms for simple object reconstruction given a sequence of pictures are presented together with illustrative examples. The relevance and importance of this work are discussed.The results of this paper may have useful applications in object reconstruction, pictorial data reduction and computer vision for robotic Systems.
Opioid modulation of attention-related responses: delta-receptors modulate habituation and conditioned bradycardia.

Endogenous opioids modulate attention-related heart rate responses evoked by novel stimuli and conditioned signals in ways that differ from their better-known effects on motivation and memory functions. We investigated the role of δ-opioids in modulating bradycardiac orienting and Pavlovian conditioned responses in rabbits, following IV treatment with the highly selective δ-receptor antagonist naltrindole (NTI; 0.037–0.370 mg/kg). When administered immediately before testing, NTI induced modest but detectable effects: the lowest dose increased cardiac discrimination near the end of the first training session, whereas the higher doses of NTI impaired discrimination, compared to saline-treated controls. NTI treatment immediately before testing also appeared to promote habituation of bradycardiac orienting responses elicited by novel tones, but NTI did not alter unconditioned heart rate responses following tone-shock pairs or extinction of conditioned responses. In contrast, the low dose of NTI administered 20 min, rather than immediately before testing, facilitated conditioned bradycardia during extinction, as well as during training. These results provide evidence that endogenous δ-opioid modulators normally delay the disappearance of bradycardiac orienting responses during habituation, inhibit or promote the development of bradycardiac conditioned responses during Pavlovian training depending on dose, and promote the disappearance of conditioned responses during extinction. These findings suggest that endogenous δ-opioid activity, probably involving both peripheral and central systems, coincides with, and may reflect, uncertainty about stimulus significance.
Urinary 3-Methoxy-4-Hydroxymandelic Acid Excretion and Serum Electro-phoretic Patterns in the Normal and Bloated Bovine

WORK has been in progress here since 1956 to determine if a metabolic difference exists between normal bovines and those subject to tympanites (bloat). Serum epinephrine was first measured on normal and bloated animals by the method of Weil-Malherbe and Bone1, since a difference in rate of metabolism was suspected. Although the trend for normal cattle to have a higher level of epinephrine was apparent, the results were largely inconclusive, owing to excessive variation among animals. The epinephrine averaged 2.35 and 2.03 µg/100 ml. whole blood for 27 normal and 13 bloated cattle, respectively.
The efficacy of donepezil hydrochloride on memory functioning in three adolescents with severe traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To explore efficacy of donepezil on memory in adolescents with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: Single subject, unblinded, multiple baseline design. Methods and procedures: Memory functioning was examined in three adolescents with TBI on and off medication (5 and 10 mg) using the Selective Reminding Test. Four variables were examined: Total recall (TR) = number of words total words recalled, Long Term Storage (LTS) = words recalled on two trials in a row, Consistency of Long Term Retrieval (CLTR) = words continuously recalled, Delay = number of words recalled after delay. Results: On medication, three out of three participants demonstrated better memory. Two showed greatest improvement on 10 mg. All participants demonstrated improvement in TR and LTS. Two participants demonstrated improved CLTR. No participants displayed improvement in Delay. No adverse side effects were reported. Conclusions: Results suggests that donepezil may be effective in improving memory in adolescents with s...
Hepatocellular carcinoma. Polygonal cell type with fibrous stroma—an atypical variant with a favorable prognosis

Hepatocellular carcinoma, even when treated with operative resection, is generally regarded as uniformly fatal. Isolated reports of an unusual histologic variant characterized by polyglonal cells with a fibrous stroma (PCFS) suggest a more favorable outcome. Twelve cases of PCFS, representing the largest reported group, are presented. The mean age of the patients at the time of onset was 23.1 years and the male to female ratio was 1:2. Successful operative resection of the primary neoplasm and metastatic foci has resulted in a significant percentage of long-term survivors with a mean survival time of 68 months and two- and five-year survival rates of 82% and 63%, respectively. The variant shows cytologic similarity to differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma with a unique stromal appearance suggesting a pattern of fibrosis associated with focal nodular hyperplasia. Focal nodular hyperplasia is noted occasionally in the liver adjacent to PCFS. The possibility that PCFS represents an intermediate stage between focal nodular hyperplasia and the more malignant variants of hepatocellular carcinoma is discussed.
Influences of Caloric Restriction on Age‐associated Skeletal Muscle Fiber Characteristics and Mitochondrial Changes in Rats and Micea

: The effect of caloric restriction (CR) initiated in adult rats (17 months of age) on the abundance of deleted mitochondrial genomes, mitochondrial enzymatic abnormalities, and fiber number was examined in rat skeletal muscle. Vastus lateralis muscle from young (3-4 months) ad libitum-fed, old (30-32 months) restricted (35% and 50% CR, designated CR35 and CR50, respectively), and old ad libitum-fed rats (29 months) was studied. CR preserved fiber number and fiber-type composition in the CR50 rats. In the old rats from all groups, individual fibers were found with either no detectable cytochrome-c oxidase activity (COX−), hyperactive for succinate dehydrogenase activity (SDH++), or both COX− and SDH++. Muscle from the CR50 rats contained significantly fewer COX− and SDH++ fibers than did the muscle from the CR35 rats. CR50 rats also had significantly lower numbers of mtDNA deletion products in two (adductor longus and soleus) of the four muscles examined compared to CR35 rats. These data indicate that CR begun in late middle age can retard age-associated fiber loss and fiber-type changes as well as lower the number of skeletal muscle fibers exhibiting mitochondrial enzyme abnormalities. CR can also decrease the accumulation of deleted mitochondrial genomes.
A Nation Divided: Regional Identity, National Narratives, and Senator Zell Miller in the 2004 Presidential Election

This essay analyzes the interconnectivity of regional, political party, and national identities and their association with cultural hegemony. The 2004 Republican National Convention Keynote Address by Democratic Senator Zell Miller coupled with his book A National Party No More (2003) created an event that displays how the Southern regional narrative and its role in the national narrative reinforce a white hegemonic view of Southerners and “the South.” This analysis shows that Zell Miller's keynote address and book provided an opportunity for a renewed and more inclusive version of Southern and national identity. However, Miller, political party spokespeople, and media representatives never capitalized on the opportunity but, instead, further entrenched white hegemony into both regional and national identity narratives during the 2004 presidential campaign.
Electron irradiation damage in NiO

Abstract The electron irradiation behavior of NiO has been systematically investigated in terms of beam energy and flux, crystal orientation, and surface environment, under both UHV (10 −10 Torr) and non-UHV (10 −7 Torr) conditions. The microscope vacuum was determined to be a major factor in the type of surface damage observed. Under UHV conditions, NiO showed only ballistic surface erosion. Under non-UHV conditions, electron-stimulated reactions occurred in competition with ballistic processes. In this case, the synergistic response of the material to both ionization and ballistic damage mechanisms generally resulted in more complicated surface structural changes and accelerated the erosion process. Reaction of the NiO surface with gaseous species in the microscope resulted in the formation of a Ni 3 O 4 spinel phase. In the presence of reactive carbon, the NiO surface reduced to islands of metallic nickel. Encapsulation by a tenacious, graphitic carbon layer provided protection of the surface from electron irradiation damage.
Plasticity effects in incremental slitting measurement of residual stresses

Abstract The effect of plasticity is investigated for the incremental slitting, or crack-compliance, method for measuring through-thickness profiles of residual stress. Based on finite element simulations, the errors can be strongly correlated with KIrs, the stress-intensity factor caused by the cut extending into a residual stress field. 3-D simulations also show that the errors are strongly dependent on the amount of constraint provided by the part width. The simulations are used to develop a procedure for estimating errors from experimental data. Even with the possibility of plasticity errors in the measured residual stresses, the KIrs can be simply calculated using only the experimentally measured strains. This KIrs is called “apparent” because the calculation assumes elasticity. The apparent KIrs can then be used to bound the errors in the measured residual stresses. The error bound is given as a function of non-dimensionalized apparent KIrs and part width.
English Use Among Older Bilingual Immigrants in Linguistically Concentrated Neighborhoods: Social Proficiency and Internal Speech as Intracultural Variation

This research focuses on patterns of English proficiency and use-of-English among older immigrants living in linguistically concentrated, ethnic neighborhoods. A sample (n = 60) of older Puerto Ricans, who moved from the island to the mainland in their twenties, were divided into English proficiency groups (fluent, high intermediate, low intermediate) via the Adult Language Assessment Scales. Participants then provided self-ratings of their English proficiency (understanding, speaking, reading, and writing), their use of English in social domains (language spoken with own-family, in-laws, spouse, children, neighbors, and workmates), and their use of English in private psychological domains (language of talking to oneself, counting, writing notes to oneself, thinking, dreaming, praying, and expressing feelings). Finally, all participants completed the Puerto Rican Bicultural Scale. Results show a cohort of immigrant elders whose first language is protected by their ethnic neighborhoods but whose domestic and private lives are increasingly permeated by English. In particular, children emerge as powerful forces of language socialization in English for their parents. Further, there are important individual differences by level of proficiency, with a lowest proficiency group that is less acculturated, lower in socioeconomic status, and even more linguistically isolated than groups with higher proficiency. In essence, level of second language proficiency is a potent source of intracultural variation. Methodologically, the paper makes the important point that self-rated patterns of language use are consistent with scores on formal measures of proficiency. The paper also provides empirical verification of the logic of dividing language use into external, social speech and internal, psychological speech.
P-78: Study of Cell Gap Tolerance in Finger-on-Plane (FOP) LCD

We have studied the cell gap tolerance for Finger-on-Plane (FOP) LCD. The two electrodes of FOP, a finger structure on top of a plane seperated by an insulting layer, are both made of Indium-Tin-Oxide (ITO). Our simulation results show that FOP has larger cell gap tolerance than IPS does for optimized •nd. The experimental measurements of the test samples also sopport this finding. We have implemented the results to design a 12.4′ SXGA FOP TFT-LCD with a 6-mask process flow. The resulting tranmittance is about 80% of the conventional TN LCD.
Has enough evidence accumulated to consider CPAP a first-line standard of care in developing countries?

Deciding when sufficient evidence has accumulated for a new therapy to become the ‘standard of care’ is a trade-off between absolute certainty obtained from myriads of trials and insufficient ‘proof.’ In developing countries, the financial and technical resources needed to make new therapies widely available further complicate this balance. Moreover, expensive, large-scale trials are often conducted in industrialised countries. Can the evidence provided by these studies inform treatment selection in resource-limited settings? Or, are ‘local’ studies always necessary? Decisions to adopt new therapies in developing countries should be determined individually, but the underlying clinical and methodological questions that influence these decisions are likely similar. We suggest they include: What is the burden of disease treated by the new therapy? What is the strength of all available evidence for both efficacy and harm? Are there relevant differences between the studies conducted in developed versus developing countries? Finally, is use of the new therapy in resource-limited settings feasible? Martin et al 1 report an important systematic review of studies evaluating bubble continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress in resource-limited countries. The authors conclude ‘bubble CPAP is a promising intervention which reduces the need for high cost mechanical ventilators… however there is need for more research into the impact of bubble CPAP on neonatal mortality and into effective implementation methods...’ An implication is made that further prospective trials in resource-limited settings are needed. We respectfully emphasise that if CPAP remains an experimental therapy …
Performance results of subband transform-domain excision and LMS algorithms

Direct sequence spread spectrum signaling is often used as a means of providing reliable digital communications in potentially hostile environments. In this paper, the performance of interference mitigation algorithms using transform domain excision and Wiener filtering are presented. In the presence of single-tone and narrow-band Gaussian jammers, block and lapped transform domain excisers are evaluated and compared. Results illustrating the performance of transform domain Wiener filters in the presence of various frequency tone interferers are also presented. In practice, adaptive Wiener filtering is often approximated using the least mean-square adaptive algorithm. Under certain conditions, the convergence rate of these algorithms can be improved in the transform domain through the use of power normalization. Results depicting such improvements in the presence of narrow-band interference are discussed herein.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The economy, corruption, and the vote: Evidence from experiments in Sweden and Moldova

How does corruption affect voting behavior when economic conditions are poor? Using a novel experimental design and two original survey experiments, we offer four important conclusions. First, in a low corruption country (Sweden), voters react negatively to corruption regardless of the state of the economy. Second, in a high corruption country (Moldova), voters react negatively to corruption only when the state of the economy is also poor; when economic conditions are good, corruption is less important. Third, respondents in Sweden react more strongly to corruption stimuli than respondents in Moldova. Finally, in the low corruption country, sociotropic corruption voting (or voting based on corruption among political leaders) is relatively more important, whereas in our high corruption country, pocketbook corruption voting (or voting based on one's own personal experience with corruption, i.e., being asked to pay bribes) is equally prevalent. Our findings are consistent with multiple stable corruption equilibria, as well as with a world where voters are more responsive to corruption signals more common in their environment.
SV40 Large T Antigen Transactivates the Human cdc2 Promoter by Inducing a CCAAT Box Binding Factor

Cyclin-dependent protein kinases (Cdks) play a key role in the cell division cycle of eukaryotic cells. Cdc2, the first mammalian Cdk that was discovered, is expressed in S phase and functions in the G2 to M phase transition. By transfecting segments of the human cdc2 promoter linked to a reporter gene into monkey kidney (CV-1) cells, we identified the region containing the Sp1, E2F, and two CCAAT box binding sites as essential and sufficient for basal transcription. SV40 large T antigen (SV40-LT) is a viral oncoprotein that transactivates viral and cellular promoters and induces DNA synthesis in quiescent cells. SV40-LT transactivated wild-type cdc2 promoter/reporter constructs in a dose-dependent manner, coinciding with an increase in endogenous cdc2 mRNA. A mutant promoter from which the two CCAAT box motifs were deleted was 8-fold less sensitive to SV40-LT. Activation by SV40-LT did not require its ability to bind the retinoblastoma or p53 tumor suppressor proteins. SV40-LT induced a specific CCAAT box-binding factor (CBF) in CV-1 and COS-7 cells, as judged by gel shift and Southwestern analyses. Similar results were obtained in human fibroblasts expressing a conditional SV40-LT. The SV40-LT-inducible CBF appears to be novel and differs from the CBF that activates heat shock protein 70 gene expression.
Counselor-Client Sexual Contact: Implications for Ethics Training.

Most programs spend little or no time addressing the prohibition against sexual contact with clients, yet it is the most commonly violated of the ethical principles. This article provides a brief overview of models of ethics training and addresses specific strategies for preventing counselor-client sexual contact. These strategies include knowledge, activities that promote self-awareness, and provision of a climate that enhances the development of moral values and behavior. The responsibilities of training programs are addressed, including the provision of clear statements of the rights and responsibilities of trainees and of a due process and grievance procedure for review of impaired or problematic trainees.
Fatigue cracking and its influence on dynamic response characteristics of spot welded specimens

X-ray imaging has been used to determine the fatigue crack growth behavior and failure mechanisms of spot welded specimens. Cracks critical to final failure of the tensileshear specimens studied are through-thickness plate cracks, which are usually initiated about 0.2–1.0 mm away from the edge of the nugget. In addition, frequency response functions (FRFs), obtained by impact hammer-accelerometer experiments throughout the fatigue process, show that the natural frequencies of these joints nonlinearly decrease with the growth of fatigue cracks. The three-dimensional finite-element analysis results for FRFs of uncracked and cracked spot welded joints are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental data. It is also shown that the fatigue cracks have different degrees of influence on different natural frequencies because of the location of cracks and vibrating modes. The results by both experiment and finite element analysis indicate that analysis of the variation of natural frequencies and vibrating modes may be used to study the fatigue crack propagating shape and the location of the fatigue crack.
Atomic Number Resolution for Three Spectral CT Imaging Systems

The material specificity of computed tomography is quantified using an experimental benchtop imaging system and a physics-based system model. The apparatus is operated with different detector and system configurations each giving X-ray energy spectral information but with different overlap among the energy-bin weightings and noise statistics. Multislice, computed tomography sinograms are acquired using dual kVp, sequential source filters or a detector with two scintillator/photodiodes layers. Basis-material and atomic number images are created by first applying a material decomposition algorithm followed by filtered backprojection. CT imaging of phantom materials with known elemental composition and density were used for model validation. X-ray scatter levels are measured with a beam-blocking technique and the impact to material accuracy is quantified. The image noise is related to the intensity and spectral characteristics of the X-ray source. For optimal energy separation adequate image noise is required. The system must be optimized to deliver the appropriate high mA at both energies. The dual kVp method supports the opportunity to separately engineer the photon flux at low and high kvp. As a result, an optimized system can achieve superior material specificity in a system with limited acquisition time or dose. In contrast, the dual-layer and sequential acquisition modes rely on a material absorption mechanism that yields weaker energy separation and lower overall performance.
Hybridization occurs between Drosophila simulans and D. sechellia in the Seychelles archipelago.

Drosophila simulans and D. sechellia are sister species that serve as a model to study the evolution of reproductive isolation. While D. simulans is a human commensal that has spread all over the world, D. sechellia is restricted to the Seychelles archipelago and is found to breed exclusively on the toxic fruit of Morinda citrifolia. We surveyed the relative frequency of males from these two species in a variety of substrates found on five islands of the Seychelles archipelago. We sampled different fruits and found that putative D. simulans can be found in a variety of substrates, including, surprisingly, M. citrifolia. Putative D. sechellia was found preferentially on M. citrifolia fruits, but a small proportion was found in other substrates. Our survey also shows the existence of putative hybrid males in areas where D. simulans is present in Seychelles. The results from this field survey support the hypothesis of current interbreeding between these species in the central islands of Seychelles and open the possibility for fine measurements of admixture between these two Drosophila species to be made.
The Activin-Follistatin System in the Neonatal Ovine Uterus

Abstract Uterine gland development or adenogenesis in the neonatal ovine uterus involves budding and tubulogenesis followed by coiling and branching morphogenesis of the glandular epithelium (GE) from the luminal epithelium (LE) between birth (Postnatal Day [PND] 0) and PND 56. Activins, which are members of the transforming growth factor β superfamily, and follistatin, an inhibitor of activins, regulate epithelial branching morphogenesis in other organs. The objective of the present study was to determine effects of postnatal age on expression of follistatin, inhibin α subunit, βA subunit, βB subunit, activin receptor (ActR) type IA, ActRIB, and ActRII in the developing ovine uterus. Ewes were ovariohysterectomized on PND 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, or 56. The uterus was analyzed by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Neither inhibin α subunit mRNA or protein was detected in the neonatal uterus. Expression of βA and βB subunits was detected predominantly in the endometrial LE and GE and myo...
UPTAKE OF GLUCOSE AND RELEASE OF GLUCONEOGENIC PRECURSORS BY THE HINDLIMB OF THE FASTING BABOON NEONATE

Uptake of glucose and release of gluconeogenic precursors by the hindlimb of the fasting baboon infant was evaluated in 6 baboon neonates after delivery by cesarean section at term and 8 6-week-old baboon infants. Arteriovenous (AV) differences across the hindlimb were determined by measuring substrate levels in the aorta and the inferior vena cava below the level of the renal veins and above a unilaterally occluded femoral vein. There were no significant AV differences for pyruvate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, glutamate or glutamine. Production and uptake was calculated using hindlimb blood flows determined by the radioactive microsphere method. Glucose consumption by the hindlimb in the neonate was 2.4 μM/min. Uptake by the entire carcass was estimated to be 9.6 μM/min, almost twice the previously estimated cerebral cortex glucose consumption (5.6 μM/min). Estimated splanchnic and renal glucose production (15.7 μM/min) could account for all (15.2 μM/min) of estimated cerebral and carcass glucose uptake. The fasting neonate has a substantial glucose utilization rate exclusive of the requirement of the central nervous system.
A framework for software evolution in sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have received considerable attention for their promising applications in diverse realms. Remote reprogrammability is an obvious need when access to deployed nodes is impossible. The main requirements of remote reprogramming mechanisms are: (i) energy and bandwidth efficiency, (ii) low latency, and (iii) security and reliability. These requirements also apply to mobile computing environments with reprogramming needs. For example, context-aware mobile devices in smart spaces may need to download modules dynamically, depending on services available in a given setting. Existing methods update software either through high level application scripts interpreted by suitable middleware [3], or perform true updates at the binary level [4]. The former approach allows efficient updates through the smaller code capsules afforded by the high level of abstraction. However, this approach lacks flexibility because the middleware cannot be updated. The latter approach solves this problem, but binary updates can be large, leading to costly updates in terms of energy and bandwidth requirements. This poster presents our experiences with a technique [1] to provide flexible low-cost updates, and discusses various research issues we are focusing on to enable its use within a framework for software evolution in WSNs.
Die and post-die temperature and cure in graphite/epoxy composites

A numerical model has been developed to analyze the die and post-die temperature and degree of cure profiles in pultruded composites. The model utilizes a fixed control volume based finite difference approach (S. V. Patankar, Numerical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow. McGraw-Hill, NY, 1980). The method was used to solve the coupled non-linear three-dimensional steady-state energy and species equations for a cylindrical coordinate system. The species equation utilizes the one step Arrhenius reaction rate equation for an epoxy resin system. The kinetic parameters used for the epoxy resin to predict the temperature and degree of cure profiles were obtained from the differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) scans. The model is used to predict the temperature and degree of cure for the pultruded composite both inside the die and in the post-die sections. The post-die curing is important since the composite processing temperature is quite high and curing continues for some time even after the composite exits the die. The processing conditions examined in this study were die wall temperature settings, pull speed and fiber volume fraction.