cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Looking Inside the Black Box of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment: A Classification System for Problems, Recommendations, and Implementation Strategies

OBJECTIVE: To develop and test the inter-rater reliability of a coding system for geriatric problems identified through Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) of hospitalized older persons, recommendations generated by the assessment, and implementation strategies for these recommendations. DESIGN: Validation study. SETTING: A health maintenance organization and a geriatrics academic program. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 49 hospitalized older persons, who met at least 1 of 13 inclusionary “targeting” criteria, two geriatricians, and one social worker who coded forms. MEASUREMENTS: Standardized coding of CGA consultation sheets into (1) geriatric problems identified, (2) recommendations, and (3) implementation strategies; inter-rater reliability testing of coding system using two physicians and a social worker. RESULTS: On average, each assessed patient had 4.8 recommendations. The largest percentages of recommendations were for non-physician referrals (18.2%), advance directives (13.4%), medication adjustments (11.5%), diagnostic evaluation/monitoring (11.5%), and community services (10.9%). The proportions of agreement between raters in coding problems ranged from 0.77 to 0.90, in coding recommendations from 0.69 to 0.86, and in coding implementation strategies from 0.68 to 0.83. CONCLUSION: A classification system for measuring some components of the process of care of CGA has satisfactory inter-rater reliability, can be adapted for other settings, and may provide valuable insight into determining which components of CGA confer health benefits.
Improved conditions for activity gel analysis of DNA polymerase catalytic polypeptides

In a study of mouse DNA polymerase catalytic polypeptides using activity gel analysis, it was found that the sensitivity of detection of purified enzymes is markedly increased by addition of a heterogeneous mixture of proteins to the enzyme sample prior to electrophoresis (Karawya E., and Wilson, S.H. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 13,129-13,134). This modification and the use of a micromolar level of [32P]dNTP substrate are the basis of an improved activity gel assay for DNA polymerase catalytic polypeptides. This modified assay is several orders of magnitude more sensitive than the original procedure (Spanos, A., Sedgwick, S.G., Yarranton, G.T., Hubscher, U., and Banks, G.R. (1981) Nucl. Acids Res. 9, 1825-1839), and it enables measurement of two reference enzymes, calf beta-polymerase and Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I large fragment, in the picogram range. Further, it was found that it is essential to survey different lots of sodium dodecyl sulfate to identify those which enable high enzyme activity signals after renaturation.
Bandwidth estimation for multiplexed videos using multinomial model

Real-time variable bit rate (VBR) video is increasingly dominating the bandwidth use of broadband networks. Many videos can be simultaneously transmitted over a channel in a broadband network. Given the usual capacities of communication links in use for transmission, the number of videos simultaneously transmitted over a broadband communication link for commercial purposes is not too large (not in thousands). Modeling relatively fewer number (less than a hundred) of videos is difficult because the use of asymptotic models for multiplexed videos cannot be justified. Although the literature has plenty of acceptable models for bandwidth requirements of single video traffic as well as of asymptotic multiplexed traffic, models for intermediate number of videos, which are of practical relevance, have remained relatively unexplored. This paper presents multinomial models for bandwidth estimation of both homogeneous and heterogeneous multiplexed videos using a Markov-modulated Gamma-based single video traffic model. An appropriate combination of exact and approximation schemes is used to contain computational overhead. Apart from bandwidth estimation, the model also offers a fast and accurate multiplexing gain estimation that may be used in call admission control (CAC) algorithms. Experimental results indicate the models have a high degree of accuracy.
Simon's Steady State Assumption: A Critique of Okabe's Critique

Simon's model of city-size distributions has been a classical way of explaining the rank-size rule. But the steady state condition he uses to solve his model was shown by Okabe to be mathematically inconsistent with the basic postulates of the model. Okabe is correct as long as the difference between individual city size and total population is small. But when t (total number of population units) is only moderately larger than i (individual city size), as it always would be in actual applications of this model, Simon's steady state assumption is found to be very reasonable. Thus, users of the Simon model need not concern themselves with the fine points and complexities of Okabe's exposition since Simon's steady state assumption holds for any value of t that might be empirically observed.
Cardiac transplant graft arteriosclerosis.

Transplant-associated coronary arteriosclerosis is an obstructive, proliferative lesion that forms in the coronary arteries of transplanted hearts, often within months, and is the most frequent single cause of late posttransplant death. Graft arteriosclerosis has uncertain risk factors, is difficult to diagnose because of the denervation of the transplanted heart, and is difficult to treat because of its diffuse nature, with frequent involvement of intramural as well as extramural vessels. Graft arteriosclerosis is morphologically distinct from the usual form of coronary atherosclerosis, with T-lymphocytes and macrophages in the portions of the lesion immediately beneath an intact endothelium. Nevertheless, like typical atherosclerosis, the obstructive lesions are largely composed of smooth muscle cells and the extracellular matrix that they produce. Immunologic mechanisms likely contribute to graft arteriosclerosis, possibly through cytokine-driven smooth muscle cell proliferation, stimulated by a localized chronic cell-mediated immune response analogous to delayed type hypersensitivity.
ESTIMATION AND INTERNET-BASED DISSEMINATION OF EXTREME RAINFALL INFORMATION

Information on extreme rainfall is employed extensively in design and analysis of storm-water conveyance systems and for other types of engineered hydraulic structures. Information needed for preparation of intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves or design storm hyetographs can be found in publications of the National Weather Service, including Technical Paper 40, HYDRO-35, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Atlas 2. Rainfall data collected since the dates of these publications, and developments of improved statistical methods, have motivated several states and regions in the United States to initiate update studies. One of the new studies, for the state of Alabama, is reported. Results of the Alabama study are disseminated via an Internet-based graphical user interface, which permits users to interactively point and click on a geographical location of interest and have IDF curves or storm hyetographs returned on demand. User reactions to an Internet-based rainfall atlas have been promising and have led to additional work for the National Weather Service.
Microwave Surface Resistance of Type II Superconductors in the Vortex State.

We have measured the microwave surface resistance of various Nb-Ta and Pb-In superconducting alloys using a derivative technique to determine its rate of change with field near ${H}_{c2}$. Previous dc measurements of this slope have generally been interpreted to show agreement with the Caroli-Maki theory, which Thompson has found to be incomplete. Our measurements show a region of constant slope somewhat below ${H}_{c2}$ with a magnitude in agreement with the dc results, but also show that the slope increases rapidly to approach the Thompson values in the limit $H\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{H}_{c2}$. Theoretical arguments are presented indicating why the two theories can have different regions of validity.
Responses of Internalizing and Externalizing Children to Clinical Interview Questions

Abstract Responses to traditional interview questions by children aged 6–11 years who were classified either as Externalizers ( N =25) or Internalizers ( N =25) according to Achebach's (1966) criteria were analyzed for differential group characteristics. Externalizers' answers reflected a higher level of overall neediness for possessions and social contact, while the response of Internalizers reflected a sense of sadness and social isolation. Internalizers' protocols also suggested a more developed ability to delay gratification and a perception of maternal figures as imposing, but nurturant. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for understanding possible personality correlates of the Internalizing-Externalizing dimension.
Biocontainment of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on flat concrete surfaces by microbial carbonate precipitation

Abstract In this study, a biosealant obtained from microbial carbonate precipitation (MCP) was evaluated as an alternative to an epoxy-coating system. A bacterium Sporosarcina pasteurii strain ATCC 11859, which metabolizes urea and precipitates calcite in a calcium-rich environment, was used in this study to generate the biosealant on a PCB-contaminated concrete surface. Concrete cylinders measuring 3 in (76.2 mm) by 6 in (152.4 mm) were made in accordance with ASTM C33 and C192 and used for this purpose. The PCB, urea, Ca2+, and bacterial cell concentrations were set at 10 ppm, 666 mM, 250 mM, and about 2.1 × 108 cells mL−1, respectively. The results indicate that the biosealed surfaces reduced water permeability by 1–5 orders of magnitude, and had a high resistance to carbonation. Since the MCP biosealant is thermally stable under temperatures of up to 840 °C, the high temperatures that normally exist in the surrounding equipment, which may contain PCB-based fluids, have no effect on the biosealed surfaces. Consequently, there is greater potential to obtain a stronger, coherent, and durable surface by MCP. No measurable amount of PCBs was detected in the permeating water, indicating that the leaching water, if any, will have a minimum impact on the surrounding environment.
Refractive Index of Cuprous Chloride

The refractive index of single-crystal CuCl at room temperature was measured in the wavelength range 0.42–1.2 μm using a V-block refractometer. The range of wavelengths was extended to 22 μm by measuring the wavelength dependence of interference fringes in thin polished plates. A dispersion equation was fitted to the data over a limited wavelength range.
Null‐Scattering Hybrid Particles Using Controlled Radical Polymerization

The particular properties of nanometer-sized inorganic materials are of central importance to the design of modern composite materials such as polymer composites, coatings, or cosmetic products where particle additives are used to improve mechanical, thermal, transport, or optical properties. [1–7] However, in many instances the improvement of some performance characteristic is compromised by a loss in transparency that results from the scattering of visible light by the embedded particle inclusions – a consequence of the significantly different refractive index n of most inorganic materials and the organic embedding medium. For applications that capitalize on optical transparency, the scattering of particle inclusions presents severe limitations to the maximum concentration of filler particles as well as the design possibilities of the organic-matrix composites. For optically isotropic particles with linear dimensions significantly less than the wavelength of light, the particle scattering cross-section is given by Csca ∼ Vp 2 (Da) 2 (with Vp denoting the particle volume and Da the polarizability of the particle within the embedding medium). [8,9] Since Da ∼ (ep – em)/(ep +2 em) >> 0 (with ei = ni 2 denoting the dielectric constant of medium ‘i’; ‘p’, and ‘m’ represent the particle and embedding medium, respectively) for most inorganic/organic material combinations, significant scattering can arise even for small particle sizes. In this Communication we demonstrate that the scattering of inorganic particles can efficiently be suppressed by grafting of polymers of appropriate composition, molecular weight, and grafting density from the particles’ surface such as to match the effective dielectric constant of the resulting coreshell particle to the dielectric constant of the embedding medium. Key to the presented approach is the observation that for core-shell particles with a size less than the wavelength of light the optical properties are approximately equal to those of a homogeneous particle with an effective dielectric constant that depends on the optical properties and volume fractions of the respective constituents. [10] In particular, for a core-shell particle at wavelengths larger than the particle dimension the particles’ effective dielectric constant is given by Maxwell–Garnett theory as eeff eshell 1 3 x 1 x 1
Correlation effects in elastic e-N2 scattering

The Schwinger multichannel formulation has been applied to study the role of electron correlation in low-energy e-N2 scattering. For the five nonresonant partial-wave channels studied here, 2Σg+, 2Σu+, 2Πu, 2Δg, and 2Δu, we find angular correlation to be much more important than radial correlation. Our results for the 2Σg+ channel are in agreement with those of Schneider and Collins [Phys. Rev. A 30, 95 (1984)]. Our calculated total and differential cross sections agree with experiment except for the differential cross sections at 1.5 eV. Our results are also compared with those obtained using model polarization potentials.
The First Congressional Election in New Jersey

New Jersey elected a Congressional delegation in 1789 which was friendly to the new Constitution.Â A letter acquired by the library from the correspondence of Joseph Bloomfield and Jonathan Dayton gives us a glimpse of what went on behind the scenes. Written by Bloomfield on Feb. 28, 1789, while the election was in progress, it tells a story of intense personal conflicts and high pressure politics which proves that Jerseymen even at that early date had little to learn of the fine art of politics.
Classification of Analysis Techniques for Wireless Sensor Networks

Analysis techniques study the trade-offs in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) using mathematical results. This is a new research area and relatively few analytical results exist in the literature. In this paper, we conduct a survey of some existing analysis techniques for WSNs and classify them to establish possible taxonomies for analysis techniques. Such a taxonomy for analysis techniques is especially helpful when developing an analysis-based design tool. We have developed such a tool, ANDES (ANalysis-based Design tool for wireless Sensor networks), which we describe briefly in this paper. We also discuss how tools like ANDES can benefit from a taxonomy for analysis techniques.
Using bulk convection in a microtensiometer to approach kinetic-limited surfactant dynamics at fluid-fluid interfaces.

Abstract The impact of transport of surfactants to fluid–fluid interfaces is complex to assess and model, as many processes are in the regime where kinetics, diffusion and convection are comparable. Using the principle that the timescale for diffusion decreases with increasing curvature, we previously developed a microtensiometer to accurately measure fundamental transport coefficients via dynamic surface tension at spherical microscale liquid–fluid interfaces. In the present study, we use a low Reynolds number flow in the bulk solution to further increase the rate of diffusion. Dynamic surface tension is measured as a function of Peclet number and the results are compared with a simplified convection–diffusion model. Although a transition from diffusion to kinetic-limited transport is not observed experimentally for the surfactants considered, lower bounds on the adsorption and desorption rate constants are determined that are much larger than previously reported rate constants. The results show that the details of the flow field do not need to be controlled as long as the local Reynolds number is low. Aside from other pragmatic advantages, this experimental tool and analysis allows the governing mechanisms of surfactant transport at liquid–fluid interfaces to be quantified using flow near the interface to decrease the length scale for diffusion, separating the relevant timescales.
Classical effects from a factorized spinor representation of Maxwell's equations

It was demonstrated in earlier work that the vector representation of electromagnetic theory can be factorized into a pair of two-component spinor field equations (Sachs & Schwebel, 1962). The latter is a generalization of the usual formalism, in the sense that in addition to predicting all of the effects that are implied by the vector theory, it predicts additional observable effects that are out of the domain of prediction of the Maxwell formalism. The latter extra predictions were derived in previous publications (Sachs & Schwebel, 1961, 1963; Sachs, 1968a, b). In this paper, the spinor formalism is applied to effects that are expected to agree with the predictions of the standard formalism—the Coulomb force between point charges and the measured speed of a charged particle which moves in an electric potential. While there are no vector or tensor variables involved in this formalism, the results are found, as expected, to be in agreement with the conventional representation of electromagnetic theory. The analysis serves the role of demonstrating that in the appropriate limiting case, the factorized spinor formulation of electromagnetism does predict the explicit classical effects that are also predicted by Maxwell's field equations. The paper also presents a derivation of the general form of the solutions of the spinor field equations.
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura in a patient with multiple sclerosis treated with natalizumab

Treatment with natalizumab is associated with various side effects and it requires regular monitoring of brain MRI and bloodwork analysis. We report a case of thrombocytopenia directly following natalizumab infusions. ### Case report. A 25-year-old African American woman presented with left optic neuritis and was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis in 2006. An abnormal brain MRI that fulfilled Barkhof criteria further confirmed the diagnosis. The initial symptom onset was 1 year prior when she had left facial twitching for over 1 month. She started weekly IM β-interferon 1a in early 2007. Her symptoms in the following years were intermittent left facial twitching, left blepharospasm, right leg numbness, pain, and weakness exacerbated by running and heat. Other symptoms included fatigue, blurred vision, and depression. While on β-interferon 1a, …
A Lakewide Comparison of Zooplankton Biomass and Its Species Composition in Lake Erie, 1983–87

From 1983 to 1987, 118 species representing 53 genera from the Calanoida, Cladocera, Cyclopoida, Rotifera, and Harpacticoida comprised the offshore zooplankton community of Lake Erie. Twenty-eight common species plus their juvenile stages accounted for 94.4% of the total biomass and 92.5% of the total abundance. The eutrophic indicators Brachionus caudatus, B. calyciflorus, B. angularis, Filinia longiseta, Trichocerca multicrinis, and Trichocerca cylindrica had abundances restricted to or significantly higher in the western basin. Between 1983 and 1987, essentially smaller species (Daphnia galeata mendotae, Daphnia retrocurva, Eubosmina coregoni, Bosmina longirostris, and Diaphanosoma leuchtenbergianum) were dominant as in 1948 and 1970. In 1984 a large cladoceran new to Lake Erie, Daphnia pulicaria (mean = 755 individuals/m3, maximum abundance of 3,752/m3), became prevalent. Another cladoceran, Bythotrephes cederstroemi, was first observed in Lake Erie in 1985 and continued to be present in 1986 and 1987. Cyclops vernalis, present throughout the lake in 1967, was observed only in the western basin during 1983 to 1987 similar to the distribution in the 1930s. Rotifer composition in 1967 and the 1983-87 period was similar. Cladocera abundance during the 1983-87 period was comparable to abundances observed in the’30s and’40s. Zooplankton abundance and biomass decreased from the western basin to the eastern basin except in 1985. This decrease correlated with the decrease in phytoplankton biomass (r = 0.81).
Optimizing saturation-recovery measurements of the longitudinal relaxation rate under time constraints

The saturation-recovery method using two and three recovery times is studied for conditions in which the sum of recovery times is 1.5T(1) to 3T(1), where T(1) is the longitudinal relaxation time. These conditions can reduce scan time considerably for long T(1) species and make longitudinal relaxation rate R(1) (R(1) = 1/T(1)) mapping for body fluids clinically feasible. Monte Carlo computer simulation is carried out to determine the ideal set of recovery times under various constraints of the sum of recovery times. The ideal set is found to be approximately invariant to the signal-to-noise ratio. For the three-point method, two of the recovery times should be set the same or approximately the same and should be shorter than the third one. Only marginal improvements in accuracy and precision can be achieved by the three-point method over the two-point method under a common constraint of the sum of recovery times. Three-dimensional, high resolution, whole-brain saturation-recovery scans on volunteers with a fast-spin-echo technique (XETA) and completed in a scan time of 10 min generated R(1) measurements of cerebrospinal fluid (T(1) approximately 4 s) in agreement with the computer simulation and literature results, which demonstrates the clinical feasibility of applying the two-point saturation-recovery method for R(1) mapping for long relaxation components.
Concerning the Negative Thermal Expansion for Extended Chain Polyethylene.

Thermal expansion coefficients have been measured on ultraoriented polyethylene fibers. Samples were prepared by a solid-state (crystalline) extrusion in an Instron Capillary Rheometer at 136°, 2100 atm. and at a draw ratio of 50. The expansion coefficients between −150 and +50°, perpendicular to the fiber axis, were positive and of the order of 10−4 °C−1. Conversely, parallel to that direction, the observed values were both negative and small, of the order −10−6 °C−1. Length changes were reversible and reproducible between −150 and < +50°. Negative coefficients were attributed to the presence of highly-extended and fully-aligned chains along the fiber. Valuable information about chain conformation, dynamics and lattice perfection can be obtained for the ultraoriented morphologies simply by measuring the linear thermal expansion.
Indirect estimation of energy fluxes in animal food webs

Abstract A new technique for estimating energy fluxes in food webs is developed, based upon the probability of predator-prey interactions. It circumvents direct measurement of energy fluxes and rate functions by utilizing a parameter w ij for weighting prey preference. This parameter can be simply measured for most food webs, and offers a more utilitarian approach to quantifying energy flow in complex ecosystems.
A Renilla luciferase-Aequorea GFP (ruc-gfp) fusion gene construct permits real-time detection of promoter activation by exogenously administered mifepristone in vivo.

In this study, we used a steroid-induced promoter activation system as a molecular switch to study the exogenous activation of transgene expression. This promoter activation system consists of three components: (1) a steroidal inducer drug, mifepristone (RU486), which binds to (2) a chimeric transcription factor complex, consisting of the mutant human progesterone receptor fused to the yeast GAL4 DNA-binding domain and the activation domain of the herpes simplex virus protein VP16, and (3) a synthetic promoter, consisting of a series of GAL4 recognition sequences upstream of the adenovirus major late E1B TATA box, linked to a gene construct (ruc-gfp) encoding a Renilla luciferase-Aequorea green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein. Transcription of the promoter-marker gene cassette is activated by the drug (mifepristone)-bound chimeric transcription factor complex. Monitoring of induced gene expression was carried out using a low-light video camera and a UV microscope to detect luciferase and GFP, respectively. Using this activation system, we observed a 10- to 25-fold activation, depending on the inducer dose, of both luciferase and GFP expression in transiently transfected cells in comparison to cells that were not exposed to mifepristone. We further demonstrated activation of gene expression from the promoter activation system in live animals. The plasmids PAP CMV-GL914VPc'SV, carrying the chimeric transcription factor cassette, and plasmid p17×4-TATA-ruc-gfp, carrying the ruc-gfp reporter gene construct, were co-injected into limb muscles of nude mice. Following DNA injection, mifepristone (50 µg/kg) was delivered by intraperitoneal injection. Thirty-six hours after DNA and mifepristone injection, significant Renilla luciferase activity was detectable in the limb muscles. The promoter activation system was also demonstrated in limb muscles and livers of nude mice that had received transplants of ex vivo-modified cells, which were transiently transformed with both the chimeric activator plasmid and the ruc-gfp reporter plasmid prior to implantation. Significant Renilla activity and GFP fluorescence were detected externally in limb muscles and in the livers of anesthetized animals that had received an intraperitoneal injection of inducer. This external monitoring method for observing inducible gene expression in live animals will facilitate experimental studies of fundamental questions of biological and therapeutic relevance. It will be especially valuable for the analysis of gene function at specific stages of animal development. The method should also be of general use in gene therapy, since it permits simultaneous monitoring of the expression levels of light-emitting proteins and therapeutic proteins originating from the activation of identical promoters.
Effects of constant pressure and constant volume conditions on the composition dependence of chemical potentials and activity coefficients

Abstract Experimental data are generally obtained at constant pressure whereas many theoretical models are derived at constant volume. It is shown that the substitution of a constant pressure condition to that of a constant volume one affects very markedly the composition dependence of the chemical potential and the fugacity, but only slightly (and often negligibly) that of the activity and activity coefficient. Under conditions of constant volume, the choice of the reference state also affects the composition dependence of the activity and activity coefficient as well as the definitions of interaction coefficients. Finally, it is important that constant volume conditions be specific as to what volume is kept constant: molar volume, volume per mole of solvent or per mole of substitutional elements, etc.
Past infection with hepatitis B virus in patients at a dental school

In a questionnaire survey of patients at u dental school, 35 of 315 patients who said they had no history of hepatitis showed serologic evidence of past infection with hepatitis B. Samples of blood from 327 new patients at a dental school were tested by radioimmunoassay for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs). The data were compared to the patients’ histories of hepatitis. Through a statistical analysis, it was indicated that significant numbers of patients with no history of hepatitis had been infected with hepatitis B virus.
Dipodomys populations as energy-processing systems: regulation, competition, and hierarchical organization

Abstract The role of extrinsic and intrinsic factors in the regulation of population dynamics and community structure has been poorly understood. To address this question, an energetic model of population dynamics is developed for a system of two species of heteromyid rodents (Dipodomys spp.) using a single homogeneous seed resource. The model suggests that large-scale, extrinsic factors, such as climate, and intrinsic properties of individual organisms and populations interact to determine the observed community dynamics. Previous modelling approaches have confused organismic level processes, such as foraging, with population and community level processes, such as reproduction and competition. Systems approaches incorporating energetics and hierarchy theory should provide a more realistic basis for dealing with complex ecological systems such as populations and communities.
Support for the Death Penalty and Rehabilitation: Question Order or Communication Effect?1

Response-effects research has shown that survey questions shape and channel public opinion. Our study examines the degree to which the variance in people's cognitions about and attitudes toward crime policy proposals is a methodological artifact and the degree to which it represents media effects. Four different forms of a survey were used to manipulate the order of the proposal (death penalty vs. rehabilitation) and criterion (cognition vs. attitude). Results show that experimental manipulations affected cognitions or attitudes only for the death penalty. Respondents who were asked the cognition measure first showed a high level of consistency between the net valence of their arguments and their attitudes. Respondents who were asked their attitudes first reported relatively more affective arguments, a phenomenon that we label affective priming. Exposure and attention to specific media content influenced cognitions and attitudes differentially.
Popularity, Decentering Ability, and Role-Taking Skills in Learning Disabled and Normal Children

Twenty-nine learning disabled and 29 normal children were given impersonal and interpersonal tasks of decentering ability. In addition, 130 children, including 31 learning disabled children, were administered two sociometric tests—a sociogram and a social insight test. The learning disabled children were found to perform less well on the interpersonal decentering task, though no differences were found between them and their normal peers on the impersonal task of decentering ability. The sociometric testing indicated that the learning disabled children were less popular than their normal peers, but no less insightful about how others regarded them. No relationship between decentering ability and popularity was found.
The Syed-Neblett interstitial template in locally advanced gynecological malignancies

Twenty-eight patients with locally advanced malignancies of the cervix and vagina were treated with a combination of external radiation therapy and afterloading Syed-Neblett iridium template. There were 22 patients with squamous cell cancer and two patients with adenocarcinomas of the cervix. Four patients with squamous cell cancer of the vagina were treated with this method. Only patients with locally advanced disease (cervical lesion greater than 4 cm in diameter) and poor vaginal anatomy were selected for this modality of therapy. In our series the incidence of distant failures of 39% seems to confirm the significance of local volume of disease as a prognostic indicator; despite a local control rate of 59%, only 33% of our patients are alive from 25-51 months. Complications occurred in 12 patients (42%). Six patients (22%) developed severe rectal stricture or rectovaginal fistula necessitating diverting sigmoid colostomy; five patients (18%) developed hemorrhagic proctitis with diarrhea and tenesmus; one patient developed vaginal vault necrosis. Complications occurred 7 to 24 months following therapy. Six of the 12 patients developing complications are dead of disease. On the basis of this study and because of the low cure rate and high incidence of complications, the value of the Syed-Neblett template in locally advanced gynecologic malignancies should be reconsidered.
RNA localization mechanisms in oocytes

In many animals, normal development depends on the asymmetric distribution of maternal determinants, including various coding and noncoding RNAs, within the oocyte. The temporal and spatial distribution of localized RNAs is determined by intricate mechanisms that regulate their movement and anchoring. These mechanisms involve cis-acting sequences within the RNA molecules and a multitude of trans-acting factors, as well as a polarized cytoskeleton, molecular motors and specific transporting organelles. The latest studies show that the fates of localized RNAs within the oocyte cytoplasm are predetermined in the nucleus and that nuclear proteins, some of them deposited on RNAs during splicing, together with the components of the RNA-silencing pathway, dictate the proper movement, targeting, anchoring and translatability of localized RNAs.
Performance Improvement Features of General Electric Turbofan Engines

Soaring fuel costs have triggered the development of a new generation of aircraft propulsion systems as well as performance modifications to current systems. This paper presents performance improvement features for General Electric turbofan engines that have either been developed or are being developed for commercial use. A number of these performance improvement features were the direct result of technology developed under the sponsorship of the National Aeronautic and Space Administration’s Engine Component Improvement (ECI) Program and the evolution of some of these performance improvement features is traced through current and future engines. Discussions will be directed toward performance features such as fan and exhaust nozzle aerodynamics improvements, improved turbomachinery clearance control, reduced flowpath losses, and high efficiency turbine cooling.Copyright © 1982 by ASME
EXCITED‐STATE PROPERTIES OF THE ALTERNATING POLYNUCLEOTIDE POLY(dA‐dT)POLY(dA‐dT)

Measurements of the steady-state fluorescence spectrum and anisotropy, r, of the alternating polynucleotide poly(dA-dT).poly(dA-dT) were carried out in order to characterize its photophysical properties at room temperature. The shape of the fluorescence spectrum depends on the excitation wavelength, namely, the relative fluorescence intensity of the short-wavelength peak decreases for excitation at short wavelengths. When monitoring the emission at short wavelengths, r is 0.18 and independent of the excitation wavelength. When monitoring the emission at long wavelengths, however, r is very low, about 0.03. These results suggest that: (i) the short-wavelength emission stems from thymine; and (ii) the long-wavelength emission stems from an excited-state complex (excimer), with the same one being formed regardless of whether thymine or adenine is excited. The corresponding fluorescence spectra have been resolved. The occurrence of transfer of electronic energy is discussed.
Hardware implementations of digital fuzzy logic controllers

In this paper, various implementation issues of digital fuzzy logic controllers (FLC) are investigated. Models of the single-input-single-output (SISO) and multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) FLCs are analysed in terms of hardware implementation. Classis and alternative implementation of inference engines are presented. Direct Data Stream (DDS) FLC architecture is shown as an improved solution for high-speed, realtime control applications.
Reactions of atomic carbon with acyl chlorides

Reactions of arc-generated carbon atoms with acyl chlorides proceed by two distinct mechanistic pathways depending on the nature of the alkyl group in the substrate. Acetyl chloride affords vinyl chloride from the putative chloromethylcarbene produced by deoxygenation, whereas pivaloyl chloride gives t-butyl chloride as the predominant product via a chain reaction from the initially generated pivaloyl radical. When the alkyl group is isopropyl, both pathways are implicated.
On the multidimensional generalization of robustness of scattering Hurwitz property of complex polynomials

Recent stability results on the scattering and the immitance description of passive multidimensional systems are used to characterize the robustness of the scattering Hurwitz property of a given multidimensional (complex) polynomial in terms of the scattering Hurwitz property of a finite number of multidimensional (complex) polynomials. The result is a complete proof of a recent conjecture extending V.L. Kharitonov's (Differential Equations, vol.14, p.1483-5, 1979) theorem on the characterization of the interval (strict sense) Hurwitz property of real as well as complex polynomials to multidimensions. The multidimensional versions of the weak and strong forms of Kharitonov's one-dimensional results are presented along with their proofs. >
Phase-sequenced deposition of calcium titanate/hydroxyapatite films with controllable crystallographic texture onto Ti6Al4V by triethyl phosphate-regulated hydrothermal crystallization

The aim of this study was to investigate the use of triethyl phosphate (TEP) to regulate the hydrothermal crystallization of hydroxyapatite (HA) films onto Ti6Al4V substrates. The growth mechanism of the HA film and the development of [0001] HA crystallographic texture were studied. Films were crystallized in a 0.232 m Ca(NO3)2−0.232 m EDTA−0.187 m TEP−1.852 m KOH−H2O chemical system with a final isothermal temperature of 200 °C, and then evaluated at synthesis times from 0 to 46 h by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, and X-ray pole figures. Thermodynamic phase stability diagrams were calculated to validate experimental findings. XRD, FESEM, TEM, and EDX results demonstrated the crystallization of a CaTiO3 film below 180 °C and a HA film above 180 °C. FESEM and X-ray pole figure analysis revealed a refinement of the orientation of the (0002) HA crystallographic plane and the c-axis o...
A comparison of adaptation trends in the oral reading of stutterers, inferior speakers and superior speakers

Abstract The recorded successive readings of same and different material by stutterers, inferior speakers and superior speakers (15 per group) were analyzed for frequency of fluency, articulation and pronunciation errors, and total reading time. In the instances of both measurement sets, the three groups were significantly dissimilar in trend for successive readings of the same passage, but not for successive readings of different passages. Furthermore, the three groups were significantly different samples: the stutterers were the slowest readers and made the greaters number of errors, while the superior speakers were the fastest and made the least number of errors. Stutterers and inferior speakers as groups demonstrated significant positive adaptation for both measurement sets with repeated readings of the same passage. Superior speakers, in contrast, demonstrated significant negative adaptation for total reading time but did not adapt for frequency of errors. In general, there was insignificant adaptation in the successive readings of different passages for all groups on either set of measures. Theories used to explain stuttering adaptation were applied to the adaptation findings of this study.
Comparison between H/sub 2/ and H/sub infinity / controllers

The H/sub infinity / performances of a controller designed by H/sub 2/ methodology and a controller designed by H/sub infinity / methodology are quantitatively compared. It is shown that the ratio of the H/sub infinity / performance of the two is no greater than 2k for the one block problem, where k is the total number of right half plane transmission zeros for two subsystems namely the subsystem between the disturbance and the measurement and the subsystem between the control signal and the controlled output. It is also shown that there are systems which can give a ratio arbitrarily close to the upper bound. However, those systems are of a pathological type. Some possible generalizations to two- and four-block problems are discussed. >
Regular major maps of at most 19 regions and their Q-chromials☆

Abstract All regular major maps of at most 19 regions are enumerated, and their Q -chromials given. Since each of these chromials satisfies the Birkhoff-Lewis conjecture, and all other maps of at most 19 regions have absolutely reducible configurations, these results lead to the conclusion that every map of at most 19 regions is absolutely reducible.
Concurrent Validity of Administering the Functional Independence Measure (FIM™) Instrument by Interview

In this study we measure the concurrent validity of administering FIM™ instrument (“FIM”) by interview. Data from twenty-eight community-dwelling, cognitively intact, elderly patients with hip fracture were collected in five post-acute rehabilitation facilities. Within 72 hours of admission to (and at discharge from) the post-acute facilities, both a FIM-certified interviewer and a multidisciplinary team administered the FIM instrument to each participant concurrently. At admission, the mean FIM ratings assigned by the interviewer and by the team were 84.3 and 80.5, respectively (p 0.50), reflecting the participants' functional recovery during post-acute rehabilitation. The intra-class correlation between the FIM ratings assigned by the interviewer and by the team was 0.74 (95% CI = 0.58–0.91) at admission and 0.76 (95% CI = 0.60–0.92) at discharge. FIM ratings assigned by FIM-certified interviewers are valid indicators of the functional status of groups of older people recovering from hip fracture, and feasible for longitudinal study.
Noncanonical-transformation approach to the problem of an itinerant particle interacting with a Fermi sea.

We present a noncanonical-transformation solution to the problem of an itinerant particle interacting with a Fermi sea and apply the solution to the study of the excitonic effects on the optical spectra of a modulation-doped quantum wire. In the case of equal particle and Fermi electron mass, this provides the exact solution in one dimension. For unequal masses or higher dimensions, we provide the first term in the systematic expansion of the exact interacting eigenstates in terms of many-body correlations (${\mathit{e}}^{\mathit{S}}$ method). Our approximation conserves momentum, includes the three-body correlations between the itinerant particle and the electron and hole of one pair of Fermi sea excitations, and produces single Slater-determinant eigenstates. Numerical results were obtained for parameters relevant to modulation-doped quantum wires. They show strong dependence of the eigenstates on the total momentum of the system and reveal a new momentum scale of power-law behavior associated with the valence-subband width. For total momentum approaching the Fermi surface, this momentum scale diminishes to zero and large momentum excitations across the Fermi surface become important. In addition, for a total momentum approaching ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{F}}$ from above, a resonant structure in the wave function moving toward the Fermi surface is observed.
Anterior cervicothoracic junction corpectomy and plate fixation without sternotomy.

Object Exposure of the lower cervical and upper thoracic spinal regions through a cervical incision without sternotomy has been described in cases of anterior decompression and methylmethacrylate vertebral body reconstruction. The use of anterior instrumentation and structural bone grafts in this procedure has not been well described. Methods Twenty-one patients underwent anterior cervicothoracic decompression, fusion, and fixation via a low cervical approach. Eight of these patients underwent lower cervical or upper thoracic corpectomy (C7–T4) through the cervical incision. The decompressive procedure was followed by placement of an allograft bone strut and an anterior locking plate system. No patient developed new neurological deficit related to the spinal cord or exiting nerve roots. Three of four patients with preoperative neurological deficits improved dramatically. Two patients developed recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, of which one was permanent. There was one case of instrumentation-related failur...
An approach to the total synthesis of the marine ascidian metabolite perophoramidine via a halogen-selective tandem Heck/carbonylation strategy.

A halogen-selective tandem intramolecular Heck/carbonylation reaction has been developed for the construction of the C,E,F-ring system and the C20 quaternary center found in perophoramidine (1). This process can be effected in good yields in the presence of both the chlorine and bromine atoms found in the natural product. In addition, it is possible to introduce the quaternary center at C4 in a stereoselective manner by a lactone enolate alkylation, using NaH and allyl bromide.
Hearing Aid Accessories for Adults: The Remote FM Microphone

Objective: The primary goal was to determine the benefits and limitations of a remote FM microphone as a hearing aid accessory. A secondary goal was to determine the predictors of aided and FM-assisted speech perception by adults with hearing loss, in quiet and in noise, using methods derived from Articulation Index theory. Design: Twelve adults with mild to severe hearing loss, aged 52 to 85, were fit with behind-the-ear FM hearing aids and used them for a minimum of 2 wk. Phoneme recognition was measured before and after the trial period at several speech levels under three conditions: aided in quiet, aided in spectrally matched noise, and FM-assisted in noise. A single session of counseling, instruction and demonstration was provided before the trial period. Perceived benefit was assessed by questionnaire at the end of the trial period. Measured and perceived benefit were examined in relation to age and pure-tone thresholds. Results: FM-assisted phoneme recognition in noise equaled aided phoneme recognition in quiet. Both were very well predicted by the average pure-tone threshold at 2 and 4 kHz, under a model that assumes Articulation Index (AI) falls with increasing high-frequency threshold at the rate of about 1 percentage point per dB. Aided phoneme recognition in noise was quite well predicted by the same average threshold, under a model that assumes a signal-to-noise ratio of 0 dB reduces Articulation Index to one third of that in quiet. Average perceived benefit was highest for one talker, at a distance, in quiet or in noise. It was lowest for multiple talkers (where the system would be expected to be ineffective) and one close talker in quiet (where the system should be unnecessary). Older subjects and subjects with poorer aided recognition in noise tended to express lower perceived benefit. Many subjects reported that the system was ineffective in reducing background noise. This finding was attributed to use of an “equal gain” criterion in adjusting relative gains via the hearing aid and FM microphones. The single pretrial session of counseling, instruction and demonstration was clearly inadequate for many of the subjects. None expressed an intention to acquire an FM system. Conclusions: The expected benefits of a remote FM microphone in reducing the negative effects of distance and noise, for a single talker, can be demonstrated under both laboratory and field conditions. The effects of hearing loss, noise and FM assistance, on aided phoneme recognition, are well predicted by methods derived from Articulation Index theory. Considerable counseling, instruction and coaching will be needed, however, to ensure optimal use of this technology. In addition, the relative gains via FM and hearing aid microphones must be adjusted with care. (Ear & Hearing 2004;25;22–33)