cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Eric Marshall White. Editio Princeps: A History of the Gutenberg Bible .

Eric White’s Editio Princeps is a staggering work in which he analyzes the history and scholarship surrounding what is popularly known as the “Gutenberg Bible.” His thorough research builds upon earlier scholarship, filling in gaps in knowledge and pulling together an impressive number of primary and secondary sources to illuminate the history of this famous book.
Friends and relatives as sources of prescription opioids for misuse among young adults: The significance of physician source and race/ethnic differences

Background: Given the public health issues associated with prescription opioid misuse, there is surprisingly little research on sources of prescription opioids for misuse. We know that free from fr...
Creating Motivational Language Learning Experiences during the “Critical Period”

Few studies have touched upon language learning motivation of advanced-level learners of Chinese, even fewer have proposed a pedagogical framework to understand and create motivational pathways. This paper aims to fill the gap by addressing a critical period of foreign language training where students are transforming from learning the foreign language to learning domain knowledge in the foreign language. Having drawn upon Confucian concepts and contextualized curricular examples, this paper proposes a framework suggesting that learners at this stage experience a less discussed psychological complexity due to their high level of language proficiency and lack of multilingual domain capacities. They are also gradually transforming into autonomous language users who expand their social milieu through demonstrating domain expertise. As such, the pedagogical implications place an emphasis on helping advanced-level Chinese learners to establish domain-specific vision and linguistic capability so that they can perform in multicultural contexts. In particular, motivational pathways during this stage should be constructed to encourage learners to constantly reflect on their recent past self and establish visions of the future one.
From Enlightenment to Equality: Spirituality May Lead the Way to a Gender Just Society in India and Beyond

India is a country of spiritual traditions and paradoxes. Its spiritual verve offers sustenance through personal transformation, truth, harmony, and connection, yet today large numbers of people in India struggle against poverty, abuses, injustice, and inequalities. India is a land of daughters, known for their valour, hope, knowledge, and wealth of spirit, yet today the status of women is one of the country’s greatest challenges and gender equality is fighting an often-silent battle. This study was conceived from the notion that Indian spirituality, in its truest essence, is the antithesis to this gender paradigm, and accordingly, it examined if spirituality can work to achieve a more gender equal and just society. Organized with the support of Dev Sanskriti University, this pilot study sought to uncover a correlation between participants’ spirituality and their beliefs about gender roles, their gender equal attitudes, and gender equal behavior in the home. Though findings revealed no exceptional correlation, results identified a relationship between spirituality and gender equality within which gender discourse should focus and further research should follow. Gender inequality is pervasive in all countries, and such a global crisis deems further exploration into spirituality and gender equality not only compelling but also necessary.
A Maritime Emission Control Area for the Mediterranean Sea? Technological Solutions and Policy Options for a ‘Med ECA’

Proposals to create a maritime Emission Control Area for the Mediterranean (‘Med ECA’) are on the agendas of national governments, local governments, port authorities, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations. Previous studies have contributed much data and analysis about maritime emissions and their impacts in the Mediterranean region. The present paper reviews the results of these studies and evidence from existing ECAs in other regions in order to inform analyses of issues regarding the design and implementation of a Med ECA. There are diverse issues and options concerning technologies and policies that need to be addressed. The potential for applying remote sensing technology and digital ledger technology to compliance verification and enforcement processes is assessed. The following international institutions are especially appropriate for addressing these issues and facilitating the development of a Med ECA: the International Maritime Organization and its affiliated body the Regional Marine Pollution Emergency Response Centre for the Mediterranean Sea, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition at the UN Environment Programme, the World Bank, and the UN Conference on Trade and Development, which prepares an annual review of maritime transport that includes information about recent policy and technology developments. The paper concludes that the public health, food production, climate change and economic benefits of a Med ECA would be significant for the more than 200 million people living in Mediterranean coastal areas.
Inhaled corticosteroid use and risk of pneumonitis in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

3140Background: The identification of risk factors for immune-related adverse events (irAEs) is an important area of research. Among irAEs, pneumonitis carries one of the highest morbidities. There...
Effect of mechanical strain on the transport properties of thin-film composite membranes used in osmotic processes

Abstract In this work, we studied the mechanical behavior of commercial thin-film composite membranes and measured water and salt transport through membranes that were subjected to known degrees of strain. Our aim was to correlate linear strain with transport properties. Firstly, we showed that the global transport properties of the membranes did not change significantly after being subjected to linear strain values that are typical of pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) operations. Secondly, using a newly developed osmotically-driven burst pressure test for flat sheet membranes, we theorized that the increased salt passage through the membranes was attributable to local deformation and defect formation in the membrane region along the border of the feed spacer opening. Using laser microscopy, we were able to pinpoint the area on the membrane with increased deformation, and to measure the deformation profile. We defined a deformability coefficient to estimate the membrane strain at a known pressure in terms of easily attainable characteristics like opening size, membrane thickness and secant modulus and used it to postulate a solution-diffusion model that accounts for defects by considering the deformability of the membrane in the experimental setup. By incorporating membrane deformation into the boundary layer equations used to describe water and salt flux in osmotic processes (OP), the model can describe the observed dependence of salt flux with applied pressure. The model was used to fit our PRO experimental data and numerous data reported in the literature, which revealed that salt passage increases as membrane deformation increases. Along with this effect, there is a lowered mass-transfer resistance, which constitutes the trade-off between mechanical deformation and mass-transfer resistance observed in pressurized OP. Our findings show that the deformability coefficient and our solution-diffusion model with defects can serve as guidelines for the design of membranes and modules for pressurized OP such as PRO.
Modeling and Assessing Social Sustainability of a Healthcare Supply Chain Network - Leveraging Multi-Echelon Bayesian Network

The field of supply chain management (SCM) is recognized as a key element of the stalwart businesses and economic growth. Organizations have begun to implement sustainable supply chain management due to several reasons, including environmental regulations, international laws, and adherence to compliance. As a consequence, organizations are progressively framing decisions that adequately address all the aspects of sustainability - social, environmental, and economical by considering customer satisfaction and financial growth of the company. However, assessing social sustainability pertaining to the supply chain network has been relatively less addressed in the extant literature. Social sustainability of the supply chain network assures the longstanding viability of the business and ensures the establishment of best management practices on a long-term basis to an organization or a community. This paper identifies the salient factors of the social sustainability criteria pertaining to a healthcare supply chain network with an illustrative case study. Sustainability factors are further quantified using a Bayesian network approach to assess the overall social sustainability of the supply chain network. Advanced analysis, such as by belief propagation techniques, is also conducted to provide better insight regarding the result of the model.
Principles of Tonal Organization in Alexander Scriabin’s Works after Op. 58

Throughout his life, Scriabin’s harmonic language underwent an evolution. His late period style featured a radical break from traditional harmony. This article examines some of the innovations to be found in Scriabin’s late works. A general theoretical background on Scriabin’s late period harmonic language is presented, as it is needed in order to understand the subsequent analyses. Likewise, main philosophical ideas pertaining to mysticism and theosophy, distilled from Scriabin’s notebooks (recently published in 2018 in an English translation by Simon Nicholls and Michael Pushkin), are summarized. A detailed analysis of his Etude Op. 65, No. 3 pinpoints the unique features of his late style and attempts to link certain compositional procedures found late period works after Op. 60, to general mystic ideas. Lastly, implications for further Scriabin research are presented. Keywords: Alexander Scriabin, Late Period, Etudes Op. 65, Mysticism, Theosophy, Harmony.
Noninvasive monitoring of uterine electrical activity among patients with obesity: a new external monitoring device.

BACKGROUND Tocodynamometry is a common, noninvasive tool used to measure contraction frequency; however, its utility is often limited in patients with obesity. An intrauterine pressure catheter provides a more accurate measurement of uterine contractions but requires ruptured membranes, limiting its utility during early latent labor. Electrical uterine myography has shown promise as a noninvasive contraction monitor with efficacy similar to that of the intrauterine pressure catheter; however, its efficacy has not been widely studied in the obese population. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to validate the accuracy of electrical uterine myography by comparing it with tocodynamometry and intrauterine pressure catheters among laboring patients with obesity. STUDY DESIGN This was a prospective observational study from February 2017 to April 2018 of patients with obesity, aged 18 years or older, who were admitted to the labor unit with viable singleton pregnancies and no contraindications for electromyography. Patients were monitored simultaneously with electrical myography and tocodynamometry or intrauterine catheter for more than 30 minutes. Two blinded obstetricians reviewed the tracings. The outcomes of interest were continuous and interpretable tracing, number of contractions, and timing and duration of contractions, interpreted as point estimates and associated 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS A total of 110 patients were enrolled (65 tocodynamometry, 55 intrauterine catheter). Electrical myography was significantly more interpretable during a 30-minute tracing (P=.001) and detected 39% more contractions than tocodynamometry (P<.0001; 95% confidence interval, 23%-57%), whereas there was no difference in the interpretability of tracings or number of contractions between electrical myography and an intrauterine catheter (P=.16; 95% confidence interval, -0.19 to 1.19). Patients who underwent simultaneous monitoring preferred the electrical myography device over tocodynamometry. CONCLUSION Electrical uterine myography is superior to tocodynamometry in the detection of intrapartum uterine contraction monitoring and comparable with internal contraction monitoring.
Botulinum Toxin in the Treatment of Vasopressor-associated Symmetric Peripheral Gangrene.

Symmetric peripheral gangrene (SPG) affects critically ill patients and involves the distal limbs, nose, ears, scalp, and genitalia.1 It is associated with multiple clinical conditions, including sepsis, cardiogenic shock, malignancy, and connective tissue and hematologic disorders.2 SPG occurs in the setting of systemic microthrombosis and dysregulated hemostasis, and it is associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation.1,2 The use of vasopressors contributes to the development of SPG.3–5 In patients who survive, the tissue loss of SPG can be debilitating and disfiguring. There are no systematic analyses demonstrating efficacy for any pharmacologic treatment to prevent or reverse SPG.6,7 Botulinum toxin (BT) has emerged as a promising treatment modality in vasospastic disorders such as Raynaud’s phenomenon.8 In animal models of flap surgery, BT has been demonstrated to improve flap survival, blood flow, vessel diameter, and angiogenesis.9 It has also recently been recommended as a treatment option for vasopressor- and trauma-induced digital ischemia.4,10,11 We present a case report to highlight the potential use of BT in the treatment of vasopressor-associated SPG.
A general methodology for collecting and preserving xystodesmid and other large millipedes for biodiversity research.

With an estimated 80% of species remaining undescribed (but see Brewer et al. 2012), millipede taxonomy offers the opportunity to discover new species and explore biodiversity. The lack of basic alpha taxonomic information regarding millipedes belies their significant ecological role and potential as premier models in ecological and evolutionary studies. The group possesses many fascinating biological properties (e.g., bioluminescence, mimicry, and complex chemical secretions) that have been the focus of several recent studies and are emerging avenues of future investigation.Here we summarize a methodology for large-bodied millipede collection, curation, and preservation for genetic analyses with the hope that sharing these techniques will stimulate interest in these charismatic detritivores.
A Perspective on Dislocation Dynamics

A fundamental description of plastic deformation has been recently pursued in many parts of the world as a result of dissatisfaction with the limitations of continuum plasticity theory. Although continuum models of plastic deformation are extensively used in engineering practice, their range of application is limited by the underlying database. The reliability of continuum plasticity descriptions is dependent on the accuracy and range of available experimental data. Under complex loading situations, however, the database is often hard to establish. Moreover, the lack of a characteristic length scale in continuum plasticity makes it difficult to predict the occurrence of critical localized deformation zones. Although homogenization methods have played a significant role in determining the elastic properties of new materials from their constituents (e.g., composite materials), the same methods have failed to describe plasticity. It is widely appreciated that plastic strain is fundamentally heterogenous, displaying high strains concentrated in small material volumes, with virtually undeformed regions in-between. Experimental observations consistently show that plastic deformation is heterogeneous at all length-scales. Depending on the deformation mode, heterogeneous dislocation structures appear with definitive wavelengths. A satisfactory description of realistic dislocation patterning and strain localization has been rather elusive. Attempts aimed at this question have been based on statistical mechanics, reaction-diffusion dynamics, or the theory of phase transitions. Much of the efforts have aimed at clarifying the fundamental origins of inhomogeneous plastic deformation. On the other hand, engineering descriptions of plasticity have relied on experimentally verified constitutive equations.
A low-voltage 12GHz VCO in 0.13/spl mu/m CMOS for OFDM applications

A low voltage 12GHz VCO is fabricated in a 0.13/spl mu/m CMOS process. The VCO with a 0.8V supply consumes 6mA. The measured phase noise is -84dBc/Hz at 100kHz and -106dBc/Hz at 1MHz offset from the center frequency. Design optimization techniques for high performance VCOs in a low voltage CMOS process are discussed.
Time Dependent Convection in Stellar Pulsation

A long standing problem in nonlinear stellar pulsation calculations is the treatment of time dependent convection. The physical nature of the problem is discussed and a simple theory of convection in pulsating envelopes is presented. It is found that the convective flux is highly nonlinear and very difficult to treat numerically using standard Lagrangian codes. Despite its numerical difficulties, the theory has been applied to several classes of problems and some preliminary results have been obtained. In particular, the theory has been used to investigate double mode pulsation in RR Lyrae variable stars, and although no definitive conclusions concerning modal stability may be drawn due principally to the inability to converge on a limit cycle, initial results are encouraging.
M-IVTT: An Index for Bitemporal Databases

In this paper we present an indexing structure for bitemporal databases which allows the user to tune the trade-off between query processing speed and index size. The structure is based on incremental trees indexing valid time ranges, which are pointed to by a tree indexing transaction time. Valid time trees are kept full at every so many transaction time points, and in between those, patching sets are kept. The valid time trees are B+-trees which efficiently index ranges via a mapping function. Analytic performance results are presented and discussed.
An Automatic Threshold-Based Scaling Method for Enhancing the Usefulness of Tc-HMPAO SPECT in the Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

Functional imaging of the brain can aid in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Tc-HMPAO SPECT is widely available and relatively inexpensive to use. Combined with computer-based analysis of images, SPECT is a powerful tool in detecting decreases in brain perfusion caused by Alzheimer’s disease. However, analysis can falsely elevate the perfusion of normal areas and diminish the perfusion of atrophic areas in the Alzheimer’s brain when used with conventional scaling methods. In this paper, we present a technique for scaling images that overcomes the problems associated with conventional scaling methods. Our technique was successful in eliminating or attenuating the false increases in perfusion shown in probable Alzheimer’s patients in over 90% of cases (n=17), and in enhancing the sensitivity of detection of degenerative changes by Statistical Parametric Mapping.
Density-dependent metabolic heterogeneity in human mesenchymal stem cells

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are intrinsically heterogeneous and comprise subpopulations that differ in their proliferation, multi-potency, and functional properties, which are commonly demonstrated by culturing hMSCs at different plating densities. The objective of this study was to investigate the metabolic profiles of different subpopulations of hMSC by testing the hypothesis that the clonogenic hMSC subpopulation, which is selectively enriched in clonal density (CD) and low density (LD) culture (10 and 100 cells per square centimeter, respectively), possesses a metabolic phenotype that differs from that of hMSC in medium- or high-density (MD: 1,000 and HD: 3,000 cells per square centimeter, respectively). Cells at CD and LD conditions exhibited elevated expression of CD146 and colony forming unit-fibroblast compared with cells at MD- or HD. Global metabolic profiles revealed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of cell extracts showed clear distinction between LD and HD cultures, and density-dependent differences in coupling of glycolysis to the TCA cycle. Metabolic inhibitors revealed density-dependent differences in glycolysis versus oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) for ATP generation, in glutamine metabolism, in the dependence on the pentose phosphate pathway for maintaining cellular redox state, and sensitivity to exogenous reactive oxygen species. We also show that active OXPHOS is not required for proliferation in LD culture but that OXPHOS activity increases senescence in HD culture. Together, the results revealed heterogeneity in hMSC culture exists at the level of primary metabolism. The unique metabolic characteristics of the clonogenic subpopulation suggest a novel approach for optimizing in vitro expansion of hMSCs.
Method for high‐resolution imaging of creatine in vivo using chemical exchange saturation transfer

Purpose To develop a chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) based technique to measure free creatine (Cr) and to validate the technique by measuring the distribution of Cr in muscle with high spatial resolution before and after exercise.
Hemodynamic and metabolic effects of the calcium channel blocking agent nitrendipine.

In an open crossover comparison of propranolol and nitrendipine, 19 patients with hypertension received 40 to 160 mg propranolol and 5 to 20 mg nitrendipine twice a day. Mean (± SD) predose supine blood pressure fell from 145/98 ± 11/7 to 132/88 ± 12/8 mm Hg with propranolol and to 135/92 ± 11/9 mm Hg with nitrendipine. Resting heart rate was reduced by propranolol but was unchanged 12 hours after nitrendipine dosing. Neither propranolol nor nitrendipine altered plasma glucose or insulin after oral glucose. Propranolol significantly increased fasting triglyceride levels and reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, but nitrendipine induced no change. Propranolol reduced and nitrendipine increased plasma renin activity after exercise. Peak plasma nitrendipine levels were dose proportional and occurred at 1 to 2 hours after dosing, whereas peak blood pressure reductions occurred 4 hours after the last dose of nitrendipine and were associated with mean increases in heart rate. Nitrendipine is almost equivalent in hypotensive effect to propranolol, but nitrendipine increases plasma renin activity after exertion and may produce transient tachycardia. However, nitrendipine does not cause unwanted metabolic effects. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1986) 39, 389–394; doi:10.1038/clpt.1986.60
A different look at perceptual defense for taboo words

Hober has concluded from previous work that meaningfulness, frequency, and related stimulus variables directly affect the clarity of letters of words. To examine whether the letters of taboo words would be harder to see, 12 taboo words were matched in length to 12 very frequent and 12 very rare neutral words. Each word was shown an unpredictable number of times. Three groups of 8 Ss each were required, respectively, either to name the letters they saw on each flash, name the letters and then guess the word, or guess the word only. While no differences were found among the three groups, the clarity of the letters of the frequent words exceeded that for the rare words, which in tum was higher than that of the taboo words. This difference was apparent on even the first flash, supporting the interpretation of a perceptual defense effect.
Kinetics of the conjugation of aniline mustards with glutathione and thiosulfate

The rates of the non-enzymatic conjugation of the substituted aniline mustards, melphalan, chlorambucil and p-(N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl))toluidine with glutathione and thiosulfate were determined using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Using this method, the disappearance of drug and the formation of both the mono-thioether and bis-thioether conjugates can be monitored directly. For glutathione conjugation, the rate constants for the formation of the first and second aziridinium intermediates were similar. With thiosulfate conjugation, the rate constant for the formation of the first aziridinium intermediate is greater than the rate constant for the formation of the second aziridinium. This demonstrates that the type of nucleophile has a significant influence on the overall alkylating activity of these bifunctional mustards. The bisthioether adduct formed from the reaction between p-(N,N-bis([2-13C]-2-chloroethyl))toluidine and glutathione and thiosulfate can be identified and scrambling of the 13C label in the product provides strong evidence that the alkylation must occur through an aziridinium intermediate.
A case of bowel perforation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

Background. Bowel perforation is a rare complication of chemotherapeutic treatment of cancer, and may result from tumor necrosis within involved bowel or as a function of the mechanism of the chemotherapeutic agent itself. Case. We present a case of a 71-year-old woman who experienced a spontaneous bowel perforation after a single cycle of carboplatin and paclitaxel during neoadjuvant treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. This is, to our knowledge, the first reported case of a gastrointestinal perforation with neoadjuvant chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. The clinical circumstances were highly suggestive of a tumor lysis mechanism for the perforation. Conclusion. Bowel perforation can occur as a direct consequence of cytotoxic neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer. This potential serious complication may be worthy of consideration when deciding between neoadjuvant chemotherapy and primary surgical management.
A physical model and FORTRAN IV program to simulate bed-load grain-size distributions in unidirectional turbulent flow

Abstract A physical model of the size-distribution of bed-load sediments transported by unidirectional turbulent flow is described. A given bed shear stress is capable of transporting as bed-load that range of sediment sizes which can be entrained but not suspended. Weight of sediment transported in that size range is the product of transport rate, derived from a theoretical bed-load function, and the time of operation of the bed shear stress, obtained from integration of a frequency distribution of instantaneous values. The required grain-size distribution results from integration across the complete shear stress range. A description and full listing of the FORTRAN program is supplemented by input requirements and a sample run.
Cache tiling for high performance morphological image processing

Morphological image analysis is a technique of processing images through shape characteristics (Jain 1989). Because images are regular data structures, morphology algorithm's memory access patterns are predictable. By using read and write patterns, we derive a model of processing to examine inefficiencies in cache processing. We then develop a cache architecture for windowed processing that reduces cache thrashing. Our caching technique, cache tiling, improves efficiency dramatically for small caches independent of compiler optimizations. Programs are not affected, providing a transparent solution to improve caching. A system code, compilers, or profiling programs can determine the blocking necessary for the best performance. An analytical model for morphological processing's memory characteristics is presented that provides for exact cache analysis and prediction. The analytical model is compared to address traces to validate the model. Other algorithms such as inner product, matrix multiplication, and convolution also benefit from the architecture presented herein.
Retarding-Field Oscillators

Pendulum and velocity-variation types of oscillations in retarding-field oscillators are discussed. The processes of bunching, drifting, and working of the electrons are explained, and a comparison is made to a reflex klystron. Recent results obtained from retarding-field oscillators are given.
Redressing the Roles of Correction and Repair in Research on Second and Foreign Language Learning.

Correction and repair as components of an instructional practice that facilitates learning have figured prominently in research on classroom-based second and foreign language learning.1 Recent studies incorporating a conversation analytic (CA) perspective on second language acquisition (SLA) have also focused on repair and correction. From a CA perspective, the practice of repair is a fundamental organization of interaction for dealing with troubles in achieving common understanding about the interactional work that parties in an interaction are doing together. Correction is a particular type of repair in which errors are replaced with what is correct. Applying this understanding to studies using CA to examine language classroom interaction, we find that although the CA terms repair and correction are used, in many cases, the focus of analysis is on the instructional components of correction and repair. I argue that conflating the CA practice and the instructional components misconstrues the former and, in so doing, conceals the important role that each set of practices plays in language classrooms. To make my case, I review research on correction and repair from both CA and SLA perspectives, laying out their distinctive features, and then use these understandings to examine the treatment of repair and correction in studies using CA to study SLA. I conclude with a brief discussion of implications for CA-based research on second and foreign language learning.
Household and market in suffragette discourse, 1903-14.

(2001). Household and Market in Suffragette Discourse, 1903—14. The European Legacy: Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 189-199.
Electrokinetic-flow-induced viscous drag on a tethered DNA inside a nanopore.

Recent work has shown that the resistive force arising from viscous effects within the pore region could explain observed translocation times in certain experiments involving voltage-driven translocations of DNA through nanopores [Ghosal, Phys. Rev. E 71, 051904 (2006); Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 238104 (2007)]. The electrokinetic flow inside the pore and the accompanying viscous effects also play a crucial role in the interpretation of experiments where the DNA is immobilized inside a nanopore [Keyser et al., Nat. Phys. 2, 473 (2006)]. In this paper the viscous force is explicitly calculated for a nanopore of cylindrical geometry. It is found that the reductions of the tether force due to viscous drag and due to charge reduction by Manning condensation are of similar size. The result is of importance in the interpretation of experimental data on tethered DNA.
Dying with dignity: The good patient versus the good death

Death is a unique experience for each human being, yet there is tremendous societal pressure on a dying person to be a “good patient” while trying to experience the “good death.” These pressures shape patient, caregiver, and family choices in end-of-life situations.The purpose of this literature review was twofold: first, to develop an understanding of “dying with dignity” to enhance the end-of-life care received by dying patients, and second, to contribute to a concept analysis of dignity to improve the clarity and consistency of future research related to dignity in aging individuals. Articles pertaining to dying with dignity from the disciplines of nursing, medicine, ethics, psychology, and sociology were reviewed using a matrix method.1A dichotomy surrounding dying with dignity emerged from this review. The definition of dignity in dying identifies not only an intrinsic, unconditional quality of human worth, but also the external qualities of physical comfort, autonomy, meaningfulness, usefulness, pre...
The interaction of zonal currents with topography with applications to the Southern Ocean

Abstract An analytical model for the interaction of a broad, eastward baroclinic current with shallow topographic features in an unbounded β-plane ocean is developed and solved for three types of topography: a meridionally oriented ridge as is found in the central South Pacific and South Atlantic sectors of the Southern Ocean, a zonally oriented ridge as is found south of Australia and Africa, and an isolated plateau or seamount. The meridional ridge causes a stationary wave pattern similar to that believed to occur in the southeast Pacific Ocean. The zonal ridge causes a current intensification on the equatorward side of the ridge crest, with intermittent slowed or reversed flow and a string of stationary warm core eddies on the poleward side. Comparison is made to Callahan's (1971, Journal of Geophysics Research , 76 , 5859–5870) observations of the flow along the ridge south of Australia. The isolated seamount forces a Taylor column (warm core anticyclonic eddy) above it, and has a stationary meandering wake downstream, sometimes with embedded eddies.
Molecular spectroscopy of a single aerosol particle

The absorption spectrum of a single micrometer-sized aerosol particle is measured for the first reported time in the IR. Particle absorption is determined through the IR modulation of visible scattered light near a structure resonance. This technique, termed structure resonance modulation spectroscopy, is used to measure the IR absorption spectrum of an (NH4)2SO4 aerosol droplet of 5.4-μm diameter in the region from 970 to 1280 cm−1. The resulting spectrum, when fitted by Mie theory, enables one to determine the molecular composition of the droplet.
Extension′s role in disseminating information about climate change to agricultural stakeholders in the United States

The U.S. Cooperative Extension Service was created 100 years ago to serve as a boundary or interface organization between science generated at the nations land grant universities and rural communities. Production agriculture in the US is becoming increasingly complex and challenging in the face of a rapidly changing climate and the need to balance growing crop productivity with environmental protection. Simultaneously, extension budgets are diminishing and extension personnel are stretched thin with numerous, diverse stake- holders and decreasing budgets. Evidence from surveys of farmers suggests that they are more likely to go to private retailers and consultants for information than extension. This paper explores the role that extension can play in facilitating climate change adaptation in agriculture using data from a survey of agricultural advisors in Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska and
Shapes, Moments and Estimators of the Weibull Distribution

This presentation describes, in more detail than heretofore published, the properties of the Weibull distribution using the following equation: f (t; ?, s, ?) = s/?s(t - ?)s-1 exp[-(t-?/?)s],t >?, where ? > 0 is a scale parameter in time units s > 0 is a shape parameter (dimensionless) ? (any real value) is a location parameter in time units. Conditions on the shape parameter s for the existence of a mode and inflection point are given; the locations of and the values of the function at these points are traced as s grows from zero to infinity. The behavior of the median and first four moments is described and presented in tabular form as a function of s. Other interesting features of this distribution are noted. Finally, given the fatilure times of n randomly selected units, the maximum likelihood equations are derived. When solved by machine computer methods, these equations will give approximations for the maximum likelihood estimators of the three parameters.
702–5 Improved Survival After Fontan Operation for 62 Heterotaxy Patients

The modified Fontan operation (MF) is the preferred palliative procedure for heterotaxy pts (HP) with complex cyanotic heart disease. Early mortality (EM) after MF has been reported to be greater for HP In our recent experience (1987 – 92) EM after MF has improved dramatically. In order to determine if these improved results applied to HP, we reviewed all HP who had a MF atour institution between 1973 – 92 (n = 111). From 1973–92, 111/839 (13%) pts having a MF were HP 154 (6.5%1 polysplenia, 57 (6.8%) asplenia]. HP were significantly older than non-HP at the time of MF (median age = 11 yrs vs 9 yrs; p l 0.05). We compared EM after MF for HP in two time periods: early 11973–86 In = 49)] and recent [1987–92 (n = 62)]. EM decreased significantly in the recent group [9/62 (14.5%)] compared to the early group 121/49 (43%); p l 0.001]. In our early experience, asplenia pts had increased EM compared to polysplenia pts (65% vs 23%) but, recent experience shows that EM is similar for these two subsets of HP [asplenia: 5/34 (15%) vs polysplenia: 4/28 (14%)]. Many factors, including use of an intra-atrial tunnel, have contributed to these improved results. Despite the recent reduction in EM for HP. this group remains at higher risk after MF than pts with tricuspid atresia (EM = 4%) or double inlet left ventricle (EM = 4%). This is most likely due to increased frequency of complicating features present in HP compared to non-HP For example, atrioventricular valve (AW) repair/replacement, a recognized risk factor for EM, was more frequent in HP than non-HP [28/62 (45%) vs 40/277 (14%); P l 0.001]. In HP who did not have AW procedures EM was 9% (3/34) compared to 21% (6/28) in HP who had AVV procedures. The 9% EM rate observed in HP without AW procedures is not significantly different from the 4% EM rate observed in non-HP (p = 0.2). Conclusion Survival after MF for HP has improved dramatically. Although HP still experience a greater overall operative risk, some subgroups had EM rates which were not significantly different from non-HP.
Teaching and Assessing Procedural Skills Using Simulation: Metrics and Methodology

Simulation allows educators to develop learner-focused training and outcomes-based assessments. However, the effectiveness and validity of simulation-based training in emergency medicine (EM) requires further investigation. Teaching and testing technical skills require methods and assessment instruments that are somewhat different than those used for cognitive or team skills. Drawing from work published by other medical disciplines as well as educational, behavioral, and human factors research, the authors developed six research themes: measurement of procedural skills; development of performance standards; assessment and validation of training methods, simulator models, and assessment tools; optimization of training methods; transfer of skills learned on simulator models to patients; and prevention of skill decay over time. The article reviews relevant and established educational research methodologies and identifies gaps in our knowledge of how physicians learn procedures. The authors present questions requiring further research that, once answered, will advance understanding of simulation-based procedural training and assessment in EM.
Diagnosis of Metal Poisoning and Evaluation of Chelation Therapy by Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry Coupled to a Novel Digestion Procedure

Abstract Differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry, coupled to a closed acid digestion system, has been proven to be an efficient tool for rapid diagnosis of metal poisoning and for evaluating the progress of chelation therapy. This technique and system has been used to determine total zinc, cadmium, lead, bismuth, copper, and thallium in urine, blood, hair, teeth, feces, bone and other tissue for medical management and post-mortem studies. The technique lends itself to determining minute changes in metal concentrations, while its low detection limits provide for the analysis of liquid samples as small as 10 μl. A procedure for rapidly removing metal contaminants from reagents and electrolyte systems was tested and found to be effective for this highly sensitive technique.
Rearing Response of a Marine Flatworm to the Lowering of Light Intensity

UNLIKE certain photophobic flatworms used in behaviour studies1–5, the marine polyclad Gnesiocerus sargassicola exhibits a dramatic ‘rearing’ response when the light intensity is lowered. Within a second after a sudden decrease in light intensity all the animals synchronously raise and wave around the anterior part of their bodies while ‘standing’ on their posteriors. Even more striking, a few members of the variety lata actually leap from the substratum and swim. As observed by Hyman6, G. sargassicola lata is “very quick and active” and swims “prettily by a rapid butterfly-like fluttering of the anterior expansions”. This communication describes some of the characteristics of the rearing response.
Orientation of retinal rod photoreceptor membranes in the intact eye using x-ray diffraction.

Abstract An unusual distortion of the X-ray diffraction spots obtained from in vivo retinal rod outer segments of the frog ( Rana pipiens ) has been interpreted in terms of an asymmetric disorientation of the outer segments in the intact eye. Proof of this interpretation is presented here, along with evidence that the asymmetric disorientation is not a dissection artefact. The asymmetry is found on the peripheral retina and not near the center of the retina. It is conjectured that the retinal rods, or their photoreceptor membranes, orient towards the light and indicate the shape of the incident cone of light on the retina.
The quest for stronger, tougher materials.

The Perspective “Structural nano-composites” (Y. Dzenis, 25 January, p. 419) describes a quest for improved structural materials and indicates that composites with nanoscale reinforcements would have “exceptional mechanical properties.” Is this true? Why would reinforcements that are small
Single-molecule studies of proton transfer in guest-host materials

Although the promise of organic materials for a variety of photonic applications has been recognized for some time, the wide-spread use of these materials is limited by photochemical processes that result in irreversible material decomposition. In this talk, the use of single-molecule microscopy to investigate the photochemistry of organic molecules in guest-host systems is described. A new method for analyzing the photoluminescence intermittency (PI) or “blinking” exhibited by single emitters is presented. This method allows for a statistically robust method for analyzing PI data, and for determining if an external perturbation results in a significant modification of the blinking statistcs. This method is applied to the blinking exhibited by CdSe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) in poly(methyl methacrylate) and the rhodamine derivative violamine R (VR) isolated in single crystals of potassium acid phthalate (KAP). For the QDs our analysis demonstrates that the blinking statistics are not power-law distributed. For VR in KAP we find that deuterium substitution significantly alters the PI exhibited by VR consistent with proton-transfer contributing to PI.
The effects of methylxanthines on the mobility of stored turkey sperm

The mobility of pooled turkey sperm following various storage regimens was assessed by objectively measuring the ability of sperm to penetrate a 2% Accudenz [5-(N-2,3-dihydroxypropylacetamido)-2,4,6-tri-iodo-N,N'-bis(2,3-dihydroxypropyl)isophthalamide] solution at 41 C. When semen was diluted with Beltsville poultry semen extender and stored at 5 C with agitation at 150 rpm, sperm mobility declined as the storage interval increased (P < or = 0.05), with mobility scores (mean +/- SEM) of 0.440+/-0.029, 0.374+/-0.031, 0.282+/-0.011, 0.202+/-0.019, and 0.130+/-0.019 for 0-, 3-, 6-, 24-, and 48-h storage, respectively. For a 10-wk fertility trial using the same storage method, sperm mobility and fertilizing capacity of semen were significantly reduced following 24-h storage compared with values for unstored semen. The sperm mobility scores were 0.404+/-0.051 and 0.101+/-0.046 for unstored and 24-h stored semen, respectively, whereas the percentage of fertilized eggs was 95.9+/-5.1 for unstored semen and 48.0+/-5.1 for 24-h stored semen. When caffeine or pentoxifylline was added to semen at 2.5, 5, or 10 mM, no significant effect on sperm mobility was seen, regardless of whether these compounds were added to unstored semen, were present during 6-h storage, or were added following the 6-h storage interval. These studies demonstrate that sperm mobility and fertilizing capacity of pooled turkey semen declines with storage, and that addition of caffeine or pentoxifylline either during or after storage does not affect sperm mobility.
Recent progress in deep-blue phosphorescent OLEDs

Cyclometallated iridium N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-complexes have become known as efficient deep blue triplet emitters in OLEDS 1 . With these emitters suitable CIE color coordinates of CIE x ∼ 0.15 and CIE y = 0.1...0.2 can easily be reached. To keep the expensive and tedious synthetic and laboratory screening effort for new emitters and complementary materials as efficient as possible a good computational pre-screening method based on quantum chemical theory is used. In this paper, data will be presented which show a good correlation between calculated and measured values of for example triplet energy, ionization potential and electron affinity. Only by having good control of these parameters it is possible to design efficient and long lasting devices. Based on this, we will show our progress in the deep-blue color region by optimizing the device setup and by employing a new, much more stable complementary material set.
A metal-gate self-aligned MOSFET using nitride oxide

A new method for making metal-gate self-aligned transistors using a thin nitrided oxide (12 nm) as a gate dielectric has been demonstrated. The nitrided thermal oxide acts as both a local oxidation mask and the final gate dielectric to produce a self-aligned thick oxide in the source-drain region. The thick oxide reduces the overlap capacitance down to that of a self-aligned polysilicon-gate device while allowing the use of a metal gate with a much lower resistivity than the more commonly used polycrystalline silicon. A high-frequency capacitance-voltage technique has been used to measure gate to source-drain overlap capacitance. The overlap capacitance was measured for a range of source-drain oxide thicknesses from 370 down to 255 nm. The capacitance increased from 0.64 to 0.74 fF/µm. The overlap capacitance of a self-aligned polycrystalline silicon-gate device with similar processing parameters was 0.98 fF/µm. The channel mobility has been determined to be approximately 350 cm2/V . s. Transistors with channel lengths as low as 0.7/µm were fabricated. Ring oscillators were also fabricated with stage-delays as low as 300 ps at 1.5 V and power-delay products of 70 fJ.