cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improve Communication in the Peri-Anesthesia Division in An Escape Room Setting

Background Information Communication during a resuscitation event is a priority for any team. Simulated resuscitation drills enable health care teams to evaluate communication systems and review skills in a controlled setting. Incorporating these drills in an escape room format further promotes communication and teamwork necessary for optimal code outcomes. The hospital's perianesthesia division consists of five units with little or no interaction between staff from different units. Interaction with unacquainted colleagues during a resuscitative event may create barriers to effective communication and teamwork. Overcoming these barriers could be accomplished by practicing communication techniques during a simulated resuscitation scenario in an escape room activity. Objectives of Project The purpose of this QI project was to improve communication in the peri-op division. Process of Implementation The escape room setting with simulated resuscitation drills, allowed for a unique and creative way for interdepartmental teams to communicate. Representatives from each unit were placed on an escape room team. Each team solved puzzles and riddles enabling them to collect items needed to resuscitate a patient during a code event. Participants completed a pre/post survey assessing perception of communication and teamwork. Statement of Successful Practice A Pre-Post format was used for data collection. Questions assessed comfortability with solving problems, collaborating, and communicating constructive feedback with others outside of their assigned unit. Results showed that staff felt more comfortable communicating with colleagues outside of their assigned unit, after the activity. Implications for Advancing the Practice of Perianesthesia Nursing Post-data showed a significant difference from pre-data, to suggest that the staff felt more comfortable communicating during a simulated code drill. The escape room setting allowed staff to practice communication techniques during a simulated resuscitation scenario and allowed them to assess and overcome barriers to effective communication and teamwork. Additional simulations with an escape room setting have been planned and created to further enhance communication and teamwork in the perianesthesia division. Post escape room feedback from staff will be collected and reviewed for effectiveness of an escape room as a teambuilding format.
DYNAMIC SOIL STRENGTH AND SLOPE STABILITY

The laboratory method of testing cohesive soils to determine the effects of pulsating stresses, simulating the effects of earthquakes, provided adequate data for designing hydraulic structures made from these materials. The tests were performed on undisturbed fine-grained clay soil from the San Luis Dam foundation and on undisturbed and remolded fine-grained clayey and sandy clay soils from the first three reaches of the canal, to determine soil strength characteristics under dynamically applied stresses. Results of the dynamic tests on individual soils are compared to the normal soil strengths at equivalent strains. The maximum normal soil strength is assigned a value of 100%, and soil strengths under pulsating stress may be expressed as a percentage of this. The studies show that confining pressure does not appreciably affect the relationship between normal and dynamic soil strength. Results show the dynamic soil strength to be generally up to 15% greater than the normal strength for overconsolidated plastic clays. However, dynamic soil strength is less than the normal by about 10% for low density, wet of optimum water content, sandy clays, especially at low strains.
Combined modality therapy of cT2N0M0 esophageal cancer: the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center experience.

Esophageal carcinoma is an aggressive malignancy and a major cause of cancer–related deaths worldwide.1 The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has been rising faster than that of any other cancer in the western world for several decades2, 3 and in 2009, a total of 16,470 new cases and 14,530 deaths were estimated in the United States.4 Therapy options available to patients with localized ≥cT1b esophageal cancer located in the thoracic cavity include primary surgery, preoperative therapy, or definitive chemoradiation therapy.5 Patients with cT1a cancer are best treated by an endoscopic mucosal resection and cT1bN0 by primary surgery but surgery for cT2-3 N1 or N0 cancer leads to poor survival at 5 years and preoperative therapy is often utilized without unequivocal level 1 evidence.6 Preoperative chemoradiation is preferred in the USA7, 8 and preoperative chemotherapy is less preferred as two randomized trials are essentially negative.9, 10 cT2N0 is a particularly interesting entity and its primary treatment remains a subject of debate. Only limited information is available in the literature.11 Rice et al. made a number of important observations that have implications on potential therapeutic strategies. All their 53 cT2N0M0 patients, who underwent surgery as primary therapy, were staged by computerized tomographic scans and endoscopic ultrasonography, however, only 7 (13%) had ypT2N0M0 and 17 (32%) had a higher yp stage than the clinical stage. The overall 10-year survival of 53 patients was approximately 30%. The authors also reported on 8 patients who had preoperative chemoradiation therapy, they all did poorly. It would appear from this solitary experience that there is considerable stage migration (in both directions) and that the outcome of patients with surgery alone is poor. Nevertheless, surgery as primary therapy for this group of patients is not ruled out. Clearly, cT2N0M0 esophageal cancer is not a common entity and there is no agreement as to how these patients should be treated. Rice et al. recommended surgery first as their preference and postoperative adjuvant therapy if needed. They also emphasized the need for more accurate clinical staging methods. In this manuscript, we present our experience with 49 patients who were fully staged and received preoperative chemoradiation therapy.
Power Plant Diffuser-Pipe System

Results are presented for a comprehensive model and prototype experimental study of a submerged multiport diffuser discharging heated water from a steam-electric generating station into the Mississippi River. The principal objectives of the study relate to predicting thermal mixing zones. Temperature and velocity distributions are studied in the region just downstream from individual ports in both model and prototype and at a cross section about one-fourth of the local river width downstream from the diffuser in the prototype. The river flow below which the applicable thermal standards would be violated is predicted. Comparisons show that the performance of the prototype multiport diffuser ports can be represented satisfactorily by a “sectional” laboratory flume model.
Collaborative reputation mechanisms in electronic marketplaces

The members of electronic communities are often unrelated to each other, they may have never met and have no information on each other's reputation. This kind of information is vital in electronic commerce interactions, where the potential counterpart's reputation can be a significant factor in the negotiation strategy. This paper proposes two complementary reputation mechanisms that rely on collaborative ratings and personalized evaluation of the various ratings assigned to each user. While these reputation mechanisms are developed in the context of electronic commerce, we believe that they may have applicability in other types of electronic communities such as chatrooms, newsgroups, mailing lists, etc.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS

Cet article se penche sur les rapports entre semantique et philosophie. En effet, suite a une rencontre de la societe de linguistique americaine tenue a la Nouvelle Orleans en 1988, l'A. s'interroge sur le nouveau statut de la semantique linguistique. Si elle semble s'etre coupee de la philologie et du criticisme pour se redefinir comme une branche de la philosophie appliquee et de la logique, il apparait egalement que la philosophie se soit lancee dans des problemes philologiques que la semantique ne peut plus regler.
A Unified Approach to the Deadlock Detection Problem in Networks of Communicating Finite State Machines

We consider the deadlock detection problem (DDP) of networks of communicating finite state machines (NCFSMs). The DDP problem is known to be undecidable for NCFSMs. In this paper, we provide a characterization of those subclasses of networks for which the deadlock problem is decidable. We also provide a proof technique based on our characterization and illustrate our technique on an example.
Intonation in Spanish declaratives : differences between lab speech and spontaneous speech

The present study compares the intonation of Spanish declarative utterances in lab speech and spontaneous speech. Most studies of Spanish intonation have used lab speech, collected in an experimental setting and often scripted. This allows the researcher to control many factors, but the results cannot be assumed to be representative of spontaneous speech. The present study takes the most characteristic traits of the intonation of declarative sentences in Spanish lab speech and examines whether the same traits exist in spontaneous speech. It is shown that there are notable differences between the intonation of Spanish declaratives in lab speech and spontaneous speech. While some of the differences are minor, others are quite significant. Differences of one degree or another exist in the areas of the presence of F0 rises through stressed syllables, F0 peak alignment, downstepping, final lowering and deaccenting.
Pharmacological characterization of adenosine A2B receptors: Studies in human mast cells co-expressing A2A and A2B adenosine receptor subtypes

Abstract Characterization of A 2B receptors is hampered by the lack of selective pharmacological probes and often relies on their relative affinity to agonists that are selective at other receptor types. This approach is limited because the affinity of A 2B receptors for putative A 3 agonists has not been determined. Using the human erythroleukemia cell line HEL as a cellular model for A 2B -mediated adenylate cyclase activation, we found the following potencies (pD 2 ) for the non-selective agonist 5′- N -ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) (5.65 ± 0.04), the putative A 3 agonists N 6 -benzyl-NECA (4.17 ± 0.06) and N 6 -(3-iodobenzyl)- N -methyl-5′-carbamoyl-adenosine (IB-MECA) (3.7 ± 0.02), and the A 2A agonist 4-[( N -ethyl-5′-carbamoyladenos-2-yl)-aminoethyl]-phenylpropionic acid (CGS21680) (2.8 ± 0.1). Because of the lack of a selective agonist, characterization of A 2B receptor function is difficult in cells co-expressing A 2A receptors. In the human mast cell line HMC-1, NECA induced cAMP accumulation with a concentration-response relationship best fitted to a two-sited model (pD 2 7.69 ± 0.42 and 5.92 ± 0.21 for high- and low-affinity sites), suggesting the presence of both A 2A and A 2B receptors in these cells. We demonstrated that A 2B receptors can be selectively activated with NECA in the presence of the selective A 2A antagonist 5-amino-7-(phenylethyl)-2-(2-furyl)-pyrazolo[4,3-e]-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5- c ] pyrimidine (SCH 58261). Under these conditions, the concentration-response relationship of NECA for cyclic AMP accumulation was now best fitted to a one-site model (pD 2 5.68 ± 0.03, Hill slope 0.93 ± 0.06, 95% confidence intervals 0.8 to 1.06)corresponding to selective activation of A 2B receptors. Using the approaches developed in this study, we determined that A 2B , and not A 2A or A 3 , receptors account for all the calcium mobilization induced by NECA in HMC-1 cells.
Exogenous thrombin delivery promotes collateral capillary arterialization and tissue reperfusion in the murine spinotrapezius muscle ischemia model.

Please cite this paper as: Bruce AC and Peirce SM. Exogenous Thrombin Delivery Promotes Collateral Capillary Arterialization and Tissue Reperfusion in the Murine Spinotrapezius Muscle Ischemia Model. Microcirculation 19: 143–154, 2012. Abstract Objective: We examined the effects of exogenously delivered thrombin on cell recruitment in skeletal muscle and the formation of new collateral arterioles in the microvasculature in response to ligation-induced ischemia. Methods: Thrombin or vehicle was locally applied to both ligated and nonoperated Balb/c spinotrapezius muscles, which were harvested after three or seven days, imaged using confocal microscopy, and analyzed. Results: Thrombin treatment resulted in accelerated arterialization of collateral capillaries and accelerated tissue reperfusion in ischemic muscles. Uninjured muscle treated with thrombin displayed increased vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 expression on arteriole and venule endothelium, increased expression of smooth muscle α-actin on capillary-sized vessels, increased infiltration by CD11b+ leukocytes, and mast cell infiltration and degranulation. Conclusions: Exogenous delivery of thrombin enhances microvascular collateral development in response to ischemic insult, and accelerates tissue reperfusion. Elicited responses from multiple cell types probably contribute to these effects.
Los Alamos Compact Toroid, Fast Liner, and High-Density Z-Pinch Programs

The Compact Toroid (CT) and High Density Z-Pinch (HDZP) are two of the plasma configurations presently being studied at Los Alamos. The purpose of these two programs, plus the recently terminated (May 1979) Fast Liner (FL) program, is summarized in this section along with a brief description of the experimental facilities. The remaining sections summarize the recent results and the experimental status.
Parasacrococcygeal approach for the resection of retrorectal developmental cysts

Congenital developmental cysts are the most common retrorectal tumors. Five adult patients, two men and three women, with congenital developmental cysts were operated on via a posterolateral approach through a parasacrococcygeal incision. All wounds healed primarily with no infection or other complications. Recurrent perianal infections and repeated anorectal operations suggest the possibility of retrorectal growths; thus diagnosis requires physician awareness. Computerized tomography is the best preoperative diagnostic test to delineate anatomy and to rule out bony involvement. Because of an infection rate of approximately 30 percent, as well as the presence of symptoms and malignancy in 8 percent of the patients, surgical excision is the treatment of choice. The authors use a posterolateral approach that provides excellent exposure and obviates the need for removal of the coccyx or transection of the sphincter muscle. The authors believe this to be the procedure of choice for excision of retrorectal cystic lesions.
Partial structures of the fungal toxin aflatrem, methyl-substituted 6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-2-ones have anticonvulsant activity

Abstract 4,7,7-Trimethyl-6,8-dioxabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-2-one was found to be an effective anticonvulsant (ED 50 = 131 mg/kg) against pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in mice. Enantioselectively was observed in the actions of the (+)- and (−)-enantiomers as anticonvulsants and as displacers of [ 35 S]-TPBS, a ligand for the picrotoxin site on GABA A receptors. The (−)-enantiomer was slightly more potent in both biological assays.
BBS4 Is Necessary for Ciliary Localization of TrkB Receptor and Activation by BDNF

Primary cilia regulate an expanding list of signaling pathways in many different cell types. It is likely that identification of the full catalog of pathways associated with cilia will be necessary to fully understand their role in regulation of signaling and the implications for diseases associated with their dysfunction, ciliopathies. Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) is one such ciliopathy which is characterized by a spectrum of phenotypes. These include neural defects such as impaired cognitive development, centrally mediated hyperphagia and peripheral sensory defects. Here we investigate potential defects in a signaling pathway associated with neuronal function, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling. Upon loss of BBS4 expression in cultured cells, we observed decreased phosphorylation and activation by BDNF of its target receptor, TrkB. Assessment of ciliary localization revealed that, TrkB localized to the axonemes or basal bodies of cilia only in the presence of BDNF. Axonemal localization, specifically, was abrogated with loss of BBS4. Finally, we present evidence that loss of the ciliary axoneme through depletion of KIF3A impedes activation of TrkB. Taken together, these data suggest the possibility of a previously uninvestigated pathway associated with perturbation of ciliary proteins.
Live Interactive Virtual Explorations at a Southern California Native American Learning Center: Case Studies and Lessons Learned

For the past decade, researchers affiliated with the National Science Foundation-funded High Performance Wireless Research and Education Network HPWREN have been working with Native American education communities on an array of Internet-enabled activities, including the Live Interactive Virtual Explorations LIVE pilot project. One of the communities involved with the pilot LIVE project is the Pala Native American Learning Center, which is located in rural San Diego County, California. This paper discusses five case studies encompassing LIVE activities between Pala tribal community members and field scientists/educators throughout southern California. Using laptops equipped with off-the-shelf accessories and freeware, the five pilot case studies demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages of utilizing the LIVE concept for real-time distance education programs at rural Native American communities.
Spectrum and Cross Spectrum Analysis of Hemispheric Westerly Index

The following tentative conclusions are drawn from the results of cross spectrum analysis applied to the hemispheric 500-mb zonal index at latitudes of 25° N, 40° N, and 60° N. 1 Most of the variations of the indices at 40° N and 60° N are produced by oscillations with periods of the order of 25 days. This result is obtained from two independent samples of data, each at least 2 1/2 years in length. At latitude 25° N, longer periods seem to be predominant. High-frequency fluctuations with periods of the order of five days may also be important, but have been filtered out by the analysis. 2 The indices at latitudes 60° N and 40° N are correlated negatively. Most of this correlation is again contributed by oscillations with a period of the order of 25 days. The correlation between latitudes 25° N and 40° N is also negative, but so small as to be hardly significant. Again, both sets of observations agree fairly well in furnishing these results. 3 There is an indication of a slight lag of the long-period variation of index at latitude 40° N behind that at 60° N. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1957.tb01873.x
Study of the chemistry of ortho- and para-biphenylnitrenes by laser flash photolysis and time-resolved IR experiments and by B3LYP and CASPT2 calculations.

The photochemistry of ortho-biphenyl azide (1a) has been studied by laser flash photolysis (LFP), with UV−vis and IR detection of the transient intermediates formed. LFP (266 nm) of 1a in glassy 3-methylpentane at 77 K releases singlet ortho-biphenylnitrene (1b) (λmax = 410 nm, τ = 59 ± 6 ns), which under these conditions decays cleanly to the lower energy triplet state. In fluid solution at 298 K, 1b rapidly (τ < 10 ns) partitions between formation of isocarbazole (4) (λmax = 430 nm, τ = 70 ns) and benzazirine (1e) (λmax = 305 nm, τ = 12 ns). Isocarbazole 4 undergoes a 1,5-hydrogen shift, with kH/kD = 3.4 at 298 K to form carbazole 9 and smaller amounts of two other isocarbazoles (7 and 8). Benzazirine 1e ring-opens reversibly to azacycloheptatetraene (1f), which serves as a reservoir for singlet nitrene 1b. Azacycloheptatetraene 1f ultimately forms carbazole 9 on the millisecond time scale by the pathway 1f → 1e → 1b → 4 → 9. The energies of the transient intermediates and of the transition structures c...
Graft irradiation abrogates graft-versus-host disease in combined pancreas-spleen transplantation.

Abstract A model of combined pancreas-spleen transplantation (PST) was studied in LBN F 1 recipients of Lewis grafts in order to evaluate the efficacy of pretransplant graft irradiation in preventing lethal graftversus-host disease (GVHD). Recipients of unmodified PST uniformly developed severe GVHD and died (MST = 16.7 ± 3.8 days). Whole body donor irradiation with either 500 or 250 rad prevented lethal GVHD. Similarly, ex vivo graft irradiation with either 1000 or 500 rad also resulted in normal weight gain, graft function, and host survival for the 6-week study period. Conversely, delay of graft irradiation until 3 days after transplantation failed to prevent this complication (MST = 15.8 ± 3.7 days). Recipients of irradiated grafts displayed glucose tolerance tests that were identical to those in the control group indicating that the doses of radiation employed in these experiments were not deleterious to islet function. Irradiated spleen grafts appeared histologically normal at 6 weeks after transplantation. Cells derived from these grafts failed to stimulate lymph node enlargement in a popliteal lymph node assay for GVHD, suggesting that these spleens may have become repopulated with host cells. These experiments confirm that PST has the potential to cause lethal GVHD and suggest that pretransplant graft irradiation may be used to prevent its occurrence.
Analytical evaluation of maximum cover limits for thermoplastic pipes used in highway construction

The objective of this analytical study was to evaluate the maximum burial depths (cover) allowed for highway construction using thermoplastic pipes. Most state highway agencies have used thermoplastic pipes extensively for side drain applications over the past several decades. Recently, with the advent of thermoplastic pipe products up to 1.5 m (60 in.) in diameter, states have also begun allowing limited use of thermoplastic pipes under roadways (cross drain applications). However, there has been little rigorous analytical research into the maximum cover limitations needed for thermoplastic pipes in highway construction, and full-scale testing that simulates actual field conditions is costly and difficult. Furthermore, the maximum cover limits specified by the 38 state departments of transportation who responded to a 2006 survey given by the Arizona Department of Transportation vary greatly and are typically more conservative than those recommended by industry guidelines. These many disparities and chall...
Hemodynamic measurements in unanesthetized calves.

Abstract Fourteen 3-month-old calves weighing from 90 to 100.5 kg. were studied hemodynamically while in the standing resting state. Measurements were made of left ventricular (implanted transducer) and arterial pressure (catheter), aortic flow (electromagnetic probe), and the electrocardiogram. The following average results were found: left ventricular pressure (134/9 mm. Hg); arterial pressure (134/94 mm. Hg); and heart rate (101 beats/min.). From this basic data several derivations were made. These include (with their average values): Stroke volume (84 cc.) and stroke index (40 cc./m.2); (2) cardiac output (8.4 liters/min.) and cardiac index (3.9 liters/min./m.2); (3) maximum rate of pressure rise (1719 mm. Hg/sec.); (4) mean ejection rate (380 cc./sec.); and (5) stroke work (130 gm.-m) and stroke power (588 gm.-m/sec.). Various systolic and diastolic time intervals were also measured, regression equations derived, and the resultant regression lines plotted against heart rate. These included: electromechanical systole (QS2); left ventricular ejection period (LVET); the preejection period (PEP); diastole (D); and the ratio of systole to diastole (QS2/D). The results suggest that the hemodynamic resemblance to man is indeed very close. In addition, the calibration, performance, and utilization of an implantable ventricular pressure transducer is discussed. The data provide useful information for the utilization and evaluation of circulatory and cardiac assist devices in the calf.
Memory of early maltreatment: neonatal behavioral and neural correlates of maternal maltreatment within the context of classical conditioning.

Background While children form an attachment to their abusive caregiver, they are susceptible to mental illness and brain abnormalities. To understand this important clinical issue, we have developed a rat animal model of abusive attachment where odor paired with shock paradoxically produces an odor preference. Here, we extend this model to a seminaturalistic paradigm using a stressed, "abusive" mother during an odor presentation and assess the underlying learning neural circuit. Methods We used a classical conditioning paradigm pairing a novel odor with a stressed mother that predominantly abused pups to assess olfactory learning in a seminaturalistic environment. Additionally, we used Fos protein immunohistochemistry to assess brain areas involved in learning this pain-induced odor preference within a more controlled maltreatment environment (odor-shock conditioning). Results Odor-maternal maltreatment pairings within a seminatural setting and odor-shock pairings both resulted in paradoxical odor preferences. Learning-induced gene expression was altered in the olfactory bulb and anterior piriform cortex (part of olfactory cortex) but not the amygdala. Conclusions Infants appear to use a unique brain circuit that optimizes learned odor preferences necessary for attachment. A fuller understanding of infant brain function may provide insight into why early maltreatment affects psychiatric well-being.
Political Scientists' Journal Evaluations Revisited

Refereed journals are a principal means of communication within the scholarly community. Accordingly, publication in refereed journals is taken as a sino quo non for success within the discipline. Tenure and promotion decisions and salary increases are influenced by the number of articles which a professor has published and the importance of the journals in their work has appeared. While more objective means have been suggested (Christenson and Sigelman, 1985), subjective judgments of the quality of journals is the most commonly employed indicator of their importance. Over a decade ago PS published a study which examined political scientists' subjective evaluations of sixty-three social science journals (Giles and Wright, 1975). Given the passage of time and the introduction of many new journals, it is appropriate to re-examine those evaluations. Of the sixty-three journals examined by Giles and Wright, fifty-six remain in print and are included in this study. An additional twenty-two journals are also examined, bringing the total to seventy-eight The additional journals allow for the representation of journals established since the earlier study (e.g., Legislative Studies Quarterly) and for greater representation of comparative journals with specific regional foci (e.g., China Quarterly and Soviet Studies). Data for the study were gathered from questionnaires mailed during the summer of 1988 to a sample of 550 polit ical scientists. This sample was drawn randomly from the faculty listed in the 1986 APSA Guide to Graduate Study. Usable questionnaires were received from 215 respondents for a return rate of approximately 40%. Respondents were asked to evaluate the journals presented alphabetically. Additional space was provided for rating journals not included on the list.
The role of surface heat fluxes in tropical intraseasonal oscillations

The tropics sustain strong, coherent variations in wind and precipitation on the intraseasonal (30–60 day) timescale. In their active phases, these intraseasonal oscillations are characterized by the slow eastward movement of stronger-than-average precipitation and westerly winds. In northern summer, rainfall and wind anomalies also propagate northward on the intraseasonal timescale over India, southeast and east Asia and the adjacent oceans, pacing the active and break cycles of the monsoons and thus exerting a direct control on the livelihoods of large populations dependent on rain-fed agriculture. We argue that heat fluxes from ocean to atmosphere play a fundamental role in driving the intraseasonal oscillations. We also propose that the current generation of numerical models may enable us to test this and other hypotheses about the dynamics of intraseasonal oscillations more convincingly than has been done in the past. The tropics sustain strong coherent variations in wind and precipitation on intraseasonal timescales of 30–60 days. These variations pace the active and break cycles of the monsoons, exerting a direct control on the livelihoods of large populations dependent on rain-fed agriculture. Emerging evidence suggests that heat fluxes from ocean to atmosphere play a fundamental role in driving these intraseasonal oscillations.
Meeting locations and discrimination

I read with interest the summary of actions of the Council of the Union in the August 1978 EOS. Item 5 is particularly noteworthy because it means that no future Union-related meetings of any kind will be held in premises which discriminate on the basis of race, political philosophy, or sex. I fail to see, however, why this resolution put forward by the Subcommittee on Women in Geophysics was so ‘overwhelmingly adopted by the Council,’ as it leaves wide open the possibility that such meetings can be held in places which discriminate on the basis of religion. I trust this omission was unintentional, presumably caused by the Council's haste to satiate the Subcommittee on Women. I urge the Council to rectify this unfortunate oversight by amending the resolution at the earliest possible opportunity.
ELASTIC SCATTERING OF 3HE FROM 12C FROM 18 TO 24 MEV

Abstract Angular distributions of 3 He nuclei elastically scattered from 12 C were taken at 3 He beam energies of 18.6, 20.0, 22.2 and 23.9 MeV and analysed with a six-parameter local optical-model potential having either volume or surface absorption terms. It was not possible to account well for the data over the full angular range examined, but several sets of parameters which produced good predictions to the 20.0, 22.2 and 23.9 MeV data at forward angles were obtained by restricting the analyses to c.m. angles less than 85°. The real well depths of these parameter sets appeared to cluster around mean values of 75, 130 and 210 MeV. No substantial distinction seems evident in the quality of the fits between the volume and surface type analyses, but perhaps more consistent sets of real well depths were obtained in the surface case. The quality of the fits to the data appeared to improve with higher bombarding energy.
Field testing of an optical correlator-based tracking and pointing system

A mobile optical test facility (MOTF) has been constructed for field testing optical pattern recognition systems. Currently a VanderLugt correlator is used to detect and track targets of interest. A nonlinearity in position of the correlation signal with respect to the location of the target has been detected and explained in terms of fundamental optics. This nonlinearity is present in any VanderLugt system and ultimately limits the tracking accuracy. A miniature optical correlator, mounted on gimbals, has demonstrated the ability to use correlation signal motion as a feedback to maintain accurate pointing of the sensor. Noise rejection and false correlations are characteristically not a problem for VanderLugt optical correlators, and targets occupying about one percent of the field of view have produced correlation signals well above background levels. A different correlator architecture, commonly referred to as the joint transform geometry, is being investigated in the laboratory while field testing of the VanderLugt correlators progresses. This arrangement does not require matched filters made in advance, but may not provide the required signal to noise when the target is surrounded by clutter. The ultimate goal of this research is to test the direction, pointing and tracking abilities of several optical correlators, all located in the MOTF , against a common target in the presence of background clutter.
Evaluation of an automated computer-aided diagnosis system for the detection of masses on prior mammograms

We have developed a computer algorithm to detect breast masses on digitized mammograms. In this study, we analyze the performance of the trained algorithm with independent, clinical mammograms to assess its potential as an aid to the radiologist in mammographic interpretation. A digitized mammogram is processed with an adaptive enhancement filter followed by region growing to detect significant breast structures. Morphological and texture features are then extracted from each of the detected structures and used to identify potential breast masses. In the current study, we evaluated the performance of the algorithm with independent sets of 92 prior mammograms (films acquired 1 to 4 years prior to biopsy) and 260 preoperative mammograms from 123 patients. The computer algorithm had a 'by-film' mass detection sensitivity of 51% with 2.3 FPs/image when applied to the prior mammograms including the detection of 57% of the malignant masses. When applied to the set of preoperative mammograms, the algorithm identified 73% of the masses with 2.2 FPs/image and had a malignant mass detection sensitivity of 83%. The 'by-case' sensitivity was 67% (74% for malignant masses) and 85% (92% for malignant masses) for the prior and preoperative mammograms, respectively. This study indicates that the computer algorithm may be useful as a second reader in the clinical interpretation of mammograms because it has the ability to detect masses in both preoperative and prior mammograms.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Delivery sciences in nutrition

Although we continue to gain knowledge on what works bio logic ally to improve nutrition, much less is known about the issues that determine the eff ective ness of large-scale pro gramming and the strategic actions needed to build political com mitment. We strongly reiterate Geert Tom Heikens and colleagues’ state ment of the need to “enter the realm of eff ectiveness and operational research” (Jan 19, p 181). Reducing malnutrition requires an ex panded research agenda of “delivery science” to understand implementation and cost eff ective ness at scale. For example, although much is known about the effi cacy of vitamin A supplementation, little fi nancing or re search has focused on optimising delivery: a capsule costs only US$0·02, but the delivery still costs 25–75-fold more per child. Even less is known about the optimum delivery of infant feeding interventions within various health systems contexts. Where effi cacious inter ventions are introduced at scale, the limited commitment and in sti tutional capacities at national levels to deliver, manage, and assess these pro grammes has posed a serious obstacle to achieving results. Inadequate capacities are traced largely to the vicious cycle of absence of explicit training in these competencies in leading universities, absence of research on the delivery sciences including operational research, lack of or poor-quality assessments, scarce funding for delivery research, and the reluctance of journals to publish it. Thus, only 3% of health research goes into improving the delivery sciences—the rest goes to developing technologies, even though better delivery alone would save 62·5% of child deaths and improved technology at present delivery levels could save only 22%. Journals such as The Lancet have a role to play in strengthening delivery science. We know a lot about what to do; we know much less about how to do it, and how to do it at scale in the countries where it is needed most. We urge The Lancet to give its support to breaking this vicious cycle of neglect through a conscious eff ort to publish and recognise such essential research.
The Life Cycle and Morphology of the Apostomatous Ciliate, Hyalophysa chattoni n. g., n. sp.*

SYNOPSIS. A new apostome ciliate was discovered in collections at Friday Harbor, Washington and the San Francisco area. All stages of the life cycle were studied in both living and stained condition. Dormant encysted stages (phoronts) occur on the gills of Pagurus hirsutiusculus. Excystation occurs in synchrony with the molting of the host yielding the trophic stage (trophont), which feeds on the exuvial fluids trapped in the crab's cast-off exoskeleton. The trophont becomes greatly enlarged as a result of feeding, and the cytoplasm and organelles become compressed into a thin cortical layer. Each fully grown trophont encysts (becoming a tomont) as a prelude to repeated binary fission, which results in the release of actively motile offspring (tomites). These disperse and promptly resume the encysted phoront stage on the host's gills. The Chatton-Lwoff silver impregnation method revealed that all stages of the life cycle have nine somatic kineties. In the trophont stage they are accompanied by an anterior ventral field of scattered clumps of kinetosomes. During conjugation the partners attach by their ventral surfaces between kineties 1 and 9 and at the left of the ventral field. The tomite stage was stained with Protargol. In addition to the characteristic features of the foettingeriid tomite also revealed by the Chatton-Lwoff method, Protargol revealed the following heretofore undescribed morphological features: a short row of kinetosomes immediately anterior to the ogival field; a line paralleling the left margin of the field; the continuity of kinety 8 with falciform field 8; the entrance of kinety 9 into the mouth and its ending against the rosette (an enigmatic organelle characteristic of Foettingeriinae). Feulgen stains showed that the chromatin in the macronucleus is dispersed in aggregates whose size and number vary with the stage of the life cycle. The major period of chromatin synthesis appears to be during the early tomont stage, when Feulgen-positive material increases visibly in amount and intensity of staining. This apostome ciliate was characterized as a new genus on the basis of the infraciliature of the trophont stage, its conjugation with ventral surfaces appressed, and its life cycle. It is named Hyalophysa (hyalo = glassy, physa = bubble) chattoni.
A comparison of two angular dependent ESCA algorithms useful for constructing depth profiles of surfaces

Abstract Two approaches for developing composition/depth profiles were examined and compared. Model A, a technique previously presented by R.W. Paynter (1981), uses an iterative method to match calculated relative ESCA intensities with experimental data. Model B, a new approach which incorporates ideas from inverse theory, applies a linear approximation of the delta function to represent the intensity attenuation function in order to create a set of linear functions. This set is solved by matrix inversion to yield a smoothed depth profile from angular dependent ESCA data. Each model was tested with real and simulated ESCA data from radio-frequency (RF) plasma-poly-merized perfluoropropane coatings on quartz and polyurethane coatings on glass. Both models are restricted by certain assumptions, yet each offers advantages. A method combining both models is presented as the best approach for efficiently generating nondestructive depth profiles. Overlayer thicknesses obtained by using these models were found to be in reasonable agreement with results from other thickness determination methods.
Single Fetal Demise in a Twin Gestation: Umbilical Vein Thrombosis

Background: Single fetal demise in a twin pregnancy is a rare event, the common causes being twin-twin transfusion syndrome, chromosomal or congenital anomalies and abnormalities of
Comparison of Amlodipine and Long-Acting Diltiazem in the Treatment of Mild or Moderate Hypertension

The comparative effects of the once a day calcium channel antagonists amlodipine and long-acting diltiazem were assessed in a parallel design, investigator-blinded, multicenter trial in 123 patients with diastolic blood pressures ranging from 95 to 114 mm Hg before treatment. Patients were randomized to one of the two drugs and titrated at 2-week intervals to 5 or 10 mg of amlodipine or 180, 240, or 360 mg of long-acting diltiazem during a 10-week treatment period. Both drugs significantly reduced resting, sitting, standing, and 24-h ambulatory systolic and diastolic pressures. Amlodipine caused significantly greater reductions in sitting and standing systolic pressures, standing diastolic pressures, and 24-h ambulatory systolic and diastolic pressures versus diltiazem. Sitting systolic pressures were reduced from 151.9 +/- 2.0 (SE) at baseline to 137.9 +/- 1.8 mm Hg with amlodipine treatment and from 149.0 +/- 2.1 to 145.1 +/- 2.5 mm Hg with diltiazem. Sitting diastolic pressures were reduced from 100.2 +/- 0.6 to 87.8 +/- 1.0 mm Hg with amlodipine and from 101.1 +/- 1.0 to 91.9 +/- 1.1 mm Hg with diltiazem. Reductions in standing systolic pressures after treatment were -12.1 +/- 1.5 mm Hg amlodipine v -4.6 +/- 1.5 mm Hg diltiazem (P < .01), and reductions in standing diastolic pressures were -11.8 +/- 0.9 mm Hg amlodipine v -8.6 +/- 0.9 mm Hg diltiazem (P < .02). Heart rates did not change significantly with either drug during the study. Two subjects in each group dropped out because of adverse experiences. Although both agents were well tolerated and reduced blood pressures consistently over the 10-week test period, amlodipine was more effective than diltiazem in reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressures to the target pressures of < 140 mm Hg systolic and < 90 mm Hg diastolic over a range of doses widely used in clinical practice.
A 10,000 hour endurance test of a 700 series 30 cm engineering model thruster

This paper describes a 10,000 hour test of the first engineering model of the 30-cm ion thruster which is expected to form the basis of future prime propulsion systems. This test demonstrated the lifetime capability of such critical components as cathodes, vaporizers, isolators, and optics. The results of the test are described including the conclusions derived from an extensive post-test analysis of the thruster. This test did identify a major life limiting problem - discharge chamber erosion. The modifications which have been incorporated in the 900 series 30-cm ion thrusters to minimize this problem are described.
In vitro assessment of human nuclear hormone receptor activity and cytotoxicity of the flame retardant mixture FM 550 and its triarylphosphate and brominated components

Firemaster(®) 550 (FM 550) is a mixture of brominated and triarylphosphate flame retardants used in polyurethane foam-based products. The primary components are also used in numerous other applications and are thus common household and industrial contaminants. Our previous animal studies suggested that FM 550 exposure may alter metabolism and cause weight gain. Employing human nuclear receptor (NR) luciferase reporter assays, the goal of this study was to evaluate the agonist actions of FM 550 and its constituent compounds at NRs with known roles in establishing or regulating energy balance. FM 550 was found to have significant agonist activity only at the master regulator of adipocyte differentiation PPARγ. As a result, the concentration response relationships and relative activities of FM 550 at PPARγ were investigated in more detail with the contribution of each chemical component defined and compared to the activities of the prototypical PPARγ environmental ligands triphenyltin and tributyltin. The resulting data indicated that the primary metabolic disruptive effects of FM 550 were likely mediated by the activity of the triarylphosphates at PPARγ, and have identified TPP as a candidate metabolic disruptor that also acts as a cytotoxicant.
K -electron capture probabilities in the decays of Gd 151 and Dy 159

TheK-electron capture probability,PK, in the allowed and non-unique first-forbidden transitions is measured by observing coincidences betweenK x rays and γ rays. The following results are obtained. In Gd151 decayPK to the 349.8 keV level is 0.713 ± 0.015 andPK to the 307.4 keV level is 0.813 ± 0.020. It is also deduced that the decay energyQEC is 491−9+14 keV and the spin of the 307.4 keV level is 7/2. In Dy159 decayPK to the 58.0 keV level is found to be 0.803 ± 0.032.
Two-dimensional quantum dots in high magnetic fields: Rotating-electron-molecule versus composite-fermion approach

Exact diagonalization results are reported for the lowest rotational band of $N=6$ electrons in strong magnetic fields in the range of high angular momenta, $70l~Ll~140$ (covering the corresponding range of fractional filling factors, $1/5g~\ensuremath{\nu}g~1/9).$ A detailed comparison of energetic, spectral, and transport properties (specifically, magic angular momenta, radial electron densities, occupation number distributions, overlaps and total energies, and exponents of current-voltage power law) shows that the recently discovered rotating-electron-molecule wave functions [Phys. Rev. B 66, 115315 (2002)] provide a superior description compared to the composite-fermion\char21{}Jastrow-Laughlin ones.
Experiments on the space and wavelength dependence of speckle

A comprehensive series of speckle experiments is described for opal glass diffusers ranging in thickness from 10 to 500 μm. Wavelength decorrelation measurements are made using a cw dye laser source; and accurate square-law detection is provided by the use of an optic-fiber, photomultiplier combination rather than film. For this diffuser set intensity distribution functions, polarized and unpolarized, are plotted. Second-order correlation functions are presented for different apertures, relating diffuser motion and probe motion. Remote texture determination using contrast ratio and frequency decorrelation is illustrated.
Theory of the magneto-reflection caused by U centers for the faraday configuration

Abstract Calculations of the Faraday rotation and ellipticity of the reflected beam have been made for plane polarised infrared radiation normally incident on alkali halides containing U centers. The predicted maximum reflection coefficients, Faraday rotations and ellipticities are such that these should be experimentally observable.
A d-glucosylated form of dextransucrase: Preparation and characteristics

Abstract Dextransucrase was treated with [ 14 C]sucrose, and the product applied to gel-permeation columns. In the absence of the detergents SDS and Triton X-100, poor recovery of enzyme was observed; however, that enzyme which was recovered was labeled. In the presence of detergents, recovery was increased, but the material appeared to be a large aggregate (mol. wt. >5 × 10 6 ). In addition, the ratio of d -glucose to enzyme suggested that a polymer had been formed. Disc-gel electrophoresis in the presence of a mixture of SDS and Triton X-100 showed similar results, and indicated that the aggregate was disrupted upon treatment with dextranase. Native enzyme that had been immobilized on hydroxylapatite could also be labeled with [ 14 C]sucrose, and the labeling followed saturation kinetics. The labeled protein could be released from the gel with 8 m urea, but was aggregated. Radioactive sugars, free from protein, could be released by heating the labeled enzyme. The sugars released consisted of a mixture of d -glucose with oligosaccharides having an average chain-length of 17 d -glucosyl residues. The significance of these observations is discussed.