cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethnicity and marginality effects on casino gambling behavior

This study examines the marginality and ethnicity dynamics in the context of differences in gambling behavior between the black and white residents of a mid-western state in the USA. Striking similarities between the many socio-demographic characteristics of black and white populations are noted. The results indicate combined influences of marginality and ethnicity on selected dimensions of gambling behavior, such as travel and spending. The study suggests that ethnicity plays a significant role in determining some aspects of leisure behavior, such as largest amount lost and total trip expenditures, and distance traveled (one way) to the most frequented casino regardless of social class. Further, marginality variations in gambling behavior, such as total trip expenditures and distance traveled, are noted.
Is it malingering, or is it 'real'? Eight signs that point to nonorganic back pain.

PREVIEWHave you ever become frustrated while caring for patients who present with a confusing array of musculoskeletal complaints and other signs of illness? When routine evaluation does not suggest a diagnosis and you begin to suspect it's “all in their head,” how do you identify the underlying cause? And what is the best tack to take when dealing with such patients? Thanks to research by Waddell and colleagues, there is a way to distinguish between physical and behavioral causes. Drs Kiester and Duke explain the eight Waddell signs for identifying nonorganic back pain and offer a practical approach to patient management.
Fast track finding using radially pointing scintillating fibers

A detector layout using O(cm) long, radially pointing, scintillating fibers at large radius is investigated. Such a geometry allows discrimination between high and low pT particles based on their angle of incidence and because high pT particles deposit large ionization in one fiber, while low pT particles deposit small ionization in many fibers. A pixelated array of these fibers provides a phi-z projection of particle trajectories, from which the track parameters can be calculated. The simulated track parameter resolutions are presented, and some of the unique detector and electronics issues associated with such a design are discussed.
Synergistic interactions between cytokines and AVP at the blood-CSF barrier result in increased chemokine production and augmented influx of leukocytes after brain injury.

Several lines of evidence indicate that the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB), which primarily resides in the choroid plexus (CP), plays a significant pathophysiological role not only in neuroinflammatory diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, but also in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Here we investigated how arginine vasopressin (AVP) regulates function of the BCSFB in the context of post-traumatic neuroinflammation. It has previously been shown that AVP exacerbates various forms of brain injury, but the mechanisms underlying this AVP action are poorly understood. Type 1A AVP receptor is highly expressed on the CP epithelium and the CP synthesizes AVP. Using the controlled cortical impact model of TBI, we demonstrated decreased post-traumatic production of proinflammatory mediators by the CP and reduced influx of inflammatory cells across the BCSFB in AVP-deficient Brattleboro rats when compared with Long-Evans rats, a parental strain for Brattleboro rats. Arginine vasopressin was also found to play an important role in post-traumatic activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the CP. In the CP epithelial cell cultures, AVP augmented the tumor necrosis factor-α– and interleukin-1β–dependent increase in synthesis of proinflammatory mediators, including neutrophil chemoattractants, an action largely dependent on the JNK signaling pathway. Under in vivo conditions, a selective JNK inhibitor decreased the post-traumatic production of neutrophil chemoattractants by the CP and reduced the influx of neutrophils across the BCSFB. These results provide evidence for the synergistic interactions between proinflammatory cytokines and AVP, a ligand for G protein-coupled receptors, and support a pathophysiological role of AVP in post-traumatic neuroinflammation.
Pathogenesis of four-layered microgyric cortex in man.

Microgyria (polygria, polymicrogyria) has stimulated continued interest since its first description by Meschede [28]. Based on analysis of case material, available staining techniques, and known principles of human cortical development, subsequent investigators have proposed numerous theories to explain its pathogenesis. We have studied a case which cannot be fully explained by these previously proposed theories. In this case, four-layered microgyria is present bilaterally in middle cerebral artery distribution, but in one hemisphere, in the center of the malformed area, the deep acellular and cellular layers are replaced by radially aligned neurons extending ectopically into prospective white matter. Analysis of the findings in this case provide evidence that the recently described pathogenetic mechanism observed in a rat model of this malformation [15, 16] is applicable to its formation in man.
A VLSI Centroid Extractor For Real-Time Target Tracking Applications

The Automatic Centroid Extractor (ACE) is a CMOS VLSI chip that per-forms target extraction and centroiding functions for an extensible real-time target tracking system. Contiguous pixels whose intensities exceed a given threshold are grouped into separate objects, and three weighted sums of pixel intensities that can rapidly be converted to the target centroid and average intensity are calculated for each object. Proper assignment of contiguous pixels to their respective objects is guaranteed for all convex shapes and most concave shapes. Data for a NxM pixel image is processed in raster scan format with a maximum value of 1024 for N and M. ACE can process in excess of 500 objects per frame and accepts input at up to 20 Megapixels per second. To increase the flexibility of the chip, arbitrary circular regions of the image can be masked so that they do not enter the target extraction process. This allows any set of fixed targets to be ignored if they are not of interest. The chip is a full custom design containing approximately 200,000 transistors and is being fabricated using Hewlett Packard's CMOS40 process. The ACE chip interfaces directly to the Inmos Transputer over a serial link. The communication link is used to select the threshold and to specify the circular regions of the image that will be masked, as well as to transfer target centroids and status information.
Laser Transmission Welding of Semi-Crystalline Thermoplastics—Part I: Optical Characterization of Nylon Based Plastics

Optimization of welding for thermoplastic parts strongly depends on the material properties, part design, as well as the welding operating technology conditions. Laser transmission welding requires...
School-University Partnerships: Re-Envisioning Music Teacher Education: Foreword

With teacher accountability at the heart of the current wave of educational reform, and the persistent attempts of policymakers to tie compensation and job stability to the results of high-stakes t...
DNA melting in the presence of fluorescent intercalating oxazole yellow dyes measured with a gel-based assay

We measured the effect of the intercalating oxazole yellow DNA dye quinolinium,4-[(3-methyl-2(3H)-benzoxazolylidene)methyl]-1-[3-(trimethylammonio)propyl]-,diiodide (YO-PRO) and its homodimer (YOYO) on the melting of self-complementary DNA duplexes using a gel-based assay. The assay, which requires a self-complementary DNA sequence, is independent of the optical properties of the molecules in solution. The melting temperature of the DNA is observed to increase in direct proportion to the number of occupied intercalation sites on the DNA, irrespective of whether the dye molecules are in monomer or dimer form. The increase is approximately 2.5 degrees C for each intercalation site occupied in the presence of 38 mM [Na(+)], for dye/duplex ratios in which less than 1/5 of the available intercalation sites are occupied.
Intensive outpatient treatment of persons with mental retardation and psychiatric disorder : A preliminary study

Abstract The impact of intensive outpatient mental health interventions (in a dual diagnosis clinic) on the hospitalization rate and length of stay was examined for 28 adults with mental retardation and severe psychiatric disorder. They were selected on the basis of frequent use of mental, medical, and social services. Charts were reviewed for the 12-month periods before and after referral to the program to compare service utilization. A single group pretest-posttest design with no control group was employed. Correlated t tests comparing the pre- and postprogram number of hospitalizations and lengths of stay indicated significant decreases in both hospitalizations and lengths of stay after program entry, which may result in significant reductions in hospital costs.
The Role of Social Cognition in the Religious Fundamentalism‐Prejudice Relationship

The study examines the indirect effects of religious fundamentalism on prejudice through cognitive style and fear of invalidity. Undergraduates (n= 199) completed measures of religious fundamentalism, homophobia, modern racism, hostile and benevolent sexism, need for cognition, need for structure, preference for consistency, and fear of invalidity. Need for cognition partially mediated the relationship between religious fundamentalism and both homophobia and benevolent sexism. Preference for consistency partially mediated the relationship between religious fundamentalism and hostile sexism. The indirect effect of religious fundamentalism on modern racism through preference for consistency approached statistical significance. The interaction between need for structure and fear of invalidity partially mediated the relationship between religious fundamentalism and both homophobia and hostile sexism, with individuals high in need for structure and low in fear of invalidity having higher religious fundamentalism and prejudice.
Status Characteristics and Performance: An Assessment of their Effects on Acceptance of Influence

According to the theory of status characteristics, both status characteristics and performance information are combined to arrive at a single evaluation of the group member (combining). In this paper, an alternative formulation is proposed which maintains that status charac- teristics are used as a means of forming evaluations of group members only when members do not have access to performance information. When such information is available, it is used in arriving at an evaluation for the person (balancing). Empirical assessment of these positions indicates that combining occurs when status characteristics and performance information are consistent and that balancing occurs when status characteristics and performance information are inconsistent. Implications for the empirical scope of the theory of status characteristics are considered.
Xanthine oxidase in pair-fed rats on diets marginally deficient in lysine.

SummaryWeanling rats maintained on diets marginally deficient in lysine appear to exhibit a defect in the ability to synthesize xanthine oxidase. These findings give further support to the importance of dietary lysine for xanthine oxidase activity.
Haploids from Cultivated Alfalfa, Medicago sativa L.

HAPLOIDS are valuable for new approaches to genetic, cytogenetic and breeding research in plants such as cultivated alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., which behave as auto-tetraploids. Their use is limited in this species, however, by the lack of a technique for their isolation; only three haploids have been reported1–3. Recently, we isolated eight haploids (2n = 2x = 16) from cultivated alfalfa (2n = 4x = 32) among the progeny of 4x−2x crosses, designed to facilitate the detection of haploids. Thus 4x−2x crosses provide a simple and effective method of obtaining alfalfa haploids.
Carbon dioxide-water phase equilibria results from the Wong-Sandler combining rules

Abstract A model based upon the Peng-Robinson equation of state with the Wong-Sandler mixture combining rule (W-S MCR) can correlate phase equilibria in CO 2 + H 2 O. The W-S MCR requires two energy parameters for liquid behavior and one interaction parameter for gas behavior, k ij . In this paper, we present expressions for the energy parameters which cover a wide temperature range, and we use a new procedure to obtain k ij by relating it to experimental cross second virial coefficients, B ij . The three-phase pressures calculated for this system using our proposed model agree with the experimental data within a fraction of 1 bar. The correlated phase behavior of CO 2 + H 2 O appears to be accurate over the ranges 1 – 1000 bar and 298.15–623.15 K. The proposed model also confirms the advantage of using the W-S MCR for phase equilibrium calculations.
Territoriality, morality, and international law: Thoughts on Hendrix's ‘moral theory of state territory’

(2001). Territoriality, morality, and international law: Thoughts on Hendrix's ‘moral theory of state territory’. Geopolitics: Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 163-168.
Supported Au-Pt catalysts. Characterization and hydrogen transfer activity between benzene and cyclohexane

Two series of AuPt catalysts supported on SiO2 were prepared by the incipient wetness method. In one series the total amount of metal (Au + Pt) was kept constant at about 0.7 wt% (Series A), while in a second series the amount of Pt was kept constant at about 0.7 wt% (Series B). In the latter the total amount of metal ranged between 1.03 to 6.13 wt%. The two series were characterized by H2 and O2 chemisorption, wide-angle X-ray scattering, and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. There was indication of the presence of mixed AuPt particles as well as of particles containing Au only. In depth compositional profile of Series B showed homogeneous composition extending to at least about 12 A below the surface, while in Series A compositional inhomogeneities were found. The rate of the carbon-14 equilibration between benzene and cychohexane and the rate of equilibration between H2 and D2 were measured on both catalyst series in a flow system at a total pressure of 1 atm. For the carbon-14 equilibration reaction the temperature was 205 °C, contact time in the range of 10 to 30 sec. The influence of the ratio cyclohexane to benzene on the reaction rate was recorded. For the deuterium equilibration the temperature was −78 °C and a ratio of pD2pH2 = 1 was employed. The rate of the carbon-14 equilibration was found to be independent of surface composition of the AuPt particles for Series A, while for Series B the rate increased upon addition of Au to Pt. Differences in rate up to about one order of magnitude were observed between catalysts from Series A and B possessing a similar overall AuPt ratio. No difference in the rate of deuterium equilibration was found between Series A and Series B catalysts. The kinetic behavior of Series B is discussed, and suggestions of the nature of the AuPt interaction, responsible for the enhancement of the reactivity of Pt, are advanced. The concept of reaction sensitivity to surface structure is viewed as a dynamic factor which includes the position of the reaction steady state and the corresponding degree of reaction conversion. Consequently, a reaction may be sensitive or insensitive to the surface structure depending upon its conversion.
Monitoring of Cerebral Vasodilatory Capacity With Transcranial Doppler Carbon Dioxide Inhalation in Patients With Severe Carotid Artery Disease

Background and Purpose— Cerebral vasodilatory capacity (CVC) testing with transcranial Doppler has been shown to be useful in the assessment of stroke risk in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis and occlusion, but whether hemodynamic status improves, deteriorates, or remains the same over time is uncertain. Methods— Thirty-five patients with ≥80% carotid artery stenosis or complete occlusion underwent CVC testing at baseline and 6 months later. CVC was assessed by measuring the increase in ipsilateral middle cerebral artery mean flow velocity in response to 5% inhaled CO2. Continuous tracings of left and right middle cerebral artery flow velocity, heart rate, respiratory rate, and Pco2 were recorded and then analyzed offline. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare baseline CVC in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with control subjects. A paired t test was used to compare CVC before and after revascularization. Also, χ2 analysis was used to compar...
Bit-based SNR insensitive early stopping for turbo decoding

A simple yet effective bit-based early stopping technique by monitoring the evolution of log-likelihood ratio is proposed for turbo decoding. This method is insensitive to channel signal-to-noise ratio and coding settings, and hence eliminates the need of finding various threshold values in most existing early stopping techniques.
High bandwidth, low latency, burst-mode optical interconnect for high performance computing systems

High performance computing systems (HPCS) require increased memory access bandwidth and reduced latency to solve difficult computing problems. High speed optical burst switched interconnection technologies are being developed which promise increased bandwidth and scalability, lower power and lower cost than conventional electrically mediated interconnection in scaled systems. This paper addresses the context of development for these platforms and highlights recent developments.
Pregnancy outcomes following systemic prenatal acyclovir exposure: Conclusions from the international acyclovir pregnancy registry, 1984-1999.

BACKGROUND Oral acyclovir is commonly used for genital herpes and other herpesvirus infections. Data on potential fetal risk are extremely limited. From 1984 to 1998, the Acyclovir in Pregnancy Registry monitored birth outcomes of women exposed to oral or intravenous acyclovir during pregnancy. This report describes the final results. METHODS The registry was publicized to health care providers most likely to diagnose pregnancy; providers called the registry telephone number, then mailed in a brief questionnaire. Pregnancy outcomes were categorized either as outcomes with birth defects or outcomes without birth defects, subcategorized as live births, spontaneous pregnancy losses (including stillbirths), and induced abortions. Birth defects were defined using a modification of the CDC definition for birth defects surveillance systems. Observed rates were compared to the rate (3.2%) of birth defects expected in the general population. RESULTS Between June 1, 1984 and June 30, 1998, 1695 pregnancies exposed to oral or IV acyclovir were registered; 461 (27%) were lost to follow-up. A total of 1234 pregnancies in 24 countries were followed, with a total of 1246 outcomes. Among 1246 pregnancy outcomes, 756 involved acyclovir exposure in the first trimester, 197 in the second trimester, and 291 in the third trimester. Among live births with first trimester acyclovir exposure, risk of birth defects was 19 of 596 (3.2%; 95% CI, 2.0–5.0%). No unusual defects or pattern of defects were apparent. CONCLUSIONS The observed rates and types of birth defects for pregnancies exposed to acyclovir did not differ significantly from those in the general population. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2004. Published 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Age, Comorbidities, and AIDS Predict a Frailty Phenotype in Men Who Have Sex With Men

Background. Adults aging with HIV infection are at risk for age-related comorbidities and syndromes, such as frailty. The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression and predictors of the frailty phenotype (FP) among HIV-infected (HIV+) and HIV-uninfected (HIV−) men who have sex with men.
Characterization of Subunits from a Reconstituted Monoclonal Igm That Binds IgG

The active products obtained by reassociation of the component polypeptide chains of a Waldenstrom's IgM that binds IgG were dissociated by reduction with mercaptoethanol and alkylation with iodoacetamide. Comparison of the resulting subunits to those obtained from the original IgM by physicochemical and immunochemical methods failed to reveal significant differences. The subunits from both sources demonstrated sd`20,w values of 6.4S and appeared identical by Immunoelectrophoresis using antisera specific for IgM and κ type Bence Jones proteins. The quantity of light chains recovered by gel chromatography in 1 N acetic acid from the sub-units of the reconstituted IgM was comparable to that from the original IgM. In addition, the presence of active binding sites on the subunits from both the reconstituted and native IgM was indicated by ultracentrifugal studies that demonstrated the presence of soluble complexes after the addition of human IgG. The results indicate that the regeneration of active products f...
PHASE, a portable host access system environment

The portable host access system environment (PHASE) allows portable PCs to change their point of connection to the internet and continue to be accessible by a fully specified internet domain name. The author offers a solution to the problem of maintaining a proper mapping of internet protocol (IP) addresses to portable machines that have the ability to assume different IP addresses. The portable host access component (PHAC) of the PHASE provides a temporary IP address to each PC that connects to it. A modified internet domain name server, called the dynamic domain name server (DDNS), automatically manages the temporary IP addresses of PCs and provides a mechanism for other hosts to connect to the portable PC. The pros and cons of different methods used to ensure the integrity of the DDNS database are discussed. As a result of this technology, internet hosts can now initiate connections to portable hosts. This gives PCs connected to the PHAC the ability to run server protocols. An example military application of a mobile communications environment involving a portable PC connected to the PHAC, running an SMTP (simple mail transfer protocol) server protocol is portrayed. >
The French Revolution: The Birth of European Popular Democracy?

Analyse de l'ouvrage de P. Gueniffey « Le nombre et la raison : la Revolution francaise et les elections » qui etudia les elections de cette epoque et conclut a la defaite de la democratie lors de la Revolution francaise car ses principes fondamentaux presentaient une logique anti-democratique. Sont abordes le rapport entre l'abstention et l'opposition, le peu d'importance a accorder aux variations regionales du comportement electoral, les procedures de vote et les abstentions qui permettent aux minorites d'usurper le processus electoral
Measurement of the stress‐relaxation modulus in the primary transition region

Difficulties have been encountered in experimentally measuring the stress-relaxation modulus for systems with steep slopes in the primary transition region. The usually applied “factor-of-ten” rule is shown to apply in these cases as well as in cases where the relaxation is slower; with the steep slope, however, the rule offers little help, since the decay in the modulus is so fast that stresses are usually very small at times when direct modulus calculations may be made. A technique is suggested which allows calculation of the modulus in this difficult region. A slow constant strain-rate deformation is followed by a constant strain period. Modulus values for times during the constant strain rate period are calculated using well known relationships. Long-time values are calculated from the definition of the modulus (the factor-of-ten rule being employed) and a recursion relation is developed which is used for modulus calculations during the constant strain period at relatively short times where effects of strain rate are important. Starting values for the recursion relation are long-time moduli which can be calculated directly.
An intracellular defect in protein synthesis induced by carbon tetrachloride.

The morphological and certain metabolic effects of carbon tetrachloride intoxication were studied in the rat with emphasis on liver alterations. Morphological changes were investigated by histological and electron microscopical means. Functional changes were investigated using histochemical and amino acid incorporation, techniques. The liver constituents were examined chemically. Plasma volume alterations were measured using dye and homologous protein dilution techniques. The histological appearance of the liver of treated animals included cellular swelling, dispersal of the cytoplasmic basophilia, and necrosis. Electron micrographs showed an early (3 hours following carbon tetrachloride administration) and widespread dislocation of the ribonucleoprotein particles from the membranes of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, but no apparent alteration in the mitochondrial structure. Histochemical examination of two mitochondrial enzyme systems, α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase and succinic dehydrogenase, revealed no alterations in activities until a later time (6 to 12 hours following carbon tetrachloride administration). ATPase showed a gross quantitative decrease in activity at 6 and 12 hours, but not earlier. There was a decreased amino acid incorporation into two liver-produced proteins, viz., albumin and fibrinogen. This decrease is not explicable on the basis of the inability of the liver to take up the amino acid, an altered dilution volume into which the amino acid or formed protein is placed, or an impaired capacity of the liver to excrete protein once formed. It is concluded that the decreased amino acid incorporation rate reflects depressed synthesis of protein by the liver. Other pathological changes in the liver, including necrosis, fatty change, and mitochondrial alterations may be dependent upon severe impairment of protein synthesis.
AND/OR precedence constraint traveling salesman problem and its application to assembly schedule generation

An AND/OR precedence constraints problem is formulated as a state-constrained traveling salesman problem (SCTSP) and applied to the assembly scheduling problem. Generally, the assembly operation involves precedence relationships in joining components; that is, the order of assembling components crucially determines whether the desired object can be constructed from these components. The precedence relationships of assembly operations result from the geometric constraints of the assembled objects and can be formulated as AND/OR precedence constraints. The precedence knowledge reduces the complexity of solving the ordering problem for both the acquisition and generator procedures. Two kinds of constrained TSPs, the cost-constrained TSP (CCTSP) and the SCTSP, are used to find the assembly schedule. The CCTSP method usually sets the cost of all the prohibited moves between two cities to very large values, which ensures that the precedence constraints are satisfied. The SCTSP method prohibits the generation of next valid states. Detailed algorithms, analysis, and examples are discussed. >
Lactational ectopic breast tissue of the vulva: case report and brief historical review.

Abstract Ectopic breast tissue is defined as glands of breast tissue located outside of the normal anatomic breasts. Historically, ectopic breast tissue has been thought to arise from a remnant of the embryonic mammary ridge along the “milk line” or the midaxillary line from the axilla to the groin, including the vulvar region. Extramammary tissue displays the same pathologic and physiologic changes as normal breast tissue and is often discovered in multiparous women as the result of swelling from lactational activity. We present a case report of a gravid patient with lactating vulvar mass and a brief historical perspective of vulvar ectopic breast tissue.
Finite element analysis of the modified ring test for determining mode I fracture toughness

Abstract Plane strain fracture toughness (KIc) values are determined for the modified ring (MR) test through numerical simulation of crack growth to highlight the sensitivity of MR KIc values on applied displacement or force boundary conditions, slip conditions at the specimen-platen interface, and the Poisson ratio (v) of the test material. Numerical calculation of fracture toughness in the MR test is traditionally conducted assuming a uniform force along the specimen loading surfaces and no slip between the specimen and the loading platens. Under these conditions KIc increases by 30–40% as v decreases from 0.4 to 0.1. When slip is allowed at the specimen-platen interface under a uniform force, KIc values are independent of v, and for any given v, are 5–25% less than those determined under a no-slip boundary condition. Under a uniform displacement of the specimen loading surfaces, KIc is essentially independent of v, regardless of specimen-platen interaction. Moreover, although KIc values determined under unifor displacement and no-slip boundary conditions are always higher than those determined under uniform displacement and slip-allowed boundary conditions, the average difference in KIc for these two methods is less than 5% for the two specimen geometries examined. This suggests that under uniform displacement conditions, KIc is essentially independent of specimen-platen interaction. Because KIc values determined from MR testing are strongly dependent on the modeling procedure, future reports of KIc determined from this test should be accompanied by detailed reports of the modeling procedure. Until further testing reveals the most accurate simulation technique, we advocate use of a uniform displacement formulation for KIc determination from MR testing because results from this method are insensitive to most modeling parameters. Numerical results from models conducted under uniform force, no-slip boundary conditions should be viewed as an upper bound to KIc.
A content analysis of local television newscasts: Answering the critics

Local television newscasts have been criticized for being too frivolous, but an analysis of San Diego stations indicates more newscast time is devoted to significant issues of the day than to anything else.
No evidence for direct incorporation of esterified palmitic acid from plasma into brain lipids of awake adult rat

Awake adult rats were given a solution of [9,10-3H]palmitate ([3H]PAM) by gavage. The appearance of radiolabel in plasma lipid fractions was monitored by thin-layer chromatography at fixed intervals thereafter. At 2 h, the rats were killed by microwave irradiation and radioactivity in whole brain and individual brain phospholipids was determined. In plasma, esterified [3H]PAM was mainly associated with triglyceride, phospholipid, and cholesterol ester. Radioactivity appeared to a larger extent in triglyceride than in unesterified fatty acid, suggesting that unesterified [3H]PAM in plasma was largely due to release from esterified [3H]PAM by lipoprotein lipase hydrolysis. Brain radioactivity could be accounted for entirely by incorporation of unesterified plasma [3H]PAM. Esterified [3H]PAM in chylomicrons or lipoproteins was calculated to make no measurable contribution using a published value for the incorporation coefficient of [3H]PAM into brain in the evaluation. These results suggest that ingested palmitic acid (PAM) in adult rats enters blood as esterified triglyceride within chylomicrons and lipoproteins and, in part, eventually is converted to circulating unesterified PAM. It is the circulating unesterified PAM that is incorporated into brain from blood, whereas esterified PAM within plasma chlomicrons and lipoproteins makes no measurable direct contribution.
Granular-cell tumor (myoblastoma) of the hand. Report of a case.

A case of benign granular-cell tumor of the hand is presented, the rarity of such a lesion in the hand is emphasized, and the histological nature of the tumor is described.
Restoring The Balance: Employer Liability and Employee Privacy

If employers ever have had an incentive to electronically monitor employees through video and e-mail surveillance, it is today. Employers increasingly are found vicariously liable for sexual harassment in the workplace, negligent retention claims are being made more frequently, and workplace violence has tripled in the past decade. Employers, who are potentially liable for their employees' actions, understandably feel justified in keeping tabs on their employees through various monitoring and surveillance techniques. The employers who decide to take this step are aided by the fact that surveillance technology is cheap and readily available. Employers, however, may be found liable for invasion of privacy when monitoring employees. The competing interests of employers seeking to limit their liability for wrongful acts of their employees and employees seeking to protect their privacy have created a need for federal legislation. This Note explores what type of federal legislation would best resolve the conflict between these interests. In Part I, this Note examines the traditional theories of employer liability and the increased liability employers face today. In Part II, this Note examines the link between the increased liability and the proliferation of employers who electronically monitor employees. This Note also considers the workplace privacy concerns created by employer surveillance in the state and federal legal contexts. Part III concludes that the conflict between employer liability and employee privacy must be solved through federal legislation similar to that proposed in Congress in 1993, which sought to protect employee privacy and simultaneously reduce some employer liability.
Blunt pancreatic trauma: experience at a rural referral center.

The objective of this study was to compare mechanism of injury, treatment methods, and outcome of blunt pancreas trauma patients transferred from another hospital to those of patients brought directly from the scene. A retrospective review was conducted of 6078 patients treated at a Level I trauma center from 1/1/90 to 12/31/94. Blunt pancreas injury was found in 39 (0.64%) patients (mean age, 33.2 years). Mechanism of injury included 34 (87%) motor vehicle crashes, 3 (8%) motorcycle crashes, and 2 (5%) other injuries. There were 11 transfer patients (28%), and 28 (72%) admitted directly from the scene. Eighty-two per cent of the motor vehicle crash patients were unrestrained, and 35 per cent had ethanol intoxication. Exploratory laparotomy was performed on 32 (82%); eight (25%) required repair or resection; 22 (69%) had trivial injuries, at most requiring drainage; and two (6.3%) exsanguinated. No patients required Whipple resection or pancreatiocojejunostomy. At operation, an average of 2.5 associated intra-abdominal injuries were found. Overall survival was 35 of 39 (90%). Among the patients brought directly to the trauma center, 93 per cent survived, whereas survival among transferred patients was 82 per cent (X 2 = 0.19; P = 0.66). Blunt pancreatic injuries vary in severity, but radical resection is rarely required. Lack of safety restraint and ethanol use are major risk factors. Despite the high likelihood of associated injuries, survivability is high. No difference in outcome was seen between directly admitted and transferred patients.
Energetics and kinetics of carbonate orientational ordering in vaterite calcium carbonate

Vaterite is a less stable anhydrous crystalline calcium carbonate than calcite or aragonite and, thus, a rare mineral in geologic settings. However, vaterite is commonly found in biological environments. The mechanisms of crystal nucleation, transformation, and stabilization of vaterite in host materials remain unresolved. Understanding these issues may lead to answer some fundamental questions such as carbonate formation in geological systems and the intriguing occurrence of vaterite in biological systems. This requires an accurate knowledge of the crystal structure of vaterite and its order-disorder transformation. This study employs molecular-dynamics simulations to understand the thermodynamic stability of vaterite and kinetics of the orientational ordering of the carbonate ions. The results show that the potential energy change from disordered to ordered vaterite is about −11 kJ/mol, which significantly changes the relative stabilities of vaterite with respect to other anhydrous calcium carbonate polymorphs, including amorphous calcium carbonate. The heat capacity of vaterite is estimated to be 102.1 ± 0.4 J/(K·mol), comparable to an experimental result of 91.5 ± 3.8 J/(K·mol). The molecular-dynamics simulations also show similar energies for vaterite with different stacking structures, suggesting possible stacking disordering along the [001] axis. Cyclic high-temperature simulated-annealing molecular-dynamics simulations show that the CO3 orientational disorder-order transition is thermally activated. The calculated activation energy for the transition is 94 ± 10 kJ/mol with a pre-exponential factor of ~1.6 × 1013 s−1. A good linear fit of the logarithmic transition rate to inverse temperature (the Arrhenius plot) indicates that the transition is controlled by a single activation process that is related to a cooperative rotational motion of CO3 groups in vaterite.
Atomic Masses of H 1 , D 2 , C 12 , and S 32

The large double-focusing mass spectrometer recently developed has been used to measure a series of 25 mass doublets. This instrument features a new peak-matching method of measurement which involves the presentation of a portion of the mass spectrum upon an oscilloscope. A group of consistency tests has been performed to prove the correctness of the mass dispersion formula used in calculating mass differences.The measured doublets are sufficient to calculate the mass of ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}$ by five different cycles and to also calculate the masses of ${\mathrm{H}}^{1}$, ${\mathrm{D}}^{2}$, and ${\mathrm{S}}^{32}$. The resulting mass values are ${\mathrm{H}}^{1}$=1.0081442\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2, ${\mathrm{D}}^{2}$=2.0147406\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}6, ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}$=12.0038167\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}8, and ${\mathrm{S}}^{32}$=31.9822401\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}9 amu, where the errors shown include the statistical standard error and the resistance calibration uncertainty. A discrepancy exists between the mass values determined here and some of those derived from nuclear reaction energy data.
Concentration and Distribution of “Encephalin” in the Brain of Humans, and Animals

SummaryColorimetrie assay of a large number of human and animal brains for “encephalin” revealed a rather uniform pattern of intracerebral distribution in various species. There was no appreciable difference between the encephalin content and its distribution in the brains of “normal” and “psychotic” humans. No major changes were observed under the influence of various hormones, adrenalectomy, hypophysectomy, convulsive drugs, electrical stimulation of the brain, narcotics, conditions of stress, acetylcholine, and X-free diet. Only the injection of dihydroxyphenylalanine was followed by a very marked temporary increase of the colorimetric readings, which suggests either a selective absorption of this substance by the brain or its conversion into encephalin.
The Nature of the Advisory Opinions of the Permanent Court of International Justice

Though general interest in the advisory opinions of the Permanent Court of International Justice has waned of late because of the decline in the Court’s advisory activity and the dormancy of the question of American adherence, there are questions relating to the advisory work of the Court which still command the interest of the serious student. On January 26, 1937, the Council of the League referred to the special committee set up to study the application of the principles of the Covenant the question of the conditions of voting requests for advisory opinions. As appears from the observations of governments as well as from the discussions in the Council and Assembly, the question of the vote necessary to a request for an advisory opinion raises the larger question of the nature of advisory opinions.
Sinewave Representations of Nonmodality

Regions of nonmodal phonation, exhibiting deviations from uniform glottal-pulse periods and amplitudes, occur often and convey information about speaker- and linguistic-dependent factors. Such waveforms pose challenges for speech modeling, analysis/synthesis, and processing. In this paper, we investigate the representation of nonmodal pulse trains as a sum of harmonically-related sinewaves with time-varying amplitudes, phases, and frequencies. We show that a sinewave representation of any impulsive signal is not unique and also the converse, i.e., frame-based measurements of the underlying sinewave representation can yield different impulse trains. Finally, we argue how this ambiguity may explain addition, deletion, and movement of pulses in sinewave synthesis and a specific illustrative example of time-scale modification of a nonmodal case of diplophonia. Index Terms: sinewave analysis, sinewave synthesis, nonmodal phonation
The climacteric ovary as a functional gonadotropin-driven androgen-producing gland.

Objective To assess the hypothesis that the climacteric ovary is a functional endocrine gland. Design Review of the English-speaking literature as it relates to the physiology and pathophysiology of the climacteric ovary. Results By several accounts, the climacteric ovary appears to be a gonadotropin-dependent androgen-producing gland. Although the estrogen-producing potential of the climacteric ovary remains a matter of controversy, most studies would suggest limited aromatase activity. conclusions [1] The climacteric ovary is not a defunct endocrine organ. [2] The climacteric ovary is a site of gonadotropin reception and action. [3] The climacteric ovary contributes few if any estrogens to the circulating pool by way of direct production. [4] Circulating estrogens are derived virtually exclusively from the extraglandular conversion of androgens, a proportion of which are of ovarian origin. [5] The climacteric ovary contributes 40% and 20% of the total production rates of T and androstenedione, respectively. [6] Androgen biosynthesis by the climacteric ovary is partially gonadotropin-dependent.
Inhibition of Endocannabinoid Degradation Improves Outcomes from Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Mechanistic Role for Synaptic Hyperexcitability

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an increasingly prevalent condition affecting soldiers, athletes, and motor vehicle accident victims. Unfortunately, it currently lacks effective therapeutic interventions. TBI is defined as a primary mechanical insult followed by a secondary cascade involving inflammation, apoptosis, release of reactive oxygen species, and excitotoxicity, all of which can cause synaptic changes, altered neuronal signaling, and, ultimately, behavioral changes. Previously we showed that preventing degradation of the endocannabinoid (EC) 2-acylglycerol (2-AG) with JZL184 after mild TBI attenuated neuroinflammation and improved recovery of neurobehavioral function during the early 24 h post-TBI period. The aim of this study was to extend the timeline of observations to 2 weeks post-injury and to investigate JZL184’s impact on synaptic transmission, which we view as a potential mechanism for TBI-induced cellular and behavioral pathology. Adult male rats underwent mild TBI (mTBI) follow...
Strain gradient development in 3-dimensional extracellular matrix scaffolds during in vitro mechanical stimulation

This study analyzed strain variations in 3D ECM scaffolds using a membrane-adherent model (MM) and a direct elongation model (DM). Computational models were solved for target strains from 1 to 10% at varied scaffold thicknesses and intra-scaffold slices. DM strain profiles were uniform within the scaffold and independent of thickness. However, a wide range of strains developed with substantial volume experiencing significantly off-target strain. MM strain profiles varied throughout the scaffold, exhibiting significantly reduced average strain with increasing thickness. These findings are important for tissue engineering studies since biological responses are commonly attributed to a single strain level that only partially describes the mechanical condition, making it difficult to develop precise causal relationships. Spatial strain variations and reduced average strain may warrant targeted sampling for cell response and should be taken into consideration by investigators using large-volume 3D scaffolds when engineering mechanically sensitive tissues.
Combined modality therapy for stage III non-small cell lung cancer : the University of Chicago experience

The prognosis of patients with advanced locoregional stage (IIIA and IIIB) non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is quite poor. Over the past two decades, there is little evidence to suggest that the median survival or the 3 or 5 year survival rates for such patients have significantly improved. Despite the use of radical pneumonectomies with mediastinal dissection or radical radiotherapy, the majority of patients with Stage III NSCLC will succumb to metastatic disease. The five year survival rate for patients with stage IIIB NSCLC is less than 10 % [1]. More recently, efforts to improve this grim outlook for patients with stage III NSCLC have focused on bimodality and multimodality therapies including radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy, neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery or radiotherapy or concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The rationale for such approaches in that chemotherapy might reduce the relatively lower tumor burden in patients with stage III NSCLC (as compared to patients with stage IV NSCLC) and that this decrease in the tumor burden would allow the local therapy (i.e. radiotherapy, surgery) to be more effective. Additionally, the use of chemotherapy concurrently with radiotherapy would permit synergistic effects between radiotherapy and chemotherapeutic agents that are radiosensitizers and possibly increase tumor cell kill. (It is recognized that the toxic effects of radiotherapy will be enhanced on normal tissues).
The Prophet Hosea: God's Alternative to Divorce for the Reason of Infidelity

Un comportement est suggere aux conseillers, a propos du divorce, sur la base d'une etude des documents bibliques. Ce n'est pas l'infidelite d'Israel, mais son refus de se repentir qui amene le jugement final. Donc la reponse a l'infidelite n'est pas le divorce.
Hierarchical Adaptive Control of Rapidly Time-Varying Systems Using Multiple Models

Abstract Adaptive systems that continuously monitor their own performance and adjust their control strategies to improve it have been studied for more than 50 years. The theory of such systems when the plants (or processes) to be controlled are linear and time-invariant is currently well understood. Numerous methods currently exist to achieve a satisfactory and robust response when the uncertainty in the system is small. During the past 3 decades numerous attempts have been made by workers in the field to extend the methods to systems with larger uncertainties. During this period the author and his colleagues have attempted to use a general method based on multiple models to control rapidly time-varying plants. More specifically, they have proposed four distinct methods based on (1) switching, (2) switching and tuning, (3) interactive/evolutionary adaptation, and (4) second-level adaptation. In this chapter, which is tutorial in nature, the four methods are critically examined. Work currently in progress which attempts to combine them using a hierarchical approach is described. Since many of the problems considered were formulated only recently, they are open-ended and hopefully will be of interest to a wide audience, including both beginners and experts.