cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics of folding of the IgG binding domain of peptostreptoccocal protein L

The kinetics of folding of a tryptophan containing mutant of the IgG binding domain of protein L were characterized using stopped-flow circular dichroism, stopped-flow fluorescence, and HD exchange coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Both the thermodynamics and kinetics of folding fit well to a simple two-state model: (1) Guanidine induced equilibrium denaturation transitions measured by fluorescence and circular dichroism were virtually superimposable. (2) The kinetics of folding/unfolding were single exponential under all conditions examined, and the rate constants obtained using all probes were similar. (3) Mass spectra from pulsed HD exchange refolding experiments showed that a species with very little protection from exchange is converted to a fully protected species (the native state) at a rate very similar to that of the overall change in tryptophan fluorescence; no intervening partially protected species were observed. (4) Rate constants (in H2O) and m values for folding and unfolding...
Uncertainty principles as embeddings of modulation spaces

Abstract A class of new uncertainty principles is derived in the form of embeddings of Fourier–Lebesgue spaces into modulation spaces. These embeddings provide practical, sufficient conditions for a function to belong to a modulation space. Counterexamples based on the properties of Gabor expansions demonstrate that the embeddings are optimal.
O-glycosidic linkage in glycoprotein isolates from human ocular mucus.

Abstract Alkaline β-elimination and sodium borohydride reduction were used to study the O-glycosidic linkage of N-acetylgalactosamine to seryl and threonyl residues in the high molecular weight crude glycoprotein fractions isolated from human ocular mucus. Pure mucins, BSM and OSM, were used as models. Data are presented for the existence of such O-glycosidic linkages. It was estimated from sodium borohydride reaction that at least 22% of the total peptide bonded hydroxyamino acid residues are linked O-glycosidically. These findings, as a continuation of our previous work on the isolation and chemical characterization of human ocular mucus, provided additional evidence of the mucin nature of the glycoprotein isolates.
A Statistical Study of Creamery Operation

Conclusions drawn from general observations by the persons engaged in an industry are not always true. Fortunately, the statisticians have developed methods of analyzing large numbers of figures so that it is possible to weigh fairly accurately the facts that a certain set of data contains. The data on which this article is based were obtained by survey~ from 78 creameries in Minnesota for the year 1919. All of these creameries were of the farmer type, such as is found in villages and in the smaller cities. None were centraliv~rs. There were 71 farmers' coSperative plants, and 7 independent or proprietary plants. There was a wide variation among these 78 creameries. Some were small and a few were large. Some were housed in old, wornout frame buildings, but the majority were operating in new homes, most of which were constructed of brick. Some of the creameries were conveniently arranged, and a few were very inconvenient. Some had good accounting systems, and others had very poor records. Most of the creameries were efficiently administrated, but a few apparently were not managed at all,
Immune-Based Therapeutics: Scientific Rationale and the Promising Approaches to the Treatment of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Individual

The primary approach to therapy for infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to be centered around antiretroviral agents that have conferred significant clinical benefits. The considerable degree of immunologic dysfunction in HIV infection, however, has led to intense interest in methods of immune stimulation and reconstitution. Immunomodulatory intervention in HIV infection is highly controversial. Over the years a number of immunomodulatory agents--many with only a poor rationale for their clinical use--have been evaluated. In this review we concentrate on immunomodulatory approaches that are currently being investigated. We group these interventions, reviewing the rationale and clinical data for each category: passive immunity (administration of immunoglobulins and use of apheresis), thymic hormone treatment, cytokine treatment (administration of interleukins, tumor necrosis factor, and interferons), adoptive cellular immunity, and therapeutic vaccination. At present, the only interventions supported by data from well-controlled studies are the parenteral administration of interferon alpha to patients with HIV-associated Kaposi's sarcoma and the administration of pooled immunoglobulin (to decrease the rate of bacterial infections) to children who cannot take trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. However, several other approaches under development show promise in reversing some of the immune deficits of HIV infection. Clinical evaluation of these approaches should yield valuable insights into the immunopathogenesis of HIV infection, and these insights should facilitate the formulation of new modalities of treatment.
The role of maternal discipline and involvement in peer rejection and neglect

Abstract Two models concerning the relationship of socialization in the family to later peer behavior and relationships were hypothesized and tested. The first model hypothesized that poor discipline in the home was associated with social aggression, which, in turn, was associated with peer rejection. The second model hypothesized that a lack of maternal involvement with the child was associated with social inhibition, which, in turn, was associated with peer neglect. The models also hypothesized that parental involvement and discipline would be negatively related to maternal stress and family disadvantage. The models were tested on data from sixty-one 4- to 5- year-old African-American boys and girls entering their first systematic peer experience. The hypothesized models fit the data and accounted for 25% to 65% of the variance in social behavior and relationships in the peer setting. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the antecedents of behavior toward peers, and of peer rejection and neglect involve two related, early family socialization practices.
An empirical evaluation of Bayesian networks derived from fault trees

Fault Isolation Manuals (FIMs) are derived from a type of decision tree and play an important role in maintenance troubleshooting of large systems. However, there are some drawbacks to using decision trees for maintenance, such as requiring a static order of tests to reach a conclusion. One method to overcome these limitations is by converting FIMs to Bayesian networks. However, it has been shown that Bayesian networks derived from FIMs will not contain the entire set of fault and alarm relationships present in the system from which the FIM was developed. In this paper we analyze Bayesian networks that have been derived from FIMs and report on several measurements, such as accuracy, relative probability of target diagnoses, diagnosis rank, and KL-divergence. Based on our results, we found that even with incomplete information, the Bayesian networks derived from the FIMs were still able to perform reasonably well.
The Silicon Dioxide Solution

The planar process also made it easy to interconnect neighboring transistors on a wafer, paving the way to another Fairchild achievement: the first commercial integrated circuits. As other companies realized the great advantages of planar technology and began adopting it on their own production lines, Hoerni's elegant idea helped to establish Silicon Valley as the microelectronics epicenter of the world.
Domain decomposition algorithms for mixed methods for second-order elliptic problems

Domain decomposition algorithms for mixed finite element methods for linear second-order elliptic problems in R 2 and R 3 are developed. A convergence theory for two-level and multilevel Schwarz methods applied to the algorithms under consideration is given. It is shown that the condition number of these iterative methods is bounded uniformly from above in the same manner as in the theory of domain decomposition methods for conforming and nonconforming finite element methods for the same differential problems. Numerical experiments are presented to illustrate the present techniques.
Experimental and First-Principles Studies of the Band Alignment at the HfO2/4H-SiC (0001) Interface

The electronic properties of HfO2 films on 4H-SiC were investigated to determine their suitability as high-κ dielectrics in SiC power MOS devices. The band alignment at the HfO2/4HSiC interface was determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. For the experimental study, HfO2 films were deposited on ntype 4H-SiC by atomic layer deposition (ALD). XPS analysis yielded valence and conduction band offsets of 1.69 eV and 0.75 eV, respectively. DFT predictions based on two monoclinic HfO2/4HSiC (0001) structures agree well with this result. The small conduction band offset suggests the potential need for further interface engineering and/or a buffer layer to minimize electron injection into the gate oxide.
DIFFICULT DISTINCTIONS: Refugee Law, Humanitarian Practice, and Political Identification in Gaza

In this article, I explore the intersection of humanitarian practice and refugee law in shaping categories of “refugee” and “citizen” in Gaza in the first years after 1948. I examine how humanitarian practice produced enduring distinctions within the Gazan population and provided a space in which ideas about Palestinian citizenship began to take shape. A key argument is that humanitarianism, despite commitments to political neutrality, often has profound and enduring political effects. In this case, humanitarian distinctions contributed to making the “refugee” a central figure in the Palestinian political landscape. I also consider how humanitarianism in Palestine was guided by the larger, emerging postwar refugee regime, even as Palestinians were formally excluded from some of its mechanisms.
A formal system for information retrieval from files

A generalized file structure is provided by which the concepts of keyword, index, record, file, directory, file structure, directory decoding, and record retrieval are defined and from which some of the frequently used file structures such as inverted files, index-sequential files, and multilist files are derived.Two algorithms which retrieve records from the generalized file structure are presented.
Taxonomic Boundaries and Craniometric Variation in the Treeshrews (Scandentia, Tupaiidae) from the Palawan Faunal Region

The taxonomy of treeshrews (Order Scandentia) has long been complicated by ambiguous morphological species boundaries, and the treeshrews of the Palawan faunal region of the Philippines are no exception. Four named forms in the genus Tupaia Raffles, 1821, have been described from four island groups based on subtle qualitative morphological characters, and as many as three distinct species have been recognized. A recent molecular phylogenetic study of relationships among Tupaia species suggests that the two currently-recognized treeshrew species from the Palawan faunal region diverged very recently relative to other sister-species divergences within the genus and may not represent species-level taxonomic entities. Here we review the taxonomic and biogeographic histories of the Tupaia taxa from this region. We also collected craniodental data from 133 skulls of all four named forms, representing five island populations, and conducted univariate and multivariate analyses on these data. Our morphometric results are consistent with molecular results, further suggesting that there is insufficient evidence to recognize T. moellendorffi Matschie, 1898, as a separate species from T. palawanensis Thomas, 1894. Our analyses also revealed a craniodentally divergent population from the island of Balabac, which has never been considered a distinct subspecies (or species) from the population on Palawan. These results have conservation implications for the island populations in our analyses, but additional surveys and molecular evidence will be required to fully assess conservation priorities for the treeshrews of the Palawan faunal region.
Alfalfa seedling growth in nutrient solutions as influenced by Aluminum, Calcium, and pH

Abstract Soil acidity is a major factor responsible for reduced alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) yields in humid regions of the United States. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Ca, Al, and pH interactions on alfalfa growth. Two experiments were conducted in modified plastic growth pouches. Experiment 1 studied the influence of pH (4.5 and 6.5) at varying levels of Al (0.00, 0.08, 0.15 mM) with 1 mM Ca, while experiment 2 studied the interaction between Ca (0.00, 0.30, 1.00, 3.00, 6.00 mM) and Al (0.00, 0.08, 0.15, 0.30 mM) at pH 4.5 on alfalfa shoot and root development. In the absence of Al, root and shoot growth were not affected by a pH of 4.5 as compared to a pH of 6.5. Increasing Al from 0.00 to 0.30 mM caused a reduction in both shoot and root growth at pH 4.5 when Ca was less than 3.00 mM. In the presence of 0.08 mM Al, additional Ca at 3.00 and 6.00 mM increased shoot growth equal to that of the 0.00 Al treatment. The optimum level of Ca for root development was at least 1.00 ...
A semi-Markov model for patient progression through clinical trials

Clinical trials constitute large, resource-intensive endeavors for pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions and government agencies. Accounts have estimated the number of patients involved in clinical trials in the US as high as 725,000 patients with costs in excess of $19 billion. Despite the scope of these activities, little has been done by way of a general model to highlight the progression of patients through the various stages of a clinical trial. We present a semi-Markov model that can be used to explore the patient population profile of a clinical trial for arbitrarily many patient classes, trial sites and start-times.
The WarRoom Guide to Competitive Intelligence

The article presents a review of the book “The WarRoom Guide to Competitive Intelligence,” by Steven M. Shaker and Mark P. Gembicki.
Overview of the Structural Design of World Trade Center 1, 2, and 7 Buildings

This paper summarizes the primary structural systems that comprised World Trade Center (WTC) 1, 2, and 7, which were destroyed in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. There were four major structural subsystems in the towers: the exterior walls, the core, the floor system, and the hat truss. The major structural systems within WTC 7 were the foundation, exterior moment frames, floor system, interior columns, and column transfer trusses and girders. At the time of design and construction, the WTC towers were innovative in many ways, and resulted in a tremendous increase of open-plan commercial office space in downtown Manhattan. As the first of four papers, this paper summarizes the structural and passive fire protection features of each building, and focuses on the structural systems which played a critical role in the outcome of the attacks of September 11, 2001. Three companion papers address the effects of aircraft impact damage on the WTC towers and debris damage on WTC 7, the effects of fire on the three buildings, and how these events contributed to building collapse by describing the contribution of key structural systems to the overall building behavior and collapse, such as the floor systems and hat trusses in WTC 1 and WTC 2 and the floor connections around Column 79 in WTC 7.
Functional role of exercise-induced cortical organization of sensorimotor cortex after spinal transection

Spinal cord transection silences neuronal activity in the deafferented cortex to cutaneous stimulation of the body and untreated animals show no improvement in functional outcome (weight-supported ...
Hyperelliptic Surfaces and their Moduli

The hyperelliptic portion of the moduli space of compact Riemann surfaces of genus g≥2 is decomposed into a lattice of nondisjoint subvarieties corresponding precisely with the lattice of maximal g-hyperelliptic group actions (classified up to topological equivalence). The resulting stratification of the hyperelliptic moduli space exhibits regularities which depend on the parity of g and can be detected at the level of groups of order 8.
Nearshore directional wave measurements by surface-following buoy and acoustic Doppler current profiler

Directional energy spectra of nearshore surface waves were measured for a 3-year period (2004–2007) at a site with mean depth 14 m and mean tidal range 2.1 m. Triaxys surface-following wave buoys reported hourly directional wave energy spectra and wave parameters near the offshore end of the Savannah River Entrance Channel, Georgia, USA. An acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) was located beside the wave buoy for 3 months. Directional and non-directional surface wave energy spectra and the corresponding bulk wave parameters (height, period, and direction) are compared for the two systems. Most parameters derived from the spectra agree closely; the most significant differences were found at the upper and lower frequency measurement limits, where signal-to-noise ratios were lower. The wave buoy consistently reports a small amount of energy below 0.05 Hz that does not appear in the ADCP-derived spectra and does not appear to be related to the mooring system. This leads to larger mean and peak periods reported by the buoy. All directional spectra were computed using the Maximum Entropy Method for both instruments, but the buoy, with spectra derived from six independent time series, provides lower directional resolving power than the ADCP, which utilizes twelve time series. Both systems gave similar results defining mean and peak wave directions, with the primary difference being that the ADCP indicates energy to be more tightly concentrated around the peak direction.
Large deformation image matching via volume imagery

ABSTRACT We present a new algorithm for large deformation image matching via volume data. The image matching problem is stated as a control problem with the optimal diffeomorphic match constructed to minimize a running smoothness cost on a velocity field generating the diffeomorphism while simultaneously minimizing a matching end point conditionof the imagery. The diffeomorphic deformation field on the image space is generated by numerically integrating the velocity field. 1. INTRODUCTION This paper describes an algorithm for large deformation mapping via volume imagery. The large deformation mappingallows us to solve for maps for image registration in which the goal is find diffeomorphic maps h from the coordinatesx E I C ii? of one target to a second target under the mapping h:xH+h(x)=xu(x). (1)The importance of generating diffeomorphisms is that geometric properties of the imagery such as tangents, curvature, and surface areas can be calculated automatically. The algorithm is based on varying degrees of knowledge about
Raman spectroscopy of V2O5, MoO3, Fe2O3, MoO3-V2O5, and Fe2O3-V2O5 supported on alumina catalysts : influence of coverage and dehydration

Abstract In the present investigation the influence of addition of molybdenum oxide and iron oxide to a 5% V 2 O 5 /Al 2 O 3 sample has been studied by Raman spectroscopy under ambient as well as dehydrated conditions. The results show that under ambient conditions the presence of both vanadium oxide and molybdenum oxide on the hydrated alumina surface results in the conversion of hydrated metavanadate species into hydrated decavanadate species and of hydrated MoO 4 2− species into hydrated octahedrally coordinated clusters. This is due to the decrease in the net pH at point of zero charge relative to the individual metal oxide systems. For the mixed Fe 2 O 3 -V 2 O 5 /Al 2 O 3 sample it has been found that under ambient conditions the hydrated metavanadate species are converted into hydrated pyrovanadate and orthovanadate species, which is ascribed to the basic nature of the surface iron oxide species. Under dehydrated conditions the presence of both vanadium oxide and molybdenum oxide on the alumina surface results in increased concentrations of surface vanadate and molybdate species, which are found at much higher surface coverage in the corresponding individual metal oxide systems. A similar effect has been observed in the presence of iron oxide, which also promotes the formation of a moderately distorted vanadium oxide species.
Effect of topical anti-inflammatory drugs on corneal and limbal wound healing

Abstract Purpose To examine the effect of topical treatment with either steroidal or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on the wound healing of corneal and limbal incisions using histologic criteria. Setting Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois, USA. Methods Eighteen eyes of 9 cats were used for the study. All right eyes received a temporal limbal incision and the left eyes, a clear corneal incision. All eyes were treated with ofloxacin 0.3% postoperatively for 3 days. The animals were equally divided among 3 groups. Group 1 received topical steroid drops (prednisolone acetate 1%) for 7 days maximum; Group 2 received topical NSAID drops (ketorolac tromethamine 0.5%) for 7 days maximum; Group 3 received no additional treatment. One animal from each group was killed and the eye enucleated 3, 7, or 28 days postoperatively. The eyes were processed for staining with hematoxylin–eosin and smooth muscle actin, and corneal sections were evaluated in a blind fashion by an ophthalmic pathologist. Results Three and 7 days after surgery (1) the limbal incision exhibited more prominent wound healing than the similarly treated clear corneal incision, and (2) the steroid-treated corneas had less wound healing than untreated or NSAID-treated corneas. At 28 days, the wounds in all eyes were almost completely healed. Conclusions Limbal incisions heal faster than clear corneal incisions. Steroids, but not NSAIDs, inhibit wound healing. Cataract surgery using limbal incisions and postoperative topical NSAIDs may result in faster wound healing and provide a reduced risk of related postoperative complications.
Registry of Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Care (MSTRAC) Patient and Physician Characteristics

Abstract The registry of Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Care (MSTRAC) is an ongoing US research project that was initiated in April 1998. This article reports the characteristics of 2,590 relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and 483 physicians enrolled as of July 31, 1999. The mean age of the MSTRAC patients was 44 years; 92% were white; and 83% were women. The majority had some college education, and 50% were employed. Eighty-one percent of patients had relapsing-remitting MS, 17% had secondary progressive MS with relapses, and 3% had progressive relapsing MS. Mean age at symptom onset was 34 years, and mean duration of illness was nine years; mean time between disease onset and diagnosis was two years. Most patients (84%) experienced either no or slow disability progression that varied significantly by the type of relapsing MS (P < .001). MSTRAC physicians had practiced medicine for a mean of 15 years and had spent 84% of their time in patient care. Physicians were distributed across the United ...
Disordered eating and weight control behaviors among male and female university students

The purposes of this study were to develop an instrument capable of assessing factors potentially related to disordered eating and weight control behaviors among university students and then to compare male and female students on these factors. A 90 item instrument was developed. Sixty-four items were written by these authors, such that eight items would assess each of eight identified factors related to disordered eating. Additionally, all 26 items from the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) were included and interspersed within the instrument. The instrument was administered to 502 female university students and their responses were factor analyzed. Ten factors were identified. The instrument was then administered to 94 female and 76 male university students. Results indicate that compared to males, females report a greater desire to be thin, less tolerance for cold, more frequent use of laxatives, and a greater occurrence of eating in response to internal and external cues. There were no other sex differences. The students in this study appeared to be engaging in appropriate health practices.
Pancreatic beta-cell loss and preservation in type 2 diabetes.

Abstract Background : In most individuals, the need to respond to progressive states of insulin resistance is met by increasing insulin production. For insulin-resistant patients, however, the balance between insulin supply and demand may fail from the progressive loss of pancreatic beta-cell function, eventually leading to type 2 diabetes mellitus. Objective : The aim of this review was to discuss the current concepts underlying potential pancreatic beta-cell failure in the progression toward type 2 diabetes and therapies that may alter the process. Methods : Data included in this review were identified through a MEDLINE search for articles published from 1966 to April 2003. Search terms used were beta cell, diabetes, insulin resistance, obesity, cardiovascular disease, thiazolidinediones , and metformin . Results : Evidence of the progressive loss of beta-cell function may include altered conversion of proinsulin to insulin, changes in pulsed and oscillatory insulin secretion, and quantitative reductions in insulin release. Potential underlying mechanisms are glucose toxicity, lipotoxicity, poor tolerance of increased secretory demand, and a reduction in beta-cell mass. Conclusion : Current clinical management of type 2 diabetes is focused on treatment of the signs and symptoms of late-stage disease rather than addressing potential underlying causes, which may be amenable to currently available therapies, based on a broad understanding of existing data, practice experience, and rational speculation.
The Thermal Effects of CMP as a Particle Augmented Mixed Lubrication Tribosystem

Most chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) researchers assume that the polishing occurs in the mixed-lubrication regime, where the applied load on the wafer is supported by the hydrodynamic slurry pressure and the contact stress generated during the pad-wafer contact. Consequently, the particle augmented mixed lubrication (PAML) approach has been employed as an extremely high-fidelity asperity-scale mixed-lubrication CMP model in the past. Recently, a more computationally efficient PAML approach, PAML-lite, which considers the slurry’s fluid and particle dynamics, the pad/wafer contact mechanics, and the resulting material removal, was introduced. The current work presents the PAML-lite framework with the isothermal assumption relaxed. As a result, wafer-scale interfacial temperatures during CMP can be predicted by considering asperity heating and dissipation of the heat into the solid and fluid media in the sliding contact.
Congenital Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma with Kasabach–Merritt Phenomenon Successfully Treated with Low-Dose Radiation Therapy

Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KHE) associated with Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon is a life-threatening vasculopathy. The current mainstay treatment for KHEs is corticosteroids and chemotherapy, but these medications do not work for all patients and carry significant side effects. We report a neonate with a large congenital KHE who responded extremely well to low-dose radiation therapy.
Regional nodal recurrence in breast cancer patients treated with conservative surgery and radiation therapy (BCS+RT).

Purpose: To review regional nodal (RN) management and identify predictors of RN relapse in patients treated with breast conserving surgery and radiation therapy (BCS+RT). Methods and Materials: Patients with Stage I and II breast cancer ( N = 1920) underwent BCS+RT from 1973 to 2003. Patients undergoing RN were treated with a median dose of 46 Gy. Patients undergoing axillary dissection (AXD, N = 1330) were treated to the breast alone if node-negative ( N = 984), and to the breast and supraclavicular fossa if node-positive ( N = 346). Patients who did not undergo AXD ( N = 590) were treated with RT to the supraclavicular fossa and axilla. Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) was performed on 126 patients. SN-negative patients ( N = 110) were treated with tangents only. There were 16 SN-positive patients who did not undergo complete AXD and were treated with RT. Results: As of September 2005, there have been 36 RN relapses for an actuarial nodal control rate (NCR) of 98% at 10 years. There was no difference in NCR between those undergoing AXD (NCR = 97.4%) and those receiving RT without AXD (NCR = 97.9%). In multivariate analysis, young age, non-Caucasian race, and pathologic nodal status correlated with increased risk of nodal relapse. Of the 126 patients undergoing SNB, there was only 1 nodal recurrence. None of the 16 SN-positive patients treated with RT without AXD had nodal failure. Conclusions: In patients undergoing BCS+RT, both regional nodal irradiation and AXD (including SNB) resulted in equally high rates of regional nodal control. Nodal RT may also be an effective treatment for SN-positive patients.
Object-based 3-D reconstruction of arterial trees from magnetic resonance angiograms

By exploiting a priori knowledge of arterial shape and smoothness, subpixel accuracy reconstructions are achieved from only four noisy projection images. The method incorporates a priori knowledge of the structure of branching arteries into a natural optimality criterion that encompasses the entire arterial tree. An efficient optimization algorithm for object estimation is presented, and its performance on simulated, phantom, and in vivo magnetic resonance angiograms is demonstrated. It is shown that accurate reconstruction of bifurcations is achievable with parametric models. >
Paediatric cochlear implantation: prosthetic hearing and language development.

CONTEXT Cochlear implantation offers hearing and vocational benefits to children and adults who lose their hearing after acquiring speech and language. But such implantations in prelingually deaf children are controversial, with concerns about diagnosis in very young children, safety, and durability. Implantation of children under age 2 years is potentially associated with higher surgical and anaesthesia risks, and with more challenging preoperative and postoperative management. STARTING POINT Although only a small number of children implanted before age 2 have sufficient maturity and implant experience to undergo adult-type speech recognition tests, surgical series show that these children may be implanted safely and that their subsequent speech perception is at least as good as children implanted at an older age. The Nottingham, UK, group recently reported on a consecutive sample of 12 children aged under 2 years at implantation (Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2002; 128: 11-14). S S Hehar and colleagues show satisfactory perioperative and postoperative surgical outcomes. 2 years after the implantation, mean scores on the Listening Progress Profile had increased from 1 to 42. Median scores of Categories of Auditory Performance increased from 0 to 5. There were no significant differences compared with a historical control group of deaf children implanted at ages 3-5. WHERE NEXT? Early results from parental observation of auditory behaviours show that children who receive a cochlear implant at an early age perform at least as well as those implanted later. These data, combined with more rigorous speech recognition results in older children, merit a gradual reduction in the age of implantation, although the uncertainties inherent in audiometric assessment and measurement of hearing-aid benefit in infants must be borne in mind. Cochlear implants in prelingually deafened children permit improved development of speech reception, language acquisition, and reading comprehension.
Radiation therapy for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

Between 1965 and 1981, 119 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus were treated with radiation therapy with curative intent. Radiation was employed in combination with surgery and delivered pre- and/or postoperatively in 20 patients (17%). The remainder received radiotherapy alone. The overall survival rate was statistically higher in patients who had surgery and radiation compared to the group receiving radiation alone. The one-, two-, and five-year survival rates of patients receiving combined treatment vs radiotherapy alone were 65% vs 35%, 25% vs 14%, and 15 % vs 6%. Age, total radiation dose, and inclusion of the supraclavicular areas in the radiation portals did not impact on outcome. Other prognostic factors are discussed. Long term survivors were noted to be at substantial risk for the development of a second epidermoid malignancy in the upper aerodigestive tract. Cumulative risk at five years was approximately 25%.
Altimeter designs: SEASAT‐1 and future missions

With the launch of SEASAT‐1 in June 1978, an altimeter of improved performance joined GEOS‐3, which had been operational for three years. The advances in design that resulted in <10 cm rms height precision are discussed and some early onorbit performance results presented. In addition to improved resolution and a higher pulse rate, both of which acted to reduce height noise, the SEASAT‐1 altimeter incorporated a microcomputer which allowed flexibility in choice of tracker characteristics and provided for on‐board computation of significant waveheight. Under consideration for future missions are a multi‐beam capability to increase the swath coverage, the primary thrust being more rapid development of current maps, and an uplink programming capability for the microcomputer to facilitate on‐board processing in a way which permits post‐launch algorithm modification. Addition of a rainfall detection mode to the altimeter has also been proposed, and consideration has been given to the reliability improvements n...
Identification of a Herpes Simplex Labialis Susceptibility Region on Human Chromosome 21

Background Most of the United States population is infected with either herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2, or both. Reactivations of HSV-1 infection cause herpes simplex labialis (HSL; cold sores or fever blisters), which is the most common recurring viral infection in humans. Methods To investigate the possibility of a human genetic component conferring resistance or susceptibility to cold sores (i.e., a HSL susceptibility gene), we conducted a genetic linkage analysis that included serotyping and phenotyping 421 individuals from 39 families enrolled in the Utah Genetic Reference Project. Results Linkage analysis identified a 2.5-Mb nonrecombinant region of interest on the long arm of human chromosome 21, with a multipoint logarithm of odds score of 3.9 noted near marker abmc65 (D21S409). Nonparametric linkage analysis of the data also provided strong evidence for linkage (P = .0005). This region of human chromosome 21 contains 6 candidate genes for herpes susceptibility. Conclusions The development of frequent cold sores is associated with a region on the long arm of human chromosome 21. This region contains several candidate genes that could influence the frequency of outbreaks of HSL.
A Community-Based Study of Stroke Incidence after Myocardial Infarction

Background The rate of stroke after myocardial infarction (MI) remains unclear. Objectives To examine the rate of stroke after incident MI; compare it with that observed in the population of Rochester, Minnesota; determine how the rate of stroke after MI has changed over time; and examine the impact of stroke on survival after incident MI. Design Community-based cohort. Setting Olmsted County, Minnesota. Participants Persons with incident (first-ever) MI between 1979 and 1998. Measurements Ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke in hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients that was identified by screening of the medical record for stroke diagnostic codes and subsequent stroke confirmation by physician review of the recorded event. Medical record review was used to ascertain baseline characteristics and death. Results A total of 2160 persons with incident MI were hospitalized between 1979 and 1998 and followed for a median of 5.6 years (range, 0 to 22.2 years). The rate of stroke was 22.6 per 1000 person-months (95% CI, 16.3 to 30.6 per 1000 person-months) during the first 30 days after MI, corresponding to a 44-fold increase (standardized morbidity ratio, 44 [95% CI, 32 to 59]) risk for stroke in the population of Rochester, Minnesota. The risk for stroke remained 2 to 3 times higher than expected during the first 3 years after MI. Older age, previous stroke, and diabetes increased the risk for stroke, which did not decline over the study period. Strokes were associated with a large increase in the risk for death after MI (hazard ratio, 2.89 [CI, 2.44 to 3.43]). Limitations Findings may not be generalizable to different populations. The authors measured outcomes by reviewing medical records. Conclusions In the community, the risk for stroke is markedly increased after MI, particularly early after MI, compared with the expected risk in population without MI. Stroke is associated with a large increase in the risk for death after MI.
Allowed wavevectors under the application of incommensurate periodic boundary conditions

While the energy bands of solids are often thought of as continuous functions of the wavevector, k, they are in fact discrete functions, due to the periodic boundary conditions applied over a finite number of primitive cells. The traditional approach enforces periodicity over a volume containing Ni primitive unit cells along the direction of the primitive lattice vector ai. While this method yields a simple formula for the allowed k, it can be problematic computer programs for lattices such as face-centred cubic (FCC) where the boundary faces of the primitive cell are not orthogonal. The fact that k is discrete is of critical importance for supercell calculations since they include only a finite number of unit cells, which determines the number of wavevectors, and have a given geometry, which determines their spacing. Rectangular supercells, with the faces orthogonal to the Cartesian axes, are computationally simplest but are not commensurate with the FCC unit cell, so that the traditional approach for determining the allowed k-values is no longer useful. Here, we present a simple method for finding the allowed k-values when periodic boundary conditions are applied over a rectangular supercell, answering the question in both its practical and pedagogical aspects.
Linear controller design: limits of performance via convex optimization

In this tutorial, an approach to the analysis and design of linear control systems based on numerical convex optimization over closed-loop maps is presented. Convexity makes numerical solution effective: it is possible to determine whether or not there is a controller that achieves a given set of specifications. Thus, the limit of achievable performance can be computed. To provide a context for the material presented, a brief overview of control engineering is given. A broad outline of various approaches to control design for linear and time-invariant systems is presented, including their advantages and disadvantages, for purposes of comparison with the approach presented. It is shown that many performance specifications have natural and useful geometric interpretations, and the notion of a closed-loop convex design specification is defined. The performance requirement that the closed-loop system be stable is discussed. It is shown that many performance specifications can be expressed as convex constraints on closed-loop performance specifications, and how some of these can be expressed as convex constraints on closed-loop transfer matrices is examined. >
Privacy-preserving decision tree mining based on random substitutions

Privacy-preserving decision tree mining is an important problem that has yet to be thoroughly understood. In fact, the privacy-preserving decision tree mining method explored in the pioneer paper [1] was recently showed to be completely broken, because its data perturbation technique is fundamentally flawed [2]. However, since the general framework presented in [1] has some nice and useful features in practice, it is natural to ask if it is possible to rescue the framework by, say, utilizing a different data perturbation technique. In this paper, we answer this question affirmatively by presenting such a data perturbation technique based on random substitutions. We show that the resulting privacy-preserving decision tree mining method is immune to attacks (including the one introduced in [2]) that are seemingly relevant. Systematic experiments show that it is also effective.
Study of Surface Morphology, Impurity Incorporation and Defect Generation during Homoepitaxial Growth of 4H-SiC Using Dichlorosilane

The growth of 4◦ off-axis 4H-SiC epilayers by chemical vapor deposition is studied using dichlorosilane as the Si precursor in a chimney reactor. The unintentional and intentional nitrogen doping at various C/Si ratios and N2 flow rates are investigated. The C/Si ratio has a significant influence on the growth rate, surface morphology, conversion of basal plane dislocations (BPDs), and generation of other defects (e.g., in-growth stacking faults and morphological defects). Addition of N2 has no obvious influence on growth rate and BPD conversion. It is preferable to grow high quality n+ epilayers at a C/Si ratio in the range of 1.3–1.8 along with the addition of a suitable amount of N2 in consideration of high growth rate, good surface morphology, and low defect density. In this case, the conversion ratio of BPDs to threading edge dislocations is greater than 99.8% regardless of N2 addition. Therefore >99.8% substrate BPDs can be buried in an n+ buffer layer, which is beneficial to SiC bipolar power devices. No special treatment prior to, during or after the epigrowth is necessary. The epilayers with doping concentration all the way from p− (∼1e15 cm−3) to semi-insulating, then to n+ (∼1e18 cm−3), can be achieved, giving a great range of flexibility in growth using dichlorosilane precursor. Further optimization of in-situ etching and growth conditions to eliminate step bunching has also been suggested. © The Author(s) 2014. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License (CC BY, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse of the work in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. [DOI: 10.1149/2.0071503jss] All rights reserved.
The Emerging Catholic University: With a Commentary on the Joint Statement on the Rights and Freedoms of Students

(1969). The Emerging Catholic University: With a Commentary on the Joint Statement on the Rights and Freedoms of Students. The Journal of Higher Education: Vol. 40, No. 7, pp. 581-582.
Distribution of cortical "feedback" fibers in the nuclei cuneatus and gracilis.

SummaryThe distribution of the cortical feedback fibers in the nuclei cuneatus and gracilis has been compared with the cyto-archi-tecture and the dendritic architecture of these nuclei. This comparison revealed that the cortical fibers distribute primarily to those parts of the nuclei containing multipolar, triangular, and fusiform cells maintaining long, sparsely ramifying dendrites. The cells with frequently ramifying dendrites, on the other hand, receive only few fibers. Furthermore, preliminary evidence suggests that some of the former cells maintain more collaterals than the latter.
Ab initio studies on several species of the formula X3YO and X3YOH

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations using both minimal and extended basis sets have been applied to two isoelectronic sets of molecules. One set corresponds to the 18 electron species H3NO, H3CO− and H3COH while the second set contains the 42 electron fluorinated molecules F3NO, F3CO− and F3COH. The geometries of these molecules have been optimized, using both the minimal STO-3G and the extended 4-31G basis sets. These comparative calculations reveal that the 4-31G basis produced structural parameters in much better agreement with experiment. The effect of includingd-orbitals in the basis set was also investigated. For the fluorinated oxides it has been found that the optimized 4-31G structures were only slightly altered by the addition ofd-orbitals. For H3NO, on the other hand, the inclusion ofd-orbitals considerably shortens the N-O bond distance. Both H3NO and CF3OH, which are unknown experimentally, are theoretically predicted to be capable of existence. The electronic structures of these molecules have also been examined using electronic partitioning according to the Mulliken scheme.
The Role of Bordeaux Mixture as a Leafhopper Insecticide

Experiments in the control of the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae Harris, on both potato and bean show that treatments with pyrethrum extracts have an immediate action upon the leafhoppers but do not affect the individuals which hatch a few hours after treatment. The leafhoppers which fed upon plants treated with Bordeaux mixture did not show any decrease in numbers for the first 24-hour period, Professor of Entomology, Ohio State University. This work was performed while the writer was employed as Field Assistant on the Bean Insect Project, Truck Crop Insect Investigations, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. D. A. but after the lapse of this time there was a gradual decline in the insect population until none remained alive after 3 or 4 days. The nymphs hatching after treatment were also killed. Leafhoppers which were thoroughly wetted with Bordeaux mixture were not affected. Experiments of the several types conducted indicate that the copper from the Bordeaux mixture is absorbed by the plant, and demonstrate that Bordeaux mixture has a direct insecticidal action upon leafhoppers.
Motor Deficits after Cerebellar Tumor Resection

Cognitive and motor performance after resection of a cerebellar tumor was studied in 22 patients (age range 10-28 years) at University of Minnesota, MN.
Properties of meshes used in hernia repair: a comprehensive review of synthetic and biologic meshes.

Background Data on the mechanical properties of the adult human abdominal wall have been difficult to obtain rendering manufacture of the ideal mesh for ventral hernia repair a challenge. An ideal mesh would need to exhibit greater biomechanical strength and elasticity than that of the abdominal wall. The aim of this study is to quantitatively compare the biomechanical properties of the most commonly used synthetic and biologic meshes in ventral hernia repair and presents a comprehensive literature review. Methods A narrative review of the literature was performed using the PubMed database spanning articles from 1982 to 2012 including a review of company Web sites to identify all available information relating to the biomechanical properties of various synthetic and biologic meshes used in ventral hernia repair. Results There exist differences in the mechanical properties and the chemical nature of different meshes. In general, most synthetic materials have greater stiffness and elasticity than what is required for abdominal wall reconstruction; however, each exhibits unique properties that may be beneficial for clinical use. On the contrary, biologic meshes are more elastic but less stiff and with a lower tensile strength than their synthetic counterparts. Conclusions The current standard of practice for the treatment of ventral hernias is the use of permanent synthetic mesh material. Recently, biologic meshes have become more frequently used. Most meshes exhibit biomechanical properties over the known abdominal wall thresholds. Augmenting strength requires increasing amounts of material contributing to more stiffness and foreign body reaction, which is not necessarily an advantage.