cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dose distribution for a 32P-impregnated coronary stent: Comparison of theoretical calculations and measurements with radiochromic film

Abstract Purpose: Restenosis, caused by proliferation of smooth-muscle cells, limits the efficacy of catheter-based revascular of coronary arteries. Irradiation has been shown to growth of smooth-muscle cells in vitro and to prevent restenosis in animal models following stent placement. An intraarterial source of 32 P, a pure β mitter with a half-life of 14.28 days and a 90% range in water of 3.6 mm, is almost ideal for irradiating just arterial wall without exposing any other part of the patients' heart or any organs, while posing minimal hazards to medical personnel. Two types of previously developed coronary stent impregnated with 32 P were investigated. This study aimed to calculate and measure the dose outside of two types of 32 P-impregnated β-emitting coronary stents under conditions closely simulating clinical use. Methods and Materials: The dose distributions in water surrounding these stents were calculated using a convolution method and measured by exposing radiochromic film in a solid-water phantom. Results: Experimental results were in excellent agreement with theoretical calculations. Conclusions: Radiochromic dosimetry can be used to measure the dose distribution around a β-emitting intraarterial stent at distances as smal as 0.1 mm from the stent surface. A simple cylindrical shell model is adequate for calculating the dose at points farther than 0.5 mm from the stent surface.
Risks of a range of alcohol intake on hepatitis C-related fibrosis.

Heavy alcohol use contributes to liver disease in the setting of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Whether this is true for light or moderate alcohol use has not been demonstrated. Light alcohol use has survival benefits at a population level and is practiced by most patients with chronic HCV infection. In this study, 800 patients with HCV undergoing liver biopsy at three sites had detailed alcohol histories recorded and the relationship between alcohol and hepatic fibrosis was assessed. On univariate analysis, heavy alcohol use (>50 g/day) was associated with an increase in mean fibrosis (P = .01). Such an association could not be demonstrated for light and moderate alcohol use. For each category of alcohol intake (none, light, moderate, and heavy), a spectrum of fibrosis was observed. On multivariate analysis, age, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and histological inflammation were the independent predictors of fibrosis (P = <.0001, .0003, <.0001, respectively). In conclusion, heavy alcohol use exerts a greater effect on fibrosis than light or moderate use. There is a range of fibrosis at each level of alcohol use. Age, serum ALT, and inflammation are independently associated with fibrosis in multivariate analysis, highlighting the fact that variables other than alcohol intake predominate in the production of hepatic fibrosis. (HEPATOLOGY 2004;39:826–834.)
Radicals of crossed products of enveloping algebras

LetL be a Lie algebra over a fieldK which acts asK-derivations on aK-algebraR. Then this action determines a crossed productR *U(L) whereU(L) is the enveloping algebra ofL. The goal of this paper is to describe the Jacobson radical ofR * U(L) forL≠0. We are most successful whenR is a p.i. algebra or Noetherian. In more general situations we at least obtain upper and lower bounds forJ(R * U(L)) which are ideals extended fromR. Furthermore, we offer an interesting example in all characteristics of a commutativeK-algebraC which admits a derivationδ such thatC isδ-prime but not semiprime.
“This Ain’t My School!” Criminality, Control, and Contradictions in Institutional Responses to School Truancy

While previous research has explored the causes and consequences of school truancy, few studies have considered the meanings of institutional responses. This paper offers an ethnographic analysis of a pilot program promoted as a “progressive” form of truancy intervention. Midvale Truancy Center claimed to focus on education, rather than punishment. In practice, however, the crime control tactics used to capture, isolate, and discipline truants often overshadowed the Center’s educational objectives, locating the Center in a liminal space between school and detention facility. The Center’s competing goals—revenue creation, truancy deterrence, and organizational survival—resulted in rehabilitation being pushed aside in favor of normalization and behavioral control. These findings illustrate a recent larger cultural turn toward control and punishment (Garland 2001), and the encroachment of crime control tactics into the civil sphere.
Numerical solution of differential-algebraic equations in mechanical systems simulation

Abstract The numerical solution of the differential-algebraic equations of motion of mechanical systems offers many computational challenges. In this paper we describe progress which has been made in understanding the formulation of the equations of motion from the viewpoint of numerical stability, and outline some of the difficulties which must be resolved for efficient and reliable numerical methods in real-time simulation of mechanical systems.
Just whose side is time on? : North Korea and George W. Bush, 2001-4

President Bush's bold National Security Strategy document of September 2002 would appear to have been written with North Korea as much as Iraq in mind. Yet the Bush administration has been uncharacteristically passive in responding to the challenge posed by Pyongyang's nuclear weapons ambitions, especially in comparison With the forceful manner with which the administration dealt with Iraq. In the latter case, Bush mobilized the full weight of military force; seemed disdainful of allies, international institutions and multilateral diplomacy; and moved forward with what his critics deemed reclkess abandon. In the ease of North Korea, on the other hand, the President has emphasized patience, close coordination with allies and an overall lack of urgency oddly at variance with his axis of evil' characterization of the regime in Pyongyang, and with dangerous advances in North Korea's nuclear arsenal. This essay attempts to explain the rationale behind the Bush administration's surprisingly relaxed approach to the North Korea challenge.
The effects of preservatives and temperatures on arachnid DNA

We tested the effects of different preservatives and temperatures on the yield of spider and scorpion DNA useable for PCR amplification. Our experiment was designed to simulate conditions in the field and laboratory over a six-week time period, testing the preservatives RNAlater®, propylene glycol, and various ethanol concentrations. Three replicates of each preservation treatment were stored at five different temperature treatments; –80°C, –20°C, 2–4°C, 19–24°C, and 40°C. DNA was extracted and quality was assessed by electrophoresis on mini-gels, and by PCR amplification of high copy mitochondrial DNA fragments (cytochrome oxidase subunit I) and low copy nuclear DNA fragments (actin). Results show that RNAlater® and propylene glycol are significantly better than the other preservatives for high quality DNA preservation and that tissue is best stored at –80°C or –20°C. Storage in 95% ethanol is appropriate if specimens are stored at –20°C or –80°C. We believe our results can help guide biologists in choosing preservatives and temperatures for DNA-based research on arachnids, other arthropods and invertebrates in general.
A Monte Carlo study of the Friedman test and some competitors in the single factor, repeated measures design with unequal covariances

Abstract Single factor, repeated measures designs are employed in a variety of research settings. Assumptions about the form of the covariance matrix of the repeated measures have traditionally been applied only to parametric tests, yet the classical nonparametric alternative, the Friedman test, also possesses an implicit assumption of equal covariances of the measures. The results of a Monte Carlo study suggest that neither the Friedman rank test or other nonparametric competitors are robust to extreme departures from equal covariances when population distributions are symmetric, or to mild departures when population distributions are skewed. Surprisingly, the type I error rate of the parametric F test was less sensitive to an asymmetric⧸heavy-tailed distribution for unequal covariances than the nonparametric tests.
Central inhibition of salt appetite by oxytocin in rats.

Considerable evidence indicates an important role of hormones in the stimulation of fluid consumption. For example, angiotensin II (Ang II), together with afferent neural input from cardiovascular baroreceptors, is well known to stimulate thirst and NaCl intake in rats. Conversely, numerous studies have demonstrated that central oxytocin (OT) provides a stimulus for inhibition of salt appetite. The latter conclusion is supported by the following observations in rats: (a) intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of OT inhibits salt appetite stimulated by subcutaneous colloid; (b) treatments that inhibit NaCl intake, such as acute hyperosmolality, stimulate pituitary secretion of OT (which is correlated with central release of OT in these studies), whereas treatments that decrease OT secretion, such as systemic injection of deoxycorticosterone and dietary sodium deprivation, potentiate Ang-II-induced NaCl intake; (c) systemic ethanol administration inhibits OT secretion and enhances Ang-II-induced salt appetite; (d) naloxone, which augments stimulated OT secretion, inhibits NaCl appetite induced by colloid treatment, an effect that is abolished by i.c.v. pretreatment with an OT receptor antagonist; and (e) destruction of central neurons bearing OT receptors increases Ang II-induced salt appetite. By mediating the inhibition of NaCl intake in rats, central OT complements the known peripheral effects of OT to facilitate renal sodium excretion.
Role of proline ... proline interactions in the packing of collagenlike poly(tripeptide) triple helices.

Conformational energy computations were carried out on the packing of two identical collagenlike poly(tripeptide) triple helices in order to determine the energetics of favorable packing arrangements as a function of composition and chain length. The triple helices considered were [CH3CO-(Gly-Pro-Pro)nt-NHCH3]3 and [CH3CO-(Gly-Pro-Ala)nt-NHCH3]3, with nt = 3, 4, and 5. The packing arrangements were characterized in terms of their intermolecular energies and orientation angles Ω0 of the axes of the two triple helices. For short triple helices (nt = 3 or 4), many low-energy orientations, with a wide range of values of Ω0, can occur. When the triple helices are longer (nt = 5), the only low-energy packing arrangements of two poly(Gly-Pro-Pro) triple helices are those with a nearly parallel orientation of the two helix axes, with Ω0 ≈ −10°. This result accounts for the observed parallel (rather than antiparallel) arrangement of collagen molecules in microfibril assembly and stands in contrast to the preferred antiparallel arrangement of a pair of α-helices. Since the preference for a parallel arrangement of these collagenlike triple helices is less pronounced in the case of poly(Gly-Pro-Ala), it appears that this preference is a consequence of the frequent presence of imino acids in position Y of the Gly-X-Y repeating triplet. In poly(Gly-Pro-Ala), most of the low-energy packing arrangements are parallel, but a few arrangements with low energies and high values of |Ω0| occur. These packing arrangements have a high energy, however, when Pro is substituted for Ala, and thus they are not accessible for collagen with natural amino (imino) acid sequences. The computations reported here account for some of the characteristic features of collagen packing in terms of the local interaction energies of a pair of triple helices.
Marijuana: A Decade and a Half Later, Still a Crude Drug With Underappreciated Toxicity

In 1984, I published in this journal a review entitled "Marijuana: A Crude Drug With a Spectrum of Underappreciated Toxicity." In the introduction to that article, I disclosed that our son Keith, who was 15 years old at the time, was in a long-term, modified outpatient adolescent drug and alcohol rehabilitation program because he had become dependent on marijuana with its associated behavioral, interpersonal, scholastic, and antisocial problems. Keith and most of his friends had experimented several times with LSD, beer, and several other drugs but never used injection drugs. Marijuana was clearly Keith's drug of choice and the only drug he used with regularity. Approximately 1 year later, Keith graduated from the treatment program. He completed the early aftercare component, relapsed several times, and completed a 4-month refresher drug rehabilitation program in another state. Nine years after admission to the first rehabilitation program, Keith finally attained some adult goals. Now 34 years old, he has been drug-free for 10 years. He is the president and owner of a successful discount cellular phone business that he started. More important, a decade ago, he reestablished an excellent and close relationship with his parents. As far as I can tell, Keith remains drug-free except for an occasional beer.
Uniform Rate of Weak Convergence of the Minimum Contrast Estimator in the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck Process

The paper shows that the distribution of the normalized minimum contrast estimator of the drift parameter in the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process observed over [0, T] converges to the standard normal distribution with an uniform error rate of the order O (T − 1/2). A precise estimate of the constant in the upper bound is also given.
Stimuli-responsive membranes

Stimuli-responsive membranes change their physicochemical properties in response to changes in their environment. Stimuli-responsive membranes have been designed to respond to changes in pH, temper- ature, ionic strength, light, electric and magnetic fields, and chemical cues. This review covers the design of stimuli-responsive membranes and their ever-expanding range of use. It considers stimuli-responsive changes in membrane structure and surface characteristics that enable novel applications.
Evaluation of the cuff-leak test in a cardiac surgery population.

Objective The purpose of this study is to determine the accuracy of the cuff-leak test in a cardiovascular ICU. Methods Five hundred twenty-four patients were tested immediately before being extubated 531 times. The cuff-leak test was performed with the ventilator set in assist-control mode at a tidal volume (V t ) of 10 to 12 mL/kg. The leak was taken to be the difference between the preset inspiratory V t and the average of the three lowest of the subsequent six expiratory V t s. A leak ≤ 110 mL was considered to be a positive leak test. Results None of the 20 patients with a positive leak test developed problems. Three patients had postextubation stridor. Their leaks were 433, 312, and 350 mL. Conclusion The cuff-leak test is inaccurate and cannot be recommended for routine use in this population.
IRF-8 extinguishes neutrophil production and promotes dendritic cell lineage commitment in both myeloid and lymphoid mouse progenitors

While most blood lineages are assumed to mature through a single cellular and developmental route downstream of HSCs, dendritic cells (DCs) can be derived from both myeloid and lymphoid progenitors in vivo. To determine how distinct progenitors can generate similar downstream lineages, we examined the transcriptional changes that accompany loss of in vivo myeloid potential as common myeloid progenitors differentiate into common DC progenitors (CDPs), and as lymphoid-primed multipotent progenitors (LMPPs) differentiate into all lymphoid progenitors (ALPs). Microarray studies revealed that IFN regulatory factor 8 (IRF-8) expression increased during each of these transitions. Competitive reconstitutions using Irf8(-/-) BM demonstrated cell-intrinsic defects in the formation of CDPs and all splenic DC subsets. Irf8(-/-) common myeloid progenitors and, unexpectedly, Irf8(-/-) ALPs produced more neutrophils in vivo than their wild-type counterparts at the expense of DCs. Retroviral expression of IRF-8 in multiple progenitors led to reduced neutrophil production and increased numbers of DCs, even in the granulocyte-macrophage progenitor (GMP), which does not normally possess conventional DC potential. These data suggest that IRF-8 represses a neutrophil module of development and promotes convergent DC development from multiple lymphoid and myeloid progenitors autonomously of cellular context.
Electrochemical behavior of thin-film Sm-doped ceria: insights from the point-contact configuration

The electrochemical behavior of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown porous films of Sm-doped ceria (SDC) for hydrogen oxidation has been evaluated by impedance spectroscopy using a point contact geometry at a temperature of 650 °C. Porous SDC films, 950 nm in thickness, were deposited on both sides of single-crystal YSZ(100). Pt paste was applied over the surface of one SDC layer to create a high-activity counter electrode. Ni wire was contacted to the surface of the other SDC layer to create a limited contact-area working electrode. The active area of contact at the working electrode was determined using the Newman equation and the electrolyte constriction impedance. The radius of this area varied from 5 to 18 μm, depending on gas composition and bias. The area-normalized electrode impedance (where the area was that determined as described above) varied from 0.03 to 0.17 Ω cm2 and generally decreased with cathodic bias and decreasing oxygen partial pressure. From an analysis of the dimensions of the active area with bias, it was found that the majority of the overpotential occurred at the SDC|gas interface rather than the SDC|YSZ interface. Overall, the anode overpotential is found to be extremely small, competitive with the best oxide anodes reported in the literature. Nevertheless, the impedance falls in line with expected values based on extrapolations of the properties of dense, flat SDC model electrodes grown by pulsed laser deposition (Chueh et al., Nat. Mater., 2012). The results demonstrate that, with suitable fabrication approaches, exceptional activity can be achieved with SDC for hydrogen electrooxidation even in the absence of metal–oxide–gas triple phase boundaries.
Predictors of Smoking Cessation in Pregnancy and Maintenance Postpartum in Low-Income Women

Objective: To describe factors associated with smoking status of low-income women during pregnancy and postpartum. Methods: Data from a randomized clinical trial were used to conduct separate analyses on 327 women who smoked at baseline (time at enrollment) and for whom smoking status was available at delivery, and on 109 women who reported not smoking at delivery (quit spontaneously or after study enrollment) and for whom smoking status was available at 6-months postpartum. Salivary cotinine was used to assess the accuracy of self-reported smoking status for the sample as a whole. Data were collected between May 1997 and November 2000. Results: 18% of the 327 baseline smokers stopped smoking before delivery. Cessation was less likely in older women, those reporting Medicaid coverage (vs. commercial or no insurance), who were at a later week of pregnancy at baseline, were more addicted, had a husband/partner who smoked, and did not receive the study intervention. 37% of the 109 women who reported not smoking at delivery maintained abstinence at 6-months postpartum. Factors associated with abstinence were later week of pregnancy at baseline and quitting spontaneously with pregnancy, while women who lived with a smoker were less likely to report abstinence. Spontaneous quitters were less likely to relapse by 6 months postpartum than women who quit smoking later in pregnancy. Conclusions: Partner participation in smoking cessation programs for pregnant and postpartum women merits exploration. Lower relapse rates among spontaneous quitters indicate a need to foster an environment that encourages quitting at pregnancy.
Review of the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's 10-kW RADICL laser

The US Air Force Research Laboratory has actively pursued the development of the Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Laser (COIL) since its invention in 19771. The power scaling potential of the COIL was verified in the late 1980's on the RotoCOlL device, which was later decommissioned. A smaller COIL teststand (ReCOIL) was then upgraded with a rotating-disk oxygen generator and a variable-height slit nozzle to become the principal testbed for continued COIL development. The modified device was named the Research assessment evice Iodine chemical Laser (RADICL). RADICL has supported several major test campaigns during the past 9 years, many of which have been published. These include 2-D gain maps2, iodine dissociation studies3, magnetic gainswitching demonstrations4, mode-locking5, metal cutting/fiber delivery demonstrations, and more recently measurements of water concentration and oxygen yield . Areview of the major results of these test programs and previously unpublished data are presented.
Groups generating transversals to semisimple lie group actions

We describe those discrete groups with finite measure preserving actions that are stably orbit equivalent to such an action of a higher rank simple Lie group. This is applied to obtain information on the question of when ergodic equivalence relations are generated by a free action of a group.
Ionizing radiation quarantine treatments against tephritid fruit flies

Abstract Fruit flies of the family Tephritidae are considered the most important insect pest risk carried by exported fruits worldwide. Fruits suspected of harboring fruit fly eggs and larvae must be treated to control virtually 100% of any tephritids present. Irradiation is unique among quarantine treatments in that it is the only treatment used which does not cause acute mortality; instead, insects are prevented from maturing or are sterilized. Tephritids have been the most studied group of quarantined pests as far as irradiation; minimum absorbed doses confirmed with large-scale testing to provide control to the probit 9 level (99.9968%) have ranged from 50 to 250 Gy. Considerable work has been done with the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), one of the most important quarantined pests worldwide, and doses suggested to provide quarantine security have varied widely. The fact that insects are still alive for some time after irradiation has been one of the major obstacles to its use. Irradiation may be the most widely applicable quarantine treatment from the standpoint of fruit quality. However, some important fruits shipped across quarantine barriers (mangoes, Mangifera indica L., and citrus) may suffer from doses as low as 150 Gy when applied on a commercial scale where much of the fruit load may receive >300 Gy. Fortunately, some of the important tephritids attacking these fruits, such as Anastrepha spp., can be controlled with lower doses. Mainland USA has begun to use irradiation as a quarantine treatment for some fruits imported from Hawaii since April 1995 and remains the only country using irradiation as a quarantine treatment, although on a very limited basis. Irradiation offers some additional risk abatement advantages over other quarantine treatments.
Transient Activation of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Induces Abnormal Growth Plate Closure and Articular Cartilage Thickening in Postnatal Mice

Wnt/β-catenin signaling is required for skeletal development and organization and for function of the growth plate and articular cartilage. To further clarify these roles and their possible pathophysiological importance, we created a new transgenic mouse model in which Wnt/β-catenin signaling can be activated in cartilage for specific periods of time. These transgenic mice expressed a constitutive active form of β-catenin fused to a modified estrogen receptor ligand-binding domain under the control of cartilage-specific collagen 11α2 promoter/enhancer. Transient Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation in young adult mice by tamoxifen injections induced growth retardation and severe deformities in knee joints. Tibial and femoral growth plates displayed an excessive number of apoptotic cells and eventually underwent abnormal regression. Articular cartilage exhibited an initial acute loss of proteoglycan matrix that was followed by increases in thickness, cell density, and cell proliferation. In reciprocal studies, we found that conditional ablation of β-catenin in postnatal mice using a Col2-CreER strategy led to hypocellularity in articular cartilage, growth plate disorganization, and a severe reduction in bone volume. Together, these data provide evidence that Wnt/β-catenin signaling has important and distinct roles in growth plate and articular cartilage and that postnatal dysregulation of this signaling pathway causes diverse structural and functional changes in the two cartilaginous structures.
ALTERED BLOOD ANDROGENS IN ELDERLY MEN WITH PROSTATE HYPERPLASIA.

Plasma testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were measured in the plasma of otherwise healthy men ages 60-90 who had prostate hyperplasia. The androgens were measured by specific radioimmunoassays using paper and celite column chromatography. In the elderly subjects, plasma T was 466+/-35 (SE) ng per 100 ml which is reduced (p less than 0.05) as compared with values from younger men. In contrast, DHT levels were elevated when compared with values from men ages 20-39, 89 (53-152) versus 49 (33-74) 95% confidence ng per 100 ml. Analysis of data by the Mann Whitney U test demonstrates that the groups are different (p less than 0.001). These studies indicate that DHT levels and T/DHT ratios are altered in unstressed elderly men with BPH. Further study is necessary to delineate the source of DHT and whether these altered androgen levels are the cause of prostate hypertrophy or an unrelated effect of aging.
The role of motor learning in stuttering adaptation: repeated versus novel utterances in a practice-retention paradigm.

Abstract Most individuals who stutter become more fluent during repeated oral readings of the same material. This adaptation effect may reflect motor learning associated with repeated practice of speech motor sequences. We tested this hypothesis with a paradigm that used two integrated approaches to identify the role of motor learning in stuttering adaptation: to distinguish practice effects from situation effects, the texts contained both repeated and novel sentences; to differentiate learning effects from temporary performance effects, stuttering frequency was determined for both the initial adaptation readings and retention tests after 2 h and 24 h. Average group data for 7 stuttering individuals who showed adaptation indicate that (a) both repeated and novel sentences resulted in decreased stuttering frequency across five readings in the initial session, but the decrease was larger for repeated than for novel sentences; (b) after 2 h, stuttering frequency for both types of sentences was again similar, but with additional readings the repeated sentences once again showed larger improvements in fluency; (c) after 24 h, prior fluency improvements for the novel sentences had dissipated whereas retention was observed for the repeated sentences. These findings – supporting the hypothesis that motor learning plays a role in stuttering adaptation – were representative for most, but not all, individual subjects. Subjects whose data did not follow the group trend and showed comparable retention for repeated and novel sentences may adapt primarily on the basis of non-motor mechanisms. Alternatively, those subjects may in fact show more substantial generalization of motor learning effects to previously unpracticed movement sequences. Educational objectives: After reading this article, the reader will be able to: (1) summarize previous research on stuttering adaptation; (2) define motor learning and describe its essential characteristics; and (3) discuss why the results from this and previous studies suggest that stuttering adaptation may be a result of motor learning.
Determinants of Success during Triathalon Competition

Abstract Eleven male triathletes were studied to determine the relationships between selected metabolic measurements and triathlon performance. Measurements of oxygen uptake (VO2), pulmonary ventilation (VE), and heart rate (HR) were made during submaximal and maximal 365.8 m freestyle swimming (FS), cycle ergometry (CE), and treadmill running (TR). Submaximal workloads were 1 m!s for swimming, 200 W for cycling, and 2012 m!min for running. The mean VO2 max (l/min) was significantly (p < .05) lower during FS (4.17) than CE (4.68) or TR (4.81). Swimming, cycling, and running performance times during the Muncie Endurathon (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile cycle, 13.1 mile run) were not significantly related to the event-specific VO2 max (ml/kg/min): −.49, −32 and −55, respectively. The VO2 max expressed in l/min was found to be significantly (p < .05) related to cycling time (r = −.70). A significant (p < .05) relationship was observed between submaximal VO2 (ml/kg/min) during TM and run performance time (r = .64), w...
The Use of Transthoracic Echocardiography and Adherence to Appropriate Use Criteria at a Regional Hospital

Background The sharp increase in health care costs over the past decade has prompted health care providers to reevaluate how diagnostic imaging is utilized. In response to the need for more rational use of imaging services, the American College of Cardiology Foundation and the American Society of Echocardiography have developed appropriate use criteria (AUC) for transthoracic echocardiography to guide its utilization. Although community and regional hospitals, such as Danbury Hospital, account for 85% of registered hospitals in the United States, very little is known about adherence to the AUC at these institutions. Methods The electronic medical records of 1,205 patients who underwent inpatient transthoracic echocardiography from January 1 to June 30, 2008, were retrospectively examined to determine the reasons for ordering the studies. The 2007 and 2011 AUC were used to classify indications as appropriate, inappropriate, or uncertain. Results Using the 2007 AUC, 86% of echocardiographic examinations were classified as appropriate. One percent had indications that were inappropriate, and there were no uncertain indications. Thirteen percent of studies were ordered for reasons not defined by the 2007 AUC. The most common appropriate indications were symptoms due to suspected cardiac etiology, initial evaluation after acute myocardial infarction, and acute chest pain with suspected myocardial ischemia. When evaluated using the 2011 AUC, appropriate and inappropriate indications increased to 97% and 2%, respectively. Ninety-three percent of undefined studies, using the 2007 AUC, could be classified using the 2011 guidelines. Conclusions Consistent with studies conducted at university hospitals, Danbury Hospital, a regional hospital, showed good adherence to the AUC. This suggests that the AUC are valuable across a large continuum of inpatient settings and can serve as an excellent guide for utilization and appropriateness.
Long-term prognosis after repair of double-chamber right ventricle with ventricular septal defect

To determine long-term postoperative results in patients with double-chamber right ventricle and ventricular septal defect, 20 patients who had survived complete repair between 1959 and 1966 were recalled and studied. An interview, physical examination, electrocardiogram and chest x-ray were performed in all 20 patients, a treadmill exercise test in 16, 24-hour Holter monitor recording in 7 and postoperative cardiac catheterization in 8. Mean age at repair was 14 years and at follow-up evaluation 33 years. There were no late deaths. At a mean follow-up of 19 years, 17 patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I, 1 patient was in class II and 2 patients were in class III. Reoperation was performed in 2 patients (10%), and at present only 1 patient (5%) is considered to have hemodynamically significant cardiac compromise. Aortic regurgitation, not present in any patient preoperatively, developed in 5 patients (25%). Mild residual right ventricular outflow obstruction was present in 2 (10%) and the murmur of a hemodynamically insignificant residual ventricular septal defect or tricuspid regurgitation was present in 5 patients (25%). One patient (5%) had cardiomegaly (cardiothoracic ratio >0.55). The frequency of infective endocarditis in the postoperative follow-up period was 1 per 388 patient-years. Thus, 20 years after repair of double-chamber right ventricle, mild residua and sequelae are common, but serious cardiac compromise is infrequent.
The Creative Legacy of Konstantin Rausch von Traubenberg

Abstract This article reassesses the art of sculptor Baron Konstantin Rausch von Traubenberg, one of many Russian emigre artists who fell into oblivion during the Soviet era. He worked in a variety of materials and genres, created portraits of his contemporaries, equestrian figurines, historical and genre groups, models for the firm of Faberge & Co., and commissions for the Imperial Porcelain Factory in St. Petersburg. His multifaceted career, launched already before the revolution, constitutes a significant phenomenon when examined in conjunction with his subsequent work abroad.
Opinion similarity and helping: Three field experiments investigating the bases of promotive tension

Previous research has demonstrated that people can develop relationships (called promotive social relationships) which provide a basis for the arousal of tension. In order to reduce this tension they will help another person. The three field experiments reported here are part of a continuing investigation of the social conditions which cause one person to experience such tension coordinated to another's goal attainment. In these three experiments subjects had the opportunity to help a stranger whose opinions varied, in degrees, from 100% agreement with their own to 100% disagreement. The opinions were either of high importance (Experiment I), low importance (Experiment II), or mixed high and low importance (Experiment III). Evidence from the three experiments consistently leads to the conclusion that the formation of promotive social relationships is primarily determined by opinion similarity and subsequent social categorization, not attraction. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed, related research is identified, and additional information about the relationship between opinion similarity and attraction in field settings is provided.
Crime and punishment in Liberia

Concern about the growing number of blacks and freed slaves in the United States led the American Colonization Society (with assistance from British colonial officials in Sierra Leone) to re-settle former slaves in what became known as Liberia (“Land of the Free”). Ironically, the government established by the Americo-Liberians following independence in 1847, denied indigenous Liberians (who comprised about 95% of the population of the new republic), the same rights they themselves were denied in America. Many years of prejudice, discrimination, exploitation, oppression, and other forms of social and economic injustices perpetrated against indigenous Liberians by successive Americo-Liberian government culminated in the April 12, 1980 coup d'etat, carried out by Master Sergeant Samuel Doe. This paper discusses the problem of crime and punishment in Liberia before the coup d'etat and after, during the fourteen years of civil wars which followed the coup d'etat, and during the immediate period following the ...
Some Changes in the Structure-of-Intellect Model.

This paper serves to update the structure-of-intellect (SOI) model. In addition to a previously indicated separation of the figural element of the content facet of the SOI model into visual and auditory components, the memory element within the operations facet has been differentiated into memory recording and memory retention. Research supporting these changes is cited. Thus the revised SOI model now contains five content properties termed visual, auditory, symbolic, semantic, and behavioral; six operations entitled cognition, memory recording, memory retention, divergent production, convergent production, and evaluation; and the same six products as formerly, named units, classes, relations, systems, transformations, and implications.
Platelet MAO activity and family history of schizophrenia

Abstract Platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity was studied in 50 drug-free schizophrenics divided into groups according to whether they had at least two first-degree relatives with schizophrenia ( n =6), only one first-degree relative with schizophrenia ( n =8), or no family history of schizophrenia ( n =36). Similar determination was made in 56 age-matched normals. There were no differences in the platelet MAO activity between any of the groups of schizophrenics or the normals. The results are discussed in light of previous studies of platelet MAO activity in schizophrenics with and without a family history of schizophrenia.
Effects of inorganic mercury on [3H]dopamine release and calcium homeostasis in rat striatal synaptosomes.

Inorganic mercury (Hg2+) in vitro increases spontaneous transmitter release from nerve terminals. The mechanisms of action are not well understood but may involve alterations in intraterminal Ca2+ dynamics. In this study we describe actions of Hg2+ in vitro on isolated mammalian CNS striatal nerve terminals (synaptosomes). Cobalt (2 mM) completely blocked the effect of 2 microM Hg2+ on spontaneous [3H]dopamine release. Cadmium (100 microM) was equipotent to Co2+ in blocking depolarization-dependent [3H]dopamine release, but did not alter the 2 microM Hg2(+)-induced spontaneous [3H]dopamine release. Depolarization-dependent [3H]dopamine release was not altered by 5 microM Hg2+. It appears that the site of action of Hg2+ on spontaneous [3H]dopamine release is not the Ca2+ channel. The effects of Hg2+ on intraterminal ionized Ca2+ [( Ca2+]i) were evaluated using the Ca2(+)-specific fluorescent probe, fura-2. Hg2+ (1-8 microM) had no effect on [Ca2+]i in 1.2 mM Ca2(+)-containing buffers. In nominal Ca2+ media, 4 and 8 microM Hg2+ significantly decreased [Ca2+]i. Following exposure to 4 and 8 microM Hg2+ the quenching of extrasynaptosomal fura-2 by Mn2+ was increased, suggesting that Hg2+ facilitated the leakage of fura-2. This apparent leakage was probably due to a nonspecific increase in membrane permeability since 2 microM Hg2+ produced a Co2(+)-insensitive increase in [3H]deoxyglucose phosphate efflux. Hg2+ did not increase the leakage of either lactate dehydrogenase or soluble protein from synaptosomes. Hg2+ produced a concentration-dependent (1-8 microM) increase in 45Ca2+ efflux from superfused synaptosomes which was insensitive to blockade either by 2 mM Co2+ or by 100 microM Cd2+. These data suggest that the transmitter releasing action of Hg2+ involves interactions with sites that also interact with Co2+ but not with Cd2+. Furthermore, Hg2+ may have direct transmitter releasing actions (i.e., Ca2(+)-mimetic properties), as well as nonspecific actions on plasma membrane permeability which may not necessarily be linked to [3H]dopamine release.
Glycine-nitrate combustion synthesis of oxide ceramic powders

Abstract A new combustion synthesis method, the glycine-nitrate process, has been used to prepare oxide ceramic powders, including substituted chromite and manganite powders of high quality. A precursor was prepared by combining glycine with metal nitrates in their appropriate stoichiometric ratios in an aqueous solution. The precursor was heated to evaporate excess water, yielding a viscous liquid. Further heating to about 180°C caused the precursor liquid to autoignite. Combustion was rapid and self-sustaining, with flame temperatures ranging from 1100 to 1450°C. The chromite product was compositionally homogeneous with a specific surface area of 32 m2/g, while the manganite product was composed of two distinct phases with a 23 m2/g surface area after calcination. When compared to similar compositions made using the amorphous citrate process, glycine-nitrate-produced powders had greater compositional uniformity, lower residual carbon levels and smaller particle sizes.
Adsorption, diffusion and permeation of gases in microporous membranes. III. Application of percolation theory to interpretation of porosity, tortuosity, and surface area in microporous glass membranes

The dependencies of porosity, surface area, and a tortuosity factor in microporous membranes on the porous membrane structure were considered. it was shown that the porosity and tortuosity in silica glasses could be described within the framework of the percolation theory. Tortuosity factors were influenced not only by the elongation of the diffusion path but also by the amount of throughout porosity. Mathematical medoling of gas diffusion processes in microporous glasses was performed by the MonteCarlo method. The simulation results were in good agreement with experimental observations for Vycor glass membranes. Dependence of the surface area per unit volume, SV, on pore size was represented by a simple power law of the type SV∼f (θ)d−1P with O < f(θ) < 1.23, where dP is the pore diameter. Experimental data from literature on surface area and porosity in porous carbons, alumina, silica, glasses, silver, nickel, and polymeric membranes were used to verify the relationship. As a first approximation, the surface area per unit volume in porous materials with porosity 0.4 < θ < 0.6 can be estimated as SV ≈ 1.23/dP.
Forest heterogeneity influences habitat selection by fishers (Pekania pennanti) within home ranges

Abstract Habitat selection by animals occurs across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Information about habitat requirements across scales is needed to develop effective habitat management strategies that promote wildlife conservation. The fisher ( Pekania pennanti ) is a wide ranging mesocarnivore that occurs at low population densities, uses large tracts of forested land, and has been repeatedly petitioned for listing under the Endangered Species Act, primarily due to habitat loss. Although habitat selection by fishers at fine and broad spatial scales has been studied, selection at scales between these extremes is poorly reported in the literature. We used data from 18 fishers fitted with Argos satellite telemetry collars to evaluate two competing hypotheses about habitat selection by fishers within home ranges: fishers select core use areas based on (1) abundant and contiguous mature forest, or (2) heterogeneity and diversity of habitats. We identified core and peripheral use areas within home ranges using an optimal isopleth analysis, and we evaluated a suite of a priori models that described how forest composition and configuration might influence habitat selection within home ranges. Results indicated that core use areas were composed of intermediate amounts of both landscape edge and high canopy cover forest. Such selection potentially facilitates access to a diverse array of resources. Overall, our results supported the hypothesis that fishers select core use areas within home ranges based on habitat heterogeneity and diversity. Because most forest management occurs at a scale similar to our analysis, these results contribute to a better understanding about how forest management strategies can facilitate persistence of fishers in managed forest landscapes.
Ethnic identity and elite idyll: a comparison of carnival in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay, 1900–1920

This article compares the transformation of carnival celebrations in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay at the beginning of the twentieth-century. It argues that changes in carnival practices in the River Plate region, a geography shared by these two national capitals, cannot be understood without taking a comparative stance since the demise of carnival in Buenos Aires was linked to the rise of a vacation culture in Montevideo. In addition, the more dramatic urbanization process experienced by Buenos Aires and the longer political stability of the nineteenth century here enabled elite politicians, commercial interests, and the middle and upper classes to regulate carnival behaviors to such an extent that the festivities became increasingly lackluster. In contrast, the slower urbanization process in Montevideo combined with the government's close but not overzealous regulation of carnival, allowed Montevideo's carnival to flourish. The disparate nature of Montevideo's carnival celebration that...
Equation of state of water based on speeds of sound measured in the diamond-anvil cell

Abstract Measurements of the speed of sound in water have been extended to 5.5 GPa and 400°C. The data were taken in the diamond-anvil cell using Impulsive Stimulated Scattering (Forced Rayleigh Scattering) at acoustic frequencies of ∼1 GHz. Measured sound speeds differ significantly from those given by previously published equations of state; at 5 GPa, measured speeds are 3% lower than those predicted by the 1995 formulation of the International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS). New thermal diffusivity measurements to 1 GPa are combined with previously reported thermal conductivities in a determination of specific heat. A complete equation of state (giving all thermodynamic quantities) was generated and subsequently extended to 40 GPa and 3000 K. This equation of state matches both our speed of sound data and previously published shock wave data; in a range extending to 3 GPa and 700–1600°C predicted densities are up to 5% higher than those reported from studies of inclusions, leading to a reinterpretation of those previous studies. Within the range of the new data, an experimentally determined estimate of uncertainty is given for the densities.
The Application of an Inverse Formulation in the Design of Boundary Conditions for Transient Radiating Enclosures

This study considers the design of thermal systems that are built to radiatively heat objects from a specified initial condition to a specified steady state following a prescribed temperature history. The enclosure housing the object, the object itself and the heaters all have thermal capacity. The necessary power input distributions for the heaters during the heating process are sought to satisfy the design specifications. The problem is thus a transient inverse boundary condition estimation problem, where the geometry and the properties of the surfaces are specified and the boundary condition on the heater wall is to be found by making use of the information provided at the design surface for each time step. The boundary condition estimation problem requires the solution of a set of Fredholm equations of the first kind. Such a problem is known to be ill-posed. The introduction of the transient nature makes the inverse problem nonlinear and even more interesting, challenging, and realistic. A solution algorithm is proposed and used to produce a solution for sample problem. In order to model radiative heat transmission, the Monte Carlo method is used, which enables us to handle specularly reflecting surfaces and blockage effects. The inverse problem is solved by the conjugate gradient method, which provides smooth and accurate results after the first few steps.