cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new truck-routing approach for reducing fuel consumption and pollutants emission

The paper develops an approach to the time-constrained, multiple-stop, truck-routing problem that minimizes the fuel consumption and pollutants emission. Features of framework are; it minimizes the distance a delivery vehicle must travel with a heavy payload in a given tour by sequencing the customer visits such that heavier items are unloaded first while lighter items are unloaded later, and it considers the amount of fuel burned during the time a truck is detained at customer sites. Our simulations, based on the routing of an actual motor carrier, suggest the approach may produce up to 6.9% in fuel savings over existing methods.
ENDOR Studies of Pyruvate:Ferredoxin Oxidoreductase Reaction Intermediates

Electron−nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) studies of radical intermediates formed by the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate by pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase were carried out to characterize their electronic structure and elucidate aspects of the recently proposed catalytic mechanism (Menon, S.; Ragsdale, S. W. Biochemistry 1997, 36, 8484−8494). The EPR spectrum of the PFOR/pyruvate adduct at 4 K displays a narrow resonance centered at g = 2.008 that has been attributed to a hydroxyethyl thiamine pyrophosphate (HE-TPP) radical. This spectral feature is superimposed on a broad, complex line shape characteristic of magnetically coupled [Fe4S4] clusters. The ENDOR spectrum at g = 2.008 reveals a broad peak with a complex line shape that can be analyzed, assuming that it arises from a composite of two axially symmetric proton hyperfine couplings. The principle coupling values for these two hyperfine tensors were: A∥(1) = 18.9 MHz, A⊥(1) = 12.6 MHz; and A∥(2) = 20.3 MHz, A⊥(2) = 14.9 MHz. The assignmen...
Attitudes toward Privatization Policy within the Human Services Arena

The purpose of this study was to identify correlates of privatization policy support in the human services arena. To this end, a survey was administered to graduate students enrolled in human service-oriented courses. While efficiency and effectiveness are frequent justifications for privatization policy, attitudes regarding these standards were not related to privatization support. Privatization support was significantly more likely to be found among respondents with private nonprofit work/internship experience and those who believed private nonprofit agencies were more compliant with the law than public agencies. These findings point to the unique nature of privatization support in a human service-oriented sample.
Microstructural characteristics of plasma spray consolidated amorphous powders

Abstract A nickel based amorphous alloy powder has been plasma sprayed under ambient and low pressure conditions onto mild steel substrates. These alloys previously have been considered for possible applications as wear and corrosion resistant coatings. However, the significance of the microstructure on the relevant properties has not been investigated. In this study the microstructural characteristics of the sprayed coatings are examined. X-ray diffraction results indicated that the air plasma sprayed coatings consist of a mixture of amorphous and crystalline phases, while the vacuum plasma sprayed coatings show a predominantly crystalline structure. The crystalline phase in both coatings consists of a supersaturated nickel solid solution. On annealing, this metastable phase precipitates into equilibrium boride phases. Transmission electron microscopy has been used to determine the morphology of the product phases and the microstructure. In addition, extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis has been used to determine the extent of disorder. The effect of microstructural changes within the coating on the hardness, cavitation-erosion resistance and corrosion properties are reported.
Correlative studies of blastogenic responses and interleukin 1 production by mononuclear cells from patients with zoopathogenic fungal infections.

The production of interleukin 1 (IL 1) by adherent peripheral blood monuclear cells (PBMC) was quantitated in 16 individuals infected with Histoplasma capsulatum or Blastomyces dermatitidis and 16 age-matched controls. In parallel, we measured blastogenic responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) by PBMC from patients and controls. Of the 16 patients, six had pulmonary histoplasmosis, six had disseminated histoplasmosis, two had pulmonary blastomycosis, and two had disseminated blastomycosis. At the time of study, none of the patients were receiving immunosuppressive agents or had an underlying debilitating illness.Proliferative responses by PBMC from patients to PHA were significantly (P<0·05) less than the mean response by PBMC from an equal number of controls. In the 16 controls, the increase in secretion of IL 1 by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated adherent cells over unstimulated cells ranged from 18 to 40 units of IL 1 activity per 105 adherent cells. The increment in IL 1 levels between LPS-stimulate...
Characterization of Pre-transcription Complexes Made at a Bacteriophage T4 Middle Promoter: Involvement of the T4 MotA Activator and the T4 AsiA Protein, a σ70Binding Protein, in the Formation of the Open Complex

Bacteriophage T4 middle promoters have excellent matches to the -10 consensus sequence for the sigma 70 subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase, but a binding site for the T4 transcriptional activator MotA replaces the sigma 70 -35 consensus. E. Coli RNA polymerase transcribes from middle promoters with or without the activator. In contrast, transcription by T4-modified E. coli RNA polymerase, which is present during T4 infection, requires NotA. We show that transcription by unmodified polymerase from the T4 middle promoter P uvsx is independent of the specific sequences within the -35 region, and the Dnase I footprint obtained with unmodified polymerase and P uvsx resembles those seen previously with E. coli extended -10" promoters. In contrast, although T4-modified polymerase alond binds P uvsx, promoter unwinding and detection of a Dnase I footprint requires MotA. This footprint is significantly different from that obtained with unmodified polymerase, starting upstream of around position -20. Previous work has indicated that the T4 AsiA protein, which binds tightly to sigma 70, is the phage modification required for MotA activation. We show that in the presence of AsiA, MotA, and otherwise unmodified polymerase, Dnase I protection of P uvsx is now similar to that obtained with the fully modified polymerase and MotA up to around position -40. However, protection upstream of -40 is still similar to that seen with unmodified polymerase. Our results support the idea that MotA-dependent activation requires AsiA binding to sigma 70 to achieve specific protein-DNA contacts within the -20 to -40 region of a middle promoter.
Papillary endothelial hyperplasia presenting as a chest wall neoplasm

Soft tissue hematomas generally resolve but may persist and develop into slow-growing, organized masses. These chronic expanding hematomas are characterized by a pseudocapsule and a predominantly necrotic central cavity, with foci of newly formed capillaries. These have been called chronic expanding hematomas or Masson's papillary endothelial hyperplasia. These lesions can mimic vascular neoplasms and must be considered in the evaluation of expanding soft tissue vascular malformations.
The “Myth” of the False Positive Stress Echo

It has been more than 25 years since the first reports of the use of echocardiographic imaging in conjunction with stress testing for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease. Since that time, both radionuclide and echocardiographic stress testing have become a routine part of the evaluation of patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. Previous studies have indicated sensitivity and specificity of stress echocardiography in the range of 70% to 90%, compared with coronary angiography as a gold standard, for detecting hemodynamically significant obstructions. 1,2 These differences have been explained by a variety of factors, including the extent of disease, reader experience, heart rate obtained during stress, concurrent medications, and other factors. Patients with abnormal results on stress exams (based on the development of new wall motion abnormalities), but with subsequent findings on coronary angiography indicating no significant coronary stenosis, are said to have had ‘‘false-positive’’ results. Echocardiography has been reported to have higher specificity and fewer ‘‘false-positive’’ results than other imaging modalities. Traditionally, these patients with ‘‘false-positive’’ examinations have been treated as if they had no significant coronary artery disease risk and are often dismissed from the care of cardiovascular specialists. The study by From et al 3 in this issue of JASE challenges the concept of ‘‘false-positive’’ stress echocardiographic results. The authors evaluated a consecutive group of 1477 patients with abnormal stress echocardiographic results who underwent coronary angiography. Of this group, approximately two thirds had significant coronary artery disease. The remaining patients had so-called false-positive results, because angiography demonstrated <50% stenosis. Despite this, during an average follow-up of 2.4 years, there was no significant difference in the overall death rate between those with and without 50% luminalnarrowingonangiography.Onemightconclude thatin lightof the findings, patients with ‘‘false-positive’’ stress echocardiographic results should receive the same intensive risk factor modification and careful follow-up as patients with ‘‘true-positive’’ stress echocardiographic results (ie, confirmed by angiography). What are the possible explanations for these findings, and what are the potential implications?
The promotion of health through planned sociopolitical change: Challenges for research and policy

Abstract The focus of health promotion is moving from the level of individuals to organizations, communities and broader social policy. Traditional quantitative methods (e.g. social surverys and experimental designs) which are variously appropriate at the level of individual behavior change require adaptation and refinement when sociopolitical change becomes the mechanism for health promotion. Because of their training and experience health services researchers and health educators (especially psychologists) are understandably resistant to necessary methodologic changes. Well designed and carefully conducted qualitative studies (e.g. ethnographic interviewing, participant observation, case studies and focus group activities) are required to complement quantitative approaches, and can fill gaps where quantitative techniques are suboptimal or even inappropriate: hard qualitative techniques can support soft quantitative methods. Their utility in process evaluation is now beyond dispute. Recent work at the New England Research Institute (NERI) is used to illustrate the role of qualitative research in the evaluation of health promotion through planned sociopolitical change.
Community medicine: An urban model

The authors examine for relevance and current application what was learned in the building and progress of community medicine at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, from 1968 to 1993. They look back on their twenty-five years' approach to service development, research and education in this field, as they worked in an urban-based academic medical center in New York and cooperated with universities and their schools of health sciences abroad. A claim is made that this approach, whether in the United States or abroad, while fostering community development produces a diversity of desirable population-oriented new role models for the medical profession.
Asymptotic expansions for parabolic systems

Abstract We consider a parabolic system in a half space. A theorem, similar to one proved by Meyers and Pazy for elliptic equations outside the unit ball is proved, namely, if the coefficients, the right side, and the initial conditions of the parabolic system have asymptotic expansions at infinity with respect to the space variable, then so does the solution of the corresponding Cauchy problem. Some generalizations and examples are given.
Appendix A—Report of the subcommittee on permeability

The Subcommittee on Permeability of the Permanent Research Committee on Ground Water of the Section of Hydrology, was organized in 1943 to provide for the open discussion of the terminology relating to permeability with a view toward the elimination of conflicting usages and the clarification and standardization of acceptable terms. Confusion had arisen not only in the units of measurement but also in the notation and nomenclature of permeability. It seemed desirable to have general agreement particularly in regard to the names of the different physical parameters in common use and their symbols.
Clinical investigators as critical determinants in pharmaceutical innovation

Clinical investigators perform a critical role in the process of drug development that is often overlooked by industry.
A gas—liquid chromatographic method for the quantitative determination of acetylmethadol and its metabolites in human urine

Abstract A method is described for the simultaneous determination of acetylmethadol, noracetylmethadol, methadol and normethadol in a sample of human urine. The compounds are recovered by the use of solvent extraction and separated by the use of a gas—liquid chromatographic system employing 3% XE-60 as the stationary phase. The method has been used to identify acetylmethadol, noracetylmethadol, methadol and normethadol in the urine of patients receiving acetylmethadol for the treatment of heroin dependence. The use of an internal stanard permits a determination of the concentrations of acetylmethadol and its metabolites in the urine of these patients.
A new mechanism of plastic flow

Abstract When ductile materials are tested in simple shear, with moderate amounts of compressive stress on the shear plane, what appears to be negative strain hardening occurs at relatively large strains. These results are in apparent contradiction to the commonly held views that metals strain harden without saturation to the highest values of strain and that compressive stress on the shear plane does not influence flow stress. A new mechanism of plastic flow is presented that involves the formation and rewelding or microcracks of limited extent on shear surfaces. Possible applications of the new theory to metal cutting and geological events are briefly discussed.
Dynamics of phase transitions in La1$minus;xSrxCoO3

Abstract The unique spin transitions present in lanthanum cobaltate subject the system to variable spin-lattice coupling and to a potentially new mechanism for the insulator–metal transition. The transitions occur with increasing temperature and carrier concentration from low spin (non-magnetic) to either a high-spin or an intermediate-spin (IS) (both magnetic) configurations where the IS state is Jahn-Teller active. Earlier studies of the local structure provided strong evidence for the presence of localized lattice distortions associated with a Jahn-Teller active mode with Sr doping. Recent measurements of the dynamic structure function couple the local effects to changes in lattice dynamics with temperature and composition and provide a time-scale for the atomic fluctuations.
Fluoride varnish application: not always effective in public health trials.

Article Title and Bibliographic Information A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Fluoride Varnish as a Public Health Measure to Reduce Caries in Children Hardman MC, Davies GM, Duxbury JT, Davies RM. Caries Res 2007;41:371-6 Level of Evidence 1 Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of twice-yearly application of Duraphat varnish as a public health measure to reduce dental caries in children living in relatively deprived communities. Source of Funding Information not provided. Type of Study/Design A Cluster Randomized Control Trial
Spherically meanp-valent quasiregular mappings

We introduce spherically meanp-valent quasiregular mappings. Using the method of modulus of path families we prove a distortion theorem and describe the boundary behaviour of this class of mappings.
Bridges between multiple scales

As romance with ‘nano’ spreads from chemists and physicists to traditional engineers, it calls for bridging the methods of macroscale modeling to the phenomena and behaviors of individual molecules.
Response of headaches to nonnarcotic analgesics resulting in missed intracranial hemorrhage

The differential diagnosis of headache is broad, ranging from immediately life-threatening to benign etiologies. Currently, headaches can be treated successfully with various nonnarcotic analgesics. Three cases are presented in which patients with headaches were treated in an emergency department with nonnarcotic analgesics which relieved their headaches; subsequently, these patients returned to be diagnosed with intracranial hemorrhage. Some nonnarcotic analgesics may relieve symptoms of intracranial hemorrhage through their recognized mechanisms of action. Avoiding such occurrences requires that the diagnosis of headache be made with careful consideration of the patient's history. A patient presenting with a new onset of severe headache or a headache that is different from those experienced in the past deserves a thorough diagnostic work-up including a computed tomography scan followed by lumbar puncture if indicated. Diagnostic decisions regarding headache should not be based on a patient's response to any analgesic, nonnarcotic or narcotic.
Predicting final cost for competitively bid construction projects using regression models

Abstract This paper studies the relationship between the low bid and completed cost for competitively bid highway projects. Data are analyzed from several agencies managing highway and dredging projects. A natural log transformation of the low bid and final cost was found to produce regression models for each agency that had high R and R 2 values. These models can predict completed project cost using only the project low bid as input. A separate regression model was determined for each agency. Based on the form of the calculated models it appears that highway agencies construct projects where the final cost increases as an increasing percentage of the low bid price as the project magnitude increases. The dredging projects appear to follow different mechanisms of cost increase than the highway projects and were not predicted as well by the regression models. The regression models can also be used for budgeting purposes by submitting the sum of the low bids for a group of projects as input. The regression models output a prediction of the cost of the group of projects that was found to be highly accurate.
Deliquescence in Binary Mixtures

Purpose. Deliquescence is a first-order phase transformation from solid to solution and occurs at a specific relative humidity (RH) that is characteristic to the solid. The goal of this research was to investigate the reduction in critical relative humidity (RH0) in binary solid mixtures of deliquescent active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and deliquescent excipients.
Stochastic specification of production functions and economic implications

Abstract The stochastic specification of input-output response is examined. Postulates are set forth which seem reasonable on the basis of a priori theorizing and observed behavior. It is found that commonly used formulations are restrictive and may lead to inefficient and biased results. A function which satisfies the postulates is suggested. Two- and four-stage procedures for estimation of the resulting function are then outlined. The estimators are shown to be consistent and, in the latter case, asymptotically efficient under normality.
Schooling and Social Control: Symbolic Violence and Hispanic Students' Attitudes Toward Their Own Ethnic Group

The concept of "symbolic violence" is explored in terms of Hispanic students' attitudes toward their own ethnicity. Mecha nisms of symbolic violence within the school are specified in terms of their role in differentiating and ranking students in terms of their knowledge of the "cultural arbitrary." The differentiating and ranking (D/R) mechanisms operationalized for the analysis are levels of norm-referenced testing, grouping, competition, and busing differences. The analysis is based on an analytic sample of 10 elementary schools and 118 male and female His panic students. The dependent variables are the level of ethnic salience and attitudes toward own ethnicity. The school scores on the four D/R factors that were assigned to individuals, and correlational and regression analysis was performed. Findings indicated that the D/R factors are mechanisms of symbolic violence. Differences were found between males and females and between the dependent variables.
Cleft palate repair and velopharyngeal dysfunction.

Learning objectives After studying this article, the participant should be able to: (1) Describe the technical details common to all cleft palate repairs that optimize outcomes and minimize complications. (2) Explain the subjective and objective evaluation of speech in children with cleft palate. (3) Practice with an increased awareness of the management of complications associated with cleft palate repair. (4) Design a treatment plan for velopharyngeal dysfunction. Summary Goals of a successful cleft palate repair include separation of the oral and nasal components without fistula, achieving sufficient velar length, and creating functional transverse orientation of the levator muscle sling. A number of techniques have been described to achieve these goals, but they all have the following technical details in common: elevation of oral mucosal flaps based on the greater palatine arteries, tension free nasal lining mobilization, and functional intervelar muscle dissection. After palate repair, speech evaluation needs to be performed by an objective interdisciplinary team following a standardized protocol. Identification of velopharyngeal insufficiency secondary to an incompetent nasopharyngeal port will necessitate secondary speech surgery. These secondary techniques include pharyngeal flaps, soft palate lengthening, or pharyngeal sphincters, which should be tailored to optimize speech, while minimizing the risk of obstructive sleep apnea.
Design aspects of regression-based ratio estimation

This article is concerned with statistical design for the estimation of a ratio of mean values in a regression model. This work is motivated, in part, by an important regulatory issue whereby automotive emissions (hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen) are related linearly to accumulated vehicle mileage. The statistical design problem is the specification of the frequency and location of points in the design space where observations are to be taken. The optimal design is determined by minimizing the asymptotic variance of the ratio of least squares point estimators. We derive such designs for the ordinary linear-regression model and for the linear-spline-regression model. In both cases, we allow some of the observations to be fixed so that they are not available for allocation in the variance minimization. The designs depend explicitly on the unknown regression parameters. Thus an assessment of sensitivity of these designs to reasonable specifications of model parameters is recommended. The...
Light pressure on chiral sculptured thin films

Sculptured thin films (STFs) are porous thin films manufactured by physical vapor deposition processes, and possess a morphology that is engineered at the nanoscale. When a circularly polarized plane wave is obliquely incident on a chiral STF, the Maxwell stress dyadic exhibits a decreasing periodic variation across the thickness of the film. Normal and tangential surface tractions exist on the two faces of the chiral STF, as well as a net normal pressure across the film. These stresses are affected by the incidence angle of light, and are maximized when (i) the incident plane wave and the chiral STF are co-handed, (ii) the wavelength falls within a regime called the Bragg regime, (iii) the ratio of film thickness to the structural period of the chiral STF reaches a saturation value, (iv) the deviation from normal incidence is small, (v) the loss factor in the chiral STF is as low as possible, and (vi) the vapor incidence angle is optimally chosen during film deposition.
BOOK REVIEW: POTTER'S PATHOLOGY OF THE FETUS, INFANT AND CHILD: 2nd ed., 2 vols. Edited by: Enid Gilbert-Barness. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier 2, 444 pages, 2007.

The new edition of this book is currently the most comprehensive text available in pediatric and developmental pathology. This second edition is extremely well organized with four color-coded parts...
An Exploration of Potential Factors Affecting Student Withdrawal From an Undergraduate Music Education Program

The purpose of this study was to examine the degree withdrawal patterns of undergraduate music education majors, with a specific focus on the individual experiences of students withdrawing from the...
Wide-field cone bipolar cells and the blue-ON pathway to color-coded ganglion cells in rabbit retina

Wide-field cone bipolar cells with sparse dendritic branching and proposed connectivity to blue cones were first identified in rabbit and cat. In rabbit, these were subdivided into type a (wa) and type b (wb), with axonal branching in sublamina a, and sublamina b, respectively, of the inner plexiform layer (IPL). Recent studies in rabbit support the earlier hypothesis of exclusive blue/short wavelength cone connectivity for both types. The homologues of wb cells (but not wa cells) have been identified in other mammals. The axonal branching of wa cone bipolar cells is shown to co-stratify with the dendrites of the "fiducial," type a starburst amacrine cell, although a few branches extend into sublamina b. The axon terminal of wb cone bipolar cells is shown to be narrowly stratified in stratum 5alpha, deep to the dendrites of the type b starburst amacrine cell. Rabbit ganglion cells postsynaptic to wa cells are unknown, but may include class III.2a cells, similarly stratified in the IPL. The wb axon terminal is shown here to co-stratify with and to make close, likely synaptic, contacts with the dendrites of a recently described morphological subtype of class II ganglion cell in rabbit retina, IIb2. Recent morpho-physiological correlation indicates that class IIb2 cells correspond to the blue-ON-center-X or ON-brisk-sustained ganglion cells, defined physiologically in rabbit. In contrast, the wb cell in cat retina must innervate the physiologically identified blue-ON-center-sluggish-sustained ganglion cell. In monkey retina, the wb-like bipolar cells apparently innervate a small, partly bi-stratified ganglion cell. Mammals share a common pathway from short-wavelength-sensitive (S/blue) cone photoreceptors to ON-center ganglion cells in sublamina b of the IPL, in the form of wb or wb-like cone bipolar cells, but the type of ganglion cell innervated appears to be particular, and may serve different functional roles in different mammalian orders.
Generalization of Barahona's algorithm for cases of integer non-linear programming with box constraints

Barahona described a linear time algorithm for a class of 0-1 quadratic programming problems. The algorithm was based on a transformation to a max-cut problem. We describe a linear algorithm that treats a slightly more general problem directly in its original form. We then give a pseudopolynomial algorithm for even more general problems.
Evidence from alkali-metal-atom transition probabilities for a phenomenological atomic supersymmetry.

We review the proposal that relationships between physical spectra of certain atoms can be considered as evidence for a phenomenological supersymmetry. Next, a comparison is made between the supersymmetric and the hydrogenic approximations. We then present the calculation of low-Z alkali-metal-atom transition probabilities between low-n states, using supersymmetric wave functions. These probabilities agree more closely with accepted values than do those obtained with use of the hydrogenic approximation. This shows that, in simple radial Schroedinger theory, supersymmetry is a concept providing insight into the true, fermionic, many-body physics of these atoms.
On limit reliability functions of large multi-state systems with ageing components

In this paper after basic multi-state systems defining and their reliability functions fixing the classes of possible limit reliability functions for series, parallel, series-parallel and parallel-series non-homogeneous systems are given. Next, multi-state systems with components having exponential reliability functions with different transition rates between subsets of their states are completely considered and their asymptotic reliability functions are fixed. Some applications of the results to reliability and risk evaluation of real technical systems are presented as well.
Outcomes of transvaginal uterosacral ligament suspension: systematic review and metaanalysis

This systematic review of uterosacral ligament suspension provides a metaanalysis of anatomic outcomes and a summary of subjective outcomes. A successful anatomic outcome was considered present when women had "optimal" or "satisfactory" (pelvic organ prolapse quantification system stage 0 or 1) outcomes. In the anterior, apical, and posterior compartments, the pooled rates for a successful outcome were 81.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 67.5-94.5%), 98.3% (95% CI, 95.7-100%), and 87.4% (95% CI, 67.5-94.5%). In the anterior compartment, women with preoperative stage 2 prolapse were more likely than those with preoperative stage 3 prolapse to have a successful anatomic outcome (92.4% vs 66.8%; P = .06). Outcomes, with respect to subjective symptoms, were reassuring; however, it was not possible to pool data because of methodologic differences between studies.
Endovascular management of central thoracic veno-occlusive diseases in hemodialysis patients: a single institutional experience in 69 consecutive patients.

Purpose To assess the functional status and long-term outcomes of endovascular management for the treatment of central veno-occlusive disease in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Materials and Methods Retrospective chart evaluation of 600 patients with threatened upper extremity dialysis access showed central veno-occlusive disease in 69 patients (11%; 30 women and 39 men; mean age, 63.9 years; age range, 26–92 years). A total of 92 venous segments were involved with disease. Initial endovascular procedures consisted of transvenous angioplasty ( n = 88) and stent placement ( n = 6); there were 134 repeat interventions (14 stents). The mean follow-up was 14.5 months (range, 1–44 months). Angiographic data were reviewed prospectively by two independent observers for the extent of veno-occlusive disease. Technical failures were defined as residual stenosis of at least 30% or lesions that were unable to be dilated or crossed. Statistical analysis, including interobserver agreement and Kaplan-Meier analysis, was performed. Results Technical success rates for initial and follow-up interventional procedures were 90% (81 of 92 segments) and 96% (129 of 134 interventions), respectively. Two complications required treatment with interventional procedures. There was excellent interobserver agreement (κ = 0.84; 95% confidence interval: 0.67, 0.93) for grading the degree of venous stenoses. Primary patency rates of hemodialysis access at 1, 6, and 12 months were 81%, 46%, and 22%, respectively, which significantly ( P = .001) improved to assisted patency rates of 91%, 77%, and 63% at 1, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Conclusions Endovascular management including a combination of angioplasty and selective stent placement can be effectively used to treat central veno-occlusive disease and preserve functional access in patients with threatened upper extremity dialysis access.
Trauma‐Related Symptomatology Among Children of Parents Victimized by Urban Community Violence

The effects of parents' victimization by community violence on children's psychological functioning was examined in a group of 30 6-12-year-old African-American children. In comparison with 30 demographically similar children in the same urban community whose parents had never been victimized, the victims' children exhibited higher levels of distress symptoms. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Distribution and sporulation phenology of myxomycetes in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona

All pith samples from 68 dead saguaro cacti in 3 plots and 11 isolated dead plants in Saguaro National Monument, Arizona, produced at least one species of myxomycete upon incubation at 20 or 30°C. Three species,Badhamia gracilis (Macbr.) Macbr.,Physarum straminipes Lister, andDidymium eremophilum M. Blackwell et Gilbertson, developed at high frequencies on the substrates in moist chamber culture.Perichaena corticalis (Batsch) Rost, andProtophysarum phloiogenum M. Blackwell et Alexopoulos were also present. Although previous literature reports [9] indicated that Myxomycetes grow best at low pH, these species all tolerated substrates of pH 8.7–10.4.Didymium eremophilum andP. phloiogenum had peaks in sporulation within 6 days; other species were slower. There was no difference in time of sporulation ofB. gracilis orD. eremophilum at 20 and 30°C; however, sporulation ofP. straminipes was significantly later at 30°C. Reduced spore germination and slower buildup of critically sized amoebal populations ofP. straminipes at 30°C may be a factor.
Transcatheter coil occlusion of perivalvular mitral leaks associated with severe hemolysis

A 6-year-old malnourished child had persisting hemolysis after attempted valve repair and two surgeries for mitral valve replacement due to partial dehiscence of the valve ring. A modified catheter delivery system was utilized to deploy a total of six Gianturco coils. The hemolysis resolved and the patient was doing well 17 months later. The technique may be helpful in other patients with perivalvular mitral leaks. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent. 49:64–67, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Real-time adaptive encoding for 3D optical memories

There are a variety of factors that can limit the set of allowable code words that are useable on an optical memory block. In this paper, we will primarily consider inter- symbol interference (ISI) and the noise margins required to represent an individual bit. Fo example, code words must maintain a specific topological separation of '1' bits so that ISI does not raise the intensity of neighboring '0's' above a pre-set threshold. Typically this is accomplished by a static encoding that uses a pre-selected set of code words based on these properties of the storage media and the optical system. Alternatively, our approach provides for a dynamic analysis of all data currently stored in the region surrounding a particular block and defines the allowable code words uniquely for each block. We assume the existence of a 'smart' read head that is capable of analyzing a page of data and calculating the allowable codes in real-time based on the actual data in the surrounding region. We use point-spread function based mathematical model for optical readout system to evaluate and carry out data encoding. Our experiments show 81% spatial utilization while recent publications present only 45% utilization.
School performance trajectories after the advent of reported maltreatment

Abstract Recent research has concluded that maltreatment is associated with poor school performance but has inadequately investigated the relationship over time. This study used a fixed-effects method to model the trajectories of grade point average and absenteeism for 715 school-age children, who were part of a random sample of children reported as maltreated. Trajectories are characterized by the direction and rate of change and whether the rate is constant, increasing, or decreasing. The analysis demonstrated a worse maltreatment effect on absenteeism than on grades, especially immediately after the first report. For both outcomes, the adverse impact cumulated with time. Child Protective Services’ response after substantiating the report appears to have blunted the impact of maltreatment on grades, though not on absenteeism.
Collective action: an alternative institutional arrangement for reducing water pollution in an industrial estate in India

This study explores the possibility of collective action as an alternative option for reducing water pollution for a cluster of small-scale industries. A case study of the Nandesari Industrial Estate in Gujarat, India, demonstrates the roles played by different agents, such as affected parties, polluters, non-governmental organizations, regulators and the court. The study empirically estimates the ‘benefits’ and ‘costs’ of water pollution abatement for a cluster of 250 small-scale industries at Nandesari, and uses these estimates for a social cost-benefit analysis. Benefits are estimated using the contingent valuation method, with a ‘willingness to accept’ format for the rural areas, and a ‘willingness to pay’ format for the urban area of the nearby Vadodara city. The article considers costs of command and control, market-based solutions and the option of common effluent treatment as alternative scenarios. It discusses how collective action and joint abatement at a common effluent treatment plant (CETP) by the 250 industries efficiently comply with the State Pollution Control Board norms, which had not been possible for the factories acting individually over the last 20 years. Finally, a detailed social cost-benefit analysis has been undertaken to estimate the net present social benefits with and without CETP. The cost-benefit analysis shows the economic advantage and social desirability of ‘collective action’ (joint treatment with CETP institutional arrangement) for water pollution abatement with respect to all possible scenarios comprising shadow prices of investment, foreign exchange, unskilled labour and equity considerations.
An empirical study of policies to integrate reactive scheduling and control in just-in-time job shop environments

In this paper, we compare the performance of policies for integrating reactive scheduling and control that differ in the way they interpret and dynamically reoptimize schedules in the face of contingencies. We conduct our analysis in the context of just-in-time job shop environments ( job shop problems with an objective of minimizing the sum of tardiness and inventory costs), subject to machine failures. We empirically evaluate the tradeoffs in schedule quality and computational time of different scheduling policies under different load conditions and different levels of uncertainty. Our results show that reactive procedures that selectively reoptimize a subset of the scheduling problems are capable of producing high-quality solutions in a fraction of the time required to generate brand new schedules.
The Link Between Voter Choice and Religious Identity in Contemporary Society: Bringing Classical Theory Back In*

Objectives. In this article, we analyze voter choice data from six U.S. presidential elections for evidence of religious identity and sociodemographic effects on voter choice. Methods. Voter choice is analyzed over the period 1980 to 2000 with multivariate statistical models. Results. A link is found between voter choice and religious identity, where the effect of religious identity on voter choice is contingent on location within the stratification order defined by race, class, and gender. The article proposes a theory to explain the contingent link between voter choice and religious identity; the theory is derived from classical sociology. Conclusion. In the United States, political behavior related to religious identity is contingent on the individual’s location within the stratification order. The relationship between religious identity and political behavior in the
Band-shape analysis and resolution of electronic spectra of pyridoxal phosphate and other 3-hydroxypyridine-4-aldehydes

Abstract The electronic absorption spectra of individual ionic forms of pyridoxal phosphate and of a series of related aldyhydes have been evaluated together with p K a values. Spectral resolution with lognormal curves has permitted the quantitative description of equilibria for hydration and tautomerization. Precise values of peak positions for both aldehyde and hydrate forms have been obtained. Measurements of temperature-induced changes in the spectra have provided additional information. Knowing the hydration ratios and stepwide acid dissociation constants, it is possible to evaluate microscopic acid dissociation constants for both the aldehyde and hydrate forms of the compounds.
TH‐B‐ValB‐01: Optimizing MR Imaging Procedures: The Physicist as a Consultant

Every MR system has its strengths and weaknesses, often varying tremendously both within and between the various system designs. Added to that, each site will have its own priorities and styles of use of their system. For an MR physicist to best assist in optimizing imaging procedures, it is extremely important for that individual to be both well‐versed in basic MR physics, and to be able to recognize (and understand) the impacts and trade‐offs of the technology in a large variety of imaging situations. The physicist should be able to determine and evaluate problems in patient images as well as phantom tests. For this presentation, the basic relationships between MR imaging parameters will be reviewed with an emphasis on their implementation in common clinical protocols. Examples of how they are adapted for specialized procedures will then be given to demonstrate trade‐offs between contrast requirements; imaging speed; spatial resolution; geometrical accuracy, and patient safety issues. How specific field strength and gradient configurations affect these options will also be examined. Differences in RF coil properties will be discussed from the perspective of optimizing applications for a facility. Educational Objectives: 1. Understand the primary tissuecontrastcharacteristics of the standard clinical sequences; methods of selective elimination of tissue signals; and the role of exogenous agents to alter contrast. 2. Know how to consider the interactions between SNR, spatial resolution and imaging speed and how their combined effects determine image quality for a variety of clinical situations. 3. Understand circumstances under which patient physiology and system configuration may require modification of image acquisition parameters to achieve optimal image quality.
Objective models of compressed breast shapes undergoing mammography

Purpose: To develop models of compressed breasts undergoing mammography based on objective analysis, that are capable of accurately representing breast shapes in acquired clinical images and generating new, clinically realistic shapes. Methods: An automated edge detection algorithm was used to catalogue the breast shapes of clinically acquired cranio-caudal (CC) and medio-lateral oblique (MLO) view mammograms from a large database of digital mammography images. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed on these shapes to reduce the information contained within the shapes to a small number of linearly independent variables. The breast shape models, one of each view, were developed from the identified principal components, and their ability to reproduce the shape of breasts from an independent set of mammograms not used in the PCA, was assessed both visually and quantitatively by calculating the average distance error (ADE). Results: The PCA breast shape models of the CC and MLO mammographic views based on six principal components, in which 99.2% and 98.0%, respectively, of the total variance of the dataset is contained, were found to be able to reproduce breast shapes with strong fidelity (CC view mean ADE = 0.90 mm, MLO view mean ADE = 1.43 mm) and to generate new clinically realistic shapes. The PCA models based on fewer principal components were also successful, but to a lesser degree, as the two-component model exhibited a mean ADE = 2.99 mm for the CC view, and a mean ADE = 4.63 mm for the MLO view. The four-component models exhibited a mean ADE = 1.47 mm for the CC view and a mean ADE = 2.14 mm for the MLO view. Paired t-tests of the ADE values of each image between models showed that these differences were statistically significant (max p-value = 0.0247). Visual examination of modeled breast shapes confirmed these results. Histograms of the PCA parameters associated with the six principal components were fitted with Gaussian distributions. The six-component model was also used to generate CC and MLO view mammogram breast shapes, using the mean PCA parameter values of these distributions and randomly generated values based on the fitted Gaussian distributions, which resemble clinically encountered breasts. A spreadsheet with the data necessary to apply this model is provided as the supplementary material. Conclusions: Our PCA models of breast shapes in both mammographic views successfully reproduce analyzed breast shapes and generate new clinically relevant shapes. This work can aid in research applications which incorporate breast shape modeling, such as x-ray scatter correction, dosimetry, and image registration.
Laughter and the mesial and lateral premotor cortex

We report the induction of laughter and smiling by cortical electrical stimulation of the frontal lobe of two patients: an 18-month-old boy with a left frontal cortical lesion extending to the vertex and the central gyrus, and a 35-year-old woman with a lesion in the right supplementary sensorimotor area (SSMA). The subjects underwent presurgical epilepsy evaluation with subdural grid electrodes to determine surgical candidacy. Stimulation of the prefrontal area reproducibly induced laughter. The adult patient reported absence of emotional content. Slowing of speech occurred under stimulation of electrodes in the upper and posterior vicinity. In this patient laughter was elicited in the anterior part of the SSMA. In the child, this response was induced by stimulation of the lateral prefrontal cortex near the midline. We conclude that the anterior portion of the SSMA/lateral premotor cortex is involved in generating the motor pattern of laughter.
Management of Asymptomatic Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis

Optimal management of patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis remains unclear. Although 2 high-quality randomized clinical trials demonstrated reductions in ispsilateral stroke rates in patients without symptoms after carotid endarterectomy, medical therapy of asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis has reduced rates of stroke to approximately 1% per year, raising questions about the generalizability of these previous trials to current medical practice. However, reductions in adverse events after revascularization can make revascularization more attractive. The emergence of percutaneous revascularization for carotid artery stenosis has raised further questions about optimal management of asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. This Grand Rounds summarizes the factors to consider when counseling patients and making clinical decisions regarding medical therapy and revascularization for patients with asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis. This information should provide clinicians with the knowledge base to counsel patients about the risks and benefits of treatment options.