cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of Iatrogenic Saphenous Neuroma after Knee Arthroscopy with Excision and Allograft Reconstruction.

The treatment of postoperative, painful sensory neuromas is an ongoing challenge for surgeons. Here, we describe a technique for treatment with excision and allograft reconstruction and report on early results of its use in treating painful saphenous neuromas after knee arthroscopy. Methods A retrospective review of a single surgeon's peripheral nerve clinic from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2019, was conducted to identify post-knee arthroscopy saphenous neuroma cases in which reconstruction with processed human nerve allograft distally implanted into healthy muscle belly was performed. We examined the outcomes for each patient, including subjective pain self-assessment and need for further surgical treatment. Results In total, 9 cases were identified, with patient ages ranging from 21 to 74 years. The average time to referral to peripheral nerve clinic was 31 months (range: 4-143 months). Upon exploration, all nerves were found to have a neuroma in continuity. Six of the 9 patients reported subjective improvement through final follow-up. Three of the 9 patients reported initial improvement, with recurrence of pain at/near the site of the neuroma. The average follow-up time was 9 months (range: 1-21 months). Conclusions Here, we report on a novel technique of using a processed human nerve allograft after neuroma resection to provide an organized environment for bridging regenerated axons into muscle tissue. We also describe our early results using this technique to treat iatrogenic saphenous neuromas after knee arthroscopy. Results are encouraging, with 6 of the 9 patients experiencing subjective reduction in pain at final follow-up.
Acute Paradoxical Herniation: A Case Report

Decompressive craniectomy is used to relieve acute increased intracranial pressure (ICP) when medical therapy has failed. Paradoxical herniation is a rare complication that occurs when the pressure of the intracranial contents falls abnormally below the atmospheric pressure. Symptoms often include neurological deficits, the etiology of which is often mistaken for elevated ICP. This diagnosis requires quick recognition, and treatment requires a change from ICP reduction therapies to those that increase the ICP, and ultimately cranioplasty.
Wild bongo density estimation and population viability analysis improves conservation management

Abstract Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus eurycerus) are rare, mostly nocturnal forest antelopes in tropical Africa that are prized by trophy hunters for their large size, curved horns, and colorful pelage. Estimating bongo population size is difficult because of their low densities and forested habitat, and therefore management decisions have not previously been based on realistic models of population dynamics. In this study, we estimate bongo density and population size in a safari hunting concession in northern Republic of Congo using spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) models based on camera trap data. The SECR bongo population estimates were used to model population dynamics under different scenarios of regulated and unregulated harvest and catastrophic natural events. Bongo density in the safari hunting concession was 8.77 bongo 100 km−2 (4.78–15.58). Vortex modelling showed that trophy hunting quotas granted previously would, if achieved, have led to rapid local extinction of bongo. As a result of this study, quotas were reduced to three bongo per year, which is only sustainable if current optimal conditions are maintained.
The Challenges of Managing Phytophthora Root Rot in the Nursery Industry

For nearly 100 years, Phytophthora root rot (PRR) has been a severe problem in nurseries. Early surveys found only one or two Phytophthora species on any one host. However, recent surveys show that...
Structural analysis of biomass pyrolysis and oxidation using in-situ X-ray computed tomography

Abstract Detailed measurements are performed to examine the heterogeneous processes that occur within the solid fuel during the combustion of biomass. Specifically, the pyrolysis, char oxidation, and volume shrinkage are examined using X-ray computed tomography (XCT). Simultaneous 3D in-situ measurements of solid density and gas-phase temperature are acquired at a spatial resolution of 300 μ m for 1.6-cm size samples of birch, douglas fir, oak and walnut. To simultaneously measure the heterogeneous combustion processes and the gas-phase temperature, the flow is doped with Kr, a high X-ray contrast agent. By varying the molar oxygen concentration from 0% to 21%, regimes of pyrolysis, smoldering, and flaming are identified for different types of biomass and grain orientations. Results from these multidimensional XCT measurements provide new insights about the fuel volume reduction, from which shrinkage parameters are experimentally determined. The simultaneous acquisition of gas-phase temperature measurements also highlights the direct dependence of flame anchoring upon grain orientation. In addition, the char oxidation is found to be limited to a narrow region with 2 mm thickness at the smoldering surface, while the propagation of the pyrolysis front is measured up to 1 cm within the sample. For some biomass materials, significant density fluctuations are measured at the millimeter scale, indicating non-homogeneous reaction rates.
Analysis of Multibeam Bridges

Simply supported multibeam bridges with elements of solid or box section are considered. The structure is idealized as a series of discrete beams, which may include edge beams, joined by longitudinal hinges. The structure is analyzed by a computer-oriented direct flexibility technique, using harmonic analysis to reduce the two-dimensional problem to a series of one-dimensional problems. A design-oriented computer program which has been developed to apply the method is described and a detailed example is presented.
Cell Surface and Membrane Engineering: Emerging Technologies and Applications.

Membranes constitute the interface between the basic unit of life—a single cell—and the outside environment and thus in many ways comprise the ultimate “functional biomaterial”. To perform the many and often conflicting functions required in this role, for example to partition intracellular contents from the outside environment while maintaining rapid intake of nutrients and efflux of waste products, biological membranes have evolved tremendous complexity and versatility. This article describes how membranes, mainly in the context of living cells, are increasingly being manipulated for practical purposes with drug discovery, biofuels, and biosensors providing specific, illustrative examples. Attention is also given to biology-inspired, but completely synthetic, membrane-based technologies that are being enabled by emerging methods such as bio-3D printers. The diverse set of applications covered in this article are intended to illustrate how these versatile technologies—as they rapidly mature—hold tremendous promise to benefit human health in numerous ways ranging from the development of new medicines to sensitive and cost-effective environmental monitoring for pathogens and pollutants to replacing hydrocarbon-based fossil fuels.
Metabolism of 3H-dopamine by human chorioamnion in vitro

Abstract Previous investigation has demonstrated biologically significant concentrations of catecholamines in amniotic fluid, which increase with gestation. The half life, metabolic clearance rate, and metabolic fate of these hormones in the amniotic compartment are yet to be established. This study was undertaken to demonstrate the ability of human chorioamnion to metabolize dopamine in vitro. Incubation experiments demonstrated that 3 H-dopamine is rapidly metabolized to dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, 3-methoxy,4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, and 3-methoxy,4-hydroxyphenylethanol—all products of monoamine oxidase. No significant 3-methoxytyramine, a catechol-o-methyltransferase product, was observed. Incubation experiments with pargyline, a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, resulted in significant reduction in 3 H-dopamine metabolism. Catecholamines and their interaction with prostaglandin synthesis have been theorized to be a fetal signal for the initiation of parturition. The ability of chorioamnion to metabolize catecholamines could, therefore, provide another control mechanism by which fetal catecholamines are modulated.
Property's End: Why Competition Policy Should Limit the Right of Publicity

The right of publicity is an enigmatic property right. Its many critics argue that it should not be a property right at all, because (1) it is unnecessary to stimulate the pursuit of fame; (2) unneeded to manage the value of publicity; and (3) undeserved in any recognized moral sense. Yet, this ostensibly persuasive critique has had little practical impact. The right of publicity today is stronger than ever.This article contends that the prevailing critique of the right of publicity has failed to influence the courts in large part because each quiver in its arsenal would be just as fatal were it aimed at any form of property right. To justify denying property-right status to the right of publicity, one needs to distinguish that right from other types of property. Because the existing critique applies across the board, it cannot justify singling out the right of publicity.In rejecting the broad critique and accepting the right of publicity as a valid property right, many courts have been nonetheless uncomfortable with the right's broad reach. The prevailing view has been that it restricts too much speech, and must be limited to conform to the First Amendment. This approach has been criticized for being insufficiently sensitive to speech interests, because courts are incompetent to judge the social value of particular forms of speech. This article contends that attempting to shape a property right with reference to free speech interests is doomed to fail, because individuals generally have no right to use the property of another to speak. If publicity is property, then it will restrain speech interests just as other forms of property do. After all, you cannot lawfully set up a soap box in my front yard.If one accepts the right of publicity as a valid property right, competition policy is the most fruitful ground on which to restrict publicity rights. Unlike free speech interests, competition policy does limit the scope of property rights, and courts are fully competent to judge the competitive effects of recognizing publicity rights in different contexts. To the extent that recognizing a right of publicity would restrain competition and create market power in a celebrity, a court would be fully justified in limiting the celebrity's publicity rights, just as antitrust law generally limits a monopolist's other property rights. Where a celebrity has no market power, by contrast, publicity rights would be fully enforceable. Applying this approach would (1) validate the results in a number of controversial right-of-publicity cases; (2) compel a different result in a few cases; and (3) more effectively justify court decisions in areas such as advertising, news reporting, and biography, that have been relatively uncontroversial.
A novel video steganography algorithm in the wavelet domain based on the KLT tracking algorithm and BCH codes

Recently, video steganography has become a popular option for a secret data communication. The performance of any steganography algorithm is based on the embedding efficiency, embedding payload, and robustness against attackers. In this paper, we propose a novel video steganography algorithm in the wavelet domain based on the KLT tracking algorithm and BCH codes. The proposed algorithm includes four different phases. First, the secret message is preprocessed, and BCH codes (n, k, t) are applied in order to produce an encoded message. Second, face detection and face tracking algorithms are applied on the cover videos in order to identify the facial regions of interest. Third, the process of embedding the encoded message into the high and middle frequency wavelet coefficients of all facial regions is performed. Forth, the process of extracting the secret message from the high and middle frequency wavelet coefficients for each RGB components of all facial regions is accomplished. Experimental results of the proposed video steganography algorithm have demonstrated a high embedding efficiency and a high embedding payload.
CYBERNETICS AND GENERAL SYSTEMS—A UNITARY SCIENCE?: (INFORMATION AND THE UNITY OF GENERAL SYSTEMS THEORY AND CYBERNETICS)

Man has the propensity to seek, design, impose and maintain unities. These unities are at the interstice where man and his environment intersect. These unities are information. Hence, information (I) is defined as the goal‐directed (V−1) communicational intersect between a person (P) and his environment (E). That is: I = fV−1(P ∩ E). There are four generic information systems: (1) Symbolic Records; (2) Languages; (3) Disciplines; (4) Societal Knowledges. In the context of generic information systems, both general systems theory and cybernetic function as meta‐science (V−1). In effect these can produce equifinally identical science, thus inferring that general systems theory and cybernetics are unitary.
Exploring Personal Finance Concepts Through Simulation Role Play

Given the current economic crisis, the question is not if we should educate students in matters of personal finance but rather where such teaching should occur and what instructional methods should be used. This paper discusses the status of secondary financial education programs in the U.S., the lack of financial knowledge among teens, and the learning preferences of today’s ‘millennial’ students. Using an interview protocol, a teacher-created curriculum using a group simulation role-play employed at a New Jersey independent high school is described, integrating basic personal financial education in a driver’s education course. Post-test results reveal students (n=45) learned basic personal finance concepts through this instructional method.
Measuring familial aggregation by using odds‐ratio regression models

Detection of familial aggregation of a disease is important for studying possible genetic and environmental factors contributing to disease etiology. Accurate quantification of familial aggregation can provide guidance for subsequent, more sophisticated genetic studies. This article presents a statistical model and method for detecting both inter- and intra-class aggregation of a binary trait with family data. The method used here is based on the logistic regression model which incorporates effects of individual covariates while measuring familial aggregation of risk as the odds ratios among classes of relatives. An estimation equation approach is presented where the joint distribution of binary traits among family members need not be fully specified. Data from a genetic epidemiologic study on liver cancer in Shanghai are analyzed for illustration, and reveal strong aggregation of risk even after adjusting for covariates. Effects of non-random sampling and ascertainment bias are also discussed.
On optimal gene-based analysis of genome scans.

Univariate analysis of markers has modest power when there are multiple causal variants within a gene. Under this scenario, combining the effects of all variants from a gene in a gene-wide statistic is thought to increase power. However, it is not really clear (1) what is the performance of most commonly used gene-wide methods for whole genome scans and (2) how scalable these methods are for more computationally intensive analyses, e.g. analysis of genome-wide sequence data. We attempt to answer these questions by using realistic simulations to assess the performance of a range of gene-based methods: (1) commonly used, e.g. VEGAS and GATES; (2) less commonly used, e.g. Simes, adaptive sum (aSUM), and kernel methods; and (3) a combination of univariate and multivariate tests we proposed for the analysis of markers in linkage disequilibrium. Simes is the fastest method and has good power for single causal variant models. aSUM method has good power for multiple causal variant models, especially at lower gene lengths. Our proposed statistic yields good power for all causal models. Given the extreme data volumes coming from sequencing studies, we recommend a two step analysis of genome scans. The initial step uses the very fast Simes procedure to flag possibly interesting genes. The second step refines interesting signals by using more computationally intensive methods, e.g. (1) aSUM for shorter and (2) VEGAS for larger gene lengths. Alternatively, genome scans can be analyzed using only our proposed method while sacrificing only a modest amount of power. Genet. Epidemiol. 36:333–339, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Turbulent Dispersion Model for Particles or Bubbles

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the multiscale aspects of two-phase flow, with the ultimate object being a mechanistically-based model for particle and bubble transport by turbulence. The model is the “standard” two-fluid model for two-phase flow that is derived using ensemble averaging, and consequently that model describes macroscale motions for two-phase flows. The microscale origin of the turbulent dispersion force will be highlighted, and a model for this force derived. Results of application of this model to sediment transport will be shown.
The photochemistry of 2-alkoxycytosines in phosphate buffer and its link to cytosine photochemistry in alcoholic solution.

The reactions occurring when 2-methoxycytosine (4-amino-2-methoxypyrimidine) (I) and 2-ethoxycytosine (II) are irradiated in aqueous phosphate buffer at pH 7 have been studied. We have verified the previous results of Moore [Can. J. Chem. 41, 1937–1950 (1963)], who studied I and indicated that the product isolatable in greatest yield is N-carbomethoxy-3-hydroxyacrylamidine (IIIa). Similarly, we have found that the product of highest yield, isolated after irradiation of II, is N-carboethoxy-3-hydroxyacrylamidine (IIIb). Evidence is presented indicating that these are secondary products, being produced through hydrolysis of the corresponding N-carboalkoxy-3-aminoacrylami-dines. Spectroscopic data are given for N-carboisopropoxy-3-hydroxyacrylamidine (IIIc), as well as the N-carbomethoxy, N-carboethoxy and N-carboisopropoxy derivatives of 3-hydroxy-2-methylacryla-midine. These four compounds were obtained through hydrolysis of the corresponding N-carboalkoxy derivatives of 3-aminoacrylamidine or 3-amino-2-methylacrylamidine, isolated from the photoreaction of cytosine or 5-methylcytosine with the appropriate alcohol.
Fragile X Syndrome, DSM-HI-R, and Autism

Abstract Although reports of autistic behavior in fragile X males have been published for 8 years, there is little information about specific behaviors shown by fragile X males that are suggestive of the diagnosis of autisim. The new diagnostic criteria for autistic disorder contained in the DSM-lll-R provided the opportunity for more closely investigating the topography of autistic behavior in 17 fragile X males and the effects of age and IQ on its occurrence. The criteria most frequently met by these subjects were related to deficits in social interaction with peers, abnormalities in verbal and nonverbal communication, stereotypic motor behavior, and unusual responses to sensory stimuli. Fragile X subjects did not frequently show abnormalities in attachment behaviors and reciprocal interaction with caregivers. There were no discernable age or IQ effects. The importance and implications of these findings are discussed and the need for greater exploration of autism "subtypes" is emphasized. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 1990, 29, 6:885–891.
Sleep quality, problematic cannabis use and posttraumatic stress symptoms among medical cannabis users

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate the interactive influence of problematic cannabis use on the relation between sleep quality and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Hypotheses were tested cross-sectionally among 151 medical cannabis users with PTSS. Consistent with hypotheses, we found sleep quality to be associated with PTSS severity. In addition, results indicated a significant interaction such that individuals with poor sleep quality and problematic cannabis use had the highest PTSS severity (particularly hyperarousal symptoms). Results suggest that medical cannabis users with the greatest risk of severe PTSS may be those with a combination of poor sleep quality and problematic cannabis use.
Bifurcation of Periodic Solutions

Mechanical and electrical phenomena which can be described mathematically by the bifurcation or appearance of periodic solutions of a nonlinear ordinary different equation when some parameter is varied have been well-known for many years. See Minorsky [7]. In recent years, it has been observed that a number of biological and chemical phenomena can be described by bifurcation of periodic solutions and the Hopf Bifurcation Theorem (see Hopf [4]) has been widely applied. See, for examples, Hsi.i and Kazarinoff [S], Othmer [S], Othmer and Tyson [9], Poore [I I], Troy [12]. For an extensive discussion of the Hopf Theorem and applications in fluid mechanics, see Marsden and McCracken [6]. The primary purpose of this paper is to describe extensions of the Hopf Bifurcation Theorem that are obtained by applying a general bifurcation theorem proved in an earlier paper [3]. The approach used is finite-dimensional: it is based on the classical approach of PoincarC [IO], techniques introduced by Coddington and Levinson [2], and the use of topological degree. Roughly speaking, the result says that if certain smoothness conditions are satisfied and if the higher order term satisfies a simply stated nonzero condition then bifurcation occurs. The usual hypotheses about the behavior of the eigenvalues are largely avoided, but the condition on the higher order term is essential. As might be expected since degree theory is used, only existence results are obtained, i.e., we do not obtain continuous families of solutions. In Section 2, the general bifurcation problem is described. In Section 3, we outline a finite-dimensional proof of the Hopf Bifurcation Theorem and then combine the technique of this proof with the bifurcation theorem in [3] to obtain extensions of the Hopf Bifurcation Theorem. Actually we show how the extension can be made in a specific case: the case in which
CHARACTERIZATION OF SINUS NODE REFRACTORINESS AND SINOATRIAL CONDUCTION DURING ACUTE HYPOXIA

Since hypoxia inhibits conduction & automaticity predominantly in tissues dependent on the slow (Ca-channel) current, sinus node (SN) function should be selectively depressed. The effects of acute, severe hypoxia (H) on SN refractoriness and sinoatrial conduction time (SACT) were studied using rabbit SN-right atrial preparations and standard micro-electrode techniques. True SN pacemaker cells were identified by intracellular action potentials having low amplitude (65±7mV) and Vmax (3.3±1.0 V/s), and rapid rates of spontaneous diastolic depolarization (51±15 mV/s). Spontaneous sinus cycle length (CL) (control = 460±58ms) increased by 36% with H. Retrograde SACT, measured from the crista terminalis to a true SN pacemaker cell, was rate dependent; increasing at shorter paced CL. SACT increased at all paced CL with H. At a CL of 400ms, SACT increased from 41±12 to 101±19ms (+146%). The minimum paced CL with 1:1 atrio-SN conduction (CLm) increased from 203±34 to 308±41ms (+52%) with H. SACT at CLm increased from 65±19 to 134±30ms (+105%). SN effective refractory period (ERP)(at a paced CL of 400ms) increased from 158±37 to 261±45ms (+66%). All changes in SN function related to H were significant (at least p<0.05). SN pacing from the crista terminalis was never limited by atrial muscle conduction (fast, Na-channel dependent) or refractoriness. Atrial ERP changed from 86±14 to 96±20ms (NS) with H. In summary, acute H adversely affects SN automaticity, conduction and refractoriness; presumably related to alterations in the Ca current. These changes may be responsible for many of the bradyarrhythmias seen clinically during severe H.
Influence of Ambient Salts on Plasma Thyroxine Concentration in Juvenile Coho Salmon

Abstract Juvenile coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch were maintained for 3 weeks in well water supplemented with low concentrations of NaCl (12 to 24 mM) or CaCl2 (6 to 12 mM) to determine the effect on plasma thyroxine (T4) concentrations. Exposure to 12 to 24 mM NaCl increased plasma T4 concentrations, whereas exposure to 6 to 12 mM CaCl2 had no effect. A 24-hour exposure to seawater (75% or 345 mM NaCl) generally reduced T4 concentrations. These findings suggest that the beneficial effects of salt supplementation during early salmonid development may be due, in part, to stimulation of thyroid activity. Received April 12, 1983 Accepted November 17, 1983
Respiratory mechanics of the loggerhead sea turtle, Caretta caretta.

Respiratory mechanics were evaluated in excised lungs and in spontaneously breathing loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). Respiratory compliance curves reflect the pressure volume characteristics of the body wall. Compliance values are comparable to those of reptiles having simpler lung structure. Maximum flow rates in excised lungs (18-25 ml.sec-1.kg-1) were only slightly below the range reported for marine mammals. During spontaneous tidal breathing expiratory flow rates (11.8 ml.sec-1.kg-1) were lower than maximum values. In the sea turtle, respiratory adaptations including reduced airway resistance and muscular contribution to breathing are similar to marine mammals. These mechanical specializations shorten breathing time, which contributes to diving performance.
Analysis of the photosite reset in FGA image sensors

An analysis of the photosite reset mechanism in floating gate array image sensors is presented. The photosite elements in these devices consist of a JFET transistor with the gate capacitively coupled to an address line. The addressed cell is reset by forward biasing the gate-drain junction. During evaluation of the first prototype samples it was found that this reset method has some disadvantages for the device dynamic range and the cell-to-cell signal interference. To eliminate these problems, a method of resetting the photocell using the source-gate junction has been developed and experimentally tested. An analysis of the reset method in the steady-state and transient modes of operation is presented as well as an analysis of noise. The results are used to explain the observation of an image lag which has been detected in these sensors and to calculate the photosite sensitivity which is related to the photosite noise floor. It is shown that the introduction of a small amount of bias charge into the photosite improves the image lag characteristic; however, an ideal solution of this problem is not described. >
Surface-Level Gateway Deployment for Underwater Sensor Networks

The performance of underwater sensor networks (UWSNs) is greatly limited by the low bandwidth and high propagation delay of acoustic communications. Deploying multiple surface-level radio-capable gateways can enhance UWSN performance from many aspects. In this paper, we mainly focus on the surface gateway deployment, which is modelled as an optimization problem. Integer Linear Programming (ILP) is used for solving variations of the deployment optimization problem. The tradeoff between the number of surface gateways and the expected delay and energy consumption is analyzed. We conduct simulations to evaluate the benefits of surface gateway optimization and investigate the effect of acoustic channel capacity and the underwater sensor node deployment pattern. Our results show the significant advantages of surface gateway optimization. The results also provide useful guidelines for real network deployment.
Microbial Growth Patterns of Rehydrated Freeze‐Dried Foods. I. Shrimp

SUMMARY Microbial growth patterns of rehydrated shrimp were investigated at 4, 20, and 37°C. Storage temperature greatly influenced the growth rates. The lag period was longest at 4°C and shortest at 37°C. The maximum population, almost a million times that of the initial population, was reached twice as fast at 37°C as at 20°C. Samples stored at 4°C increased 10,000-fold in total aerobic counts but required two weeks to do so. Growth patterns indicate a shift in microbial spectrum in response to temperature. This was pronounced when rehydrated shrimp was stored at 4°C, the essentially mesophilic population becoming a minority. It is apparent that, in common with other types of perishable food products, rehydrated shrimp can have a storage life significantly extended by low temperatures. The shrimp storage life was 7 times as long at 4°C as at 20°C, and 20 times as long as at 37°C.
Modeling phase change material in micro-foam under constant temperature condition

Abstract Heat transfer of phase change material (PCM) in an open cell micro-foam structure was numerically studied. A high constant temperature was specified at the top surface of the structure. Each unit of the micro-foam is a body-centered-cubic (BCC) lattice embedded with spherical micro-pores. Two different simulation methodologies were applied. One is the high-fidelity direct numerical simulation (DNS), which allows for the effective thermo-physical parameters to be derived. The other methodology is a volume-averaged simulation based on one- and two-temperature models. Our results show that the volume-averaged simulation can accurately and efficiently capture the phase change process in PCM/micro-foam systems, with the effective thermal conductivity derived from direct simulations and expressed as a power law of porosity.
Intellectuals, culture and power in modern Italy

An idea of Italy On the face of it, contemporary Italian intellectuals have a more prestigious existence than their Anglo-Saxon counterparts. Whether as writers, academics, journalists or film-directors, Italian intellectuals are courted by political parties of all persuasions to add lustre to their slates at election time, and wooed by the media as influential opinion makers. The contact Italian intellectuals have with the institutions of civil society comes from a long tradition going back to the Middle Ages. Indeed, Italian society has consistently relied on its intellectuals, rather than its political class, to supply the nation's agents for social change. When Dante, for example, in his De vulgari eloquentia examined the panoply of local dialects to find one on which to base a supraregional language for the peninsula, he turned to the literary idiom of his fellow poets, which seemed to him the only noble and unifying element present in an Italy rife with factionalism.
The vertical structure of Arctic haze as determined from airborne net-flux radiometer measurements

From net-flux radiometer measurements and model results, the vertical layer structure is deduced of the Arctic haze encountered during two of the AGASP flights. The total value of the absorption optical depth is found to be on the order of 0.065 for both flights, with the majority of the absorbing aerosol concentrated in the lowest 1.6 km of the atmosphere. A comparison of these results with measurements of the carbon concentration leads to a value of the specific absorption of carbon of 24 sq m g. While higher than expected, this value is shown to be consistent with an internally-mixed aerosol of carbon cores and sulfate shells.
Rapid Measurement of Crop Canopy Cover

Studies of photosynthesis, transpiration, water erosion, and wind erosion can require measurement of crop canopy cover, the percent of the soil surface covered by plant foliage. This study was conducted to evaluate the meter-stick method and an electronic method of measuring canopy cover for accuracy, speed, and ease of use. Canopy cover of winter wheat [ L.], corn [ L.], and soybean [ (L.) Merr] was measured weekly in 1988, using a meter stick and a DECAGON Ceptometer. Canopy cover ranged from 74 to 97% for wheat, 2 to 95% for corn, and 2 to 65% for soybean. There were no significant differences in canopy cover determinations by the two methods. The Ceptometer was faster, simpler, and as accurate as the meter stick.
Kinetic study of esterification of sulfuric acid with alcohols in aerosol bulk phase

Abstract. In this study, we hypothesize that the formation of organosulfates through the reactions between sulfuric acid and alcohols in the aerosol bulk phase is more efficient than that in solution chemistry. To prove this hypothesis, the kinetics of the organosulfate formation was investigated for both aliphatic alcohol with single OH group (e.g., 1-heptanol) and the multialcohols ranging from semivolatiles (e.g., hydrated-glyoxal and glycerol) to nonvolatiles (e.g., sucrose) using analytical techniques directly monitoring aerosol bulk phase. Both the forward (k1) and the backward (k−1) reaction rate constants of organosulfate formation via the particle phase esterification of 1-heptanol with sulfuric acid were estimated using a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer equipped with a flow chamber under varying humidities. Both k1 and k−1 are in orders of 10−3 L mol−1 min−1, which are three orders of magnitude higher than the reported values obtained in solution chemistry. The formation of organosulfate in the H2SO4 aerosol internally mixed with multialcohols was studied by measuring the proton concentration of the aerosol collected on the filter using a newly developed Colorimetry integrated with a Reflectance UV-Visible spectrometer (C-RUV). The formation of organosulfate significantly decreases aerosol acidity due to the transformation of H2SO4 into dialkylsulfates. The forward reaction rate constants for the dialkylsulfate formation in the multialcohol-H2SO4 aerosols were also three orders of magnitude greater than the reported values in solution chemistry. The water content (MH2O) in the multialcohol-H2SO4 particle was monitored using the FTIR spectrometer. A large reduction of MH2O accords with the high yield of organosulfate in aerosol. Based on this study, we conclude that organosulfate formation in atmospheric aerosol, where both alcohols and sulfuric acid are found together, is significant.
HMG domain proteins: architectural elements in the assembly of nucleoprotein structures

The high-mobility group (HMG) domain is a DNA-binding motif that is shared abundant non-histone components of chromatin and by specific regulators of transcription and cell differentiation. The HMG family of proteins comprises members with multiple HMG domains that bind DNA with low sequence specificity, and members with single HMG domains that recognize specific nucleotide sequences. Common properties of HMG domain proteins include interaction with the minor groove of the DNA helix, binding to irregular DNA structures, and the capacity to modulate DNA structure by bending. DNA bending induced by the HMG domain can facilitate the formation of higher-order nucleoprotein complexes, suggesting that HMG domain proteins may have an architectural role in assembling such complexes.
A characteristic-Galerkin approximation to a system of shallow water equations

Summary. Characteristic methods are known to handle advective flow better than traditional Galerkin methods and allow large time steps to be taken when compared to standard time-stepping methods. In this paper, we investigate a characteristic-Galerkin approximation to the 2-dimensional system of shallow water equations. We derive ${\cal L}^{\infty}\left ((0,T);{\cal L}^2(\Omega)\right )$ bounds for elevation and velocity, showing these to be optimal for velocity in ${\cal L}^2\left ((0,T);{\cal H}^1(\Omega)\right )$ .
Southern Africa Summer Drought and Heat Waves: Observations and Coupled Model Behavior

Abstract Observations of daily maximum temperature (Tx) and monthly precipitation and their counterpart fields from three coupled models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 3 (CMIP3) archive have been used for exploratory research into the behavior of heat waves, drought, and their joint occurrence across the southern Africa subcontinent. The focus is on seasonal drought and heat waves during austral summer [December–February (DJF)] for land areas south of 15°S. Observational results (Tx available only for South Africa) are compared with those based on CMIP3 twentieth-century climate runs for a common analysis period of 1961–2000 while climate projections for the twenty-first century are also considered using the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) A1B forcing scenario. Heat waves were defined when daily Tx values exceeded the 90th percentile for at least 3 consecutive days, while drought was identified via a standardized index of seasonal precipitation. When assessed over the en...
Competition between DPPC and SDS at the air-aqueous interface.

Vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy is used to study the interactions of the charged soluble organic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) with an insoluble 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) monolayer at the air−aqueous interface. Results indicate that the surfactant species compete for surface sites in the mixed system, with a lower monolayer number density of DPPC molecules being observed in the presence of dodecyl sulfate anions at the interface. Spectroscopic results also indicate that fewer dodecyl sulfate chains reside at the interface when the insoluble DPPC film is present. Increased conformational ordering of the acyl chains of both the DPPC molecules and the interfacial dodecyl sulfate anions is observed in the mixed system. Additionally, charged surfactant SDS promotes the alignment of the interfacial water molecules even in the presence of a DPPC monolayer.
Strengthening Geriatric Social Work Training: Perspectives from the University at Albany

Summary This paper presents an overview of the relationship between population aging in the United States, the growing demand for geriatric social workers, and how that need can be met through graduate-level social work training. We describe the basic components of graduate level social work training and discuss two key elements in the training of geriatric social workers. Focussing on a recent initiative by the John A. Hartford Foundation, we discuss the program in geriatric social work training recently implemented at the University at Albany School of Social Welfare and the consequences of improved training andawareness in geriatric social work for the social work community.
How Strategies for Managing Patient Visit Time Affect Physician Job Satisfaction: A Qualitative Analysis

BACKGROUND There is much physician discontent regarding policies that limit time for patient visits and contribute to physician dissatisfaction with the medical profession as a whole. Yet little is known about how physician strategies for managing time limits correspond to job satisfaction.
On mixed finite element methods for first order elliptic systems

A physically based duality theory for first order elliptic systems is shown to be of central importance in connection with the Galerkin finite element solution of these systems. Using this theory in conjunction with a certain hypothesis concerning approximation spaces, optimal error estimates for Galerkin type approximations are demonstrated. An example of a grid which satisfies the hypothesis is given and numerical examples which illustrate the theory are provided.
Radical-induced generation of small silver particles in SPEEK/PVA polymer films and solutions: UV-Vis, EPR, and FT-IR studies.

The present study is centered on the processes involved in the photochemical generation of nanometer-sized Ag particles via illumination at 350 nm of aqueous solutions and cross linked films containing sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) and poly(vinyl alcohol). Optical and electron paramagnetic resonance experiments, including electron nuclear double resonance data, proved conclusively that the photogenerated chromophore exhibiting a band with λmax = 565 nm is an α-hydroxy aromatic (ketyl) radical of the polymeric ketone. This reducing species was produced by illumination of either solutions or films, but the radical lifetime extended from minutes in the fluid phase to hours in the solid. Direct evidence is presented that this long-lived chromophore reduces Ag(I), Cu(II), and Au(III) ions in solution. A rate constant of k = 1.4 × 103 M-1 s-1 was obtained for the reduction of Ag+ by the ketyl radical from the post-irradiation formation of Ag crystallites. FTIR results confirmed that the photoprocess yield...
Using quality-of-life instruments to assess surgical outcomes.

ASSESSING SURGICAL OUTCOMES HAS BECOME an area of intense interest among surgeons, payors, and administrators. Although there are several aspects of what makes up an “outcome” (and some of these aspects are vague), there is no question that quality of life is one of these aspects. Quality of life has been receiving additional attention in both the medical and surgical literature. Despite this, physicians and patients can differ substantially in the assessment of the patient’s quality of life.1 This is true because the concepts and mechanisms concerning the measurement of quality of life may still be confusing to some. Quality of life is a concept easy to grasp intuitively but difficult to define. In the common sense of the phrase, quality of life may include “nonmedical” factors such as personal income, location of residence, leisure time and activities, interpersonal relationships, meaningful work, and spiritual fulfillment, among other aspects of everyday life. However, in medicine and surgery what we wish to measure is “health-related” quality of life, that is, the extent of the impact of the disease process on physical, psychologic, and social aspects of a person’s life and feeling of well-being. These different aspects of quality of life are called domains. Qualityof-life “instruments” can measure different domains, depending on their purpose. Domains can be measured in two “dimensions”: objective assessment of functioning or health status and subjective assessment by the patient of his or her own health.2 Although objective measures are attractive to the clinician and researcher because they are more easily quantifiable and reproducible, it is ultimately the improvement of the patient’s perception of their own health and function that is the goal of much of our medical endeavor. The purpose of this article is to review the concepts of quality of life, how it is measured, and the instruments designed to measure it. The focus will be directed at the purposes of quality-of-life instruments, criteria to assess these instruments, types of instruments, and how to choose among these instruments for a given purpose. Throughout I will use the example of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) to illustrate these points.
Recognizing Patterns in Photographs

The problem of recognizing patterns in photographs is considered. It is assumed that the patterns to be classified are exactly known, and that the photograph is sampled and quantized to form a binary vector. The optimum classification procedure for the general case involves nonlinear data processing on this vector. In two important special cases, however, this optimum procedure reduces to one which uses correlation or matched-filter techniques. The analysis applies not only to the specific problem described here, but to any situation in which the patterns to be classified may be represented by binary vectors provided the appropriate assumptions are satisfied. An important example is the so-called property-list description of a pattern.
Defect induced red shift in the luminescence spectra of amorphous silicon-hydrogen films☆

Abstract We present luminescence spectra of amorphous silicon-hydrogen films that shift to longer wavelengths with increasing defect density. We propose that the defects increase the density of states in the gap, which decreases the “thermalization gap”, which in turn shifts the luminescence spectra to the red. We also suggest that the same mechanism is present in doped amorphous silicon films.
Oxidative transformations of environmental pharmaceuticals by Cl2, ClO2, O3, and Fe(VI): Kinetics assessment

Several pharmaceuticals have been detected globally in surface water and drinking water, which indicate their insufficient removal from water and wastewater using conventional treatment methods. This paper reviews the kinetics of oxidative transformations of pharmaceuticals (antibiotics, lipid regulators, antipyretics, anticonvulsants, and beta-blockers) by Cl(2), ClO(2), O(3), and ferrate(VI) (Fe(VI)O(4)(2-),Fe(VI)) under treatment conditions. In the chlorination of sulfonamide antibiotics, HOCl is the major reactive Cl(2) species whereas in the oxidation by Fe(VI), HFeO(4)(-) is the dominant reactive species. Both oxidation processes can oxidize sulfonamides in seconds at a neutral pH (t(1/2)≤ 220 s; 1 mg L(-1) HOCl or K(2)FeO(4)). The reactivity of O(3) with pharmaceuticals is generally higher than that of HOCl (k(app,pH 7) (O(3))=1-10(7)M(-1)s(-1); k(app,pH 7) (HOCl)=10(-2)-10(5)M(-1)s(-1)). Ozone selectively oxidizes pharmaceuticals and reacts mainly with activated aromatic systems and non-protonated amines. Oxidative transformation of most pharmaceuticals by O(3) occurs in seconds (t(1/2)≤ 100 s; 1 mg L(-1) O(3)) while half-lives for oxidations by HOCl differ by at least two orders of magnitude. Ozone appears to be efficient in oxidizing pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments. The limited work on Fe(VI) shows that it can also potentially transform pharmaceuticals in treatment processes.
Limitations in Dose Specification of Brachytherapy Combined With External Beam Irradiation

Technological progress in brachytherapy has fostered expanded use of interstitial or intracavitary implants combined with external beam radiotherapy in the management of many malignant neoplasms. However, the methodologies of brachytherapy and teletherapy have developed rather independently and attempts to identify conceptual and practical approaches for combining external beam irradiation with brachytherapy represent a fairly recent effort in the development of radiation therapy. Only with the advent of supervoltage and megavoltage equipment after 1950 was there evolution towards the radiobiological rationale on which modern radiotherapy is based. Large empirical clinical experiences have been the basis for developing operational approaches for combining external beam with either interstitial or intracavitary brachytherapy for a wide range of specific clinical problems. These empirical approaches, combined with the lack of universal agreement on dose specification and reporting methods for brachytherapy, as well as the lack of relevant laboratory studies, are impediments to integrating the two modalities at the clinical level. The intent of this article is to examine some of the complex historical, physical, and radiobiological considerations contributing to a dichotomy that impedes effective comparison of the clinical results of such combined approaches.