cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The economics of health in a postindustrial society.

This section of The Journal brings to the attention of our readers viewpoints expressed in other journals. The opinions expressed or implied do not necessarily reflect the opinion or official policies or position of the American Dental Association. Reader response to the topic is invited.
The Risk of Infections with Biologic Therapies for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objectives To assess the risk of serious and nonserious bacterial and viral infections associated with the use of biologic therapy (abatacept, adalimumab, anakinra, etanercept, infliximab, and rituximab) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Information was derived from PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane clinical trials register and database of systematic reviews and relevant congress abstracts up to and including February 2008. Results Compared with the general population, patients with RA have a heightened risk of infection, including tuberculosis. Long-term clinical trials and postmarketing studies indicate that anakinra and the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are associated with an increased risk of infections versus conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), especially early in the course of treatment. The most common sites of infection are the respiratory tract (including pneumonia), skin and soft tissue, and the urinary tract. The risk of tuberculosis also appears higher with TNF inhibitors (in particular, infliximab) versus DMARDs, although this can be reduced by screening and prophylaxis. TNF inhibitors do not appear to significantly increase the risk of reactivating chronic viral infections. Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations are generally effective in the face of TNF inhibitors or abatacept. Available data suggest that the risk of infections and serious infections with abatacept and rituximab may be similar to that of the TNF inhibitors. To date, there have been no reports from clinical trials of increased tuberculosis or opportunistic infections with abatacept or rituximab. Conclusions All marketed TNF inhibitors for compared to control RA appear to increase the risk of serious and nonserious infections compared with DMARDs. Although suggestive, data for abatacept and rituximab are less definitive and longer periods of patient exposure to these agents are needed before an assessment of their risks can be made.
An automated krypton-85 γ-ray stack monitor

A Ge(Li) γ-ray detector was used in conjunction with a 6-l pressurized (60 psia) well spectroscopy gas cell to selectively detect 85Kr stack emissions. This system was calibrated so as to relate the 514-keV γ-ray counting rate to 85Kr concentration. Counting rate, or concentration, was continuously recorded with a count-rate meter/strip-chart recorder combination and was also time averaged over 15-min intervals using a programmable multichannel analyzer system with cassette readout. Being completely automated, this γ-analysis system required little more than liquid nitrogen service and data record retrieval throughout a 4-month-long sampling period. The sensitivity of this γ-ray analytical system was such as to achieve a minimum detectable 85Kr stack concentration of 2 μCi/m3 for 15-min counting intervals.
Processing TiPdNi base thin-film shape memory alloys using ion beam assisted deposition

A new generation of thin-film shape memory alloys (SMA) has been developed with less than 2 μm thickness for MEMS microactuator applications. In this study, thin-film TiPdNi SMA was processed using ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) with and without in situ heat treatment. As-deposited films were found to be amorphous. Postdeposition annealing lead to bulk diffusion of palladium to the substrate interface and silicon into the bulk film, creating a porous cross section. Various forms of tensile failures were observed including decohesion and delamination as a result of postdeposition annealing. Effect of heating and cooling rates was studied as well as in situ heat treatment during deposition. Deposition using the IBAD technique with in situ heat treatment was successful in producing fully martensitic films 1.5 μm thick and with reduced grain size and film defects, compared to the other sputter deposited films and IBAD deposited followed by postdeposition heat treatment. The effects of various processing parameters, and heat treatment conditions, on film properties have been studied.
Mozart's Fee for Così fan tutte

According to one of his more heart-rending letters to Michael Puchberg, Mozart expected to receive 200 ducats from the directorate of the Viennese court theatres for composing Cosi fan tutte. This amount, equivalent to 900 gulden, would have been twice the usual fee paid for a newly composed opera at that time. Mozart's statement to Puchberg has long been accepted at face value, because the theatrical financial records for the season in which Cosi fan tutte had its premiere have been thought to be lost. Recently, however, an entry in a little-known theatrical ledger has come to light which shows that, in late February 1790, Mozart was paid 450 gulden for composing Cosi fan tutte, half of what he had claimed to expect. In attempting to account for the discrepancy between the documented payment and Mozart's expectation, this essay will investigate all fees and gifts received by composers and librettists for operas commissioned by the Viennese Nationaltheater from the founding of the German Singspiel in 1778 until the end of the theatrical season 1791–2. This investigation will not only help to suggest an explanation for the discrepancy, it will also illuminate the wider context in which Mozart's Viennese operas were commissioned, and will put into perspective the fees he was paid for them.
Radiation‐induced emulsion ploymerization of vinyl acetate in a pilot plant reactor II. Kinetics

The recycle flow reactor pilot plant, described in Part I of this series, has been used to study some kinetic and other features of the emulsion polymerization of vinyl acetate. In particular, the dependence of the rate on the emulsifier concentration was determined and found to be 0.38 ± 0.09. Separate batch experiments were in reasonable agreement as 0.29 ± 0.10. The effects of temperature, dose rate, and agitation rate were also determined and were in agreement with most of the literature values.
Effects of diazepam on body temperature of the aged squirrel monkey

Abstract Hypothermia was produced by IM administration of diazepam (0.125–0.5 mg/kg) to squirrel monkeys of various ages (2–16 years) in a thermoneutral (23 ± 0.5°C) environment with animals over eight years of age having slightly greater responses. Hypothermia caused by an intermediate dose (0.25 mg/kg) was augmented in a cold environment (15°C), especially in the older animals. There was no marked alteration in the temperature change/age regression after 0.25 mg/kg diazepam in a hot environment (30°C) compared with the control response. Injections of diazepam (1.25-5.0 /μg) into the lateral cerebral ventricle in a thermoneutral environment produced hyperthermia rather than hypothermia in all animals, and the magnitude of the induced hyperthermia was smaller in older monkeys. The results support previous case reports in man and suggest that this commonly used drug can induce hypothermia, especially in older primates exposed to cold. The drug action responsible for this temperature change appears to take place peripherally rather than within the brain.
Observations on the effect of induced hyperglycemiaon the glucose content of the cerebrospinal fluid in patients with hydrocephalus

Summary Tests of the diffusion of glucose from the blood into the cerebrospinal fluid have been performed in thirteen children with normal ventricles and ten children with hydrocephalus. In the former group the glucose content of the cerebrospinal fluid increased by 30 mg. per 100 c.c. or more. In the hydrocephalic children the increase in glucose content of the ventricular fluid was always below the figure established as normal. This was true of the lumbar region also, whenever the hydrocephalus was not associated with a spinal block due to tuberculous meningitis or with active meningitis.
The Buried Running Dermal Subcutaneous Suture Technique

. This article illustrates the buried running dermal subcutaneous suture technique, a more rapid method for closing large fusiform open skin wounds than vertically oriented buried dermal subcutaneous sutures that are individually tied and cut. This technique effectively closes dead space, provides excellent strength, and relieves wound tension uniformly.
Crystal and molecular structure of 4-cyanopyridine-N-oxide

Crystals of 4-cyanopyridine-N-oxide crystallize in space groupP21/c (No. 14). There are four molecules per unit cell, witha = 7.88(2),b = 6.10(2),c =11.61(3) A and β =101.4(4) °. Data for 838 unique reflections were recorded using the multiple-film technique and visually estimated intensities. A three-dimensional least-squares refinement of the structure was carried out to a final conventionalR of 0.098. It was found that the molecule was planar, as expected, and that the centrosymmetric pairs were stacked parallel to each other, as viewed down thea-axis. Bond distances and angles are in agreement with those from comparable molecules.
Immunofluorescence on split skin for the detection and differentiation of basement membrane zone autoantibodies

The autoimmune subepidermal bullous diseases are characterized by autoantibodies to the basement membrane zone of stratified squamous epithelium. Recent studies have shown that the antibodies have characteristic ultrastructural and antigenic binding properties and that differentiating between those properties can be useful in distinguishing one disease from another. Immunofluorescence microscopy is widely used to detect basement membrane zone autoantibodies. The test has traditionally used tissue substrates with an intact basement membrane zone. Those substrates are limited because autoantibody binding cannot always be detected and because autoantibodies with different ultrastructural and antigenic binding properties cannot be distinguished from each other. Normal human skin that has been separated through the basement membrane zone (i.e., split skin) has recently been used as a substrate for detecting and characterizing basement membrane zone autoantibodies by immunofluorescence. Studies indicate that split skin is a more sensitive substrate than intact skin for detecting the antibodies and that antibodies with different ultrastructural binding sites can often be differentiated from one another on split skin. Those studies suggest split skin is the substrate of choice for the routine immunofluorescence evaluation of autoimmune subepidermal bullous diseases.
Combined age- and trauma-related proteomic changes in rat neocortex: a basis for brain vulnerability

This proteomic study investigates the widely observed clinical phenomenon, that after comparable brain injuries, geriatric patients fare worse and recover less cognitive and neurologic function than younger victims. Utilizing a rat traumatic brain injury model, sham surgery or a neocortical contusion was induced in 3 age groups. Geriatric (21 months) rats performed worse on behavioral measures than young adults (12-16 weeks) and juveniles (5-6 weeks). Motor coordination and certain cognitive deficits showed age-dependence both before and after injury. Brain proteins were analyzed using silver-stained two-dimensional electrophoresis gels. Spot volume changes (>2-fold change, p<0.01) were identified between age and injury groups using computer-assisted densitometry. Sequences were determined by mass spectrometry of tryptic peptides. The 19 spots identified represented 13 different genes that fell into 4 general age- and injury-dependent expression patterns. Fifteen isoforms changed differentially with respect to both age and injury (p<0.05). Further investigations into the nature and function of these isoforms may yield insights into the vulnerability of older patients and resilience of younger patients in recovery after brain injuries.
Helicopter Emergency Medical Services Utilization for Winter Resort Injuries

AbstractIntroduction. Helicopter and ground emergency medical services (EMS) units are frequently called to transport patients from winter resorts to area trauma centers. Objective. The purpose of this study was to examine helicopter EMS (HEMS) utilization for such patients, and to investigate out-of-hospital clinical variables that might help providers determine the most appropriate utilization of HEMS. Methods. The study included patients aged ≥12 years who were transported by ground EMS (GEMS) or HEMS to a regional trauma center with an acute injury sustained at a winter resort. The decision to transport via HEMS was based on field provider judgment. Injury information was prospectively obtained and combined with emergency department (ED) and hospital data abstracted from trauma registry and hospital records. For the purpose of this study, appropriate HEMS utilization was defined according to two different schemes. Limited utilization of HEMS was defined as the need for an emergent ED or out-of-hospita...
Carbon Nanotube-Based Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites

Advances in synthesis and characterization of nanostructured materials have opened-up a wide range of opportunities for engineering properties of polymer systems using nanoscale reinforcements. Development of this new class of polymer composites, referred to as nanocomposites, has resulted in extensive academic and industrial research in processing, characterization, and modeling of these materials. The understanding of nanocomposite structure/property relationships has evolved in recent years. This paper reviews advances in carbon nanotube-based composites with an aim at tailoring properties for multifunctional applications. Key issues in nanocomposites research are addressed along with opportunities to add new functionalities to existing fiber composite material systems.
Effect of kainate on ATP levels and glutamate metabolism in cerebellar slices

Abstract The levels of ATo and amino acids were measured in rat cerebellar slices incubated in the presence of the neurotoxin, kainic acid (KA). 0.1–1 mM KA caused a significant decrease in tissue content of ATP, glutamate, aspartate and glutamine. The levels of glutamate and aspartat, but not glutamine, rose concomitanly in the incubation medium. The results are consistent with a multiaction mechanism for the neurotoxicity of KA.
Nonlinear control of dynamical systems from time series.

Feedback control of multidimensional, nonlinear single-input single-output systems is formulated in terms of an invariant hypersurface in the delayed state space of a system observable and a control parameter. The surface is created directly from the response of the system to random perturbations, providing a model-independent nonlinear control algorithm. The algorithm can be used to stabilize unstable states or to drive a system to any particular objective state in a minimum number of steps.
Ion-Ion Mutual Neutralization Cross Sections Measured by a Superimposed Beam Technique

Ion-ion neutralization cross sections have been measured for ${\mathrm{N}}^{+}$ + ${\mathrm{O}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}^{+}$ + ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, and ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{+}$ + ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$. The kinetic energy range, in the barycentric coordinate system covered by the experiment, is between 0.1 and 98 eV with an energy resolution of about 0.1 eV. The products of the neutralization cross section $Q$ times the relative speed ${v}_{\mathcal{r}}$ are nearly independent of energy, having values close to ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$/sec for all three systems studied, except that below 0.5 eV the ${\mathrm{N}}^{+}$ + ${\mathrm{O}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ and ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}^{+}$ + ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ systems show a rapid increase of $Q{v}_{\mathcal{r}}$ with decreasing energy. The experiment employs the superposition of positive- and negative-ion beams of several keV energy over a common path length of 33 cm. The beams are subsequently separated and the neutral products of the reaction are measured.
Dosimetry of FDG PET/CT and other molecular imaging applications in pediatric patients.

Effective doses for PET and SPECT imaging of molecular imaging agents depend on the radiopharmaceutical, administered activity and the weight of the patient. Effective doses for the accompanying CT scan depend on the CT protocol being used. CT protocols can be designed to produce diagnostic quality images, localization images or attenuation correction data without imaging. In each case, the co-registered molecular imaging examination (PET or SPECT) and the CT study must be acquired without patient movement. For PET/CT, attention to the respiratory phase during the CT study is also of critical importance. In addition to the molecular imaging agents 18F-FDG and 123I-MIBG that are frequently used in children, additional PET and SPECT imaging agents may have promise for molecular imaging in children.
Mechanically alloyed composite anode materials based on SiO–SnxFeyCz for Li-ion batteries

A new family of composite materials as anodes for lithium-ion batteries, SiO–SnxFeyCz (x:y:z molar ratio), was synthesized by mechanical alloying. SiO is preferable because of its high capacity and the Sn–Fe–C alloys could be used as a buffer material to extend the cycle life of cells. Rather than expensive and toxic cobalt, we selected cheap and environmentally benign iron instead. The aim of this work is to find the optimal point by tuning the composition of Sn–Fe–C in the hope of obtaining better electrochemical performance. Different combinations were studied by high-energy X-ray diffraction and electrochemical methods. The results indicated that carbon can improve the cycle life, the amount of iron affects phase formation greatly, and the FeSn2 phase should be avoided because of its detrimental effect on cycle life. The 50 wt% SiO–50 wt% Sn30Fe30C40 composition was studied using the pair distribution function and Mossbauer spectroscopy. This material exhibits high specific capacity (900 mA h g−1 at C/6 rate) with good cycle life and rate capability. These results indicate that SiO–SnxFeyCz are promising candidate anode materials for commercial rechargeable lithium batteries.
The Effect of Surfactants on Drug Stability I

The effect of surfactants on the rate of hydrolysis of esters, using benzocaine as an example, is reported for a homologous series of alkali-stable nonionic surfactants, and with cationic and anionic surfactants. It was found that the hydrolysis rate of the ester in the alkali-stable nonionic surfactants varies with the concentration of the surfactant more than with the length of the polyoxyethylene chain of the surfactant. Hydrolysis apparently takes place within the micelle, as well as in the aqueous phase. Anionic and cationic surfactants appear to stabilize the drug to base catalysis, resulting in an eighteen-fold increase in half-life in 5 per cent lauryl sulfate solutions. A dilute solution of the quaternary, cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, slightly accelerates the rate of hydrolysis.
Central Resistin Induces Hepatic Insulin Resistance via Neuropeptide Y

Sensing of peripheral hormones and nutrients by the hypothalamus plays an important role in maintaining peripheral glucose homeostasis. The hormone resistin impairs the response to insulin in liver and other peripheral tissues. Here we demonstrate that in normal mice resistin delivered in the lateral cerebral ventricle increased endogenous glucose production during hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp, consistent with induction of hepatic insulin resistance. In agreement, central resistin inhibited Akt phosphorylation and increased the expression of glucose-6-phosphatase, the enzyme regulating glucose output in the liver. Central resistin induced expression of proinflammatory cytokines as well as suppressor of cytokine signaling-3, a negative regulator of insulin action in liver. Central infusion of resistin was associated with neuronal activation in the arcuate, paraventricular and dorsomedial nuclei, and increased neuropeptide Y (NPY) expression in the hypothalamus. The effects of central resistin on glucose production as well as hepatic expression of proinflammatory cytokines were abrogated in mice lacking NPY. Pretreatment of wild-type mice with antagonists of the NPY Y1 receptor, but not the Y5 receptor, also prevented the effects of central resistin. Together, these results suggest that resistin action on NPY neurons is an important regulator of hepatic insulin sensitivity.
Structural Configuration of the Northwestern Caribbean Plate Boundary

The interpretation of 6,700 km of magnetic total intensity lines collected between the Cayman Trough and coastal Honduras indicates that two distinct systems of transcurrent faults control the configuration of the northwestern Caribbean plate boundary. A master fault set trends east-northeast-west-southwest parallel to the long axis of the Cayman Trough and is characterized by extensive sinistral displacements; a second-order fault system trends northwest-southeast and displays dextral offsets. Simple rotational shear deformation of rigid plates in a stress field generated by the eastward motion of the Caribbean plate relative to the North America plate can readily account for both fault sets.
A linear approximation of the coupling coefficient in the WDM coupler

A linear approximation of the coupling coefficient for the wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) coupler is presented. Our aim is to better understand and to simplify the design of couplers used in optical communications. The theoretical calculation and the derivation of the linear coupling coefficient were obtained based on coupled mode theory and a simplified equation pertaining to rectangular and circular waveguide couplers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 37: 12–15, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10809
Fine ways to fail to secure local realism

Abstract Since he proved his theorem in 1982, Fine has been challenging the traditional interpretation of the experimental violation of the Bell Inequalities (BI). A natural interpretation of Fine's theorem is that it provides us with an alternative set of assumptions on which to place blame for the failure of the BI, and opens to a new interpretation of the violation of the BI. Fine has a stronger interpretation for his theorem. He claims that his result undermines the traditional interpretation in terms of local realism. The aim of this paper is to understand and to assess Fine's claim. We distinguish three different strategies that Fine uses in order to support his view. We show that none of these strategies is successful. Fine fails to prove that local realism is not at stake in the violation of the BI by quantum phenomena.
Arthrodesis of the Interphalangeal Joint of the Great Toe—An Improved Technique:

At the Mayo Clinic between 1950 and 1975, initial fusion of the interphalangeal joint of the great toe was attempted 166 times in 139 patients utilizing a Kirschner wire for stabilization. Follow-up examination of these patients disclosed an overall pseudarthrosis rate of 44%. Because of these disappointing results, a technique involving use of a longitudinal mini-cancellous bone screw was devised which provides increased stability and compression at the arthrodesis site. With this method, used 20 times in 18 patients, the pseudoarthrosis rate was decreased to 10%.
NASA's HITEMP program for UHBR engines

NASA's High Temperature Engine Materials Program (HITEMP) is concerned with the laboratory-scale technology development and feasibility demonstration of high-temperature composite materials, in conjunction with the requisite structural analysis models and test methods for their validation. HITEMP encompasses research on metallic/intermetallic, ceramic, and polymer matrix composites, and is giving attention to high-temperature component composites applicable to future widebody commercial aircraft ultrahigh bypass ratio (UHBR) engines. The UHBR components for which advanced composites are envisioned are fan, compressor, and turbine rotor blades, stator vanes, disks, and shafts, thrust bearings, gearbox bearings and linings, combustor cases and linings, nacelles, and thrust-reversers.
National Service and Civic Engagement: A Natural Experiment

Nearly all studies that seek to uncover the effects of military service on the individual are plagued with the self-selection bias that comes with studying the all-volunteer force. To solve this problem, this paper takes advantage of the natural experiment afforded by the suspension of the French National Service program to produce unbiased causal analyses of the effect of national service on a range of civic engagement measures. Results generated using Instrumental Variables estimation indicate that there is little difference in individual-level civic engagement between service participants and their non-serving peers. However, when potential mediators are taken into account, the ensuing results imply that the substantial increase in the likelihood of having children associated with national service participation has a suppressive effect on service participants’ overall level of civic engagement.
Xylene-Cellulose Caprate as a Histologic Mounting Medium of Low Refractive Index

A 50% solution of cellulose caprate in xylene forms a clear pale yellowish syrupy solution of proper consistency for mounting stained and unstained sections. Cover slips become immovable in 30 minutes and slides do not stick together after one-day drying. The refractive index of the xylene solution is 1.4860, of the dry resin 1.4734, and unstained sections remain easily visible. Most stains are well preserved. Prussian blue is well preserved, cobalt sulfide decolorizes in a month.
Age at diagnosis and other prognosticators in epithelial ovarian cancers.

This study was conducted to determine whether the age at diagnosis has any importance for prognosis as defined by overall survival 5-year survival response to treatment and disease-free survival and to determine the impact of tumor histology and grade on prognosis. 69 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer were grouped depending on the age and the histopathologic diagnosis of the tumor. Standard surgery was done on the patients by experienced gynecologists and consisted of hysterectomy bilateral adnexectomy omentectomy and in majority of patients appendectomy. Overall it was noted that survival times were longer in patients under the age of 50 years. In this group complete remission was observed in 62.78% and 5-year survival in 48.39%. The figures for older women were 54.66% and 26.32% respectively. In conclusion age at diagnosis emerges as a valuable prognosticator and 50 years appears to be superior to 40 years as a reference point. Poorer prognosis in older patients can be attributed to higher gonadotropin levels typical for post-menopause.
Implementations are not conceptualizations: revising the verb learning model.

Abstract In a recent issue of this journal, Pinker and Prince (1988) and Lachter and Bever (1988) presented detailed critiques of Rumelhart and McClelland's (1986) connectionist model of the child's learning of the phonological form of the English past tense. In order to address these criticisms, a new connectionist model was constructed using the back-propagation algorithm, a larger input corpus, a fuller paradigm, and a new phonological representation. This new implementation successfully addressed the criticisms of the phonological representation used by Rumelhart and McClelland. It did a much better job of learning the past tense using a fuller input set with realistic frequencies of occurrence. Ancillary simulations using the same network were able to deal with the homonymy problem and the generation of forms like “ated” from “ate”. The one feature not provided by the new model was a way of modeling early correct production of irregular forms. The success of the new model can be used to help clarify the extent to which the published critiques apply to a particular connectionist implementation as opposed to fundamental principles underlying the broader connectionist conceptualization.
Convergence in Foreigners' Rights and Citizenship Policies? A Look at Japan

Citizenship laws and immigrant rights in rich, democratic countries are widely understood to be converging. Since most accounts of convergence are based on Western examples, Japan is an important test case. I distinguish three theoretical accounts of convergence: global-institutionalist, liberal-democratic, and problem-solving perspectives. I then examine trends in foreigners' rights in Japan since World War II in three domains: entrance, rights of residents, and citizenship. I find that convergence is occurring in the expansion of rights, partially in access to the territory, but not in formal citizenship. While the liberal-democratic perspective fails to account for trends, a combination of global-institutionalist and problem-solving accounts provides the most powerful analytic insight into convergence processes.
Perspective Taking Through Narratives: An Intervention for Students With ASD

This study investigated the use of a narrative-based language intervention program for teaching perspective-taking skills to students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The participants consiste...
High Quality Halftone Image Printing Using Resistive Ribbon Thermal Transfer Printing

One of the challenges of 960 dot-per-inch resistive ribbon thermal transfer - R2T2 - printing is the control of energy delivered to the print head to assure very high fidelity printing. A method of manipulating image data to combat the undesired effects of thermal printing is presented. A brief review is given of some of the unique approaches required to construct a prototype of an inexpensive, near-typesetter-quality, desk-top machine, including techniques for fabricating a 960 dpi. R2T2 print head and a closed-loop paper incrementing technique. Print samples and examples of processed data for printing are presented.
Modelling river discharge and precipitation from estuarine salinity in the northern Chesapeake Bay: application to Holocene palaeoclimate

Long-term chronologies of precipitation can provide a baseline against which twentieth-century trends in rainfall can be evaluated in terms of natural variability and anthropogenic influence. Howev...
Physical Activity and Welfare of Guide Dogs and Walking Activity of Their Partners

ABSTRACTAppropriate physical activity is beneficial for physical and psychosocial wellbeing, and it is recommended for people to have 30 minutes of activity on most days of the week, to yield 150 minutes per week. Getting sufficient physical activity particularly challenges people with visual disabilities, and few health-promotion interventions have focused on adults with this disability. Recently, dog walking has been promoted in communities as a way to increase people's physical activity. We surveyed guide-dog partners to assess whether their guide dogs facilitated walking. We also assessed the welfare of these dogs, including their physical activity and social interactions with other dogs and people, especially as there is some concern that these dogs have too little freedom. For comparison, we assessed large and small companion dogs and their handlers, as well. A web-based survey was conducted among people living with guide dogs or companion (pet) dogs: large companion dogs (51 lb or more) and small c...
The Audible Human Project: Modeling Subject-Specific Sound Transmission in the Lungs and Torso

A computational model for simulating sound propagation in the lungs and torso is being developed and evaluated. A theoretical model for sound propagation in the airways is coupled with an acoustic boundary element (BE) model for sound propagation in the lung parenchyma and a finite element (FE) model for sound propagation in the surrounding chest wall. Models are being validated theoretically and numerically and compared with experimental studies, including: lung-chest phantom models that simulate the lung pathology of pneumothorax; and normal human subject studies. This work is relevant to the development of advanced auscultatory techniques for lung, vascular and cardiac sounds within the torso and may be useful in the development of a more effective educational tool for teaching stethoscopic skills in the future.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Immunologic effects of national cholesterol education panel step-2 diets with and without fish-derived N-3 fatty acid enrichment.

In an attempt to reduce the risk of heart disease caused by atherosclerosis, the National Cholesterol Education Panel suggests that Americans follow the Step-2 diet, which is low in total fat, saturated fatty acid (SFA), and cholesterol. Step-2 diet recommendations prescribe an overall fat intake of less than 30% of total calories (less than 7% of total calories from SFA, 10% to 15% of total calories from monounsaturated fat, equal to or less than 10% of total calories from polyunsaturated fatty acid [PUFA]) and a dietary cholesterol intake that is less than 200 mg/d. Inasmuch as dietary fat has previously been shown to influence the immune function in critically ill patients, the authors of this study investigated the effects of long-term (24 weeks), low-fat, low-cholesterol, high-PUFA feeding on immune response in normal volunteers. Two versions of the Step-2 diet were studied: a fish-oil-enriched Step-2 diet containing 1.23 g/d of omega-3 PUFAs from eicosapentaenoic and docosa-hexaenoic acid and a low-...
Genetic control of hematopoietic kinetics revealed by analyses of allophenic mice and stem cell suicide

Abstract The pluripotential hematopoietic stem cell is influenced by at least one gene that differs between DBA/2 and C3H/He, and C57BL/6 inbred mouse strains. This gene(s) manifests itself by its effect on susceptibility to killing of spleen colony forming cells (CFU-S) caused by hydroxyurea (HU). In strains DBA/2 and C3H/He 20% of the CFU-S population is normally in S phase whereas practically none from strain C57BL/6 are synthesizing DNA. On the other hand, in C57BL/6↔DBA/2 allophenic mice we observed that the proportion of DBA/2 erythrocytes was higher than the proportion of DBA/2 lymphocytes; the fraction of platelets and neutrophils with the DBA/2 genotype fell between the values for erythrocytes and lymphocytes. Control experiments using mice congenic at the Fv-2 locus confirm that in both situations we are examining effects of a gene(s) other than Fv-2 . For the effect on the S phase fraction of CFU-S, we refer to the gene(s) as Stk (stem cell kinetics). We suggest that the observed skewing in composition among the various mature blood cell types in C57BL/6↔DBA/2 allophenic mice is caused by allelic variants of the Stk gene. Such variation would favor the formation of DBA/2 erythrocytes, platelets, and neutrophils over those of the C57BL/6 genotype.
Dependence of the hall coefficient of soft carbons on heattreatment and doping

Abstract In an effort to study the electronic band structure of pregraphitic carbons, and supplement and crosscheck the information obtained by the ESR technique, the Hall coefficient was measured at room and liquid nitrogen temperature for two soft carbon materials. Samples heattreated from 1500 to 3200°C were investigated by introducing acceptors (boron, bisulphate) and/or donors (sodium, potassium). Using the total change in the Hall coefficient when the Fermi level sweeps across the band overlap as a measure of the degree of overlap, it was found that as one approaches the turbostratic carbons, the small graphite band overlap slightly decreases at first, but after that, starts rapidly increasing as the crystalline disorder increases. No indication of a possible presence of a band gap in pregraphitic carbons is found, but rather a wide mixed up overlap region, with the mobility of holes exceeding the mobility of electrons. It was also found that in soft carbon materials heattreated to below 1840°C, the acceptors invert their behavior by starting to act as donors. The well-known Hall effect minimum at HTT 1650 for the Texas coke is shown to be most probably an impurity effect.
Mass determination by direct weighing in estimation of cholesterol specific activity

Abstract A method based on older gravimetric procedures has been developed, validated and tested for accurate determination of isotopic specific activity of free and esterified cholesterol in plasma and other tissues. Determination of mass by direct weighing of the purified lipids has been used in carefully controlled conditions, followed by counting the weighed sample. The method has been found to yield more accurate and reproducible results than procedures involving colorimetric determination of cholesterol mass, combined with determination of radioactivity in a separate aliquot. When tested using a carefully standardized sample of [4-14C]cholesterol, the method gave a mean specific activity (n = 10) that was 1.2% lower than that of the test material, with a 0.5% standard error of the mean. Experience with the method in metabolic studies has also indicated that results are of a high order of accuracy. Mass determination of esterified cholesterol by weighing isolated cholesterol esters and converting by factor to mass as free cholesterol was found to be valid. Although 2 mg of the purified steroid component is required to maintain weighing accuracy, this is usually available in metabolic studies using plasma, bile, or stool from human subjects. In other circumstances the method is useful as a standard against which to check the performance of more sensitive procedures for estimation of cholesterol specific activity.
Precursors for formation of 2-pentyl pyridine in processing of soybean protein isolates

Using stable isotopic 13 C-2,4-decadienal and 15 N-ammonia, both compounds were confirmed as precursors in the formation of 2-pentyl pyridine (2-pp) in processing of soybean protein isolates (SPI). The yields of 2-pp were higher when adding 2,4-decadienal and ammonia together than the yields when adding 2,4-decadienal only for soybean cultivars Stressland, LOX null, Edison, and KS4694. Arginine, lysine, asparagine, and glutamine increased 2-pp when added together with 2,4-decadienal, whereas aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, and histidine had no effects, In both buffer and defatted soybean slurry, the highest level of 2-pp was found at pH 9, followed by pH 7, then pH 4.5. The results indicate that the synthesis of 2-pp may be a spontaneous reaction.
Mass Media and the Domestic Politics of Globalization

Much is known about the domestic politics of globalization but political scientists have largely ignored one critical link between the international economy and most individuals around the world: the mass media. Considering the likely effects of mass media on public perceptions of responsibility, this article develops a simple model of the effects of mass media on individuals’ blame attributions and propensities to mobilize around the distributive conflicts of economic globalization. These effects of mass media on perception and mobilization alter the incentives of a national policymaker’s choice either to compensate or neglect domestic groups harmed by globalization. Individual-level implications of the theory are tested on survey data from France in 1992-1993 and state-level implications are tested on data from most countries around the world from 1960 to 2010. The evidence shows that mass media demobilize groups harmed by globalization, leading to weakened welfare-state responsiveness.
Role of TNF-alpha in pulmonary host defense in murine invasive aspergillosis.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis is a common and devastating complication of immunosuppression, whose incidence has increased dramatically in tandem with the increase in the number of immunocompromised patients. Given the role of TNF-α in other pulmonary infections, we hypothesized that TNF-α is an important proximal signal in murine invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Intratracheal challenge with Aspergillus fumigatus conidia in both neutropenic (cyclophosphamide-treated) and nonneutropenic BALB/c mice resulted in the time-dependent increase in lung TNF-α levels, which correlated with the histologic development of a patchy, peribronchial infiltration of mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells. Ab-mediated neutralization of TNF-α resulted in an increase in mortality in both normal and cyclophosphamide-treated animals, which was associated with increased lung fungal burden as determined by histology and as quantified by chitin content. Depletion of TNF-α resulted in a reduced lung neutrophil influx in both normal and cyclophosphamide-treated animals, which occurred in association with a decrease in lung levels of the C-X-C chemokine, macrophage inflammatory protein-2 and the C-C chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein-1α and JE. In cyclophosphamide-treated animals, intratracheal administration of a TNF-α agonist peptide (TNF 70–80 ) 3 days before, but not concomitant with, the administration of Aspergillus conidia resulted in improved survival from 9% in control mice to 55% in TNF 70–80 -treated animals. These studies indicate that TNF-α is a critical component of innate immunity in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts, and that pretreatment with a TNF-α agonist peptide in a compartmentalized fashion can significantly enhance resistance to A. fumigatus in neutropenic animals.
Rb-Sr provenance dates of feldspar in glacial deposits of the Wisconsin Range, Transantarctic Mountains

Glacial deposits in the Wisconsin Range (lat. 85° to 86°30′S, long. 120° to 130°W) of the Transantarctic Mountains include a deposit of till on the summit plateau at an elevation of 2,500 m above sea level and glaciolacustrine sediments along the Reedy Glacier. The plateau till and underlying sediments consist of six units that appear to record the replacement of ice-free, periglacial conditions by ice cap glaciation of pre-Pleistocene age. Alternatively, the plateau till may have been deposited by the East Antarctic ice sheet either when it was thicker than at present or when the Wisconsin Range was lower in elevation. Feldspar size fractions from the plateau till have Rb/Sr ratios that increase with grain size from 1.4 (67 to 125 µm) to 4.24 (500 to 1,000 µm). These size fractions define a straight line on a Rb-Sr isochron diagram and yield a date of 480 ± 21 Ma that is indistinguishable from the age of the granitic basement rocks of the Wisconsin Range dated previously. This result therefore supports the hypothesis that the plateau till was deposited by a local ice cap and suggests that the Wisconsin Range was sufficiently elevated to permit an icecap to form prior to the growth of the East Antarctic ice sheet. The glaciolacustrine sediments along Reedy Glacier probably were deposited in an ice-marginal melt-water pond along the margin of a temperate Reedy Glacier soon after the East Antarctic ice sheet first reached full size. The Rb/Sr ratios of feldspar in this sediment are lower than those of feldspar in the plateau till and range only from 0.46 to 0.66. Nevertheless, three feldspar fractions form a straight line on the Rb-Sr isochron diagram, the slope of which indicates a date of 576 ± 21 Ma. The difference in the date derived from the feldspar of the glaciolacustrine sediment may be caused by the presence of a component of Precambrian feldspar derived from the East Antarctic Shield.
Branched-chain-ketoacid metabolism in patients with chronic renal failure.

Branched-chain ketoacids (BCKAs) were determined in fasting plasma sam- ples from 19 patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). Ketomethylvalerate (KMV) was sig- nificantly higher in patients receiving BCKA supplements, presumably reflecting accumula- tion ofthe R(-) isomer. Mean levels ofall three BCKAs were not significantly different from normal. However, multiple-regression analysis showed that plasma ketoisocaproate was strongly correlated with glomerular filtration rate (GFR), negatively correlated with serum triglyceride concentration, and positively correlated with protein intake. KMV concentration was also correlated positively with GFR, negatively with triglycendemia, and positively with serum total carbon dioxide. Ketoisovalerate concentration did not vary with GFR and was not predictable from the regressors used. Single oral doses ofa mixture containing all three BCKAs led to the same areas under the three plasma concentration curves in patients with CRF as in normal subjects, indicating that absorption of all three BCKAs after oral administration in patients with CRF is unimpaired. Am J Clin Nutr 1989;50:807-13.
Other Convolutional Decoding Techniques

Convolutional coding techniques have been studied for many years. The technique was first introduced by Elias(63) in 1955. Shortly thereafter, Wozencraft(64) devised a decoding technique which he called “sequential decoding.” This technique has been the subject of much research interest for over 20 years. It is a trial-and-error search decoding technique that provides performance that can meet or exceed that of Viterbi decoders and is preferable in some applications. One of the most significant properties of sequential decoding is that the time required to decode a given information symbol is a random variable. In this respect the algorithm is quite similar to the random search techniques for block codes discussed in Chapter 3.
Molecular Mechanisms of Neuronal Death

Cellular homeostasis, maintenance of the balance of life and death at the cellular level, is essential for tissue integrity from development through senescence. During development of the nervous system programmmed cell death is responsible for establishing the number of neurons and shaping the nervous system. After development the majority of the postmitotic neurons should live for the life of the organism. Aberrant neuronal death occurs in neurodegenerative diseases and there is still no clear understanding of the mechanisms involved. In this chapter we discuss the molecules and pathways that regulate the life and death of cells and illustrate how these pathways are potentially involved in neurodegenerative diseases. By understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate cell death we can then begin to identify which pathways are dysregulated in neurodegenerative diseases.
Inherent Time Redundancy (ITR): Using Program Repetition for Low-Overhead Fault Tolerance

A new approach is proposed that exploits repetition inherent in programs to provide low-overhead transient fault protection in a processor. Programs repeatedly execute the same instructions within close time periods. This can be viewed as a time redundant re-execution of a program, except that inputs to these inherent time redundant (ITR) instructions vary. Nevertheless, certain microarchitectural events in the processor are independent of the input and only depend on the program instructions. Such events can be recorded and confirmed when ITR instructions repeat. In this paper, we use ITR to detect transient faults in the fetch and decode units of a processor pipeline, avoiding costly approaches like structural duplication or explicit time redundant execution.