cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pulse pressure in normotensives: a marker of cardiovascular disease

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the relation of the systemic arterial pulse pressure and other parameters derived from the 24-h arterial blood pressure (BP) monitoring to the severity of coronary artery disease, carotid lesions, and left ventricular (LV) mass index in patients without arterial hypertension. One hundred ten patients with known coronary artery disease underwent coronary arteriography, 24-h arterial BP monitoring, and ultrasound imaging of the carotid arteries and the myocardium. Measurements of 24-h arterial BP monitoring (systolic, diastolic, and average BP, pulse pressure, abnormal values of systolic and diastolic BP, and heart rate), the severity of coronary heart disease (Gensini score), intima–media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery and LV mass index were determined in all patients. By univariate analysis, only 24-h pulse pressure was significantly related to the severity of coronary artery disease (P < .01), carotid IMT(P < .01), and LV mass index (P < .01). In a multivariate analysis, 24-h pulse pressure was also the best predictor of the severity of coronary lesions (P = .009), carotid IMT (P = .003), and LV mass index (P = .009). Gensini score was related (P < .01) to LV mass index and not to carotid IMT. In conclusion, systemic arterial pulse pressure derived from 24-h arterial BP monitoring is related to coronary artery disease, carotid IMT, and LV mass index independently of age or any other derivative of 24-h arterial BP monitoring, indicating that this parameter could be a marker of global cardiovascular risk.
Only a waste of precious time? Cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the lateral position

Summary During craniotomy in the left lateral decubitus position, a patient suffered cardiac arrest due to a massive bleeding. To minimize the no-flow-time and enable haemostasis as the underlying cause of arrest, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was started without repositioning the patient supine. Return of spontaneous circulation was accomplished. Strategies for the effective treatment of cardiac arrest due to exsanguination during surgical procedures in the lateral decubitus position are discussed.
Mechanical properties of cellularly responsive hydrogels and their experimental determination

Hydrogels are increasingly employed as multidimensional cell culture platforms often with a necessity that they respond to or control the cellular environment. Specifically, synthetic hydrogels, such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-based gels, are frequently utilized for probing the microenvironment's influence on cell function, as the gel properties can be precisely controlled in space and time. Synthetically tunable parameters, such as monomer structure and concentration, facilitate initial gel property control, while incorporation of responsive degradable units enables cell- and/or user-directed degradation. Such responsive gel systems are complex with dynamic changes occurring over multiple time-scales, and cells encapsulated in these synthetic hydrogels often experience and dictate local property changes profoundly different from those in the bulk material. Consequently, advances in bulk and local measurement techniques are needed to monitor property evolution quantatively and understand its effect on cell function. Here, recent progress in cell-responsive PEG hydrogel synthesis and mechanical property characterization is reviewed.
The role of ultrasound and isotope scanning in the management of irritable hips

Patients (n = 181) with the irritable hip syndrome were reviewed. Four of these were found to have Perthes disease and 3 cases had septic arthritis. Ultrasonography provides accurate information as to the presence or absence of an effusion in children with an irritable hip syndrome. The likelihood of a positive result is higher in the early course of the disease process (i.e. within 3 days). Bone scanning, if done routinely will help in the early diagnosis of Perthes disease. Recurrence of the symptoms occurred in 18% of patients and most of them were within 12 months of the first onset of symptoms.
Pectic polysaccharides of cabbage (Brassica oleracea)

Abstract Pectic substances extracted from cabbage cell walls with water, at 80°, and (NH 4 ) 2 C 2 O 4 , at 80°, accounted for 45%(w/w) of the purified cell wall material. Only a small amount of neutral arabinan was isolated. Partial acid hydrolysis and methylation analysis revealed that the major pectic polysaccharide had a rhamnogalacturonan backbone to which a highly branched arabinan was linked, at C-4 of the rhamnose units, mainly through short chains of (1→4)-linked galactopyranose residues. The bulk of the soluble pectic substances had only small amounts of proteins associated with them. After further extraction of the depectinated material with 1M and 4M KOH, to remove the hemicelluloses, the cellulose residue was found to contain a pectic polysaccharide which was solubilized by treatment with cellulase. The general structural features of the pectic polymers are discussed in the light of these results.
The Golden Mirror in the Imperial Court of the Qianlong Emperor, 1739-1742

In the last month of 1739, the third of the Manchu rulers, the Qianlong emperor (r. 1736-1795), ordered the compilation of a treatise on medicine "to rectify medical knowledge" throughout the empire. By the end of 1742, eighty participants chosen from several offices within the palace bureaucracy based in Beijing completed the Golden Mirror of the Orthodox Lineage of Medicine, the only imperially commissioned medical text the Qing government's Imperial Printing Office published. The Golden Mirror represents both the limitations in the power of the Qianlong emperor and the dominance in the Manchu court of Chinese scholarship from the Jiangnan region during the first decade of his reign. Chinese scholars participating in the compilation of the Golden Mirror fashioned a medical orthodoxy for the empire in the mid-eighteenth century from regional trends in scholarship on history and the classics centered in the Jiangnan region since the sixteenth century. The Golden Mirror is an illuminating example of how medical scholars participated in the formation of evidential scholarship in early-modern China and why Manchu patronage, southern Chinese scholarship, and medical orthodoxy coalesced in the imperial court of the Qianlong emperor.
Integration of Thin Film Strain Sensors Into Hard Drives for Active Feedback Vibration Suppression

The work described in this paper demonstrates a novel application of piezoelectric thin-film sensing technology by incorporating ZnO strain sensors into a hard disk drive (HDD) and deploying the sensors in a high-sample-rate feedback controller to suppress vibrations. First, thin-film ZnO sensors are fabricated directly onto a HDD suspension component, which was a unique and challenging process since the substrate is steel. The sensor geometry is designed to be selective to vibration modes that contribute to displacement in the off-track direction. The smart suspension structure is then packaged into an experimental HDD, along with a miniaturized conditioning circuit and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) actuation elements. The sensors demonstrate excellent sensitivity and selectivity to the desired modes. Finally, an active mode damping controller is implemented on the instrumented, PZT-actuated prototype. Feedback control using the thin film sensors effectively suppresses the high-frequency sway mode of the suspension.
Acute respiratory failure during therapy for salicylate intoxication

The case of a patient who developed severe acute respiratory failure during therapy for salicylate intoxication is described. The individual with aspirin overdose is at risk for this complication because of the potential for treatment modalities to cause or worsen lung edema initiated by the effects of salicylates on the pulmonary capillary bed.
Extinction responding following partial reinforcement: The effects of number of rewarded trials and magnitude of reward

Rats were trained on a daily partial reward schedule of small magnitude of reward (S), nonreward (N), and large magnitude of reward (L), which began with SN or SSNN for all animals. The remainder of the daily schedule was defined by the factorial combination of the number of rewards (1 vs. 3) and the magnitude of reward (S vs. L). Following 18 days of such training, 20 trials of extinction were administered. It was found that increasing the number of rewarded trials in a partial reinforcement schedule decreased resistance to extinction. Furthermore, increased number of large-magnitude rewards reduced resistance to extinction to a greater extent than increased number of small-magnitude rewards.
A combinatorial study of materials in transition from amorphous to microcrystalline silicon

A technique to grow a number of materials on a single substrate using a physical mask in a hot wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) system is developed. Using this technique, we examine materials continuously varying from amorphous to microcrystalline silicon as we vary the hydrogen-to-silane gas ratio from 0 to 20 at a substrate temperature of about 250°C. Raman and reflectance spectra clearly show that the material structure changes rapidly at a ratio of 2 to 4. The results indicate that the near-transition materials still retain optoelectronic properties similar to amorphous silicon.
KINETIC ANALYSIS OF COMPLEX REACTION SYSTEMS-METHANOL CONVERSION TO LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT OLEFINS

An analysis of the selectivity data when converting methanol to low molecular weight hydrocarbons suggests that methane, propylene and propane are formed by the primary reaction of methanol decomposition, Ethane, carbon monoxide and dimethyl ether are formed by primary reactions and participate in secondary reactions. Carbon dioxide and ethylene are produced by secondary reactions.
Evanescent field excitation of Cy5-conjugated lipid bilayers using optical microcavities

Whispering gallery mode optical microresonators are devices used for performing ultra-sensitive optical detection. Although the majority of the sensor research has been focused on label-free detection strategies for diagnostics, a whispering gallery mode device is ideally suited to perform fluorescent label-based biodetection as well. However, previous research using optical microcavities to excite fluorescent molecules has focused on cavity quantum electrodynamics applications and fundamental studies of the interactions of large fluorescent nanoparticles with the resonant cavity. In the present work, a method for forming self-assembled lipid bilayers, a mimic for cell membranes, on a spherical microresonator is developed. Solid-supported lipid bilayers, which are approximately 5nm thick, have been shown to accurately model cell membranes, and researchers use lipid bilayers in combination with fluorescent microscopy when developing theoretical models for the transport of molecules across the cell membrane. The bilayernature is verified using both fluorescent resonance energy transfer and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. The evanescent tail of the microresonator is used to excite a Cy5-conjugated lipid located within the bilayer while the underlying optical device behavior is characterized at 633nm and 980nm. The emission wavelength of the Cy5 dye and the optical performance (Q factor) of the microcavity agree with theoretical predictions.
Dopamine Levels in Hypophysial Stalk Plasma of the Rat during Surges of Prolactin Secretion Induced by Cervical Stimulation

Tonic hypothalamic inhibition of PRL release is partially explainable by dopamine secretion into hypophysial portal blood. However, the probable existence of other PRLinhibiting factors as well as PRL-releasing factors opens to question the role of dopamine in the dynamic regulation of PRL secretion. We investigated this question in the present study by measuring dopamine concentrations in hypophysial stalk blood of the rat during the surges of PRL secretion induced by cervical stimulation. Urethane anesthesia, necessary for the surgery attendant to stalk blood collection, did not suppress the surges of PRL secretion induced by cervical stimulation 16–24 h previously. Increases in plasma PRL levels during such surges were 4 to 5-fold above baseline. Dopamine concentrations in hypophysial stalk plasma were 36% lower in cervically stimulated than in control rats during the diurnal and nocturnal PRL surges. However, dopamine levels were not different during the interval between the surges, a time at which PR...
The effect of concentration on the viscosities of solutions of linear flexible high polymers

Abstract Viscosity-concentration results in the moderately concentrated range for four samples of polyisobutylene (molecular weights of 1.3 × 10 4 to 1.0 × 10 6 ) in cyclohexane (concentrations up to 4.7 g./dl.) and in benzene (concentrations up to 7.0 g./dl.) at 24°C. (a theta solvent) showed molecular weight and goodness of solvent dependencies similar to those reported earlier for three other polymers. For polyisobutylene, polystyrene, and a copolymer of styrene and methyl methaerylate in good solvents, viscosity-concentration data plotted as η sp. C[η] vs. k ′[ η ] C fit a single curve. The linear region of this curve suggests that the Huggins equation is useful to C [ η ] values up to ≈1 for good solvents. Viscosity-concentration data which were less steep than curves corresponding to Baker n values of 3.5 also fit a single curve. Values of k ′ for polyisobutylene in a good solvent decrease with molecular weight as noted for polystyrene. For four polymers in good solvents, the value of k ′ α for each system is very nearly constant. Data for polyisobutylene and polystyrene in good solvents could also be correlated as log η R vs. log CM 0.68 as proposed by Ferry and co-workers. However, values of a in the Mark-Houwink equation must be near 0.68 for good correlations with CM 0.88 . Theta solvent data where a = 0.50 can not be correlated in this way.
Semiconductor optical amplifier for amplification and switching applications

This paper presents recent progress on SOAs with dilute optical mode. The SOA optical mode is designed to be large to achieve high saturation power and low coupling losses of 1.16 and 0.89 dB for TE and TM polarizations with a lens fiber. A 2-mm long SOA has high saturation power (16.3 dBm), low PDG ( 19.5 dB) across C-band. A 1.5mm-long SOA was successfully used as a 10 Gbit/s booster amplifier for 100km transmission. The dynamic properties of the SOA were characterized to support application as optical gate switch in sub GHz speed.
Chyle withdrawal from an implanted port in occult innominate vein stenosis

Totally implantable venous devices are widely used for chemotherapy and parenteral nutrition. There have been many device-associated complications reported in the literature. Herein, we report a case of chyle withdrawal from an implanted port that occurred secondary to occult innominate vein stenosis in a patient receiving chemotherapy for rectal cancer with lung metastasis. The port remained patent and functioning well after balloon angioplasty.
Theory at the electrochemical interface: reversible potentials and potential-dependent activation energies ☆

A bulk and double-layer model for calculating reversible potentials is described, with examples related to fundamental reactions at anodes and cathodes in fuel cells, including water oxidation to OH(ads) and oxygen reduction to water on platinum. It is shown how the double-layer model can be the basis for calculations of electrode potential-dependent redox activation energies. In this approach, the reaction center is treated as an open system and the electron transfers between it and the surrounding electrode when the reaction center's electron affinity (for reduction) or ionization potential (for oxidation) matches the thermodynamic work function of the electrode. For greater accuracy, the electrolyte contribution to the redox center's Hamiltonian can be taken into account in an approximate way as a Madelung sum over a lattice of average ion positions. When this is done, reasonable values for activation energies and reversible potentials for elementary electrocatalytic fuel cell-related reactions are obtained. This theory should help identify improved fuel cell catalysts and it should find applications to other areas of electrochemistry. It can also be improved by extending it to give potential-dependent bond polarizations in adsorbed intermediates by incorporating charges on the electrode surface atoms and compensating charges in the double layer, though such calculations are highly computationally demanding.
Correlation range and Rayleigh linewidth of xenon near the critical point

Accurate measurements are reported of both the correlation range and the Rayleigh linewidth of xenon near its critical point. The linewidth data agree quite well with the mode-mode coupling results, and disagree with renormalization-group dynamics calculations.
The semantics of ketamine.

Abstract [Green SM, Krauss B. The semantics of ketamine. Ann Emerg Med. November 2000;36:480-482.]
SU-E-T-423: Dosimetric Effect of Rotation on Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) of the Spine.

Purpose: To study the dosimetric effects of the residual setup rotation errors in spine SBRT.Methods: We selected 25 patients with 26 lesions from an IRB approved registry. All patients were setup with Exactrac IGRT and treated with Novalis. Excatrac provided 6D shifts (3 translational, 3 rotational). The translational shifts were corrected by moving the couch. The rotational shifts >2 degrees were corrected by repositioning the patient, while smaller shifts were ignored. For each patient, we rotated the simulation CT rigidly around the CTV center by the recorded residual angles, using the MIM 4.22 software. The resulting rotated CT with all contours were imported into the TPS. The clinical plans used for treatment were mapped onto the rotated CT. Dosimetric endpoints were extracted for the rotated CTV (mean, max, D90) and the rotated cord (D0.1cc, D1cc, V10, max). These endpoints were compared to those from the clinical plan. Results: For the CTV, the average ratio of the mean doses was 1.001 (0.996–1.004), the average ratio of D90 was 1.003 (0.998–1.011), and the average ratio of the maximum doses was 1.005 (0.995–1.029). For the cord, the average ratio of DO.lcc was 1.01 (0.94–1.06), the average ratio of D1cc was 1.036 (0.92–1.23), the average max doses ratio was 1.03 (0.95–1.11), and the average V10 ratio was 1.43 (0.56–2.78). Conclusions: Rotational errors in patient setup as small as 2 degrees do have dosimetric effects in spine SBRT treatments. The use of a robotic table to eliminate translational and rotational shifts is strongly recommended. It is important to note that, eventhough, the residual rotations resulted in up to 11% variation (cord max dose) from the planned doses, none of these cases violated our clinical treatment plan acceptance criteria (tolerance of the critical organs).
Uterine infections in the postpartum cow

Abstract The relationship between adequate (0.96 kg per head daily) and deficient (0.32 kg per head daily) intake of crude protein between 150 days prepartum and 110 days postpartum and the incidence of postpartum infections in the bovine uterus was studied. The incidence of infection at 25 days postpartum was 52.2% and 48.1% (P > .10) for cows in the protein adequate and protein deficient groups, respectively. However, at 40 days postpartum, 21.7% of cows in the protein adequate group had infections vs 51.9% (P .10). Eighty-three bacterial isolates representing 27 species were recovered from the total of 100 samples. Corynebacterium pyogenes and Fusobacterium necrophorum were the most frequently isolated aerobe and anaerobe, respectively. Although there was no difference between diets (P > .10), these two organisms occurred most frequently in cows on the protein deficient diet and were associated with clinically severe uterine infections. These data suggest that the amount of crude protein in the diet affects both the incidence and duration of postpartum infections in the bovine uterus.
Catch-up growth of supine length/height of very low birth weight, small for gestational age preterm infants to adulthood.

Objective To analyze linear growth of very low birth weight (VLBW), small for gestational age (SGA; Study design VLBW SGA preterm infants (n = 46) with primarily symmetric intrauterine growth restriction from the Bonn Longitudinal Study were compared with 62 appropriate for gestational age (AGA) VLBW preterm and 73 term infants and with their parents. Results Forty-six percent of VLBW SGA (21 of 46) had complete height catch-up by adult age, and most became taller than target height (TH) (15 of 21; 71%). The others did not catch up; most of them remained shorter than TH (18 of 25; 72%) after initial catch-up followed by catch-down growth. Mean adult height z-score was lower than that for birth length. Mean body mass index was similar in the catch-up and no catch-up groups (21.8 and 21.3, respectively) and lower than in the controls (23.2). Approximately 1/2 of the head circumference (HC) catch-up children achieved height catch-up as well. Conclusions Height catch-up extended beyond age 6 years, independent of HC growth. We could not predict height catch-down or successful catch-up.
Attenuation of high-frequency sound in clean type-II superconductors near H/sub c2/. I

In this paper we calculate the attenuation of high-frequency sound in clean type-II superconductors near the upper critical field ${H}_{c2}$. The approach used is a generalization of that used by Brandt, Pesch, and Tewordt to calculate the density of states of a pure type-II superconductor. It is shown that the attenuation is strongly dependent on mean free path even if $l\ensuremath{\gg}{\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}$. In the low-temperature limit we obtain a simple functional relationship between attenuation, mean free path, and magnetic field.
Sorption irreversibility and coagulation behavior of 234Th with marine organic matter

Abstract The partitioning of 234 Th to natural organic matter (NOM) in the colloidal size range (1 kDa–0.1 μm) was evaluated in order to examine the sorption and coagulation behavior of marine colloidal organic matter. Colloids were isolated using large volume cross-flow ultrafiltration and the partitioning of 234 Th was quantified using stirred cell ultrafiltration and radioactive assay. The uptake of 234 Th by NOM is irreversible over a period of 5 days, implying that over the mean life of 234 Th, very little release of 234 Th would occur after binding to NOM. Furthermore, the Th–NOM complex is stronger than the Th–EDTA complex, as EDTA was unable to displace the 234 Th from its association with NOM. The extent of the initial partitioning of 234 Th to suspended matter and colloids is similar and independent of pH in the range from 3 to 9. Coagulation experiments show that 234 Th complexed with low molecular weight (1–10 kDa) colloids is transferred to larger (>0.1 μm) filter retained fractions. However, 234 Th is transferred to a greater extent than is organic matter and this results in greater partitioning coefficients for 234 Th onto particle phases with time. The final equilibrium between 0.1 μm filter-retained and filter-passing 234 Th activity is the same regardless of whether the Th was tagged initially to colloidal or suspended matter fractions. The coagulation of colloidal organic matter, COM, consists of both fast and slow steps, with kinetic rate constants on the order of 0.02–0.03 and 0.003–0.007 h −1 , respectively. The stickiness (or collision efficiency) factor, α , for COM was experimentally determined to be 0.7(−) for seawater conditions. Using the colloidal pumping model of Honeyman and Santschi [J. Mar. Res. 47 (1989): 951], the ‘predicted’ “fast-phase” coagulation rate coefficient is 0.03 h −1 in our coagulation experiments when the measured α value and the experimental conditions are used for model inputs. These experiments demonstrate that coagulation is the dominant step in the transport of 234 Th to the particulate phase.
Police chiefs’ views on police sexual misconduct

This paper examines police sexual misconduct (PSM). Twenty police chiefs in a major metropolitan area were interviewed about their perceptions of the nature, extent, and causes of PSM. Results suggest that chiefs believe PSM is a problem. Although they generally report that the serious/criminal forms of PSM (e.g., rape, sexual assault, and sex with a juvenile) are rare, they believe the less serious, non‐criminal incidents (e.g., flirting on duty, consensual sex on duty, and pulling over a driver to get a closer look) are more common. The data reveal four factors in particular that appear to influence this behavior: lack of knowledge about PSM, police departments’ complaint systems, opportunity for sexual misconduct, and the police culture. Implications of the findings for possible methods to control PSM are discussed including the need for police chiefs and administrators to make a genuine commitment to controlling this problem.
Interactive Multimedia Software Design: Concepts, Process, and Evaluation:

This article provides the health educator with a review of the design and construction of computer-based health education materials. Specifically, this review considers questions of instructional objectives as defined in the field of instructional design, a body of expertise not often deployed in the area of health education. It discusses in some detail the computer materials development process, associated documentation, and the range of personnel required. This article also briefly updates discussion of the costing process, and current costs for multimedia hardware and authoring software. The review touches on, but does not synthesize, emerging possibilities with the Internet.
The Impact of Nitrogen Implantation into Highly Doped Polysilicon Gates for Highly Reliable and High-Performance Sub-Quarter-Micron Dual-Gate Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor.

We studied the effects of nitrogen implantation into highly doped polysilicon gates in detail. It was found that highly arsenic-doped polysilicon gates caused degradation of gate oxide films and highly boron-doped polysilicon gates resulted in a shift of threshold voltage by boron penetration. Nitrogen implantation into polysilicon gates can effectively overcome these problems. The nitrogen implanted into the polysilicon gate is segregated into the gate oxide film during heat treatment after implantation. The nitrogen in the gate oxide film can act as a barrier layer for boron penetration and reduce the random failures of gate oxide films under highly doped polysilicon gates. Moreover, the hot carrier resistance can also be improved by nitrogen implantation. Highly reliable and high-performance dual-gate Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) can be realized by the highly doped gate and the nitrogen implantation technique.
Reconfiguration of IIR filters in response to computer resource availability

This article explores methods to reconfigure infinite impulse response (IIR) filters in processes that utilize computer resource management. A high-performance mode uses a full-length IIR filter, while low resources or a desire to conserve power triggers a low-performance mode where a smaller length filter is used. Two alternatives for algorithms are explored: switching between filter banks of varying lengths, and anytime filters where the later stages can be skipped if computational resources are scarce. Two main challenges are addressed in this article. The first is how to configure an IIR filter as an anytime algorithm, and the second is how to initialize the states of the filters in order to mitigate transients induced by reconfiguration. The performance and feasibility of several common transient management schemes are investigated for use in this application. It is found that an anytime IIR filter outperforms the filter banks in almost every case studied due to its inherently smaller transients and the fact that the reconfiguration happens at the speed of resource management and not at a lower speed typically associated with reconfiguration due to physical system properties.
Electrically driven oxygen separation through gadolinia-doped ceria using PrBaCo2O5 + x and NdBaCo2O5 + x electrodes

Oxygen gas can be electrochemically separated from ambient air with very high purity and compressed by using a solid-electrolyte ion-transport membrane. An electrolyte with high ionic conductivity such as gadolinium-doped ceria (CGO) and mixed conducting electrodes are used to construct the electrochemical cell. To achieve high oxygen flux, the electrodes must exhibit very fast electrode kinetics. Here, we report the performances of mixed conducting PrBaCo2O5 + x and NdBaCo2O5 + x electrodes in oxygen separation in a planar CGO electrolyte-supported cell. The properties of the electrode materials were evaluated using potentiostatic and potentiodynamic measurements and alternating current impedance spectroscopy. The oxygen flux was also measured using gas chromatography to confirm the absence of gas leaks. The electrodes demonstrated very low polarization resistances as a result of very high cathodic and anodic reaction rates at temperatures of 600–800 °C. High oxygen gas flow rates were observed on applying potentials up to 1 V with an almost linear relationship between the applied potential and the molar flow rate of oxygen gas.
Conversion of cellulose Iα to Iβ via a high temperature intermediate (I-HT) and other cellulose phase transformations

The observation that the hydrothermal conversion of cellulose Iα to cellulose Iβ is irreversible has been assumed to be due to the relative free energy of these polymorph phases. We propose an alternative explanation: when cooling the high temperature phase, the barrier to forming Iβ is much smaller than the barrier to forming Iα, so kinetics favor the formation of Iβ. This explanation is consistent with all available experimental data, and is consistent with the general observation of polymer solid–solid phase transformations via metastable intermediate states. While cellulose Iβ may be lower in free energy than Iα, this has not been shown experimentally. Phase transformations of other cellulose polymorphs may be subject to similar kinetic effects when converted via metastable intermediate states.
Thermopower in some classic spin-glasses

Abstract It is generally believed that transport properties fail to provide a clear indication of the spin-glass “freezing” temperature, T0. Analysis of existent thermopower data indicates that this belief is false for dilute Au Mn alloys and probably is false for dilute Cu Mn alloys.
Advanced prostate cancer lowers serum calcium levels--implications for epidemiologic studies.

To the Editor, The recent case-control study by Salem et al. compared serum calcium levels in Iranian men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer to those of Iranian men presumed not to have prostate ...
Comparison of phase-sensitive imaging techniques for studying terahertz waves in structured LiNbO_3

Four phase-sensitive imaging methods (Talbot, phase contrast, Sagnac, and polarization gating) used for detecting terahertz-frequency waves in structured lithium niobate slabs are compared analytically and experimentally. It is demonstrated that both phase contrast and a self-compensating polarization gating geometry can generate in-focus images of the sample and quantitatively measure the terahertz electric field. Of these two methods polarization gating has better signal-to-noise ratio and so is preferred for most situations, while phase contrast imaging has better spatial resolution and so is preferred for measurements involving fine structures or near-field effects.
Neoproterozoic stratigraphic comparison of the Lesser Himalaya (India) and Yangtze block (south China): Paleogeographic implications

Recent studies of terminal Neoproterozoic rocks (ca. 590-543 Ma) in the Lesser Him- alaya of northwestern India and the Yangtze block (south China) reveal remarkably sim- ilar facies assemblages and carbonate platform architecture, with distinctive karstic un- conformities at comparable stratigraphic levels. These similarities suggest that south China may have been located close to northwestern India during late Neoproterozoic time, an interpretation permitted by the available, yet sparse paleomagnetic data. Additional parallels in older rocks of both blocks—similar rift-related siliciclastic-volcanic successions overlying metamorphic basement, and comparable glaciogenic intervals of possibly Stur- tian and Marinoan or Varanger age—suggest that this spatial relationship may have de- veloped earlier in the Neoproterozoic. With the exception of basal Cambrian phosphorite and comparable small shelly fossils, stratigraphic contrasts between northern India and south China and increasing biogeographic affinity between south China and northwestern Australia suggest that south China may have migrated toward northwestern Australia during the Cambrian.
The Brucella abortus virulence regulator, LovhK, is a sensor kinase in the general stress response signalling pathway

Summary In the intracellular pathogen Brucella abortus, the general stress response (GSR) signalling system determines survival under acute stress conditions in vitro, and is required for long-term residence in a mammalian host. To date, the identity of the Brucella sensor kinase(s) that function to perceive stress and directly activate GSR signalling have remained undefined. We demonstrate that the flavin-binding sensor histidine kinase, LovhK (bab2_0652), functions as a primary B. abortus GSR sensor. LovhK rapidly and specifically phosphorylates the central GSR regulator, PhyR, and activates transcription of a set of genes that closely overlaps the known B. abortus GSR regulon. Deletion of lovhK severely compromises cell survival under defined oxidative and acid stress conditions. We further show that lovhK is required for cell survival during the early phase of mammalian cell infection and for establishment of long-term residence in a mouse infection model. Finally, we present evidence that particular regions of primary structure within the two N-terminal PAS domains of LovhK have distinct sensory roles under specific environmental conditions. This study elucidates new molecular components of a conserved signalling pathway that regulates B. abortus stress physiology and infection biology.
Enhancing Reviews of Psychological Treatments With Pediatric Populations: Thoughts on Next Steps

Objective: To critique the approach used by the Journal of Pediatric Psychology for reviews of empirical support for psychological treatments and provide recommendations to enhance the scientific review of interventions. Methods: Application of the Chambless et al. (1996, 1998) criteria to select and describe empirically supported treatments was evaluated from the standpoint of method, theory, and clinical significance. Results: While reviews of treatments based on the Chambless et al. (1996, 1998) criteria have provided valuable information, they are limited by reliance on statistical significance rather than effect sizes and also need to consider systematically the theoretical and clinical significance of intervention findings. Conclusions: Reviews of psychological treatments conducted with pediatric populations would be enhanced by inclusion of information concerning effect sizes, theory specification, and clinical significance. In addition, broadening the focus of initial reviews to include meta-analyses, clinical significance, and theory-guided interventions would enhance the scientific knowledge base of psychological interventions with pediatric populations.
Factors Influencing the Ally Development of College Students

Allies represent a crucial faction in the work for social justice; as members of the dominant population who advocate for the oppressed, they are important collaborators in this struggle. This qualitative inquiry investigated the ally development of 13 college students at a religiously affiliated institution in a Midwestern urban area. The interviews yielded several common factors, including personality qualities, family influence, faith, and realizations of Otherness. Implications for fostering the development of allies are discussed along with suggestions for future research.
Experimental Tests of Weinberg's Theory of Leptons

We discuss some experimental consequences of Weinberg's unified theory of weak and electromagnetic interactions of leptons, which may be renormalizable. We comment on the extant experimental data bearing on this theory (such as the data on the processes ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}+e\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}+e$, ${\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}_{e}+e\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}_{e}+e$), and on possible future refinements of these data. A bound is obtained on a parameter of the theory.
Micromachined integrated shock protection for MEMS

This paper reports the design and analysis of two concepts for shock protection of MEMS using nonlinear springs and soft coatings. The two concepts (nonlinear springs and soft coatings) could improve shock protection by reducing the secondary impact of a moveable MEMS device to shocks stops and by dissipating its energy in a reliable manner. We analyze the merits and demerits of each concept using simulation and ranges of shock design parameters are suggested to enhance performance. Simulations reveal that the nonlinear spring shock stops are capable of reducing impulses by over 90% while soft coatings may reduce impulses by 40%.
Development of Same-Sex Attracted Youth

Although youthful homoeroticism has been documented by artisans, poets, and historians for thousands of years, it was not until the early 1970s that American scientists—primarily medical researchers and mental health professionals—began systematically studying a newly recognized clinical group they classified as “gay youth.” Casting doubt on earlier interpretations that adolescent same-sex encounters were experimental events that were temporary derailments from inevitable heterosexuality, they acknowledged that these youth comprised a unique grouping with their own exceptional experiences, needs, and risks. Not surprisingly, early sources of information about gay youth were comprised mostly of the adolescents who investigators could unquestionably identify and entice to participate in gay research: male prostitutes, runaways, and delinquents. Their early findings consequently highlighted the lives of specific adolescents who were, by definition, in physical, psychological, and social peril.
Ultrafiltration Followed by Haemodialysis. A Longterm Trial and Acute Studies

Separate ultrafiltration followed by haemodialysis (U.F.-H.D.) using Gambro Major or Cordis-Dow hollow-fiber dialyzers were evaluated in 10 dialysis patients over a mean period of 4 1/2 months and 455 U.F.-H.D. procedures. Fluid control was facilitated in oedema-tous patients but the number of hypotensive episodes during the combined procedure requiring intravenous 57. saline did not significantly decrease. No significant improvement in hypertension was noted.Ultrafiltration (U.F.) alone for acutely water overloaded, azotaemic patients proved very useful. Two to five liters of oedema fluid could be removed asymptomatically in one to three hours using transmembrane pressures of 250 to 500 mmHg and U.F. rates of 10 to 42 ml/tnin. Two patients became acutely and symptomatically hypotensive. One was an insulin dependent diabetic in whom 3800 ml were removed in 75 minutes and the other a hypertensive patient undergoing treatment with Minoxidil and propranolol.
Heat Transfer Fundamentals

The exchange of energy or heat resulting from the kinetic energy transferred through the direct impact of molecules is referred to as conduction and takes place from a region of high energy to a region of lower energy. Convection heat transfer is the mode of energy transport in which the energy is transferred by means of fluid motion. Heat transfer can occur in the absence of a participating medium through the transmission of energy by electromagnetic waves, characterized by a wavelength, λ, and frequency, v, which are related by c = λv. Energy transmitted in this fashion is referred to as radiant energy and the heat transfer process that occurs is called radiation heat transfer or simply radiation. Boiling and condensation are both forms of convection in which the fluid medium is undergoing a change of phase. Keywords: boiling; condensation; conduction heat transfer; convection heat transfer; electromagnetic waves; kinetic energy; radiation heat transfer
Chip-to-package interaction for a 90 nm Cu / PECVD low-k technology

A summary of chip-to-package interaction (CPI) evaluations for a 90 nm PECVD low k technology will be discussed. This review will cover a 90 nm technology that uses Cu dual damascene interconnections with a SiCOH (K /spl sim/ 3.0) CVD BEOL insulator stack across multiple wirebond package types and flipchip C4 ceramic and organic packages. It will be shown that with the use of IBM's internally engineered SiCOH BEOL insulator, CPI is not an issue with this technology node.
Ageing-related influences on personal need for structure

The need for structure construct was examined in relation to adult age using the Personal Need for Structure scale (PNS; M.M. Thompson, M.E. Naccarato, & K. Parker, 1989). The results of a series of confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the two intercorrelated-factor structure of the PNS scale held up well across individuals aged 21 to 85, validating its use for the examination of ageing effects. Structural equation modelling analyses found that ageing was associated with lower levels of physical health and cognitive skill, which in turn were related to higher PNS scores. It was also found, however, that the impact of reductions in these resources on need for structure were counteracted by high levels of social activity and emotional health. The argument is made that ageing-related changes in personal resources impact everyday behaviour through changes in motivation, such as need for structure.
The experiences of faculty teaching in an innovative clinical immersion nursing curriculum.

Abstract A lack of research exists regarding the impact of substantive curriculum reform on faculty teaching and attitudes. This report of an interpretive phenomenological study of one group of baccalaureate nursing faculty undergoing implementation of an innovative curriculum revealed that the curricular structure and program philosophy offered multiple new challenges. These included the integration of multiple concurrent learning activities, expansion of simulation, and a renewed focus on student assessment. The study design used Heideggerian hermeneutics, a reflexive approach to text analysis of interviews of seven full-time faculty who had worked in the school's traditional curriculum prior to the implementation of the clinical immersion model. The research offers insights into faculty adaptation to curriculum change and its effect on teaching and instruction. The results of this study may assist other schools contemplating or in the process of similar overarching program reforms.
On uncertain sightings and inference about extinction.

The extinction of many species can only be inferred from the record of sightings of individuals. Solow et al. (2012, Uncertain sightings and the extinction of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Conservation Biology 26:180–184) describe a Bayesian approach to such inference and apply it to a sighting record of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis). A feature of this sighting record is that all uncertain sightings occurred after the most recent certain sighting. However, this appears to be an artifact. We extended this earlier work in 2 ways. First, we allowed for overlap in time between certain and uncertain sightings. Second, we considered 2 plausible statistical models of a sighting record. In one of these models, certain and uncertain sightings that are valid arise from the same process whereas in the other they arise from independent processes. We applied both models to the case of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. The result from the first model did not favor extinction, whereas the result for the second model did. This underscores the importance, in applying tests for extinction, of understanding what could be called the natural history of the sighting record. Sobre Avistamientos Inciertos e Inferencia de la Extincion Resumen La extincion de muchas especies solo se puede inferir a partir del registro de avistamientos de los individuos. Solow et al. (2012) describen un metodo bayesiano para dicha inferencia y lo aplican a un registro de avistamientos de Campephilus principalis. Una caracteristica de este registro es que todos los avistamientos inciertos ocurrieron despues del avistamiento certero mas reciente. Sin embargo, esto parece ser un artefacto. Extendimos este trabajo previo de dos maneras: primero, permitimos el traslape en el tiempo entre los avistamientos ciertos y los inciertos; segundo, consideramos 2 modelos estadisticos plausibles de un registro de avistamientos. En el primero de estos modelos, los avistamientos ciertos e inciertos que son validos surgen del mismo proceso, mientras que en el segundo surgen de procesos independientes. Aplicamos ambos modelos al caso de Campephilus principalis. El resultado del primer modelo no favorecio a la extincion, mientras que el resultado del segundo si lo hizo. Esto resalta la importancia de aplicar pruebas para la extincion y de entender que puede denominarse como la historia natural de un registro de avistamientos.
Laser-assisted vitrification of large equine embryos.

Contents The major difficulty in providing the benefits of embryo cryopreservation for equine agriculture is the mismatch between the optimal embryo age for collection from the mare (7–8 days after ovulation was detected) and the optimal age for freezing under current methods (6.5 days after ovulation). To overcome this limitation, we tested a method to enhance penetration of cryopreservative across the capsule and trophoblast of day 7 and 8 embryos combined with rapid freezing by vitrification. Six small embryos ( 300 μm in diameter, 44%) resulted in a vesicle as detected by ultrasonography approximately one week after transfer. However, only one recipient mare was still pregnant on day 23, and she delivered a live foal. Further investigation is required to determine why most of the embryos in this experiment were lost between day 13 and day 23 of gestation.
Non-identifier based adaptive control scheme with guaranteed stability

In this paper, we investigate a non-identifier based adaptive control scheme for single-input single-output (SISO) plants. The overall adaptive control system can be viewed as a feedback interconnection of a SISO plant, a set of candidate controllers and a non-identifier based adaptive scheme that supervises the switching process among the candidate controllers. The adaptive scheme is designed without any explicit assumptions on the plant model, and the closed-loop system is guaranteed to be stable as long as at least one of the candidate controllers is stabilizing. The basic idea has been investigated by Safonov et al., but the candidate controllers are limited to be "stably causally left invertible" (SCLI). In this paper, we show that stronger stability results can be achieved by properly resetting controller states. Furthermore, the requirement for SCLI is eliminated for the case where all the subsystems are linear time invariant (LTI).