cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Magnetic resonance imaging of the elbow. Part II: Abnormalities of the ligaments, tendons, and nerves

Part II of this comprehensive review on magnetic resonance imaging of the elbow discusses the role of magnetic resonance imaging in evaluating patients with abnormalities of the ligaments, tendons, and nerves of the elbow. Magnetic resonance imaging can yield high-quality multiplanar images which are useful in evaluating the soft tissue structures of the elbow. Magnetic resonance imaging can detect tears of the ulnar collateral ligament and lateral collateral ligament of the elbow with high sensitivity and specificity. Magnetic resonance imaging can determine the extent of tendon pathology in patients with medial epicondylitis and lateral epicondylitis. Magnetic resonance imaging can detect tears of the biceps tendon and triceps tendon and can distinguishing between partial and complete tendon rupture. Magnetic resonance imaging is also helpful in evaluating patients with nerve disorders at the elbow.
IP addressing: the next frontier of internet governance debate

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to broaden our understanding of internet governance policy options by reviewing and assessing proposals for reforming the institutional mechanisms used to allocate and assign IPv6 addresses.Design/methodology/approach – The paper begins by identifying the two main economic and technical constraints on IP addressing: route aggregation and address conservation. It then reviews the reform proposals that have been made and assesses the debates that have occurred around those proposals, bearing in mind the key issues of aggregation and conservation. In particular, it attempts to explore whether competition in IP addressing between authorities with diverse policies would be feasible and beneficial.Findings – The debate over addressing policy is in its early stages and has a long way to go. A review of the debate so far suggests that the introduction of economic incentives in addressing might improve route aggregation rather than worsen it. With respect to conservation an...
Use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis: The national experience, 1983 to 1988

In an effort to obtain data to provide the basis for the design of controlled clinical trials, we contacted all U.S. participants in the National ECMO Registry to assemble the national experience on the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis during the past 5 years. Twelve infants were treated at nine centers between 1983 and 1988. Eight had been born prematurely, and five had bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The mean age at onset of infection with respiratory syncytial virus was 108±102 days. The mean length of ventilator management before extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was 7.8±7.1 days. All infants had persistent hypoxemia with a mean arterial oxygen pressure of 39.2±11.7 torr (5.3±1.6 kPa) despite high ventilator pressures (mean airway pressure 19.7±6.4 cm H 2 O) and 100% inspired oxygen; six had air leak syndrome. Seven infants survived (58%). The mean duration of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for survivors was 233±139 hours. Preexisting chronic lung disease did not predict a poor outcome: four of the five infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia survived. Six of the survivors have subsequently achieved expected developmental milestones and one has slight motor delay. We conclude that, for infants with severe respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis whose condition deteriorates despite maximal ventilator management, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation may provide lifesaving support. The duration of successful treatment with this therapy may be longer than that for conventional neonatal indications, but excellent neurologic outcome may be expected in survivors.
Peril by Proxy: Negotiating Conflicts in East Africa

A proxy war is a conflict in which one party fights its adversary via another party rather than engaging that party in direct conflict. This article discusses two examples: the Sudan-Ugandan proxy war of the 1990s and the Sudan-Chad proxy war that has fed the conflict in Darfur. In these cases, the states aimed to alter regional power structures through cross-border rebel support. This support generated a perpetual Prisoners’ Dilemma whereby the patron governments refused to end proxy support unless the other side did as well, but had little reason to trust that the other side would do so. The Sudan-Uganda and Sudan-Chad peace processes succeeded in reaching agreement, but failed in implementation. Permanent resolution of such complex, persistent, and deadly conflicts requires conflict analyses that take a regional view; conflict mediation that seeks to alter the underlying conflict dynamics through addressing the motivations of both patrons and proxies; and implementation agreements backed by strong guarantees.
Progressive lawyers under siege: Moral panic during the McCarthy era

Our goal is to analyze the culture within the San Francisco law firm of Gladstein, Andersen and Leonard (circa 1945–1965). For this we utilize archival documents, FBI files, oral histories, and personal interviews. The law firm represented alleged subversives, including Harry Bridges the longtime president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. Thus, the law firm partners were stigmatized by the clients they represented and they all had lengthy FBI files. The partners all had working class backgrounds, one was an immigrant and two were Jewish. Clearly, religion and ethnicity were not litmus tests for participation in the firm, nor was educational pedigree. Gladstein and Leonard graduated from elite law schools while Andersen did his legal training at a night school. During the dark days of the Cold War various partners were threatened, shot and jailed for merely engaging in their legal practice. Ironically, as the FBI blacklisted alleged subversives, these attorneys had more clients to defend.
Controller design based on observable vector feedback

In many practical control systems, a satisfactory controller can be designed by feeding back only the observable, or measurable, state variables without employing either an observer or a delayed feedback scheme. Most of these designs arc accomplished by classical compensation methods. In this paper, a state-space approach is presented for designing an observable slate feedback controller. It is based on minimizing a quadratic cost function with respect to the feedback parameters.
The actions of 3-aminopropanephosphinic acid at GABAB receptors in rat hippocampus

Abstract The actions of 3-aminopropanephosphinic acid (APPA) were examined using whole-cell patch-clamp recording in rat hippocampal slice. In recordings from neurons in subfield CA1 of slices from young (2–4 weeks) and adult (> 2 month) rats, APPA (0.5–50 μM) produced membrane hyperpolarization and outward current under voltage-clamp. APPA also inhibited excitatory postsynaptic potentials with an IC 50 of 2.3 μM, and reduced inhibitory postsynaptic potentials at concentrations from 0.1 to 1 μM. The hyperpolarizing and synaptic depressant effects of APPA were reduced by 2-OH-saclofen an antagonist at the B-type receptor for the neurotransmitter γ -aminobutyric acid (GABA). In this preparation APPA exhibited potencies similar to those previously reported for the GABA B receptor agonist baclofen. APPA was much less effective in inhibiting synaptic transmission measured using field potential recordings. The observations made with whole-cell patch-clamp recording indicate that in hippocampus APPA acts as a potent agonist at presynaptic GABA B receptors associated with both excitatory and inhibitory synapses, and also activates postsynaptic GABA B receptors.
Electroactive cellophane actuators: ionic or piezoelectric?

In this paper, we present a standard irreversible thermodynamic model to describe the working principle of electroactive cellophane bending actuators. Based upon the fact that cellophane possesses a number of important properties of interest including ion-exchange capability, high water absorptivity, and good permeability, under an imposed electric field across the bender the ions and conjugated solvent will create a redistribution of them within the cellophane matrix and lead to effective strain in the bender geometry. The results are compared against the available data in terms of tip displacement. Also, the effect of electrode-thickness is investigated. The present study focuses on a phenomenological description of cellulophane actuators although a piezoelectric model is not included. A study is currently under way to experimentally verify if the working principle of electroactive cellophane actuators is ionic or piezoelectric.
E-ZPass and the Ohio Turnpike: Adoption and Integration of Electronic Toll Collection

â€œStop Stopping, Get Goingâ€ . The Commonwealth of Virginiaâ€™s (2005) slogan tells much of the E-ZPass story. Electronic toll collection reduces delays, eliminates fumbling for change, and trims air pollution from idling vehicles. In 2006, 9 million accounts recorded over 2 billion road, bridge, and tunnel transactions, and customer satisfaction is high. The Ohio Turnpike, a non-E-ZPass toll road, serves over 50 million vehicles annually. Its management has been reluctant to implement E-ZPass because of high costs and questions about its value to Ohio drivers. After many years of rumination the Ohio Turnpike Commission announced its intention to implement E-ZPass technology by 2009 (Ohio Turnpike Commission, 2007). This case study reviews the Turnpikeâ€™s operations, the use of electronic tolling in other states, and the information technology and political environment needed to support its implementation.
Physical Properties of Three Sand Size Classes Amended with Inorganic Materials or Sphagnum Peat Moss for Putting Green Rootzones

Modern putting green rootzones are typically constructed using sands to avoid compaction and facilitate rapid drainage. Sands are often amended with organic matter (OM) such as sphagnum peat moss (SP) to increase moisture holding capacity. However, OM decomposition into finely divided material may negatively affect long-term soil physical properties. Inorganic amendments (IAs) having high water retention may be more suitable because of their resistance to biodegradation. A laboratory study determined the physical properties [bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity (K(sat)), water retention, and pore size distribution] of three USDA sand size classes (fine, medium, and coarse) with and without amendment. Amendments used were calcined clay, vitrified clay, extruded diatomaceous earth, a processed zeolite, and SP. Amendments were tested at two incorporation rates (10 and 20% v/v), and in situ in 30-cm-deep rootzones at two incorporation depths (15 and 30 cm). Bulk density decreased, total porosity increased, and K(sat) declined with amendment rate, but varied considerably depending on amendment, sand size, and incorporation depth. The K(sat) was high for all mixtures, averaging 250 cm h(-1), probably because of the very uniform sands. On the basis of standard pressure plate methods, IAs increased total water holding capacity (WHC) of all three sands but did not increase available water. However, a unique bioassay for available water indicated that porous IAs may contain appreciably more available water than measured by the pressure plate technique. Although the IAs significantly altered the physical properties of the three sands, they were not as effective as SP at improving water retention in coarse-textured, drought-prone sands.
Effect of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties on Two Body Abrasive Wear Resistance of Medium-Carbon Low-Alloy Steel

The effect of microstructure and mechanical properties on abrasion resistance of the medium-carbon low-alloy steel has been investigated under two body abrasive wear conditions. The results show that the microstructure of the test steel is mastenite and bainite/mastenite when the specimen subjected to water quenching and blow cooling respectively. The hardness of the test steel was over 52HRC when the specimen subjected to water quenching and blow cooling, however, effect of tempering temperature on hardness is slightly. The strength of the test steel is increased with the tempering temperature increased and the impact toughness change slightly under the blow cooling condition. The tensile strength of the test steel is decreased and the yield strength is increased with the tempering temperature increased when the specimen subjected to water quenching and followed tempering. The wear rate is increased with load and the wear mechanism is micro-cutting and microploughing. The wear resistance of bainite/martensite is better than single-phase martensite. The hardness and impact toughness are important factor under two body abrasive wear condition.
Role of Transesophageal Echocardiography in the Diagnosis of Infected Retained Pacing Lead

A 68-year-old woman had a transvenous pacemaker implanted 6 years ago. One year after the procedure the pulse generator was removed due to generator site infection. Efforts to remove the lead resulted in fracture of the tip, which was abandoned in the right cardiac cavities. After this the patient suffered intermittent episodes of fever and chills, which responded to antibiotic therapy. At her recent admission, transesophageal echocardiography revealed a large mass attached to the free end of the fractured lead suggestive of the existence of a vegetation on the pacing lead. The diagnosis was confirmed at surgery.
A palynological biozonation for the Maastrichtian Stage (Upper Cretaceous) of South Carolina, USA

Abstract Three palynological biozones are proposed for the Maastrichtian Stage of South Carolina. In ascending stratigraphic order, the biozones are the Carolinapollis triangularis (Ct) Interval Biozone, the Holkopollenites chemardensis (Hc) Interval Biozone, and the Sparganiaceaepollenites uniformis (Su) Interval Biozone. Integration of the biostratigraphy with lithologic and geophysical log data suggests that within the study area, the upper and lower boundaries of each zone are bounded by regional unconformities, and that a three-fold subdivision of the Maastrichtian Stage is warranted. The biozonation is based on the analysis of 114 samples from 24 subsurface and three outcrop sections from the Coastal Plain of South Carolina; samples from an additional seven subsurface and 18 outcrop sections from North Carolina and Georgia were examined to evaluate the geographic extent of the biozones. One new genus and five new species of pollen are described, and emendations are presented for two genera and one species of pollen.
A tyrosine hydroxylase assay in microwells using coupled nonenzymatic decarboxylation of Dopa

A radiometric assay for tyrosine hydroxylase employing a coupled nonenzymatic decarboxylation of L-[14C]Dopa formed from L-[14C]tyrosine has been adapted for performance in a 96 microwell culture plate. The method uses an easily manufactured plate holder to compress blotting paper impregnated with methylbenzethonium hydroxide against the top rim of each well. This forms isolated, airtight compartments in which 14CO2 is evolved and quantitatively absorbed into the blotting paper. The method is sensitive enough to detect the production of less than 5 pmol of 14CO2. A major advantage of this system is that cells can be grown in tissue culture and subsequently assayed for tyrosine hydroxylase activity in the same well. The method is more facile than previously devised procedures, allowing for the simultaneous assay of up to 96 samples totally contained in a single, compact, portable unit.
In vivo tarnish and corrosion of copper-aluminium alloys

Abstract Restorations fabricated from two different copper-aluminium crown and bridge alloys were evaluated for surface conditions by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy after two, six, and 12 months of in vivo usage. Results showed that both a fine whitish-appearing precipitate and accumulation of organic matter on nonocclusal surfaces occurred. The fine precipitate was likely to be oxides and sulphides of copper which were easily abraded awayfrom the occlusal surfaces. Since the fine details of preplacement finishing grooves of 5 μm and less were left in detail after one year of in vivo usage, corrosion rates were reasoned to be low. Tarnish was evaluated by L ∗ a ∗ b ∗ colorimetry changes on flat sample coupons held intraorally by an orthodontic design. Large changes occurred with respect to as-polished surfaces and conventional gold alloy. Both alloys indicated increased brightness and yellowness. One alloy decreased in redness (increased in greenness).
The structure of tendon organs in the cat: A proposed mechanism for responding to muscle tension

By reconstructing tendon organs in detail from serial cross sections, a prediction is made on how these sensors might affect their nerve endings during changes in tension at musculotendinous junctions. Tendon organs are composed of specialized encapsulated fascicles of dense collagen which are offshoots from the primary tendon of origin or insertion of a muscle. Fascicles project into the muscle mass on their way to becoming attached to a bundle of extrafusal muscle fibers. The main spur of dense collagen rapidly divides into fine bundles with septa between. Within this encapsulated region, branches of the entering sensory nerve intertwine among the fine bundles of collagen fibers via the septa. Towards the muscle end of the tendon organ, these fine bundles reorganize again into heavy, dense bundles before insertion of extrafusal muscle fibers. The hypothesis is presented that the spaces between collagen bundles in a relaxed tendon organ might spread open reducing pressure upon nerve endings lying between; during tension, these bundles would straighten and crowd together, leading to compression of nerve endings. Variable compression of nerve endings would excite electrochemical events in sensory axons; thus, tension information would be coded and transmitted to the central nervous system. The arrangement of a tendon organ in series with muscle fibers would imply that the organ sampled tension primarily of that group of extrafusal muscle fibers attaching to the organ.
Alumina-Catalyzed Alcoholysis of Cyclohexene Oxide

Alcoholysis of cyclohexene oxide by methanol and allyl alcohol, catalyzed by chromatographic γ-alumina, was studied. Two procedures were used: (1) passing a mixture of the epoxide and alcohol through a column of alumina at 25° and (2) stirring a mixture of epoxide and alcohol over alumina at 100°. The 25° column procedure allowed conversion of ca 2 mmol of epoxide per 1 g of alumina, and the 100°-reaction allowed catalytic conversion of ca 100 mmol of epoxide per 1 g of alumina. These results are compared with those reported for zeolite catalysts.
Assessing Accomplished Teaching: Good Strides, Great Challenges

This article surveys efforts at the national and international level to define and assess accomplished teaching with particular attention devoted to how assessments of accomplished teaching connect to student learning. The author finds that most assessments are based on aspects of teaching that, presumably, come together as accomplished teaching. Regarding teacher's impact on student learning, no assessments directly measure this, but rather rely on teacher-provided evidence of student learning or samples of student work. What little research exists that emphasizes the connection between accomplished teaching and student learning typically does so after the fact with sophisticated, exploratory statistical methods. The article concludes by delineating the challenges that remain in measuring accomplished teaching, especially in diverse classroom contexts, and in making connections between accomplished teaching and student learning.
The geometry of actin filament‐membrane associations can modify adhesive strength of the myotendinous junction

Junctions between skeletal muscle cells and tendon collagen fibers transmit forces generated by muscle cells to the skeletal system. Since force trajectories across adhesive joints partly determine the stresses at the joint (eg, shear or tensile), the geometry of actin filament-membrane-collagen fiber associations has been modeled based on ultrastructural data, and force trajectories at the junction have thereby been established. Measurements show that in healthy twitch cells, actin filaments lie at a mean angle of 4.3 degrees (standard deviation = 0.95 degrees; 15 cells analyzed) to the plasma membrane. Calculations indicate that maximum isometric loading is seen by the junctional membrane almost entirely as a shear stress. In disuse-atrophied muscle cells, the mean angle between actin filaments and the membrane is 9.1 degrees (standard deviation = 3.3 degrees; 11 cells analyzed). The shear component of loading for the junctions of atrophied cells is only 1% less than that in healthy cells. The tensile component of the stress at atrophied junctions is more than doubled, however. These data are used to interpret patterns of myotendinous junction mechanical failure in terms of adhesive joint mechanics. An increased occurrence of failure of the atrophied junction is observed at physiological loads and can be attributed to a reduction of adhesive strength under increased tensile load component.
Structural and Functional Determinants of Conserved Lipid Interaction Domains of Inward Rectifying Kir6.2 Channels

All members of the inward rectifiier K+ (Kir) channel family are activated by phosphoinositides and other amphiphilic lipids. To further elucidate the mechanistic basis, we examined the membrane association of Kir6.2 fragments of KATP channels, and the effects of site-directed mutations of these fragments and full-length Kir6.2 on membrane association and KATP channel activity, respectively. GFP-tagged Kir6.2 COOH terminus and GFP-tagged pleckstrin homology domain from phospholipase C δ1 both associate with isolated membranes, and association of each is specifically reduced by muscarinic m1 receptor–mediated phospholipid depletion. Kir COOH termini are predicted to contain multiple β-strands and a conserved α-helix (residues ∼306–311 in Kir6.2). Systematic mutagenesis of D307-F315 reveals a critical role of E308, I309, W311 and F315, consistent with residues lying on one side of a α-helix. Together with systematic mutation of conserved charges, the results define critical determinants of a conserved domain that underlies phospholipid interaction in Kir channels.
Low-Level Viremia and Intracellular Expression of Hepatitis B Surface Antigen (HBsAg) in HBsAg Carriers with Concurrent Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Assays of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication and antigen expression in HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers with concurrent hepatitis C or D virus (HCV or HDV) infection revealed that HCV and HDV can suppress HBV replication but that HCV also substantially suppresses HBV surface protein expression. HBsAg carriers with concurrent HCV infection thus have low-level viremia and intracellular HBsAg.
Active Transport of Potassium Ion in Heart Mitochondria

Several factors affecting K+ transport by rabbit heart mitochondria were examined, using a K+-sensitive electrode. The histone fractions f2a and β-7 produced an energy-dependent efflux of K+. Inorganic phosphate was required for optimal activity; Km for phosphate was 60 µM. Both rate and extent of K+ efflux decreased as K+ concentration in the reaction medium was increased. The direction of valinomycin-induced K+ movements was shown to depend on the net resultant of an active transport mechanism and increased membrane permeability. The detergent triton X-100 produced a nonspecific increase in membrane permeability that led to a rapid efflux of K+. Evidence is presented for competition between ion transport and ATP formation for some common energy intermediate. Possible mechanisms of action of histones and other agents affecting heart mitochondrial K+ transport are considered.
Development of an integrated detector for NMR microscopy

The development of an integrated detector consisting of a planar microcoil and low noise preamplifier for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) microscopy is described. The detector is designed to operate at 500 MHz (11.75 T). These customized detectors may be particularly important for NMR investigations of single cells, where it may become impractical to passively impedance match microcoils with extremely small values of impedance to 50 /spl Omega/ or to electrically connect the microcoils to remotely located impedance matching and preamplifier circuitry.
Regional Brain Metabolic Response to Lorazepam in Subjects at Risk for Alcoholism

The mechanisms underlying the blunted response to alcohol administration observed in subjects at risk for alcoholism are poorly understood and may involve GABA-benrodiazepine receptors. The purpose of this study was to investigate if subjects at risk for alcoholism had abnormalities in brain GABA-benzodiazepine receptor function. This study measured the effects of 30 pg/kg (iv) of lorarepam, on regional brain glucose metabolism using positron emission tomography and 2-deoxy-2['8~f~uoro-o-g~ucose in subjects with a positive family history for alcoholism (FP) (n = 12) and compared their response with that of subjects with a negative family history for alcoholism (FN) (n = 21). At baseline, FP subjects showed lower cerebellar metabolism than FN. Lorazepam decreased wholebrain glucose metabolism, and FP subjects showed a similar response to FN in cortical and subcortical regions, but FP showed a blunted response in cerebellum. Lorazepam-induced changes in cerebellar metabolism correlated with its motor effects. The decreased cerebellar baseline metabolism in FP as well as the blunted cerebellar response to lorarepam challenge may reflect disrupted activity of benrodiazepine-GABA receptors in cerebellum. These changes could account for the decreased sensitivity to the motor effects of alcohol and benrodiazepines in FP subjects. HE IMPORTANCE of genetics in alcoholism has been T demonstrated in epidemiological studies showing a higher level of concordance for alcoholism in identical twins than in fraternal twins and by studies documenting a 4-fold increased risk for alcoholism in children of alcoholics than in the general population.'-' The influence of genetics in the differential sensitivity to ethanol has also been demonstrated in studies documenting that subjects at risk for alcoholism, that is children of alcoholics who themselves are not alcoholics, show a blunted response to alcohol when compared with subjects with a negative family history for alcoholism (FN).2,6 A blunted response to alcohol in family-positive subjects (FP) has been documented for the
Ripple-free local bases by design

In some applications, a local or "parts based" representation is preferable to global basis functions, such as those used in Fourier and principal component analysis. In applications that require human understanding and editing of the data, it is also desirable that the basis functions be in some sense as "simple" as possible. This means, for example, that the basis functions should not have Gabor-like ripples if such ripples are not a prominent feature of the data to be represented. The paper introduces a direct local basis construction. Specifically, we show that local bases result from maximizing an appropriate redefinition of pairwise orthogonality while maintaining the ability to represent the data. The resulting basis functions are competitive with (and for some applications superior to) those obtained from existing algorithms, and the construction does not require that the basis coefficients be statistically non-Gaussian or independent, as would be the case with an independent component analysis approach.
Expression of Kv1.1, a Shaker-Like Potassium Channel, Is Temporally Regulated in Embryonic Neurons and Glia

Kv1.1, a Shaker-like voltage-gated potassium channel, is strongly expressed in a variety of neurons in adult rodents, in which it appears to be involved in regulating neuronal excitability. Here we show that Kv1.1 is also expressed during embryonic development in the mouse, exhibiting two transient peaks of expression around embryonic day 9.5 (E9.5) and E14.5. Using both in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry, we have identified several cell types and tissues that express Kv1.1 RNA and protein. At E9.5, Kv1.1 RNA and protein are detected transiently in non-neuronal cells in several regions of the early CNS, including rhombomeres 3 and 5 and ventricular zones in the mesencephalon and diencephalon. At E14.5, several cell types in both the CNS and peripheral nervous system express Kv1.1, including neuronal cells (sensory ganglia and outer aspect of cerebral hemispheres) and glial cells (radial glia, satellite cells, and Schwann cell precursors). These data show that Kv1.1 is expressed transiently in a variety of neuronal and non-neuronal cells during restricted periods of embryonic development. Although the functional roles of Kv1.1 in development are not understood, the cell-specific localization and timing of expression suggest this channel may play a role in several developmental processes, including proliferation, migration, or cell-cell adhesion.
The problem with nutritionally enhanced plants.

ABSTRACT Among the next generation of genetically modified (GM) plants are those that are engineered to produce elevated levels of nutritional molecules such as vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and amino acids. Based upon the U.S. current regulatory scheme, the plants and their products may enter our food supply without any required safety testing. The potential risks of this type of GM plant are discussed in the context of human health, and it is argued that there should be very careful safety testing of plants designed to produce biologically active molecules before they are commercially grown and consumed. This will require a mandatory, scientifically rigorous review process.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Prevalence

The prevalence and characteristics of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) among first grade children were determined in a representative Midwestern US city.
Handling redundancy in the processing of recursive database queries

Redundancy may exist in the processing of recursive database queries at four different levels precompilation level, iteration level, tuple processing level and file accessing level. Techniques for reducing redundant work at each level are studied. In the precompilation level, the optimization techniques include removing redundant parts in a rule cluster, simplifying recursive clusters and sharing common subexpressions among rules. At the iteration level, the techniques discussed are the use of frontier relations and the counting method. At the tuple processing level, we use merging and filtering methods to exclude processed drivers from database reaccessing. Finally, at the file accessing level, I/O cost can be further reduced by level relaxation. We conclude that even for complex recursion, redundant database processing can be considerably reduced or eliminated by developing appropriate algorithms.
Design of dual-band balun with tapped stubs

This paper presents a new type of stub tapped balun for dual-band applications. In the design, a tapped stub is used to realize 90deg phase shift at two frequencies, resulting in a dual-band quarter-wavelength transmission line. The dual-band line, as an impedance transformer, is then implemented into a branch-line balun for dual-band operations. Explicit design equations for the new balun are derived using the ABCD-matrix and even-odd mode method. To verify the design concept, a microstrip balun operating at 2.45/5.25 GHz is fabricated on printed circuit board. Measurement results match well the theoretical predictions.
Study of the impedance mismatch at the end-facet of a parallel plate waveguide operating in the THz regime

We study the impedance mismatch for terahertz waves propagating in a parallel plate waveguide via the TEM mode. The impedance mismatch is found to be a strong function of the plate separation.
Fate of fenthion in salt‐marsh environments: II. Transport and biodegradation in microcosms

The fate of fenthion was examined in laboratory microcosms to describe interaction between sediment and biodegradation in the field. A mathematical model also was calibrated to calculate distribution of fenthion in microcosms. Intact sediment cores, with and without a salt-marsh plant, Juncus roemerianus (black needlerush), were placed in microcosm vessels to simulate an undisturbed sediment bed of a salt marsh and areas containing Juncus. In a formalin-sterilized microcosm without plants, fenthion disappeared exponentially from the water column with a half-life of 105.0 h. Fenthion had a half-life of 35.5 h in a nonsterile microcosm without plants. In the nonsterile microcosm with plants, the half-life was slightly shorter, 33.2 h. The sediment was fractionated into 0.5 cm layers. Fenthion was found at greater sediment depths in nonsterile systems than predicted by diffusion and sorption in the sterile microcosm, possibly because of bioturbation. Distribution of fenthion in sediment was not appreciably different between microcosms with and without plants. Fenthion appeared to be biodegraded in the upper (1 to 7 mm) sediment layers.
Dynamic Light Scattering Studies of Dodecyldimethyl-Ammonium Chloride Micelles

In this work, we use the dynamic light scattering technique of photon correlation spectroscopy to study the properties of micellar dodecyldmethyl-ammonium chloride (C12H25(CH3) 2NHC1, abbreviated DDAC). This system has been extensively studied by S. Ikeda and co-workers1 using surface tension, viscosity, static light scattering and C-13 NMR measurements. From these studies it was observed that at surfactant concentrations well above the critical micelle concentration the micelles undergo some kind of transition as the ionic strength is changed by adding increasing amounts of NaCl. From the evidence thus far obtained, a transition from spherical micelles at low salt concentrations to flexible rod-like micelles at high salt concentrations has been proposed. This theory has also been used to explain data from another well-studied micelle system, SDS,2 but much controversy exists.3
Totem: Custom Reconfigurable Array Generation

Reconfigurable hardware has been shown to provide an efficient compromise between the flexibility of software and the performance of hardware. However, even coarse-grained reconfigurable architectures target the general case, and miss optimization opportunities present if characteristics of the desired application set are known. We can therefore increase efficiency by restricting the structure to support a class or a specific set of algorithms, while still providing flexibility within that set. By generating a custom array for a given computation domain, we explore the design space between an ASIC and an FPGA. However, the manual creation of these customized reprogrammable architectures would be a labor-intensive process, leading to high design costs. Instead, we propose automatic reconfigurable architecture generation specialized to given application sets. The Totem custom reconfigurable array generator is our initial step in this direction.
Test-retest reliability of 24 hours of activity monitoring in individuals with Parkinson's disease in home and community.

Background/Objective . This study examined the test-retest reliability of an activity monitor (AM) in home and community settings in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods. Nine independent community dwellers with idiopathic PD were recruited (8 males and 1 female; median age = 66 years, range 46-71; Hoehn & Yahr score 2). Patients wore the AM for 3 separate sessions in the home and community with 7 days between each session. The first 2 sessions lasted 24 hours each, and the third session lasted 48 hours. Reliability indices and measures of variability were obtained by using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and generalizability coefficients. The functional activity measures included the percentage of time spent in sleeping positions, sitting, standing, and walking; the number of transitions between sit and stand; the total number of transitions; the number of walking periods lasting 5 and 10 seconds; and stride frequency. Results. The ICCs for functional activities between the first ...
Choosing anatomical-prior strength for MAP SPECT reconstruction to maximize lesion detectability

With the widespread availability of SPECT/CT systems it has become feasible to incorporate prior knowledge about anatomical boundaries into the SPECT reconstruction process, thus improving observer performance on tasks of clinical interest. We determine the optimal anatomical-prior strength for lesion search by measuring area under the LROC curve using human observers. We conclude that prior strength should be chosen assuming that only organ boundaries are available, even if lesion boundaries will also be known some of the time. We also test whether or not the presence of anatomical priors affects the observer's strategy, and conclude that mixing images with and without priors does not hurt reader performance when priors are not available. Finally, we examine whether using an anatomical prior in SPECT reconstruction helps observer performance when the observer already knows the possible lesion location, and conclude for this task anatomical priors do not provide the same improvement seen in search tasks.
The HotQCD Equation of State

Abstract We present results from recent calculations of the QCD equation of state by the HotQCD Collaboration and review the implications for hydrodynamic modeling. The equation of state of QCD at zero baryon density was calculated on a lattice of dimensions 32 3 × 8 with m l = 0.1 m s (corresponding to a pion mass of ∼ 220 MeV ) using two improved staggered fermion actions, p4 and asqtad. Calculations were performed along lines of constant physics using more than 100M cpuhours on BG/L supercomputers at LLNL, NYBlue, and SDSC. We present parameterizations of the equation of state suitable for input into hydrodynamics models of heavy ion collisions.
Molecular genetic studies in black families with sickle cell anemia and unusually high levels of fetal hemoglobin.

Clinical, hematologic, and molecular genetic studies are reported for five families with SS patients having unusually high fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) levels (mean 28.3%, range 19–42%). Some of the individuals were symptom-free and one was not anemic. However, some were symptomatic despite a very high Hb F. Neither the Hb F level nor the F cell distribution entirely explained the variation in clinical seventy. Molecular genetic studies identified the Senegal haplotype with the associated -158 Gγ (C→T) mutation in two of the five families. The -202 Gγ (C→G) mutation was not found in any of the individuals studied. Sequencing of the γ-globin gene promoters to detect genetic high F determinants not detectable by restriction digestion was not performed. All AS parents and AS siblings demonstrated elevated F cells when the Senegall-158 Gγ (C→T) mutation was present with either the βs or βA allele. Double heterozygosity for two different high F determinants in some SS patients is suggested by the studies in at leas...
Galaxy Clustering and Galaxy Bias in a ΛCDM Universe

We investigate galaxy clustering and the correlations between galaxies and mass in the CDM cosmological model (inflationary cold dark matter with m ¼ 0:4, ¼ 0:6, h ¼ 0:65, n ¼ 0:95, and � 8 ¼ 0:8), using a large, smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulation (SPH; with 2 � 144 3 particles in a 50 h � 1 Mpc cube). Simulated galaxies can be unambiguously identified as clumps of stars and cold gas a few kpc to a few tens of kpc across, residing in extended halos of hot gas and dark matter; the space density of the resolved galaxy population at z ¼ 0 corresponds to that of observed galaxies with luminosity LkL� =4. We investigate the galaxy correlation function, the pairwise velocity dispersion and mean pairwise velocity, and the second and third moments of counts in cells; we also investigate the galaxy-mass correlation function and the average extended mass distributions around galaxies, both of which can be measured via galaxy-galaxy lensing. For the most part, the predicted biases between galaxies and dark matter lead to good agreement with current observations, including (1) a nearly constant comoving correlation length from z ¼ 3 to 0 for mass-selected galaxy samples of constant comoving space density; (2) an rms bias factor b� � 1a tz ¼ 0; (3) a scale-dependent bias on small scales that transforms the curved dark matter correlation function into a nearly power-law galaxy correlation function; (4) galaxy pairwise dispersion and hierarchical skewness ratio S3 in good agreement with observed values, lower than values for the dark matter by � 20%; (5) a ratio of galaxy-galaxy to galaxy-mass correlation functions consistent with recent measurements from the Red Cluster Sequence survey; and (6) a mean excess mass M ð260 h � 1 kpcÞ approximately proportional to galaxy baryon mass Mb, in agreement with estimates from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). All these clusterin gp roperties vary with galaxy baryon mass and, more strongly, with the age of a galaxy’s stellar population. The predicted dependences are in good qualitative agreement with the observed dependence of galaxy clustering and the galaxy-mass correlation function on galaxy type. The predicted ratio Mð260 h � 1 kpcÞ=Mb is lower than the SDSS estimates by a factor of � 1.5‐3 for galaxies with Mb k2 � 10 11 M� . A test with a higher resolution (smaller volume) simulation suggests that this discrepancy is largely a numerical artifact; if so, then the SDSS weak-lensing comparison leaves limited room for feedback or other astrophysical processes to reduce the stellar masses of luminous galaxies, at least given our adopted cosmological parameters. On the whole, our results show that the CDM model and the galaxy formation physics incorporated in the SPH simulation give a good account of observed galaxy clustering, but anticipated improvements in clustering and weak-lensing measurements will soon test this picture in much greater detail. Subject headings: cosmology: theory — galaxies: formation — large-scale structure of universe — methods: numerical
An Introduction and Mission

“Breaking Bioethics” is the newest section of Cambridge Quarterly . Twice each year these pages will feature a colloquium on a breaking issue in bioethics.
Inverse Design of Time Dependent Solidification Processes

An inverse algorithm is developed for the design of the solidification processing systems. The algorithm entails the use of the Tikhonov regularization method, along with an appropriately selected regularization parameter. Both the direct solution of moving boundary problems and the inverse design formulation are presented, along with the L-curve method to select an optimal regularization parameter for inverse design calculations. The design algorithm is applied to determine the optimal boundary heat flux distribution in order to obtain a unidirectional solidification front moving at a constant velocity in a 2-D cavity by eliminating the effect of natural convection. The inverse calculation is also performed for the case in which the solid-liquid interface is prescribed to vary with sine functions. The L-curve based regularization method is found to be reasonably accurate for the purpose of designing time dependent solidification processing systems.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Chondromyxoid fibroma invasion of the transverse-sigmoid sinus junction causing posterior fossa hemorrhage

We report a 50-year-old woman with a chondromyxoid fibroma of the occipital bone, who presented with a cerebellar hemorrhage due to invasion of the adjacent sinus. Chondromyxoid fibromas are benign cartilaginous tumors. However, this case represents the first example, to our knowledge, of a chondromyxoid fibroma invading the transverse-sigmoid junction, resulting in intracranial hemorrhage. Our report highlights that the location of an intracranial chondromyxoid fibroma is an important factor in guiding surgical management.
Thurstone, Louis L. (1887–1955)

Louis Leon Thurstone (1887–1955) was a quantitative psychologist and past president of the American Psychological Association who is best known for advancing the methods of factor analysis, statistical methods used to explore latent factors underlying sets of observed variables. With these methods, Thurstone also made significant contributions to the study of intelligence, advancing a new model for how mental abilities are organized. Thurstone focused on the role of multiple specific mental abilities rather than a single general intelligence factor. Over the course of his career, Thurstone also made significant contributions to psychological measurement, test theory, and the assessment of attitudes. He developed a new system for scaling psychological variables (Thurstone scaling) based on what he called the law of comparative judgment. Keywords: intelligence; intelligence quotient (IQ); psychometric testing; statistical methods in psychology
(Re)braiding to Tell: Using "Trenzas" as a Metaphorical-Analytical Tool in Qualitative Research.

Metaphors can be used in qualitative research to illuminate the meanings of participant experiences and examine phenomena from insightful and creative perspectives. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how I utilized trenzas (braids) as a metaphorical and analytical tool for understanding the experiences and perspectives of Latina teachers around being a well-educated person. Accordingly, this paper is organized into three strands. First, I discuss trenzas as a metaphorical concept in raced–gendered epistemology, highlighting the work of Chicana/Latina feminist scholars in law and education. Second, I describe how metaphorical thinking informed the methodological design. Third, I explain how I used trenzas to make sense of data and build theory. The discussion weaves the three strands together to emphasize the functional and generative nature of trenzas as a metaphorical–analytical tool for gaining critical and nuanced understandings of how personal, professional, and community identities shape part...