cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transparent superhydrophobic surfaces using a spray coating process

Abstract One significant maintenance problem and cost associated with solar energy conversion systems is the soiling due to the accumulation of dust and other pollutants. In this work, we describe a scalable approach for applying antisoiling coatings based on superhydrophobic (SH) silica particles using a spray coating process. A large water contact angle (WCA) is one of the characteristics of excellent SH surfaces and because of the low surface energy and low adhesion forces the soiling rate is reduced. Our findings indicate that the WCA depends strongly on the ratio of the polymer binder and the nanoparticles. The nanoparticle surface coverage of the spray coated samples was substantially improved after rinsing with solvent. This process tended to remove large aggregates and excess polymer binder and further increased the WCA by allowing exposure of the functionalized nanoparticles. The durability of the SH coatings was enhanced when the substrate was pretreated with polymer binder and an optimal curing time between 30 and 60 min. The abrasion tests of the SH coatings we report in this study showed that the WCA decreased from ~ 166° to ~ 157° after exposure to 2.6 g of sand. Such coatings will help reduce costs of periodic cleaning of solar energy conversion systems (photovoltaic panels and concentrated solar mirrors).
The impact of elasticity on disposition effect driven momentum, substitutability, size, and January seasonality

We find that momentum caused by disposition effect is mainly driven by stocks with unrealized capital gains and it is greater when price elasticity of demand is low. We further find that the size effect on momentum and January seasonality in momentum disappear when price elasticity of demand is low. In addition, the price elasticity of demand for stocks is related to the phase of business cycle and degree of product substitutability. Our findings are robust to other factors and the effect of market states on momentum profits.
Philosophy of Mind with and Against Wittgenstein

The chapter investigates the discussion of twentieth century analytical philosophy of mind, focusing on Wittgenstein’s and Davidson’s criticism of physicalism. Wittgenstein’s most significant contribution was his rejection of the Cartesian mind–body distinction, the accompanying conception of philosophy, and the idea of primacy of action over intellection. Physicalism, the view that the mental must either be an explanatory physicalist theory or vindicated by such a theory, is exemplified in the chapter by the theories of Fodor and Churchland. Fodor accepts the mental because it can be made scientifically respectable; Churchland rejects it because it cannot. The chapter argues that both views assume the Cartesian distinction (manifested in what they call “folk psychology”) between the physical – conceived as physicalistic – and the mental – conceived as a realm of inner entities. Davidson, however, rejects physicalism and the Cartesian mental–physical distinction that underlies it. By elucidating his philosophy of action the chapter shows that it is unjustified to equate his monism with physicalism. Davidson makes a sharp distinction between rational explanations of action (which are interpretative, normative, and first-person) and physical scientific explanations. Most importantly, he does not claim that rational explanations of action must be grounded in physical laws. In spite of Davidson’s recurrent reference to theories, his work is non-theoretical in Wittgenstein’s sense.
Specifying constitutional rights

Book review: The negotiable constitution: On the limitation of rights. Gregoire C.N. Webber. Cambridge University Press. 2009. Pp. viii + 231. Reviewed by John Oberdiek.
Kinetic Investigation of the Heterogeneous Synthesis of Flavanone over MgO

The synthesis of flavanone was studied over a magnesium oxide solid catalyst in a batch reactor. The reaction scheme consists of the Claisen–Schmidt condensation of 2'-hydroxyacetophenone with benzaldehyde towards the formation of a 2'-hydroxychalcone intermediate and the subsequent isomerization of this intermediate to flavanone. An initial parametric study yielded a range of values for key experimental parameters (i.e., catalyst particle size and weight percentage and stirring rate) for which the batch reactor system operates in the kinetic regime. The kinetic investigation that followed indicates that over the MgO catalyst studied the Claisen–Schmidt condensation reaction follows first-order kinetics in 2-hydroxyacetophenone and half-order kinetics in benzaldehyde, while the 2'-hydroxychalcone isomerization follows first-order kinetics; activation energies of 40 and 48 kJ/mol were obtained for the two reactions, respectively.
Improving the Efficiency of Magnetic Induction-Based Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN)

Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) is a wireless network of wearable or implanted sensors that has different applications in medical and non-medical fields. Many wireless communication technologies have been proposed for WBANs, among which magnetic induction (MI) is a novel and promising signal transmission technique. In this paper, we studied the application of impedance matching networks in matching the resonance frequencies of the MI coils and the frequency of the source power to increase the efficiency of MI - based wireless communication system. The equivalent circuit model of MI coils is used to calculate the parameters of the matching circuit. The performance of MI communication system with matching circuit is compared to the performance of the MI system with resonant circuit, and the results are validated by simulation and experiment.
The Concept of Decadence in Fin de Siecle English Literature[1]

(2010). The Concept of Decadence in Fin de Siecle English Literature. Comparative Literature: East & West: Vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 21-44.
The Age of Dwindling American Empire: Soldiers, Gaming, and Affective Labor in Warzones:

This essay examines the global logics of neoliberalism, and the biopolitical and affective modes of experience that neoliberalism generates. American soldiers, playing games and fighting wars, are ...
CAREGIVER IDENTITY THEORY AND PREDICTORS OF BURDEN AND DEPRESSION: FINDINGS FROM THE REACH II STUDY

Due to the degenerative nature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), caregivers (CGs) of persons with dementia face many challenges. CGs are often subject to stressors, placing them at a greater risk for depression and other mental health problems. Guided by the caregiver identity theory, we examine the relationship between care recipient’s ability to perform daily tasks, ADLs and IADLs, and CG depression as mediated by CGs’ perceived burden while caregiving for one with AD. Using baseline data from the REACH II study, relationships between burden, reported depression, and each ADLs and IADLs were tested. To explore CG burden mediating the relationship between and depression each ADLs and IADLs, structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted. Reported CG total scores were significantly correlated with total ADLs (Spearman’s rho ρ=.524, p<.001) and IADLs (ρ=.495, p<.001) scores, indicating increased perceived CG burden with greater number of assisted daily activities. CG depression scores were significantly predicted by burden scores (β=0.386, t=18.27, p<.001, r2=.346) and CG’s ability to pay for basic needs (β =1.10, t=4.50, p<.001, r2=.031). SEM modeling indicated that CG burden fully mediated the relationship between ADLs and IADLs and CG depression after controlling for CG’s ability to pay for basic care needs. Our results shed light on the relationship between a CG’s perceived burden and depression. Findings suggest the need to closely examine the relationships between AD caregiving, CG burden, and mental health. Results suggest bolstering policies and programs that offer tangible supports and services to ameliorate CG burden of informal AD caregiving.
Preoperative Amiodarone and Primary Graft Dysfunction in Heart Transplantation

Purpose A recent study found 6-month cumulative doses of preoperative amiodarone increased severe primary graft dysfunction (PGD) in a dose-dependent manner. We aimed to further characterize the effects of a variety of cumulative preoperative amiodarone doses on severe PGD and post-transplant outcomes. Methods Adult orthotopic heart transplant (OHT) recipients from 2012 to 2018 that were documented in the electronic medical record were included in this retrospective analysis. The primary outcome was rate of severe PGD in patients receiving amiodarone up to 1 year prior to OHT compared to those not receiving amiodarone. Cumulative administration of amiodarone at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year prior to transplant were calculated. Secondary outcomes included ICU and hospital length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, early graft failure, and postoperative arrhythmias, permanent pacemaker implantation, bradycardia, rejection, and mortality at 30 days. Results There were 112 patients included in the amiodarone group and 88 patients included in the non-amiodarone group. Incidence of PGD was not significantly higher in those who received amiodarone (12.5% vs. 6.8%, p=0.18), but a trend toward increased incidence of PGD was seen with increasing cumulative doses of amiodarone. Patients on amiodarone had a significantly higher rate of postoperative bradycardia, defined as the use of theophylline or terbutaline within 30 days post-transplant (13.4% vs 4.5%, p=0.03). Conclusion An almost doubled rate of PGD in patients receiving preoperative amiodarone was observed, as well as a trend toward a higher incidence of PGD with increasing dosages of amiodarone. Our observed rate of PGD was lower than expected in the amiodarone group, which led to the study being underpowered. The increased rate of post-operative bradycardia in patients on amiodarone confirms previously published data.
Pediatric Resident Experiences Discussing Sexuality in a Clinical Simulation

Purpose In 2013 the AAP Committee on Adolescence published “Office-Based Care for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth”. This policy highlighted the importance of creating an inclusive environment for LGBTQ youth in the pediatrician's office, emphasizing patient confidentiality and the use of inclusive language. To help improve pediatric resident competency in these areas, we created a clinical simulation where residents had to discuss sexuality with a teenage patient. The purpose of this project was to assess the usefulness of simulation to teach these skills, and then identify resident …
Optimization of Combustion Mode Duration for Lean Gasoline Engine with NO x Storage-Capable Passive Selective Catalytic Reduction System

Lean-burn gasoline engines have demonstrated promising potentials to achieve higher fuel efficiency than stoichiometric gasoline engines. However, severe concerns arise in lean NO x emission control. Three-way catalysts (TWCs), which are broadly applied in stoichiometric gasoline engines, fail to achieve high NO x conversion efficiency in the presence of excessive oxygen. Emerging passive selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems with NO x storage capability on TWC, offer great potential in NO x emission reduction for lean-burn gasoline engines at low fuel penalty due to on-board ammonia generation in periodic rich operation. The purpose of this paper is to derive local and global optimization algorithms for optimizing lean and rich operation times in each lean-rich period for lean-burn gasoline engines by considering not only fuel penalty associated with NH3 production but also lean/rich switching frequency. Optimization results demonstrate that both local and optimal optimization strategies result in comparable fuel penalties at the same level of mode-switching frequency. However, the genetic algorithm-based global optimization method requires much higher computational load than the local optimization method and thus is less preferred for real-time applications.
Extra-Cellular DNA in Cord Blood (CB) Plasma: Use for Sample Identification [short Tandem Repeat (STR) Analysis] and for Infectious Disease Screening in CB Banks.

Introduction: A commitment of CB banks is to test CB units and maternal blood for multiple genetic and infectious disease markers. As a consequence, several aliquots of blood, mononuclear cells and plasma are taken during processing for immediate and delayed testing. Whereas control of identity between aliquots containing cells can be performed by DNA assays, identity controls for plasma aliquots rely only on bar-coded label systems. We hypothesize that there is soluble extra-cellular DNA (EC-DNA) and that it can be used for identity control of plasma aliquots. The aims of our study were; to determine the concentration of EC-DNA in CB-plasma, to evaluate whether genetic identity testing by STR analysis is feasible and to investigate whether EC-DNA allows infectious disease screening by nucleic acid testing (NAT). Methods: CB (n=20) was collected, processed (Rubinstein et al, PNAS 1995) and EC-DNA from 200 μ l of 0.45 μ m-filtered plasma was extracted both with the Qiagen and the High Pure Viral Nucleic Acid method (Roche). Presence of EC-DNA was evaluated by detection of HLA-DR and ALU gene sequences and by STR analysis (AmpFlSTR-Profiler Plus-Applied Biosystems). Purified HBV was added to CB and peripheral blood (PB) plasma, EC-DNA recovered as above and HBV-DNA assessed by real time PCR. Results: All 20 samples were positive for HLA-DR by PCR and for ALU sequence by real time PCR, confirming the presence of EC-DNA in CB-plasma in concentrations of 0.022 +/− 0.012 ng/ μ l at the time of CB collection, rising to 0.124 +/− 0.025 ng/ μ l 33 hrs later; p μ l). STR analysis was validated on cellular DNA and, when applied for EC-DNA, showed good signal strengths and low backgrounds, allowing accurate automatic allele identification with no manual corrections (genemapper software, Applied Biosystems). An increase in STR-PCR product concentration was observed when we analyzed EC-DNA samples from CB after 33hs (7017.6 +/− 2014 RFU/ μ l at time of CB collection and 30290.9 +/− 3164 RFU/ μ l after 33 hs; RFU = relative fluorescence units). HBV was recovered from all spiked units, in correspondence with the viral concentrations added. Recovery of HBV was 96 +/− 21% with high and low viral concentrations. Three mothers with HBAg/HBcore positive had also HBV-DNA in PB-plasma. Six with anti-HBcore only and 70 with anti-HBs were negative. HBV-DNA was also negative in CB-plasma for all seventy nine respective newborns. Conclusions: there is infant EC-DNA in CB-plasma and viral nucleic acids can be obtained using the same extraction method. There is an increase of EC-DNA in CB over time that may reflect cell death. STR assay of EC-DNA can be a useful molecular tool for the identification of plasma aliquots used for infectious disease testing in CB banks.
The Force Required to Inject a Column of Filler Through Facial Arteries.

BACKGROUND Injectable fillers have become an integral part of facial rejuvenation, but vascular occlusion is a dreaded complication of such injections. OBJECTIVE To determine the force required by the fingertip onto the plunger of the syringe to cause retrograde migration. METHODS In this cadaver study, twelve 2-cm arterial segments and 4 fillers were tested. Injection pressure required to force a column of filler for 1 cm was measured. Five oculoplastics specialists were subsequently recruited and asked to inject the filler at a typical injection pressure. RESULTS The nonhyaluronic acid filler required significantly more pressure to cause propagation of the material compared with all other fillers (p < .01). None of the other fillers differed significantly from each other. Typical injection pressures generated by experienced injectors were significantly lower than that required to cause propagation of filler at the desired velocity and significantly lower than mean arterial pressure. Measured pressure required to cause filler propagation was well within the normal range of the finger strength that can be generated by humans. CONCLUSION Typical injection pressures from fingertip to plunger are lower than required to cause propagation of filler intravascularly.
From think to remember: how CPs and NPs combine with attitudes in Buryat

In this paper I investigate a case of factivity alternation in Barguzin Buryat (Mongolic): the verb hanaxa is naturally translated as 'think' when it combines with finite CP clauses, but as 'remember' when it combines with nominalized clauses. I argue that the 'remember' meaning is a result of a pre-existence presupposition associated with the verb's Theme argument: it is presupposed that the Theme exists prior to the event described by the verb. I propose that the factivity alternation arises due to the different ways in which CPs and nominal expressions combine with the verb semantically: while nominals saturate the Theme argument which has the pre-existence presupposition associated with it, CPs combine by modifying the event argument of the verb (Kratzer 2013, 2016; Elliott 2017).
Mode-specific vibrational predissociation dynamics of (HCl)2 via the free and bound HCl stretch overtones.

Velocity-map ion imaging has been used to study the vibrational predissociation dynamics of the HCl dimer following infrared (IR) excitation in the HCl stretch overtone region near 1.77 A. HCl monomer predissociation products were detected state-selectively using 2 + 1 resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization spectroscopy. The IR action spectrum shows the free HCl stretch (2ν1), the bound HCl stretch (2ν2), and a combination band involving the intermolecular van der Waals stretching mode (2ν2 + ν4). Fragment speed distributions extracted from ion images obtained for a range of HCl(v = 0, 1; J) levels following vibrational excitation on the 2ν1 and 2ν2 bands yield the correlated product pair distributions. All product pairs comprise HCl(v = 1) + HCl(v = 0) and show a strong propensity to minimize the recoil kinetic energy. Highly non-statistical and mode-dependent HCl product rotational distributions are observed, in contrast to that observed following stretch fundamental excitation. Predissociation lifetimes are also mode-dependent: excitation of the free HCl leads to τVP = 13 ± 1 ns, while the bound stretch has a shorter lifetime τVP ≤ 6 ns. The dimer dissociation energy determined from energy conservation (D0 = 397 ± 7 cm-1) is slightly smaller than the previously reported values. The results are discussed in the context of previous observations for (HF)2 and (HCl)2 after excitation of HX stretch fundamentals and models for vibrational predissociation.
Soil-plant-animal relationships and geochemistry of selenium in the Western Phosphate Resource Area (United States): A review

Abstract While naturally found in trace quantities, several regions throughout the world have been designated as “seleniferous” or containing an overabundance of the trace element, selenium (Se), in soil. In particular, portions of the Western Phosphate Resource Area (WPRA) of the United States are considered seleniferous, notably due to past phosphate mining reclamation practices that have promoted Se release and accumulation in soil from weathering overburden waste rock. Concern over Se soil contamination in this region has been attributed to its high levels (ranging from 2.7 to 435 mg Se kg−1 soil), bioavailability, and subsequent hyperaccumulation in vegetation at toxic concentrations (exceeding 10,000 mg Se kg−1 plant tissue). The Se hyperaccumulator, western aster (Symphyotrichum ascendens (Lindl.)), is responsible for the vast majority of acute selenium livestock poisonings and fatalities throughout the region. This inherent bioavailability is largely controlled by soil redox chemistry and sorptive processes. The purpose of this review is to integrate information related to the unique site history of the WPRA from onset mining to current Se problems. This review will provide current details and connection of WPRA mining geology, soil Se geochemistry, plant hyperaccumulation, and related livestock fatalities. Soil remediation strategies will also be discussed along with their applicability and viability in this particular anthropogenically-influenced seleniferous region.
Pseudoaneurysm of the Dorsalis Pedis Artery Diagnosed on Point-of-Care Ultrasound

A 46-year-old man presented with a painless mass on his dorsal right foot one week after striking it on a door. A traumatic hematoma was suspected, and needle aspiration of the mass is considered. However, point-of-care ultrasound performed by the emergency physician identified a pseudoaneurysm of the dorsalis pedis artery, a rare condition that can occur after minor trauma or iatrogenic intervention. This report demonstrates how point-of-care ultrasound can be used to identify a pseudoaneurysm of the lower extremity, thereby expediting emergency department workup and preventing potentially dangerous diagnostic procedures.
Proposed Method to Reduce Magnesium Chloride Deicer Damage to Pervious Concrete

Abstract This technical note tests the efficacy of a carbonate-laden water treatment on pervious concrete to increase its resistance to magnesium chloride (MgCl2) attack. A treatment method and an ...
Inference for a Large Directed Graphical Model with Interventions.

Inference of directed relations given some unspecified interventions, that is, the target of each intervention is not known, is important yet challenging. For instance, it is of high interest to unravel the regulatory roles of genes with inherited genetic variants like single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which can be unspecified interventions because of their regulatory function on some unknown genes. In this article, we test hypothesized directed relations with unspecified interventions. First, we derive conditions to yield an identifiable model. Unlike classical inference, hypothesis testing requires identifying ancestral relations and relevant interventions for each hypothesis-specific primary variable, referring to as causal discovery. Towards this end, we propose a peeling algorithm to establish a hierarchy of primary variables as nodes, starting with leaf nodes at the hierarchy's bottom, for which we derive a difference-of-convex (DC) algorithm for nonconvex minimization. Moreover, we prove that the peeling algorithm yields consistent causal discovery, and the DC algorithm is a low-order polynomial algorithm capable of finding a global minimizer almost surely under the data generating distribution. Second, we propose a modified likelihood ratio test, eliminating nuisance parameters to increase power. To enhance finite-sample performance, we integrate the modified likelihood ratio test with a data perturbation scheme by accounting for the uncertainty of identifying ancestral relations and relevant interventions. Also, we show that the distribution of a data-perturbation test statistic converges to the target distribution in high dimensions. Numerical examples demonstrate the utility and effectiveness of the proposed methods, including an application to infer gene regulatory networks.
Interpreting the Constitution. The Debate Over Original Intent

Included are writings by former Attorney General Edwin Meese, III, former Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, Jr., Robert H. Bork, Lino Graglia, H. Jefferson Powell, Charles A. Lofgren, Paul Brest, Henry Paul Monaghan, and J. Morgan Kousser.
Establishment and early growth characteristics of six Paulownia genotypes for goat browse in Raleigh, NC, USA

Meat goat production in the eastern USA is increasing as a result of growing demand from various ethnic groups. Because goats naturally prefer a high proportion of browse in their diets, research was initiated to investigate various silvopastoral production systems. The genus Paulownia contains several species which exhibit rapid juvenile growth and other characteristics that justify research into their potential use in meat goat feeding systems. In May 1997, six Paulownia genotypes were planted in a randomized complete block experiment with six replications. Trees were between 6 and 12 cm in height at planting. Genotypes included: P. fortunei seedlings, P. tomentosa seedlings, P. elongata seedlings and three P. elongata clones. Each 4-m wide plot contained a single row of 12 trees with an intra-row spacing of 1 m. Plant measurements included height, root collar diameter (RCD) at 3 cm above soil surface, and the number of main branches. Leaf samples were collected from all six replications for estimates of herbage quality. During 1998, trees were browsed with goats on two occasions to assess palatability of the herbage and to determine any preference for specific genotypes by the animals. Compared with seedling trees of all three species, the three P. elongata clones were taller (clones: 79.7 cm, seedlings: 55.9 cm; P < 0.01), had larger RCDs (clones: 18.4 mm, seedlings: 13.9 mm; P < 0.01) and had a higher branching frequency (clones: 4.9, seedlings: 1.5; P < 0.01) by the end of the first growing season. Mortality averaged 4.8% across all treatments and ranged between 0 and 8%. Early in the 1998 growing season before trees were browsed, P. elongata clones grew more rapidly than seedlings (clones: 116.4 cm, seedlings: 84.1 cm; P < 0.01). Estimates of herbage quality indicated favorable concentrations of energy and protein for lamina. In vitro true dry matter disappearance ranged from 85.4 (blades) to 71.5% (petioles) and crude protein from 25.1 (blades) to 4.9% (petioles). Animals readily browsed the lamina during two separate sessions, but no clear preference trends were observed among the different Paulownia genotypes.
Love & Loans The Effect of Beauty and Personal Characteristics in Credit Markets ∗

I examine whether easily observable variables such as beauty, race, and the way a loan applicant presents himself affect lenders’ decisions, once hard financial information about credit scores, employment history, homeownership, and other financial information are taken into account. I use data from Prosper.com, a 150 million dollars online lending market in which borrowers post loan requests that include verifiable financial information, photos, an offered interest rate, and related context. Borrowers whose beauty is rated above average are 1.41 percentage points more likely to get a loan and, given a loan, pay 81 basis points less than an average-looking borrower with the same credentials. Black borrowers pay between 139 and 146 basis points more than otherwise similar White borrowers, although they are not more likely to become delinquent. Similarity between borrowers and lenders has also a powerful impact on lenders’ decisions. In my sample personal characteristics are not, all else equal, significantly related to subsequent delinquency rates - with the exception of beauty, which is associated with substantially higher delinquency probability. The findings are consistent with personal characteristics affecting loan supply through lenders’ preferences (taste-based discrimination a la Becker) and perception, rather than statistical discrimination based on inferences from their previous experience.
TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTIONS IN COMPOSITE BRIDGES

Variations in temperature within a typical interior deck-stringer section of a composite-girder highway bridge are investigated for mid-Missouri weather exposures. The exposures correspond to ambient air temperature extremes and were selected from National Weather Service data for the period 1946 through 1965. Equations to simulate these weather extremes and a finite element analysis are used to calculate bridge temperatures as a function of time. The results show that the temperature at the top of a bridge deck may be as high as 150°F (66°C) for a midsummer day and as low as -10°F (-23°C) for a cold winter day. The temperature differential between the top and the bottom of the deck for a hot day was 39°F (22°C) and for a cold day was 31°F (17°C). The maximum deck temperature occurred at 2:00 p.m. for the hot day and at 1:00 p.m. for the cold day. The minimum deck temperature occurred at 4:00 a.m. for both the hot and the cold day.
Asymmetric error-correcting codes for Flash memories in high-radiation environments

Research works exploring coding for Flash memories typically seek to correct errors taking place during normal device operation. In this paper, we study the design of codes that protect Flash devices dealing with the unusual class of errors caused by exposure to large radiation dosages. Significant radiation exposure can take place, for example, when Flash is used as on-board memory in satellites and space probes. We introduce an error model that captures the effects of radiation exposure. Such errors are asymmetric, with the additional feature that the degree (and direction) of asymmetry depends on the stored sequence. We develop an appropriate distance and an upper bound on the sizes of codes which correct such errors. We introduce and analyze several simple code constructions.
Delayed Neutron Data and Group Parameters for 43 Fissioning Systems

The quality and quantity of delayed neutron precursor data have greatly improved over the past decade and a half. Supplementation of the data with model calculations and the use of models to extend...
IGF-binding protein-5 stimulates osteoblast activity and bone accretion in ovariectomized mice

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5) is an osteoblast secretory protein that becomes incorporated into the mineralized bone matrix. In osteoblast cultures, IGFBP-5 stimulates cell...
Incidence of inhibitors in a cohort of 838 males with hemophilia A previously treated with factor VIII concentrates.

Summary. Background: Development of an inhibitory antibody to factor VIII is currently the most serious complication of hemophilia A treatment. The rate of inhibitor development in those that have been previously treated with factor concentrates is poorly defined. Understanding the baseline rate of inhibitor development in the population of previously treated patients (PTPs) is important when evaluating the effect of exposure to new factor replacement products on inhibitor formation. Objectives: To determine the rate of inhibitor development in PTPs with hemophilia A. Methods: A cohort of males with hemophilia A who had data collected on four or more occasions prior to 30 March 2003, as part of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Universal Data Collection Project, were eligible for inclusion in the cohort. Patients were included in the cohort if they had at least two Bethesda assay measurements and did not have an inhibitor prior to or at the start of the study period. The overall incidence rate was estimated as the number of verified incident inhibitor cases divided by the total follow-up time in years multiplied by 1000 (cases per 1000 person-years). Results: A total of 838 patients were included in the study. The overall incidence rate was calculated to be 2.14 cases per 1000 person years. All incident cases had more than 50 exposure days prior to inhibitor development. Conclusions: Given the low rate of inhibitor development in PTPs with hemophilia A, small, non-randomized studies are inadequate to determine the rate of inhibitor development after exposure to novel products. Ongoing, standardized, postmarketing surveillance is needed to determine if novel factor products pose an increased risk of inhibitor development.
Transposon mutagenesis of Haemophilus paragallinarum with Tn916

The Gram-positive transposon Tn916 was introduced into two strains of Haemophilus paragallinarum by electroporation of the suicide plasmid pAM120 (pGL101::Tn916). Tetracycline resistant mutants of H. paragallinarum strains Tw-1 and 221 were recovered at frequencies of 2.1 x 10(-6) and 4.5 x 10(-7) per viable cell electroporated, respectively. Tn916 generates stable single insertions within different sites of the H. paragallinarum chromosome. One Tw-1::Tn916 mutant had the Tn916 insertion in the cryptic plasmid p250. This study indicates the potential use of Tn916 as a genetic tool for insertional mutagenesis of H. paragallinarum.
The influence of serosal patch size on the growth of small intestinal neomucosa

Several factors might affect the growth of neomucosa after serosal patching of small intestinal defects. Often only short segments of small intestine can be patched because of limited serosal surface and anatomic factors. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of patch size on neomucosal growth. Twenty male New Zealand white rabbits underwent patching with colon serosa of either a 2 × 15-cm distal ileal defect (n = 10) or three 2 × 5-cm ileal defects (n = 10). There was significantly greater coverage of the patched defect by neomucosa in the triple patch group (99.4% vs 93.1% P < 0.005) and significantly more of the smaller defects were completely covered by neomucosa than the larger defects (12 of 15 vs 0 of 5, P < 0.05) at 8 weeks. The final area of the defect was 27.5 and 32.8% of the initial patched area respectively for the single and triple patches. Microscopically there was no difference in villous height or crypt depth, but crypt density was significantly greater in the triple group (207 ± 11 vs 186 ± 17 crypts/mm, P < 0.05). In vitro glucose uptake and disaccharidase activity were similar in both groups. Patching multiple small intestinal defects results in more rapid neomucosal growth than a single large defect of the same surface area. This might be due to a greater circumference exposed to surrounding normal mucosa with a resultant increase in crypt density. Since function and villous development of the neomucosa are similar, multiple patches should result in a greater increase in absorptive capacity.
Pelvic anatomy for obstetrics and gynecology residents: an experimental study using clay models

Objective: To determine whether clay modeling with lecture is more effective than lecture alone in teaching female pelvic anatomy. Methods: A pretest preceded a lecture on female pelvic anatomy in the following five groups of obstetrics and gynecology residents: postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) residents at Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island (RI), PGY-1 residents at University of Connecticut (CT), and PGY-2, -3, and -4 residents at RI. The study group (PGY-1 RI) also participated in a clay modeling session. Both groups of PGY-1 residents were tested immediately (posttest 1) and then 8 weeks later (posttest 2). The PGY-2, -3, and -4 residents had only posttest 2. Data were analyzed with parametric, nonparametric, and repeated measures analyses. Results: There was no significant difference between the mean pretest scores of the five groups. The study group showed significant improvement in mean scores at posttest 1 (29.7 ± 0.9, P < .001) and at posttest 2 (24.1 ± 4.6, P = .03) compared with the mean pretest score (17.4 ± 3.7). The CT residents demonstrated significant improvement in mean scores at posttest 1 (25.2 ± 4.4, P = .02) but not at posttest 2 (19 ± 3.7, P = .2) compared with their mean pretest score (15.2 ± 2.9). There was no significant improvement in the mean scores at posttest 2 for PGY-2, -3, and -4 resident groups compared with their pretest scores. Conclusion: Clay modeling with lecture was more effective than lecture alone for teaching pelvic anatomy.
Parsing noisy sentences

This paper describes a method to parse and understand a "noisy" sentence that possibly includes errors caused by a speech recognition device. Our parser is connected to a speech recognition device which takes a continuously spoken sentence in Japanese and produces a sequence of phonemes. The output sequence of phonemes can quite possibly include errors: altered phonemes, extra phonemes and missing phonemes. The task is to parse the noisy phoneme sequence and understand the meaning of the original input sentence, given an augmented context-free grammar whose terminal symbols are phonemes. A very efficient parsing method is required, as the task's search space is much larger than that of parsing un-noisy sentences. We adopt the generalized LR parsing algorithm, and a certain scoring scheme to select the most likely sentence out of multiple sentence candidates. The use of a confusion matrix, which is created in advance by analyzing a large set of input/output pairs, is discussed to improve the scoring accuracy. The system has been integrated into CMU's knowledge-based machine translation system.
Polyamide Pseudorotaxanes, Rotaxanes, and Catenanes Based on Bis(5-carboxy-1,3-phenylene)-(3x+2)-crown-x Ethers

We previously reported that the polyamide 3a derived from bis(5-carboxy-1,3-phenylene)-32-crown-10 (BCP32C10, 1a) and 4,4‘-oxydianiline (ODA, 2) was completely insoluble and attributed this to the ...
1540 MECHANISM OF INCREASED LUNG FLUID FILTRATION DURING LIPID INFUSION IN LAMBS

Intravenous lipid infusion in newborn lambs causes acute pulmonary hypertension followed by a sustained increase in lung lymph flow and reduction in lymph protein concentration (Teague et al, Pediatr Res 18:313A, 1984). We found that plasma concentrations of the pulmonary vasoconstrictors thromboxane B2 and serotonin (5-HT) both increased during lipid infusion in lambs. To see if these vasoactive substances might play a role in the lung microvascular changes associated with lipid infusion, we pretreated 14 lambs with suitable inhibitors: 8 received indomethacin (1-5 mg/kg/h for 6h) and 6 received a 5-HT blocker, methysergide (0.6 mg/kg/d for 2d) before and during lipid infusion. We measured pulmonary artery (Ppa) and left atrial pressures, lung lymph flow (QL), and lymph and plasma protein concentrations during a 2-4h control period followed by 6h of constant lipid infusion, 0.25 g/kg/h. Indomethacin alone increased Ppa and QL, but lipid infusion in the presence of indomethacin caused no further increases of either Ppa or QL. Methysergide reduced steady-state QL without preventing the acute pulmonary hypertension associated with lipid infusion. In 6 lambs, intravenous infusion of 5-HT (4-6 μg/kg/min for 5h) increased QL without affecting Ppa. These results suggest that cyclooxygenase products of arachidonic acid metabolism may cause the acute pulmonary hypertension that occurs during lipid infusion, whereas 5-HT may be responsible for the steady-state increase in lung fluid filtration.
Extubation failure due to post-extubation stridor is better correlated with neurologic impairment than with upper airway lesions in critically ill pediatric patients

The incidence of post-extubation stridor (PES) in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and the need for reintubation is not known. Predictors of success on a subsequent extubation attempt and the efficacy of dexamethasone treatment prior to a subsequent extubation attempt are not established. In a prospective randomized double blind-controlled study in two PICU's in a university children's hospital setting, of 5,566 admissions over 35-months, we identified 32 patients who failed primary extubation and were reintubated for PES. Twenty-six patients were enrolled in the study and three subsequently excluded. Twelve were randomized to receive dexamethasone and 11 received sodium chloride placebo. Fifteen patients succeeded study extubation and eight failed. Of those receiving dexamethasone, nine patients succeeded and three failed. Of those receiving placebo, six patients succeeded and five failed. There was a poor correlation between anatomical abnormalities of the airway and failure of study extubation. Extubation failure was better correlated with neurologic impairment in the patients. We present a stridor score and demonstrate that it is an excellent predictor of success versus failure for the study extubation. Dexamethasone pre-treatment did not reduce stridor score. We are unable to conclude if dexamethasone pre-treatment reduces extubation failure. We speculate that neurologic impairment leads to extubation failure in critically ill pediatric patients.
Sensory modality and the word-frequency effect

Two experiments were conducted to examine whether the word-frequency effect in recognition memory is primarily a modality-dependent phenomenon. In the first experiment, the presentation modality of a target word was varied orthogonally during the input of the test phases. In the second, the subjects were forced to process each input word at the letter-byo letter level, thus minimizing the orthographical differences between the high- and low-frequency words. The word-frequency effect was found in every experimental condition and should be considered a modality-independent phenomenon. A semantically based interpretation of this effect was proposed.
Can Classroom Play Ease the Transition to a New Culture? Applying Research on Young Children From Puerto Rico

It is generally accepted in the fields of both education and psychology that play can help young children cope with troubling circumstances in their lives. It would be logical to assume that play activities may be ideal for assisting children whose families have immigrated to the United States in adjusting to the puzzling, and even frightening, experiences of a new classroom within an unfamiliar culture. However, the types of play encouraged in U.S. classrooms may not always match the needs of children from other cultures. This article proposes a way of observing and assessing children's play that can guide teachers in providing activities that have cultural meaning for all students. The results of a study conducted in Puerto Rico are used to illustrate the importance of adopting a more inclusive view of play in the classroom.
Residually finite subgroups of locally nilpotent groups

Abstract It is shown that a countable locally nilpotent group G that is also soluble has a residually finite subgroup J with isolator G .
Modeling the Dornier HM3 lithotripter.

The computational modeling of a Dornier HM3 electrohydraulic, extracorporeal shock wave lithotripter is considered. In order to produce large amplitude shock waves for the purpose of pulverizing renal and ureteric calculi (stones), the HM3 uses a hemi‐ellipsoidal bowl to focus the spherical field generated by a high‐voltage spark gap. The initial propagation of the bowl‐focused field is accomplished using a recently developed nonplanar source algorithm. An updated version of an existing nonlinear acoustic beam propagation model is then used to consider the subsequent propagation of the field. The resulting modeling sequence accounts for the effects of diffraction, attenuation, dispersion, nonlinearity, and (planar) reflection and refraction. The water path computed predictions agree well with existing measurements. The computed in vivo predictions suggest that the Dornier HM3’s clinical performance is not significantly different than its water path performance.
Dual chamber pacemaker therapy for mid-cavity obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

BEGLEY, D., et al.: Dual Chamber Pacemaker Therapy for Mid-Cavity Obstructive Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Intracavitary LV obstruction is an important determinant of clinical outcome in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). In a minority of patients the obstruction is at the level of the papillary muscles. Mid-cavity obstructive HCM may be associated with a distal LV aneurysm and a worse prognosis. It is often not amenable to standard cardiac surgery for LV outflow obstruction. The long-term effects (mean follow-up 4.8 ± 2.9 years) of dual chamber (DDD) pacemaker therapy in 14 patients with mid-cavity obstructive HCM (mean age 34 ± 16 years, range 15–65 years) were studied. Patients were evaluated by cardiac catheterization at baseline and 6 months to 1 year after receiving DDD pacemakers off all drug therapy. Symptoms were improved in all patients and NYHA functional class reduced from 2.8 ± 0.1 to 1.9 ± 0.4 (P < 0.0005). Intracavitary LV pressure gradients was reduced significantly (43 ± 36 vs 84 ± 31 mmHg at baseline, P < 0.0005). There was a significant associated reduction in apical LV systolic pressure (152 ± 37 vs 188 ± 34 mmHg, P < 0.001). In addition, there was a trend towards increased exercise tolerance (445 ± 123 vs 396 ± 165). Cardiac output and LV filling pressures were unchanged. In conclusion, chronic DDD pacing results in significant symptomatic and hemodynamic improvement in this uncommon but important subset of patients with obstructive HCM in whom the role of cardiac surgery is less well defined compared with the more typical outflow tract location of LV obstruction.
Dimethoate degradation by human liver and its significance for acute toxicity

Abstract The degradation of the insecticide dimethoate [O,O-dimethyl S-(N-methylcarbamoylmethyl) phosphorodithioate] by eleven specimens of human liver has been examined. On the basis of comparisons with other species for which data both on toxicity and on degradation in liver are known, it is predicted that the acute oral LD50 of dimethoate to humans will be about 30 mg/kg, and that this toxicity will be synergized by EPN (ethyl p-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothionate).
A parallel microfluidic flow cytometer for high-content screening

A parallel microfluidic cytometer (PMC) uses a high-speed scanning photomultiplier-based detector to combine low-pixel-count, one-dimensional imaging with flow cytometry. The 384 parallel flow channels of the PMC decouple count rate from signal-to-noise ratio. Using six-pixel one-dimensional images, we investigated protein localization in a yeast model for human protein misfolding diseases and demonstrated the feasibility of a nuclear-translocation assay in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing an NFκB-EGFP reporter.
Pulmonary hypertension in children due to congenital heart disease.

Summary 1. The clinical problem of pulmonary hypertension has been presented. 2. Pulmonary hypertension occurred in some children with the more common congenital heart lesions as well as those with a “systemic right ventricle.” 3. The degree of hypertension correlated quite closely with the severity of the patient's symptoms and seemed to be related to its cause. 4. Pathological changes occurred in arteries of the lungs of the children with pulmonary hypertension.
Stokes-Adams seizures; case report of paroxysmal ventricular standstill and its production by carotid sinus pressure.

A patient presenting syncope and convulsions was shown to have spontaneous attacks of ventricular standstill without preceding or subsequent partial heart block and with the auricles beating regularly throughout. Carotid sinus pressure reproduced one such attack. This is a demonstration of nervous control in the heart below the auriculoventricular node and perhaps in the ventricle itself. Cookson's term "paroxysmal ventricular standstill" is uniquely fitting. The presence of right bundle branch block raises the question of a lesion affecting both the left and right branches of the bundle of His.
Wavelength-modulation laser hygrometer for ultrasensitive detection of water vapor in semiconductor gases

Water vapor is measured by use of a near-infrared diode laser and wavelength-modulation absorption spectroscopy. Humidity levels as low as 5 nmol/mol [1 nmol/mol = 1 ppb (1 ppb equals 1 part in 109)] of water vapor in air are measured with a sensitivity of better than 0.2 nmol/mol (3σ). The sensitivity, linearity, and stability of the technique are determined in experiments conducted at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, by use of the low frost-point humidity generator over the range from 5 nmol/mol to 2.5 µmol/mol of water vapor in air. The pressure-broadening coefficients for water broadened by helium [0.0199(6) cm-1 atm-1 HWHM] and by hydrogen chloride [0.268(6) cm-1 atm-1 HWHM] are reported for the water line at 1392.5 nm.