cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stature at time of diagnosis of type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Objective. To assess the stature of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus at diagnosis. Methods. We collected data from 451 records of children who were examined in a pediatric diabetes clinic and used data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 10 522 children as control group. Analytical techniques included linear and logistic regression modeling. A semiquantitative meta-analysis evaluated 38 earlier publications that contain information on height at the onset of diabetes. Results. Children <1 year of age were shorter than their peers by 1 standard deviation, whereas those from 3 years to near puberty were taller by approximately 0.3 standard deviation. Adjusting for parental height caused this difference to disappear for the older children but not for the infants. The meta-analysis results paralleled these observations. Conclusions. Taller children generally seem to experience increased risk for development of diabetes mellitus type 1, except perhaps during infancy or early adolescence. This observation may have implications regarding pathogenesis of this disorder.
Systematic optimization of polymeric electro-optic materials

Chromophore-containing polymeric electro-optic materials must satisfy many requirements before they can be considered for use in applications at telecommunication wavelengths (1.3 and 1.55 microns). These include large macroscopic electro-optic activity, low optical loss, and stability (thermal, chemical, and photochemical). Such materials must be capable of being integrated with silica fiber optics and semiconductor electronics. We discuss design of chromophores not only for large hyperpolarizability but also for low optical loss and for thermal and photochemical stability. The processing of these materials to maximize electro-optic activity while minimizing processing- associated optical loss is discussed. Device structures appropriate for minimizing insertion loss are discussed, as is the fabrication of such dvices and three-dimensional active/passive optical circuits. The identification of new structure/function relationships provide design criteria for future improvements as well as permitting better definition of the performance limitations that can be expected for polymeric electro-optic materials prepared by electric field poling methods.
A modified Tian-Calvet microcalorimeter for polymer solution measurements

Abstract The commercially available Tian-Calvet microcalorimeter assembly has been modified extensively to make it more precise and adaptable for polymer solution and dilution measurements. The changes made lead to about a tenfold increase in sensitivity; increase in base-line stability without need for extensive temperature, humidity, and vibration control; flexibility in recording both low- and high-energy outputs over long periods of time; and no need for use of the Peltier effect. Further, cell assemblies have been developed which are easy to construct and use, and which allow controlled agitation under conditions where the mechanical energy input can be corrected for. Preliminary measurements made with the new assembly on solutions of polystyrene in toluene and ethylbenzene yield for the heat of glass destruction a value constant within ca. ± 3 % independent of solution concentration or the solvent used.
The First Total Synthesis of a Highly Branched Arabinofuranosyl Hexasaccharide Found at the Nonreducing Termini of Mycobacterial Arabinogalactan and Lipoarabinomannan

The first total synthesis of the arabinofuranosyl hexasaccharide present at the nonreducing termini of mycobacterial arabinogalactan and lipoarabinomannan is reported. The oligosaccharide was prepared as its methyl glycoside via a route that is both highly efficient and convergent. Addition of two β-d-arabinofuranosyl residues simultaneously in high yield and with excellent stereocontrol was the key step of the synthesis.
Factors determining subscription prices of scholarly journals in business discipline : Themes and variations

This empirical study investigates factors that affect subscription prices of business journals. The hypotheses are that a number of factors affect journal subscription prices including types of publishers, features of publications, and locations of publications. While some regression results are consistent with the main theoretical themes of previous studies, others show variations. First, it was found that journals with advertisement tend to have lower subscription prices than those without advertisement. None of previous studies found this variable statistically significant. Second, annual subscription prices of business journals published in the U.K. are substantially higher than those published in the U.S. while the coefficients of journals published in Europe were not statistically significant. Third, no evidence was found that journals with larger circulations have lower subscription prices. This study concludes that to examine factors affecting subscription prices, one needs to focus on journals by discipline since determinants of journal prices vary from discipline to discipline.
A Typology of Retail Failures and Recoveries

Abstract This study extends previous research by developing a typology of retail failures and recovery strategies. Upon sorting 661 critical incidents pertaining to general merchandise retailers, results revealed fifteen different types of retail failures and twelve unique recovery strategies. In addition, the effectiveness of the recovery strategies are examined and research implications are discussed.
A Bernstein-type inequality for U-statistics and U-processes

Abstract A Bernstein-type inequality for non-degenerated U-statistics is presented. As the Bernstein inequality for sums of independent identically distributed random variables, in the limit, its tail has the same order as the tail of the limit. We also consider the case of U-processes indexed by a uniformly bounded VC subgraph class of functions. This is applied to obtain exponential inequalities for the local oscillations of the empirical distribution function of U-statistical structure.
Knee Muscle Forces during Walking and Running in Patellofemoral Pain Patients and Pain-Free Controls

One proposed mechanism of patellofemoral pain, increased stress in the joint, is dependent on forces generated by the quadriceps muscles. Describing causal relationships between muscle forces, tissue stresses, and pain is difficult due to the inability to directly measure these variables in vivo. The purpose of this study was to estimate quadriceps forces during walking and running in a group of male and female patients with patellofemoral pain (n = 27, 16 female; 11 male) and compare these to pain-free controls (n = 16, 8 female; 8 male). Subjects walked and ran at self-selected speeds in a gait laboratory. Lower limb kinematics and electromyography (EMG) data were input to an EMG-driven musculoskeletal model of the knee, which was scaled and calibrated to each individual to estimate forces in 10 muscles surrounding the joint. Compared to controls, the patellofemoral pain group had greater co-contraction of quadriceps and hamstrings (p = 0.025) and greater normalized muscle forces during walking, even though the net knee moment was similar between groups. Muscle forces during running were similar between groups, but the net knee extension moment was less in the patellofemoral pain group compared to controls. Females displayed 30-50% greater normalized hamstring and gastrocnemius muscle forces during both walking and running compared to males (p<0.05). These results suggest that some patellofemoral pain patients might experience greater joint contact forces and joint stresses than pain-free subjects. The muscle force data are available as supplementary material.
Symmetric-progressive telangiectatic nevi with hemorrhagic angiokeratomas

: We examined an 11-year-old female with symmetric, progressive telangiectatic nevi associated with venous varicosities and angiokeratomas. Clinical bleeding occurred from cutaneous angiokeratomas and mucosal telan-giectasias.
Smart non-default routing for clock power reduction

At advanced process nodes, non-default routing rules (NDRs) are integral to clock network synthesis methodologies. NDRs apply wider wire widths and spacings to address electromigration constraints, and to reduce parasitic and delay variations. However, wider wires result in larger driven capacitance and dynamic power. In this work, we quantify the potential for capacitance and power reduction through the application of "smart" NDR (SNDR) that substitute narrower-width NDRs on selected clock network segments, while maintaining skew, slew, delay and EM reliability criteria. We propose a practical methodology to apply smart NDRs in standard clock tree synthesis flows. Our studies with a 32/28nm library and open-source benchmarks confirm substantial (average of 9.2%) clock wire capacitance reduction and an average of 4.9% clock switching power savings over the current fixed-NDR methodology, without loss of QoR in the clock distribution.
The TIPNIS Crisis and the Meaning of Bolivian Democracy Under Evo Morales

Bolivia's current TIPNIS (Territorio Indigena Parque Nacional Isiboro Secure) crisis has highlighted the diverse and often conflicting interpretations and applications of indigenous rights and environmental rights and how these have impacted the goals and structures of governance of the MAS party and the indigenous-based presidency of Evo Morales. Special attention will be given to environmental concerns as a core, but clearly contested, element of national development and the defense of Bolivian sovereignty. In the struggle over the construction of the road through the Isiboro Secure Indigenous Territory and National Park, which sought to link Bolivia and Brazil and ultimately provide land-locked Bolivia more ready access to the Pacific, social movements have been marshaled and mobilized both for and against the government's project. What has this meant for Bolivia's populist and social-movement-based democracy? Has this rainforest crisis been another example of an “overdose of democracy,” a condition that appears to have dogged the Morales presidencies? This paper seeks to explore these, and related issues.
Cytoplasmic inclusions in cells of lymphosarcoma 6c3hed, morphologic and cytochemical observations.

Abstract A basophilic inclusion is described in the cytoplasm of neoplastic cells of Lymphoma 6C3HED. It contains deoxyribose nucleic acid and a basic protein and may represent phagocytosed nuclear material. This observation is noteworthy because of the otherwise generally poor phagocytic properties of neoplastic and lymphoid cells.
Failure of SV40-transformed lizard cells to induce tumors in autogeneic or allogeneic hosts

Lizard cells from the tails of geckos were readily morphologically and antigenically transformed in vitro by SV40 virus. Neither autografts of these cells nor allografts of SV40 transformed gecko embryo cells produced tumors in animals under observation from 1 to 3 years.
Effect of Cultural Environmental and Accounting Regulation on Earnings Management: A Multiple Year-Country Analysis

We analyze the effect of cultural values and disclosure and earnings management scores on earnings management in 27 countries. The results indicate that debt-to-equity ratio (total assets) affects the earnings management upwards (downwards). These results are consistent with prior studies. Uncertainty Avoidance also affects the direction of earnings management downwards. Other cultural values, such as Individualism, Power Distance, and Masculinity, have a significant effect on the magnitude of earnings management. The results indicate that the higher the values of these variables, the higher the magnitude of earnings management. Furthermore, Disclosure Index has a significant effect on the magnitude of earnings management.
The Learning Activities Questionnaire: A Tool to Enhance Teaching

This article describes the Learning Activities Questionnaire (LAQ) and how it can be employed to evaluate learning tasks not typically examined in course evaluation instruments such as readings and assignments. Drawing from behavioral theory in its focus on specific activities, this instrument is simple to interpret and provides clear direction for change. Based on LAQ responses and its use by 6 professors teaching 11 classes over 5 years to 215 students, suggestions are provided for how it can enhance teaching.
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION OF MORPHINE IN NEWBORNS OF ADDICTED HUMANS AND SUB-HUMAN PRIMATES

A knowledge of the distribution of morphine in the fetal tissues may lead to an understanding of some of the clinical characteristics of the infant of the drug dependent mother (IDDM). Passive narcotic addiction was induced in the fetuses of 5 pregnant Rhesus monkeys by IM injection of 30-60 mgs morphine TID to the mother at the first sign of pregnancy. The fetuses, once delivered, were sacrifice and tissues from the different organs were analyzed for morphine content. Tissues were similarly assayed on 3 human infants (3-5 days old) who died and were born to drug dependent mothers. RESULTS: The mean morphine content (μgs morphine/gm tissue) in the monkey and human tissues were: INTERPRETATION: The higher level of morphine measured in the tissues of the fetal monkey is probably due to the higher dose of morphine consistently given to its mother. A phylogenetic dominance during fetal life of the cerebellum and brainstem over the cerebrum is suggested by the higher concentration of morphine in these organs. The significant amount of morphine in the lungs and liver (10%) may favor a drug induced enzyme maturation in these organs and possibly explain the lower incidence of RDS and jaundice in the IDDM. The high morphine concentration in the contents of the stomach and intestines of the fetal monkey provides a possible endogenous source of morphine to the fetus and a likely safeguard against fetal withdrawl. The high level of morphine in the thymus, spleen and heart remain unexplained.
A Practical Method for Syntactic Error Diagnosis and Recovery

Our goal is to develop a practical syntactic error recovery method applicable within the general framework of viable prefix parsing. Our method represents an attempt to accurately diagnose and report all syntax errors without reporting errors that are not actually present. Successful recovery depends upon accurate diagnosis of errors together with sensible “correction” or alteration of the text to put the parse back on track. The issuing of accurate and helpful diagnostics is achieved by indicating the nature of the recovery made for each error encountered. The error recovery is prior to and independent of any semantic analysis of the program. However, the method does not exclude the invocation of semantic actions while parsing or preclude the use of semantic information for error recovery.The method assumes a framework in which an LR or LL parser, driven by the tables produced by a parser generator, maintains an input symbol buffer, state or prediction stack, and parse stack. The input symbol buffer contains part or all of the sequence of remaining input tokens, including the current token. The LR state stack is analogous to the LL prediction stack; except when restricting our attention to the LL case, prediction stack shall serve as a generic term indicating the LR state or LL prediction stack. The parse stack contains the symbols of the right hand sides that have not yet been reduced.
Synthesis and anticonvulsant evaluation of 1-amino-1,3-dihydro-2H benzimidazol-2-ones

1-Amino-2-benzimidazolinones containing alkyl substituents on the amino nitrogen have been prepared by the sodium bis (2-methoxyethoxy)aluminum hydride reduction of 1-acylamino-2-benzimidazolinones. The latter compounds were obtained in two steps from o-nitro-β-acylphenylhydrazines. All of the 1-amino-2-benzimidazolinones exhibited activity in the standard anticonvulsant tests except for the 1-benzylamino compound. The most active compound was 1-ethylamino-2-benzimidazolinone which protected mice in the maximal electroshock seizure test at 30 mg/kg.
Effect of azide and cyanide on the respiration of a species of Mycobacterium.

Azide and cyanide affect the autorespiration of these organisms in the same way as they dothe oxidation of added metabolites. The effect of thesedrugs on the autorespiration occurs in the presence ofthe added metabolites.
Antithrombotic Therapy in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a pandemic public health problem, with >500 million people worldwide estimated to have some form of kidney injury.1 Survey data suggest that the prevalence of CKD in the United States has increased between 1988 to 1994 and 1999 to 2004 from 10% to 13%, reaching a rate of 14% in 2010.2,3 Overlapping conditions such as acute kidney injury play an important role in the growing epidemiology of CKD, and underlying CKD is in turn an important risk factor for acute kidney injury and end-stage renal disease. Key factors contributing to the increased prevalence of CKD include the aging population and the growing burden of diabetes mellitus.4 The prevalence of stage 3 or 4 CKD has been reported to be ≈38% for adults ≥70 years old versus ≈1% in adults 20 to 39 years of age.2,5 Patients with diabetes mellitus are found to present with CKD in about one third of cases, with diabetic nephropathy as the most common cause of renal impairment.6 Notably, numerous epidemiological studies have shown that patients with all stages of CKD experience higher rates of atherothrombotic disease manifestations and processes with thromboembolic potential such as atrial fibrillation than the general population.7–10 This underscores the importance of antithrombotic treatment strategies in these patients. However, the risk-to-benefit ratio with antithrombotic therapies may be altered in CKD. In fact, patients with CKD also have an increased risk of bleeding complications.11–13 Importantly, bleeding has emerged as an independent predictor of adverse outcomes, including mortality.14–17 Moreover, patients with severe CKD are less likely to receive medications of proven benefit.18,19 Overall, these findings contribute to explain why patients with reduced renal function have poorer prognosis compared …
Composition of the Mixed Duodenal Secretions

SummaryThe average alkalinity of the duodenal secretions was found to be approximately .04 normal and the chloride concentration 307 mg. per 100 cc. These values obtained on secretions from the intact duodenum are in excellent agreement with values previously reported on secretion obtained from isolated duodenal pouches.In a previous communication1 the results of studies on the composition of mixed duodenal secretions were reported. These previous studies were performed on healed duodenal pouches completely isolated from the stomach and every effort was made to avoid all complications which might alter the composition of the mixed duodenal secretions. However, it appeared necessary to confirm these results by different methods which would be free of certain hypothetical sources of error, based primarily on the operative procedures previously employed. A large number of analyses of the contents of the dogs'stomach obtained by lavage 24 hours after a light feeding of milk and syrup have shown that under the...
Hessenberg-triangular reduction and transfer function matrices of singular systems

The author is concerned with the computation of transfer function matrices of liner multivariable systems described by their generalized state-space equations. An algorithm is outlined that may be considered a generalization of an existing technique for computation of transfer matrices of systems described by standard state-space equation. The propose algorithm can be used for evaluating transfer function matrices of nonsingular as well as singular generalized systems, and performs satisfactorily when implemented with finite-precision arithmetic. Several examples are included to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm. >
Dynamics of a mass–spring–pendulum system with vastly different frequencies

We investigate the dynamics of a simple pendulum coupled to a horizontal mass–spring system. The spring is assumed to have a very large stiffness value such that the natural frequency of the mass–spring oscillator, when uncoupled from the pendulum, is an order of magnitude larger than that of the oscillations of the pendulum. The leading order dynamics of the autonomous coupled system is studied using the method of Direct Partition of Motion (DPM), in conjunction with a rescaling of fast time in a manner that is inspired by the WKB method. We particularly study the motions in which the amplitude of the motion of the harmonic oscillator is an order of magnitude smaller than that of the pendulum. In this regime, a pitchfork bifurcation of periodic orbits is found to occur for energy values larger that a critical value. The bifurcation gives rise to nonlocal periodic and quasi-periodic orbits in which the pendulum oscillates about an angle between zero and π/2 from the down right position. The bifurcating periodic orbits are nonlinear normal modes of the coupled system and correspond to fixed points of a Poincare map. An approximate expression for the value of the new fixed points of the map is obtained. These formal analytic results are confirmed by comparison with numerical integration.
Behavioral effects of pulsed microwave radiation.

The use of a common form and schedule of microwave irradiation in male wistar rats provided the means for comparing effects on a wide variety of behaviors and for relating these effects to the level of heat loading produced by the radiation. It is noteworthy that some type of prompt effect was produced on each of the behaviors tested after a 30-min exposure at an absorbed dose rate of about 6 mW/g, which produced a moderate hyperthermia. The characteristics of the microwave effects produced on the three behaviors were largely dissimilar. Only on the psychologically most complex task, vigilance discrimination, was the effect apparently related in a direct manner to the induction of and recovery from hyperthermia. During the same postirradiation period in which the vigilance discrimination performance was most severely affected, the least motivated most random behavior tested, exploratory activity, was only moderately degraded. This effect on activity persisted for 2 hr or more. It did not appear to be related to the hyperthermia directly, but perhaps it was related to a metabolic overcompensation to the heat load that in other, related investigations had been found during this postirradiation period. Immersion in water for the arduous swim test providedmore » prompt relief from the hyperthermia, but a delayed effect indicative of early fatigue occurred after more than 2 hr of proficient swimming was displayed. A nearly lethal irradiation at the rate of 11 mW/g produced a marked performance degradation that occurred after these animals first had recovered from an initial incapacitation and then had displayed their trained level of proficiency for more than 1 hr. The microwave effects on the behavior of trained animals evidently reflected alterations in performance factors rather than interference with trained skills. Both proficiency in swimming and accuracy in discrimination responding were retained without retraining after a nearly lethal irradiation.« less
The Bradyrhizobium japonicum Irr Protein Is a Transcriptional Repressor with High-Affinity DNA-Binding Activity

The Irr protein is a global regulator of iron homeostasis in Bradyrhizobium japonicum, and a subset of genes within the Irr regulon are negatively controlled under iron limitation. However, repressor function, high-affinity DNA binding in vitro, or promoter occupancy in vivo of Irr for a negatively regulated gene has not been demonstrated. Here, we show that the blr7895 and bll6680 genes are negatively regulated by Irr as determined by derepression of transcript levels in iron-limited cells of an irr mutant strain. Electrophoretic gel mobility shift analysis showed that a component in extracts of wild-type cells grown under iron limitation bound the iron control elements (ICE) within the promoters of blr7895 and bll6680 identified previously (G. Rudolph, G. Semini, F. Hauser, A. Lindemann, M. Friberg, H. Hennecke, and H. M. Fischer, J. Bacteriol. 188:733-744, 2006). Binding was not observed with extracts of cells from the parent strain grown under high iron conditions or with those from an irr mutant. Furthermore, gel mobility supershift experiments identified Irr as a component of the binding complex. Purified recombinant Irr bound to ICE DNA with high affinity in the presence of divalent metal, with Kd values of 7 to 19 nM, consistent with a physiological role for Irr as a transcriptional regulator. In addition, in vitro transcription initiated from the blr7895 promoter was inhibited by Irr. Whole-cell cross-linking and immunoprecipitation experiments showed that Irr occupies the promoters of blr7895 and bll6680 in vivo in an iron-dependent manner. The findings demonstrate that Irr is a transcriptional repressor that binds DNA with high affinity.
Pi 3 magnetic pulsations associated with substorms

Abstract Using magnetic data from the North American IMS network at high latitudes, Pi 3 pulsations are analysed for a period of 4 1 2 continuously-disturbed days. The data were obtained from 13 stations in the Alaska and Fort Churchill meridional chains and in the east-west chain along the auroral zone. In the past, Pi 3 pulsations associated with substorms have been classified into two sub-categories, Pi p and Ps 6. However, we find that Pi 3's which have longer periods than Pi p and which are different from Ps 6 are more commonly observed than these two special types. Power spectra, coherence and phase differences are compared among the stations. Results show that noticeable differences for latitudinal dependence of period and amplitude exist among midnight, morning and late-evening Pi 3 pulsations. Results for Pi 3 occurring near midnight indicate that the periods at which the power spectral density is a maximum are longest, and the amplitude largest, near the center of the westward auroral electrojet. On the other hand, for Pi 3 pulsations occurring in the morning, the periods at which the power spectral density is a maximum are longest, and the amplitude largest, near the poleward edge of the westward electrojet. Furthermore, for Pi 3 pulsations occurring in the late evening, their periods are longer and their amplitudes larger near both the Harang discontinuity and the poleward edge of the westward electrojet than near its center. Correlations between pairs of adjoining stations are better in the polar cap than at auroral latitudes. It is also found from hodograms that the sense of polarization often varies from one station to another for the same event, and that the time duration in which the same rotational sense is maintained is shorter near midnight than in the morning and late evening. It is suggested that the source regions of the morning and late-evening Pi 3's lie on the electrojet boundaries; that is at the Harang discontinuity (in the evening) and at the poleward edge of the westward electrojet (in the morning and evening). The generation of midnight Pi 3 pulsations, centered at a location within the westward auroral electrojet appears to be associated directly with the generation of that electrojet.
The Incidence and Prevalence of Myoclonus in Olmsted County, Minnesota

Objective To study the incidence and prevalence of diagnosed myoclonus in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Little is known about the frequency and distribution of myoclonus in the general population. Design Descriptive study with case ascertainment through a records-linkage system. Patients and Methods We used a medical records-linkage system to identify all subjects whose records contained documentation of myoclonus or of diseases known to exhibit myoclonus. The records of all potential patients were reviewed by a neurologist, and only patients with pathologic and persistent myoclonus were included. Population denominators were derived from census data. Results The average annual incidence rate of pathologic and persistent myoclonus for 1976 through 1990 was 1.3 cases per 100,000 person – years. The rate increased with advancing age and was consistently higher in men. Symptomatic myoclonus was the most common type, followed by epileptic and essential myoclonus; dementing diseases were the most common cause of symptomatic myoclonus. The lifetime prevalence of myoclonus, as of January 1, 1990, was 8.6 cases per 100,000 population, and the prevalence increased with advancing age. Conclusion Although our figures are probably under-estimated, they are the first attempt, to our knowledge, to measure myoclonus morbidity in the general population. We found clinical features and age and sex distributions different from those previously described in clinical series.
Serous otitis media in children

Abstract Serous otitis media, an entity which has many names, is a disease of children which occurs during the same period of time that adenoid hypertrophy and allergic manifestations appear. Whether the cause of this disorder is obstructive, allergic, or infectious, the treatment is usually the same. A trial by conservative therapy should always be attempted, and if this does not succeed, ventilation tubes should be placed in the middle ear and kept there until eustachian tube patency is restored.
Limbic system dysfunction and inventoried psychopathology among incarcerated pedophiles

This study explored relationships between “highly probable” neuropathology in the limbic system (as gauged by clinically elevated scores on the Limbic System Check-list-33, or LSCL-33, a screening index for limbic system dysfunction developed by medical researchers at Harvard and Dartmouth) and inventoried psychopathology (as gauged through scores on the MMPI) among a group of adjudicated pedophiles incarcerated for treatment in a specialized prison for criminal sexual psychopaths in a mid-Atlantic state. Principal findings: Only 33 percent of this sample of incarcerated pedophiles exhibits scores on the LSCL-33 at a level high enough to warrant a medical conclusion of “probable” limbic system dysfunction. When scores on the MMPI are grouped according to critical values for clinically relevant scores on the LSCL-33, significant F ratios in one-way analyses of variance are observed on L, F, K, Hs, D, Hy, Pa, Pt, Sc, and Ma. Mean T scores for “probable” dysfunctionals simultaneously reach elevations at or above the threshold of clinical significance for Pd, Pa, and Sc. On that basis, the categorization psychopathic paranoid schizophrenia readily applies to limbic system dysfunctional child sexual abusers studied in this inquiry, but not to their nondysfunctional counterparts. But significant F ratios are observed neither for the age of the victim(s) in the instant offense(s), for the number of prior arrests for sex offenses, for the number of prior arrests for any and all felony offenses, including sex offenses, nor for the offender's current age. However, a stepwise multiple regression between gross number of prior arrests for any and all offenses (including sex offenses) as the most robust of the indices of past criminal activity and both LSCL-33 and MMPI scores across all offenders represented in this inquiry (i.e., the limbic system dysfunctional, the nondysfunctional, and a mid-range group) proceeds to four steps, achieving a multiple R of .575 and encompassing Pd, Mf, Pa, and LSCL-33 scores as the most efficient interactive post-dictive set. Stepwise multiple regression analyses of past arrest record computed independently for limbic system dysfunctionals and nondysfunctionals progresses among dysfunctionals to seven steps, achieving a multiple R of .867 and encompassing Pd, Hy, Ma, Mf, Si, Pa, and Sc scores as the most efficient interactive post-dictive set; and among nondysfunctionals, to six steps, achieving a multiple R of .797 and encompassing Mf, D, Pt, Hy, Pa, and over-controlled hostility scores as the most efficient interactive post-dictive set. The latter results are interpreted as suggesting that neuropathology and psychopathology interact with and potentiate each other in post-dicting criminal behavior among the pedophiles studied in this inquiry.
What would happen if large firms offered MSAs

ABSTRACT: This paper reports the results of a survey of more than 500 health benefit specialists about the advice they would give to mediumsize and large employers on offering a tax-advantaged medical savings account (MSA). About 42 percent of respondents would recommend an MSA combined with a catastrophic health plan, while a third would advise against such a plan. When presented with a specific example of an MSA package that would be attractive to a large fraction of workers, the percentage of benefit specialists favoring adding an MSA option rose to 74 percent. However, respondents generally did not believe that most workers would choose the MSA, especially if the alternative were a health maintenance organization (HMO).
Joint Monitoring of the Mean and Variance of Combined Control Charts with Estimated Parameters

Joint , two-sided (CUSUM, S2), and (EWMA, S2) control charts are numerically compared when (i) process parameters are known and (ii) process parameters are estimated from retrospective data. In both cases, equations for the conditional and unconditional run length distributions are developed, and expressions for the average run lengths (ARL), the second moment of the run length (SMRL), and the standard deviation of the run lengths (SDRL) are derived for these charts. In-control and out-of-control ARLs and SDRLs are tabulated and compared for a variety of design parameters for each chart. Numerical results and practical recommendations are given.
Using intact nerve to bridge peripheral nerve defects: An alternative to the use of nerve grafts ☆ ☆☆ ★

This preliminary study was conducted to determine whether a regenerating peripheral nerve in a rat model can use the epineurium of an intact nerve to bridge a nerve gap defect. To create the intact nerve bridge a 1-cm segment of the peroneal nerve is resected leaving a gap defect. The proximal and distal peroneal nerve stumps are sutured 1-cm apart, in an end-to-side fashion, to the epineurium of the intact tibial nerve. The following experimental groups were used (n = 12): group A, immediate primary repair of resected segment; group B, intact nerve bridge technique; group C, nerve autograft; and group D, gap in situ control. Evaluation 12 weeks after surgery included measurement of the tibialis anterior muscle contraction force, axonal counting, wet weight of the tibialis anterior muscle, and histologic examination. The results of this animal study support 3 main conclusions: regenerating axons can use the epineurium of an intact nerve to bridge a gap in nerve continuity; when using functional recovery to assess regeneration, there is no significant difference between standard nerve autografts and the intact nerve bridge technique; and based on histologic examination, the intact nerve bridge technique does not injure the intact tibial nerve used to bridge the gap defect. Taken together, the results of this preliminary animal study suggest that the intact nerve bridge technique may be a potential alternative to standard nerve autografts in appropriate circumstances. Further investigation in a higher animal model is warranted before considering clinical application of the intact nerve bridge technique.
Effect of relative humidity on fungal colonization of fiberglass insulation.

Abstract Fiberglass duct liners and fiberglass duct boards from eight buildings whose occupants complained of unacceptable or moldy odors in the air were found to be heavily colonized by fungi, particularly by Aspergillus versicolor. Unused fiberglass was found to be susceptible to fungal colonization in environmental chambers dependent upon relative humidity. No colonization was observed at relative humidities below 50%.
Visual attention and the apprehension of spatial relations: the case of depth.

Several studies have shown that targets defined on the basis of the spatial relations between objects yield highly inefficient visual search performance (e.g., Logan, 1994; Palmer, 1994), suggesting that the apprehension of spatial relations may require the selective allocation of attention within the scene. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that depth relations might be different in this regard and might support efficient visual search. This hypothesis was based, in part, on the fact that many perceptual organization processes that are believed to occur early and in parallel, such as figure-ground segregation and perceptual completion, seem to depend on the assignment of depth relations. Despite this, however, using increasingly salient cues to depth (Experiments 2–4) and including a separate test of the sufficiency of the most salient depth cue used (Experiment 5), no evidence was found to indicate that search for a target defined by depth relations is any different than search for a target defined by other types of spatial relations, with regard to efficiency of search. These findings are discussed within the context of the larger literature on early processing of three-dimensional characteristics of visual scenes.
An Alternate Approach to the Prediction of Polynomial Signals in Noise from Discrete Data

When the problem of predicting the past, present, or future value of a polynomial signal or any of its derivatives is considered, where the signal is in white Gaussian noise, the standard approach has been to minimize mean-square-error with constraints by use of Lagrange multipliers. In this paper an alternate approach is described, using results of Rao and Bhattacharyya from the statistical literature, which reduce the specified prediction problem to a simple one requiring no formal minimizations and no use of Lagrange multipliers. It further has the advantage of yielding the covariances between estimates of the polynomial and its derivates. Useful engineering formulas for smoothing and prediction are developed in the main part of the paper. These include both filter and covariance expressions. A tutorial discussion of the theory is given in two appendixes.
The structure of the Ekman layer for geostrophic flows with lateral shear

A generalized Ekman flow is obtained for the boundary layer of a semi-infinite, rotating homogeneous fluid with lateral variation in the horizontal velocity components far from the boundary surface. The fields of motion considered include uni-directional motion with lateral shear, symmetric and elongated eddies, and cols. A solution for the first of these cases is obtained to fifth order; for the others, to second order. In all cases the magnitude of the vertical velocities induced by convergence in the boundary layer is greater for systems with negative relative vorticity than for systems with positive relative vorticity. The result differs substantially from first-order theory, for which the magnitude of the vertical velocity is proportional to the relative vorticity. A number of meteorological applications are considered. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1964.tb00160.x
Asymmetric reproductive character displacement in male aggregation behaviour

Reproductive character displacement—the evolution of traits that minimize reproductive interactions between species—can promote striking divergence in male signals or female mate preferences between populations that do and do not occur with heterospecifics. However, reproductive character displacement can affect other aspects of mating behaviour. Indeed, avoidance of heterospecific interactions might contribute to spatial (or temporal) aggregation of conspecifics. We examined this possibility in two species of hybridizing spadefoot toad (genus Spea). We found that in Spea bombifrons sympatric males were more likely than allopatric males to associate with calling males. Moreover, contrary to allopatric males, sympatric S. bombifrons males preferentially associated with conspecific male calls. By contrast, Spea multiplicata showed no differences between sympatry and allopatry in likelihood to associate with calling males. Further, sympatric and allopatric males did not differ in preference for conspecifics. However, allopatric S. multiplicata were more variable than sympatric males in their responses. Thus, in S. multiplicata, character displacement may have refined pre-existing aggregation behaviour. Our results suggest that heterospecific interactions can foster aggregative behaviour that might ultimately contribute to clustering of conspecifics. Such clustering can generate spatial or temporal segregation of reproductive activities among species and ultimately promote reproductive isolation.
Cyclic AMP–Adenosine Pathway Inhibits Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Growth

In this study we determined whether cAMP is metabolized to adenosine in vascular smooth muscle cells and whether cAMP-derived adenosine modulates vascular smooth muscle cell growth. Confluent smooth muscle cells were exposed to cAMP (0.01 to 30 mumol/L) in the presence and absence of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX, 1 mmol/L; an inhibitor of both extracellular and intracellular phosphodiesterase), alpha, beta-methyleneadenosine 5'-diphosphate (AMP-CP, 100 mumol/L; an ecto-5'-nucleotidase inhibitor), and 1,3-dipropyl-8-p-sulfophenyl-xanthine (DPSPX, 100 mumol/L; a xanthine that can inhibit extracellular phosphodiesterase) for 0 to 60 minutes. Medium was then sampled and assayed for AMP, adenosine, and inosine. cAMP increased the amount of AMP, adenosine, and inosine in the medium in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The conversion of cAMP to adenosine and inosine was inhibited by blockade of phosphodiesterase with IBMX, of ecto-phosphodiesterase with DPSPX, and of ecto-5'-nucleotidase with AMP-CP. To evaluate the physiological relevance of cAMP-derived adenosine in vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, we studied the inhibitory effects of cAMP (10(-4) mol/L) and 8-bromo-cAMP (10(-4) mol/L) on fetal calf serum-induced DNA synthesis ([3H]thymidine incorporation) in the presence and absence of erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA, an inhibitor of adenosine deaminase), dipyridamole (a blocker of adenosine transport), KF17837 (a selective A2 adenosine receptor antagonist), and DPSPX (a nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist). cAMP inhibited DNA synthesis, and both EHNA and dipyridamole enhanced this effect. Both KF17837 and DPSPX significantly reduced the inhibitory effects of cAMP on DNA synthesis; however, they did not reduce the inhibitory effects of 8-bromo-cAMP on DNA synthesis. These results indicate that vascular smooth muscle cells metabolize cAMP to adenosine via the sequential action of ecto-phosphodiesterase and ecto-5'-nucleotidase and provide the first evidence that cAMP-derived adenosine can inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell growth. Hence, this cAMP-adenosine pathway may importantly contribute to the regulation of vascular biology.
Cutaneous sensory abnormalities in children and adolescents with complex regional pain syndromes.

Complex regional pain syndromes (CRPS) have been recognized with increasing frequency in children. These disorders appear to differ markedly from those observed in adults. The International Association for the Study of Pain diagnostic criteria for CRPS were developed based on adult studies; these criteria have not been validated for children. We performed standardized neurological examination and quantitative sensory testing (QST) in a group of pediatric patients to characterize features of sensory dysfunction. Forty-two patients, with unilateral lower extremity CRPS of a mean duration of the pain and symptoms of 12.6 months, who met IASP adult-based criteria for CRPS underwent standardized neurological examination and QST. QST parameters were compared to values previously derived from age- and sex-matched pediatric healthy controls. In most respects, QST parameters did not differ significantly between patients and the normal reference values except for cold and heat pain detection thresholds. Allodynia to cold and/or heat (P < 0.001) occurred in 21 patients. Cold allodynia was the most common QST abnormality in our patients. Twenty-six patients showed a combination of mechanical dynamic and static allodynia and allodynia to punctate temporal summation. There was a significant correlation between mechanical dynamic allodynia and allodynia to punctate temporal summation (P < 0.001). As with adult CRPS, the thermal and mechanical sensory abnormalities appear in different combinations in different patients with similar clinical presentations. In a majority of patients, the pathogenesis of pain is seemingly of central origin.
Optimal design of an integrated substrate based on the analysis of warpage and delamination propagation

A next-generation packaging concept, "System-On-Package (SOP)", is being developed at Georgia Tech. At the heart of the SOP is a fully integrated substrate with ultra high-density wiring, buried capacitor, inductor, resistor and optoelectronic layers on top of a base substrate. During fabrication as well as under working conditions, severe warpage and stresses could arise in the SOP substrate due to the temperature gradients and the CTE mismatch among its different constituent materials. For the SOP integrated substrate, five materials are being considered as the candidate material for the base substrate on which thin film layers will be sequentially processed. These candidate base substrate materials are glass-epoxy composites FR-4, Ceramic cloth/FR-4 resin (Ceramic/FR-4), Carbon cloth+Carbon filler/FR-4 resin (Carbon/FR-4), Carbon cloth/Cyanate easter resin (Carbon/Cyanate), and metal matrix composites AlSiC. In this study, the thermo-mechanical reliability of the SOP substrate with these five candidate base substrate materials is evaluated. The focus of the research is on the SOP substrate warpage and fatigue interlayer delamination propagation under thermal shock. It is found that the warpage is directly proportional to the thermal load. A comparison study of the substrate with and without a silicon flip-chip assembly is also conducted. The study shows that there will be no delamination propagation for the SOP substrate both with and without a flip-chip assembly, however, a potential fatigue crack growth exists for all the substrates under the thermal shock. A comparison study of the SOP substrate under the two thermal shocks of -550C to 1250C and of -450C to 1200C is also made. The analysis results in this work may be used in optimal design of the SOP substrate.
Complementary targeting of liposomes to IL-1α and TNF-α activated endothelial cells via the transient expression of VCAM1 and E-selectin

Inflammation is in part defined by the transient upregulation of cell adhesion molecules on the surface of endothelial cells (ECs) in response to cytokines. We hypothesized that liposomes with a complementary surface presentation of antibodies to the pattern of molecules on the EC surface may enhance targeting. We quantified the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM1) and endothelial leukocyte cell adhesion molecule-1 (E-selectin) on ECs upon exposure to either tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) or interleukin-1α (IL-1α) as a function of time. Liposomes, composed of 95 mol% dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and 5 mol% dodecanyl phosphatidylethanolamine (N-dod-PE), were prepared by conjugating different molar ratios of antibodies against VCAM1 (aVCAM1) and E-selectin (aE-selectin). Increased binding was observed when immunoliposomes complemented the presentation of VCAM1:E-selectin expressed on TNF-α activated ECs. The 1:1 aVCAM1:aE-selectin liposomes had maximal binding at both 6 and 24 h on IL-1α activated ECs due to differences in molecular organization. The results demonstrate that liposomes targeting to inflamed endothelium may be optimized by exploiting the dynamic expression of VCAM1 and E-selectin on the EC surface.