cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lyndon Baines Johnson and the uses of power

Introduction: LBJ, The Strength of a Giant by Tom Wicker The Great Society and War on Poverty Strategies for Governance: Domestic Policymaking in the Johnson Administration by Michael R. Reopel and Lance W. Bardsley Medicare: Hallmark of the Great Society by Sheri I. David Untangling the Mess: The Administrative Legacy of President Johnson by Marlan Blissett The War on Poverty: Two Decades Later by Attiat F. Ott and Paul Hughes-Cromwick Failure of Nerve: How the Liberals Killed Liberalism by Michael P. Riccards The Great Society Then and Now: A Panel Discussion Equal Justice and the Judiciary "To Write It in the Books of Law": President Lyndon B. Johnson and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by Robert D. Loevy Lyndon, La Raza, and the Paradox of Texas History by Julie Leininger Pycior LBJ and Supreme Court Politics in the Light of History by David M. O'Brien Abe Fortas: Presidential Adviser by Bruce Murphy Lyndon Johnson and the Civil Rights Revolution: A Panel Discussion Economic Policy LBJ, the Council of Economic Advisers, and the Burden of New Deal Liberalism by Donald K. Pickens Lyndon B. Johnson and the 1964-1968 Revenue Acts: Congressional Politics and "Fiscal Chickens Coming Home to Roost" by Phillip M. Simpson The Vietnam War and Inflation Revisited by Tom Riddell Lyndon Johnson and the Limits of American Resources by John E. Ullmann Foreign Policy and Diplomacy Senate Majority Leader Lyndon B. Johnson: The Formosa and Middle East Resolutions by Thomas M. Gaskin Lyndon Johnson as Diplomat in Chief by Elmer Plischke Vietnam The Johnson Presidency and Foreign Policy: The Unresolved Conflict between National Interest and Collective Security by Kenneth Thompson Tonkin Gulf Revisited: Vietnam, Military Mirage, and Political Reality in 1964 by William F. Levantrosser President-Press Interaction: Media Influence on the Johns Hopkins Address by Kathleen J. Turner "In What Direction Are We Going in Vietnam?": The U.S. Senate, Lyndon Johnson, and the Vietnam War, 1964-1965 by Philip J. Avillo, Jr. The Vietnam War in Perspective: A Panel Discussion Epilogue: Second Thoughts by Bill D. Moyers
Impact of common iliac nodal treatment on radiation outcomes in localized prostate cancer

Objectives The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 9413 trial has shown an improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) with external beam radiotherapy that included the pelvic nodes. In clinical practice, two pelvic field size designs are in use. We examined the effect of differences in the level of pelvic nodal coverage using three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy on biochemical failure-free survival (BFFS) and PFS in early-stage prostate cancer. Methods The patients were identified retrospectively who had undergone whole pelvis (WP) or minipelvis (MP) three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy. Biochemical failure was defined as the nadir prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level plus 2 ng/mL. Results Of the 669 patients identified, 384 had undergone MP (57%) and 285 WP (42%) treatment, with a median PSA follow-up of 56 months. Of the 669 patients, 11%, 35%, and 54% were at low, intermediate, and high risk, respectively. The median dose was 75 Gy for the MP and 71 Gy for the WP groups. Of the MP and WP groups, 52% and 36% underwent hormonal therapy. The median BFFS and 5-year BFFS rate was 128 months and 73% for the MP group and 96 months and 58% for the WP group. The median PFS and 5-year PFS rate was 128 months and 72% for the MP group and 83 months and 56% for the WP group. Multivariate analysis revealed no difference between MP and WP treatment. However T stage, pretreatment PSA level, and Gleason score were significant predictors of BFFS and PFS. Conclusions We observed no difference in outcomes between patients undergoing WP versus MP using three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy. Therefore, the exclusion of the common iliac lymph nodes in the treatment of patients with high-risk prostate cancer might be acceptable.
Non-iatrogenic pneumomediastinum in infancy and childhood.

This report reviews forty-one cases of non-iatrogenic pneumomediastinum in children beyond the neonatal period. In about one-third of the children, the adventitious air was associated with asthma. Respiratory infection, unrelated to asthma, was found to be of significance in about one-fourth of the remaining patients. Another twenty-five percent of the patients had a history of recent injury, which in the majority of instances was minor accidental neck trauma. Reported for the first time is the association of leukemia and adventitious air in the mediastinum. Hamman's sign was heard in only 10 percent of the patients and invariably led to a misdiagnosis of pericarditis since it was usually interpreted as a pericardial friction rub. In our experience the course was benign. Surgical drainage was unnecessary and effective treatment of the associated illness resulted in rapid clinical improvement within days, and radiologic evidence of resorption of the air usually within a week.
Effects of macromolecular polyanions on the solubility of deoxyhemoglobin S.

The effects of four macromolecular polyanions on the equilibrium solubility of deoxy-Hb S and oxygen affinity of Hb A were evaluated. The order of molar effectiveness as gelation inhibitors was: poly-L-aspartate approximately equal to heparin (high M.W.) greater than dextran sulfate greater than heparin (low M.W.). The linear solubility profiles for the two most potent polyanions (poly-L-aspartate and high M.W. heparin) were nearly identical and reached a plateau at roughly the same sub-stoichiometric molar ratio. By contrast, poly-L-lysine, a polycation, strongly promoted gelation, while its succinylated derivative promoted gelation only marginally, as did dextran, a neutral polysaccharide. Among the seven species examined, only the four polyanions affected oxygen affinity appreciably, demonstrating the polyanions exert their solubilizing and oxygen affinity lowering effects via specific interaction with the cluster of cationic groups at the 2,3-diphosphoglycerate binding site in the central cavity of deoxyhemoglobin.
Theoretical Studies of Biological Nitrogen Fixation. I. Density Functional Modeling of the Mo-Site of the FeMo-Cofactor

The Mo-site and its ligand environment of the FeMo-cofactor (FeMo-co) were studied using the hybrid density functional method B3LYP. The structure and stability of the model complex (S-ligand)3(N-ligand)Mo[(S)-OCH(CH3)C(O)O−] along with its various protonated and reduced/oxidized forms were calculated. Several hypotheses were tested: (i) ligand environment of the Mo-site, (ii) monodentate vs bidentate coordination of the Mo-bound homocitrate ligand, (iii) substrate coordination to the Mo center, and (iv) Mo-His interaction. It was found that the decoordination of one of the homocitrate (lactate in the model) “legs”, the bidentate → monodentate rearrangement, does not occur spontaneously upon either single/double protonation or one-electron reduction. However, it could occur only upon substrate coordination to the Mo-center of the single-protonated forms of the complex. It was shown that one-electron reduction, single-protonation, and substrate coordination facilitate the bidentate ↔ monodentate rearrange...
Light and nutrient limitation in Pinus monticola: Seedling susceptibility to Armillaria infection

Abstract Pinus monticola Dougl. seedlings were grown under eight light × nutrient treatments in a greenhouse for 5 months. One month after treatments began, seedlings were exposed to Armillaria; they were removed from their cells and inoculated by sandwiching the primary root between blocks of infected P. monticola. A small lateral root also was severed on each seedling. Seedlings grown with a complete nutrient supply and full light had significantly lower Armillaria infection rates than seedlings grown under light, nitrogen or phosphorus limitations and had significantly higher root, shoot, and total biomass and shoot: root ratios. However, root or shoot sugar or starch concentrations did not differ regardless of treatment. Seedlings given complete nutrient supply but limited light took up more Al, B, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, P, and Zn than those given complete nutrient supply and full light; those given complete nutrient supply and full light contained significantly lower concentrations of Cu, K, Mn, Mo, and P but higher concentrations of Al, B, and Fe than seedlings given nutrient-deficient treatments. In the greenhouse, resistance of Pinus monticola to Armillaria infection depends largely on adequate light and nutrient resources; thus, creating conditions that favor tree vigor could reduce incidence of Armillaria infection, especially where light is a limiting factor.
Polar Vortex Conditions During The 1995-96 Arctic Winter: MLS ClO and HNO3

Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) measurements of lower stratospheric ClO and HNO3 during the 1995-96 Arctic winter are presented. The 1995-96 Arctic winter was both colder and more persistently cold than usual, leading to an enhancement in lower stratospheric ClO of greater magnitude, vertical extent, and duration than previously observed in the Arctic. Vortex concentrations of HNO3 in mid-December were large due to diabatic descent. Trajectory calculations indicate that localized severe depletions of gas-phase HNO3 in mid-February and early March did not arise from entrainment of midlatitude air into the vortex and were therefore probably related to polar stratospheric cloud (PSC) formation. A strong correlation between temperature and gas-phase HNO3 was evident, consistent with recurring PSC condensation and evaporation cycles.
Incidence of hospitalization in patients with head and neck cancer treated with intensity‐modulated radiation therapy

Background Patients with primary head and neck cancer managed with radiation therapy (RT) +/- chemotherapy may experience significant treatment-related toxicities. We assessed hospitalization as a metric for severe treatment-related toxicities and evaluated patient and treatment factors for possible association. Methods A retrospective review was performed on 147 patients with head and neck cancer treated with definitive or adjuvant intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) +/- chemotherapy. Multiple Poisson regression model was used to analyze relationships between patient or treatment factors and number of hospital stays during RT and within 8 weeks after RT. Results Multivariate analysis showed preexisting diabetes or pulmonary disease, primary carcinoma of oral cavity, and prescribed radiation dose (p < .05) were associated with increased number of patient hospital stays during or shortly after RT. Conclusion We found that 34.7% of patients experienced a chemoradiation toxicity-related hospitalization during or shortly after treatment. Prior pulmonary disease, diabetes, and increasing prescribed radiation dose were associated with increased hospital stays. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 37: 1750–1755, 2015
Optimal visualization of five different stent layers during and after percutaneous coronary intervention for recurrent in-stent restenosis using optical coherence tomography (OCT)

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has gained increasing popularity in the recent years. In this case, we documented optimal visualization of four stent layers that were seen during percutaneous coronary intervention for recurrent in-stent restenosis. OCT was clearly able to penetrate all of the neointimal tissue layers extending through to the last stent, which was near the adventitia. Our case demonstrates the excellent utility of OCT for detail assessment of a lesion with multiple stents. To our knowledge, this case is the first case report that could demonstrate excellent visualization of 5 different stent layers using OCT, extending through the deepest stent layer near the adventitia.
Multilayered antimicrobial edible coating and its effect on quality and shelf-life of fresh-cut pineapple (Ananas comosus)

Abstract The effectiveness of a multilayered edible coating with a microencapsulated antimicrobial complex (beta-cyclodextrin and trans-cinnamaldehyde) in enhancing the quality and shelf-life of fresh-cut pineapple was assessed. Pineapples were washed, cleaned with a 300 mg/kg chlorine solution (1 min), and cut into triangular prisms. Treated fruits were coated using the layer-by-layer technique with a dipping method and stored in sealed Ziploc® containers for 15 days at 4 °C. Uncoated fruits served as controls. Shelf-life study consisted of evaluating color, texture, pH, °Brix, titratable acidity, vitamin C, moisture content, and weight loss every 3–4 days. Total aerobic plates, psychrotrophic, yeast and mold counts and sensory testing were also carried out. The encapsulated trans-cinnamaldehyde affected the fruit's flavor but application of the coating extended its shelf-life to 15 days at 4 °C by inhibiting (P
Evaluation of edge-preserving smoothing filters for digital image mapping

Abstract The digital orthophoto has the potential for becoming a standard source of high quality imagery for cartographic applications. With rectified, high resolution imagery available in digital form, a variety of image processing techniques can be applied to aid extraction of cartographic features. This paper describes research on one such type of processing, specifically a performance evaluation of six edge-preserving noise smoothing filters. This evaluation is the first to be performed in the context of cartographic feature extraction from digital imagery and to include a summary figure-of-merit calculated from measurements on the filtered digital imagery. The results suggest that the best compromise between smoothing and edge preservation is obtained with the combination of the sigma filter followed by the contrast-enhancing biased sigma filter, although this approach is computationally more expensive than most of the other filters.
Atmospheric bromine flux from the coastal Abu Dhabi sabkhat: A ground-water mass-balance investigation

[1] A solute mass-balance study of ground water of the 3000 km2 coastal sabkhat (salt flats) of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, documents an annual bromide loss of approximately 255 metric tons (0.0032 Gmoles), or 85 kg/km2. This value is an order of magnitude greater than previously published direct measurements from the atmosphere over an evaporative environment of a salar in Bolivia. Laboratory evidence, consistent with published reports, suggests that this loss is by vapor transport to the atmosphere. If this bromine flux to the atmosphere is representative of the total earth area of active salt flats then it is a significant, and generally under recognized, input to the global atmospheric bromide flux.
THE INSTRUCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE

Development of the IIQ began in 1969 with a review of the existing research literature and copies of many student rating forms used at universities throughout the United States. From this review, rating items were selected for inclusion in a local item pool, along with locally prepared items. The item pool was then reviewed by a committee composed of students, faculty, and measurement specialists. A trial form of the IIQ was used on a pilot basis in thirty courses in 1969, and students and faculty who participated in the pilot study were asked to react to the form. After reviewing student and faculty comments, a 72-item form of the IIQ was prepared and administered on a voluntary basis for one year. Subsequently, the IIQ was further revised and shortened to a 49-item form which has been in use for three years. In revising the IIQ three criteria were used to eliminate items. They were (a) time to complete the form, (b) item variability across courses, and (c) an item's relationship to factors derived from a factor analysis of the IIQ items. A section of forced choice items, modeled after the Purdue Instructor Performance Indicator (Snedeker & Remmers, 1960) was eliminated because the faculty felt the information took too long to collect. Four items were removed from the IIQ because the variability of responses across course means was too small. These same four items also possessed low loadings on factors derived from the IIQ items. The items retained in the IIQ possessed standard deviations across course means greater than .4 on a 5 point Likert scale. The IIQ now in use can be administered to a class of 30 students in approximately 10 minutes, and is composed of items that maximally differentiate among instructors. Participation in the IIQ evaluation at Southern Illinois University (SIU) is voluntary. Approximately 2,000 courses are evaluated annually with the IIQ, and this represents 40 percent of the courses taught at SIU in a year. Results from the IIQ are used in a number of ways for faculty development and faculty evaluation. IIQ results may be used by faculty as a measure of teaching effectiveness in their promotion and annual salary reviews. Students have used IIQ data to select instructors and courses. The campus Learning Resources Service uses IIQ data as one criterion when evaluating the effectiveness of the courses that they develop. In all cases, a faculty member's results are released only to individuals and agencies upon the written authorization of the instructor.
Adsorption of Hydrophobically Modified Polyelectrolytes on Hydrophobic Substrates

A series of diblock copolymers, poly (tert-butyl styrene)-sodium poly (styrene sulfonate) with different molecular weight and percentage of sulfonation have been used to study the effect of polymer structure on its adsorption behavior onto hydrophobically modified silicon wafers. The percentage of the hydrophobic block varies from 3. 6-8. 9%. Previous studies show that salt concentration is very important for the adsorption of such polyelectrolytes onto silica surfaces. Octadecyltriethoxysilane (OTE) has been used to modify the silicon wafer which changes the water contact angle from 50° on unmodified silica to 100° to 120°. On this hydrophobic surface, we found that the adsorption of these slightly hydrophobically modified polyelectrolytes is close to the 4/23rd power of salt concentration predicted by a recent model. The grafting density is also consistent with a dependence on the length of the hydrophobic block to the -12/23rd power, and the length of the polyelectrolyte block to the -6/23rd power, predicted by this model.
Intra- and interspecific chromosomal inversions in the Drosophila bipectinata species complex

Twenty autosomal inversions were detected in the polytene chromosomes of larvae obtained by hybridizing inversion-free strains of the species of the bipectinata complex (D. bipectinata, D. parabipectinata, D. malerkotliana and D. pseudoananassae). Twenty autosomal inversions are also known as extant polymorphisms in these species; fifteen (possibly sixteen) of these inversions are different from those detected in the interspecific hybrids. The available evidence permits reconstruction of chromosome phylogenies deriving malerkotliana, pseudoananassae and a population ancestral to both bipectinata and parabipectinata directly from a common ancestral population. The results of the study support the Carson hypothesis of transitional homoselection during the processes of speciation.
Real-time monitoring of enzymatic hydrolysis of galactomannans.

Enzymatic hydrolysis was monitored in real-time using time dependent static light scattering (TDSLS) for a variety of galactomannans from native Brazilian flora. α-Galactosidase, which strips only the (1–6)α-D galactose side groups, and β-mannanase, which hydrolyses only the (1–4)β-D mannan main chain into oligosaccharides were investigated separately and in combination. The time-dependent signatures matched those describing side-chain stripping for galactosidase, whereas those resulting from the action of mannanase followed the signature typical of random backbone cleavage. Use of both enzymes together required that the TDSLS theory of polymer degradation be extended to the case where random backbone cleavage sites appear as side chains are stripped by the first enzyme. Whereas galactosidase allowed mannanase to access more backbone cleavage sites as time passes, leading to a higher degree of hydrolysis, there was no increase in rate constants. The distribution of random fragments in the case of mannanase digestion alone followed reasonably well the predictions for random cleavage of a single-strand polymer with a restricted number of cleavage sites. The fragment distributions were evaluated by size exclusion chromatography. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biopolymers 59: 226–242, 2001
Optimization-based decoupling controller design for discrete systems

Decoupling has been studied as a means of improving control loop behavior in the presence of strong interactions, particularly in high-purity distillation. The design of optimal multivariable decoupling controllers is the main topic of this work. The stabilizing and decoupling controllers are described through the Youla parametrization and linear equalities. Then, for given time-domain performance envelopes, a numerical optimization method based on exact penalty functions and linear programming is presented that identifies the multivariable controller that decouples the closed loop and optimizes its performance. It is also shown that this approach can be extended to encompass traditional decoupling techniques based on (possibly low order) decouplers. Finally, the problem of decoupling is discussed in relation to simultaneous and decentralized multivariable control where it is demonstrated that approximate decoupling may be a necessary compromise when there are not enough degrees of freedom.
Antiviral therapy and primary and secondary prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma

Viral hepatitis due to chronic hepatitis B and C virus (HBV/HCV) infects more than 500 000 000 individuals worldwide. These chronic viral diseases are highly linked to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the fifth most common cause of cancer death worldwide. HCC is much more common in Asia and Africa than in the USA and Europe, although HCC is one of the few cancers with a rising incidence in the USA. There are 530 000 cases of HCC worldwide of which 82% are related to viral hepatitis. 316 000 cases of HCC are HBV-associated, 118 000 are HCV-associated. The most effective way to prevent HCC is to prevent viral infection through immunization. Currently there are effective vaccinesagainst hepatitis B and A, but not against HCV, the virus that accounts for most HCC in the USA. The published work supporting the use of antiviral therapy in preventing liver cancer is limited. Data supporting the use of antiviral therapy in preventing recurrence of HCC after initial anticancer approaches is even less available. Nevertheless, the weight of evidence suggests that treatment of HBV/HCV-related fibrosis will reduce the risk of developing HCC.
Children’s performance on ground rules questions: Implications for forensic interviewing.

Ground rules, also called interview instructions, are included in investigative interviews with children around the world. These rules aim to manage the expectations of children who are typically unaccustomed to being questioned by adults who are naive to the children's experiences. Although analog research has examined the efficacy of ground rules instruction, a systematic analysis of children's ability to respond appropriately to each of the rules has not been reported. In the current study, we scored the accuracy of children's (N = 501, 4 to 12 years) responses to 5 ground rules practice questions (e.g., "What is my dog's name?") and 2 questions that asked whether they would follow the rules, and then assigned inaccurate responses to 1 of several error categories. Few children answered every question correctly, but their performance on individual questions was encouraging. As expected, there were marked differences in children's understanding across ground rules questions (especially among the younger children), with "Don't guess" and "Tell the truth" rules being the easiest to comprehend. Together with evidence that ground rules instruction takes little time to deliver (typically 2 to 4 min) and is associated with improved accuracy in previous research, these findings support the use of ground rules in investigative interviews of children 4 years and older.
Very low food security predicts obesity predominantly in California Hispanic men and women.

Objective: A high prevalence of food insecurity has persisted in the USA for the past two decades. Previous studies suggest that the association between food insecurity and obesity may vary by gender and race/ethnicity. We examined whether food insecurity was associated with BMI and obesity within gender and racial/ethnic groups in a large, diverse sample of low-income adults. Design: A cross-sectional analysis of a large population-based health survey. We compared the distribution of BMI and obesity by food security levels within gender and racial/ethnic categories. Setting: Data were derived from the 2003–2009 waves of the California Health Interview Survey. Subjects: The study sample included 35 747 non-elderly adults with households #200 % of the federal poverty level. Results: Among Hispanic men, very low food security was associated with a 1?0 kg/m 2 higher BMI (95 % CI 0?3, 1?7 kg/m 2 ) and a 36 % higher prevalence of obesity (95 % CI 17, 58 %) after multivariate adjustment. Among Hispanic women, very low food security was associated with a 1?1 kg/m 2 higher BMI (95 % CI 0?4, 1?9 kg/m 2 ) and a 22 % higher prevalence of obesity (95 % CI 8, 38 %). Positive associations were also observed for Asian women and multi-racial men. No significant associations were observed for non-Hispanic whites, African Americans, Asian men or multi-racial women. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the association of food insecurity and obesity is limited to individuals of certain low-income, minority racial/ethnic groups. Whether targeted interventions to address food insecurity in these individuals may also decrease obesity risk deserves further investigation.
A super dark material: randomness and porosity in a nanostructure

In this paper, we report the realization of a low-density vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VA-CNT) array and show that it can have an ultra-low total reflectance due to its nanoscale surface roughness and low index of refraction as recently predicted by theories. Our VA-CNT arrays have a total reflectance R=0.1%, which is 60%-80% lower than the previously reported lowest value, making it the best candidate for an ideal, all-angle, all-wavelength optical absorber.
The 23‐, 46‐, and 92‐year cycles in solar and terrestrial phenomena

The variation of the solar constant of radiation discloses at least 12 periodicities which are approximately aliquot parts of 23 years. There is also the 23-year cycle in sunspot-numbers and in solar magnetic conditions. The cycle of 23 years was also noted by Wild in his discussion of the temperature-departures of St. Petersburg, and both 23- and 46-year cycles therein were illustrated. Whipple has referred to the 23-year cycle in the temperature-departures of Adelaide. The author finds not only this cycle but the subordinate solar cycles in both temperature and precipitation in Helsingfors, Berlin, Copenhagen, Greenwich, Capetown, and Adelaide.
Quasi-Mixed-Order Prism Basis Functions for Nyström-Based Volume Integral Equations

Quasi-mixed order prism basis functions for use in Nystrom discretizations of volume integral equations are presented. The prism basis function set is easily mixed with other basis function sets such as those defined on hexahedra and tetrahedra. The prism basis functions are applied to solve a magnetostatic volume integral equation for the analysis of magnetic materials. Analytic results for canonical problems are used to corroborate the basis function set and convergence and error data are discussed.
Simultaneous measurement of serotonin and paroxetine in rat brain microdialysate by a single-pump column-switching technique

Simultaneous quantitation of paroxetine and serotonin in rat brain microdialysate is presented as a means to study the neuropharmacokinetics and neuropharmacodynamics of paroxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. In order to achieve this objective, a single-pump column-switching technique was developed. Optimization of the mobile phase in terms of the concentration of ion-pairing agent, pH of mobile phase, temperature of the stationary phase and concentration of organic modifier was investigated and a single mobile phase was developed for both separations. The design was such that the switching valve employed column I (50 mm length) and column II (250 mm length) in series in position A. At 15.3 min, the valve was switched to position B, in which the flow of the mobile phase was directed only through the short column (column I). A flow gradient program was used to increase the flow-rate from 0.125 ml/min to 0.4 ml/min, which enabled a reduction in total analysis time to less than 20 min. The limits of detection for serotonin and paroxetine were 6 fmol and 300 fmol, respectively. The accuracy of the method demonstrated percent differences from spiked samples that were within 12.5% and the precision was found to be within 10% R.S.D.
Inference of temperatures of cold crystalline clusters from lattice constants via Grüneisen's relation. An electron diffraction study

Abstract A procedure to derive the temperatures of crystalline clusters generated by condensation of vapor in supersonic flow has been developed. It is based on a construction of the nonlinear temperature dependence of unit cell volumes (seldom known) from the temperature dependence of heat capacities (frequently available). The method has been found to apply to a number of atomic, ionic, metallic, and molecular crystals. It is not valid for solids exhibiting an appreciably negative coefficient of thermal expansion, e.g. silicon. Lattice constants of orthorhombic clusters of TeF 6 , MoF 6 , and WF 6 in an evaporative ensemble were determined by electron diffraction. Temperatures of the clusters deduced from the corresponding cell volumes were 125, 159, and 163 K, respectively, with uncertainties of about 10 K arising from the imprecision of the experimental cell constants. Errors resulting from the method itself are unknown but derived temperatures deviated in the mean by only about 10° from evaporative cooling temperatures inferred with the aid of commonly applied rules of thumb.
Numerical Hartree-Fock and MCSCF calculations on diatomic copper: calibration of basis sets

NHF and NMCSCF results for Cu2 are compared with calculations employing basis set expansions. We find that nearly all previous SCF calculations using Gaussian basis sets have underestimated the bond length by about the same amount (0.03 A) as that attributed to the unlinked cluster and relativistic corrections. The error is shown to be due to deficiencies in the 3d primitive set which yield sizable basis set superposition errors.
Agent-Based Modeling: Approach for Improving Infrastructure Management

Despite purported increases in infrastructure investment and widespread adoption of new technologies and management systems to support efficient and effective decision making, studies continue to document the poor condition of civil infrastructure in the United States. This paper presents agent-based modeling as a paradigm to improve infrastructure decision making. Agent-based modeling, an approach to modeling complex systems, has been used in the life sciences and economics to capture the interactions between and among decision makers and their environment. This paper reviews infrastructure management and agent-based modeling concepts, and explores anecdotal evidence and simulation models to make a case for further application of agent-based models to infrastructure management.
Association of the Metabolic Syndrome With Atrial Fibrillation Among United States Adults (from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke [REGARDS] Study)

Metabolic syndrome (MS) and atrial fibrillation (AF) are associated with increased cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality. This analysis evaluated the association between MS and AF in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. MS was defined using criteria recommended in the joint interim statement from several international societies. AF was defined by electrocardiogram (ECG) and/or self-report and by ECG alone. In patients with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 MS components, prevalences of AF by ECG and/or self-report were 5.5%, 7.7%, 8.2%, 9.2%, 9.6%, and 11.5%, respectively (p for trend <0.001). After multivariable adjustment, each MS component except serum triglycerides was significantly associated with AF. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratio for AF, defined by ECG and/or or self-reported history, comparing those with to those without MS was 1.20 (95% confidence interval 1.10 to 1.29). Results were consistent when AF was defined by ECG alone (odds ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 0.92 to 1.39). In conclusion, MS is associated with an increased prevalence of AF. Further studies investigating a potential mechanism for this excess risk are warranted.
Insights gained from three-dimensional imaging modalities for closure of ventricular septal defects.

Ventricular septal defects (VSDs) are the commonest group of congenital heart lesions, accounting for ≈30% of congenital heart defects in liveborn infants.1 Defects in the ventricular septum are classified according to their position when the ventricular septum is viewed from the right ventricle and these may vary in their location, size, and number.2,3 VSDs can occur as isolated lesions or as part of more complex disease, for example, transposition of the great arteries or double outlet right ventricle, where the location and size of such defects assume great importance in planning the optimal mode of surgical repair.4 In most cases, surgical closure remains the mainstay treatment for VSDs, but selected lesions may be amenable to catheter closure.5,6 Cross-sectional echocardiography is the most commonly used noninvasive diagnostic method to delineate the position of a VSD before surgery.7 Multiple sonographic cuts and cross-sectional sweeps of the region of interest are used to build a virtual reconstruction of the three-dimensional (3D) anatomy in the mind of the echocardiographer. However, for the surgeon who deals solely with 3D images there can remain an element of uncertainty when called to operate on the patient. The number, size, location of VSDs, and their relationship to adjacent structures are central for selecting whether the defects might be best closed via the tricuspid valve, via the semilunar valves, or via a ventriculotomy or whether these might not be readily approachable and a palliative pulmonary artery banding is desirable.8,9 In this review, we present key 3D echocardiographic projections and examples of different types of VSDs where the images have a direct effect on the approach taken to VSD closure. Comparison of 3D echocardiography (3DE) with other 3D imaging modalities is also described. Images are presented in an …
An Optimal Approximate Dynamic Programming Algorithm for the Lagged Asset Acquisition Problem

We consider a multistage asset acquisition problem where assets are purchased now, at a price that varies randomly over time, to be used to satisfy a random demand at a particular point in time in the future. We provide a rare proof of convergence for an approximate dynamic programming algorithm using pure exploitation, where the states we visit depend on the decisions produced by solving the approximate problem. The resulting algorithm does not require knowing the probability distribution of prices or demands, nor does it require any assumptions about its functional form. The algorithm and its proof rely on the fact that the true value function is a family of piecewise linear concave functions.
An isoelectrofocusing study of rabbit pyruvate kinases

Abstract 1. 1. Extracts of rabbit thigh muscle, liver, kidney cortex and spleen were subjected to isoelectrofocusing. In some cases isolated activity peaks were refocused. 2. 2. Evidence for six variant forms of the K-isozyme were obtained. They had pI values of ~5.4, ~ 5.9, 7.0, 7.4, 8.3 and 8.8. Evidence was also obtained for the existence of two L-isozyme variants with pI values of 4.7 and 5.0. The M-isozyme had a pI value of 8.9. 3. 3. These data were compared to isoelectrofocusing data obtained for other vertebrate species. The pleomorphism of the K and L-isozymes appears to be the rule.
HEALTHY EATING: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ADOLESCENTS?

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the meanings of “healthy” and “unhealthy” eating and the importance of healthy eating among adolescents. Design Twenty-five structured focus groups were conducted. Subjects These focus groups consisted of 203 adolescent girls and boys enrolled in three senior high schools and one junior high school. Variables Measured The variables measured were adolescents' self-report of perceptions of healthy and unhealthy eating and their descriptions of the importance of healthy eating to adolescents. Analysis Data analysis was done by general content coding and specific content coding. Results Adolescents have a significant amount of knowledge regarding healthy foods and believe that healthy eating involves moderation, balance, and variety. Despite this knowledge, they find it difficult to follow healthy eating recommendations and frequently consume foods that they perceive as unhealthy. Barriers to healthy eating include a lack of time, limited availability of healthy foods in schools, and a general lack of concern regarding following healthy eating recommendations. Implications These findings suggest that healthy eating messages based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are reaching adolescents, but interventions are needed that assist adolescents with the translation of this knowledge into healthy behaviors. Interventions should help make healthy eating easy for youth to apply and explain the consequences of unhealthy eating in terms that they value, stressing meaningful short-term benefits.
Mean life of the 2p21D2 level in O V

Abstract The mean life of the 2p21D2 level in O V has been measured by the beam-foil technique. The value is 1.36 ± 0.01 × 10−9 sec.
Positionality and pornography

As pornography continues to open up as a valued field of academic inquiry, consideration should be given to the researchers’ position, both within the field and within the academy, and how these two positions influence knowledge production. The study of pornography, as a stigmatized subject, has an impact on who can write about it, what they can write, and where that writing is published. How this impacts what we know about pornography, how we can overcome these barriers, and larger questions about positionality in the academy and the field are discussed.
Cerebral volume loss, cognitive deficit and neuropsychological performance: Comparative measures of brain atrophy: I. Dementia

There are several magnetic resonance (MR) imaging methods to measure brain volume and cerebral atrophy; however, the best measure for examining potential relationships between such measures and neuropsychological performance has not been established. Relationships between seven measures of MR derived brain volume or indices of atrophy and neuropsychological performance in the elderly subjects of the population-based Cache County, Utah Study of Aging and Memory (n = 195) were evaluated. The seven MR measures included uncorrected total brain volume (TBV), TBV corrected by total intracranial volume (TICV), TBV corrected by the ratio of the individuals TICV by group TICV (TBVC), a ventricle-to-brain ratio (VBR), total ventricular volume (TVV), TVV corrected by TICV, and a measure of parenchymal volume loss. The cases from the Cache County Study were comprised of elderly individuals classified into one of four subject groups based on a consensus diagnostic process, independent of quantitative MR imaging findings. The groups included subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD, n = 85), no dementia but mild/ambiguous (M/A) deficits (n = 30), a group of subjects with non-AD dementia or neuropsychiatric disorder including vascular dementia (n = 60), and control subjects (n = 20). Neuropsychological performance was based on the Mini-Mental Status Exam (MMSE) and an expanded neuropsychological test battery (consortium to establish a registry for Alzheimer's disease (CERAD). The results demonstrated that the various quantitative MR measures were highly interrelated and no single measure was statistically superior. However, TBVC, TBV/TICV and VBR consistently exhibited the more robust relationships with neuropsychological performance. These results suggest that a single corrected brain volume measure or index is sufficient in studies examining global MR indicators of cerebral atrophy in relation to cognitive function and recommends use of either TBVC, TBV/TICV, or VBR.
Complex self-consistent-field and configuration-interaction studies of the lowest /sup 2/P resonance state of Be/sup -/

The position and width of the lowest /sup 2/P resonance in electron-beryllium scattering are computed directly in configuration-interaction calculations with the use of the method of complex basis functions. These calculations make use of a reference wave function from a complex self-consistent-field calculation on Be/sup -/ with the use of complex Slater basis functions. The most extensive calculation performed includes 745 single, double, and triple excitations from the reference configuration and yields values for the position and width of 0.323 and 0.296 eV, respectively. Comparison is made with previous theoretical determinations. No experimental values are currently available.
Benefit and risks of local anesthetics in infants and children.

Regional anesthesia has become a routine part of the practice of anesthesiology in infants and children. Local anesthetic toxicity is extremely rare in infants and children; however, seizures, dysrhythmias, cardiovascular collapse, and transient neuropathic symptoms have been reported. Infants and children may be at increased risk from local anesthetics compared with adults. Larger volumes of local anesthetics are used for epidural anesthesia in infants and children than in adults. Metabolism and elimination of local anesthetics can be delayed in neonates, who also have decreased plasma concentrations of α1-acid glycoprotein, leading to increased concentrations of unbound bupivacaine. Most regional anesthetic procedures in infants and children are performed with the patient heavily sedated or anesthetized; because of this, and because a test dose is not a particularly sensitive marker of intravenous injection in the anesthetized patient, detection of intravascular local anesthetic injection is extremely difficult. The same local anesthetics used in adult anesthetic practice are also used in infants and children. Because of its extremely short duration of action, chloroprocaine has been used primarily for continuous epidural techniques in infants and children. The use of tetracaine has generally been limited to spinal and topical anesthesia. Lidocaine (lignocaine) has been used extensively in infants and children for topical, regional, plexus, epidural and spinal anesthesia. The association between prilocaine and methemoglobinemia has generally restricted prilocaine use in infants and children to the eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA). Because of its greater degree of motor block compared with other long-acting local anesthetics, etidocaine has generally been limited to plexus blocks in infants and children. Mepivacaine has been used for both plexus and epidural anesthesia in infants and children. Because postoperative analgesia is often the primary justification for regional anesthesia in infants and children, bupivacaine, a long-acting local anesthetic, is the most commonly reported local anesthetic for pediatric regional anesthesia. Given the lower toxic threshold of bupivacaine compared with other local anesthetics, the risk-benefit ratio of bupivacaine may be greater than that of other local anesthetics. Two new enantiomerically pure local anesthetics, ropivacaine and levobupivacaine, offer clinical profiles comparable to that of bupivacaine but without its lower toxic threshold. The extreme rarity of major toxicity from local anesthetics suggests that widespread replacement of bupivacaine with ropivacaine or levobupivacaine is probably not necessary. However, there are clinical situations, including prolonged local anesthetic infusions, use in neonates, impaired hepatic metabolic function, and anesthetic techniques requiring a large mass of local anesthetic, where replacement of bupivacaine with ropivacaine, levobupivacaine or (for continuous techniques) chloroprocaine appears prudent.
Collectivity in 44S

Abstract The energy and reduced transition probability B(E2; 0g.s.+ → 2+) for the lowest excited state in the neutron-rich isotope 1644S28 were measured by intermediate-energy Coulomb excitation. The excitation energy is E(2+) = 1297(18) keV and the reduced transition probability is B(E2; 0g.s.+ → 21+) = 314(88) e2fm4. The experimental results are compared with self-consistent mean-field calculations and shell model calculations with empirical interactions. The shell model calculations indicate that the large B(E2) value in 44S is vibrational in origin, while the neighboring isotopes 40,42S are statically deformed.
Transfection of HepG2 cells with hGSTA4 provides protection against 4-hydroxynonenal-mediated oxidative injury.

Abstract 4-Hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) is a mutagenic α,β-unsaturated aldehyde produced during oxidative injury that is conjugated by several glutathione S -transferase (GST) isoforms. The alpha class human GSTA4-4 enzyme (hGSTA4-4) has a particularly high catalytic efficiency toward 4-HNE conjugation. However, hGST4-4 expression is low in most human cells and there are other aldehyde metabolizing enzymes that detoxify 4-HNE. In the current study, we determined the effect of over-expression of hGSTA4 mRNA on the sensitivity of HepG2 cells to 4-HNE injury. HepG2 cells transfected with an hGSTA4 vector construct exhibited high steady-state hGSTA4 mRNA, high GST–4-HNE catalytic activities, but lower basal glutathione (GSH) concentrations relative to insert-free vector (control) cells. Exposure to 4-HNE elicited an increase in GSH concentrations in the control and hGSTA4 cells, although the dose-response of GSH induction differed among the two cell types. Specifically, hGSTA4 cells had significantly higher GSH concentrations when exposed to 5–15 μM 4-HNE, but not at 20 μM 4-HNE, suggesting extensive GSH utilization at high concentrations of 4-HNE. The hGSTA4 cells exhibited a significant growth advantage relative to control cells in the absence of 4-HNE, and a trend towards increased growth at low dose exposures to 4-HNE. However, the hGSTA4 cells did not exhibit a growth advantage relative to control cells at higher 4-HNE exposures associated with increased GSH utilization. As expected, the hGSTA4 cells showed resistance to 4-HNE stimulated lipid peroxidation at all 4-HNE doses. In summary, our data indicates that over-expression of hGSTA4 at levels conferring high GST–4-HNE conjugating activity confers a partial growth advantage to HepG2 cells and protects against 4-HNE oxidative injury. However, the loss of proliferative capacity of hGSTA4 cells challenged with levels of 4-HNE associated with severe oxidative stress indicates a role of other aldehyde metabolizing enzymes, and/or GSH–electrophile transporter proteins, in providing full cellular protection against 4-HNE toxicity.
Foreign-exchange distribution in Yugoslavia's new planning system: An input-output approach☆

Abstract Under the new planning system in Yugoslavia, the foreign-exchange earnings of the final exporter should be shared by all the producing units that contributed to the production of the exported goods or services. A method of calculating the contributions of the various producing sectors to a country's exports is developed. This method makes use of the value-added/gross-output ratios of individual sectors and the Leontief inverse matrix. The analysis is extended to an examination of the balance-of-trade effects of exports.