cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nucleated red blood cells as a biomarker for mortality in neonates following cardiac surgery.

INTRODUCTION Nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) are immature red cells that under normal conditions are not present in the peripheral circulation. Several studies have suggested an association between elevated NRBC and poor outcome in critically ill adults and neonates. We sought to determine if elevations in NRBC value following cardiac surgery and following clinical events during the hospital stay can be used as a biomarker to monitor for mortality risk in neonates post-cardiac surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS We constructed a retrospective study of 264 neonates who underwent cardiac surgery at Children's Hospital, New Orleans between 2011 and 2020. Variables included mortality and NRBC value were recorded following cardiac surgery and following peri-operative clinical events. The study was approved by LSU Health IRB. Sensitivity, specificity, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves with area under the curve (AUC) and logistic regression analysis were performed. RESULTS Thirty-six patients (13.6%) died, of which 32 had an NRBC value ≥10/100 white blood cell (WBC) during hospitalisation. Multi-variable analysis found extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use (OR 10, 95% CI 2.9-33, p=<0.001), NRBC ≥10/100 WBC (OR 16.1, CI 4.1-62.5, p ≤ 0.001) and peak NRBC in the 14-day period post-cardiac surgery (continuous variable, OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.0-1.09, p = 0.03), to be independently associated with mortality. Using a cut-off NRBC value of 10/100 WBC, there was an 88.9% sensitivity and a 90.8% specificity, with ROC curve showing an AUC of 0.9 and 0.914 for peak NRBC value in 14 days post-surgery and entire hospitalisation, respectively. CONCLUSIONS NRBC ≥10/100 WBC post-cardiac surgery is strongly associated with mortality. Additionally, NRBC trend appears to show promise as an accurate biomarker for mortality.
Differences in prostate cancer genomes by self-reported race: Contributions of genetic ancestry, modifiable cancer risk factors, and clinical factors

Purpose Black men die from prostate cancer twice as often as White men, a disparity likely due to inherited genetics, modifiable cancer risk factors, and healthcare access. It is incompletely understood how and why tumor genomes differ by self-reported race and genetic ancestry. Methods Among 2,069 men with prostate cancer (1,841 self-reported White, 63 Asian, 165 Black) with access to clinical-grade sequencing at the same cancer center, prevalence of tumor and germline alterations was assessed in cancer driver genes reported to have different alteration prevalence by race. Results Clinical characteristics such as prostate-specific antigen and age at diagnosis as well as cancer stage at sample procurement differed by self-reported race. However, most genomic differences persisted when adjusting for clinical characteristics. Tumors from Black men harbored fewer PTEN mutations and more AR alterations than those from White men. Tumors from Asian men had more FOXA1 mutations and more ZFHX3 alterations than White men. Despite fewer TP53 mutations, tumors from Black men had more aneuploidy, particularly chromosome arm 8q gains, an adverse prognostic factor. Genetic ancestry was associated with similar tumor alterations as self-reported race, but also with modifiable cancer risk factors. Community-level average income was associated with chr8q gains after adjusting for race and ancestry. Conclusions Tumor genomics differed by race even after accounting for clinical characteristics. Equalizing access to care may not fully eliminate such differences. Therapies for alterations more common in racial minorities are needed. Tumor genomic differences should not be assumed to be entirely due to germline genetics.
Spectral Clustering of Graphs with General Degrees in the Extended Planted Partition Model

In this paper, we examine a spectral clustering algorithm for similarity graphs drawn from a simple random graph model, where nodes are allowed to have varying degrees, and we provide theoretical bounds on its performance. The random graph model we study is the Extended Planted Partition (EPP) model, a variant of the classical planted partition model. The standard approach to spectral clustering of graphs is to compute the bottom k singular vectors or eigenvectors of a suitable graph Laplacian, project the nodes of the graph onto these vectors, and then use an iterative clustering algorithm on the projected nodes. However a challenge with applying this approach to graphs generated from the EPP model is that unnormalized Laplacians do not work, and normalized Laplacians do not concentrate well when the graph has a number of low degree nodes. We resolve this issue by introducing the notion of a degree-corrected graph Laplacian. For graphs with many low degree nodes, degree correction has a regularizing eect on the Laplacian. Our spectral clustering algorithm projects the nodes in the graph onto the bottom k right singular vectors of the degree-corrected random-walk Laplacian, and clusters the nodes in this subspace. We show guarantees on the performance of this algorithm, demonstrating that it outputs the correct partition under a wide range of parameter values. Unlike some previous work, our algorithm does not require access to any generative parameters of the model.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and Its Metabolic Complications

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex disorder with multiple potential etiologies and variable clinical presentations whose pathogenesis remains poorly understood. PCOS is characterized by clinical and/or biochemical hyperandrogenism and chronic anovulation. This syndrome is also associated with insulin resistance, obesity, increased risk of diabetes mellitus and, possibly, cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Altered Basement Membrane Synthesis in the Testis After Tissue Injury

The basement membrane plays an important role in maintaining the structural and functional integrity of tissues. Altered basement membrane structure has been associated with severe functional impairment of the testis in several conditions, including vasectomy, autoimmune orchitis, cryptorchidism, and following x-irradiation. We have used efferent duct ligation as a model to examine seminiferous tubular basement membrane morphology, synthesis, and gene expression to determine whether altered basement membrane synthesis is responsible for the aberrant structures noted after tissue injury. On days 2 and 3 after ligation, both the seminiferous epithelium and the basement membrane appeared normal, but 7 days after ligation, the seminiferous epithelium began to degenerate. The basement membrane appeared detached from the epithelium, and redundant patches of basement membrane were observed adjacent to the Sertoli cells at 14 and 21 days postligation. Immunoprecipitation indicated an increase in laminin protein synthesis in the ligated tubules at the same time. Northern blot analysis showed increases in transcript levels for laminin as well as collagen IV and heparan sulfate proteoglycan. These data show that new protein synthesis is responsible, at least in part, for the duplication of the basement membrane coincident with the tissue damage caused by efferent duct ligation.
Patterns of Genetic Diversity and Its Loss in Mammalian Populations

Policy aimed at conserving biodiversity has focused on species diversity. Loss of genetic diversity, however, can affect population persistence, evolutionary potential, and individual fitness. Although mammals are a well-studied taxonomic group, a comprehensive assessment of mammalian genetic diversity based on modern molecular markers is lacking. We examined published microsatellite data from populations of 108 mammalian species to evaluate background patterns of genetic variability across taxa and body masses. We tested for loss of genetic diversity at the population level by asking whether populations that experienced de- mographic threats exhibited lower levels of genetic diversity. We also evaluated the effect of ascertainment bias (a reduction in variability when microsatellite primers are transferred across species) on our assessment of genetic diversity. Heterozygosity did not vary with body mass across species ranging in size from shrews to whales. Differences across taxonomic groupings were noted at the highest level, between populations of mar- supial and placental mammals. We documented consistently lower heterozygosity, however, in populations that had experienced demographic threats across a wide range of mammalian species. We also documented a significant (p = 0.01) reduction in heterozygosity as a result of ascertainment bias. Our results suggest that populations of both rare and common mammals are currently losing genetic diversity and that conservation efforts focused above the population level may fail to protect the breadth of persisting genetic diversity. Con- servation policy makers may need to focus their efforts below the species level to stem further losses of genetic resources.
Centralized power gating technique for embedded systems

Embedded systems need to save as much energy as possible in order to prolong the battery life. Many applications only require the use of the system for a brief period of time followed by a long stand-by phase. Static currents in digital systems can drag large amounts of charge, particularly at high temperatures. Power gating has been used to reduce the impact of these currents but it is difficult to include it in the digital design flow. This paper presents a method of implementing power gating that does not require special digital cells, it is easy to size and includes soft start and monitor functions.
Hydrogen Recycling by Rhizobium leguminosarum Isolates and Growth and Nitrogen Contents of Pea Plants (Pisum sativum L.).

The ability to recycle H2 evolved by nitrogenase is thought to be of importance in increasing the efficiency of N2 fixation and to be a factor in increasing plant yield in symbiotic systems. To determine whether this ability is a significant factor in the Rhizobium leguminosarum-Pisum sativum L. system, plants were inoculated with R. leguminosarum isolates which differed in their ability to oxidize H2 and in their relative efficiency of N2 fixation. These plants were grown at three levels of irradiance and harvested after 3, 4, and 5 weeks of growth for determination of C2H2 reduction, H2 evolution and uptake, plant dry weight, and N content. Plants inoculated with uptake hydrogenase-positive (Hup+) isolates did not exhibit higher dry weight or N content than those inoculated with Hup− isolates under any of the growth conditions studied. The efficiency of the nitrogenase system of Hup− isolates increased at a low irradiance, a factor which may allow them to compete successfully with Hup+ isolates. In some Hup+R. leguminosarum isolates, H2 oxidation is coupled to ATP formation, whereas in others, it is not. There were no differences in plant dry weight and N content in plants inoculated with the two types and grown for 5 weeks at three irradiance levels. The addition of H2 to Hup+ nodules whose supply of photosynthate had been removed by stem excision did not increase C2H2 reduction in either coupled or uncoupled types.
Judging Darwin: Understanding the New Distributive Model of Evolution Instruction

The debate over teaching evolution in public school science classes is changing rapidly. States have recently adopted new anti-evolution policy measures that represent a significant departure from previous efforts to curtail the teaching of evolution. These new measures employ what I describe in this Article as the “distributive model” of evolution education. The distributive model shuns legislative or regulatory prescriptions in favor of higher-order policy statements encouraging educators to promote critical thinking about scientific questions, including evolution. These policy statements empower individual educators to judge for themselves how best to engage in a critical review of evolution on a case-by-case basis. The emergence of the distributive model is critical to the future of evolution instruction because it portends a paradigmatic shift in the way we view evolution education policy. Prior to the introduction of the distributive model, courts consistently invalidated efforts to curtail evolution instruction under the Establishment Clause. This Article identifies the emergence of the distributive model and argues for a brand new way of looking at evolution instruction policy through the lens of administrative, rather than merely First Amendment, law. This new perspective is important because it offers a more holistic view of the distributive model’s highly dynamic policy environment than that provided by the Establishment Clause. More specifically, viewing the distributive model in accord with principles of administrative law reveals a number of significant political and legal issues independent from, and potentially preclusive of, Establishment Clause analysis.
Persistent Rocking Motion of Microparticles Under Acoustic Tone-Burst Base Excitation

Abstract In this work the rocking vibrational response of individual micro-spherical toner particles under a noncontact tone-burst (gated-harmonic) excitation was studied. An unexpected ringing motion which persisted for long periods of time with minimal damping was observed and reported. It was observed that a weak bond, as a result of suspected pure intermolecular (van der Waals) interactions, led to detectable natural frequencies and persistent rocking motion (ringing) observed while the response of a particle with a stronger bond followed closely the substrate surface motion without a relative vibrating motion. For toner particles with a mean diameter of 8.9 μm, a beat phenomenon vibrational behavior was also observed and reported at the tone-burst central frequency of 500 kHz, which was very close to the most dominant observed natural frequency of the particle’s rocking motion of 501.5 kHz. Strong natural frequencies of the rocking motion were observed in three groups lying in the range of 450–525 kH...
Demo abstract: Synthesis of platform-aware attack-resilient vehicular systems

Over the past decade, the design process in the automotive industry has gone through a period of significant changes. Modern vehicles present a complex interaction of a large number of embedded Electronic Control Units (ECUs), interacting with each other over different types of networks. Furthermore, there is a current shift in vehicle architectures, from isolated control systems to more open automotive architectures with new services such as vehicle-tovehicle communication, and remote diagnostics and code updates. However, this increasing set of functionalities, network interoperability, and complexity of the system design may introduce security vulnerabilities that are easily exploitable. Typically, modern vehicular control systems are not built with security in mind. As shown in [1], attackers can easily disrupt the operation of a car to either disable the vehicle or hijack it, giving the attacker a large control capability over the system. This problem is even more emphasized with the rise of vehicle autonomy; hence, criticality analysis for automotive components must be completely re-done. To address these issues, we have introduced a design framework for development of high-confidence vehicular control systems that can be used in adversarial environments. The framework employs control system design techniques (control-level defenses) that guarantee that the vehicle will maintain control, possibly at a reduced efficiency, under a variety of externally-originating attacks on sensors, actuators, and communication and computation resources. In the system development phase, we provide code-level defenses that prevent injection of malicious code into the operation of the controller itself. Using a formal representation of execution and code generation semantics, we remove the uncertainty from the code generation process and provide secure code synthesis for the derived controllers.
Electric Motor Selection for Motion Control Systems

This paper develops a procedure for selecting electric motors for motion control systems. Many motion control applications share three performance objectives: 1) satisfactory closed-loop frequency response, 2) command voltages that are within supply limits, and 3) adequate disturbance rejection. By treating these three performance ojectives as constraints, rather than simply desirable attributes, the selection process is simplified by reducing the dimension and/or extent of the design space. Selection within the reduced design space can then be accomplished by considering other objectives such as cost, weight and size.
Volcanic breccia and hyaloclastite in blocks from the Nuuanu and Wailau landslides, Hawaii

Steep slopes of giant landslide blocks in the Nuuanu and Wailau landslides expose fragmental volcanic rocks subdivided into monomict and polymict hyaloclastite and breccia. The various samples form as 1) secondary slope-mantling unlithified polymict breccia consisting of clasts set in a mud matrix; 2) monomict and polymict hyaloclastite and polymict breccia, with zeolite cement, that form downslope of the shoreline where lava flows enter the sea; and 3) monomict breccia formed by tectonic fragmentation of glassy submarine-erupted pillow basalt. Lavas erupted from single volcanoes are highly variable in major-element composition, even during their tholeiitic shield stage, making it difficult to identify which landslide block was derived from which volcano. Low-temperature fluids circulate through the fragmental deposits on the flanks of the volcanoes, partially altering the glass to palagonite and cementing the volcaniclastic rocks with Na- and K-rich zeolites. Volcano spreading along low-angle thrust faults laterally transports deep early submarine pillow lava out to the flank of the volcano where it crops out as tectonic monomict breccia. The faults underlying the landslide blocks are within this tectonized core of the volcano, not simply within the shallow slope deposits of hyaloclastite and breccia. The Nuuanu landslide predates the 1.5 Ma Wailau landslide.
Connectomics and graph theory analyses: Novel insights into network abnormalities in epilepsy

The assessment of neural networks in epilepsy has become increasingly relevant in the context of translational research, given that localized forms of epilepsy are more likely to be related to abnormal function within specific brain networks, as opposed to isolated focal brain pathology. It is notable that variability in clinical outcomes from epilepsy treatment may be a reflection of individual patterns of network abnormalities. As such, network endophenotypes may be important biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. Despite its exceptional potential, measuring abnormal networks in translational research has been thus far constrained by methodologic limitations. Fortunately, recent advancements in neuroscience, particularly in the field of connectomics, permit a detailed assessment of network organization, dynamics, and function at an individual level. Data from the personal connectome can be assessed using principled forms of network analyses based on graph theory, which may disclose patterns of organization that are prone to abnormal dynamics and epileptogenesis. Although the field of connectomics is relatively new, there is already a rapidly growing body of evidence to suggest that it can elucidate several important and fundamental aspects of abnormal networks to epilepsy. In this article, we provide a review of the emerging evidence from connectomics research regarding neural network architecture, dynamics, and function related to epilepsy. We discuss how connectomics may bring together pathophysiologic hypotheses from conceptual and basic models of epilepsy and in vivo biomarkers for clinical translational research. By providing neural network information unique to each individual, the field of connectomics may help to elucidate variability in clinical outcomes and open opportunities for personalized medicine approaches to epilepsy. Connectomics involves complex and rich data from each subject, thus collaborative efforts to enable the systematic and rigorous evaluation of this form of "big data" are paramount to leverage the full potential of this new approach.
Intraoperative ultrasound localization to guide surgical excision of nonpalpable breast carcinoma.

Abstract Background: This report describes a technique of intraoperative tumor localization by ultrasound without the use of a needle or wire to guide the excision of nonpalpable breast cancers. The results of our experience with pathologic margin status are reviewed. Study Design: From 1994 to 1998, 65 breast cancers in 62 patients with biopsy-proved nonpalpable breast cancer were excised using intraoperative ultrasound localization. The pathologic status of the margins from the initial surgical excision specimen and any further excisions, either at the first operation or later procedures, was recorded. The distance from the tumor to the closest margin of excision was also determined. Results: The overall success in achieving pathologically negative excision margins at first operation was 97% (63 of 65 cancers). Three patients underwent a second operative procedure, two for positive margins and one for a margin less than 1 mm (second operation=4.8% of patients). After completion of the first operative procedure, the mean distance to the closest margin of excision was 0.8 cm. Conclusions: Intraoperative ultrasound localization for excision of nonpalpable breast cancers is feasible and gives results, in terms of pathologic margins, that are comparable with those achieved by standard needle-wire-guided excisions.
Real-time structured light depth extraction

Gathering depth data using structured light has been a procedure for many different environments and uses. Many of these system are utilized instead of laser line scanning because of their quickness. However, to utilize depth extraction for some applications, in our case laparoscopic surgery, the depth extraction must be in real time. We have developed an apparatus that speeds up the raw image display and grabbing in structured light depth extraction from 30 frames per second to 60 and 180 frames per second. This results in an updated depth and texture map of about 15 times per second versus about 3. This increased update rate allows for real time depth extraction for use in augmented medical/surgical applications. Our miniature, fist-sized projector utilizes an internal ferro-reflective LCD display that is illuminated with cold light from a flex light pipe. The miniature projector, attachable to a laparoscope, displays inverted pairs of structured light into the body where these images are then viewed by a high-speed camera set slightly off axis from the projector that grabs images synchronously. The images from the camera are ported to a graphics-processing card where six frames are worked on simultaneously to extract depth and create mapped textures from these images. This information is then sent to the host computer with 3D coordinate information of the projector/camera and the associated textures. The surgeon is then able to view body images in real time from different locations without physically moving the laparoscope imager/projector, thereby, reducing the trauma of moving laparoscopes in the patient.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Thanatophoric Dysplasia A Case Study

A case of thanatophoric dysplasia was reported in the fetus of a 39-year-old woman. The diagnosis was made on ultrasound examination at 21 weeks of gestation, when shortened long bones, cloverleaf ...
Aging and reproduction fail to increase body fat in S 5B/P1 rats

Abstract Nine young female S 5B/P1 rats, 340 days of age, and 9 old female S 5B/P1 rats, 840 days of age, were evaluated for food intake, body composition, 3 fat depot weights and organ weights. Old and young rats had the same percentage of body fat and protein. Inguinal, parametrial and perirenal-retroperitoneal fat depot weights were similar. Hearts and kidneys were heavier in old than in young rats. Coefficients of variability were greater for body weight, body fat, fat depot weights and body protein in old than in young rats. Approximately one-year-old rats which delivered two litters had only 10% carcass fat whereas female rats which were never bred had 14% body fat.
Ribosomal DNA variation within and among individuals ofLisianthius (Gentianaceae) populations

Restriction endonuclease fragment analysis of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was completed on 25 individuals each from seven populations of theLisianthius skinneri (Gentianaceae) species complex in Panama. Seven restriction enzymes were used to determine the amount and type of rDNA variation within and among individuals of the populations. No restriction site variation was seen within populations or individuals although site differences were seen among populations. Spacer length variation within and among individuals of populations was mapped to the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region between the 18S and 5.8S rRNA genes, a region inLisianthius rDNA that previously was shown to exhibit length differences among populations. This is the first reported case of such variation within and among individuals of populations for the ITS region. Presence or absence of ITS spacer length variation is not correlated with levels of isozymic heterozygosity within populations. No detectable length variation within individuals or populations was seen in the larger intergenic spacer (IGS). Although populations varied with respect to IGS length, all individuals of a given population had a single and equivalent IGS length.
Active Enhancement of Wind Turbine Blades Performance

The feasibility of using synthetic jet actuators to enhance the performance of wind turbine blades was explored in wind tunnel experiments. Using this technique, the global flow field over the blade was altered such that flow separation was mitigated. This, in turn, resulted in a significant decrease in the vibration of the blade. Global flow measurements were conducted, where the moments and forces on the blade were measured using a six component wall-mounted load cell. The effect of the actuation was also examined on the surface static pressure at two spanwise locations; near the blade’s root and near the tip. In addition, Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique was used to quantify the flow field over the blade. Using synthetic jets, the flow over the blade was either fully or partially reattached, depending on the angle of attack and the Reynolds number. Furthermore, the changes induced on the moments and forces, as well as on the blades vibrations were found to be proportionally controlled by either changing the momentum coefficient, the number of synthetic jets used, or by the driving waveform. Finally, a proof-of-concept closed-loop control system was developed to test the ability of using synthetic jet actuators to restore and maintain flow attachment and reduce the vibrations in the blade during dynamic pitch. The synthetic jets were switched on when the root strain vibration spectrum exceeds a predetermined threshold at a given frequency. While the control system implementation used is simplistic, it demonstrated the ability of synthetic jet actuators to reduce blade’s vibrations (by restoring and maintaining attached flow) during the dynamic motion, analogous to the wind gusts seen in wind turbine operation.
Visual Search: The Effects of Display and Response Format

The present experiment examined how spatial judgments influenced target detection in a visual search task. Digital and analogue display formats were studied together with odd/even vs. above/below judgments. The results indicated an overall advantage for digital display formats, however, the advantage was mediated by the type of judgments that were made. Format differences were minimal when individuals were required to make judgments that involved spatial encoding. Ergonomic implications are addressed.
Permission grids: practical, error-bounded simplification

We introduce the permission grid, a spatial occupancy grid which can be used to guide almost any standard polygonal surface simplification algorithm into generating an approximation with a guaranteed geometric error bound. In particular, all points on the approximation are guaranteed to be within some user-specified distance from the original surface. Such bounds are notably absent from many current simplification methods, and are becoming increasingly important for applications in scientific computing and adaptive level of detail control. Conceptually simple, the permission grid defines a volume in which the approximation must lie, and does not permit the underlying simplification algorithm to generate approximations outside the volume.The permission grid makes three important, practical improvements over current error-bounded simplification methods. First, it works on arbitrary triangular models, handling all manners of mesh degeneracies gracefully. Further, the error tolerance may be easily expanded as simplification proceeds, allowing the construction of an error-bounded level of detail hierarchy with vertex correspondences among all levels of detail. And finally, the permission grid has a representation complexity independent of the size of the input model, and a small running time overhead, making it more practical and efficient than current methods with similar guarantees.
Trapping of Random Walks in Two and Three Dimensions

We introduce an exact enumeration method for calculating the survival probability $P(n)$ for the $n$-step random walker on a lattice with randomly distributed high-concentration traps, $c$. Using it we show that our data scale as $\mathrm{ln}P(n)\ensuremath{\simeq}a\ensuremath{\rho}$, where $\ensuremath{\rho}={[\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{ln}(1\ensuremath{-}c)]}^{\frac{2}{(D+2)}}{n}^{\frac{D}{(D+2)}}$, when $\ensuremath{\rho}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}10$ in $D=2$ and $D=3$ dimensions. This value of $\ensuremath{\rho}$ corresponds to $P(n)\ensuremath{\lesssim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}13}$.
Mobility of short interspersed repeats within the chimpanzee lineage

The PV subfamily of Alu repeats in human DNA is largely composed of recently inserted members. Here we document additional members of the PV subfamily that are found in chimpanzee but not in the orthologous loci of human and gorilla, confirming the relatively recent and independent expansion of this Alu subfamily in the chimpanzee lineage. As further evidence for the youth of this Alu subfamily, one PV Alu repeat is specific to Pan troglodytes, whereas others are present in Pan paniscus as well. The A-rich tails of these Alu repeats have different lengths in Pan paniscus and Pan troglodytes. The dimorphisms caused by the presence and absence of PV Alu repeats and the length polymorphisms attributed to their A-rich tails should provide valuable genetic markers for molecular-based studies of chimpanzee relationships. The existence of lineage-specific Alu repeats is a major sequence difference between human and chimpanzee DNAs.
Case of the season: a giant fibroadenoma in the guise of a phyllodes tumor; characterization role of MRI.

A 25 year old Caucasian female presented with a painless enlarging mass in the right breast. She first noticed it 18 to 24 months ago when her right breast became firmer and larger. She was seen by her primary care provider who attributed it to hormonal changes, and continued to only observe it. Three months ago she noticed another but smaller breast mass superficial to the first mass. In addition, she has noted a 10 to 15 pound weight loss over the year. She denied any breast pain, skin thickening, nipple discharge or other nipple changes. Family history was negative for breast and ovarian cancer. On physical examination, the right breast was approximately twice as large as the left breast with distended veins seen at the medial aspect of the right breast. A large soft mass associated with 2 smaller superficial masses occupied most of the right breast. No lymph nodes were palpated. X-ray mammography, ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations were performed.
Two-color, photon-gated spectral hole-burning in an organic material

Abstract We report the first observation of two-color, photon-gated spectral hole-burning in an organic system: carbazole in boric acid glass. This novel hole-burning mechanism involves stepwise biphotonic photoionization of carbazole at 1.4 K. The quantum yield for photoionization increases exponentially with the energy of the second photon.
Mechanism of in situ formation of AlN in Al melt using nitrogen gas

In situ processing of AlN particle reinforced aluminum composites was investigated using a gas bubbling method with nitrogen gas as the gaseous precursor and pure aluminum as the starting matrix in the temperature range of 1173–1573 K. The products were characterized using XRD, SEM, and EDS techniques. Experimental results showed that it is feasible to synthesize AlN particle reinforced Al composites in situ using purified nitrogen gas. Significant AlN was synthesized by bubbling deoxidized N2 through Al melt. The AlN particles synthesized in situ were small in size (<10 μ m) and were enriched in the top part of the product formed in the crucible. Directly bubbling commercial purity nitrogen gas did not lead to formation of significant AlN due to the deleterious effect of the trace oxygen impurities in the bubbling gas. The deleterious effect of trace oxygen impurities on the mechanism of formation of AlN in the Al-N system was critically analyzed from both thermodynamic and kinetic points of view. Chemisorption of O2 molecules at the gas bubble-Al melt interface is more favorable and much faster than that of N2, thereby inhibiting chemisorption of N2 molecules. Significant AlN can be formed only at the content of oxygen below a critical value in the N2 bubbling gas.
Solid state deformation of poly(vinylidene fluoride) orientation by solid state coextrusion

Abstract Thin films of poly(vinylidene fluoride) have been prepared by the recently developed technique of solid state coextrusion. The films have been produced at extrusion rates of ⩾1.0 cm/min at ∼50°C below the ambient melting point (∼175°C) with a maximum extrusion draw ratio of 5.3. The films were assessed by mechanical tests, by measurements of infrared dichroism, birefringence, X-ray, density and by thermal analysis. A maximum birefringence of 0.067, the highest ever reported, and a modulus of 4.0 GPa were observed. Absolute crystallinity increased by ∼7% on drawing. Flow line studies showed that the mode for deformation changed with increasing extrusion draw ratio from shear to an extensional flow. Polarized infrared spectra and X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the crystalline α polymorphic phase converts on extrusion completely to the β phase. The α polymorph itself shows two melting peaks whereas the β polymorph exhibits three different melting peaks, indicative of crystals of different perfection.
Relaxation oscillations in stimulated Raman scattering

Light pulses created by stimulated Raman scattering having been found to exhibit a complex time dependence which resembles relaxation oscillations. A focused laser pulse generated both forward and backward Raman emissions which appeared as a series of pulses with durations much shorter than the incident laser pulse. Time dependence of the Raman emission was observed directly by use of a streak camera. The number of observed pulses increased with the intensity of the incident pulse, while separation of the pulses in time depended on the length of the focal region. Beam focusing was incorporated in the coupled wave equations for stimulated Raman scattering. These rate equations were then solved numerically, and the results are in good qualitative agreement with the experimental observations. The short Raman pulses are created by a process associated with depletion of the incident laser pulse. This process occurs under a broad range of conditions.
The interface manager's toolkit

Follows a previous paper arguing that a new breed of “interface manager” is emerging, bridging between an organization’s core business and its total working environment. To support this role, a new form of performance knowledge is needed, and will be created by combining business control information with workplace performance information. Explains “performance pyramid” model which will assist interface managers to relate to the key performance indicators of their business to working environment effectiveness. This will allow managers to communicate more easily the value added to the organization through its working environment.
An inactivated hepatitis A virus vaccine prepared from infected marmoset liver.

SummaryHuman hepatitis A virus, partially purified from the liver of a rufiventer marmoset infected with CR326 strain virus, was inactivated with formalin and was shown to be highly potent in stimulating homologous antibody in marmosets when administered subcutaneously at bi-weekly intervals in eight divided doses. The vaccine was shown to prevent hepatitis A in all marmosets when challenged with live hepatitis A virus in a controlled study.
Current on a wire parallel to two walls of a rectangular cavity

A simple and efficient method is developed by treating electromagnetic problems of determining current induced on a wire oriented parallel to two walls of a rectangular cavity. The wire and the cavity interior are excited by electromagnetic sources exterior to the cavity. The formulation makes use of the theory of truncated Fourier series expansion to approximate the waveform of unknown current induced on the wire. The field, comprised of infinitely many orthogonal modes, is then determined in terms of unknown Fourier coefficients by employing the properties of orthogonality. Finally, a matrix equation for the unknown Fourier coefficients is obtained by enforcing appropriate boundary condition on surface of the wire under consideration. Each element of the resulting matrix equation, which is essentially a doubly infinite sum in nature, is simplified into a single infinite one by using a closed form solution. This method bypasses the dyadic Green's function approach thereby leading to a solution which is c...
Long-term sedimentary recycling of rare sulphur isotope anomalies

The accumulation of substantial quantities of O_2 in the atmosphere has come to control the chemistry and ecological structure of Earth’s surface. Non-mass-dependent (NMD) sulphur isotope anomalies in the rock record are the central tool used to reconstruct the redox history of the early atmosphere. The generation and initial delivery of these anomalies to marine sediments requires low partial pressures of atmospheric O_2 (PO_2; refs 2, 3), and the disappearance of NMD anomalies from the rock record 2.32 billion years ago is thought to have signalled a departure from persistently low atmospheric oxygen levels (less than about 10^(−5) times the present atmospheric level) during approximately the first two billion years of Earth’s history. Here we present a model study designed to describe the long-term surface recycling of crustal NMD anomalies, and show that the record of this geochemical signal is likely to display a ‘crustal memory effect’ following increases in atmospheric PO_2 above this threshold. Once NMD anomalies have been buried in the upper crust they are extremely resistant to removal, and can be erased only through successive cycles of weathering, dilution and burial on an oxygenated Earth surface. This recycling results in the residual incorporation of NMD anomalies into the sedimentary record long after synchronous atmospheric generation of the isotopic signal has ceased, with dynamic and measurable signals probably surviving for as long as 10–100 million years subsequent to an increase in atmospheric PO_2 to more than 10^(−5) times the present atmospheric level. Our results can reconcile geochemical evidence for oxygen production and transient accumulation with the maintenance of NMD anomalies on the early Earth, and suggest that future work should investigate the notion that temporally continuous generation of new NMD sulphur isotope anomalies in the atmosphere was likely to have ceased long before their ultimate disappearance from the rock record.
Justice in health care decision-making: patients' appraisals of health care providers and health plan representatives.

This study describes the development of two versions of a Health Care Justice Inventory (HCJI). One version focuses on patients’ interactions with their providers (HCJI-P) and the other focuses on patients’ interactions with the representatives of their health plans (HCJI-HP). Each version of the HCJI assesses patients’ appraisals of their interactions (with either their Provider or representatives of their Health Plan) along three common dimensions of procedural justice: Trust, Impartiality, and Participation. Both the Provider and Health Plan scales assess indices that are relatively independent of patients’ demographic characteristics. In addition, patients’ appraisals of their interactions with their provider were only moderately related to their appraisals of their interactions with representatives of their health plan, indicating that the Provider and Health Plan scales tap distinct aspects of patients’ overall experience with the health care system. Overall, procedural justice dimensions were significantly related to patient satisfaction in both the Provider and the Health Plan contexts. As predicted, procedural justice factors were more strongly tied to patient satisfaction in the Provider than in the Health Plan context, and health care decisions based on distributive justice principles of Need (rather than Equity or Equality) were most closely tied to patient satisfaction in both contexts.
AVA: visual analysis of gene expression microarray data

Summary: AV A( Array Visual Analyzer) is a Java program that provides a graphical environment for visualization and analysis of gene expression microarray data. Together with its interactive visualization tools and a variety of built-in data analysis and filtration methods, AVA effectively integrates microarray data normalization, quality assessment, and data mining into one application. Availability: The software is freely available for academic users on request from the authors.
Cyclic multiple-valued filing schemes for higher-order queries

Abstract Multiple-valued filing schemes of arbitrary order are constructed using the cyclic group model developed by Berman [3]. The cyclic schemes presented are valid for a wide range of parameters, including all first-, and second-, and third-order systems. The storage and retrieval algorithms do not require scanning lists of buckets or records.
Material of the double pivot bearing system in the Gyro C1E3 centrifugal pump.

: A double pivot bearing system is adopted for the Gyro C1E3 centrifugal blood pump to achieve a completely sealless structure that prevents blood leakage and thrombus formation around the shaft. The double pivot bearing system is also a critical factor for blood trauma and durability of the C1E3 pump. This study focuses on the double pivot bearing material. The pump with the male ceramic and female polyethylene pivots (PE) was compared with the pump with the male ceramic and female ceramic pivots (CRM), pertaining to stability of the impeller spinning motion, hemolysis, and durability. At first, the wear rate of the pivots was recorded after operating the pumps in various rotational speeds. As for hemolysis, in vitro tests were carried out using fresh bovine blood in 2 conditions (5 L/min, 350 mm Hg and 5 L/min, 100 mm Hg). Then, stability of the spinning motion was investigated by evaluating the vibration of the pump. The two pumps with different female pivots were operated identically at 2,700 rpm, and the vibration signals were measured using an accelerometer that was mounted on the top of the pump housing. The following findings were obtained in this study. The wear sites were different between the PE and CRM. Most of the wear occurred at the top female polyethylene pivot in the PE. In contrast, most of the wear occurred at the top male ceramic pivot in the CRM. In addition, the amount of the initial wear was less and the wear rate was lower in the PE than in the CRM. The hemolysis caused by the PE was less than the hemolysis caused by the CRM. The vibration signals of the PE had less amplitude and a narrower range of frequency than the vibration signals of the CRM. In conclusion, the combination of materials male ceramic-female polyethylene are superior to the male ceramic-female ceramic for the double pivot bearing system of the Gyro C1E3 centrifugal pump because of less vibration, less hemolysis, and less wear.
NMR Relaxation in Adamantane and Hexamethylenetetramine: Diffusion and Rotation

Abstract The ultraslow-motion NMR technique has been used to measure translational diffusion coefficients in the plastic crystal adamantane; The diffusion coefficients in the brittle crystal hexamethylenetetramine (HMT) were too low to be measured by this technique; they are smaller than those for adamantane by a factor of 10−4. It is claimed on the basis of Weertman's theory that this difference in diffusion coefficients accounts for the difference in plastic flow properties between the two materials. For rotation in β-adamantane, α-adamantane, and HMT the respective jump times are:
Second-order homogenization estimates for nonlinear composites incorporating field fluctuations: II—applications

Abstract In Part I of this work, an improved “second-order” homogenization theory was developed. This new theory makes use of generalized secant moduli that are intermediate between the standard secant and tangent moduli of the nonlinear phases, and that depend not only on the averages, or first-moments of the fields in the phases, but also on the second-moments of the field fluctuations, or phase covariance tensors. In this article, the theory, which is known to be exact to second-order in the heterogeneity contrast, is applied to the special cases of rigidly reinforced and porous materials. These are cases corresponding to infinite contrast where fairly explicit analytical expressions of the Hashin–Shtrikman and self-consistent-type may be generated for nonlinear composites. The results show that the new theory improves on the earlier theory (Ponte Castaneda, J. Mech. Phys. Solids 44 (1996) 827) in at least two ways. First, the new theory satisfies rigorous bounds, even near the percolation limit, where field fluctuations become important, and the earlier second-order theory had been found to fail. Second, the new theory predicts fully compressible behavior for porous materials with an incompressible matrix phase, where the earlier theory had also been found to fail. In addition, the new estimates are found to be in better agreement with numerical simulations available from the literature.
Novel (Heteromolecular) π-Complexes of Aromatic Cation Radicals. Isolation and Structural Characterization

Extensive (electron) delocalization in the novel heteromolecular pi-complex of the hindered naphthalene cation radical (OMN(+)(*)) with naphthalene (NAP) accompanies the pronounced charge-transfer absorption band at approximately 1100 nm in the near-IR. X-ray crystallography establishes the viability of the unusual "club sandwich" structure despite the repulsive electrostatic forces inherent to the dicationic unit.
Psychopathological Defects in Inductive Reasoning

(1946). Psychopathological Defects in Inductive Reasoning. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 201-225.