cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of intranasal midazolam, intranasal ketamine, and oral chloral hydrate for conscious sedation during paediatric echocardiography: results of a prospective randomised study.

OBJECTIVE There are several agents used for conscious sedation by various routes in children. The aim of this prospective randomised study is to compare the effectiveness of three commonly used sedatives: intranasal ketamine, intranasal midazolam, and oral chloral hydrate for children undergoing transthoracic echocardiography. METHODS Children who were referred to paediatric cardiology due to a heart murmur for transthoracic echocardiography were prospectively randomised into three groups. Seventy-three children received intranasal midazolam (0.2 mg/kg), 72 children received intranasal ketamine (4 mg/kg), and 72 children received oral chloral hydrate (50 mg/kg) for conscious sedation. The effects of three agents were evaluated in terms of intensity, onset, and duration of sedation. Obtaining high-quality transthoracic echocardiography images (i.e. absence of artefacts) were regarded as successful sedation. Side effects due to medications were also noted. RESULTS There was no statistical difference in terms of sedation success rates between three groups (95.9, 95.9, and 94.5%, respectively). The median onset of sedation in the midazolam, ketamine, and chloral hydrate was 14 minutes (range 7-65), 34 minutes (range 12-56), and 40 minutes (range 25-57), respectively (p < 0.001 for all). However, the median duration of sedation in study groups was 68 minutes (range 20-75), 55 minutes (range 25-75), and 61 minutes (range 34-78), respectively (p = 0.023, 0.712, and 0.045). Gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea and vomiting were significantly higher in the chloral hydrate group (11.7 versus 0% for midazolam and 2.8% for ketamine, respectively, p = 0.002). CONCLUSION Results of our prospectively randomised study indicate that all three agents provide adequate sedation for successful transthoracic echocardiography. When compared the three sedatives, intranasal midazolam has a more rapid onset of sedation while intranasal ketamine has a shorter duration of sedation. Intranasal ketamine can be used safely with fewer side effects in children undergoing transthoracic echocardiography.
Sanitization of Chicken Frames by a Combination of Hydrogen Peroxide and UV Light To Reduce Contamination of Derived Edible Products

Chicken carcass frames are used to obtain mechanically separated chicken (MSC) for use in other further processed food products. Previous foodborne disease outbreaks involving Salmonella-contaminated MSC have demonstrated the potential for the human pathogen to be transmitted to consumers via MSC. The current study evaluated the efficacy of multiple treatments applied to the surfaces of chicken carcass frames to reduce microbial loads on noninoculated frames and frames inoculated with a cocktail of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Inoculated or noninoculated frames were left untreated (control) or were subjected to treatment using a prototype sanitization apparatus. Treatments consisted of (i) a sterile water rinse, (ii) a water rinse followed by 5 s of UV-C light application, or (iii) an advanced oxidation process (AOP) combining 5 or 7% (v/v) hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) with UV-C light. Treatment with 7% H2O2 and UV-C light reduced numbers of aerobic bacteria by up to 1.5 log CFU per frame (P < 0.05); reductions in aerobic bacteria subjected to other treatments did not statistically differ from one another (initial mean load on nontreated frames: 3.6 ± 0.1 log CFU per frame). Salmonella numbers (mean load on inoculated, nontreated control was 5.6 ± 0.2 log CFU per frame) were maximally reduced by AOP application in comparison with other treatments. No difference in Salmonella reductions obtained by 5% H2O2 (1.1 log CFU per frame) was detected compared with that obtained following 7% H2O2 use (1.0 log CFU per frame). The AOP treatment for sanitization of chicken carcass frames reduces microbial contamination on chicken carcass frames that are subsequently used for manufacture of MSC.
Poster Abstract: Augmented Reality Based Therapy System for Social Skill Deficits

Treating social skill deficits caused by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been a significant challenge. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) has shown to be an effective treatment; however, many patients have to leave ABA because of the high cost, lack of insurance coverage, and shortage of ABA-skilled providers. This paper proposes and designs an augmented reality (AR) based system that aims to ease and improve the effectiveness of ABA, as well as to reduce its cost as the ABA can be performed in a clinic or at home with the support of the system. The system consists of three major components, including a web-based module, a HoloLens-based AR module, and a central control module. These modules work together to achieve an efficient treatment system. Ten therapy scenarios are designed and deployed in the prototype system to test the effectiveness of the system.
Variability in Certainty of Self-Reported Interest: Implications for Theory and Research.

These studies examined self-reported interest, how level of interest is related to reported certainty of interest, and whether certainty helps to clarify the relationship between interest and behavior. This research borrows from research on attitudes showing that attitude certainty helps to clarify the relationship between attitudes and behavior. A pilot study examined the relationship between self-reported interest and certainty of interest within four disciplines (math, psychology, biology, and astronomy). These relationships were replicated in math (Study 1) and psychology (Study 2), and the relationships between interest and behavior were stronger for those with greater certainty. For domains in which participants had sufficient levels of experience and varied levels of interest, curvilinear relationships were found between level of interest and certainty, showing that certainty is higher among individuals who report more extreme (high or low) levels of interest. Moreover, self-reported interest predicted behavior more strongly for those with more certainty in their responses. Discussion surrounds the theoretical and methodological utility of considering certainty of interest alongside measures of self-reported interest.
A woman’s life: Pauline Wengeroff and Memoirs of a Grandmother : by Shulamit Magnus, Portland, Oregon, Oxford, 2016, xvi + 324pp., £104.64, ISBN: 9781906764524

A Woman's Life: Pauline Wengeroff and Memoirs of a Grandmother, continues Shulamit Magnus’ ongoing project to bring the writings of a nineteenth-century Russian Jewish woman to life. This text buil...
Fight or Flight

Fight or Flight is a conceptual handbag accessory with the purpose of promoting both suicide and mental health awareness in a remarkable and unique way. Several visual properties were used to create such an impact including the embossed suicide awareness hotline number, the outline of faces on each color blocked panel, and the handles of the piece are equally as impactful. The inspiration behind the handle element was to portray life, frozen in time. This aspect was executed by using real, live flowers and solidifying them in resin - literally freezing them in time. Fight or Flight is a visually impactful, unique, and sentimental handbag accessory that is meant to evoke an emotional conversation in regard to mental health. The combination of aesthetic and visual elements make for an interesting and complimentary piece that can elevate and add meaning to any wardrobe.
Politics by Two Means: Direct and Indirect Violence in Civil War

This paper distinguishes between ‘direct’ and ‘indirect’ violence during conventional civil wars. These two types differ in their forms of production: while indirect violence is unilaterally perpetrated by the armed group, direct violence is jointly produced by the armed group and civilians, and it hinges on local collaboration. These differences have consequences for the spatial variation of each of these types: indirect violence is hypothesized to be positively associated with levels of prewar support for the enemy group; in contrast, direct violence is hypothesized to increase together with the level of political parity between factions in a locality. The predictions are tested with self-collected data from 1,710 municipalities in Catalonia and Aragon during the Spanish civil war (1936-1939).
Reconciling Super-Kamiokande, LSND, and Homestake neutrino-oscillation data

The L/E-flatness of the e-like events observed in the recent atmospheric-neutrino data from Super-Kamiokande (SuperK) is interpreted to reflect a new symmetry of the neutrino-oscillation mixing matrix. From that we obtain an analytical set of constraints yielding a class of mixing matrices of the property to simultaneously fit both the SuperK and the LSND data. The resulting mass squared difference relevant for the LSND experiment is found as 0.3 eV^2. The discussed symmetry, e.g., carries the nature that expectation values of masses for \nu_\mu and \nu_\tau are identical. These considerations are purely data dictated. A different framework is then applied to the solar neutrino problem. It is argued that a single sterile neutrino is an unlikely candidate to accommodate the data from the four solar neutrino experiments. A scenario is discussed which violates CPT symmetry, and favors the \nu_e - \bar\nu_e system to belong to the `self'-`anti-self' charge conjugate construct in the (1/2,0)+(0,1/2) representation space, where the needed helicity flipping amplitudes are preferred, rather than the usual Dirac, or Majorana, constructs. In the presented framework the emerging SuperK data on solar neutrino flux is reconciled with the Homestake, GALLEX, and SAGE experiments. This happens because the former detects not only the solar \nu_e but also, at a lower cross section, the oscillated solar \bar\nu_e; while the latter are sensitive only to the oscillation-diminished solar \nu_e flux. A direct observation of solar \bar\nu_e by SNO will confirm our scenario. Finally, we consider the possibility for flavor-dependent gravitational couplings of neutrinos as emerging out of the noncommutativity of the quantum operators associated with the measurements of energy and flavor.
A Schrödinger Equation for the Fast Computation of Approximate Euclidean Distance Functions

Computational techniques adapted from classical mechanics and used in image analysis run the gamut from Lagrangian action principles to Hamilton-Jacobi field equations: witness the popularity of the fast marching and fast sweeping methods which are essentially fast Hamilton-Jacobi solvers. In sharp contrast, there are very few applications of quantum mechanics inspired computational methods. Given the fact that most of classical mechanics can be obtained as a limiting case of quantum mechanics (as Planck's constant h tends to zero), this paucity of quantum mechanics inspired methods is surprising. In this work, we derive relationships between nonlinear Hamilton-Jacobi and linear Schrodinger equations for the Euclidean distance function problem (in 1D , 2D and 3D ). We then solve the Schrodinger wave equation instead of the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi equation. We show that the Schrodinger equation has a closed form solution and that this solution can be efficiently computed in O (N logN ), N being the number of grid points. The Euclidean distance can then be recovered from the wave function. Since the wave function is computed for a small but non-zero h , the obtained Euclidean distance function is an approximation. We derive analytic bounds for the error of the approximation and experimentally compare the results of our approach with the exact Euclidean distance function on real and synthetic data.
IL-22 Regulates Iron Availability In Vivo through the Induction of Hepcidin

Iron is a trace element important for the proper folding and function of various proteins. Physiological regulation of iron stores is of critical importance for RBC production and antimicrobial defense. Hepcidin is a key regulator of iron levels within the body. Under conditions of iron deficiency, hepcidin expression is reduced to promote increased iron uptake from the diet and release from cells, whereas during conditions of iron excess, induction of hepcidin restricts iron uptake and movement within the body. The cytokine IL-6 is well established as an important inducer of hepcidin. The presence of this cytokine during inflammatory states can induce hepcidin production, iron deficiency, and anemia. In this study, we show that IL-22 also influences hepcidin production in vivo. Injection of mice with exogenous mouse IgG1 Fc fused to the N terminus of mouse IL-22 (Fc-IL-22), an IL-22R agonist with prolonged and enhanced functional potency, induced hepcidin production, with a subsequent decrease in circulating serum iron and hemoglobin levels and a concomitant increase in iron accumulation within the spleen. This response was independent of IL-6 and was attenuated in the absence of the IL-22R-associated signaling kinase, Tyk2. Ab-mediated blockade of hepcidin partially reversed the effects on iron biology caused by IL-22R stimulation. Taken together, these data suggest that exogenous IL-22 regulates hepcidin production to physiologically influence iron usage.
Children's emotional regulation and social competence in middle childhood: The role of maternal and paternal interactive style

SUMMARY Associations among parental behaviors, children's emotional reactivity, and dimensions of children's social competence were examined. Fourth grade children (N = 103) and their parents participated in a laboratory discussion task. Parent-child relationship qualities, parental emotion socialization behaviors, measures of children's emotional regulatory abilities, and social competence (assessed by teachers and peers) were obtained. Results indicated that parents' behaviors in the discussion task were related to both children's emotional and social competence. Both mothers' and fathers' behaviors were linked to children's emotional regulatory abilities and social competence. In addition, children's emotional regulation was related to children's social competence. Only limited evidence of the mediating role of emotion regulation was found. Implications for relative roles of mothers and fathers in the emergence of emotional and social competence were noted.
DENSITY GRADIENT ISOLATION OF RAT LIVER NUCLEI WITH HIGH DNA CONTENT

Rat liver nuclei, after preliminary isolation in 2.2 molar sucrose solution, were separated into density classes by centrifugation at 95,000 g for 45 to 85 minutes in a sucrose density gradient (density range, 1.28 to 1.33). Nuclei from normal liver separated into three bands with average DNA phosphorus content per nucleus of 0.67, 0.84, and 0.93 picogram for top, middle, and bottom bands, respectively. Nuclei from regenerating liver (26 hours after one-third hepatectomy) yielded three bands and a pellet fraction with average DNA phosphorus content per nucleus of 0.76, 1.02, 1.38, and 1.51 picograms (top to bottom of tube). This method appears capable of yielding nuclei which have increased their DNA content prior to mitosis, and this procedure should be valuable in studies of biochemical changes which occur in nuclei preparing for mitosis.
New pharmacologic approaches to the prevention of space/motion sickness.

Three fundamental approaches used in the selection of new agents for the evaluation in the prevention of space-motion sickness (SMS) are reviewed, with emphasis on drugs under investigation at the Johnson Space Center. These approaches are: (1) the selection of agents from drug classes that possess pharmacologic properties of established antimotion sickness agents, (2) the selection of drugs that are used to prevent emesis caused by means other than the exposure to motion, and (3) basic research that characterizes individual differences in susceptibility to SMS. In the latter type of studies, it was found that subjects who were more resistant to SMS had higher plasma AVP after severe nausea than subjects with lower resistance. The review details the experimental data collected on AVP and adrenocorticotropin. It is noted that data support interrelated roles for AVP and opioid peptides in SMS.
Statistical Methods in Reliability Theory and Practice

Lifetime distributions the mean lifetime, the residual lifetime some important distributions some other models life tables and censoring estimation of the survivor function estimation and inference from censored samples estimation and inference for other models stochastic models 1 stochastic models 2 renewal processes some simple availability models explanatory variables - the proportional hazards model analysis for the proportional hazards model bayesian methods for reliability bayesian analysis in a reliability context.
Asymptotic Scattering of Electromagnetic Waves from an Array of Dielectrically Loaded Conducting Strips

A rigorous field analysis of the electromagnetic scattering from a perfectly conducting strip loaded with a dielectric cylinder is presented. The dielectric cylinder is of circular cross-section and the dielectric medium is assumed to be linear, homogeneous, and isotropic. The strip is oriented radially with respect to the center of the cylinder and can be located inside or outside, but touching, the outer boundary of the cylinder. The structure is excited by a plane wave or a line current field and both TM and TE to z excitations are considered. The solution of the scattering from a single loaded strip is based on a boundary value approach and a high frequency asymptotic technique is also developed for the scattering from an array of loaded strips. The validity of this proposed solution is investigated by comparing the numerical results of selected cases with those based on exact and method of moments solutions. Sample numerical results for the scattering from a single loaded strip and an array of loaded...
Simultaneous machine-part grouping approach in manufacturing cells

Abstract We present a comprehensive model including all of the operational constraints for solving a cell formation problem in cellular manufacturing systems. It is formulated as a generalized quadratic binary programming model with the objective of minimizing total moves evaluated as a weighted sum of inter- and intracell moves. Two most significant operational constraints included in the model are the sequence of operations associated with each part and the capability of assigning machines of the same type to different cells if two or more machines are considered due to workload requirements. The original model is Transformed into a linear binary programming model, and an example problem is solved using a commercial programming package. The final assignment of parts and machines to cells result in a lower total move than that evaluated from a previous study for the same problem.
Canine idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Canine idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a disease in which antibodies bound to the surface of platelets mediate premature platelet destruction by macrophages. ITP in dogs and chronic ITP in humans are analogous diseases. This article draws on information from the literature on ITP in dogs and in humans, and reviews the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of ITP in dogs.
An integrated view of liver injury and disease progression in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rapidly becoming the most common cause of chronic liver disease globally. NAFLD represents a host of pathophysiologic mechanisms that culminate in the accumulation of fat, in a predominantly macrovesicular pattern, in the liver along with varying degrees of inflammation, hepatocellular injury, apoptosis and fibrosis. The most common mechanism for the development of NAFLD is insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is commonly associated with obesity, although it can develop in individuals who do not have obesity. A consequence of insulin resistance is increased peripheral lipolysis and increased delivery of free fatty acids to the liver. The concept of lipotoxicity emerged as the mechanisms by which fatty acids produce cell injury, promote apoptosis and activate inflammatory pathways were elucidated. While much work has been done mainly in cell culture models, the free fatty acid concentration in the liver is not significantly changed in NAFLD. Recently, the focus has shifted to alterations in other lipid metabolic pathways that appear to play an important role in the genesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, the aggressive form of NAFLD. The innate immune system and the intestinal microbiota have been implicated in the development of NAFLD. These mechanisms are reviewed in this article.
Wafer-bonded 1.3-um vertical cavity surface emitting lasers

Numerical analysis of the current spreading and carrier diffusion problem for four popular long wavelength vertical-cavity surfaceemitting lasers (VCSELs) structures is presented. The results show that current confinement for p-mirror VCSELs is twice as effective as the corresponding n-mirror VCSELs. We also demonstrate the design, fabrication and device characterization for long wavelength 1.3 ?m VCSELs, where oxygen-implanted current-confinement regions were formed in a GaAs/AlGaAs Bragg reflector bottom mirror, which was wafer-bonded to an AlGaInAs/InP cavity consisting of nine straincompensated quantum wells. Room temperature continuous-wave (cw) operation of 1.3 ?m VCSELs with a record low threshold current density of 1.57 kA/cm2 and a record low threshold current of 1 mA is realized. Also, a record low pulsed threshold current density of 454 A/cm2 and a threshold current of 0.83 mA at 20°C are achieved. The maximum cw and pulsed operating temperatures are 40°C and above 100°C, respectively.
Tantalum Acetabular Cups Provide Secure Fixation in THA after Pelvic Irradiation at Minimum 5-year Followup

Background Pelvic radiation has been commonly used to treat gastrointestinal, genitourinary, or hematopoietic malignancies. Conventional THA in these patients reportedly have high rates of fixation failure. Although secure short-term fixation reportedly occurs with trabecular metal implants following pelvic radiation, it is unclear whether the fixation is durable.
Pre-fertilization ovule development in Capsella : ultrastructure and ultracytochemical localization of acid phosphatase in the meiocyte

Pre-meiotic and prophase I ovules ofCapsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medic.(monosporic,Polygonum type of gametophyte development) were fixed routinely or incubated in a modified Gomori medium containing β-glycerophosphate as a substrate. Prior to the beginning of meiosis the potential meiocyte is ultrastructurally similar to the other cells of the nucellus and is distinguished only by its size and position. At the initiation of prophase I dramatic ultrastructural and ultracytochemical changes take place in the female meiocyte. These include the sudden appearance of cytoplasmic structures composed of single and multiple concentric cisternae, distinctive changes in plastids and mitochondria, and the blebbing of 0.3 μm double-membraned vesicles from the nuclear envelope. The concentric cisternae encapsulate portions of cytoplasm containing ribosomes, plastids, mitochondria, ER fragments and vesicles. Both single and multiple concentric cisternae localize high levels of acid phosphatase and function as autophagic vesicles (AVs) that sequester ribosomes and organelles for destruction during meiosis. Plastids stop dividing and become more spherical during prophase I. Some plastids localize acid phosphatase and many show continuities between the outer membrane and the plastid envelope and acid phosphatase-rich RER cisternae. Mitochondria appear as dense, contracted spheres or rods. Some mitochondria localize acid phosphatase but they do not show membrane confluencies with the ER. Some of the plastids and mitochondria that are segregated into the functional megaspore at meiosis II are destroyed but others apparantly survive meiosis and give rise to the plastid and mitochondrial populations of the young gametophyte (Schulz andJensen, unpublished). The lateral and end walls of the meiocyte show patches of intense aniline blue fluorescence and the chalazal end wall of the cell is perforated with large numbers of plasmodesmata.
Incorporation of MR Structural Information in Diffuse Optical Tomography Using Helmholtz Type Regularization

A framework to incorporate analytical forms of structural MRI information is presented. This type of information gives superior quantitative results compared to standard NIR tomography and the covariance forms preserve the structural shape function expected.
Influence of cell crowding on toxicity of nitroheterocycles.

Abstract Cell density (no. of cells per unit area or volume) during drug treatment may play a role of considerable importance in the interpretation of drug toxicity experiments performed in vitro. Chinese hamster V-79 and mouse L-929 cells exposed to nitroheterocycles under aerobic conditions are considerably more sensitive to the cytotoxic effects of these drugs when incubated at low cell density (102 cells/cm2 or 104 cells/ml) than at higher cell density (104 cells/cm2 or 106 cells/ml). This may be related to diffusion limitations when cells are in contact and to the ability of dense cell suspensions to inactivate drugs. In contrast, under anaerobic conditions, more toxicity is observed at high cell density than at low cell density, perhaps due to local effects of toxic metabolites. Toxicity appears to correlate with intracellular drug levels under both aerobic and hypoxic conditions. The chemical nature of the fluorescent species has not yet been determined. However, it is likely that loss of the nitro group reduces but does not abolish fluorescence. When L-cells were used to metabolize AF-2 under hypoxia so that only 20% of the parent compound remained (with nitro group intact), 50% of the fluorescence was still present (unpublished results). Cells incubated with AF-2 under air or nitrogen show little decrease in fluorescence intensity for several hours after drug removal suggesting that the fluorescent compound being observed was bound intracellularly. As yet, we have no reason to suspect that the fluorescent products bound under hypoxia differ from those bound under air. Therefore, cell density dependent toxicity of nitroheterocycles under aerobic conditions may be related to diffusion limitations when cells are in close contact, as well as drug inactivation by cells at high cell densities.
Considerations in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Arrhythmias in Patients with End‐Stage Renal Disease

Summary Patients with ESRD have arrhythmias similar to those in patients without renal complications. It is unclear whether ESRD itself is a risk factor for the development of arrhythmias or whether it is simply a marker for other diseases which predispose to arrhythmias. Regardless, therapy can be undertaken but special caution is required because of metabolic alterations and drug interactions which can make antiarrhythmic therapy more risky than in the general population. With meticulous attention to detail, therapy can be provided safely.
On the lack of formation of L-(+)-3-hydroxybutyrate by liver.

Abstract The terminal carbon of palmitic acid, traced with 14C, is preferentially incorporated into carbon 4 of hydroxybutyrate formed by hepatocytes and perfused livers from 18- to 19-day-old rats and perfused livers from fasted adult rats. However, 14C from [13-14C]palmitic acid is incorporated into carbon 1 of the hydroxybutyrate to the same extent as any one of the first 12 carbons of palmitic acid as assessed with [1-14C]palmitic acid and [6-14C]palmitic acid. Therefore, the hydroxybutyrate is formed via hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA, i.e., it is in the d configuration, and hydrolysis of l -hydroxybutyryl-CoA, the intermediate in the β oxidation of the palmitate, does not occur. Further, a negligible amount of 14C remains in hydroxybutyrate formed from 14C-labeled palmitic acid by isolated hepatocytes and perfused livers from the young rats, when the hydroxybutyrate is treated with d -(−)-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase to convert the d isomer to acetoacetate. Thus, l -(+)-3-hydroxybutyrate is not produced by rat liver as assessed using these preparations.
The Organizational Politics of Implementing Risk Assessment Instruments in Community Corrections

Much talk has surrounded the use of risk assessment in community corrections. Community corrections agencies continue to struggle with what risk instrument to adopt and how to implement it in a comprehensive way. One of the most important factors that impedes the successful implementation of risk assessment instruments is organizational politics. This essay evaluates some of the organizational politics that inhibit the successful implementation of risk assessment instruments and highlights several factors that can mitigate this effect.
Gas torque effect for molecular combinations of hydrogen and deuterium

Abstract A heated cylinder immersed in a rarefield gas experiences an axial torque when an axial magnetic field is applied. Measurements of this torque as a function of gas pressure and field intensity were made for H 2 , D 2 and HD.
Genetic diversity of Allium munzii (Amaryllidaceae), a rare southern California species and implication for its conservation

Abstract An understanding of genetic diversity within and among populations of rare plant species is a prerequisite to develop effective conservation management strategies and reintroduction programs. Allium munzii is a narrow endemic species distributed in western Riverside County, California, USA and known from 18 extant element occurrences. We sampled 119 individuals from 11 element occurrences and investigated within and among population genetic diversity using two variable chloroplast markers ( rpL32 – trnL intergenic spacer and rpoC1 intron). Of the total genetic variation detected in A. munzii , 87.65% was due to differences among occurrences. Furthermore, our results revealed that most of the element occurrences are strongly genetically differentiated. There are low levels of gene flow between occurrences, not due to isolation by distance but possibly resulting from habitat fragmentation. Non-significant values of Tajima's D and Fu's Fs were found in all occurrences suggesting no demographic expansion in A. munzii . Ex situ seed and bulb conservation is recommended to enable introduction of individuals to occurrences with low abundance and genetic diversity.
Very fast biaxial texture evolution using high rate ion-beam-assisted deposition of MgO

We examined crystalline-texture evolution during ion-beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) of MgO thin films. We have demonstrated for the first time that in-plane crystalline texturing in IBAD of MgO scales with deposition rate. At high ion currents an in-plane texture full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 10° can be achieved in less than 1 s, and 6° in 2.2 s. MgO texture further improves with thickness of a homoepitaxial layer deposited on top. We have developed an empirical quantification of the texture evolution in both IBAD and homoepitaxial layers. The best texture attained thus far in the MgO layer on polished Hastelloy tape has an in-plane FWHM of 1.6°. The high deposition rates demonstrated here make high-throughput manufacturing of IBAD textured templates a practical and cost-effective concept.
Dynamics and optics of the Hudson River outflow plume

[1] In July and August 2000 a field experiment was conducted along the New Jersey coast to explore the linkage between dynamics of the outflowing Hudson River plume and the optical character of the inshore environment. A plume of low-salinity water periodically flows along the coast, trapped in an inshore zone of 5–15 km width and extending to over 100 km alongshore from its source. The plume is clearly distinguished in color satellite images because of its high content of particulates and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), which dominate the inherent optical properties (IOPs) of the inshore region. This plume water is dispersed into the interior of the shelf when winds turn to upwelling favorable. Using an array of five acoustic Doppler current profilers, we found a well-defined first mode empirical orthogonal function that showed strong southward flow and downwelling circulation during the plume state and weak northward flow with upwelling circulation during the upwelling state. Using filtered and nonfiltered measurements, the optical absorption IOP was separated into contributions from CDOM and particulates. The contributions from particulates were further separated into phytoplankton and detritus contributions using least squares fit with model spectra. It was found that the plume could be distinguished from upwelling by larger contributions to absorption from detritus and smaller contributions from CDOM.
Future directions in inertial fusion research

The inertial fusion program has shown great progress over the past year. In the present program plan (for 1987–1991), the program was focused on an early 1990s decision date, as suggested by the National Academy of Sciences report. While the exact nature of the decision was not defined, it was generally considered to be a go/no go with regard to a new major facility to achieve high gain. The program's emphasis during this period was consistent with the priorities enumerated by the NAS (Happer) panel and focused on elucidating the conditions needed to achieve high gain. With the progress in target physics that has been made to date, we believe we are rapidly approaching a point when we will be able to say with confidence that a 5–10-MJ facility will provide high gain. Because we are not quite there yet, we believe we must continue to pursue target physics issues vigorously. But, the IF program also needs to accelerate the pace of driver development because in this past year the inertial fusion program has made large strides in showing the feasibility of a high-gain facility.
Restoration of sexual function and fertility by fetal hypothalamic transplant in impotent aged male rats

Abstract The purpose of this study was to observe whether fetal hypothalamic transplant can restore the neuroendocrine and reproductive function in impotent aged male rats. Eighteen to 20 month old impotent male rats received an anterior hypothalamus removed from a 17–19 day old fetus and placed into the anterior third ventricle. Controls were either without surgery (UC) or grafted with cerebral cortex (CG). Before and 2 to 3 months after transplantation, blood samples were collected from the aged rats for testosterone and LH measurement. Before and one to two months after transplantation, each hypothalamic grafted animal (HG) or control rat was put overnight into a cage which contained four, 10 to 12 week old proestrous female rats. Vaginal smear of each female was monitored early the next morning. Sperm seen in the vaginal smear was regarded as copulation and ejaculation. The test was repeated twice, one week apart, and the higher score represented the sexual function and fertility of the males. Seven of 10 HG males restored their sexual function, impregnated 9 females and fathered 106 pups. None of 7 UC restored their reproductive function and only one of 4 CG males impregnated one female which delivered 6 pups. Serum testosterone, LH and pituitary LH in the HG rats, which showed restoration of reproductive function, were significantly higher than those of the controls (UC and CG). These results indicate that the fetal hypothalamic grafts can survive and develop in the brain of impotent aged male rats and restore neuroendorince and reproductive function in senescent rats.
Government dependence of Chinese and Vietnamese community organizations and fiscal politics of immigrant services.

Abstract Few studies have examined the impact of government support and policies on immigrant services within ethnic enclaves. This paper seeks to address this gap and examines the structure and challenges of ethnic community based organizations (CBOs) that serve low income immigrant populations and the impact of government support and policies on these CBOs. The study utilized case study and ethnographic methodologies and examined 2 Chinese and 2 Vietnamese CBOs in the San Francisco Bay Area. The findings show that ethnic CBOs critically depend on government fiscal support for survival. In exchange for fiscal support, ethnic CBOs represent public assistance and legitimacy interests for government in immigrant communities. However, culturally proficient and community leadership resources of ethnic CBOs can serve as bargaining chips to secure government funding, reduce compliance to government demands, and advance immigrant community interests. Nevertheless, in times of government fiscal crisis, ethnic CBO...
The efficacy of cibenzoline and propafenone against inducible sustained and nonsustained ventricular tachycardias in conscious dogs with isolated chronic right ventricular infarction: A comparative study with procainamide☆

Abstract The efficacy of intravenous cibenzoline (3 mg/kg), propafenone (4 mg/kg), and procainamide (20 mg/kg) against inducible sustained and nonsustained ventricular tachycardias (VT) was evaluated in 12 consclous dogs with chronic isolated right ventricular (RV) infarction. RV infarct was caused by permanent occlusion of the right coronary artery in the closed-chest dog by intracoronary balloon inflation. Three to 10 days following the occlusion period, programmed electrical stimulation reproducibly induced sustained and/or nonsustained VT, allowing evaluation of antiarrhythmic drug efficacy. Propafenone was effective in preventing the induction of sustained VT in only one out of six dogs tested, but caused a significant ( p p
World Wide Web: a hypercharged view of the internet presenting a mosaic of information choices

With the term information superhighway being bandied about as the latest political buzzword and the newest computing cliche, people who search for information electronically have to wonder if the global network of networks known as the Internet is the realization of this newest technological legend or just a precursor better relegated to terminology like the information bike path. First-time users of Internet services like e-mail, Archie, Anonymous FTP and Gopher may marvel at the unprecedented access to global information but, in the end, may wonder, is this what all the fuss has been about? The true definition of this modern cultural icon may never become clear. Indeed, it may always remain just a broken pipe dream of an eager Madison Avenue publicist.
The relationship between affect expression and affect recognition in schizophrenia

To examine the relationship between affect expression and affect recognition, we assessed 30 clinically stable, medicated schizophrenic inpatients. Affect expression was assessed using both a standard clinical rating scale (SANS) and a computerized acoustic voice analysis (VOXCOM). Affect recognition was assessed using the Florida Affect Battery (FAB). The schizophrenics' performance on the FAB was impaired, indicating broad deficits in affect recognition (p<0.05). There were no significant correlations between measures of affect expression and affect recognition, suggesting that the expressive impairment in schizophrenia is not related to their ability to discern emotions in others. SANS Inappropriate Affect, however, was negatively correlated with facial affect recognition (p = 0.001), suggesting that raters' impression of inappropriate affect may indicate a failure in the process of affect attunement.
Anterior abdominal wall nerve and vessel anatomy: clinical implications for gynecologic surgery.

Objective We sought to describe relationships of clinically relevant nerves and vessels of the anterior abdominal wall. Study Design The ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerves and inferior epigastric vessels were dissected in 11 unembalmed female cadavers. Distances from surface landmarks and common incision sites were recorded. Additional surface measurements were taken in 7 other specimens with and without insufflation. Results The ilioinguinal nerve emerged through the internal oblique: mean (range), 2.5 (1.1–5.1) cm medial and 2.4 (0–5.3) cm inferior to the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS). The iliohypogastric emerged 2.5 (0–4.6) cm medial and 2.0 (0–4.6) cm inferior. Inferior epigastric vessels were 3.7 (2.6–5.5) cm from midline at the level of the ASIS and always lateral to the rectus muscles at a level 2 cm superior to the pubic symphysis. Conclusion Risk of anterior abdominal wall nerve and vessel injury is minimized when lateral trocars are placed superior to the ASISs and >6 cm from midline and low transverse fascial incisions are not extended beyond the lateral borders of the rectus muscles.
A Survey of Industrial Organic Chemists: Understanding the Chemical Industry's Needs of Current Bachelor-Level Graduates.

A survey was conducted of companies from the chemical industry with an emphasis on the organic division. The data include results from 377 respondents from more than 100 different companies. More than half of all undergraduates gain fulltime work in the chemical industry or government after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. This article sheds light on these topics: (i) the current chemical methods, techniques, and instrumentation used in industry; (ii) which attributes or abilities chemical companies desire in newly minted bachelor’s-level chemists; and (iii) how the survey data compare to the current focus on academic training in the United States. Industrial viewpoints of chemical safety are also probed. These results provide insight and guidance as to what should be included in the organic laboratory curricula for those students planning on entering industry and government with bachelor’s degrees.
Solving polynomial systems over semialgebraic sets represented by cylindrical algebraic formulas

Cylindrical algebraic formulas are an explicit representation of semialgebraic sets as finite unions of cylindrically arranged disjoint cells bounded by graphs of algebraic functions. We present a version of the Cylindrical Algebraic Decomposition (CAD) algorithm customized for solving systems of polynomial equations and inequalities over semialgebraic sets given in this representation. The algorithm can also be used to solve conjunctions of polynomial conditions in an incremental manner. We show application examples and give an empirical comparison of incremental and direct CAD computation.
Robust and resilient state dependent control of continuous-time nonlinear systems with general performance criteria

A novel state dependent control approach for continuous-time nonlinear systems with general performance criteria is presented in this paper. This controller is optimally robust for model uncertainties and resilient against control feedback gain perturbations in achieving general performance criteria to secure quadratic optimality with inherent asymptotic stability property together with quadratic dissipative type of disturbance reduction. For the system model, unstructured uncertainty description is assumed, which incorporates commonly used types of uncertainties, such as norm-bounded and positive real uncertainties as special cases. By solving a state dependent linear matrix inequality at each time, sufficient condition for the control solution can be found which satisfies the general performance criteria. The results of this paper unify existing results on nonlinear quadratic regulator, H ∞ and positive real control. The effectiveness of the proposed technique is demonstrated by simulations of the nonlinear control of the Furuta pendulum.
Development and cross-amplification of nine novel Gambusia geiseri microsatellite loci in G. clark-hubbsi and the endangered G. nobilis

The largespring Gambusia, Gambusia geiseri, is a stenohaline livebearing fish (Poeciliidae) native to the headwaters of the San Marcos and Comal Rivers, Texas. After introductions for mosquito control (circa 1930), founder populations persisted in several cool water spring systems throughout west Texas, making them invasive and ideal for studies in evolutionary and conservation biology. Herein, we developed nine polymorphic microsatellite primers for G. geiseri, which also cross-amplified in the rare G. clark-hubbsi and endangered G. nobilis. Allelic diversities were 9.25, 6.00, and 3.00 in each of the respective species with only one locus being monomorphic in G. nobilis. Overall heterozygosity was high with an average observed heterozygosity of 0.624, 0.622, and 0.308 and one, three, and three loci deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in G. geiseri, G. clark-hubbsi, and G. nobilis, respectively. These primers may prove useful in future behavioral and evolutionary studies of these and possibly other Gambusia species. Moreover, the successful cross-amplification of these primers will aid in assessing the status of other rare and endangered Gambusia species.
Growth of the Langmuir cavity eigenmodes in the solar wind

[1] The Langmuir waves in the solar wind are known to be at the origin of many types of solar radio emissions, in particular solar type II and type III radio bursts. In situ observations have shown that the largest amplitude Langmuir waves often appear as localized wave packets. Several models have been proposed to explain this localization of the waves, such as kinetic localization, nonlinear wave-wave processes, or eigenmode formation. The latter theory states that the wave packets are eigenmodes of density cavities generated by background turbulence. In the present paper we investigate the wave growth of the localized Langmuir eigenmodes.
The Medieval Climate Anomaly and Little Ice Age in Chesapeake Bay and the North Atlantic Ocean

Abstract A new 2400-year paleoclimate reconstruction from Chesapeake Bay (CB) (eastern US) was compared to other paleoclimate records in the North Atlantic region to evaluate climate variability during the Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) and Little Ice Age (LIA). Using Mg/Ca ratios from ostracodes and oxygen isotopes from benthic foraminifera as proxies for temperature and precipitation-driven estuarine hydrography, results show that warmest temperatures in CB reached 16–17 °C between 600 and 950 CE (Common Era), centuries before the classic European Medieval Warm Period (950–1100 CE) and peak warming in the Nordic Seas (1000–1400 CE). A series of centennial warm/cool cycles began about 1000 CE with temperature minima of ~ 8 to 9 °C about 1150, 1350, and 1650–1800 CE, and intervening warm periods (14–15 °C) centered at 1200, 1400, 1500 and 1600 CE. Precipitation variability in the eastern US included multiple dry intervals from 600 to 1200 CE, which contrasts with wet medieval conditions in the Caribbean. The eastern US experienced a wet LIA between 1650 and 1800 CE when the Caribbean was relatively dry. Comparison of the CB record with other records shows that the MCA and LIA were characterized by regionally asynchronous warming and complex spatial patterns of precipitation, possibly related to ocean–atmosphere processes.
The use of programmable logic devices in computer architecture course laboratories

This paper addresses the use of programmable logic devices (PLDs) in undergraduate computer architecture course laboratories. It is argued that using these devices provides a mechanism for introducing students to topics that are of critical importance to the competitiveness of industry. Specifically, factors such as the probability of implementing a correct design solution, eliminating the need for a prototype of a circuit through simulation, and the speed with which a solution can be found are factors that by using PLDs one can introduce in a meaningful way to the computer architecture laboratory experience.