cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Organizational Analysis of the Overrepresentation of Poor and Minority Students in Special Education1

By considering the overrepresentation problem in special education from an organizational perspective, the author argues that it is part of a broader problem associated with the political function of special education within public education. From this perspective, special education is an unintended consequence of bureaucratic schooling, an institutional artifact that protects the legitimacy of nonadaptable organizations faced with the changing values and expectations of an increasingly diverse democratic society. The author proposes an alternative organizational structure for schools that resolves the overrepresentation problem, advances the spirit of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and inclusive education, and turns educational equity into a precondition for educational excellence in schools and, ultimately, for economic and political excellence and equity in society.
The Trans-Theoretical Model of Behavior Change and Substance Use Interventions

This article provides an overview of the harm reduction approach to substance abuse treatment and its compatibility with Stages of Change model. Social workers are the target audience for the artic...
The Relative Playing Strength of Chess Players: A Note

The conventional method of rating chess players uses a method called "scoring" to reduce a trinomial process to a binomial making it possible to rate chess playing strength with a single scalar measure. This simplicity is achieved at a cost because the scoring process causes some information to be lost. Two dimensional measures of playing strength, though more cumbersome to use, may have greater validity because they contain more information.
7‐Methoxy‐3‐(phenylsulfonyl)‐1(3H)‐isobenzofuranone

[65131-09-1] C15H12O5S (MW 304.34) InChI = 1S/C15H12O5S/c1-19-12-9-5-8-11-13(12)14(16)20-15(11)21(17,18)10-6-3-2-4-7-10/h2-9,15H,1H3 InChIKey = BNOAFLKWYXXZHU-UHFFFAOYSA-N (regioselective synthesis of 1,4-dihydroxy-2,3-disubstituted naphthalenes) Physical Data: colorless solid; mp 176–177 °C. Solubility: partially sol THF; sol acetone. Analysis of Reagent Purity: 1H NMR (CDCl3) δ 3.93 (s, 3H), 6.10 (s, 1H), 7.04 (d, J = 8 Hz, 1H), 7.40–7.92 (m, 7H). Preparative Method: ethyl 2-methoxy-6-methylbenzoate is oxidized via the dibromide to the corresponding 3-hydroxyisobenzofuranone, which is subsequently treated with thiophenol and catalytic acid. Oxidation to the sulfone is accomplished with either m-Chloroperbenzoic Acid or Hydrogen Peroxide.1a An alternative one-step method utilizing the requisite phthaldehydic acid has also been described.2 Handling, Storage, and Precautions: apparently stable at rt and requires no special handling or precautions.
Mythologising the Dominion Fighting Man: Australian and Canadian Narratives of the First World War Soldier, 1914–39

A stereotypical image of the nation's First World War soldiers—and a conventional understanding of their war experience and its meaning—is not a concept unique to the British Empire's former Pacific Dominions, but is also promulgated in other parts of the Empire. During the First World War and interwar period, Canada also saw the emergence of a ‘Myth of the Soldier’ that paralleled the Anzac legend in many ways. This article focuses on some of the similarities and differences in Australia and Canada's mythologising of their First World War soldiers, proposing that this process reflects aspects of identity formation common to settler societies within the British world.
Does growth hormone therapy benefit body composition and glucose homeostasis in girls with Turner syndrome

Growth hormone therapy is commonly used in girls with Turner syndrome to improve short stature associated with the disease. Concerns have been raised, however, regarding the effect of growth hormone on glucose metabolism. In this Practice Point commentary, I discuss the findings of a cross-sectional study performed by Wooten et al. that evaluated growth hormone treatment in girls with Turner syndrome. The authors found that girls with Turner syndrome who received growth hormone treatment had a lower BMI, less intra-abdominal fat, less subcutaneous abdominal fat, and less total body fat than girls with Turner syndrome who never received growth hormone. Importantly, girls who were treated with growth hormone were less likely to have impaired glucose tolerance than girls who never received growth hormone. Although the results of this study are supportive of the long-term benefits of growth hormone treatment in girls with Turner syndrome, interpretation of these findings should also take into account the limitation that this study was not randomized.
Physiological and carcass characteristics of hair and wool breeds of sheep

Physiological, performance and carcass characteristics were studied in hair sheep (three St. Croix (SC), four Barbados Blackbelly (BB) and four Katahdin (K) and wool sheep (four Dorset (D)). Initial weights of the wether lambs ranged from 17.9 (BB) to 21.4 (D) kg. Lambs were fed a 16% CP commercial pelleted diet for 94 d. Ambient temperature averaged 20.9°C. Jugular blood samples collected on days, 1, 14, 28, 56, 70 and 84 were analyzed for hematological and blood chemistry parameters. Feed intake was higher (P < 0.05) in D and K, and BB lambs consumed less water than D (P < 0.05). BB gained the least weight and had the highest feed-to-rain ratio (P < 0.05). Dressing percentage was highest (P < 0.05) in BB and K, and D lambs had the largest ribeye area and lowest percent kidney-pelvis-heart (KPH) fat (P < 0.05). Intramuscular fat and cholesterol were highest in K (P < 0.05). Though significant breed effects were found in PUN, albumin, glucose, hemoglobin, hematocrit and WBC count, none exceeded normal physiological ranges. Plasma epinephrine levels were highest (P < 0.05) in BB toward the end of the study and norepinephrine levels at the beginning were lowest (P < 0.05) in D. There were no breed effects on plasma cortisol during the first 14 days, after which values were highest in K and lowest in SC lambs.
Characteristics of social support networks of low socioeconomic status African American, Anglo American, and Mexican American mothers of full-term and preterm infants

This study examined the relation of ethnicity to two aspects of mothers' social support: structure (friends vs. family) and quality (satisfaction vs. aggravation) for mothers from low socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds in three ethnic groups—Anglo American (n = 53), African American (n = 50), and Mexican American (n = 42). Mothers of both preterm (n = 81) and full-term infants (n = 64) were included. Mothers from Mexican American backgrounds had fewer friends in their networks when compared with mothers in the African American and Anglo American groups. While there were no significant effects for ethnicity on support satisfaction, mothers overall reported more satisfaction with support received from friends rather than family. African American mothers reported significantly more aggravation in their support systems than the other two groups. This was not due to differences for these mothers in their SES or marital status, and are discussed in relation to community differences that appear to be present for this ethnic group. The clinical importance of considering ethnic backgrounds when serving mothers with young children are discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Bridging the semantic gap: Emulating biological neuronal behaviors with simple digital neurons

The advent of non von Neumann computational models, specifically neuromorphic architectures, has engendered a new class of challenges for computer architects. On the one hand, each neuron-like computational element must consume minimal power and area to enable scaling up to biological scales of billions of neurons; this rules out direct support for complex and expensive features like floating point and transcendental functions. On the other hand, to fully benefit from cortical properties and operations, neuromorphic architectures must support complex non-linear neuronal behaviors. This semantic gap between the simple and power-efficient processing elements and complex neuronal behaviors has rekindled a RISC vs. CISC-like debate within the neuromorphic hardware design community. In this paper, we address the aforementioned semantic gap for a recently-described digital neuromorphic architecture that constitutes simple Linear-Leak Integrate-and-Fire (LLIF) spiking neurons as processing primitives. We show that despite the simplicity of LLIF primitives, a broad class of complex neuronal behaviors can be emulated by composing assemblies of such primitives with low area and power overheads. Furthermore, we demonstrate that for the LLIF primitives without built-in mechanisms for synaptic plasticity, two well-known neural learning rules-spike timing dependent plasticity and Hebbian learning-can be emulated via assemblies of LLIF primitives. By bridging the semantic gap for one such system we enable neuromorphic system developers, in general, to keep their hardware design simple and power-efficient and at the same time enjoy the benefits of complex neuronal behaviors essential for robust and accurate cortical simulation.
INTRAVENTRICULAR HEMORRHAGE (IVH) & VITAMIN E (VE) IN VERY LOW BIRTH WEIGHT INFANTS: EFFICACY OF EARLY IM ADMINISTRATION

To determine whether early IM VE supplementation influences the incidence of IVH in infants ≤ 1500 gms, data were analyzed prospectively from 181 inborn infants enrolled on protocols of 2 consecutive yrs. In the first study, (1981C), 47 patients received 100 mg/kg/day of oral VE (3000 mOsM) daily with the first dose administered within 8 hrs of birth. In the second study, 134 infants received 100 mg/kg/day of VE emulsion (150 mOsM) in the same manner; however, 64 patients received, in addition, IM VE on days 1, 2, 4 and 6 of life (1982T) while 70 patients received placebo injections (1982C) in a randomized double blind fashion. First wk VE levels were the same in the 1981C & 1982C patients but were significantly higher in the 1982T patients. In spite of this difference, no change in the incidence of sepsis or necrotizing enterocolitis was observed. Both the incidence and severity of IVH were reduced in the 1982T patients as compared to the 1982C patients (p ≤ 0.02 & p ≤ 0.05 respectively) and as compared to the 1981C patients (p ≤ 0.05 & p ≤ 0.001 respectively). The data suggests that VE, a natural antioxidant, may play an important role in protecting the CNS microcirculation from the effects of hypoxic/ischemic injury.
Muscle-derived cell-mediated ex vivo gene therapy for urological dysfunction

We have tested the feasibility of muscle-based gene therapy and tissue engineering for urological dysfunction using highly purified muscle-derived cells (MDC) that display stem cell characteristics. We then explored the potential use of these MDC as an alternative therapy for the treatment of impaired detrusor contractility. The MDC were genetically engineered to express the gene encoding β-galactosidase and injected into the bladder walls of SCID mice. The injected bladders were harvested at various time-points after injection and assayed for β-galactosidase activity; the presence of myofibers within the injected tissue was determined by detection of fast myosin heavy chain isoform (MyHCs). We have demonstrated that the injected MDC are capable of not only surviving in the lower urinary tract, but also improving the contractility of the bladder following an induced injury. Two potential mechanisms can be used to explain this finding. First, we have observed that some of the β-galactosidase-expressing cells expressed α-smooth muscle actin, suggesting a differentiation into smooth muscle. Second, a stain for acetylcholine receptors (AChRs), which identifies the location of neuromuscular junctions, revealed that the myofibers derived from the doner cells became innervated into the bladder as early as 2 weeks after injection. These results suggest that gene therapy and tissue engineering based on MDC potentially can be used for urological dysfunction.
Universities without “quality” and quality without “universities”

Purpose – To review what “quality” meant to universities historically and might mean in the future.Design/methodology/approach – Written as a keynote talk for The Australian Universities Quality Forum 2004, this paper problematizes “universities” and “quality” by reviewing the way changing communication modalities have changed the meaning of the two terms over time.Findings – After reviewing some of the literature forecasting alternative futures of universities, the paper settles on a preferred future in which all education, higher and lower, is driven by the logic, best practices, and evolving technologies of electronic games.Research limitations/implications – The paper reveals that researchers who compare word‐based educational systems with electronic, interactive sound‐and‐image‐based systems should use measures appropriate for the latter, rather than derived from the former.Practical implications – The paper shows that educators should take interactive electronic game methods more seriously in thinki...
Unsupervised Spatiotemporal Analysis of FMRI Data Using Graph-Based Visualizations of Self-Organizing Maps

We present novel graph-based visualizations of self-organizing maps for unsupervised functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) analysis. A self-organizing map is an artificial neural network model that transforms high-dimensional data into a low-dimensional (often a 2-D) map using unsupervised learning. However, a postprocessing scheme is necessary to correctly interpret similarity between neighboring node prototypes (feature vectors) on the output map and delineate clusters and features of interest in the data. In this paper, we used graph-based visualizations to capture fMRI data features based upon 1) the distribution of data across the receptive fields of the prototypes (density-based connectivity); and 2) temporal similarities (correlations) between the prototypes (correlation-based connectivity). We applied this approach to identify task-related brain areas in an fMRI reaction time experiment involving a visuo-manual response task, and we correlated the time-to-peak of the fMRI responses in these areas with reaction time. Visualization of self-organizing maps outperformed independent component analysis and voxelwise univariate linear regression analysis in identifying and classifying relevant brain regions. We conclude that the graph-based visualizations of self-organizing maps help in advanced visualization of cluster boundaries in fMRI data enabling the separation of regions with small differences in the timings of their brain responses.
Detailing Masonry Veneer/Steel Stud Backup Systems at Fenestration Systems to Avoid Moisture Problems

Through more than 20 years of investigating water leakage and condensation problems, the authors have observed that a high percentage of moisture problems related to masonry walls are associated with the interface between masonry veneer and fenestration systems. These problems are often associated with wall systems in aggressive exposures where the drainage system and air seal details at interfaces are not adequately considered by the designers and contractors. In many cases, drainage systems are not provided or not properly installed at joints between these systems. Air barriers and vapor retarders often are not sealed to fenestration systems or contain voids that permit the flow of air into the wall system. Problems can occur when anchors, lintels, support angles, and sill flashings are either not thermally improved or where the location of thermal breaks is not coordinated with the location of insulation within the walls. This paper outlines considerations for detailing the interface between masonry veneer over steel stud wall systems and fenestration systems. The fenestration systems reviewed in this paper include typical storefront or operable windows and curtain walls. Both masonry systems with the insulation positioned within the stud space and systems with the insulation positioned within the masonry air space are discussed.
Reduction of Nitro Group on Derivative of 1,8-Napthalimide for Quantitative Detection of Hydrogen Sulfide

A fluorescence “turn-on” sensor (HSS) for detection of H2S was developed on the basis of NO2-NH2 reduction. HSS showed a high affinity and sensitivity to H2S over other reducing reagents, particularly for biothiols. Also, the short responding time and high linear dependence between fluorescence enhancement and H2S concentration had HSS behave as a rapid sensor for quantitatively detection of H2S in the biological level.
A Friedman-Type Rank Test for Main Effects in a Two-Factor ANOVA

Abstract A distribution-free test is considered for testing main effects in a two-factor ANOVA. Large-sample properties (cell sizes tending to infinity) including efficiencies and the limiting distribution of the test statistic are obtained. For proportional frequencies a simple sum of squares formula is obtained for the test statistic and multiple comparison procedures are given. For general designs the statistic is expressed using generalized inverses. Some tables for the null distribution of the statistic are also given.
Low-temperature structural behavior of Sr 2 RuO 4

Using high-resolution neutron powder diffraction we have shown that in ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$${\mathrm{RuO}}_{4}$ the onset of superconductivity is not accompanied by long-range structural distortions. This is in marked contrast to the isostructural copper-containing layered perovskites and points toward a more conventional superconducting mechanism. We have observed a structural response to the metal-to-insulator phase transition near 100 K.
Beet armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) adult and larval susceptibility to three insecticides in managed habitats and relationship to laboratory selection for resistance.

A field bioassay that measures adult male susceptibility was used to document resistance to fenvalerate, permethrin, and methomyl in beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), in California, Baja California Norte (Mexico), and Sinaloa (Mexico). At the LC50, the highest levels of resistance (R) were typically found at sites in Monterey County, Calif. (resistance [R] ratio of 11 and 29 for fenvalerate and methomyl, respectively); Kern County, Calif. (R ratio of 10 and 19 for fenvalerate and methomyl, respectively), and the Del Fuerte and Guasave valleys of Sinaloa (R ratio of 22, 7, and 16 for fenvalerate, permethrin, and methomyl, respectively). Geographic and temporal variability in resistance followed this trend: overall variation among regions > variation among sampling dates at the same site within a region ≥ variation among sites in a region within three consecutive days. Concurrent with field bioassays, larval susceptibility was measured with topical application bios says in the laboratory. Resistance was detected in larvae. Larval and adult susceptibility were significantly correlated for fenvalerate and methomyl ( r = -0.84 and -0.78, respectively). Selection experiments with fenvalerate and methomyl on larvae confirmed potential for increases in resistance. For fenvalerate, adult susceptibility was similar to larval susceptibility in selection experiments, agreeing with the above adult-larval correlations. This correspondence was not apparent for methomyl.
Guided subwavelength slow-light mode supported by a plasmonic waveguide system

We introduce a plasmonic waveguide system, which supports a subwavelength broadband slow-light guided mode with a tunable slowdown factor at a given wavelength. The system consists of a metal-dielectric-metal (MDM) waveguide side-coupled to a periodic array of MDM stub resonators. The slowdown factor at a given wavelength can be tuned by adjusting the geometrical parameters of the system. In addition, there is a trade-off between the slowdown factor and the propagation length of the supported optical mode. Finally, we show that light can be coupled efficiently from a conventional MDM waveguide to the plasmonic waveguide system.
Cyclosporins: immunosuppressive agents with antitumor activity.

Initial screening of the 2 recently developed immunosuppressive agents, cyclosporin A and cyclosporin C, in 11 murine transplantable neoplasms revealed significant increase of lifespan with long-term survivors after i.p. injection to the ascites tumors, Taper liver, Sarcoma 180J and Ehrlich.
Reconstructive rhinoplasty for rhinophyma: Report of case

Abstract Rhinophyma is a chronic, hypertrophic, inflammatory condition of the nasal skin. This report discusses the pathophysiology of rhinophyma, and describes the treatment of a case.
Psychological Correlates of Anginal Symptom Reporting in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Psychological Correlates of Angina. This paper reviews the research literature on psychological factors that affect the perception of anginal symptoms among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Early research in this area established that variables such as anxiety, depression, and somatic preoccupation predict anginal complaints among community samples and patients with CAD. More recent research has focused on the effects of these variables, as well as personality traits, on symptom reporting during actual ischemic episodes. Despite strong evidence of an association between these psychological variables and anginal symptoms, the direction of causality has not been resolved. Furthermore, potentially important interactions between the identified psychological variables and situational or environmental factors remain to be investigated.
Family of generalized 'pretty good' measurements and the minimal-error pure-state discrimination problems for which they are optimal

Given a quantum pure state chosen from a set with some a priori probabilities, what is the optimal measurement needed to correctly guess the given state? We show that a good choice is the family of square-root or "pretty good" measurements, as each measurement in the family is optimal for at least one discrimination problem with the same quantum states but possibly different a priori probabilities. Furthermore, the map from measurement to discrimination problems can be explicitly described. In fact, for linearly independent states, every pair of discrimination problem and optimal measurement can be explicitly generated this way.
Comparison of the effects of ethanol and 4-methylpyrazole on the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of ethylene glycol in the dog.

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the effects of ethanol and 4-methylpyrazole (4MP) on the toxicity and pharmacokinetics of ethylene glycol (EG) in the dog. All dogs received 173 mmol/kg EG, p.o. Dogs were randomly assigned to 3 groups: EG-treated only, EG + ethanol (19.3 mmol/kg, i.v. 3, 7, 14 and 24 h after EG) and EG + 4MP (0.24 mmol/kg, i.v. 3 h after EG, 0.18 mmol/kg at 24 h and 0.06 mmol/kg at 36 h). EG produced a rapid onset of metabolic acidosis (within 3 h) and acute oliguric renal failure (after 48 h), whereas administration of ethanol or 4MP greatly attenuated acidosis and prevented renal toxicity. The administration of ethanol, however, severely increased the central nervous system (CNS) depression that existed after ingestion of EG. The half-life of FG in serum was 10.8 +/- 0.7 h in the EG-only treatment group, 6.8 +/- 0.7 (P less than 0.05) in the EG + ethanol group and 9.8 +/- 0.9 h in the EG + 4MP group. Approx. 10% and 48% of the dose of EG was excreted unchanged in the urine at the 0-3 and 3-72 h periods, respectively. Treatment with 4MP increased the amount of EG excreted in the urine (71% from 3-72 h), whereas ethanol did not (51%). However, both ethanol and 4MP increased the rate constant of EG excretion into urine approx. 70%. These data demonstrate the utility of 4MP over ethanol for the treatment of EG-induced toxicity in dogs and indicate that ethanol and 4MP cause an increase in the rate constant of EG excretion in the urine and not a prolongation in EG half-life.
Considerations of quasi-stationarity in electrophysiological systems

Conditions under which a time varying electromagnetic field problem (such as arises in electrophysiology, electrocardiography, etc.) can be reduced to the conventional quasistatic problem are summarized. These conditions are discussed for typical physiological parameters.
Wolf-Rayet-, AO Cassiopeia-, and U Geminorum-stars

Abstract We discuss here a few types of eclipsing systems of particular interest. When more is known about the evolution of close binaries, these will probably be found to be in interesting stages of development, but in our present incomplete knowledge we think it better to summarize the observational data, together with the chief theoretical interpretations to date. All systems discussed are ones in which light changes are present not caused by eclipses or by other effects (ellipticity, re-radiation, limb darkening, etc.) covered by conventional eclipsing-star theory.
Perceived support and upward mobility as determinants of revolutionary coalitional behavior

Abstract An experiment using three-person groups tested the hypothesis that the propensity of a low-status member to engage in revolutionary coalitional behavior against a leader depended on two structural properties of the group: the lack of potential upward mobility, and perceived lack of support for the high-status leader by other low-status members. Subjects worked on a collective judgment task in a situation that enabled low-status members to contravene the established status hierarchy and form revolutionary coalitions limiting the prerogatives of the leader. Results show that mobility itself exerted no effect on revolutionary behavior. However, several factors often associated with upward mobility, such as increased commitment to the stratified system and intensified concern with evaluation by high-status members, do relate negatively to coalitional activity. The data also indicate a strong propensity for subjects to engage in coalitional activity when they perceived the leader to lack support. This effect was explained in terms of heightened subjective probability of success for insurrection and increased dissatisfaction over inequitable rewards.
Morphology Transition and Layer-by-Layer Growth of Rh(111)

We have observed a morphological transition in the nucleation and growth of epitaxial Rh(111). The transition occurs near 600 K and is signaled by a change in the shape of the surface features from fingered to compact. The transition appears to be related to a change in the critical nucleation size. On both sides of the transition, there lies a regime of persistent layer-by-layer growth. The general surface features exhibit well-defined length scales and as growth proceeds they increase in size following a power-law dependence on film thickness with a morphology-independent exponent of $0.33\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03$. The results suggest a general pathway to the layer-by-layer growth of close-packed metals.
Nutritional Quality of Drum‐processed and Extruded Composite Supplementary Foods

ABSTRACT: This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional quality of ready-to-eat composite foods intended for supplementary feeding of preschool age children in Tanzania. Four supplementary foods, namely, corn-bean-sardine meal (CBSM), bean meal (BM), sorghum-bean-sardine meal (SBSM), and rice-bean-sardine meal (RBSM) were formulated according to the FAO/WHO/UNU guidelines. The food mixtures were extruded, drum-processed, and cooked conventionally in the traditional way. Cooking doneness was evaluated by percent starch gelatinization and residual urease activity; biological qualities—true protein digestibility and growth performance—were evaluated using Sprague Dawley weanling rats. Efficiency in destroying phytohemagglutinins and the antinutritional factors, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and α-amylase inhibitors, were also evaluated. Results of the study showed that starch gelatinization and residual urease activity were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between the extruded and drum-processed diets. Relative to conventional cooking, starch gelatinization was 95% to 100% in extruded and 90% to 100% in drum-processed products. Inactivation of urease activity ranged from 93% to 100% in extruded and 83% to 100% in drum-processed diets. The true protein digestibilities were significantly (P≥ 0.05) higher when extruded foods, compared with drum-processed and conventionally cooked foods, were fed to experimental animals. Animals fed extruded products gained more weight relative to those fed drum-processed and conventionally cooked foods. Destruction of phytohemagglutinins ranged between 91% to 97% in extruded and between 90% to 95% in the conventionally cooked and drum-processed foods. Extrusion, drum processing, and conventional cooking also resulted in significant destruction of the antinutritional factors trypsin, chymotrypsin, and a-amylase inhibitors. These results suggest that extrusion and drum processing of cereal-bean-sardine composite foods result in products meeting the required nutritional quality.
Plasma epinephrine levels in hypertension and across gender and ethnicity

Epinephrine (E) infusions raise blood pressure and there is an excess incidence of hypertension among males and blacks. However, reports of E levels by ethnicity, gender, and blood pressure status are inconsistent. Insensitive assays, variability in plasma E levels within individuals, and the small size of most studies have contributed to these conflicting reports. We measured plasma E levels in a large diverse sample of subjects, using a highly sensitive assay. A total of 361 individuals participated in the study: 61% were men and 39% women, 74% were normotensive and 26% hypertensive, 59% were white and 41% were black. Except for difference in blood pressure and body mass index between the normotensives and hypertensives, subjects had similar baseline characteristics and took no antihypertensive medications for at least five days prior to sampling. All blood samples were collected after resting for a least 30 minutes following the insertion of an indwelling IV catheter. Catecholamine levels were determined using a radioenzymatic assay (assay sensitivities for E and norepinephrine were 6 pgml and 10 pgml, respectively). An ethnicity by gender interaction was found (F1,315 = 5.126, p = .024). Subsequent analysis revealed that white women had significantly lower basal plasma E levels than white men (p < 0.001) and black women (p = 0.036). There were no significant differences in E levels between black men and women or between white men and black men. Uncorrected E levels were lower in normotensive than hypertensive subjects (p = .009) but this difference was not significant when corrected for body mass index (BMI). Uncorrected norepinephrine levels were higher in women than men (p = .03) but the difference was no longer significant when corrected for BMI. Plasma E levels were significantly lower among white women than men or black women. In contrast to prior studies, E levels were lower in hypertensives, but this may reflect obesity among hypertensives.
Reconstruction of airway tree based on topology and morphological operations

3D reconstruction of airway trees can provide intuitive and useful information for understanding human lung structure and function as well as assessing the presence of disease and its response to therapy. However, due to the partial volume effects, small airways may be undetectable on some slices of lung CT images. As a result, airway tree reconstructed by the existing methods based only on segmentation results will have broken airway branches and exhibit discontinuities. This paper proposes a complete airway tree reconstruction scheme to resolve this problem, which consists of two major steps. First, the broken segments are detected by incorporating the airway tree topology with the a priori knowledge of anatomy. Topology analysis is employed to provide information related to the a priori anatomical knowledge, so that it can be applied to lung images as guidance. Then, morphology-based and linear interpolation are applied so that unconnected airway segments will gradually merge together so that a complete airway tree can be reconstructed. The process stops when all the detected discontinuities have been processed. 3D visualization is also provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Pheochromocytoma with hypothalamic manifestations and excessive hypermetabolism; a case report.

THE apparently hypothalamic origin of certain functional disturbances occurring in cases of pheochromocytoma has only rarely been emphasized. A case is reported here in which such manifestations were present as well as an extraordinarily high elevation of the basal metabolic rate and a sustained arterial hypertension. Case Report M. T., a 28-year-old unmarried white female mill worker, was examined in Burlington, Vermont, on October 22, 1942. Family history: Parents, 5 sisters and 1 brother alive and well; 2 brothers died in early childhood of unknown causes. Past history: Scarlet fever, measles and mumps during childhood; otherwise always well. Menstruation began at age 14 and was always regular. She did not smoke tobacco nor drink alcoholic beverages. Present illness:—During the year previous to examination she felt easily fatigued and lost weight (from 148 to 138 pounds) despite an excellent appetite and normal temperature. There was some palpitation and occasional shortness of breath, both on exercise...
Assessing prognosis after acute myocardial infarction in the thrombolytic era

The use of physiologic testing for prognostication continues to be useful and widely applied in the predischarge evaluation of patients recovering from an uncomplicated acute myocardial infarction in the thrombolytic era. Because patients with abnormal exercise test results are now routinely sent for angiography, there are no randomized trials or experimental confirmation that exercise parameters are still associated with the same prognostic value in the thrombolytic era. Nevertheless, the excellent outcomes in patients treated with thrombolytic therapy and risk stratified with exercise testing provide strong empiric support for the continued use of noninvasive testing of patients without complications after thrombolytic therapy. Reviews of patient cohorts enrolled in trials of thrombolytic therapy show that these patients have a lower incidence of multivessel disease and less evidence of ischemia (ST segment depression or thallium 201 redistribution) compared with prethrombolytic cohorts. For this and other reasons, the sensitivity and specificity of exercise variables for prognosis or detection of multivessel disease are not as strong. The addition of perfusion imaging will enhance the sensitivity for detection of ischemia within or remote from the infarct zone and will provide information regarding viability. Patients who are unable to exercise or those with poor exercise tolerance, an abnormal exercise blood pressure response, inducible ischemia, or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia are candidates for further invasive evaluation and consideration for coronary revascularization. With201Tl imaging, evidence for increased pulmonary uptake of the tracer is indicative of high risk and a high probability of an adverse outcome with medical therapy. Low-risk patients are those who achieve their target heart rate or work load without inducible angina, ST segment depression, reversible perfusion abnormalities, or increased lung201Tl uptake. Defect size is reflective of infarct size, and patients with extensive areas of nonreversible hypoperfusion are also at high risk for future events even in the absence of ischemia. Finally, pharmacologic stress imaging with dipyridamole, adenosine, or dobutamine has been found to be safe when employed for stress testing soon after uncomplicated infarction.
Inhibition of cholesterol esterification in rabbit aorta by prostaglandin E2

Abstract Cholesterol esterification in the arterial wall was investigated with cell-free preparations of intima-media from control rabbits and rabbits rendered atherosclerotic by feeding a diet containing 1% cholesterol. In the presence of 2 m M ATP and 0.1 m M CoA, the major activity for esterification of [4- 14 C] cholesterol added in vitro was found in the 12,000 g and 105,000 g pellets. In control animals, the activity in the latter pellet was twice that in the former. After cholesterol-feeding for 6 months, the activity increased 5-fold in the 105,000 g pellet and 2-fold in the 12,000 g pellet of the atherosclerotic intima-media. Prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) in concentrations between 2 and 12 × 10 −7 M exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of the esterifying activity in both particulate preparations. The inhibition was 97% at PGE 2 concentrations greater than 1.2 × 10 −6 M in preparations from control animals. Inhibition by PGE 2 in preparations from atherosclerotic rabbits was also observed. These results suggest a possible regulatory role of PGE 2 in cholesterol esterification in the arterial wall.
Painful lumbosacral plexopathy with elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate: A treatable inflammatory syndrome

Six patients had a syndrome of painful lumbosacral plexopathy and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Sural nerve biopsy in each case showed axonal degeneration and epineurial arterioles surrounded by mononuclear inflammatory cells. Differential fascicular involvement suggested an ischemic cause in three nerves, but no patient had a necrotizing vasculitis. None of the six patients had vasculitis or cancer. Three of the six were diabetic and were initially thought to have diabetic plexopathy, but deterioration continued despite control of the diabetes. These six patients appeared to have an ischemic neuropathy with an immunological basis. Five were treated with immunosuppressant drugs, and in four the plexopathy improved or was arrested. The pathogenesis is unclear, but postmortem findings in one case suggest that the syndrome does not stem from an underlying vasculitis.
Three-well one- and two-color quantum well infrared photodetectors

Abstract Quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIP) have been developed rapidly and large QWIP arrays with 256×256 and 640×480 elements have been demonstrated. But they all use quantum well structures that consist of 30–50 periods which have a relatively small conversion efficiency due to the small optical gain. In this paper, a high performance quantum well infrared photodetector consisting of only three quantum wells is presented which shows very large conversion efficiencies up to 29% at a bias voltage −0.8 V and peak wavelength 8.5 μm. A high strain two-stack, two-color QWIP consists of three wells in each stack is also presented here for MWIR and LWIR detection. The MWIR stack has employed 35% of indium in the InGaAs well which not only achieved peak wavelength at 4.3 μm, but also obtained very high peak responsivity of 0.37 A W−1.
Single-Phase and Gram-Scale Routes toward Nearly Monodisperse Au and Other Noble Metal Nanocrystals

Single-phase approaches are introduced for the synthesis of nearly monodisperse Au and other noble metal nanocrystals. The new approaches possess all the advantages of the popular Brust method. With weak ligands or surfactants for the metal ions, the control of the size and size distribution of the nanocrystals in synthesis in the size range between 1 and 15 nm was achieved via maintaining balanced nucleation and growth by tuning the activities of the metal precursors and reducing reagents. Because only weak ligands are employed in the new synthetic schemes, surface modification and functionalization of the resulting nanocrystals can be readily carried out.
The migration and formation energies of N-interstitials near [001] Fe surfaces: an ab initio study

Using density functional theory, the mechanism of surface segregation of N to the [001] Fe surface was studied. The formation and migration energies were decomposed into chemical bonding and strain energy components. While the segregation energy was determined to be −1.1 eV, the bonding and strain energy components for segregation were −0.5 and −0.6 eV, respectively. The results indicate that strain energy relaxation plays a major role in surface segregation, and that there is approximately a 7-layer transient region, which separates bulk and surface environments. The role of the strain energy on interstitial migration barriers was also critically evaluated.
Angular distributions of 238U photofission fragments

Abstract Angular distributions of fragments from the photofission of 238 U were measured for discrete excitation energies in the range 5.6–9 MeV. Monoenergetic γ-rays from radiative neutron capture were used to produce the excitation and solid-state particle-track recorders were used as fragment detectors. From the measured angular distributions, the barrier heights and curvatures for three low-energy fission channels in the transition state nucleus were deduced.
Acute biological response to laser balloon angioplasty in the atherosclerotic rabbit

Laser balloon angioplasty with Nd:YAG energy has been proposed as a method to seal intimal dissection and prevent elastic recoil after balloon angioplasty. To better define the vessel response to laser balloon angioplasty, its effects on luminal diameter, Indium-111 labelled platelet deposition, and histology were studied in 10 atherosclerotic rabbits. Balloon angioplasty was performed in both iliac arteries and was followed by laser balloon angioplasty in only one iliac artery. The nonlased artery served as a control. Single (15–35 W for 20 sec) or repetitive laser pulses (12–25 W for 20 sec × 3) were used. Platelet deposition was quantified 2 hr after the intervention. Lumen diameter (mm) increased following balloon angioplasty from 0.99 ± 0.47 (mean ± SD) to 1.92 ± 0.43 and 0.89 ± 0.46 to 1.99 ± 0.57 in the balloon and laser-treated arteries, respectively (P < 0.001 for both groups for comparisons to baseline, P = NS for between groups comparison). Laser balloon angioplasty resulted in a further increase in luminal diameter to 2.42 ± 0.53 (P < 0.02) when compared to the post balloon angioplasty diameter. Platelet deposition (106/cm vessel) was higher following laser balloon angioplasty (26.9, 10.2–189; median range) than after balloon angioplasty (10.6, 3.4–30), P < 0.001. Histologic evidence of laser “sealing” was present in only one artery. Thus although laser balloon angioplasty results in an improved lumen diameter, it is accompanied by increased platelet deposition. In the atherosclerotic rabbit model, abolition of vascular recoil rather than “sealing” seems to be the most important advantage of laser balloon angioplasty over conventional balloon angioplasty. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An analysis of essential air service structure and performance

Abstract The US federal Essential Air Service program was established to subsidize air service to communities unable to retain commercial carriers after airline deregulation in 1978. In this paper, the subsidized service between program communities and commercial hub airports is investigated relative to several Essential Air Service planning objectives. Specifically, observed community hubbing activity is compared with that modeled to minimize hub access cost and maximize community accessibility within the commercial air transport system. Results highlight trends in system performance relative to these planning objectives and indicate that significant potential exists for enhancing the efficiency of the program in light of limited resources.
Different oral sensitivities to and sensations of short-, medium-, and long-chain fatty acids in humans

Fatty acids that vary in chain length and degree of unsaturation have different effects on metabolism and human health. As evidence for a “taste” of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) accumulates, it...
Miniaturized electronic system for the Planetary Integrated Camera-Spectrometer

This paper discusses the design, and implementation of a miniaturized electronic system for the Planetary Integrated Camera Spectrometer (PICS). The PICS electronics demonstrate the application of Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) and of analog hybrid technology to space flight multi-spectral systems. A discussion of the electronic system design illustrates how signals from a multi-sensor instrument containing an UV CCD, two visible CCDs, and a near-IR focal plane assembly can be processed through a common set of electronics. Following the system design discussion, the actual electronic design will be presented. Each miniaturized module will be discussed as to functionality and performance. The test setup for bench checkout of a cooled CCD and an IR FPA, including results with breadboard electronics and with the hybrids are also described.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care? ‡ **

Study objective: To evaluate the difference among time sources in an emergency medical system. Design: Prospective; comparison to a criterion standard. Setting: Five emergency departments and three emergency medical services systems in Indianapolis, Indiana. Interventions: Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), generated by the atomic clock in Boulder, Colorado, and broadcast by the US Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology, was used as the time standard. The investigators, on a single day, made unannounced visits to the five EDs and the ambulances and fire stations in the three emergency medical services systems. The times displayed on all time sources at each location were recorded. The accuracy to the second of each time source compared to UTC was calculated. Results: Three time sources were excluded (two defibrillator clocks and one ED wall clock that varied more than three hours from UTC). Of the 152 time sources, 72 had analog displays, 74 digital, three both, and three other. The average absolute difference from UTC was 1 minute 45 seconds (SEM, 9 seconds) with a range of 12 minutes 34 seconds slow to 7 minutes 7 seconds fast. Thus, two timepieces could have varied by as much as 19 minutes 41 seconds. Compared to UTC, 47 timepieces (31%) were slow, 100 (66%) were fast, and five (3%) were accurate to the second. Fifty-five percent of the time sources varied one minute or more from UTC. Conclusion: Time sources in this health care system varied considerably. Time recording in medicine could be made more precise by synchronizing medical clocks to UTC, using computers to automatically "time stamp" data entries and using only digital time sources with second displays.
Efficient enantioselective separation and determination of trace impurities in secondary amino acids (i.e., imino acids).

Abstract An R-(−)-1-(1-naphthyl)ethyl carbamoylated-β-cyclodextrin bonded phase in conjunction with a nonaqueous polar mobile phase was used for the highly selective enantioseparation of a number of secondary amino acids after their pre-column derivatization with 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (FMOC). Under the conditions employed, the FMOC reagent served to “lock” the imino acid into their existing conformation thereby preventing the possibility of racemization. Furthermore, it served to increase the sensitivity to the point that trace level enantiomeric impurities were easily detected. Compared with separations that use traditional reversed-phase solvents, this method showed several advantages: higher selectivity towards the imino acid enantiomers investigated, shorter analysis times, faster equilibration of the column, more stable baseline and more sensitive fluorescence detection. The detection limits for FMOC derivatives of proline, trans-4-hydroxyproline, cis-4-hydroxyproline, pyroglutamic acid, 3,4-dehydroproline, thiaproline, penicillamine acetone adduct and pipecolic acid are in the low femtomole range. The method was used for evaluation of enantioselectivity of a number of “optically pure” commercial imino acid standards. Enantiomeric impurities as low as 0.0001% (1 ppm) can be determined in some cases. High precision determination of trace levels of d -imino acids in the presence of large amounts of corresponding (opposite) l enantiomer at 1, 0.1, 0.01% and below are demonstrated.