cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermodynamic Stability of Transition States in Nanosystems

We present a theory which shows that, in a closed system of fixed volume capa- ble of undergoing a phase transition, the transition state can be thermodynamically stable against the bulk phases if a certain material parameters criterion is fulfilled. In a small sys- tem below the critical size the transition state turns into a globally stable phase that can be observed experimentally. This effect is analogous to stabilization of icosahedral structures in clusters of certain sizes and energies. Stabilization of the transition state in small systems of limited resources allows us to conjecture that, in the case of a melting/freezing transition in pure substances, this state corresponds to an amorphous phase. Although unstable in open systems, this phase may be observed experimentally due to slow kinetics of its decomposi- tion at low temperatures. The material-parameters criterion should help experimenters select the materials for the experimental verification of the phenomenon. In the present paper we consider thin films where the phase separation is permitted only parallel to the plane of the film. The calculations, however, hold true for 3D small systems: e.g., nanoparticles.
The q Schrodinger equation

We consider the Schrodinger equation for the one-dimensional harmonic oscillator, but with the normal derivative replaced by a q-derivative. The normalizable solutions are found and the q-generalization of the Hermite polynomials is given. The free equation is also considered, but no normalizable eigenstates exist even if the system is in a box.
A STUDY OF THE DISTRIBUTION AND ACTIVITY OF MICROORGANISMS IN OCEAN WATER1

Estimates of living mass and respiratory rate were made by several methods on large water samples taken at several depths at each of two ocean stations. Total microbial biomass estimates based on ATP determinations gave reasonable results in relation to phytoplankton biomass, total particulate organic carbon, and total particulate volume as determined by an electronic particle counter. Respiratory rate estimates based on 0, uptake, electron transport system activity, and ATP were in moderately good agreement in surface water but diverged widely in deep water. Heterotrophic uptake of specific organic compounds seems to be related to numbers of active bacteria and not related to total microbial respiration. Photosynthetic rates and release of dissolved photosynthate are reported for both stations.
Self-focused attention in the treatment of social phobia

For those with social phobia, self-focused attention has been linked with impairment in social performance, increased social anxiety, and a higher frequency of self-critical thoughts during social situations. The purpose of this investigation was to assess correlates of changes in situational self-focus over the course of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT). Focus of attention was assessed after in-session role-plays and after in vivo homework assignments during group CBT for social phobia. Analyses revealed a significant decrease in self-focused attention over time; focus on events and stimuli outside of the self remained unchanged. Treatment gains on anxiety during dyadic interactions, on negative self-judgments, and on personalized social fears were related to reduction in self-focused attention. Those with public speaking phobias showed a strong relationship between decreased self-focus and speech anxiety. These findings suggest that changes in self-focused attention during the course of CBT are related to important therapeutic gains. Specific interventions aimed at decreasing self-focus may be a useful treatment strategy.
Increasing agreement over time in interlaboratory anatomic pathology consultation material

Objectives: To undertake a retrospective study of the rate of diagnostic discrepancy for patient/clinician-initiated second opinions in anatomic pathology at our institution and determine if this rate has changed and whether the change could be explained. Methods: We reviewed all patient/clinician-initiated consults (incoming and outgoing) handled by our institution over a 6¾-year (27 quarters) period in which the original and consult reports were available. Results: The rate of disagreement from the first 14 to the second 13 quarters declined from 20.4% to 15.4% ( P = .004) for incoming consults and from 9.7% to 4.1% ( P < .001) for outgoing consults. Significant decreases in the rate of immunohistochemistry, percentage of reports with 2 pathologists’ names, and percentage of cytology and endocrine cases were noted for incoming consults. Only a decrease in the percentage of cases with 2 pathologists’ names was identified in outgoing consultations. Conclusions: Disagreements in interlaboratory anatomic pathology consults decreased over time, and some but not all changes had features associated with increased agreement.
Mixed Tethyan and McCloud Belt Rugose Corals and Fusulinids in an Upper Triassic Conglomerate, Central Oregon

Colonial rugose corals ranging in age from Carboniferous to Late Triassic and Early Permian (Cisuralian) fusulinids have been recovered from cobbles in a conglomerate in the Upper Triassic Brisbois Member of the Vester Formation in the Izee terrane in central Oregon. Early Permian (late Sakmarian or early Artinskian) fusulinids typical of those present in the Coyote Butte Limestone in the nearby Grindstone terrane (part of the allochthonous McCloud Belt) include Eoparafusulina, Pseudofusulinella, Chalaroschwagerina, and Schwagerina. The presence of these fusulinid genera and the Pennsylvanian coral Heritschioides?, which is mostly restricted to the McCloud Belt, suggest these particular cobbles were derived from limestone in that belt. The Early Permian fusulinids Changmeia bostwicki new species and Changmeia bigflatensis new species, and the Early Permian corals Yokoyamaella? oregonensis new species and Yokoyamaella? sp. 1, all of which have Tethyan affinities, occur rarely in other cobbles. The presence of definitive fossils from the two different realms in a conglomerate associated with beds containing Late Triassic ammonoids indicates that by Late Triassic time a fragment of a Tethyan terrane was close to or had been amalgamated with a terrane belonging to the McCloud Belt.
Syndrome-AC: noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and the anabolic/catabolic paradox

When an organism is starving, infected or injured, the body initiates a catabolic response that, among other things, creates insulin resistance. While many possible mechanisms and numerous loci of insulin resistance have been studied, a theme of inappropriately activated components of catabolic chemistry emerges. Patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) have elevated blood levels of glucagon, cortisol, fatty acids, protein, glucose and possibly acute phase reactants. Recent studies hint that this can occur with meals, resulting in a multilevel, multiorgan interference with glucose handling. This implies NIDDM is the result of the dietary activation of catabolic chemistry simultaneously with that of anabolic chemistry. We review the possibility that this is caused by the consumption of body tissue, the substance ordinarily endogenously released in starvation or injury. Activating the catabolic pathways when eating creates a hormonal paradox, forcing exaggerated insulin levels to compensate. Five case studies are reviewed.
A comparison of medical students' self-reported empathy with simulated patients' assessments of the students' empathy.

Background: Empathy is necessary for communication between patients and physicians to achieve optimal clinical outcomes.Aim: To examine associations between Simulated Patients’ (SPs) assessment of medical students’ empathy and the students’ self-reported empathy.Methods: A total of 248 third-year medical students completed the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE). SPs completed the Jefferson Scale of Patient Perceptions of Physician Empathy (JSPPPE), and a global rating of empathy in 10 objective clinical skills examination encounters during a comprehensive end of third-year clinical skills examination.Results: High correlation was found between the scores on the JSPPPE and the global ratings of empathy completed by the SPs (r = 0.87, p < 0.01). A moderate but statistically significant correlation was observed between scores of the JSPE and the JSPPPE (r = 0.19, p < 0.05). Significant differences were observed on the JSPE and global ratings of empathy among top, middle and low scorers on the JSPPPE...
A Review of “Dziga Vertov: Defining Documentary Film”: by Jeremy Hicks. New York: I.B. Tauris, 2007

Many film studies scholars associate the great Soviet documentary filmmaker Dziga Vertov with just a singular masterpiece: Man with a Movie Camera (1929). While not necessarily the first of its kin...
Network Subnetting: An Instance of Technical Problem Solving in Kolb's Experiential Learning Cycle

How do we model and improve technical problem solving, such as network subnetting? This paper reports an experimental study that tested three hypotheses, two derived from Kolb's experiential learning cycle and one derived from the advance organizer technique. The two hypotheses following Kolb's cycle were supported, and the one based on advance organizers was not supported. The results indicate that solving network subnetting problems starts concrete, becomes more abstract, and ends concrete. The lack of support for advance organizers indicates that they are not a good fit for technical problem solving, or that they need to be designed differently for it. We draw some implications for research and practice. We also call for additional research to extend Kolb's cycle to other knowledge intensive problem solving domains
Pituitary ocular graft function in the rat, with a comparison of the qualitative nature of TSH from normal pituitaries and ocular grafts.

After transplantation to the anterior eye chamber of hypophysectomized or intact male hosts, neonatal rat pituitary glands exhibited evidence of TSH secretion only. Pars intermedia had no effect on adenohypophyseal function and was without detectable effect when grafted alone. TSH concentration of ocular grafts was similar to that of normal glands; unlike normal glands, however, it was not depleted by PTU feeding and did not rebound to supranormal levels after PTU withdrawal. Hypophysectomized test animals were injected with TSH from ocular grafts and that from normal glands over a range of 2–300 mu./day. TSH from both sources produced qualitatively and quantitatively similar effects on thyroid weight and T/S ratio. The results are discussed with respect to neural control of TSH and the hypothesis of separate growth and metabolic TSH principles.
Culturally Biased Assumptions in Counseling Psychology.

Eight clusters of culturally biased assumptions are identified for further discussion from Leong and Ponterotto's (2003 [this issue]) article. The presence of cultural bias demonstrates that cultural bias is so robust and pervasive that is permeates the profession of counseling psychology, even including those articles that effectively attack cultural bias itself such as Leong and Ponterotto's. Readers are warned to not underestimate the power of cultural bias and cultural encapsulation as generic issues in the profession of counseling psychology. The internationalization of counseling psychology is a struggle to be consistent with the scientist-practitioner model and the scientific foundation of psychology itself.
Stool appearance in intussusception: assessing the value of the term "currant jelly"

This study surveyed the stool appearance descriptions of 107 inpatient children with intussusception. Fifty-six patients presented with grossly bloody stools (passed spontaneously), 10 of which were determined on chart review to resemble currant jelly. Of the 51 patients without grossly bloody spontaneously passed stools, 35 patients had rectal examination results charted. Eight of these children had grossly bloody stools noted on rectal examination, 4 of which were determined on chart review to resemble currant jelly. While most of the grossly bloody stools were not consistent with pure currant jelly, the most common terms used in describing the grossly bloody stools were "bloody," "mucus," "red," and "diarrhea." Since stools truly resembling currant jelly account for a minority of the grossly bloody stools in intussusception, the term "currant jelly stools" should be assessed in the teaching of intussusception. Generic terms such as blood, mucus, burgundy, red, etc, are more objective and sensitive at identifying cases of intussusception. Junior physicians who are taught the classic presentation of intussusception with currant jelly stool should also be taught that intussusception should be considered in the differential diagnosis of children passing any type of bloody stool. As a result, physicians with limited experience will be more likely to appropriately consider the diagnosis of intussusception, permitting a more timely diagnosis and a better outcome.
Container materials for high-level nuclear waste at the proposed Yucca Mountain site

Candidate container materials for high-level nuclear waste packages to be emplaced at the proposed Yucca Mountain repository site are being considered for their long-term resistance to corrosion, oxidation, embrittlement and other kinds of degradation. An extensive compilation of the degradation phenomena for six candidate materials is complete, and further studies have begun on the degradation modes affecting additional candidate materials. Phenomenological models for predicting container degradation rates are being advanced for environmental conditions applicable to Yucca Mountain. An experimental program is underway to evaluate the susceptibility of container materials is localized corrosion, stress corrosion cracking, and enhancement of corrosion and oxidation attack by gamma radiation. Initial evaluations of container fabrication and welding processes have identified some processes that appear to alleviate some long-term susceptibility concerns. 10 refs., 2 figs.
Counting sequences obtained from the synchronization channel

Synchronization channels, which can remove codeword symbols or introduce extraneous symbols, pose additional difficulties when compared to the commonly-studied substitution channel. A traditional problem in this area is to count the number of sequences formed when deleting a fixed number of symbols from a sequence. This work contains our first effort towards solving a similar, yet previously unexplored, problem: deriving bounds on the number of sequences obtained by deleting and inserting a fixed number of symbols.
Cell-mediated immunity in patients with basal and squamous cell skin cancer.

T and B lymphocyte levels were normal in fifty patients with basal and squamous cell skin cancer. Patients with basal cell carcinomas and small squamous cell carcinomas reacted normally to intradermal antigens and to dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). However, patients with large (>3 cm) squamous cell carcinomas appeared to have defective systemic cell-mediated immunity because only 33% of them reacted to at least one intradermal antigen, and only 67% could be sensitized to DNCB. Presently, it is unknown whether this defect is related to the occurrence or behavior of squamous cell carcinoma.
Reliability evaluation of interconnected power systems including jointly owned generators

This paper presents a new approach for reliability evaluation of interconnected power systems including jointly owned generators. In this approach, all the jointly owned generators are first combined to form a generation model of these units. Then the rest of the generation model is combined with this jointly owned units (JOUs) generation model and load model to form a composite generation model. The transmission model is modified to account for flows due to JOUs. This modified transmission model along with the composite generation model forms the system state space. This method gives results which are very close to the results obtained by state-by-state analysis. The state-by-state analysis is, of course, impractical for real sized systems. >
Emulsion pathway for gelatin cross‐linking

A new method for gelatin cross-linking is suggested that starts with the generation of an emulsion between an aqueous solution containing gelatin and a surfactant, and a monomer (MMA) that contains an initiator (AIBN). The emulsion is prepared at 50°C under intense stirring, but is brought, subsequently, to room temperature. There are conditions under which the gellike emulsions thus obtained are transparent and extremely stable at room temperature. A slow cross-linking reaction occurs in the latter gels that leads to a material that is insoluble in water. The swelling of this material in water, which is very large after 5 days, reduces appreciably after 25 days of reaction. The cross-linking occurs only when MMA contains the initiator. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Multilocus Genotyping Identifies Infections by Multiple Strains of Trichophyton tonsurans

Acquisition of multiple genetic strains of a single dermatophyte species should not be unexpected in areas of high endemicity, and yet multistrain infections are infrequently reported. This communication details mixed Trichophyton tonsurans infections and highlights the need to confirm the presence of multiple strains in a clinical single isolate by use of a multilocus approach.
Comparison of functional outcomes and quality of life between transoral surgery and definitive chemoradiotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer.

Background The purpose of this study was to compare patient-reported outcomes between patients treated by initial transoral resection versus definitive chemoradiotherapy for oropharyngeal cancer. Methods Thirty-one patients with oropharyngeal cancer treated by initial transoral CO2 laser microsurgery (n = 16) or robotic surgery (n = 15) followed by postoperative radiotherapy were identified. Each patient was matched to 1 control patient treated by definitive chemoradiotherapy. The University of Washington Quality of Life (UW-QOL) scores at 1 year were compared. Results No significant differences were observed in any of the UW-QOL functional domains at 1 year with the exception of swallowing (91.5 vs 72.1; p = .01). Twenty-three of 31 patients (74%) treated by transoral surgery reported swallowing “as well as ever,” versus 10 of 31 patients (32%) treated by chemoradiotherapy. Conclusion Similar quality of life was observed among patients treated by transoral surgery or chemoradiotherapy. Although the rates of subjective swallowing dysfunction were higher among the latter, confounding biases must be considered. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 37: 381–385, 2015
Learning by incomplete explanations of failures in recursive domains

Abstract It has been widely recognized that explanation-based learning (EBL) leads to learning expensive rules when the underlying domain theories are recursive. This paper points out that recursion not only makes EBL more expensive but also makes the means-ends analysis (MEA) type backward search (on top of which many EBL systems are built) more expensive. We hypothesize that a forward chaining problem solver, like FS2, that builds incomplete proofs of failures to avoid many cases of recursion can perform better than a MEA problem solver that insists on exhaustive proofs. Our experiments show that in recursive domains FS2 performed better than the competing learning methods like PRODIGY+STATIC and comparable to known heuristic methods.
In vitro study on the interactive effects of heavy metals on catalase activity of Sarotherodon mossambicus (Peters)

The in vitro effects of individual heavy metal ions as well as their combinations on catalase activity were investigated. Copper was found to be the strongest inhibitor of catalase activity followed by mercury, iron, chromium and cadmium. Copper toxicity on catalase activity was reduced in the presence of all the other metal ions. However, the addition of cadmium, chromium, iron, manganese, lead to mercury and cadmium, iron, manganese, nickel, lead, zinc to chromium increased their inhibitory effects on catalase activity.
Commentary on: High superficial musculoaponeurotic system facelift with finger-assisted facial spaces dissection for Asian patients.

I have been asked to write a discussion of the article entitled “High Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System Facelift With Finger-Assisted Facial Spaces Dissection for Asian Patients” by Drs Ryu and Moon.1 The authors stated that few facelift procedures are designed specifically for Asian patients and that the facial characteristics of Asian patients make it difficult to achieve satisfactory results. After their study, they concluded that more studies are needed to redefine suitable facelift techniques for Asian patients. The authors' description of their surgical technique is comprehensible and concise, their diagrams are clear and support their surgical description, and their intraoperative photographs help to illustrate the procedures that they described. There are pre- and postoperative photographs of 2 patients that show aesthetic improvements. However, both sets of photographs make it impossible to ascertain the portion of the result that is purely related to the facelift technique described because both patients have had fat injections in multiple areas of the face, including the upper medial malar area, the nasolabial folds, and the cheeks. Of the 53 consecutive patients who underwent facelifts using the high superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) with finger-assisted facial spaces dissection technique, 40 patients underwent fat grafting, 11 patients underwent brow lifts, 7 patients underwent upper blepharoplasty, 13 patients underwent lower blepharoplasty, and 18 patients underwent submentoplasty in medial platysmarrhaphy and subplatysmal fat debulking. A brief summary of the authors’ technique is as follows: After skin flap elevation, an incision was …
Understanding Children and Adolescents' Victimizations at Multiple Levels: An Ecological Review of the Literature

ABSTRACT This article examines children and adolescent exposure to violence in various contexts. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify the definitions and types of violence reported in studies on victimization using the ecological systems framework. Sources included research studies and/or reports from scholarly journals (n = 140), books (n = 9), conferences/workshops (n = 5), and Web sources, such as Uniform Crime Reports (n = 23). The findings indicated that research differed in terminologies, conceptual and operational definitions, sample sizes, and age group classification for children and adolescents. Furthermore, studies lacked focus on the co-occurrence and interrelatedness of victimization and how these factors might affect the outcomes. Many studies employed a cross-sectional design, which limits strong conclusions about the temporal order of victimization experiences and outcomes. Future research efforts need more consistency among researchers in conceptual and operatio...
Activation of the insulin-like growth factor-I receptor inhibits tumor necrosis factor-induced cell death.

The effect of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)induced cell killing was determined for mouse BALB/c3T3 fibroblasts in vitro. Cells maintained in 0.5% fetal bovine serum (FBS) were killed by TNF within 6 h in a concentration-dependent manner, an effect that was prevented by IGF-I. TNF-induced cytotoxicity of 3T3 cells that overexpress the human IGF-I receptor (p6 cells) was prevented by IGF-I alone in the absence of serum. TNF-induced cell death was associated with the morphologic features of apoptosis and the release of low-molecular-weight DNA, both of which were prevented by IGF-I. Neither epidermal growth factor (EGF) nor platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) protected p6 cells from TNF-induced apoptosis. The specific protective action of the IGF-I receptor was demonstrated further by the marked sensitivity to TNF of embryo fibroblasts derived from mice with targeted disruption of the IGF-I receptor (R- cells) but not of fibroblasts derived from wild-type littermates or R- cells transfected with the cDNA for the human IGF-I receptor. Cycloheximide or actinomycin D markedly reduced the protection offered by IGF-I. IGF-I protection of BALB/c3T3 cells persisted for up to 5 days in the presence of PDGF and EGF, whereas IGF-I lost its effectiveness after 2 days in the absence of growth factors. IGF-I did not prevent TNF-induced release of arachidonic acid. The results demonstrate a specific role for the IGF-I receptor in the protection against TNF cytotoxicity. This action of the IGF-I receptor is mediated by protective cytosolic proteins that exhibit a high rate of turnover and whose levels are regulated principally by factors within serum other than IGF-I. o 1996 WiIey-Liss, Inc.
Operating characteristics of an oceanographic model of Puget Sound

The model, constructed to a horizontal scale of 1/40,000 and vertical of 1/1152, is equipped with a tide-producing mechanism and means for adding regulated amounts of fresh and salt water. Tests made include the following: the response of the water level to individual tidal constituents and to typical tides; current patterns throughout tidal periods; and density structure under equilibrium conditions and subsequent to controlled changes in source water. The behavior of the model agrees well with the prototype.
Early responses of insulin signaling to high-carbohydrate and high-fat overfeeding

Background Early molecular changes of nutritionally-induced insulin resistance are still enigmatic. It is also unclear if acute overnutrition alone can alter insulin signaling in humans or if the macronutrient composition of the diet can modulate such effects.
Can Hunting of Translocated Nuisance Canada Geese Reduce Local Conflicts

Abstract Resident Canada geese (Branta canadensis) nest or reside in the temperate latitudes of North America. In past years, translocation—the capture and subsequent release of geese at distant locations—has been used to establish resident goose populations and to reduce nuisance problems. However, with new special hunting seasons designed to target resident Canada geese, we can now evaluate translocation as a management tool when hunting is allowed at release sites. We selected 2 study sites, representative of urban and suburban locations with nuisance resident geese, in central and western New York, USA. In June 2003, we translocated 80 neck-banded adult geese, 14 radiomarked adult females, and 83 juveniles 150 km east and southwest from urban and suburban problem sites in western New York to state-owned Wildlife Management Areas. At these same capture sites, we used 151 neck-banded adult geese, 12 radiomarked females, and 100 juveniles as controls to compare dispersal movements and harvest vulnerabili...
Effects of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Fatigue and Sleepiness in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Data from a Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVES Complaints of fatigue are frequent in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); however, the impact of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on fatigue remains unclear. METHODS Fifty-nine men and women with OSA were randomly assigned to therapeutic or placebo CPAP in a double-blind fashion for a 3-week intervention period. Four outcome measures were assessed: (1) fatigue/vigor measured with the Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory--Short Form (MFSI-sf), the (2) fatigue and (3) vigor subscales of the Profile of Mood States--Short Form (POMS), and (4) the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS Compared with patients receiving placebo CPAP, those patients treated with therapeutic CPAP showed significant reductions in the apnea-hypopnea index, as well as decreases in both measures of fatigue and increases in vigor (P values 0.05); however, in a subset of patients with excessive sleepiness at the onset of treatment, ESS scores were significantly reduced with use of therapeutic CPAP (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that 3 weeks of therapeutic CPAP significantly reduced fatigue and increased energy in patients with OSA. Therapeutic CPAP significantly reduced daytime sleepiness in patients who reported excessive sleepiness at the onset of treatment.
Impacts of Human Disturbances on Biotic Communities in Hawaiian Streams

Abstract Streams throughout the tropics have been altered by water diversion, channel modification, introduced species, and water quality degradation. The Hawaiian Islands, with watersheds ranging from the relatively pristine to the highly degraded, offer an opportunity to examine the impacts of human disturbance on native stream communities. For example, urbanization is often accompanied by stream-channel modification and reduced canopy cover, resulting in higher water temperatures and greater fluctuations in daily temperature. Even in relatively pristine watersheds, stream diversions can result in decreased flow velocity and water depth, reducing habitat availability. Dewatering of stream reaches can also inhibit downstream dispersal of larvae and upstream migration of juveniles and adults of native species. Many nonnative aquatic species are better adapted than native species to degraded habitats; once established in these habitats, they can cause further reduction in native populations through competi...
Advective Ocean–Atmosphere Interaction: An Analytical Stochastic Model with Implications for Decadal Variability

Abstract Atmospheric variability on timescales of a month or longer is dominated by a small number of large-scale spatial patterns (“teleconnections”), whose time evolution has a significant stochastic component because of weather excitation. One may expect these patterns to play an important role in ocean–atmosphere interaction. On interannual and longer timescales, horizontal advection in the ocean can also play an important role in such interaction. The authors develop a simple one-dimensional stochastic model of the interaction between spatially coherent atmospheric forcing patterns and an advective ocean. The model may be considered a generalization of the zero-dimensional stochastic climate model proposed by Hasselmann. The model equations are simple enough that they can be solved analytically, allowing one to fully explore the parameter space. The authors find that the solutions fall into two regimes: (i) a slow–shallow regime where local damping effects dominate and (ii) a fast–deep regime where n...
Simple Methods of Obstetric Analgesia

In many parts of the world, the services of anesthetists or other persons trained to administer major forms of regional or general anesthesia are not available for most obstetric patients. Under such circumstances the midwife or obstetrician must rely on the use of “simple” methods of analgesia. These usually consist of the combined use of sedatives and narcotics for most of labor, and in some instances, they are followed by simple methods of inhalation analgesia or simple regional analgesia. In this chapter the clinical use of sedatives and narcotics will be briefly described. The techniques of inhalation and regional analgesia are considered in the next two chapters.
An International Comparison of Institutional Requisites for Gender Equality

A quarter-century has passed since the enactment of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act in 1985, but the economic status of Japanese women remains well below average as compared with women in other developed nations. This article conducts an international comparison to examine the problems with the employment environment for women in Japan and the efforts taken to address them.
Effects of transcytolemmal water exchange on the assessment of myocardial extracellular volume with cardiovascular MRI.

Quantitative analysis of the myocardial interstitial space is gaining increased interest as a biomarker in the MRI and clinical cardiovascular communities. To investigate the effect of water exchange on the calculation of myocardial extracellular volume (ECV), we employed two tissue models: the standard ECV two-point model (SM) and the shutter speed model (SSM). Twenty individuals (18 men and two women; age 61.9 ± 10.3 years) underwent MRI at 1.5 T with pre-contrast and post-contrast dynamic T1 quantification. Means, standard deviations and ranges for SM and SSM model parameters were calculated. Infarct and viable myocardial model parameters as well as apparent ECV values calculated with the SM and SSM were statistically compared. Viable ECV(SM) remained temporally constant (27.3-28.0%: P = 0.5) and infarcted myocardial ECV(SM) changed significantly (49.3-58.8%; P < 0.001), reaching a steady-state value after 15 min. The intracellular lifetime of water was three times greater in infarcted myocardium when compared with viable myocardium (τi: 66.6 ± 115 versus 208.7 ± 72.7 ms) and accompanied a twofold increase in ECV (ECV(SSM) : 30.3 ± 11.1 versus 71.0 ± 13.1%; P < 0.001). There was a consistent significant difference in ECV values of infarcted myocardium at different timepoints between the SM and SSM, but not viable myocardium, presumably due to slower water exchange. In summary, we found a significant change in apparent ECV and water exchange in infarcted myocardium when compared with viable myocardium. This was visualized by changes in dynamic contrast enhanced curve shapes and quantified using the SSM as not only an increase in apparent ECV but also a decrease in water exchange.
Production of congenital malformations using tissue antisera.

Abstract Rabbit anti-rat Reichert's membrane (RM) serum, when injected into pregnant rats on the ninth day of gestation, produced embryolethality and stunting but a surprisingly low incidence of malformations. Immunofluorescent studies revealed that the maternally injected RM antiserum localizes in RM and in the basement membrane of some maternal kidney tubules but not in the maternal glomerulus or in the cytoplasm of the visceral yolk sac (VYS) cells as had teratogenic VYS and kidney antisera. When antiserum against rat RM was injected into mice, localization occurred in the glomerular basement membranes, thus confirming the findings of Pierce and co-workers. When teratogenic term VYS antiserum is adsorbed with RM, it still localizes in the VYS, does not localize in RM, and is still teratogenic. When this same antiserum is adsorbed with VYS, the antiserum is no longer teratogenic. It appears that the localization of antibodies in the VYS cells is the major contributor to the production of congenital malformations because localization of antisera in RM alone was associated with a very low incidence of teratogenesis. Since both structures participate in a multitude of biochemical processes, which include adsorption, transport, catabolism, and anabolism of nutrients, nonnutrients, and waste products, there are many plausible hypotheses to explain the nature of the parietal and visceral yolk sac dysfunction.
A new taxonomic arrangement for Paleorhinus scurriensis

The paraphyletic genus ‘Paleorhinus’ is understood currently as a cosmopolitan phytosaur taxon from the Late Triassic. There is no consensus regarding the number of species of ‘Paleorhinus,’ with multiple species and genera synonymised into a single genus or even a single species at various points in its published history. The taxonomy is confounded by historical descriptions without the benefit of comparisons to more recently collected specimens, emphasis on plesiomorphic cranial morphology as diagnostic features of the genus, and lack of cladistic analyses. When included in a recent explicitly cladistic phylogenetic analysis, the holotype of ‘Paleorhinus’ scurriensis (TTU P-00539) was found to be the earliest-branching phytosaur with respect to other North American specimens previously referred to ‘Paleorhinus,’ and is generically distinct from Paleorhinus. ‘Paleorhinus’ scurriensis differs from all known phytosaurs in five unambiguous characters: basitubera widely separated mediolaterally; ridge present on lateral surface of jugal; thickened shelf present along posteroventral edge of expanded pterygoid-quadrate wing; ‘septomaxillae’ separated and excluded from internarial septum; and nasal swelling present posterior to posterior borders of nares. This detailed morphological description of an early-branching phytosaur taxon is a first step towards resolving long-standing issues surrounding specific anatomical features and relationships among early members of the clade.
Endoscopic biopsy is diagnostic in gastric antral vascular ectasia. The "watermelon stomach".

Gastric antral vascular ectasia was endoscopically diagnosed in seven patients. Pathologic characteristics of this entity were defined retrospectively, by studying endoscopic pinch biopsy slides from these seven patients and antrectomy specimens from five patients. A scoring system was developed, and the seven patients were compared prospectively with various control groups. Abnormalities of mucosal vessels (fibrin thrombi and/or ectasia) consistently distinguished patients from control antrectomies, normal biopsies, acute gastritis biopsies and atrophic gastritis biopsies (P=0.02, all comparisons). Spindle cell proliferation into mucosa also was characteristic of gastric antral vascular ectasia, distinguishing this disease from normals, acute gastritis, and atrophic gastritis (P≤0.039, each comparison). The presence of abnormal mucosal vessels (fibrin thrombi and/or ectasia) and spindle cell proliferation was similar in patient antrectomies compared to patient endoscopic biopsies. Therefore, we conclude that endoscopic biopsies can reliably diagnose gastric antral vascular ectasia, a vascular disorder characterized by abnormal mucosal vessels and spindle cell proliferation.
Use of salicylic acid polymers and bone morphogenetic protein-2 to promote bone regeneration in rabbit parietal bone defects:

The ability of bone defects to heal spontaneously is inversely related to the size of the defect, such that defects larger than a critical size will not heal without additional therapeutic intervention. Typically, large bone defects are filled with autologous bone harvested from another skeletal site, an osteoconductive bone graft material, treated with an osteoinductive factor such as bone morphogenetic protein-2, or by a combination of these approaches. Despite these interventions, unsatisfactory success and complication rates show that alternative treatment methods are needed. Here, we test whether salicylic acid polymers can be used as guided bone regeneration barriers in conjunction with bone morphogenetic protein-2 to treat 1-cm-diameter defects in rabbit parietal bones. Porous, 1-cm round polycaprolactone scaffolds were infused with calcium sulfate–containing bone morphogenetic protein-2 and then capped on one side with salicylic acid polymers. The polymers slowed resorption of calcium sulfate that...
Utilization of Low Cost, Sky-Imaging Technology for Irradiance Forecasting of Distributed Solar Generation

This paper presents an intra-hour cloud forecasting methodology for distributed solar generation by predicting irradiance changes in five minute intervals throughout the day. This approach is designed to assist in the creation of a low-cost, sky imaging system for experimental field-testing. The image processing techniques are presented in the following sections: Forecasting Inputs Required, Masking, Segmentation, Filtering & Binary Conversion, True North Orientation, Optical Flow & Cloud Motion, and Ray Tracing & Irradiance Predictions. Sky/Cloud images were acquired on site at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and were processed by the above procedure for five individual days under a variety of cloud conditions. Lastly, the irradiance change predictions were validated using NREL's direct solar irradiance measurements* for comparison.
Clinical calculators in hospital medicine

Validated clinical calculators and scores serve as useful clinical tools in practice.There is no information about quantity, their distribution by clinical specialties, and their need.Readily available clinical calculators were identified, classified and attributed to clinical specialties.Institution-specific usefulness of clinical calculators was evaluated. ObjectiveClinical calculators are widely used in modern clinical practice, but are not generally applied to electronic health record (EHR) systems. Important barriers to the application of these clinical calculators into existing EHR systems include the need for real-time calculation, human-calculator interaction, and data source requirements. The objective of this study was to identify, classify, and evaluate the use of available clinical calculators for clinicians in the hospital setting. MethodsDedicated online resources with medical calculators and providers of aggregated medical information were queried for readily available clinical calculators. Calculators were mapped by clinical categories, mechanism of calculation, and the goal of calculation. Online statistics from selected Internet resources and clinician opinion were used to assess the use of clinical calculators. ResultsOne hundred seventy-six readily available calculators in 4 categories, 6 primary specialties, and 40 subspecialties were identified. The goals of calculation included prediction, severity, risk estimation, diagnostic, and decision-making aid. A combination of summation logic with cutoffs or rules was the most frequent mechanism of computation. Combined results, online resources, statistics, and clinician opinion identified 13 most utilized calculators. ConclusionAlthough not an exhaustive list, a total of 176 validated calculators were identified, classified, and evaluated for usefulness. Most of these calculators are used for adult patients in the critical care or internal medicine settings. Thirteen of 176 clinical calculators were determined to be useful in our institution. All of these calculators have an interface for manual input.
Compact rf polarizer and its application to pulse compression systems

We present a novel method of reducing the footprint and increasing the efficiency of the modern multi-MW rf pulse compressor. This system utilizes a high power rf polarizer to couple two circular waveguide modes in quadrature to a single resonant cavity in order to replicate the response of a traditional two cavity configuration using a 4-port hybrid. The 11.424 GHz, high-Q, spherical cavity has a 5.875 cm radius and is fed by the circularly polarized signal to simultaneously excite the degenerate $T{E}_{114}$ modes. The overcoupled spherical cavity has a ${Q}_{0}$ of $9.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4}$ and coupling factor ($\ensuremath{\beta}$) of 7.69 thus providing a loaded quality factor ${Q}_{L}$ of $1.06\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4}$ with a fill time of 150 ns. Cold tests of the polarizer demonstrated good agreement with the numerical design, showing transmission of $\ensuremath{-}0.05\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{dB}$ and reflection back to the input rectangular WR 90 waveguide less than $\ensuremath{-}40\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{dB}$ over a 100 MHz bandwidth. This novel rf pulse compressor was tested at SLAC using XL-4 Klystron that provided rf power up to 32 MW and generated peak output power of 205 MW and an average of 135 MW over the discharged signal. A general network analysis of the polarizer is discussed as well as the design and high power test of the rf pulse compressor.
Biophysical regulation of Chlamydia pneumoniae-infected monocyte recruitment to atherosclerotic foci

Chlamydia pneumoniae infection is implicated in atherosclerosis although the contributory mechanisms are poorly understood. We hypothesize that C. pneumoniae infection favors the recruitment of monocytes to atherosclerotic foci by altering monocyte biophysics. Primary, fresh human monocytes were infected with C. pneumoniae for 8 h, and the interactions between monocytes and E-selectin or aortic endothelium under flow were characterized by video microscopy and image analysis. The distribution of membrane lipid rafts and adhesion receptors were analyzed by imaging flow cytometry. Infected cells rolled on E-selectin and endothelial surfaces, and this rolling was slower, steady and uniform compared to uninfected cells. Infection decreases cholesterol levels, increases membrane fluidity, disrupts lipid rafts, and redistributes CD44, which is the primary mediator of rolling interactions. Together, these changes translate to higher firm adhesion of infected monocytes on endothelium, which is enhanced in the presence of LDL. Uninfected monocytes treated with LDL or left untreated were used as baseline control. Our results demonstrate that the membrane biophysical changes due to infection and hyperlipidemia are one of the key mechanisms by which C. pneumoniae can exacerbate atherosclerotic pathology. These findings provide a framework to characterize the role of 'infectious burden' in the development and progression of atherosclerosis.
Using Cross-Recurrence Quantification Analysis to Understand Social Motor Coordination in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Interpersonal motor coordination is considered to be an integral part of maintaining successful social interactions. Research has shown that simply coordinating one’s movements with another actor can influence rapport as well as feelings of social connection and social competence. Past research has also found that deficits in social motor coordination are associated with psychological dysfunction such as schizophrenia and borderline personality disorders. However, the potential association between interpersonal motor coordination and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has only received a very limited amount of attention. In the current experiment, children who had been previously diagnosed with ASD and typically developing (TD) children were asked to synchronize with or imitate the movements of an experimenter in two different interpersonal motor tasks: object tapping and hand-clapping. Both the experimenter’s and the participants’ movements were captured and compared to each other using relative phase analysis and cross-recurrence quantification analysis (CRQA). The results reveal differences not only in the patterning of the coordination that occurred for ASD and TD children, but also in the stability and deterministic structure of the coordination. Of particular interest was the finding that children with ASD exhibited less stable (robust), but more deterministic patterns of interpersonal social motor coordination compared to TD children.
Sleep and Activity Rhythms

This chapter presents an overview of sleep process and activity rhythms in the body. Sleep onset is accompanied by a shift in electroencephalographic (EEG) activity from low voltage fast waves to high voltage slow waves. As one goes into the state of quiet sleep (QS), eye movements cease, body movements and muscle tone diminish, and heart rate and respiration rates decrease. In a state of sleep occurring an hour or so after onset of quiet sleep, the EEG is like that in the waking state. This state is referred to as paradoxical sleep, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, or active sleep. Dreams often occur during active sleep. There are marked species differences in the proportion of time spent in quiet sleep and active sleep, and the number of cycles of sleep and activity each day. Over a wide range of species, total amount of quiet sleep is inversely relative to body weight and amount of active sleep is inversely related to degree of predatory danger facing the species. Patterns of sleep change with development. The features of development in humans include prolongation of waking periods and shift to a circadian cycle.