cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in injection drug users

Background: Nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors are a critical component of antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected persons. Several of these medications cause painful, dose-limiting peripheral neuropathy (PN), which may develop earlier and more intensely in persons with preexisting neuropathy. The prevalence of baseline peripheral neuropathy in injection drug users (IDUs), one of the largest populations of HIV-infected persons, has not been described, yet has important implications for the selection of antiretroviral therapy. Methods: The authors performed a cross-sectional study of PN in 212 HIV-seronegative and HIV-seropositive IDUs using detailed neurologic histories, physical examinations, quantitative electrophysiologic study, and quantitative sensory testing. Data were used to assign patients to one of four positive categories of PN or one of two negative categories. Results: PN was present in 24.5% of HIV-seronegative IDUs, three to four times the reported frequency for HIV-seronegative persons in the general or male homosexual population. PN was present in 32.1% of HIV-seropositive patients. PN was axonal in nature and associated with increased age and alcohol use. PN was asymptomatic in 81% of HIV-seronegative and 71% of HIV-seropositive patients with PN. Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of PN in HIV-seronegative IDUs. Although these PNs do not seem to predispose HIV-seropositive IDUs to HIV-related PN, they may increase the likelihood of iatrogenic neuropathy. Intravenous drug users may need more diligent monitoring when administered nucleoside analogues than patients in risk groups with lower endemic rates of PN.
Electromodulation spectroscopy of excitons in simple cubic TlCl and TlBr

Transmission and electromodulated transmission spectra have been measured in the direct Wannier exciton region for TlCl and TlBr. The spectra were obtained at a sample temperature between 5 and 6 K for a range of applied electric fields. The data have been reduced to obtain the electric-field-induced changes in the dielectric function and compared in detail to the calculations of Blossey. The experimental results support the trends predicted by the calculations.
Robustness of the Analysis of Variance, the Welch Procedure and a Box Procedure to Heterogeneous Variances

AbstractNumerous studies have documented the robustness of t and F to heterogeneous variances under the restricted condition of equal n’s. Likewise, the distortion of α in the presence of unequal n’s and variances has been demonstrated in both mathematical and empirical studies. Several investigations, however, have shown the Welch technique to be robust to this disturbing situation in the two group case. The present study was addressed to the k group AOV situation. Monte Carlo methods were employed to contrast several procedures with respect to a.) control over Type I errors and b.) power. Results indicate that the generalized Welch technique may be substituted for the AOV when variances are heterogeneous and n’s are unequal.
Elevated hematocrit, risk of thrombosis, and polycythemia vera

In this issue, Shibata and colleagues (page [4416][1]) have studied a transgenic mouse with extreme polycythemia (erythrocytosis) due to constitutive overexpression of erythropoietin. They expected this to be a useful model for thrombotic complications that are a major cause of mortality and
Jet injection into polyacrylamide gels: investigation of jet injection mechanics.

Abstract Jet injectors employ high-velocity liquid jets that penetrate into human skin and deposit drugs in the dermal or subdermal region. Although jet injectors have been marketed for a number of years, relatively little is known about the interactions of high-speed jets with soft materials such as skin. Using polyacrylamide gels as a model system, the mechanics of jet penetration, including the dependence of jet penetration on mechanical properties, was studied. Jets employed in a typical commercial injector, (orifice diameter: 152 μm, velocity: 170–180 m/s) were used to inject fluid into polyacrylamide gels possessing Young's moduli in the range of 0.06–0.77 MPa and hardness values in the range of 4–70 HOO. Motion analysis of jet entry into polyacrylamide gels revealed that jet penetration can be divided into three distinct events: erosion, stagnation, and dispersion. During the erosion phase, the jet removed the gel at the impact site and led to the formation of a distinct cylindrical hole. Cessation of erosion induced a period of jet stagnation (∼600 μs) characterized by constant penetration depth. This stage was followed by dispersion of the liquid into the gel. The dispersion took place by crack propagation and was nearly symmetrical with the exception of injections into 10% acrylamide (Young's modulus of 0.06 MPa). The penetration depth of the jets as well as the rate of erosion decreased with increasing Young's modulus. The mechanics of jet penetration into polyacrylamide gels provides an important tool for understanding jet injection into skin.
Thermal expansivities of peptides, polypeptides and proteins as measured by pressure perturbation calorimetry.

Abstract The main goal of this work was to provide direct experimental evidence that the expansivity of peptides, polypeptides and proteins as measured by pressure perturbation calorimetry (PPC), can serve as a proxy to characterize relative compactness of proteins, especially the denatured state ensemble. This is very important as currently only small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), intrinsic viscosity and, to a lesser degree, fluorescence resonance transfer (FRET) experiments are capable of reporting on the compactness of denatured state ensembles. We combined the expansivity measurements with other biophysical methods (far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and small angle X-ray scattering). Three case studies of the effects of conformational changes on the expansivity of polypeptides in solution are presented. We have shown that expansivity appears to be insensitive to the helix–coil transition, and appears to reflect the changes in hydration of the side-chains. We also observed that the expansivity is sensitive to the global conformation of the polypeptide chain and thus can be potentially used to probe hydration of different collapsed states of denatured or even intrinsically disordered proteins.
Home Environment and School Learning

From a systematic search of educational, psychological, and sociological literature, 18 studies of 5,831 school-aged students on the correlation of home environment and learning in eight countries over a 19-year period were selected. Correlations (the units of analysis) of intelligence, motivation, and achievement with indexes of parent stimulation of the student in the home are considerably higher than those with indexes of socioeconomic status (SES); specifically the medians (and ranges) of 92 simple correlations of home environment and learning are .37 (and .02 to .82) and of 62 multipleregression-weighted composites are .44 (and .23 to .81). Jackknifed regression estimates indicate that gender and SES of the sample affect the sizes of the correlations and suggest priorities for future primary investigations. The analyses suggest that ability and achievement are more closely linked to the sociopsychological environment and intellectual stimulation in the home than they are to parental socioeconomic sta...
Trends in transforming scholarly communication and their implications

Scholarly communication is undergoing transformation under the confluence of many forces. The purpose of this article is to explore trends in transforming scholarly publishing and their implications. It examines how collaboration and volume of information production were changed over the past century. It also explores how older documents are used under today's network environment where new information is easily accessible. Understanding these trends would help us design more effective electronic scholarly publishing systems and digital libraries, and serve the needs of scholars more responsively.
Relationships Between Trait Urgency, Smoking Reinforcement Expectancies, and Nicotine Dependence

Urgency (i.e., the tendency to act rashly during negative/positive affect) may increase vulnerability to a variety of risky behaviors. This cross-sectional study of nontreatment-seeking smokers examined the relationship between urgency, level of nicotine dependence, and smoking reinforcement expectancies. Both positive and negative urgency were associated with nicotine dependence. Mediational analyses illustrated that smoking reinforcement expectancies significantly accounted for urgency-dependence relations, with negative reinforcement expectancies displaying incremental mediational effects. If replicated and extended, these findings may support the use of treatments that modify beliefs regarding smoking reinforcement outcomes as a means of buffering the risk of nicotine dependence carried by urgency.
On the Passage of Neutrons Through Ferromagnets

The paper contains a treatment of various phenomena occurring in the passage of neutrons through domains which are regularly or irregularly magnetized. After setting up general equations for the behavior of the neutron spin in different types of magnetic fields which correspond approximately to various stages of magnetization in ferromagnets we obtain very general results for the depolarization of an originally polarized beam. These results can be easily extended to arbitrarily constituted beams. We report next, briefly, on current views concerning the domain structure of ferromagnets and discuss in detail the possibilities of investigating this structure by means of experiments with partially polarized neutron beams. The discussion divides itself naturally into the treatment of single crystals, macroscopically unmagnetized polycrystals and of polycrystals near magnetic saturation. Revising previous unsatisfactory treatments we derive in a very general manner formulae for the change of intensity and polarization of a neutron beam traversing a saturated or quasisaturated ferromagnetic medium. The formulae obtained constitute the basis for a modified theory of the well-known neutron polarization experiments. A closing paragraph contains a brief comparison between theory and experiment as far as it can be carried out without evaluating certain phenomenological constants, a task reserved for the following paper.
Lipase-selective Functional Domains of Perilipin A Differentially Regulate Constitutive and Protein Kinase A-stimulated Lipolysis

Perilipin (Peri) A is a lipid droplet-associated phosphoprotein that acts dually as a suppressor of basal (constitutive) lipolysis and as an enhancer of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA)-stimulated lipolysis by both hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and non-HSL(s). To identify domains of Peri A that mediate these multiple actions, we introduced adenoviruses expressing truncated or mutated Peri A and HSL into NIH 3T3 fibroblasts lacking endogenous perilipins and HSL but overexpressing acyl-CoA synthetase 1 and fatty acid transporter 1. We identified two lipase-selective functional domains: 1) Peri A (amino acids 1-300), which inhibits basal lipolysis and promotes PKA-stimulated lipolysis by HSL, and 2) Peri A (amino acids 301-517), which inhibits basal lipolysis by non-HSL and promotes PKA-stimulated lipolysis by both HSL and non-HSL. PKA site mutagenesis revealed that PKA-stimulated lipolysis by HSL requires phosphorylation of one or more sites within Peri 1-300 (Ser81, Ser222, and Ser276). PKA-stimulated lipolysis by non-HSL additionally requires phosphorylation of one or more PKA sites within Peri 301-517 (Ser433, Ser492, and Ser517). Peri 301-517 promoted PKA-stimulated lipolysis by HSL yet did not block HSL-mediated basal lipolysis, indicating that an additional region(s) within Peri 301-517 promotes hormone-stimulated lipolysis by HSL. These results suggest a model of Peri A function in which 1) lipase-specific "barrier" domains block basal lipolysis by HSL and non-HSL, 2) differential PKA site phosphorylation allows PKA-stimulated lipolysis by HSL and non-HSL, respectively, and 3) additional domains within Peri A further facilitate PKA-stimulated lipolysis, again with lipase selectivity.
THE DENSIFICATION OF METAL COATED FIBERS: HOT ISOSTATIC PRESSING EXPERIMENTS

Abstract An experimental study of the consolidation and associated grain growth kinetics of silicon carbide monofilaments sputter coated with nanocrystalline Ti6Al4V has been conducted. Bundles of coated fibers were consolidated using a hot isostatic press (HIP) equipped with an eddy current sensor for in situ measurement of the specimens' relative density. The experiments were conducted at temperatures of 760°, 840°, and 900°C using a variety of pressure cycles that resulted in both fully and partially consolidated composites. The sensor data was used to determine the densification-time response of the specimens and to construct experimental HIP maps. Cross-sections of the partially consolidated specimens were used to investigate the evolution of coated fiber-fiber contacts and interfiber void shapes. The analysis indicated that the initial packing density was approximately random with an average of only about two contacts per coated fiber at a relative density of 70%. The number of contacts was a linear function of relative density reaching a maximum of almost six contacts per coated fiber at the theoretical density. The pores were found to be cusp-shaped throughout the consolidation process, indicative of a densification rate that greatly exceeded the (pore rounding) rate of sintering.
Microbicides: information, beliefs, and preferences for insertion.

Objectives: Microbicides are products in development to prevent sexually transmitted infection and HIV acquisition; they are not yet available to the public. We evaluated (1) where women would expe...
Structural properties of lead-iron phosphate glasses☆

The effects of iron on the structure and chemical stability of several lead-iron phosphate glasses ((1 − x) Pb(PO3)2 + (x) Fe2O3, O < x < 0.25) were investigated using Mossbauer, electron paramagnetic resonance, Raman, and infrared spectroscopies. Dilatometer measurements were used to determine the glass transition temperature, softening point, and thermal expansion coefficient of glasses where the fusion temperature, soak time, or iron concentration had been varied. The major conclusion of this study is that iron improves the chemical durability of these glasses by strengthening the cross bonding between the polyphosphate chains in the glass structure.
Optical Correlator Guidance Technology Demonstration

An optical correlator guidance technology demonstration program has been designed to illustrate the usefulness of an optical correlator in autonomous target recognition, tracking and vehicle guidance. The program will start with optical correlator systems which can recognize and track a cooperative target with a single holographic matched spatial filter, and will conclude with a system capable of autonomous recognition and tracking of a realistic target.
Finite time singularities for a class of generalized surface quasi-geostrophic equations

We propose and study a class of generalized surface quasi-geostrophic equations. We show that in the inviscid case certain radial solutions develop gradient blow-up in finite time. In the critical dissipative case, the equations are globally well-posed with arbitrary H 1 initial data.
Notes on French Syntax

"But, sir!" exclaims the inquiring student, "in a letter I got from a French boy, the subjunctive was used with aprs that the full form of the partitive article is used after ne ... que; that pendant translates for of past time (or completed action), while pour is equivalent to for of future time (or incomplete action). We shall examine first the question of apres que and the subjunctive, and then take up in detail the remaining points in an effort to determine the degree of truth contained in the statements just mentioned. I. The use of the Subjunctive Mode with "apres que."-The writer has been told on several occasions that the use of the past anterior with aprbs que is an erroneous and purely modern construction which should be replaced by an historically correct pluperfect subjunctive. The evidence which he has collected, however, seems to show that this use of the subjunctive, while not infrequent, is incorrect and without historical justification.
G.P.10

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is an autosomal dominant disorder with a 1 in 7500 incidence. Symptoms typically arise in young adulthood and most patients show clinical features before age 30. FSHD is characterized by progressive wasting and weakness of facial and shoulder-girdle muscles, although no consistent pattern of penetrance or severity exists. A hallmark characteristic of FSHD is asymmetrical muscle weakness. There are also non-muscular features including retinal vasculopathy and high frequency hearing loss. The current model of pathogenesis in FSHD involves mis-expression of the myotoxic DUX4 gene, but developing animal models has proven difficult. At previous meetings, we first described our transgenic reporter mice containing a putative DUX4 promoter cloned upstream of GFP. We generated three separate lines of DUX4 promoter-GFP mice to identify DUX4 expression patterns and the involvement of selected muscles in FSHD. In short, we found the DUX4 promoter directed GFP expression in the face and limbs of newborn and adult mice, as well as multiple cell types in the retina. Essentially all other organs were GFP negative with a few exceptions including the pancreas and brain. Closer analysis of GFP positive tissues has revealed extensive expression in both myogenic and neuronal cell types. Strikingly, all lines also showed variable penetrance and asymmetrical expression in all GFP-positive tissues, even within individual litters. We have recently created another transgenic line expressing a GFP-CRE fusion protein from the same DUX4 promoter. Importantly we see similar expression patterns to the original mice and are now using them to create an inducible DUX4 transgenic mouse. We have also created analogous AAV vectors to induce localized DUX4 expression at physiologically relevant levels. These models will aid in deciphering molecular mechanisms and developing therapeutic interventions for FSHD.
Pure ρ + ρ ′ Regge-pole analysis for forward π − p → π 0 n scattering from 20 to 200 GeV/ c

New data for the forward differential cross section ${(\frac{d\ensuremath{\sigma}}{\mathrm{dt}})}_{0}^{\mathrm{CEX}}$ and for $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\sigma}\ensuremath{\equiv}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{T}({\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}p)\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{T}({\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}p)$ at 20 to 200 GeV/c are analyzed by means of the $\ensuremath{\rho}+{\ensuremath{\rho}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ Regge-pole exchange model with no absorptive cut. In terms of ${(\frac{d\ensuremath{\sigma}}{\mathrm{dt}})}_{0}$, $\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\sigma}$, and $r = \frac{\mathrm{Re}{A}^{\ensuremath{'}}}{\mathrm{Im}{A}^{\ensuremath{'}}}$, the $\ensuremath{\rho}+{\ensuremath{\rho}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ model with the $\ensuremath{\rho}$ trajectory of $0.466l{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}(0)l0.476$ and the ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ trajectory of $\ensuremath{-}1.9l{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{{\ensuremath{\rho}}^{\ensuremath{'}}}(0)l\ensuremath{-}1.3$ is more promising than such a model with $\ensuremath{-}0.2l{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{{\ensuremath{\rho}}^{\ensuremath{'}}}(0)l0$. The prediction extrapolated to 1000 GeV/c suggests that another type of term should be added to the real or imaginary part of the amplitude.
ECS-induced retrograde amnesia indicated by a heart-rate measure of retention

Rats that received a single fear conditioning trial consisting of a tone followed by footshock showed marked heart-rate deceleration both during and following the presentation of the tone the next day. Groups that received either the fear conditioning trial followed by ECS, the tone followed by ECS, or neither the fear conditioning nor ECS showed little, if any, conditioned heart-rate deceleration during the test trial. These data provide evidence that ECS can effect retrograde amnesia when an autonomic index of retention is employed.
The nature and development of hypothetico-predictive argumentation with implications for science teaching

This paper explicates a pattern of scientific argumentation in which scientists respond to causal questions with the generation and test of alternative hypotheses through cycles of hypothetico‐predictive argumentation. Hypothetico‐predictive arguments are employed to test causal claims that exist on at least two levels (designated stage 4 in which the causal claims are perceptible, and stage 5 in which the causal claims are imperceptible). Origins of the ability to construct and comprehend hypothetico‐predictive arguments at the highest level can be traced to pre‐verbal reasoning of the sensory‐motor child and the gradual internalization of verbally mediated arguments involving nominal, categorical, causal and, finally, theoretical propositions. Presumably, the ability to construct and comprehend hypothetico‐predictive arguments (an aspect of procedural knowledge) is necessary for the construction of conceptual knowledge (an aspect of declarative knowledge) because such arguments are used during concept c...
The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of valsartan in the post-myocardial infarction population.

Introduction: The most common risk factors for heart failure are hypertension and myocardial infarction. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) attenuate the deleterious effects of angiotensin II. Valsartan is a once or twice daily ARB that is FDA-approved for hypertension, LV dysfunction post-myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure as both an adjunct in ACE-inhibitor tolerant, and alternative in ACE-I intolerant patients. Areas covered: This article presents a comprehensive review of the literature regarding the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of valsartan, with particular attention paid to the post-myocardial infarction population. Expert opinion: Valsartan is a safe, well-tolerated and readily titratable ARB. In addition to its vasodilatory effects there are pleotropic effects associated with the ARB such as modulation of a number of neurohormonal regulators, cytokines and small molecules. Given the clear evidence-based benefits above and beyond its hypertensive properties, it has the po...
Blockade of the spinal excitatory effect of cAMP on the startle reflex by intrathecal administration of the isoquinoline sulfonamide H-8: comparison to the protein kinase C inhibitor H-7.

Abstract Drugs thought to inhibit the actions of protein kinase C (PKC) and cAMP dependent protein kinase (A-kinase) were infused intrathecally into the subarachnoid space of the lumbar region of the spinal cord, and the effects on acoustic startle were measured. Previous work has shown that intrathecal infusion of drugs thought to increase cAMP increase the startle response. The present experiment evaluated whether inhibition of A-kinase would prevent this effect. Rats were infused with the isoquinoline sulfonamide, H-8 (360 nmol) or vehicle (50% dimethyl sulfoxide), 30 min prior to infusion of 100 nmol of dibutyryl cAMP. By itself, H-8 had little effect on startle, but completely blocked the normal excitatory effect of dibutyryl cAMP on startle. In contrast, the isoquinoline sulfonamide, H-7, which is less active in blocking A-kinase, but more active in blocking PKC, did not block dibutyryl cAMP. Moreover, H-8 did not block the excitatory effect of intrathecal infusion of the 5-HT 1A receptor agonist, 8-OH-dipropylaminotetraline (8-OH-DPAT). Thus, the blockade of dibutyryl cAMP by H-8 appears somewhat specific and suggests an involvement of A-kinase in the excitatory effects of dibutyryl cAMP on the acoustic startle response. In a second experiment, it was found that administration of the isoquinoline sulfonomide H-7 caused a marked, dose-dependent (150–800 nmol) facilitation of the startle reflex in comparison with its vehicle, Tris buffer (0.1 M). Like H-7, another PKC inhibitor, GT 1b (20 nmol) produced a marked increase in the startle reflex versus its vehicle, 0.01 M phosphate buffer. Other isoquinoline sulfonamides, HA1004 (400 nmol) and H-8 (360 nmol), which have less PKC inhibitory activity than H-7, caused only modest increases in startle. Thus, the increases in startle caused by intrathecal infusions of the isoquinoline sulfonamides and the ganglioside GT 1b indicate that spinal PKC inhibition elevates startle, perhaps because PKC tonically inhibits startle at the spinal level.
The Cost of Coase

THE publication of "The Problem of Social Cost" in 1960 by Ronald Coase brought together two powerful intellectual currents, namely, the economic theory of externalities and the common-law tradition concerning torts and nuisance.' The sea is fertile but rough where two ocean currents meet, and the same can be said of the disputes provoked by Coase. Coase developed his argument through a series of concrete examples, such as the rancher and the farmer, the railroad sparks and the corn crops, etc. He steadfastly refused to articulate the general truths underlying the examples; for example, the famous "Coase Theorem" is abstracted from the paper but not stated in it. After two decades of debate the generalizations underlying the examples are still disputed. In this paper I will not attempt the impossible task of offering the "true" or final interpretation of Coase's paper. Hermeneutics is left for others. Rather, I will state and prove those generalizations applicable to Coase's examples which follow from familiar assumptions of economic theory. It seems to me that these generalizations frequently conflict with Coase's examples in the sense that the immediate interpretation of his examples are inconsistent with the provable generalizations. The cost of Coase's paper is that readers are confused or misled about the generalizations which follow from familiar economic assumptions. In the first section of this paper I characterize the dispute by developing one of Coase's examples. The second section formulates some general propositions about correcting externalities through the use of liability law, taxes, and transferable property rights. The third section addresses the
The differential responding of college students to subtle and obvious MCMI subscales

This study investigated the differential responding of 49 male and 92 female college students to subtle and obvious MCMI scale items. It had been predicted that item subtlety would be correlated positively with item endorsement. This prediction was supported across all 175 MCMI items (r = .34). In addition, subjects endorsed a greater percentage of subtle than obvious subscale items for eight Basic Personality scales and two of three Pathological Personality scales. However, this pattern was not consistent for the nine Symptom Disorder scales. It also had been predicted that gender would moderate subjects' differential responding to subtle and obvious items, whereby males would show a greater tendency than females to endorse relatively more subtle than obvious items. This prediction was not supported.
Effects of Pulse Plating on lithium electrodeposition, morphology and cycling efficiency

Abstract In order to address lithium dendrite formation and low cycling efficiency issues, Pulse Plating (PP) and Reverse Pulse Plating (RPP) have been systematically investigated for lithium electrodeposition with a modified button cell device. Compared with Direct Current (DC) electrodeposition, PP waveforms with short and widely spaced pulses improve lithium deposition morphology and cycling efficiency under diffusion-controlled conditions. While RPP waveforms with high current density anodic pulses further improve lithium cycling efficiency, no obvious improvement in morphology was seen under the conditions tested. This study suggests that PP and RPP could be powerful tools for utilizing lithium metal anodes in high energy density rechargeable battery systems, especially when high instant power is required.
The proper use of local antimicrobial agents in wounds

Topical antibiotics have been shown to be effective prophylactic agents in reducing wound infection in clean and clean-contaminated cases. The risk of the development of superinfection and antibiotic resistant bacteria, as well as organ toxicity, is minimal as compared to the use of systemic antibiotics in clean operations. The combination of systemic and topical chemotherapeutic drugs is a valuable adjunct in the treatment of contaminated wounds and high risk patients.
Effects of Process and Environmental Variations on Adder Architectures

Scaling of the on-chip feature size and power supply voltage have significantly reduced the noise margins of an integrated circuit and have aggravated the effects of process and enviromental variations. These effects can introduce delay variations on the signals within a circuit, possibly causing a violation of the timing constraints in a clocked register that can lead to system malfunctioning. The effects of parameter variations on the timing characteristics of adder structures are investigated in this paper. The sensitivity of the critical delay of sum and carry signals under variations in power supply voltage, temperature, and gate oxide thickness is demonstrated for four different adder architectures.
Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: Current Concepts, Results, and Component Wear Analysis

After its introduction in the 1970s, reverse total shoulder arthroplasty had minimal clinical success, as its constrained design and lateralized glenohumeral center of rotation led to excessive shear forces and failure of the glenoid component1,2. Modern implant design modifications have emphasized a larger radius of curvature of the glenoid component and movement of the center of shoulder rotation medially and distally, creating a more stable and efficient fulcrum and decreasing shear forces at the glenoid-bone interface3,4. Since receiving U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2003, reverse total shoulder arthroplasty has become popular for use for more than rotator cuff-tear arthropathy; its uses include treatment of failed conventional total shoulder arthroplasties, rheumatoid arthritis in patients with an irreparable cuff tear, proximal humeral tumors, and proximal humeral fractures with anterosuperior escape5,6. However, with major complication rates as high as 26%7, limited implant longevity, and a lack of long-term functional outcome data, concerns have continued about its widespread use2. ### Source of Funding There was no external funding source for this investigation. Without injury, the glenohumeral joint possesses remarkable mobility and is able to remain stable over the majority of an individual’s life span. While both static and dynamic restraints contribute to its stability, the glenohumeral joint lacks substantial intrinsic osseous constraints8,9. Although the glenoid and the humeral head have similar shapes, they differ substantially in size. Warner demonstrated that the spherical humeral head has an articular surface area of approximately 21 to 22 cm2, while that of the glenoid is 8 to 9 cm2, with a maximum contact area of only 4 to 5 cm2 between the two surfaces10. This limited contact area and the shallow glenoid …
Introduction to Special Section Honoring Dr. Clayton R. Paul

We try to highlight some of Dr. Paul's core contributions in the collection of five papers presented in this special section of the EMC Transactions.
Naphthalenylsulfonyl-hydantoins as aldose reductase inhibitors

Accumulation of intracellular sorbitol, formed from glucose by aldose reductase, is believed to play an important role in the development of certain chronic complications of diabetes mellitus. Several 1-(naphthalenylsulfonyl)hydantoins inhibit aldose reductase isolated from bovine lens in vitro, and decrease galactitol formation in sciatic nerves of galactosemic rats in vivo. The 5-bromo analogue (entry 12, table I) was found to be the most orally active aldose reductase inhibitor of this series with an ED50 value of 8.1 mg/kg po. The 1-(naphthalenylsulfonyl)-2-thiohydantoin analogues with the exception of entry 11 (table I) which showed good in vivo activity, were either inactive or had only marginal activity.
Reduced-memory forward-backward check node processing architecture for non-binary LDPC decoding

When the code length is moderate, non-binary low-density parity-check (NB-LDPC) codes can achieve better error-correcting performance than their binary counterparts at the cost of higher decoding complexity. The check node processing is a major bottleneck of NB-LDPC decoding. Its computation complexity can be reduced by an iterative forward-backward scheme. Nevertheless, large memory is required in this scheme to store intermediate results. In this paper, a novel check node processing scheme and corresponding VLSI architectures are proposed for the Min-max NB-LDPC decoding. The proposed scheme first sorts out a limited number of the most reliable input messages. Then the forward and backward processes are carried out using only these messages. In addition, an innovative approach is developed to derive the output messages from only a small number of intermediate results without noticeable performance loss. Accordingly, both the memory requirement and computation complexity are greatly reduced. For an example (837, 726) NB-LDPC code over GF(25), our proposed check node processing architecture can achieve at least 34% area reduction and about the same throughput compared to previous efforts based on the original forward-backward scheme.
Simple, high performance lossless image compression

We present a two-part method for lossless image compression: the first is a simple transformation based on JPEG-LS and the second is the use of a general purpose file compressor such as gzip, bzip2 or rk. The transformation is invertible and uses only integer arithmetic. It achieves no compression directly; however, on some images, it can significantly reduce the entropy. The gzip, bzip2, and rk compressors, with and without the transformation, are tested against JPEG-LS on a standard data set. Overall rk (both with and without the transformation) is best. Furthermore, by combining the various algorithms, we obtain compression that is 15% better than JPEG-LS alone.
Determination of Monomethylhydrazine with a High-Throughput, All-Fiber Near-Infrared Spectrometer Based on an Integrated Acoustooptic Tunable Filter and an Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier

A novel integrated acoustooptic tunable filter (IAOTF) has been developed. This tunable filter is based on the Bragg interactions between waveguide and surface acoustic waves. Compared to (bulk) AOTF, its advantages include all-fiber construction, smaller size, narrower spectral resolution (1.7 nm), higher diffraction efficiency (37%), and lower rf power requirement (150 mW). A relatively narrow spectral tuning range (about 80 nm) is the only drawback for this integrated tunable filter. However, this disadvantage was overcome by judiciously using the filter for measurements in which its tuning range is coincident with the light source and also with absorption bands of analytes. In fact, an all-fiber, compact, high-throughput near-infrared spectrophotometer has been successfully constructed by synergistic use of this integrated AOTF and the erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA), which has been shown to provide high intensity and wide spectral bandwidth in the near-infrared region from 1500 to 1600 nm. This spectral region is particularly useful for the determination of samples which have O-H and/or N-H groups. The all-fiber nature, compactness, high throughput, and high sensitivity of this spectrophotometer make it particularly suitable for on-line and real-time detection of trace gases in hostile environments, including leak detection of monomethylhydrazine (at a limit of detection of 191 ppm), which is often used as the hypergolic propellant for the space shuttle thruster systems.
How Shame Affects Writing

Shame has a big effect on our lives, yet no one ever wants to talk about it. Dr. Brene Brown, leading shame researcher, defines shame as the "fear of disconnection" in her book I Thought It Was Just Me. She also discusses how much of shame has to do with our fear of how others perceive us; yet, she does not go into the role shame plays in writing. This study stems from Brown's observations, but it goes deeper by examining how shame affects writers. The responses were mostly taken from college students at UCCS, with a few participants who have already graduated college. These older participants show that shame is universal. This shame manifests when writers have intrusive negative thoughts and feelings while trying to write, including telling themselves they are stupid, bad writers, not good students, etc. This differs from the guilt a student might feel from procrastinating on an assignment or not putting forth his/her best effort. The responses from the survey showed where shame in writing comes from and common coping techniques students use to handle it. Responses varied from the avoidance of writing to needing to take a break from writing when the shame became overpowering.
Edge guided delineation of the prostate in transrectal ultrasound images

Prostate boundaries form the basis of many diagnosis/treatment procedures for prostate diseases. In this paper, a new paradigm of edge guidance is described that involves just-enough-interaction with the expert, leading to robust delineation of the prostate boundaries. We statistically show that an increase in the consistency and the accuracy of prostate delineation is achieved using the edges as visual guide.
Ex vivo gene therapy for HIV-1 treatment

Until recently, progress in ex vivo gene therapy (GT) for human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) treatment has been incremental. Long-term HIV-1 remission in a patient who received a heterologous stem cell transplant for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-related lymphoma from a CCR5(-/-) donor, even after discontinuation of conventional therapy, has energized the field. We review the status of current approaches as well as future directions in the areas of therapeutic targets, combinatorial strategies, vector design, introduction of therapeutics into stem cells and enrichment/expansion of gene-modified cells. Finally, we discuss recent advances towards clinical application of HIV-1 GT.
Estradiol-concentrating forebrain and midbrain neurons project directly to the medulla.

The location and number of estradiol (E2)-concentrating neurons afferent to the dorsal medulla were determined by combining retrograde fluorescent tract tracing with steroid hormone autoradiography. Injections of Fluoro-Gold were made into the medulla of 80 day old, ovariectomized, and adrenalectomized female rats. After 7 days survival to allow for retrograde transport, females were injected with [3 H] estradiol; they were then perfused and their brains processed for steroid hormone autoradiography. Following a 4hyphen;12 month exposure period, autoradiograms were developed and microscopically analyzed for the presence of E2-concentrating neurons that project to the medulla. Numerous E2-concentrating neurons were identified that send axons directly to the medulla; the majority were found in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, central nucleus of the amygdala, and the central gray. Of the E2-concentrating neurons in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, 12.7% also projected to the medulla. E2-concentrating neurons that sent axons to the medulla were also identified in and ventromedial to the lateral parvicellular subdivision in the caudal half of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (69.4%). Over one-third of the E2-concentrating neurons found in the central nucleus of the amygdala coursed to the medulla. The central gray was the only mesencephalic brain region that contained E2-concentrating neurons that projected to the medulla (41.9%). The medulla-bound E2-concentrating forebrain and midbrain neurons identified in the present study may influence autonomic tone via direct projections.
A SIMULATED STUDY OF AN AUCTION MARKET

A simulated model of an auction market is developed showing the relationship between the variation in valuations, the price variation and the number of independent bidders in the market. Average prices paid in a market with two or three bidders are less than average valuations. Average prices are progressively greater than average valuations as the number of bidders increases beyond four. Some applications of this model in the Australian wool market are discussed.
Effect of intracavitary probe size on the accuracy of inverse endocardial potential estimates

We simulated the efects of probe size on the accuracy of an intracavitary probe. Measured data was used ro find the potentials over the entire endocardial surjuce. These ?original I? endocardial potentials were used with two models, one with a standard probe and the other with a probe half as large, to compute corresponding probe potentials. Random Gaussian noise was added to these ?zero-noise? probe potentials. Using JTrst-order Tikhonov regularization, the endocardial potentials for both models were estimated. Making the probe smaller had very little effect on the CC between the original endocardial signals and the estimated endocardial signals. These results suggest that even a probe half as large as that currently used clinically could be eflectively used for patient treatment, so long as higher order regularization methods are employed.
Recognizing hand movements from a single SEMG sensor using guided under-determined source signal separation

Rehabilitation devices, prosthesis and human machine interfaces are among many applications for which surface electromyographic signals (sEMG) can be employed. Systems reliant on these muscle-generated electrical signals require various forms of machine learning algorithms for specific signature recognition. Those systems vary in terms of the signal detection methods, the feature selection and the classification algorithm used. However, in all those cases, the use of multiple sensors is a constant. In this paper, we present a new technique for source signal separation that relies on a single sEMG sensor. This proposed technique was employed in a classification framework for hand movements that achieved comparable results to other approaches in the literature, but yet, it relied on a much simpler classifier and used a very small number of features.
School and home connections and children's kindergarten achievement gains: The mediating role of family involvement

Abstract Children's home and school are the most influential contexts in which learning and development occur, especially during early childhood. This paper builds on Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory and Epstein's theory of overlapping spheres of influence to examine school and family connections and their relationships to family involvement and students’ achievement gains. We used a nationally representative sample of kindergartners (16,425 students from 864 schools) and found that schools’ efforts to communicate with and engage families predicted greater family involvement in school and higher levels of student achievement in reading and math at the end of kindergarten. We also found that, on average, family involvement at school and parents’ educational expectations were associated with gains in reading and math achievement in kindergarten. We discuss the implications of our findings for policy makers, researchers, and practitioners.
A compression-boosting transform for 2D data

In this paper, we present an invertible transform for 2D data which has the objective of reordering the matrix to improve its (lossless) compression at later stages. Given a binary matrix, the transform involves first searching for the largest uniform submatrix, that is, a submatrix solely composed by the same symbol (either 0 or 1) induced by a subset of rows and columns (which are not necessarily contiguous). Then, the rows and the columns are reordered such that the uniform submatrix is moved to the left-upper corner of the matrix. The transform is recursively applied on the rest of the matrix. The recursion is stopped when the partition produces a matrix which is smaller than a predetermined threshold. The inverse transform (decompression) is fast and can be implemented in linear time in the size of the matrix. The effects of the transform on the compressibility of 2D data is studied empirically by comparing the performance of gzip and bzip2 before and after the application of the transform on several inputs. The preliminary results show that the transform boosts compression.
Effect of room temperature, low power oxygen plasma treatment of photoelectrode on the performance of dye sensitized solar cells

Effect of oxygen (O 2 ) plasma treatment of mesoporous TiO 2 photoelectrodes on the performance of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is presented. DSSCs fabricated with O 2 plasma treated and untreated (Reference) photoelectrodes were characterized. It was observed that O 2 plasma treatment and the duration of treatment play an important role on dark and illuminated current-voltage (I–V) characteristics, where a 15 min plasma treated mesoporous TiO 2 resulted in lower dark saturation current density compared with the reference DSSC and improved short circuit current density (J SC ) and open circuit voltage (V OC ) of the DSSCs.
Impact of Children With Medically Complex Conditions

The last half century has seen dramatic improvements in pediatric care with reduced mortality and prolonged survival of children with complex health conditions.1 Advances in neonatal care have improved survival rates of premature infants, infants with chronic lung disease, cardiac anomalies, birth defects, and genetic disorders.2,3 Medical treatments and surgical interventions have improved outcome and survival rates. More infants born with spina bifida and children with cystic fibrosis survive to adulthood.4,5 Medical equipment and technologic advances, gastrostomy tubes, and ventilator support have prolonged the lives of children and youth with neuromuscular disorders.6 Although these advances indicate success in neonatal, medical, and surgical care, an almost unavoidable consequence is that some infants who would not have survived now live with significant physical and neurologic disorders. These disorders can include lifelong disabilities, declining health, and increasing medical fragility and complexity. Children and youth with these conditions are increasing in number and are placing newer and greater demands on the health care system, which, in turn, … Address correspondence to Robert T. Burke, MD, MPH, FAAP, Special Needs Pediatrics, Nathstar Pediatrics, Hasbro Children's Hospital, 593 Eddy St, Providence, RI 02903. E-mail: robert_burke{at}brown.edu
Design issues in digit serial signal processors

Several design issues that have arisen during the development of a set of CAD tools used to support the rapid prototyping of a family of VLSI signal processing architectures are presented. The components out of which the signal processors are constructed are ones which operate digit-serially. Digit-serial architectures, which have digit-serial data transmission combined with digit-serial computation, are uniquely suited for the design of VLSI signal processors. The speed disadvantages of digit-serial input are overcome if the input is overlapped with the computation (referred to as digit pipelining). Thus, digit-serial architectures can provide both high throughput and low latency. Design tradeoffs affecting the component design as well as the system design for digit serial signal processors are presented. Considerations which have affected the development of CAD tools are discussed. >