cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
299: Stillbirth prediction and small for gestational age: comparison of a gender specific versus a non-gender specific growth curve

299 Stillbirth prediction and small for gestational age: omparison of a gender specific versus a non-gender pecific growth curve Amanda Trudell, Methodius Tuuli, Ailson Cahill, eorge Macones, Anthony Odibo Washington University in St. Louis, Obstetrics and Gynecology, t. Louis, MO OBJECTIVE: To determine if the use of gender specific growth curves or the diagnosis of small for gestational age (SGA) will improve preiction of stillbirth. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective cohort study of singleton pregnancies undergoing routine second trimester anatomy ultrasound from 1990-2009. Pregnancies complicated by major structural fetal anomalies, fetal aneuploidy, incomplete birthweight information and undocumented fetal gender were excluded. SGA was defined as birthweight 10th percentile as determined by a gender-specific growth curve and a standard growth curve (Alexander et al. 1996). We assessed the association between SGA and stillbirth (defined as fetal death 20 weeks) using these two birthweight curves. Logistic regression was used to control for maternal age, nulliparity, race, BMI, smoking, CHTN, and pre-gestational diabetes. The test characteristics for each curve and the odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI for the association between SGA and stillbirth were evaluated. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) for each growth curve and the area under the curve (AUC) were compared using non-parametric statistics. RESULTS: Among 57,170 pregnancies meeting inclusion criteria, 319 0.6%) pregnancies were complicated by stillbirth. SGA as defined by he gender specific growth curve was a better predictor of stillbirth ompared to the standard growth curve (adjusted OR 19.6 [95% CI 5.3-25.1] vs. 5.26 [95% CI 4.1-6.7]), respectively. Sensitivity and pecificity for SGA by the gender specific growth curve and standard rowth curve were 63.9% and 92%, and 32% and 92.8%, respectively. he AUC for the gender specific growth curve was greater than the UC for the standard growth curve (0.83 vs. 0.72 P 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest the adoption of gender-specific charts for growth evaluation as they are more discriminatory in identifying growth-restricted fetuses at risk for stillbirth.
A Structural Equation Model of Predictors for Effective Online Learning

In studying online learning, researchers should examine three critical interactions: instructor-student, student-student, and student-content. Student-content interaction may include a wide variety of pedagogical tools (e.g., streaming media, PowerPoint, and hyperlinking). Other factors that can affect the perceived quality of online learning include distance education advantages (e.g., work and family flexibility) and antecedent personal characteristics (e.g., experience and gender). The study indicated that instructor-student interaction is most important, twice that of student-student interaction; that some student-content interaction is significantly related to perceived learning; that antecedent variables are not significant; and that distance education advantages/flexibility, although significant, are less important than other interactions.
Structural Evolution of Chihuahua Tectonic Belt: ABSTRACT

The Chihuahua tectonic belt is a Laramide foreland fold and thrust belt that is in the initial phase of exploration. It can be compared to the Southern Overthrust belt prior to the Pineview discovery in 1975. The part within the United States is approximately 300 mi (483 km) long and extends from southeast of El Paso to Presidio, Texas. The frontal thrusts of the belt lie against the Diablo platform. The stratigraphic sequence involved in thrusting is Permian to Lower Cretaceous. Thrusting has been accomplished by decollement of Jurassic and Permian evaporates. The Malone Formation (Jurassic) is the proximal part of a fan-delta complex and contains marine, subtidal, intertidal, and supratidal facies. Two distinctive locally derived conglomerate facies are present: (1) clast-supported, bimodal, dolomite-pebble conglomerate (sheet-flood facies); and (2) a matrix-supported, dolomite-pebble conglomerate that lacks sorting (debris-flow facies). Probable correlatives of the Malone Formation occur at Sierra del Kilo and Sierra de la Alcaparra in Chihuahua 60 mi (97 km) to the southwest. By using new surface-mapping and surface-sampling plus interpretation of seismic and gravity data, a sequence of tectonic events can be inferred: (1) Late Triassic(?) faulting and formation of the Chihuahua trough; (2) Laramide folding and thrusting; (3) late Laramide en echelon left-lateral strike-slip folding; and (4) basin-and-range faulting. End_of_Article - Last_Page 548------------
A systematic review of PTSD prevalence and trajectories in DSM-5 defined trauma exposed populations: intentional and non-intentional traumatic events.

Objective We conducted a systematic review of the literature to explore the longitudinal course of PTSD in DSM-5-defined trauma exposed populations to identify the course of illness and recovery for individuals and populations experiencing PTSD. Methods We reviewed the published literature from January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2010 for longitudinal studies of directly exposed trauma populations in order to: (1) review rates of PTSD in the first year after a traumatic event; (2) examine potential types of proposed DSM-5 direct trauma exposure (intentional and non-intentional); and (3) identify the clinical course of PTSD (early onset, later onset, chronicity, remission, and resilience). Of the 2537 identified articles, 58 articles representing 35 unique subject populations met the proposed DSM-5 criteria for experiencing a traumatic event, and assessed PTSD at two or more time points within 12 months of the traumatic event. Results The mean prevalence of PTSD across all studies decreases from 28.8% (range = 3.1–87.5%) at 1 month to 17.0% (range = 0.6–43.8%) at 12 months. However, when traumatic events are classified into intentional and non-intentional, the median prevalences trend down for the non-intentional trauma exposed populations, while the median prevalences in the intentional trauma category steadily increase from 11.8% to 23.3%. Across five studies with sufficient data, 37.1% of those exposed to intentional trauma develop PTSD. Among those with PTSD, about one third (34.8%) remit after 3 months. Nearly 40% of those with PTSD (39.1%) have a chronic course, and only a very small fraction (3.5%) of new PTSD cases appears after three months. Conclusions Understanding the trajectories of PTSD over time, and how it may vary by type of traumatic event (intentional vs. non-intentional) will assist public health planning and treatment.
Modeling Neanderthal clothing using ethnographic analogues

Although direct evidence for Neanderthal clothing is essentially nonexistent, information about Paleolithic clothing could provide insights into the biological, technological, and behavioral capabilities of Neanderthals. This paper takes a new approach to understanding Neanderthal clothing through the collection and analysis of clothing data for 245 recent hunter-gatherer groups. These data are tested against environmental factors to infer what clothing humans tend to wear under different conditions. Beta regression is used to predict the proportion of the body covered by clothing according to a location's mean temperature of the coldest month, average wind speed, and annual rainfall. In addition, logistic regression equations predict clothing use on specific parts of the body. Neanderthal clothing patterns are modeled across Europe and over a range of Pleistocene environmental conditions, thereby providing a new appreciation of Paleolithic behavioral variability. After accounting for higher tolerances to cold temperatures, it is predicted that some Neanderthals would have covered up to 80% of their bodies during the winter, probably with non-tailored clothing. It is also likely that some populations covered the hands and feet. In comparison with Neanderthals, Upper Paleolithic modern humans are found to have worn more sophisticated clothing. Importantly, these predictions shed new light on the relationship between Neanderthal extinction and their simple clothing.
Strain Sensing With Piezoelectric Zinc Oxide Thin Films for Vibration Suppression in Hard Disk Drives

This paper describes the integration of thin film ZnO strain sensors onto hard disk drive suspensions for improved vibration suppression for tracking control. Sensor location was designed using an efficient optimization methodology based on linear quadratic gaussian (LQG) control. Sensors were fabricated directly onto steel wafers that were subsequently made into instrumented suspensions. Prototype instrumented suspensions were installed into commercial hard drives and tested. For the first time, a sensing signal was successfully obtained while the suspension was flying on a disk as in normal drive operation. Preliminary models were identified from experimental transfer functions. Nominal H2 control simulations demonstrated improved vibration suppression as a result of both the better resolution and higher sensing rate provided by the sensors.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
A censored stochastic volatility approach to the estimation of price limit moves

Abstract A censored stochastic volatility model is developed to reconstruct a return series censored by price limits, one popular form of market stabilization mechanisms. When price limits are reached, the observed prices are truncated and the equilibrium prices are unobservable, which makes further financial analyses difficult. The model offers theoretically sound estimates of censored returns and is demonstrated via simulations to outperform existing approaches with respect to the estimates of model parameters, unconditional means, and standard deviations. The algorithm is applied to model stock and futures returns and results are consistent with the simulation outcomes.
Objective evaluation of reconstruction methods for quantitative SPECT imaging in the absence of ground truth

Quantitative single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging is emerging as an important tool in clinical studies and biomedical research. There is thus a need for optimization and evaluation of systems and algorithms that are being developed for quantitative SPECT imaging. An appropriate objective method to evaluate these systems is by comparing their performance in the end task that is required in quantitative SPECT imaging, such as estimating the mean activity concentration in a volume of interest (VOI) in a patient image. This objective evaluation can be performed if the true value of the estimated parameter is known, i.e. we have a gold standard. However, very rarely is this gold standard known in human studies. Thus, no-gold-standard techniques to optimize and evaluate systems and algorithms in the absence of gold standard are required. In this work, we developed a no-gold-standard technique to objectively evaluate reconstruction methods used in quantitative SPECT when the parameter to be estimated is the mean activity concentration in a VOI. We studied the performance of the technique with realistic simulated image data generated from an object database consisting of five phantom anatomies with all possible combinations of five sets of organ uptakes, where each anatomy consisted of eight different organ VOIs. Results indicate that the method provided accurate ranking of the reconstruction methods. We also demonstrated the application of consistency checks to test the no-gold-standard output.
Role of obesity and adiposity in polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age. Obesity may have a marked impact on both the development and progression of the syndrome. A high proportion of women with PCOS are obese. Regardless of the degree of obesity, women with PCOS are more likely to have central (abdominal) distribution of body fat, which is associated with insulin resistance and hyperandrogenaemia. PCOS is not only a reproductive disorder, but is also associated with significant increase in metabolic aberrations and cardiovascular risk factors. It has been shown that weight loss improves the metabolic and reproductive abnormalities that characterise the syndrome.
When Politics Is a Woman’s Game: Party and Gender Ownership in Woman-Versus-Woman Elections

Research on the interplay of gender and political party in voters’ candidate evaluations has long focused on all-male elections and more recently on mixed-gender elections. This study takes the next theoretical step and focuses on woman-versus-woman elections. Specifically, we examine political party- and gender-based “ownerships” of political issues and character traits in the context of female-only elections. With an experimental design, adult participants were randomly assigned to read news articles that presented either two Republican or two Democratic women competing for Governor. Candidates were presented as “owning” stereotypically masculine or feminine issues and traits. Findings show that self-identified Democrats and Republicans eschewed the so-called masculine candidate, and preferred instead a partisan woman who created a gender balance of masculinity and femininity.
Experiment in International Education.

(1970). Experiment in International Education. The Educational Forum: Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 479-483.
Non-traditional resist designs using molecular resists: positive tone cross-linked and non-chemically amplified molecular resists

Two different types of non-traditional molecular resists were synthesized and characterized. A positive-tone cross-linked molecular resist was made that functions by first forming an etch resistant film via thermal cross-linking of vinyl ether functionalized small molecules followed by patterning of the film via acid catalyzed cleavage of the resulting acetal bonds. DPA-2VE, a single multi-functional molecular resist of this type, showed DUV sensitivity of 7 mJ/cm2 and a contrast of 5.2 for development in either organic solvent or aqueous base. Using high resolution patterning with a 100 keV e-beam, it was possible to demonstrate feature resolutions down to 40 nm. When 0.26N TMAH was used as a developer, the dose-to-size was 84 μC/cm2 with a 3σ LER of 14.2 nm. Using MIBK as a developer, the dose-to-size was 104 μC/cm2 and the 3σ LER was 7.4 nm. A series of non-chemically amplified molecular resists based on using 2- nitrobenzyl ethers as photosensitive protecting groups were also made. One formulation showed a DUV sensitivity of 1 mJ/cm2, while another formulation which showed the best contrast of 8.3 obtained at a sensitivity of 10 mJ/cm2. However, under 100 keV e-beam patterning, the 2-nitrobenzyl ether protected materials showed little to no response even up to 3000 μC/cm2.
Kinetics of Static Strain Aging in Polycrystalline NiAl-based Alloys

The kinetics of yield point return have been studied in two NiAl-based alloys as a function of aging time at temperatures between 300 and 700 K. The results indicate that the upper yield stress increment, Delta sigma(sub u) (i.e., stress difference between the upper yield point and the final flow stress achieved during prestraining), in conventional purity (CP-NiAl) and in high purity carbon-doped (NiAl-C) material first increased with a t(exp 2/3) relationship before reaching a plateau. This behavior suggests that a Cottrell locking mechanism is the cause for yield points in NiAl. In addition, positive y-axis intercepts were observed in plots of Delta sigma(sub u) versus t(exp 2/3) suggesting the operation of a Snoek mechanism. Analysis according to the Cottrell Bilby model of atmosphere formation around dislocations yields an activation energy for yield point return in the range 70 to 76 kJ/mol which is comparable to the activation energy for diffusion of interstitial impurities in bcc metals. It is, thus, concluded that the kinetics of static strain aging in NiAl are controlled by the locking of dislocations by Cottrell atmospheres of carbon atoms around dislocations.
The Relative Perceptual Salience of Tn and TnI

Trained musicians rated the similarity of 24 instances of set classes [0137/0467] and [0157/0267] at three different transposition levels and two different spacing types. Stringent criteria for retention of participants, to ensure greater reliability and predictive power, resulted in a final count of 30 participants. Participants9 data were analyzed by using multidimensional scaling and additive tree methods. A three-dimensional multidimensional scaling solution showed clear effects for spacing type and transposition level (Tn). Additive tree analysis showed no grouping according to set-class type, but rather according to pitch height of inner voices or ordered location of semitones. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that even musicians with significant experience of atonal music do not use the equivalence relation TnI in making similarity judgments.
An assessment of functional-anatomical variability in neuroimaging studies.

A key issue in functional neuroimaging is the amount of variability produced by individual differences in anatomical and functional patterns of activation. This variability affects summed images created when responses are averaged across subjects as well as comparisons between groups of subjects. In this report, functional-anatomical variability was explored at two different levels. The first level addressed whether responses defined in one group of subjects would replicate in a second subject group performing the same tasks. The likelihood that significant changes would be found in the second subject group was well-predicted by magnitudes and t-values of the responses in the first group. The second level of analysis addressed how closely the peak locations of changes in blood flow clustered together across subjects. The variability (mean vector distance) of peak locations among individual difference images was ∼11.5 mm from the averaged peak location found across subjects. This value probably represents an upper bound for functional-anatomical variability using current PET data analysis techniques. Moreover, the variability was similar for responses distributed across different cortical areas and the cerebellum. This result is inconsistent with the hypothesis that some areas of the brain may have particularly high anatomical variability in normal right-handed subjects, thus precluding the use of averaging techniques for these areas. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Initiation and development of the heat-affected zone in the vibration welding of polyvinylidene fluoride and its copolymers

Using a servo hydraulically controlled vibration-welding machine, the temporal and spatial development of hierarchical structure in the heat-affected zone of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) homopolymer and a copolymer of vinylidene fluoride and hexafluorpropylene are investigated. The dynamical changes early in the welding process are rather complex, and start at highly localized regions that then develop rapid adhesive character. In subsequent stages, these regions coalesce and a wave pattern establishes with wave normals oriented in the vibration direction. The crests of the waves near the side surfaces then begin to extrude fibrillar structure. These fibers are also collected and extruded in the vibration direction with their long axes normal to the vibration direction. The production of such features is partly attributed to the high melt elasticity of these polymers that results in instability resulting in their production. X-ray analysis indicates that the fibers are unoriented in their crystalline regions but electron microscopy studies show that a spiral orientation develops in the extruded fibers indicating that they underwent extension plus twisting deformation. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 3377–3388, 2002
Looking for cosmic strings

Cosmic strings predicted in some grand unified theories can produce double images of distant galaxies and quasars1–3, and it has been argued that some of the known double quasars may be due to strings2–4. To test this hypothesis, one can look for other characteristic effects of strings in the vicinity of double quasars, such as a discontinuous change of the microwave background temperature across the string3,5, lines of double galaxies2, and images of galaxies with a sharp edge4. In most of the previous work on the gravitational effects of strings it was assumed either that the string is static or that both the string and its velocity are perpendicular to the line of sight. Here I show that in more general configurations the expressions for the angular separation of double images and for the temperature discontinuity δT/T across the string are modified by trigonometric and relativistic factors. More importantly, the line connecting the double images is not, in general, perpendicular to the apparent direction of the string (contrary to what one would naively expect). Although the analysis presented here is rather elementary, the results may nevertheless be useful for interpreting the observations.
Impact of platelet transfusion on hematoma expansion in patients receiving antiplatelet agents before intracerebral hemorrhage.

Abstract Objectives: Patients receiving antiplatelet medications are reported to be at increased risk for hematoma enlargement and worse clinical outcomes following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). While platelet transfusions are frequently administered to counteract qualitative platelet defects in the setting of ICH, conclusive evidence in support of this therapeutic strategy is lacking. In fact, platelet transfusions may be associated with adverse effects, and represent a finite resource. We sought to determine the clinical efficacy of platelet transfusion and its impact on systemic complications following ICH in a cohort of patients receiving antiplatelet medications. Methods: We retrospectively analysed the medical records of 66 patients admitted to our institution from June 2003 to July 2008 who suffered a primary ICH while receiving antiplatelet (acetylsalicylic acid and/or clopidogrel) therapy. The primary outcome was the rate of significant (>25% increase from admission) hematoma expansion in trans...
Overvoltages Caused by Unbalanced Short Circuits Effect of Amortisseur Windings

IN CASE of unbalanced faults on power systems, the voltage on the unfaulted phase or phases may often reach very high values. There may be an overvoltage caused by the short circuit itself and a further overvoltage caused by the clearing of the fault. In the present paper only the first type will be discussed. These unfaulted phase overvoltages may vary widely with the type of fault, the system constants and arrangement, and the kinds of synchronous machines affected. However, in faults not involving ground the presence of overvoltages depends on the fact that the synchronous machines supplying the fault current are not electrically symmetric-rotor machines. Thus, these overvoltages may be largely eliminated or reduced by a properly designed amortisseur winding. Even in case of overvoltages caused by faults involving ground there is a considerable reduction with such an amortisseur winding.
Application of an impulsive trajectory optimization method to the comet rendezvous problem

Multiple impulsive spacecraft trajectory optimization technique application to comet rendezvous problem, using computer program
Spin coupling between magnetic impurities in metals

The spin scattering of conduction electrons by the local moments of transition-metal ions dissolved in metals, e.g., manganese in copper or silver, comes from the s-d mixing interaction. The characteristic energy and angular dependence of this scattering has a marked influence on the spin coupling between two local moments. We have derived expressions for this coupling due to s-d mixing. However, rather than evaluate the coupling itself, its envelope is much more relevant when one is interested in the range of the coupling. We have determined the envelope function by using only single-ion parameters. We find that in the range Rl15a, the decay of the spin coupling is much slower than that of the Rudermen-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interaction, i.e., 1/${R}^{3}$. This difference comes from the energy and angular dependence of the scattering which have been taken into account in the calculation. The calculations are made both with and without mean-free-path effects. We find that the preasymptotic corrections are far more important than mean-free-path effects for dilute systems. We have also calculated spin-interaction constants. Our results are very close to the values obtained from the low-field magnetization measurements.
Use of Imaging Tests for Staging Newly Diagnosed Prostate Cancer: Trends From the Capsure Database

AbstractPurpose: We describe secular trends in the use of imaging tests to stage prostate cancer, evaluate the impact of selected clinical factors on test use and compare physician actual use with recommendations in recently published literature.Materials and Methods: This retrospective nonrandomized analysis of a longitudinal disease registry enrolled 3,557 men diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1989 and 1997 at 29 urology practices throughout the United States. Using logistic regression the odds of performing pelvic computerized tomography (CT), pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), bone scan and excretory urogram were determined annually from 1989 to 1997. The frequency of test use was compared with recommendations from a recent urology literature synopsis.Results: Use of MRI, CT, bone scan and excretory urogram was unchanged from 1989 to 1997. Compared to recent findings in the clinical literature bone scan, CT and MRI were used too frequently in patients at low risk for metastatic disease.Conc...
Investigating Effective Teaching Methods for a Place-Based Teacher Preparation in a Rural Community.

In this article, I argue for the need to improve teacher preparation (TP) courses for elementary education student teachers to teach English-language arts (ELA). In particular, these TP programs need to support student teachers in delivering culturally responsive pedagogy within rural classrooms. Twenty-three student teachers participated in this research, which was aimed at investigating effective teaching pedagogy both within a place-based TP course and within teaching experiences within a rural border county. The student teachers took a course in literacy methods for 16 weeks, taught ELA in elementary schools using specific methods, and participated in videotaped collaborative reflections. Data collection for the study involved the student teachers’ responses to reflective questions, field notes, and evaluative essays. The findings suggested that providing student teachers with project-based, cooperative, inquiry-based activities, as well as opportunities for collaborative reflection during their university classes provided a learning context for the student teachers that connected ELA instruction to the economic situations of the rural communities. In addition, the findings indicated that the activities prepared the student teachers to develop the skills to relate instruction to people, culture, and social practices of rural the communities, value pupils’ local knowledge and community resources, and learn from diverse perspectives and experiences of their peers.
Minimal Energy Clusters of Hard Spheres with Short Range Attractions

We calculate the ground states of hard-sphere clusters, in which n identical hard spherical particles bind by isotropic short-ranged attraction. Combining graph theoretic enumeration with basic geometry, we analytically solve for clusters of n ≤ 10 particles satisfying minimal rigidity constraints. For n ≤ 9 the ground state degeneracy increases exponentially with n, but for n > 9 the degeneracy decreases due to the formation of structures with >3n ― 6 contacts. Interestingly, for n = 10 and possibly at n = 11 and n = 12, the ground states of this system are subsets of hexagonal close-packed crystals. The ground states are not icosahedra at n = 12 and n = 13. We relate our results to the structure and thermodynamics of suspensions of colloidal particles with short-ranged attractions.
Temperature dependent effects in the Raman scattering from sodium and silver beta-alumina☆

Abstract The intensities of A 1g phonon bands in the low frequency spectra of sodium and silver beta-alumina were found to change by nearly an order of magnitude over the temperature range from 12 to 400 K. This temperature dependent behavior may reflect a second-order phase transition involving a redistribution of mobile cation over available lattice sites.
Metabolic Mimics: The Disorders of N-Linked Glycosylation

N-linked glycosylation is essential for normal cellular function. Defects have now been described in eighteen genes that participate in the process. All give rise to complex multisystem diseases which, with a few exceptions, primarily involve the nervous system. Frequent features of these disorders include developmental delay, ataxia, seizures, stroke-like episodes, recurrent infections, coagulopathy and dysmorphism. Most cases can be detected by screening carbohydrate-deficient transferrin, but definitive diagnosis requires enzymatic and molecular confirmation, frequently in collaboration with a research glycobiologist.
A Characterization of Transionospheric Fading Communication Channel

Using a multiple-scatter propagation theory, the characteristics of the transionospheric satellite-earth communication links are related to the parameters of the ionosphere. General equations for the frequency correlation functions are derived. Some approximate solutions are obtained and numerical examples are given. Also discussed are the degree of coherence and potential applications of the procedure to characterize the intense fading channel.
Roussy-Lévy syndrome: report of a kindred and discussion of the nosology.

The details of a clinical and laboratory investigation of a family in which ataxia was present in members of three generations are presented. The major features of this illness include the onset of gait disorder in the first two years of life, distal weakness, areflexia, impaired deep sensibility, tremor of the hands, pes cavus, and a slowly progressive course. The disease in this family appears to be transmitted by an autosomal dominant gene. All laboratory data, except for low levels of serum triglycerides, were normal and provided no insight into the biochemical defect present in this family. The clinical features of the illness in this family are almost identical to those of a previous family reported by Roussy and Levy. A brief discussion of the relevant literature concerning the Roussy-Levy syndrome is presented. The authors believe that the present family and certain other families recorded in the literature are sufficiently similar to each other and distinct from other heredo-familial ataxias to justify their nosological separation. A satisfactory classification of the various forms of hereditary ataxia can be established only by the determination of the basic biochemical defect at the molecular level in the case of each homogenous genetic disorder. Meanwhile, a classification based upon a careful study of the clinical, pathological and genetic similarities and differences existing between families with ataxia will provide the most meaningful data now available for genetic counseling and as a guideline for research activities.
Size-dependent phase transformation kinetics in nanocrystalline ZnS.

Nanocrystalline ZnS was coarsened under hydrothermal conditions to investigate the effect of particle size on phase transformation kinetics. Although bulk wurtzite is metastable relative to sphalerite below 1020 °C at low pressure, sphalerite transforms to wurtzite at 225 °C in the hydrothermal experiments. This indicates that nanocrystalline wurtzite is stable at low temperature. High-resolution transmission electron microscope data indicate there are no pure wurtzite particles in the coarsened samples and that wurtzite only grows on the surface of coarsened sphalerite particles. Crystal growth of wurtzite stops when the diameter of the sphalerite−wurtzite interface reaches ∼22 nm. We infer that crystal growth of wurtzite is kinetically controlled by the radius of the sphalerite−wurtzite interface. A new phase transformation kinetic model based on collective movement of atoms across the interface is developed to explain the experimental results.
Endothelin mechanisms in altered thyroid states in the rat

Abstract Endothelin (ET) and its receptor characteristics were studied in hyper- and hypo-thyroid states in the rats. Hyperthroidism was induced by daily administration of thyroxine (0.1 mg/kg i.p.) for 8 weeks, while hypothyroidism was induced by daily administration of methimazole (10 mg/kg i.p.) for 8 weeks. The chronic administration of thyroxine to rats decreased their rate of gain of body weight, increased serum T3 and T4 concentration, blood pressure and heart rate. The chronic administration of methimazole decreased the rate of gain of body weight, serum T3 and T4 concentration, blood pressure and heart rate as compared to vehicle-treated control. Plasma ET-1 levels were found to be similar in control and methimazole-treated rats, while the levels were found to be significantly (P
Shading effects of collector rows tilted toward the equator

collectors tilted toward the equator. They also accounted for the beam radiation shadowing by consideration of the shaded area on a collector. They attempted to approximate the shading of diffuse radiation, but, as we will show later, an error was introduced in their model. Here we present a totally analytical model for calculating the daily total radiation on rows of fixed collectors tilted toward the equator, This method is an extension of the Liu-Jordan model[3]. Rather than considering the beam radiation shadow area, we use the shading plane concept introduced by Jones [4]. In order to utilize the shading plane method it is necessary to invoke the restriction that the length of the row be very long in comparison with the other system dimensions. This may be a reasonable approximation for practical situations as Appelbaum and Bany[2] concluded the row length has little overall effect since the effect is pronounced only close to sunrise or sunset when the radiation is low.
Frentizole Therapy of Active Systemic lupus Erythematosus

Frentizole is a benzimidazoleurea that has immunosuppressive properties in mice. Eleven steroid-treated patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus received frentizole (150-350 mg/day) in combination with stable or decreasing doses of prednisone in an open label trial. Nine patients completed at least one 21- to 75day course of therapy with this drug. Clinical parameters of disease improved in 8 of these 9 patients. Mean DNA binding decreased by 28%, mean CH50 increased by 20%, and mean absolute lymphocyte and T cell counts decreased by 25-2696. Granulocytopenia was not observed. Three patients developed reversible hepatic toxicity. Clinical and serologic improvement was noted in 3 patients who accepted a second Way course of frentizole therapy.
Do cell phones, iPods/MP3 players, siblings and friends matter? Predictors of child body mass in a U.S. Southern Border City Middle School.

Summary Objective This study examines the association of children's (i) micro-social environment, specifically siblings [kin-friends] and friends from school and neighborhood [non-kin-friends], and (ii) ownership of information and communication technologies (ICT), specifically cell phones and iPod/MP3 players, with body mass index percentile (BMIp). Subjects Fifty-five randomly selected 6th graders with a mean age of 12 years, stratified by gender (23 boys and 32 girls), from a Texas middle school located in a city along the U.S. southern border. Methods The linear regression of BMIp on number of siblings and of non-kin-friends, and ownership of cell phone and of iPod/MP3 player was examined using two models: M1 was based on the manual selection of predictors from a pool of potential predictors. M2 was derived from the predictors specified in M1 using backward elimination technique. Because sample size was small, the significance of regression coefficients was evaluated using robust standard errors to calculate t -values. Data for predictors were obtained through a survey. Height and weight were obtained through actual anthropometric measurements. BMIp was calculated using the on-line BMI calculator of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Results Findings reveal that children's social environment and ICT ownership predict BMIp; specifically, number of siblings (M2: β =−0.34, p -value β =0.33, p -value
Ethyl N‐(Diphenylmethylene)‐2‐acetoxyglycinate

(R = Et) [97611-55-7] C19H19NO4 (MW 325.36) InChI = 1S/C19H19NO4/c1-3-23-19(22)18(24-14(2)21)20-17(15-10-6-4-7-11-15)16-12-8-5-9-13-16/h4-13,18H,3H2,1-2H3 InChIKey = FOCYLNDNLMPUTK-UHFFFAOYSA-N (R = Me) [130551-77-8] C18H17NO4 (MW 311.34) InChI = 1S/C18H17NO4/c1-13(20)23-17(18(21)22-2)19-16(14-9-5-3-6-10-14)15-11-7-4-8-12-15/h3-12,17H,1-2H3 InChIKey = IYTPREIGUVQEPZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N (R = Bn) [130946-34-8] C24H21NO4 (MW 387.43) InChI = 1S/C24H21NO4/c1-18(26)29-23(24(27)28-17-19-11-5-2-6-12-19)25-22(20-13-7-3-8-14-20)21-15-9-4-10-16-21/h2-16,23H,17H2,1H3 InChIKey = PBEWWPZWZXQTMI-UHFFFAOYSA-N (glycine cation equivalent for amino acid synthesis) Alternate Names: ethyl α-acetoxyglycinate benzophenone imine; O'Donnell's Schiff base. Physical Data: R = Me, mp 102–103 °C; R = Et, mp 62–65 °C; R = Bn, mp 63–64 °C. Preparative Methods: by bromination of ethyl N-(diphenylmethylene)glycinate in the presence of acetate (NBS, NaOAc, DMF).1 The crude product can be purified by recrystalization. (Et2O/hexane). Handling, Storage, and Precautions: although stable at room temperature, the compound is normally stored under argon in the freezer. The hydrolysis product, benzophenone, can be detected either by TLC (EtOAc/hexane) or by NMR.
Age‐dependent impairment of HIF‐1α expression in diabetic mice: Correction with electroporation‐facilitated gene therapy increases wound healing, angiogenesis, and circulating angiogenic cells

Wound healing is impaired in elderly patients with diabetes mellitus. We hypothesized that age-dependent impairment of cutaneous wound healing in db/db diabetic mice: (a) would correlate with reduced expression of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) as well as its downstream target genes; and (b) could be overcome by HIF-1alpha replacement therapy. Wound closure, angiogenesis, and mRNA expression in excisional skin wounds were analyzed and circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) were quantified in db/db mice that were untreated or received electroporation-facilitated HIF-1alpha gene therapy. HIF-1alpha mRNA levels in wound tissue were significantly reduced in older (4-6 months) as compared to younger (1.5-2 months) db/db mice. Expression of mRNAs encoding the angiogenic cytokines vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), angiopoietin 1 (ANGPT1), ANGPT2, platelet-derived growth factor B (PDGF-B), and placental growth factor (PLGF) was also impaired in wounds of older db/db mice. Intradermal injection of plasmid gWIZ-CA5, which encodes a constitutively active form of HIF-1alpha, followed by electroporation, induced increased levels of HIF-1alpha mRNA at the injection site on day 3 and increased levels of VEGF, PLGF, PDGF-B, and ANGPT2 mRNA on day 7. CACs in peripheral blood increased 10-fold in mice treated with gWIZ-CA5. Wound closure was significantly accelerated in db/db mice treated with gWIZ-CA5 as compared to mice treated with empty vector. Thus, HIF-1alpha gene therapy corrects the age-dependent impairment of HIF-1alpha expression, angiogenic cytokine expression, and CACs that contribute to the age-dependent impairment of wound healing in db/db mice.
The In-Situ Technique for Measuring Input Impedance and Connection Effects of RFID Tag Antenna

In this paper, an indirect noninvasive method for measuring input impedance and the variations in the assembly of the interconnect and packaging between antenna and the integrated circuit (IC) effects of passive radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder (tags) antennas is presented. The analysis of different RFID tags is presented together with the experimental data.
Supersaturation produces high bioavailability of amorphous danazol particles formed by evaporative precipitation into aqueous solution and spray freezing into liquid technologies.

ABSTRACTThe bioavailability of high surface area danazol formulations was evaluated in a mouse model to determine what effect high supersaturation, as measured in vitro, has on the absorption of a poorly water soluble drug. Danazol, a biopharmaceutics classification system II (BCS II) compound, was used as the model drug. Evaporative precipitation into aqueous solution (EPAS) and spray freezing into liquid (SFL) technologies were used to prepare powders of danazol/PVP K-15 in a 1:1 ratio. The evaporative precipitation into aqueous solution (EPAS) and SFL compositions, physical mixture and commercial product were dosed by oral gavage to 28 male Swiss/ICR mice for each arm of the study. Samples were taken at time points ranging from 0.5 to 24 h. Pooled mouse serum was analyzed for danazol by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Powders were analyzed for their ability to form supersaturated solutions through dissolution at concentrations of 1 mg/mL which was the dose delivered to the mouse models. ...
Human Growth Hormone Levels in Cerebrospinal Fluid

ABSTRACT Nine patients with uncomplicated acromegaly showed the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) human growth hormone (HGH) to be 0.49±0.11 ng/ml (mean±sem) as compared to 8 control subjects whose values were extremely low (<0.09±0.01 ng/ml), with the majority below the sensitivity limit of the assay. Three other patients with suprasellar extension of the pituitary mass showed a 140- to 800-fold greater value of HGH in CSF as compared with the uncomplicated group. The invariably high levels of HGH in CSF in acromegaly, particularly associated with suprasellar extension of the pituitary mass, indicate that a large peptide hormone can cross the blood-CSF barrier. This measurement appears to have potential usefulness in the clinical evaluation of acromegalic patients.
Damping Correction Factors for Horizontal Ground-Motion Response Spectra

Damping correction factors (dcfs) are used to adjust response spectral values corresponding to damping 5% of critical to other damping levels. Trends in the analytical response of viscously damped, linear-elastic sdof oscillators subjected to finite-duration, sinusoidal base excitations show that dcfs depend on both the frequency and duration of the ground motion, where the latter becomes significantly less influential as damping increases. These analytical trends, in conjunction with correlations relating duration and frequency content to earthquake magnitude, site- to-source distance, site classification, and tectonic setting, are used to explain/study observations in dcfs computed from a large ground-motion database for the central- eastern and western United States. For ξ ≥ 2%, the dcfs proposed by the authors depend on earthquake magnitude, site classification, and tectonic setting, all of which significantly influence the frequency content of ground motions. For ξ = 1%, the dcfs proposed by the authors additionally depend on site-to-source distance, which significantly influences the duration of ground motion. In comparison with the dcfs proposed by the authors, commonly used and recently proposed dcfs were shown to be both too low and too high, depending on the relation, period range, damping ratio, earthquake magnitude, site classification, and tectonic setting. Additionally, the dcf relations proposed in the literature for ground motions exhibiting near-fault effects should not be used for ξ < 5%, and will likely be significantly too high for periods close to that of the near-fault velocity pulse(s) for ξ ≥ 5%.
Optimizing demand fulfillment from test bins

A primary component of the wafer assembly and final testing phases of the semiconductor manufacturing process is the process of binning wherein integrated circuits are tested for speed, voltage, and other functionality requirements. Customer demand for products is satisfied using binned components. While higher functionality components can be used to satisfy lower-level demand at a profit loss, the reverse case is not an option. We investigate the important question of satisfy customer demand from available binned devices with maximum profit in terms of maximizing revenue and minimizing inventory holding costs using a mathematical programming-based solution approach. Initial results suggest our model is able to accurately produce cost-effective demand fulfilment strategies for semiconductor manufacturers in practice.
Dynamic T1-weighted ferumoxides enhanced MRI for imaging liver hemangiomas: preliminary observations

The T1-based signal-enhancing effects of ferumoxides was studied in five liver hemangiomas on short echo-time gradient-recalled echo dynamic magnetic resonance imaging to assess the utility of this technique to image perfusion patterns in liver hemangiomas. We observed peripheral nodular enhancement with centripetal fill in all hemangiomas. Our results suggest that this imaging technique, after rapid injection of ferumoxides, can be used for lesion characterization.
Correlation of the cosmic‐ray intensity with solar‐terrestrial parameters

Results are presented of numerical simulations of cosmic ray drift due to perturbations in the interplanetary medium affecting solar-terrestrial parameters. Computations were performed for a model spherical heliosphere of radius 25 AU, with an interplanetary magnetic field in the shape of an Archimedean spiral with magnitude of 5 gamma at 1 AU, corresponding to a wind velocity of 400 km/sec, and diffusion coefficients corresponding to the assumption that the parallel mean free path is somewhat larger han the cyclotron radius at earth orbit, and its spatial dependence is proportional to the gyroradius. It is found that perturbations in the heliospheric equatorial regions affect galactic cosmic rays more effectively when the Northern Hemisphere heliospheric magnetic field is directed inward rather than outward, with perturbations in the parallel drift coefficient more effective than perturbations in solar wind velocity or perpendicular drift velocity. Results are consistent with the observed variation of the correlation between the geomagnetic aa index and the neutron monitor counting rate on Mt. Washington with the solar cycle.
Leadership and culture: Work-related values and leadership styles among one company's U.S. and German telecommunication employees

This survey-based study examines differences in leadership styles and work-related values among managers, engineers, and production employees of one company's U.S. and German telecommunication employees. Using Bass and Avolio's Full-Range Leadership theory and Hofstede's theory of culture, the results reveal lower levels of transformational leadership styles among German employees, but no differences in leadership styles among different job categories in either country. There were country-level differences in culture that explained a portion of the variance in leadership scores. Job category also had a main effect on cultural values. The study points to patterns of work-related values different from those predicted in earlier research, and to the need for further refinement of research in leadership theory and our understanding of culture.