cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of type of surgery on deep venous thrombi and pulmonary emboli: a look at twenty seven thousand hip fracture patients

Deep venous thrombi (DVT) and pulmonary emboli (PE) are common complications in hip fracture patients. It is imperative that orthopaedists know the patient risk factors for DVT and PE, including if type of surgery plays a role. To this end, we used the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database to identify significant risk factors. From the 2006–2011 ACS NSQIP database, 27,441 patients with hip fractures were identified using a Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code search. DVT and PE complications, type of surgery based on CPT code, patient demographics, medical comorbidities and operative factors were identified for each patient. Fisher’s exact tests were used to (1) determine if rates of DVT and PE significantly differed based on type of surgery and (2) identify significant associations between patient factors and development of DVT/PE. These significant factors were then used as covariates in multivariable analysis to determine which risk factors predicted postoperative DVT/PE. Of the 27,441 hip fracture patients, 449 (1.6 %) developed DVT/PE. There was a significant difference in rates of DVT/PE based on surgery (p = 0.015): patients undergoing intramedullary nailing of inter-/peri-/subtrochanteric femoral fractures had the highest rates of DVT/PE (2.06 %). After multivariate analysis, renal failure and recent surgery were significant risk factors for DVT/PE. This study was the first to show through large, multicentre, prospective data that type of hip fracture surgery impacts rates of DVT/PE. We further identified two additional risk factors orthopaedists should be aware of. Knowing these risk factors will help in peri-operative planning to reduce complications.
Colloidal Silica-Coated Tissue Culture Dishes for Primary Cell Cultures: Growth of Rabbit Renal Proximal Tubule Cells

The use of colloidal silica as a substratum for primary cultures of differentiated cells has significant advantages over classic tissue culture polystyrene. In this report, the growth and the level...
General Principles of Management of Orbital Fractures

The bony orbit develops from the mesenchyme that encircles the optic vesicle starting at the 6 week embryonic stage [1]. In the adult, the bony orbit encloses a volume of 30 cm [2]. The anterior entrance dimensions measure approximately 4 cm wide by 3.5 cm vertically. The orbit’s widest dimension is situated approximately 1 cm posterior to the bony rim. The angle between the lateral walls of each orbit is approximately 90°, whereas the angle between the lateral and medial walls is approximately 45°, with the two medial walls being essentially parallel.
Allosteric Control of Gating and Kinetics at P2X4Receptor Channels

The CNS abundantly expresses P2X receptor channels for ATP; of these the most widespread in the brain is the P2X4channel. We show that ivermectin (IVM) is a specific positive allosteric effector of heterologously expressed P2X4 and possibly of heteromeric P2X4/P2X6channels, but not of P2X2, P2X3, P2X2/P2X3, or P2X7 channels. In the submicromolar range (EC50, ∼250 nm) the action of IVM was rapid and reversible, resulting in increased amplitude and slowed deactivation of P2X4 channel currents evoked by ATP. IVM also markedly increased the potency of ATP and that of the normally low-potency agonist α,β-methylene-ATP in a use- and voltage-independent manner without changing the ion selectivity of P2X4 channels. Therefore, IVM evokes a potent pharmacological gain-of-function phenotype that is specific for P2X4 channels. We also tested whether IVM could modulate endogenously expressed P2X channels in the adult trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus and hippocampal CA1 neurons. Surprisingly, IVM produced no significant effect on the fast ATP-evoked inward currents in either type of neuron, despite the fact that IVM modulated P2X4 channels heterologously expressed in embryonic hippocampal neurons. These results suggest that homomeric P2X4 channels are not the primary subtype of P2X receptor in the adult trigeminal mesencephalic nucleus and in hippocampal CA1 neurons.
On the Mechanism of Inhibition of Fatty Acid Oxidation by 4-Pentenoic Acid in Rat Liver Mitochondria

Abstract The effects of 4-pentenoic acid on substrate oxidations and on the distribution of coenzyme A and its derivatives were studied in isolated rat liver mitochondria. CoA-linked substrate, long and short chain fatty acid, pyruvate, and α-ketoglutarate oxidations were inhibited 60 to 80% by 0.1 mm 4-pentenoic acid. The failure of 4-pentenoic acid to inhibit fatty acid oxidation in uncoupled mitochondria indicated that it was necessary for 4-pentenoic acid to be activated to its CoA ester to become inhibitory. Oxidation-reduction changes of mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides and flavoproteins following 4-pentenoic acid addition showed that the inhibitor itself could undergo β oxidation. The addition of 4-pentenoic acid caused CoA and acetyl-CoA levels to decrease while acid-soluble and acid-insoluble acyl-CoA levels increased. The observed changes were interpreted as indicating that free CoA was being incorporated into a product of 4-pentenoic acid metabolism, and inhibition of fatty acid oxidation was caused by CoA depletion. These conclusions were supported by the reversal of 4-pentenoic acid inhibition of palmitylcarnitine oxidation in ultrasonically disrupted mitochondria by the addition of CoA, while oxidation of palmityl-CoA was not inhibited in this preparation.
Penetration through a slot in a conducting plane backed by a conducting‐walled channel: Transverse magnetic case

[1] The penetration of fields through an infinite slot in a conducting plane backed by a channel is examined. The total field in the interior of the channel and above the conducting plane is determined by two independent integral equation methods: (1) coupled integral equations which can be used to determine the fields for a channel with an arbitrarily shaped cross section and (2) a single integral equation which involves a Green's function specific to the shape of the channel. Data from the two methods are presented for the equivalent currents obtained from the integral equations, for the fields near the channel-backed slot, and for the actual currents present on the conducting surfaces. Methods for determining the currents and fields for the case of a transverse-electric-to-slot-axis excitation were presented in part 1. This second part focuses on the development of techniques for determining fields and currents in cases where the excitation produces a field that is transverse magnetic to the slot axis.
Interpreting the Federal Trademark Dilution Act of 1995: The logic of the Actual Dilution Requirement

The Federal Trademark Dilution Act of 1995 creates a cause of action for trademark dilution. lu contrast to trademark infringement law, which requires a showing of consumer confusion about the source or affiliation of goods and services, dilution law protects the distinctive quality and selling power of the trademark itself, even if consumers are not confused. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, emphasizing the statute's requirement that the defendant's trademark "causes dilution" of the distinctive quality of an established trademark, has required evidence of•an actual diminution of the established trademark's selling power. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has read the statute to require just a likelihood of dilution, and has held that circumstantial evidence of probable dilution is enough to prove a violation. This Note argues that the Fourth Circuit's interpretation is more consistent with the text of the statute and with the public interest in trademark law.
An investigation of the controlled release of diacetylfluorescein (DAF) from polymeric membranes

The release kinetics of diacetylfluorescein (DAF) from the polymeric membranes has been studied. The polymeric membranes were made of polystyrene and polysulfone materials in a monolithic form. This work employed a fluorescence spectrophotometer to monitor the release rates by the hydrolysis of DAF at 25°C. The investigation exhibited that the release rates follow a zero-order kinetic scheme. The effects of different loadings of DAF and acetone on the controlled release rates were also exploited. Die Kinetik der Freigabe von Diacetylfluorescin (DAF) aus Polymer-Membranen wurde untersucht. Die Membranen wurden aus Polystyrol und Polysulfon in „monolithischer” Form hergestellt. Zur Ermittlung der Freigabegeschwindigkeit durch Hydrolyse von DAF bei 25°C wurde ein Fluoreszenz-Spektrophotometer benutzt. Die Untersuchung zeigte, das die Freigabe einer Nullter-Ordnung-Kinetik folgt. Die Effekte verschiedener Beladung mit DAF und von Aceton auf die kontrollierte Freigabe wurden ebenfalls ausgewertet.
Current Advances in the Purification and Characterization of Progesterone Receptors

Abstract This report summarizes a few new techniques currently used in our laboratory for the purification and characterization of progesterone receptors (PR); molybdate-stabilized PR can be partially purified by size-exclusion and DEAE HPLC. Photoaffinity labeling of PR by UV excitation of R5020 offers a powerful means to detect ligand-bound PR subunits in any purification procedure, and to prevent dissociation of ligand during denatured polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Two larger PR subunits of molecular weight 83 and 105 Kda were observed; these subunits dissociated into smaller forms of 56, 44, 37 and 24 Kda. PR from various target tissues appeared to have similar molecular subunits and characteristics as delineated by HPLC and electrophoresis.
A computationally efficient second order adaptive lattice filter

A nonlinear second order Volterra filter can be reformulated as a linear multichannel lattice structure. Such a formulation reduces eigenvalue disparity for gradient descent adaptive implementations. For a filter of memory span L, this approach requires O(L/sup 3/) coefficients, with corresponding computational burden and memory requirements. A more efficient two-stage lattice structure is described, where a similar result is achieved with computational complexity proportional to O(L/sup 2/). >
Primary leiomyosarcoma of the epididymis and late recurrence on the penis.

The occurrence of leiomyosarcoma is low with an incidence of 0.05 to 0.1%. Testicular leiomyosarcoma is rare and the incidence of paratesticular leiomyosarcoma is even more uncommon. Of the cases of paratesticular leiomyosarcoma 90% are located in the spermatic cord.' To our knowledge this is only the fiReenth case of leiomyosarcoma of the epididymis reported in the literature. CASE REPORT An 85-year-old man presented with a tender soft tissue tumor of the dorsal penis at the level of the pubic symphysis. In 1991 a similar lesion of the right epididymis was diagnosed and radical orchiectomy after high ligation of the spermatic cord was performed. Pathological evaluation revealed a paratesticular, moderately differentiated 7 cm. leiomyosarcoma of the epididymis with invasion of the rete testis. Circumferential resection margins were negative. Ultrasound, computerized tomography and chest x-ray revealed no evidence of distant metastases. Radical en bloc excision of the tumor, including partial removal of the infiltrated corpora cavernosa, was performed. Radical penectomy was refused by the patient. Due to positive resection margins adjuvant radiation therapy was administered. At 6-month followup there was no evidence of recurrence. Histological examination demonstrated infiltration by spindle cells originating from mesenchymal tissue, which showed an increased proliferation with a higher rate of mi
The Legal Authority of Mature Minors to Consent to General Medical Treatment

The nature and scope of mature adolescents’ legal authority to consent to general medical treatment without parental involvement is often misrepresented by commentators. This state of affairs is further complicated by the law itself, which has developed a broad “mature minor exception” to the general requirement of parental consent in abortion cases and which has additionally carved out numerous specific status-based and condition-based exceptions to that requirement. In these circumstances, it is not always a simple matter for physicians and other medical professionals who treat adolescents to ascertain the applicable law. In this article, we discuss the underlying differences between medical ethics and law, which have caused some of the confusion in this area, and we set out the most current legal rules governing adolescent decision-making authority in general medical settings. A comprehensive analysis of both statutory and common law demonstrates that in such settings, parental consent continues to be required by most jurisdictions, even when the minor can be considered cognitively “mature.”
Social trauma in the epidemiology of cancer of the cervix.

Abstract Four hundred and forty-seven cases of cancer of the cervix were compared to 711 controls with other types of cancer and non-neoplastic diseases of organs other than the genitals from Roswell Park Memorial Institute. Cases of cancer of the cervix were of slightly lower socio-economic status, had married earlier, and had had more pregnancies and live births than the controls. Further comparisons were made considering differences between cases and controls in age; size of family, including spouses, children, siblings, grandchildren, parents and other relatives; and whether the life events under consideration occurred among family members living in the subject's or other households. Comparisons were made on the extent to which they and their family members had experienced death, divorce, illness, economic want, residential mobility, and feelings of being upset in the 5 yr prior to onset of the illness under consideration. The proportion of cases and controls experiencing various numbers of these incidents was also examined. No differences between cases and controls were found for any of these variables.
Computational Earthquake and Tsunami Research

In this special issues, authors discuss issues in earthquake and tsunami research, as well as in the computational and data infrastructure.
Seed Priming of Winter Annual Cover Crops Improves Germination and Emergence

Enhancing soil-protecting living cover over the winter is an important challenge in temperate row crop production. This note reports on novel findings for cover crop seed priming, a process of controlled hydration and drying. The effects of seed priming over durations of 0, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, and 36 h were evaluated for four species that varied in seed size and germination characteristics: cereal rye (Secale cereale L.), perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), and oriental mustard (Brassica juncea L.). A logistic function modeled response was used to quantify onset of germination, time to 50% germination (ten), maximum germination rate, final germination percentage (K), seedling emergence, and establishment in laboratory germination paper and soil core assays. Rye seed germinated rapidly regardless of priming treatment. Under the optimum environmental conditions of a laboratory germination assay, the smallest seeded cover crop, perennial ryegrass, was the only species to show a final germination response that was higher in primed (86%) than untreated seed (78%). However, seed germination rates of three species were influenced by priming: 50% germination was reached 8, 6, and 9 h earlier in hairy vetch, mustard, and perennial ryegrass, respectively. Compacted soil assays showed that priming (24 h) improved seedling emergence by 36% and 57% for hairy vetch and perennial ryegrass, respectively, compared with untreated seed. These results were consistent across experiment runs. Seed priming shows promise as a new technology for improving cover crop establishment in compacted soil.
Subcellular localization of thyrocalcitonin.

Homogenates of rat thyroids were fractionated sequentially by differential centrifugation in 0.25M sucrose. Initial homogenates and isolated particulate and supernatant fractions were assayed biologically for thyrocalcitonin hypocalcemic activity using young intact male rats. In these assays, linear log dose-responses were obtained with doses of initial homogenate ranging from 0.05 to 0.4 of a single rat thyroid gland. Hypocalcemic responses parallel to those obtained with the homogenate were seen with the supernatant fraction after centrifugation at 8000 X g and with the particulate material recovered at 100,000 Xg. These 2 active fractions contained 78*/1.12 (SE) and 66*/1.20%, respectively, of the hypocalcemic activity found in the initial homogenate. Hypocalcemic activity was also found in the 8000 Xg supernatant and 100,000 Xg particulate fraction obtained from porcine and calf thyroid tissue. We conclude that thyrocalcitonin is found chiefly in the small particle (“microsomal”) fraction of the thyro...
Analysis of Scientific Workflow Provenance Access Control Policies

Provenance has become an important concept for services computing in general, and for scientific workflows in particular. Provenance often contains confidential data and dependencies whose access needs to be protected. Provenance access control policies control who can access which provenance information. Correct specification of provenance access control policies is critical to ensure system security. However, due to the sheer size of provenance, it is often difficult to comprehend the full effects of an access control policy by manual inspection alone due to complex multi-step dependencies and their interactions. In this paper, we present automated analysis algorithms and complexity results for three provenance analysis problems. We have also developed incremental strategies for these algorithms for evolving provenance and access control policies.
Degenerate parametric curves

This paper discusses two degenerate cases of polynomial parametric curves for which the degrees of the defining polynomials can be reduced without altering the curve. The first case is the improperly parametrized curve for which each point on the curve corresponds to several parameter values. The second case, which can only occur for rational polynomial parametric curves, exists when the defining polynomials all have a common factor. This paper describes how to detect and correct each type of degeneracy. Examples are given which demonstrate that seemingly innocuous Bezier curves may suffer from either of these degeneracies.
Within-thallus variation in chemical and physical defences in two species of ecologically dominant brown macroalgae from the Antarctic Peninsula

Abstract Macroalgae along the Antarctic Peninsula are generally unpalatable to sympatric herbivores. This is particularly true of the large, brown macroalgae that dominate the communities in terms of cover and biomass. Variation within and between individuals of the ecologically dominant genus Desmarestia has also been detected. In the present study, we examined within thallus variation of both chemical (palatability) and physical (toughness) defences in Desmarestia anceps and Desmarestia menziesii . Each species was divided into the holdfast, the primary stem, and the lateral branches, with tissue fitness values assigned to each component. Lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts were obtained from each thallus component and incorporated into artificial alginate foods. A series of bioassays tested the palatability of these foods to the sympatric, herbivorous amphipod Gondogeneia antarctica . Toughness measurements were also performed on each thallus component. Results from D. anceps , a highly differentiated species, were consistent with the Optimal Defence Theory (ODT) in that the most valuable tissue component (the primary stem) was the most strongly chemically and physically defended. The holdfast, also with a high tissue fitness value, was strongly physically defended. Laterals, which are replaceable and assigned a lower fitness value, were moderately chemically defended. No significant differences were detected in the palatability of the differing thallus parts in D. menziesii , although the holdfast and primary stem were tougher than the lateral branches. These results remain consistent with the ODT as D. menziesii displays less differentiation between the primary stem and the lateral branches and were assigned a similar fitness value.
Weak and strong beam scintillations for the ground-to-space propagation

We extend our theory of the on-axis beam scintillations [1] for the case of the propagating on slant turbulent paths where turbulence is concentrated in a relatively thin layer near the transmitter. Theory is based on the parabolic equation for the beam wave propagation and Markov approximation for the calculation of the statistical moments of the beam intensity. Ratio of the turbulence layer thickness to the overall propagation path length adds an extra small parameter to the asymptotic analysis. However we show that this only causes some changes for the boundaries between the asymptotic regions established in [1] while preserving their general arrangement.
Checklist for percutaneous tracheostomy in critical care

Simon and colleagues are to be commended for their effort in reviewing articles published since 1985 on the incidence and risk factors associated with mortality following percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) [1]. An important milestone in an attempt to reduce surgery-related complications was the introduction of the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist in 2008. A pilot study showed a reduction in both mortality and potential complications following introduction of the checklist [2]. Over 300 organisations have endorsed the campaign worldwide and 1,790 hospitals are actively using the checklist with more than 4,100 hospitals registered [3]. With such broad recognition of the importance for safety and implementation of the checklist in general surgery, it seems appropriate to follow a similar checklist for the PDT procedure in intensive care. Checklists are not alien to ICUs. Checklists have helped nursing staff to adhere to infection control guidelines and hence a reduction in bloodstream-related infections [4]. Several other checklists (mechanical ventilation, daily goals [5]) have proven useful. The checklist before PDT (see Table 1) is intended to reduce error and harm. Although the clinician has overall responsibility for ensuring that it is safe to undergo PDT, having a checklist would also provide an opportunity for the nurses to highlight or challenge any criteria that are not followed. We believe that if the checklist is tailor-made to suit individual organisations, it does not overstrain clinicians and may actually improve safety and efficiency. Table 1 Proposed checklist before percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (pre and post)
Haemagglutinating, Precipitating and Lymphocyte-stimulating Factors of Phytohaemagglutinin

EXTRACTS from certain seeds of the Leguminosae are known to possess interesting biological properties. An extract of Phaseola vulgaris, phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), agglutinates red and white blood cells1,2 and tumour cells3, and indiscriminately stimulates blood lymphocytes cultured in vitro to undergo blastic transformation and increased mitogenic activity4. Since lymphocytes of a sensitized donor are known to be stimulated in the same manner when exposed to a previously encountered antigen5,6, the possibility of PHA being a universal antigen has been considered7. Recently it has been noted by ourselves and others8,9 that PHA likewise forms a precipitate indiscriminately with serum. Our demonstration of this ability of PHA to form a precipitin line with human serum and numerous animal sera appeared to support the concept of its being a ubiquitous antigen. If this were a valid concept, however, treatment of PHA to remove its precipitating activity would entail loss of antigenicity and might be expected to impair the lymphocyte-stimulating factor as well.
Complications of menopause and the risks and benefits of estrogen replacement therapy

Every woman who lives long enough will become menopausal. While menopause is not a disease, the increased mortality and morbidity in menopausal women due to osteoporotic fractures, cardiovascular disease, and coronary heart disease are felt by many to be related to the decrease in endogenous estrogen. Therefore, one possible solution is estrogen replacement therapy. This article reviews recent literature on the complications of menopause and the risks and benefits of estrogen replacement therapy. The article also will discuss how a nurse practitioner can utilize the theory of care seeking behavior to implement this knowledge into practice.
Surface-Enhanced Superquenching of Cyanine Dyes as J-Aggregates on Laponite Clay Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles of synthetic Laponite clay can be coated with individual or mixed cyanine dyes to form J-aggregated assemblies in water. The absorption and fluorescence characteristics of these J-aggregates are substantially different from those of J-aggregates formed in crystals or colloids, suggesting that smaller J-aggregate domains are present on the disk-shaped nanoparticles. The mixed cyanine/Laponite aggregates exhibit similar but nonidentical absorption and fluorescence as compared to the individual dye aggregates, suggesting a mixed electronic structure. The fluorescence from the nanoparticle-adsorbed cyanines is subject to superquenching by a variety of electron- and energy-accepting quenchers. These quenchers can be introduced by coadsorption with donors on the clay (mixed aggregates) or by addition of acceptors to preformed donor aggregates in aqueous suspensions. For some of the energy-accepting cyanines, it is found that strong sensitization of fluorescence from a (mostly) acceptor state is ob...
The flash photolysis—shock tube technique using atomic resonance absorption for kinetic studies at high temperatures

A flash photolysis-shock tube technique is described for making kinetic measurements at high temperature. Coupled with sensitive atomic resonance absorption detection, this method allows bimolecular rate constants for atom-molecule reactions to be measured directly under conditions free from kinetic complications. Experiments were performed in the reflected shock regime, and the temperature and density were calculated using ideal shock wave theory in this initial work. Results for the reaction of atomic hydrogen with ammonia are presented to illustrate the potential of the technique. The values of the Arrhenius rate parameters found in these experiments, 900 K less than or equal to T less than or equal to 1850 K, were A = (1.14 +/- 0.12) x 10/sup -10/ cm/sup 3/ molecule/sup -1/ s/sup -1/ and E/sub ..cap alpha../ = 13,216 +/- 242 cal mol/sup -1/. This result gives rate constants that are about five times larger than those from previous studies. Although corrections for nonidealities in the reflected shock region are anticipated and under investigation, the expected changes will be relatively small and thus the large discrepancy noted here will remain. 21 references, 5 figures, 1 table.
Nature and Correlates of Ijime--Bullying in Japanese Middle School.

Abstract While school bullying in Japan, Ijime, has been a topic of major public concern since the 1980s, few qualitative studies have been conducted to examine its nature and correlates. Through a case study of 30 ninth graders in a Japanese middle school, the study found that Ijime has complex group dynamics in its onset and process. The analysis of student and teacher explanations concerning Ijime experiences also revealed that Japanese classroom community, which worked as a social control organization in the past, has weakened, leading to the prevalence of classroom-based Ijime. The lack of trusting relationships in peer groups also contributes to the further isolation of Ijime victims.
Calculation of the thermal conductivity of superlattices by molecular dynamics simulation

We report on molecular dynamics studies of heat flow in superlattices. The computer simulations are performed using classical mechanics with periodic boundary conditions. We present results for the variation of the conductivity with the repeat distance. We discuss the relation of these results to experimental data in the literature.
Protecting mobile code in the world

Proposed applications for mobile code systems include autonomous shopping agents, autonomic systems, distributed sensor network applications, and interstellar space networks. I argue the case for mobile code systems as the next-generation distributed programming paradigm and discuss the security problems that must be addressed before this vision is practically realizable. The security discussion will focus on protecting mobile code programs that execute in the wild from malicious actions by remote hosts.
Assessing regional impacts and adaptation strategies for climate change: the Washington Climate Change Impacts Assessment

Climate change in the twenty-first century will strongly affect the processes that define natural and human systems. The Washington Climate Change Impacts Assessment (WACCIA) was intended to identify the nature and effects of climate change on natural and human resources in Washington State over the next century. The assessment focused on eight sectors that were identified as being potentially most climate sensitive: agriculture, energy, salmon, urban stormwater infrastructure, forests, human health, coasts, and water resources. Most of these sectors are sensitive in one way or another to water availability. While water is generally abundant in the state under current climate conditions, its availability is highly variable in space and time, and these variations are expected to change as the climate warms. Here we summarize the results of the WACCIA and identify uncertainties and common mechanisms that relate many of the impacts. We also address cross-sectoral sensitivities, vulnerabilities, and adaptation strategies.
Mechanochemical Continuum Modeling of Nanovoid Nucleation and Growth in Reacting Nanoparticles

Hollow nanoparticles (NPs) are produced by void nucleation and growth during chemical reactions. However, there is no proper understanding of nucleation and growth mechanisms and their predictive modeling. Models based on the Kirkendall effect predict the process time, which is larger by orders of magnitude than in experiment. This is why some works propose that a large tensile pressure in the core causes void nucleation. Here, a continuum-mechanics approach for nucleation and growth of a nanovoid in reacting NPs based on the Kirkendall effect is developed. In contrast to previous approaches, void nucleation and the effects of stresses are treated explicitly. The void nucleation condition vs pressure, temperature, size of a vacancy, core material, and initial reaction product layer is determined, and a strong multifaceted effect of mechanics is revealed. Thus, with mechanics, a cluster consisting of four vacancies represents the supercritical nucleus. Surprisingly, the core is under compression (which eli...
Strength degradation of silica fibers by acetone immersion

A single-layer UV-curable polyacrylate-coated telecommunications grade fused silica fiber was found to have a significant reduction in two-point bending strength after immersion in acetone. The two-point bending and tensile strengths of this fiber as a function of immersion time in acetone were determined, and this strength loss was not seen for 0.5-m gauge length tensile specimens. SEM and optical fractography was performed on the weak specimens, and the cause of the strength reduction is proposed to arise from particles smaller than 3 micrometers in the coating. These particles could cause surface flaws by sliding contact damage incurred during relative motion between the coating and the glass. This sliding could occur either while flexing the fiber in preparation for a bending strength measurement or due to coating elongation. While it is not clear which mechanism is operating, both are consistent with the observation that degradation is only observed for bending strength measurements.
The Implementation of Design for Six Sigma: A Development Experience

This paper provides a demonstration of how Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) is utilised to design and engineer a new product. At the centre of the DFSS approach is a five-step process called Define, Measure, Analyse, Design, and Verify (DMADV). We find that when a developer's experience helped and the problem (or the opportunity) is clearly identified in the 'define' stage, the rest of the DMADV proceeds in a sequential and rational manner. However, when a developer's experience did not help and the problem (or opportunity) is not clearly defined in the 'define' stage, the rest of the DMADV proceeds in a cyclical and reflective manner. Over time, as the DMADV approach is applied, the rate of progress dramatically decreases and the speed of product development becomes painfully slow. We provide additional insights for implementing the DFSS approach to develop new products, which is important for both practicing managers and academics. We also provide directions for future research.
The specialized junctions between Merkel cell and neurite: an electron microscopic study.

Longitudinal serial sections of one half of the entire sinus hair of a mouse were examined by the electron microscope. Three neurites entering the outer root sheath from the perifollicular blood sinus were encountered. These were separate nerve trunks from those connected with perifollicular tactile nerve endings and exclusively innervated intrafollicular Merkel cells. Two types of specialized junctions were observed at the contact regions between Merkel cell plasma membrane and neurite plasma membrane: (i) desmosome-like structures in which small clear vesicles and/or the large cored vesicles of neurite and thicker membrane (post-synaptic?) of apposed Merkel cell were found and (ii) synapse-like structures in which Merkel cell granules were concentrated near the plasma membrane and the membrane of the apposed neurite was usually thicker (post-synaptic?). In some of the synapse-like junctions the limiting membrane of Merkel cell granules fused with the Merkel cell plasma membrane and its content seemed to be discharged into the intercellular space. This suggested actual exocytotic secretion of Merkel cell granules. Juxtaposition of 2 types of junctions, i.e. (i) and (ii) above, was also found. This suggested the possibility that the reciprocal synapse would be present between Merkel cells and afferent neurites.
Cortical pyroglutamate amyloid-β levels and cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease

Posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) accumulates amyloid-β (Aβ) early in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The relative concentrations of full-length Aβ and truncated, pyroglutamate-modified Aβ (NpE3) forms, and their correlations to cognitive dysfunction in AD, are unknown. We quantified AβNpE3-42, AβNpE3-40, Aβ1-42, and Aβ1-40 concentrations in soluble (nonfibrillar) and insoluble (fibrillar) pools in PCC from subjects with an antemortem clinical diagnosis of no cognitive impairment, mild cognitive impairment, or mild-moderate AD. In clinical AD, increased PCC concentrations of Aβ were observed for all Aβ forms in the insoluble pool but only for Aβ1-42 in the soluble pool. Lower Mini-Mental State Exam and episodic memory scores correlated most strongly with higher concentrations of soluble and insoluble Aβ1-42. Greater neuropathology severity by Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease and National Institute on Aging-Reagan pathologic criteria was associated with higher concentrations of all measured Aβ forms, except soluble AβNpE3-40. Low concentrations of soluble pyroglutamate Aβ across clinical groups likely reflect its rapid sequestration into plaques, thus, the conversion to fibrillar Aβ may be a therapeutic target.
On some Observations on Palæobotany in Goebel's “Outlines of Classification and Special Morphology of Plants”

THE few modern authors of botanical text-books who have ventured to summarise recent palaeobotanical researches have achieved but moderate success. These authors have too little knowledge of the rapid progress of the study of fossil plants during the last few years to make success possible; hence, their summaries, if not absolutely inaccurate, are usually misleading. So long as these errors are confined to works published in Continental languages, British palaeobotanists need not take the trouble to correct them. But the case is altered when English translations of these books appear amongst us. Palaeobotany has nowhere made greater progress during the last few years than with ourselves. Many errors have been corrected, and new truths, results of careful and prolonged investigations, have taken their place. With the more important of these new discoveries many of our younger students of geology are now familiar. It is desirable that what they have been taught should not be contradicted by the utterances of authors ignorant of the subjects upon which they venture to express an opinion.
MPEG-based image enhancement for the visually impaired

An MPEG-based image contrast enhancement algorithm for people with low vision is presented. Contrast enhancement is achieved by modifying the inter- and intra-quantization matrices in the MPEG decoder during the decompression stage. The algorithm has low computational complexity and does not affect the MPEG compressibility of the original image. We propose an enhancement filter based on the visual characteristics of low-vision patients, and report the results of preference experiments with 24 visually impaired subjects. Subjects favored low to moderate levels of enhancement for two of the tested video sequences, but favored only low levels of enhancement and rejected higher enhancement for two other sequences that had fast motion.
Measurement of magnetic field gradient by its effect on the NMR free induction decay

Abstract The technique of measuring a magnetic field gradient from the FID signal of a right cylindrical sample is analyzed for sources of systematic error. The sources include the resonance condition, nonorthogonality of gradient and cylinder axes, time delays from electronic time constants and finite RF pulses, choice of signal baseline, menisci of the sample, background gradients, and inhomogeneities in the applied gradient. Corrections to reduce the errors are provided where possible.
Cancer-cell traffic in the liver. III. Lethal deformation of B16 melanoma cells in liver sinusoids

It has previously been shown that most of the B16 F10 melanoma cells delivered to the mouse liver via the portal vein are rapidly killed in periportal zone 1 of the sinusoids. Few intact viable cells reach pericentral zone 3 of the sinusoids and of these, only a very small proportion leave the liver to colonize the lungs. The hypothesis has been advanced that one nonexclusive, potential mechanism for cancer-cell destruction in the liver is a result of the deformation of cancer cells when they enter vessels of smaller diameter than themselves. Where entry is associated with change in shape from spheroid to cylindrical, a mandatory increase in cancer-cell surface area occurs, which is first apparent and utilizes surface membrane excess (rugosity). If this increase is insufficient, a real increase occurs which, if in excess of approximately 4%, results in lethal surface membrane rupture. This hypothesis predicts that, under these circumstances, cancer-cell resistance to mechanical trauma is favored by small diameter and utilizable surface membrane excess. To test this hypothesis, the traffic of melanoma cells in the liver following portal-vein injection has been observed by confocal microscopy and image reconstruction. In accordance with the hypothesis, non-disrupted cells within the sinusoids have a smaller mean diameter than that of the original inoculum, and show evidence of utilization of surface membrane excess. The results indicate that deformation-associated trauma, suffered by cancer cells on entry and residence in the microvasculature, may well be an important factor contributing to metastatic inefficiency.
Physical organogels composed of amphiphilic block copolymers and 1,3:2,4-dibenzylidene-D-sorbitol

The 1,3:2,4-dibenzylidene-D-sorbitol (DBS) molecule is capable of self-organizing into nanoscale fibrils through intermolecular forces such as hydrogen bonding and pi interactions. At sufficiently high concentrations (typically less than approximately 2 wt%), the nanofibrils can form a network that promotes physical gelation of the matrix medium. Previous studies have investigated the mechanism of DBS-induced gelation and the features of DBS-containing gels in poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(propylene glycol) (PPG). In this work, we examine the effect of adding DBS to a series of amphiphilic PPG-b-PEG-b-PPG triblock copolymers differing in composition and molecular weight. Dynamic rheological measurements reveal that the resultant gels are thermoreversible (i.e., they exhibit comparable mechanical properties before dissolution and after reformation under quiescent conditions), exhibiting a maximum in the elastic modulus (G') at temperatures near the gel dissolution (T(d)) and formation (T(f)) temperatures. Both T(d) and T(f) tend to increase with increasing DBS concentration and PPG content, and their difference decreases with increasing PPG fraction in the copolymer. The magnitude of G' is sensitive to copolymer composition and polymer identity at low DBS concentrations, but becomes polymer-independent as the DBS network saturates at concentrations in excess of approximately 1 wt%.
34 Clinical Experience with Natural and Atentuated Rubella Virus Infection

Experience with attenuated rubella virus (strain HPV-77) indicates that infections in vaccinees are asymptomatic and non-communicable. HPV-77 is fully immunogenic when given parenterally but much less so intranasally. Ninety-six % of 51 subjects given 10 to 10,000 tissue culture infectious dose50 (TCID50) subcutaneously developed antibodies while only 2 of 26 sero-converted after intranasal inoculation. None of 49 susceptible contacts of vaccines was infected. Antibodies evoked by HPV-77 remained unchanged in titer in 30 persons followed for 1 year. In a group with natural rubella, antibodies also followed a plateaucurve but were 8 to 16 times higher throughout. Vaccine dosage did not influence antibody response; inoculation of 10,100,1000 or 10,000 TCID50 of attenuated virus resulted in similar levels of antibodies. Persons with prior immunity from natural rubella had antibody increases in 2 of 17 instances after rubella exposure and in 3 of 12 after HPV-77 vaccination; none had illness or excreted virus. Five children with antibodies from vaccination 8 to 12 months earlier were challenged intranasally with 200 TCID50 of unmodified virus. All remained asymptomatic and virus was not recovered from pharyngeal swabs or blood. Antibody levels increased in two. Five controls similarly challenged developed typical rubella with virus excretion and viremia. These observations suggest: 1. the HPV-77 strain is a safe and effective immunizing agent; 2. vaccine-induced immunity persists for long periods; 3. under natural conditions rubella exposure may be important in insuring life-long immunity; 4. attenuated virus vaccine can boost antibody levels of persons with declining immunity. (APS)
Electron-phonon interactions and superconductivity in K3C60.

Using electronic states and phonon states from first-principles calculations on ${\mathrm{K}}_{3}$${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ to evaluate the quantities in the McMillan equation, we examine the effects of both electron-phonon dynamic charge coupling (Q) and Jahn-Teller coupling (JT) on various superconducting properties, including ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$, \ensuremath{\Delta}${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ (the shift of ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ for 1 GPa pressure), ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{\mathrm{C}}$ (the isotope exponent for $^{12}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{13}$C), and ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{\mathrm{K}}$ (the isotope exponent for $^{39}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{41}$K). All quantities including electron-phonon coupling are evaluated (without modification) directly from theory, except for the screening length between conducting electrons and ions, ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathrm{sc}}$. With ${\mathit{R}}_{\mathrm{sc}}$=0.8--1.0 \AA{}, we find that the calculated properties, ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$, \ensuremath{\Delta}${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$, and ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{\mathrm{C}}$, are all in good agreement with experimental measurements. We find that the superconducting properties depend critically upon the synergy between Q and JT coupling.
Self-energy correction to one-electron energy levels in a strong Coulomb field.

Results of a precise calculation of the Coulomb self-energy for states with n=1 and 2 for nuclear charge Z in the range 5--110 in increments of 5 are given. Results are also given for some elements that are of particular experimental interest. These values provide improved accuracy over previous calculations.
Mössbauer study of CO-precipitated Fischer-Tropsch iron catalysts

Mossbauer spectroscopy studies of precipitated Fischer-Tropsch (FT) iron catalysts, viz. 100 Fe/5 Cu/4.2 K/x SiO2, wherex=0,8, 16, 24, 25, 40, or 100, have shown that reduction of the oxide precursor in CO gives rise to χ-carbide Fe5C2 whose amount decreases with an increase of SiO2 content. The χ-carbide is converted into magnetite Fe3O4 while catalyzing the FT synthesis reaction. A correlation between FT activity and the content of χ-carbide in the catalysts was found, which indicated that χ-carbide is active for FT synthesis reaction.
Ethical considerations in chronic musculoskeletal disease

Chronic diseases compromise the life of the sufferer, encumber their families, and exert intractable burdens on the health-care system. With the aging of the population, such conditions have become the primary determinants of morbidity and mortality and the leading cause of disability in our society. Despite the serious challenges they impose, the ethical discourse engendered by them has lagged behind that of acute care medicine. Of particular relevance are the challenges to individual autonomy, as the dilemmas arising in the chronic care setting have not only medical but personal and societal dimensions, may require the input of multiple participants, and resolve over longer periods of time. As such, the conventional model of autonomy is often inadequate to address problems in the chronic care setting. This paper deals with this dilemma through an examination of a clinical scenario. A framework for the exploration of ethical problems in the chronic care setting is thus presented.
Real-time fMRI in the treatment of nicotine dependence: a conceptual review and pilot studies

Technical advances allowing for the analysis of fMRI results in real-time have led to studies exploring the ability of individuals to use neural feedback signals to modify behavior and regional brain activation. The use of real-time fMRI (rtfMRI) feedback has been explored for therapeutic benefit in a number of disease states, but to our knowledge the potential therapeutic benefit of rtfMRI feedback in the treatment of addictive disorders has not been explored. This manuscript will provide an overview of the development of rtfMRI and discussion of its potential uses in the treatment of addictions. We also describe a series of pilot studies that highlight some of the technical challenges in developing a rtfMRI feedback paradigm for use in addictions, specifically in nicotine dependence. Because the use of rtfMRI feedback is in its infancy, the work described is focused on establishing some of the basic parameters in optimizing the rtfMRI feedback, such as the type of feedback signal, region of interest for feedback and predicting which subjects are most likely to respond well to training. While rtfMRI feedback remains an intriguing possibility for the treatment of addictions, much work remains to be done in establishing its efficacy.