cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does Race Matter in the Search for Housing? An Exploratory Study of Search Strategies, Experiences, and Locations

In a departure from most studies of the causes of racial residential segregation that focus on the three main factors of economics, preferences, and discrimination, this paper examines one of the mechanisms through which segregation may be perpetuated: the housing search process itself. Data come from a 2004 face-to-face survey of an area probability sample of African American and white householders living in the three counties of the Detroit metropolitan area (n = 734). These data are used to address three research questions: (1) What are the strategies people use to find housing, and are there racial differences in those strategies? (2) Do whites and African Americans report similar or different experiences in the search for housing? (3) Do the locations in which people search for housing vary by race? Results show that once controlling for the type of search and background characteristics, the search strategies are generally similar for whites and blacks, though more so for buyers than renters: for example, black renters use more informal strategies and networks than do white renters. Analyses that look at the features of these strategies, however, reveal some significant racial differences. Search experiences are similar in terms of length and number of homes inspected, but other objective and subjective questions about the search show blacks at a disadvantage compared to whites: African Americans submit more offers/applications for homes, report more difficulties, and are much more likely to feel they were taken advantage of during the search. The racial characteristics of the communities in which blacks and whites search are quite different: whites mainly search in white communities, while African Americans search in communities with a variety of racial compositions. The paper concludes with a call for further research on housing search strategies, with particular attention to the role of social networks.
Relaxation of the non-polar (1010) surfaces of wurtzite AℓN and ZnS

Abstract Using the pseudo-function method and local density theory, we minimize the total energy of the ( 10 1 0 ) surfaces of AlN and ZnS, within the context of a Rigid Rotation Model. We predict that the surface anions rotate inward toward the bulk through very small angles (in contrast to the anions of the (110) surface of GaAs, which rotate outward through large angles, ω≅29°). Thus, to an adequate approximation, the ( 10 1 0 ) surfaces of these relatively ionic wurtzite semiconductors do not relax.
Pressure cell for magnetostrictive measurements

A pressure cell has been designed to study the magnetostrictive properties of a material as a function of both pressure and magnetic field. For changes in length on the order of 2000 ppm, it is necessary to have a substantial compliance in the pressure cell to retain a constant stress over the length of travel.
Clinical and electrophysiologic characteristics of left septal atrial tachycardia.

Abstract Objectives It was the purpose of this study to define the electrophysiologic (EP) identity of left septal atrial tachycardia (AT). Background The clinical and EP characteristics of this particular type of arrhythmia have not been fully described. Methods A total of 120 patients with AT underwent invasive EP evaluation. Five patients (two men and three women; mean age 49 ± 15 years) with left septal AT were identified. Mapping of the right and left atrium was performed using conventional electrode catheters (five patients) and a three-dimensional electroanatomic mapping system (three patients) followed by radiofrequency (RF) ablation at the earliest site of local endocardial activation. Results Five tachycardias with a mean cycle length of 320 ± 94 ms were mapped, and the earliest endocardial electrogram occurred 22 ± 10 ms before the onset of the surface P-wave. Three left septal ATs were found to be originating from the left inferoposterior atrial septum and two from the left midseptum. During tachycardia, positive (three patients), biphasic negative-positive deflection (one patient), or isoelectric (one patient) P waves were recorded in lead V 1 . The inferior leads demonstrated a positive or biphasic P-wave morphology in four of five patients (80%). Four patients were given both adenosine and verapamil during AT. In three of four patients, verapamil successfully terminated AT after adenosine had failed. Adenosine successfully terminated AT in one of four patients. Successful RF ablation was performed in all patients (mean 2.2 ± 1.7 RF applications) without affecting atrioventricular conduction properties. No recurrence of AT was observed after a mean follow-up of 14 ± 8 months. Conclusions Left septal AT ablation is safe and effective. There was no consistent P-wave morphology associated with this particular type of AT. This arrhythmia appears to be resistant to adenosine and moderately responsive to calcium antagonists.
Sexual Behaviors and Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Self-Identified Lesbian and Bisexual College Women

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a significant health issue for lesbian and bisexual women. Older age and having a history of sexual intercourse with males are primary risk factors for STIs among this population. However, little research has been conducted to assess sexual risk among lesbian and bisexual college women exclusively. A cross-sectional Internet survey was conducted with 230 self-identified lesbian and bisexual female college students to examine their sexual risk and to determine with which, if any, STIs they had ever been diagnosed. Eight percent of lesbian and bisexual college women reported ever being diagnosed with an STI; the human papillomavirus, bacterial vaginosis, and genital herpes accounted for 84% of STI cases. Number of lifetime sex partners was significantly associated with an STI diagnosis among this population. Older age, engaging in penile-vaginal intercourse with a male (lifetime), and younger age at first same-sex experience were significantly associated with a greater number of lifetime sex partners. Results may be useful to sexual health programs targeting lesbian and bisexual college women and/or their providers.
Cyclic-Oxidation Resistance of Niobium-Base in situ Composites: Modeling and Experimentation

Despite significant improvements in recent years, the oxidation resistance of niobium-base in situ composites is still inadequate for high-temperature applications because of their fast oxidation and the difficulty to form a coherent, protective-oxide layer on the Nb solid solution. Recently, several oxidation models have been proposed in the literature for treating the oxidation behavior of two-phase materials, which show features that are applicable to niobium-base in situ composites. In this article, the theoretical oxidation model proposed by Gesmundo et al. [Oxidation of Metals 39, 1977–209 (1993)] for treating independent isothermal oxidation of two-phase binary alloys has been extended to cyclic oxidation and applied to analyze existing oxidation data of niobium-base in situ composites. The critical conditions required to form a protective-oxide layer on Nb-base in situ composites is predicted via existing models proposed by Wang et al. [Oxidation of Metals 35, 317–322, 333–348 (1991)]. The analytical results are then used to identify possible means for improving the oxidation properties of the Nb-base in situ composites. Key conditions required for achieving a continuous protective oxide are predicted and compared against critical experiments performed on Nb-base in situ composites.
Lithopedion as an archaic occurrence

Identification of a 3100-year-BP lithopedion in the Archaic Southwest antedates its first clinical notation by 2100 years. It was only the ‘autopsy’ of time (excavation of the site) that allowed its presence to be brought to light.
Epitaxial Assembly in Aged Colloids

Self-assembly of nanoparticles is an important mechanism of particle growth in the solution-phase synthesis of oxides and oxyhydroxides. In this work, particle growth in aqueous colloidal suspensions of anatase (TiO2), hematite (Fe2O3), feroxyhite (FeOOH), and heterogenite (CoOOH) was observed to occur by two primary mechanisms: coarsening and growth by topotactic assembly. Coarsening is governed by the growth of larger particles at the expense of smaller particles, and topotactic assembly results in single crystals of unique morphology. The hematite nanocrystals are nominally equidimensional crystals that are usually constructed from more than 10 primary building blocks. The heterogenite particles are hexagonal plates that are, on average, 0.7 μm across and 20−30 nm thick. These plates are porous and are assemblies of hundreds of oriented nanocrystalline building blocks. The feroxyhite nanocrystals attach to form ∼30 nm porous flakes that are several nanometers thick. The anatase nanocrystals assemble t...
Marine palynology: Possibilities, limitations, problems

Abstract In general, pollen and spores are present in the sediments of the deep ocean basins, particularly in deposits of terrigenous origin. Pollen spectra of abyssal sediments reflect the vegetation of adjacent land masses. Deposits of abyssal plains and oceanic rises with relatively little local relief, situated in the temporate zones, present the most favorable opportunities for obtaining a continuous history of vegetational and climatic changes during the Quaternary. The very slow rate of deposition in the ocean basins and the need to have relatively large core samples in order to obtain a sufficient number of pollen grains impose a limit on the detail with which reconstruction of vegetation and climate can be accomplished. Occurrence of reworked plant microfossils presents difficulties particularly where pre-Quaternary sediments are exposed on the continental shelf or slope.
Usability and free/libre/open source software SIG: HCI expertise and design rationale

The usability of Free/Libre/Open Source Software (FLOSS) is a new challenge for HCI professionals. Although HCI professionals are working on usability issues in FLOSS, the CHI community has not yet organized with respect to FLOSS. The purpose of this SIG is to bring together HCI professionals and researchers to discuss current issues in FLOSS. Specifically, this SIG looks at usability, the role of HCI expertise, and design rationale in FLOSS projects.
Efficiency of transformation of lymphocytes by Epstein-Barr virus.

Abstract We explored host cell and viral factors which influence the susceptibility of lymphocytes to immortalization by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). We found that immortalization by the B95-8 strain of EBV follows “one-hit” kinetics. With a limiting dilution technique, approximately 1 in 20 virus particles is transforming when assayed on human umbilical cord leukocytes (HUCL). Mixed mononuclear leukocytes from adult human and marmoset blood are 100- and 1000-fold, respectively, less sensitive to immortalization than HUCL. Pretreatment of cord blood leukocytes with phytohemagglutinin results in a 50% increase in their transformability. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Escherichia coli increases the number of transformation events observed by 300–500%. LPS appears to enhance transformation by mechanisms other than stimulation of cellular DNA synthesis. A transformed center assay employing either autochthonous lymphocytes or human placental cells as feeders was used to determine the number of umbilical cord cells which were immortalized. At multiplicities of infection of 30–100 particles per cell, multiplicities which saturate nearly all the susceptible cells, approximately 1 in 200 to 1 in 500 mixed mononuclear cells transformed. When the mixed population of cells was depleted of T lymphocytes, there was a fourfold increase in the number of transformed cells. When correction is made for the plating efficiency of transformed cord blood leukocytes, it is calculated that at least 10% of virus-exposed cells establish permanent lines. This number is probably still an underestimate since we have not yet used a population which is composed entirely of susceptible cells.
Minimally Supported Frequency Composite Dilation Wavelets

A composite dilation wavelet is a collection of functions generating an orthonormal basis for L2(ℝn) under the actions of translations from a full rank lattice and dilations by products of elements of non-commuting groups A and B. A minimally supported frequency composite dilation wavelet has generating functions whose Fourier transforms are characteristic functions of a lattice tiling set. In this paper, we study the case where A is the group of integer powers of some expanding matrix while B is a finite subgroup of the invertible n×n matrices. This paper establishes that with any finite group B together with almost any full rank lattice, one can generate a minimally supported frequency composite dilation wavelet system. The paper proceeds by demonstrating the ability to find such minimally supported frequency composite dilation wavelets with a single generator.
The use of gene probes in the rapid analysis of natural microbial communities

Hybridization probes produced from DNA sequences have proven to be a powerful tool in the rapid and sensitive analysis of natural microbial communities. By using function-specific probes, such as those identifying genes coding for photosynthesis, the potential a microbial community has for performing a given function may be rapidly determined. Gene probes have also been used in the identification and isolation of a specific catabolic genotype in less than one-fourth the time required for the conventional culture enrichment technique. Species-specific probes constructed from portions of genes coding for ribosomal RNA have been used for the rapid identification and enumeration of bacterial species in environmental samples. The use of reassociation kinetics as a measure of community diversity and complexity is also discussed. The successful application of this technique to community analysis may reduce the time required from 1 year, for conventional analysis, to 2 weeks.
Gas diffusion across the tympanic membrane in chinchillas: effect of repeated perforations

Abstract Objective: Earlier studies documented a slow diffusion of gas across the tympanic membrane (TM) in humans and animals. However, structural changes caused by repeated TM perforations could affect gas diffusion rates. This possibility was evaluated using a chinchilla model. Methods: In six chinchillas, the right TM was perforated four times at 2-week intervals; the left TM served as a control. Approximately 12 weeks after the fourth perforation and when the right TMs had healed, a probe was introduced into the external canal and sealed to the environment. For 120 min, pressure in the probe was continuously monitored and probe gas was sampled at 10 min intervals and analyzed for composition by online mass spectrometry. Percent compositions for CO2 and O2 were calculated and these data were recast as partial-pressure versus time functions. The information contained in those functions was used to estimate time-constants for transTM O2 and CO2 diffusion. Results: In all experiments, CO2 percent composition in the probe increased as a curvilinear function of time while that for O2 decreased linearly. For all animals and both gases, the rate of change in probe partial-pressure was greater for the right TM. Average values of the right and left time-constants were (6.7 ± 2.4) × 10−3 and (4.2 ± 2.2) × 10−3 min−1 TM−1 for CO2, and (2.3 ± 0.8) × 10−3 and (1.5 ± 0.5) × 10−3 min−1 TM−1 for O2. Between side differences in these time-constants were statistically significant (P Conclusion: These results document an increased rate of diffusive gas exchange across TMs that had been repeatedly perforated. This effect may be caused by structural thinning secondary to scar formation and could have implications for middle ear pressure regulation in ears with a history of repeated myringotomies and/or tympanostomy tube insertions.
Manufacturing aspects of oxide nanowires

article i nfo Article history: Exploring the mass manufacturing aspects of nanostructures can enable the transition from laboratory-based research into a commercial product. Among the several one-dimensional nanostructures, oxide nanomater- ials have a wide variety of applications including energy harvesting, photonics and biosensing applications. In this article, mass manufacturing aspects of bottom-up grown silica nanowires on silicon (Si) by metal thin film catalysis have been detailed. The investigation reports on (a) a growth model derived from studying nanowire nucleation as a function of heating time, (b) nanowire growth rate estimation via weight differential of the Si substrate before and after growth, and (c) reusability of the Si substrate for nanowire growth. Silica nanowires were found to grow on Pd coated Si substrate in an open tube furnace at 1100 °C with Ar as a carrier gas and a Si support wafer. Nanowires nucleated following a combination of Vapor Liquid Solid (VLS) and Oxide Assisted Growth (OAG) mechanisms conducive for mass manufacturing. The role of SiO vapor was found to be critical in the growth of the wires. Further, five distinct growth regimes were identified while estimating the growth rate. Experimental observations indicated the non-reusability of the Si substrate after one time growth due to depletion of catalyst.
Interfacial reactions and counterion effects in the secondary ion mass spectra of perrhenate salts

Abstract Perrhenate salts (CReO4, CNH4 or alkali metal), supported on graphite, have been examined by low-flux positive and negative ion SIMS. The relative abundance of ReO4− with respect to ReO3− in the spectra of the neat salts varies dramatically with the nature of the cation. LiReO4 and NH4ReO4 show large ReO3− abundances and NaReO4, KReO4, and RbReO4 show very little ReO3−. The fact that the ReO3−/ReO4− ratio exhibits a time dependence demonstrates that the observed reduction is an interfacial reaction; it occurs over an area of 50 A2/collision. The positive ion spectra also show large counterion effects, abundant clusters of the C2ReO4+ type only being observed for NaReO4, KReO4, and RbReO4. The similarities between the spectra of 1:1 mixtures CReO4/C′Cl and C′ReO4/CCl (where C and C′ are alkali metal cations) suggests that intimate mixing occurs on the molecular scale when simple physical mixtures of the solid salts are subjected to ion beam bombardment. In these mixtures, cations compete to impose their characteristic effects (given above) on the spectra in the order Li+ ⪢ Cs+ ⪢ Rb+ ⪖ K+ ⪢ NH4+ ⪢ Na+. It is therefore possible to control the nature of the mass spectrum by addition of appropriate matrix materials. In a triethanolamine (liquid) matrix, counterion effects are absent although reduction to yield, inter alia, ReO3− and ReO4H4− is observed. These results constitute further examples of a growing number of interfacial reactions which have been encountered in the desorption methods of ionization. They also provide insights into the SIMS ionization mechanism, although they represent cases in which correlations between spectra and analyte structure are not simple.
Unmyelinated and myelinated axon membrane from rat corpus callosum: differences in macromolecular structure

Abstract The macromolecular structure of unmyelinated and myelinated internodal axon membrane was examined with freeze-fracture electron microscopy. Unmyelinated axons exhibited a gradient of axonal diameters, generally ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 μm, with some unmyelinated axons of up to 0.7 μm diameter. Myelinated fibers also displayed a range of axonal diameters, with axons generally 0.3–1.0 μm. The overlap in diameters, between unmyelinated and myelinated fibers, permitted a comparison of membrane structure in myelinated and unmyelinated axons of the same diameter. Small ( μ m) diameter unmyelinated axons exhibited a moderate density (≈700/gmm 2 ) of P-face intramembranous particles (IMPs), while large (⪖0.5 μ m) caliber unmyelinated axons displayed a significantly greater P-face IMP density (≈1100/μ m 2 ). Internodal membrane of both small ( μ m) and large (⪖0.5 μ m ) diameter myelinated fiber exhibited densities of P-face particles (≈1400/μm 2 ) that were similar to each other, but significantly different from unmyelinated fibers. These results demonstrate that there are differences in membrane structure between unmyelinated and myelinated axons of similar diameter. These findings also demonstrate that membrane structure of unmyelinated axons is not invariant for all unmyelinated fibers within a given CNS tract but, on the contrary, is related to diameter.
Extending type systems in a library: Type-safe XML processing in C++

Type systems built directly into the compiler or interpreter of a programming language cannot be easily extended to keep track of run-time invariants of new abstractions. Yet, programming with domain-specific abstractions could benefit from additional static checking. This paper presents library techniques for extending the type system of C++ to support domain-specific abstractions. The main contribution is a programmable ''subtype'' relation. As a demonstration of the techniques, we implement a type system for defining type qualifiers in C++, as well as a type system for the XML processing language, capable of, e.g., statically guaranteeing that a program only produces valid XML documents according to a given XML schema.
Iron coordination by catechol derivative antioxidants.

Abstract Iron complexes of nitrocatechols with different substituent groups [ 1: CHCR 2 ; 2: CH 2 CHR 2 ; 3: CHCR′(R″)] were synthesized and their effects on iron-induced free radical reactions of biological importance investigated. Catechol and nitrocatechol derivatives effectively inhibited iron-induced lipid peroxide-dependent lipid peroxidation. In the Fenton-like reaction, iron-catechol generated hydroxyl radicals more strongly than did iron citrate, and iron-nitrocatechol derivative 2 generated a small amount of hydroxyl radicals. The iron complexes of derivatives 1 and 3 did not generate hydroxyl radicals. Iron-catechol had the highest ratio of reduction to oxidation rate constants and the second was iron-nitrocatechol 2 , suggesting that iron chelated by nitrocatechols 1 and 3 may be most difficult to reduce. To elucidate the structure and physical properties of the iron complexes, UV/vis absorption spectroscopic, ESR and 1 H NMR studies were performed in aqueous and DMSO solutions. In aqueous solution at pH 7.4, iron complexes of the nitrocatechol derivatives were high-spin tris(nitrocatecholato)ferrate(III) with a characteristic ligand-to-metal charge transfer absorbance ( π → d π ). The λ max of iron-nitrocatechol derivative 2 was shorter than those of iron-nitrocatechol derivatives 1 and 3 , suggesting that the reduction potential of iron-nitrocatechol 2 is higher than that of iron-nitrocatechols 1 and 3 . Nitrocatechol derivatives with a conjugation structure can sequester the chelated iron more effectively than catechol and the derivative without the conjugation against free radical generation by keeping the iron in the ferric state, probably because of the reduction potentials.
Use of Chitosan in Compressed Tablets of Diclofenac Sodium: Inhibition of Drug Release in an Acidic Environment

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential utility of chitosan (I) in inhibiting diclofenac sodium (II) release in the gastric environment from a directly compressible tablet formulation. I, subjected to depolymerization to improve its microcrystallinity and subsequent compressibility, was then used to prepare tablets of II. A full-factorial design was employed to evaluate the effects of degree of N-deacetylation of I, and the pH and ionic strengths, mu, of the dissolution media on drug release. Directly compressible tablets were prepared from admixtures of 25 mg of II, 174 mg of I of various degrees of N-deacetylation (74, 87, and 92%), and 1 mg of magnesium stearate. The in vitro dissolution studies were performed using aqueous buffers (pHs 1.2, 3.8, and 6.8, and mu of approximately 1.0 and 0.1). The slopes of logarithmically transformed cumulative percent released-time curves (from t = 0 to t = 5 hr) were compared. Analyses of variance performed using SAS indicated that the degree of N-deacetylation of chitosan significantly affected drug release at pHs 1.2 and 6.8 (p 0.198). Besides the poor aqueous solubility of II, the two factors possibly affecting the drug release in the acidic environment were (a) the formation of a rate-limiting chitosan gel barrier; and (b) the ionic interaction of II with ionized amino groups of I.
Response of monocytes exposed to phagocytosable particles and discs of comparable surface roughness.

Abstract This in vitro study characterized the temporal cytokine expression profile from human monocytes exposed to phagocytosable Ti particles (0.78±0.12 μm) and to Ti discs of comparable surface roughness. Human THP-1 monocytes were cultured in six well tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) plates. Each well was either bare, contained Ti particles (the particles were clearly engulfed by the monocytes), or contained a Ti disc. Half of the wells were treated with 1 μg/mL lipopolysaccharide (LPS), while the other half were left unstimulated. Unstimulated and LPS-stimulated cells in bare wells were the negative and positive controls, respectively. Supernatant was sampled from each well at 1, 6, 24, 48, and 72 h and assayed for the expression of nine different cytokines using a Luminex system. Three cytokines (IL-1β, GM-CSF and IL-13) gave little to no response under all conditions, while six cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, MIP-1α, MCP-1, VEGF, and IL-1ra) were clearly detectable. Expression levels generally increased with culture time, particle concentration, and LPS stimulation. Most significantly, it was found that cells treated by Ti discs produced in many instances a higher cytokine expression than did particles.
Significance of Weathering in a Pennsylvanian Sandstone to Pollution from Strip Mines

WE discuss here some of the factors relevant to the formation of acid in the spoil heaps that result from surface mining of the Upper Freeport coal in northern West Virginia. The coal is overlaid by the Lower Mahoning sandstone1, a uniform, quartzose, channel-fill sandstone that can be 30 to 50 feet thick. Pyrite (FeS2) is the chief acid-forming species in the sandstone2.
Drug screening with EMIT reagents: a quantitative approach to quality control.

We investigated the precision, linearity, accuracy, and stability of quantitative results for five drugs of abuse [amphetamines, benzoylecgonine, opiates, phencyclidine, and the cannabinoid-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-9-acid metabolite], analyzed in control specimens by using EMIT d.a.u. reagents (Syva Co.) with a Monarch 2000 analyzer with a nonlinear interpolation curve-fitting algorithm. The within-day and between-days coefficients of variation (CVs) were less than 5% for all drugs except THC-9-acid, which had a CV between 10% and 20%. The drift of control values during a 30-day stability study was less than 10% from target values for three weeks after a single calibration, except for THC-9-acid control values, which were stable for only two to three days. Daily calibration reduced the drift away from target values during the 30-day stability study and produced optimum precision of all drug assays. Mean control values near the National Institute on Drug Abuse cutoff limits were within 10% of their target values.
Passivity as a design tool for group coordination

We pursue a group coordination problem where the objective is to steer the differences between output variables of the group members to a prescribed compact set via distributed feedback rules. When the information flow between neighboring members is bidirectional, we show that the closed-loop system exhibits a special interconnection structure which inherits the passivity properties of its components. By exploiting this structure we develop a passivity-based design framework, which results in a broad class of feedback rules that encompass as special cases some of the existing formation stabilization and group agreement designs in the literature. The passivity approach offers additional design flexibility compared to these special cases, and systematically constructs a Lurie-type Lyapunov function for the closed-loop system. We further study the robustness of the feedback laws in the presence of a time-varying communication topology.
Combined Microbial-Fe(0) Treatment System to Remove Nitrate from Contaminated Groundwater

Experiments were conducted to delineate the applicability and limitations of biologically active Fe(0) barriers to remove nitrate under various geochemical and hydraulic conditions. Microcosm studies showed that, while no Fe(0) treatment was needed to remove nitrate from a high-carbon soil, adding Fe(0) to a low-carbon soil supplemented the electron donor pool and enhanced nitrate removal. Montmorillonite, an acidic aluminosilicate mineral, enhanced Fe(0) corrosion and nitrate removal (from about 1 to 3 mgsL NO3-N per day), and reduced the transient accumulation of nitrite. Combining autotrophic denitrifiers (e.g., Paracoccus denitrificans) with Fe(0) significantly reduced the amount of nitrite eluted from aquifer columns, from up to 7 to less than 1 mg/L NO2∼-N. Bacteria were observed to preferentially colonize the Fe(0) surface, which produces cathodic H2 when corroded by water. The preferential colonization of Fe(0) suggests that hydrogenotrophic consortia are likely to develop around Fe(0) walls t...
The special needs of elderly patients

Abstract With the fastest growing segment of the population aged 65 years and older, the demand for colorectal surgeons is steadily increasing. Therefore, it is imperative that colorectal surgeons understand surgical issues for the elderly population including operative risk for elective versus emergent surgery, quality indicators for improving patient care, frailty as a measure of risk assessment, DNR as a predictor of postoperative complications, and areas for potential optimization prior to undergoing colorectal surgery. This review touches on a few of the many items that are important for optimizing the special needs of elderly patients undergoing colorectal surgery.
Model-based and image-based methods for facial image synthesis, analysis and recognition

We review several model-based and image-based methods that we have developed for analyzing, synthesizing, and recognizing facial images. Our model-based methods include a sophisticated, functional model of the human face/head, which incorporates a biomechanical tissue model with embedded muscle actuators, and techniques for applying it to computer animation and expression estimation in video. Our image-based methods include tensor-faces, a nonlinear (multilinear) representation for facial image ensembles that disentangles pose, illumination, and expression effects to improve facial recognition.
Naked Statistical Evidence of Liability: Is Subjective Probability Enough?

Five studies tested the idea that people are reluctant to make proplaintiff liability decisions when the plaintiffs evidence is based on naked statistical evidence alone. Students (n = 740) and experienced trial judges (M = 111) averaged fewer than 10% affirmative decisions of liability when a case was based on naked statistical evidence but averaged over 65% affirmative decisions based on other forms of evidence even though the mathematical and subjective probabilities were the same for both types of evidence. Numerous hypotheses, including causal relevance, linkage to the specific case, and fairness to the defendant proved inadequate to explain the data. For evidence to affect decisions, the evidence must do more than affect people's perceptions about the probabilities associated with the ultimate fact; people seem to require that suppositions regarding the ultimate fact affect their perceptions of the truth or falsity of the evidence.
Prevalence of ischemia by quantitative thallium-201 scintigraphy in patients with ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation inducible by programmed stimulation.

Abstract The prevalence of exercise-induced ischemia was determined by thallium-201 (TI-201) scintigraphic criteria in patients with ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF) Inducible by programmed electrical stimulation. Thirty-eight patients (age 57 ± 19 years), of whom 87% had angiographic coronary artery disease, underwent quantitative TI-201 exercise scintigraphy within 14 days of invasive electrophysiologic testing. The mean rest ejection fraction was 38 ± 9%. Eighty percent of patients had 1 or more regions with akinetic or dyskinetic wall motion. Thallium-201 scan segments were scored as normal or containing redistribution defects or mild or severe persistent defects. Only 4 patients (10%) had only redistribution defects and 9 (24%) had both redistribution defects and persistent defects; 32 of 38 patients (84%) had 1 or more persistent defects, of which 26 had at least 1 severe, persistent defect (more than 50% reduction in TI-201 activity). Patients with and without exercise-induced VT had a similar prevalence of redistribution. Redistribution defect prevalence was similar in patients with polymorphic VT (3 of 13) and monomorphic VT (10 of 25) during programmed electrical stimulation (difference not significant). Thus, patients with VT or VF Induced by programmed ventricular stimulation have extensive TI-201 scintigraphic abnormalities on exercise scintigrams, predominantly those suggesting scar, with associated severe regional wall motion abnormalities at rest. The scintigraphic prevalence of exercise-induced ischemia Is low and TI-201 redistribution and exercise ST depression are observed with equal frequency In patients with and those without VT induced during exercise.
Role of K+ channel expression in polyamine-dependent intestinal epithelial cell migration

Polyamines are essential for cell migration during early mucosal restitution after wounding in the gastrointestinal tract. Activity of voltage-gated K+ channels (Kv) controls membrane potential (E ...
On the Growth of Alpha Aluminum Oxide Platelets from the Vapor

The formation of alpha aluminum oxide micro-crystals on objects heated in resistance furnaces with an aluminum oxide tube and a hydrogen atmosphere is reported. It is deduced that the crystals grow from the vapor produced by the reaction between the aluminum oxide furnace tube and the hydrogen atmosphere. Evidence for growth by the screw dislocation mechanism is presented.
Addressing the Health of Formerly Imprisoned Persons in a Distressed Neighborhood Through a Community Collaborative Board

This article provides a case study evaluating the structure and dynamic process of a Community Collaborative Board that had the goal of creating an evidence-based substance abuse/health intervention for previously incarcerated individuals. Meeting agendas, attendance, minutes, video recording of meetings, and in-depth interviews with 13 Community Collaborative Board members were used to conduct an independent process evaluation. Open coding identified quotes exemplifying specific themes and/or patterns across answers related to the desired domain. Several themes were identified regarding membership engagement, retention, and power distribution. Results showed member retention was due to strong personal commitment to the targeted problem. Analysis also revealed an unequal power distribution based on participants' background. Nevertheless, the development of an innovative, community-based health intervention manual was accomplished. Aspects of the process, such as incentives, subcommittees, and trainings, enhanced the Board's ability to integrate the community and scientific knowledge to accomplish its research agenda. Community-based participatory research was a useful framework in enhancing quality and efficiency in the development of an innovative, substance abuse/health intervention manual for distressed communities. Overall, this article sheds light on a process that illustrates the integration of community-based and scientific knowledge to address the health, economic, and societal marginalization of low-income, minority communities.
International perspectives on skills training for the mentally disabled

(1998). International perspectives on skills training for the mentally disabled. International Review of Psychiatry: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 5-8.
Effect of an Interferon Stimulator, Polyinosinic: Polycytidylic Acid, on Experimental Fungus Infections

In the present study, the administration of an interferon stimulator, polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid (In:Cn), increased the severity of both experimental Candida albicans and Coccidioides immitis infections in mice, as evidenced by earlier time of death and higher final mortality. In addition, kidney tissue levels of C. albicans at 3 and 5 days after infection were found to be about 40- to 300-fold higher in In:Cn treated mice than in control mice. Experimental Cryptococcus neoformans infection, however, was not significantly affected by In:Cn treatment.
Swimming stamina and survival following direct seawater entry during parr-smolt transformation of coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

Abstract Swimming stamina and survival in relation to severe stress (swimming fatigue) were assessed in fresh water and seawater during various stages of the parr-smolt transformation for both 0-age and yearling coho salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ). It was determined that coho salmon normally experience transient reductions in stamina when transferred directly to seawater. Coho salmon also experience transient reductions in their ability to survive severe physical stress (swimming fatigue) at direct seawater entry. Stress survival during the first week of seawater residence was significantly correlated to the status of smoltification, with the maximum ability to survive stress coinciding with the freshwater developmental peaks of both plasma thyroxine (T 4 ) and gill Na + K + ATPase.
Childhood Asthma Management Program: Lessons learned

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Childhood Asthma Management Program was initiated in 1991 and is now the largest and most comprehensive study of long-term intervention with anti-inflammatory therapy in children with mild to moderate asthma. The purpose of this perspective is to review key findings of the study and lessons learned in conducting research in more than 1000 children with persistent asthma for more than 10 years. A key lesson was absence of a continued effect of inhaled corticosteroid on lung growth during long-term follow-up even as symptoms and airway responsiveness remained improved.
Alcohol, cofactors and the genetics of hepatocellular carcinoma

Heavy alcohol consumption, chronic infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) or the hepatitis C virus (HCV), tobacco smoking, and diabetes are risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the Los Angeles Non-Asian HCC Study, heavy alcohol intake was shown to exhibit synergistic effects with viral hepatitis (HBV, HCV) and diabetes in the causation of HCC among individuals with joint exposures. Although chronic infection with HBV is recognized as the most important causal factor for HCC in humans, only a minority of HBV carriers eventually develop HCC, suggesting the presence of important cofactors in HBV-related HCC. In the Guangxi/China HCC Study, a 20-fold difference in HCC risk was observed between individuals possessing the least versus the most favorable cytokine genotypes for hepatitis B viral clearance. Experimental studies have indicated an important role for one-carbon metabolism in HCC development. In both the Los Angeles and Guangxi studies, low-activity genotypes (reduced enzymatic activities) of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and high-activity genotypes (enhanced enzymatic activities) of thymidylate synthase (TYMS), both of which discourage the misincorporation of uracil into DNA, were shown to be associated with a reduced risk for HCC.
Mitochondrial Autophagy and Lipofuscin Accumulation in Aging Odontoblasts

Aging of long-lived post-mitotic cells is characterized as a progressive and irreversible reduction of functional activity. In such cells, mitochondria are organelles critical for bioenergetic supply, whose turnover is mediated by an autophagic-lysosomal pathway. In human teeth, odontoblasts are post-mitotic cells responsible for sensory function and dentin preservation. Here, human odontoblasts were processed for immunohistochemistry with antibodies against mitochondrial (MTCO2) and lysosomal (LAMP2) markers, and comparatively analyzed in two age groups (young-adult and adult) with light and electron microscopy. Selective engulfment of mitochondrial profiles into autophagic vacuoles is common in young-adult odontoblasts, suggesting a microautophagic pathway. With age, the odontoblast layer is reduced in width, and mitochondrial elements converge around large clusters of autofluorescent lipofuscin deposits. Age-related changes in odontoblasts are observed as a long-term process in which the progressive accumulation of intralysosomal debris limits the autophagic turnover of mitochondrial components, causing an eventual decline in physiological cell functions, which leads to increased vulnerability under stress conditions.
Effects of riparian vegetation on stream bank subaerial processes in southwestern Virginia, USA

Riparian vegetation is frequently used for stream bank stabilization, but the effects of vegetation on subaerial processes have not been quantified. Subaerial processes, such as soil desiccation and freeze–thaw cycling, are climate-related phenomena that deliver soil directly to the stream and make the banks more vulnerable to fluvial erosion by reducing soil strength. This study compares the impact of woody and herbaceous vegetation on subaerial processes by examining soil temperature and moisture regimes in vegetated stream banks. Soil temperature and water tension were measured at six paired field sites in southwestern Virginia, USA, for one year. Results showed that stream banks with herbaceous vegetation had higher soil temperatures and a greater diurnal temperature range during the summer compared to forested stream banks. Daily average summer soil water tension was 13 to 57 per cent higher under herbaceous vegetation than under woody vegetation, probably due to evapotranspiration from the shallow herbaceous root system on the bank. In contrast to summer conditions, the deciduous forest buffers provided little protection for stream banks during the winter: the forested stream banks experienced diurnal temperature ranges two to three times greater than stream banks under dense herbaceous cover and underwent as many as eight times the number of freeze–thaw cycles. During the winter, the stream banks under the deciduous forests were exposed to solar heating and night time cooling, which increased the diurnal soil temperature range and the occurrence of freeze–thaw cycling. Study results also indicated that freeze–thaw cycling and soil desiccation were greater on the upper stream bank due to thermal and moisture regulation of the lower bank by the stream. Therefore, subaerial erosion and soil weakening may be greater on the upper stream banks. Additional research is needed on the influence of subaerial processes on both subaerial and fluvial erosion. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Elements of Population Dynamics of Bagworm (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) on Hedge Rows of White Pine

Spatiotemporal elements related to the population dynamics of bagworms, Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformis (Haworth) (Lepidoptera: Psychidae), on white pine, Pinus strobus (L.), were investigated by sampling populations of bagworms repeatedly at 12 sites within a 50-km radius in central Indiana. The number of live bagworms declined over time by up to 95% in some sites, and the rate of population decline increased with the initial density of larvae. A comparison of population density of bagworms in past generations with that of the current-year generation revealed that sites heavily infested with bagworms from previous years carried a high number of live larvae early but not late in the season. The positive relationship between densities of bagworms in past and current generations observed at five of 12 sites suggests that larvae commonly do not disperse when they emerge on a suitable host. However, there was considerable variation relative to this pattern, suggesting that dispersal is common as well. Pupation and emergence of adults occurred in late summer and early fall, with some level of phenological asynchrony observed at different sites. Dates corresponding to 50% pupation or adult emergence varied by up to 12 d at different sites. Males suffered higher mortality than females during the pupal stage. The positive correlation between the mortality level of female pupae and previous years' population density may be related to a buildup of populations of natural enemies in sites that were previously heavily infested with bagworms.
Managing Collaborations at the University-Industry Interface: An Exploration of the Diffusion of PCR and rDNA

Collaborations between universities and firms are of growing interest to scholars and practitioners alike, many of whom see these relationships as key to knowledge diffusion. While the literature on university-firm collaborations has made a number of contributions, however, it has not engaged in a deep exploration of the actual processes by which knowledge may “diffuse” through collaboration. In this study, I explore the diffusion of recombinant DNA and polymerase chain reaction – two key techniques in biotechnology – and I employ the frames of “public” and “private” science to investigate how different incentives shape perceived collaboration costs and, therefore, behaviors. My analysis demonstrates the important role of collaborations not merely in “diffusing” know-how around techniques but also in mutually extending techniques. In contrast to most studies of university-firm relationships, I also point to firms as important partners in diffusion to universities. Finally, I demonstrate how public and private science frame collaboration issues differently for university- versus firm-based researchers, resulting in different patterns and network structures whose overall functioning depends, at least in part, on the conflicts between incentives.
Effects of applied strain on pileup morphology during quasi-static and dynamic nanoindentation of cyclic olefin copolymers

The local micromechanical properties of two cyclic olefin copolymers (COCs) under an applied strain were measured using quasi-static (QS) and dynamic nanoindentation. Samples were prepared by compression molding and tested at five various applied strain levels, leading to a variation in pileup around the residual indentation impression. The variation in the resulting pileup morphology and the subsequent perceived changes in modulus and hardness as a function of applied strain was quantified for these COCs. The perceived mechanical properties determined using both QS and dynamic tests were influenced by the relative out of plane deformation, and as such provide a method to map local variations in residual stresses and strains without the need to measure residual impression pileup for each indentation. The dynamically measured properties appear to provide a more consistent correlation with both the applied strain and pile up behavior around the indents than the modulus and hardness determined from QS nanoindentation.
All-epiphyseal ACL reconstruction improves tibiofemoral contact: an in vitro study.

Background:Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury alters tibiofemoral contact during function, with a posterior shift of the point of contact on the tibia. An all-epiphyseal approach to ACL reconstruction is performed in pediatric patients to improve tibiofemoral contact without disturbing the phys