cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Septal lesions enhance delay of responding on a free operant avoidance schedule

Rats with bilateral lesions of the septal nuclei demonstrated superior response inhibition relative to controls on a free operant avoidance task They received fewer shocks but exhibited a lower response rate and thus longer pauses between responses. These findings are not consistent with the notion that septal lesions result in an inability to withhold responding.
The adrenergic nervous system in hyperthyroidism: Therapeutic role of beta adrenergic blocking drugs

Summary The adrenergic nervous system plays an important role in hyperthyroidism. The signs id symptoms secondary to adrenergic stimulation include nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, sweating, heat intolerance, tremor, weight loss, palpitations, tachycardia, increases in myocardial contractility, systolic blood pressure, stroke volume, and pulse pressure, decreased peripheral vascular resistance, and ocular stare. In general, the adrenergic effects, particularly those directed at the heart, appear to be mediated by an increase in effective concentrations of catecholamines rather than hypersensitivity to normal levels of catecholamines. Recognition of the adrenergic component in hyperthyroidism has led to various therapeutic interventions in the adjunctive treatment of hyperthyroidism. Initially, the antiadrenergic drugs reserpine and guanethidine were utilized; however, their delayed onset of action, frequency and prolonged duration of side effects have tempered their use. In recent years such beta adrenergic blocking drugs as propranolol have become the drugs of choice for decreasing the adrenergic effects of hyperthyroidism. Propranolol significantly improves the tachycardia, tremor, restlessness, anxiety, sweating, heat intolerance, and myopathy. It has minor effects on the eye signs and does not alter oxygen consumption, goiter, exophthalmos, or the tests of thyroid function. Propranolol is most useful for the short term control of potentially dangerous or disabling symptoms until more definitive therapy renders the patient euthyroid. It is also useful in the treatment of thyroid storm, in patients who are allergic to antithyroid drugs, and in conjunction with radioiodine therapy. It may also be efficacious in the preoperative preparation of patients for surgery. Propranolol is contraindicated in patients with congestive heart failure, chronic lung disease, heart block, patients receiving myocardial depressants, patients receiving psychotropic drugs such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors, patients subject to spontaneous hypoglycemia such as diabetics being treated with insulin or hypoglycemic drugs, and pregnancy.
Phase composition of si liga-bonded silicon carbide products in relation to environment

In an oxidizing atmosphere in silicon carbide gutters containing a silica bond the silicon carbide is oxidized with the formation of a glassy film in which cristobalite crystallizes; we also note the presence of impurities: tridymite.
The do-not-resuscitate order: A comparison of physician and patient preferences and decision-making

Abstract purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the decision-making and preferences regarding do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders of a group of family physicians with a group of outpatients from a family practice center. Complete results of the outpatient questionnaire were published in a previous study by the authors. subjects and methods: A random sample of 202 members of the Michigan Academy of Family Practice and all 32 members of the University of Michigan Department of Family Practice were surveyed by a mailed questionnaire. The questionnaire was divided into five parts: demographics, past experiences with DNR orders, who should be involved in DNR decision-making, values clarification, and a series of scenarios matched by a variety of biomedical and non-biomedical factors. results: After eliminating physicians who had left no forwarding address or who had retired or died, the overall response rate was 61.8%. Most physicians (97%) had at some time written a DNR order for one of their patients; discussions most commonly took place in the hospital room. Physicians, like patients, thought that in addition to the patient, DNR decisions should involve the spouse, the physician, and the patient's children, respectively. Value clarification revealed that both groups most highly value "being able to think clearly" and "being treated with dignity." The presence of a number of quality-of-life issues (age, drug or alcohol use, wheelchair use, dementia, and severe pain) in a series of scenarios negatively affected the decision of both family physicians and patients to resuscitate. conclusion: There are significant similarities and differences in the way physicians and patients make DNR decisions. It is important that physicians and their patients communicate in a timely manner about prognosis, values, and quality-of-life issues in order to make effective DNR decisions.
The Kiss of Death: A Severe Allergic Reaction to a Shellfish Induced by a Good-Night Kiss

True (IgE-mediated) allergic reactions to crustaceans are relatively common and can be serious. A young woman with a clinical history of multiple urticarial reactions after touching shrimp and lobster dishes was seen in an emergency department of a Mayo Clinic-affiliated hospital for an anaphylactic reaction that developed immediately after she kissed her boyfriend. The boyfriend had eaten several shrimp just before the kiss. It is important to warn susceptible patients that food does not actually have to be eaten to trigger an allergic reaction; touching the offending food and kissing or touching someone who has recently eaten the food can be enough to cause a major reaction.
The origin of polynucleotide-directed protein synthesis.

If protein synthesis evolved in an RNA world it was probably preceded by simpler processes by means of which interaction with amino acids conferred selective advantage on replicating RNA molecules. It is suggested that, at first, the simple attachment of amino acids to the 2′(3′)-termini of RNA templates favored initiation of replication at the end of the template rather than at internal positions. The second stage in the evolution of protein synthesis would probably have been the association of pairs of charged RNA adaptors in such a way as to favor noncoded formation of peptides. Only after this process had become efficient could coded synthesis have begun.
The Law of Naval Warfare at the Turn of two Centuries

The law of naval warfare as it existed in 1899 and as it is understood in 1999 exhibits a few similarities but many differences. The fundamental similarity is that the law of naval warfare can be seen, then as now, as consisting primarily of customary international law. The many differences in this law have been caused by the major changes in war at sea and the law of the sea. In 1899 war at sea meant combat primarily by gunfire between surface warships, control of maritime commerce, and shore bombardment. Today, war at sea also involves nuclear-powered aircraft carriers; supersonic aircraft, helicopters and tilt-rotor aircraft; submarines; high-speed patrol craft; ballistic, cruise, and other guided missiles; long-range secure communications for command, control, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; radar; underwater sound technology; electronic and information warfare; satellites in space; unmanned aerial and undersea vehicles; and stealth and computer technology; as well as expeditionary and amphibious capabilities. Nevertheless, the fundamental role of navies continues to be to establish control at sea or to deny it to the enemy, linking that control to broad political and economic issues ashore. In view of these constants and changes, this article reviews the state of the law of naval warfare at the end of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and assesses its future prospects.
Periaortic Pedicle Screw Removal with Endovascular Control of the Aorta and Intraoperative Aortography: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Study Design Case report and review of the literature. Objective The objective of the article is to report the case of a 20-year-old patient with a threatened aortic injury from pedicle screw instrumentation successfully managed without aortic grafting. Methods The patient's clinical course is retrospectively reviewed. The offending hardware was removed after gaining endovascular control of the aorta. Results Intraoperative aortography was normal and no graft was placed. The patient remains asymptomatic at 2 years after surgery. Conclusions Hardware impinging on the aorta can safely be removed by gaining endovascular control of the aorta. In the setting of normal intraoperative aortography in a young patient, we recommend against further intervention to avoid the known morbidity of aortic grafting.
Synthesis and lanthanide coordination chemistry of trifluoromethyl derivatives of phosphinoylmethyl pyridine N-oxides.

A synthetic route for the formation of 2-[bis(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)phosphinoylmethyl]pyridine N-oxide (1c) and 2-[bis(3,5-trifluoromethylphenyl)phosphinoylmethyl]pyridine N-oxide (1d) was developed and the new ligands characterized by spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The coordination chemistry of 1c was examined with Yb(NO3)3 and the molecular structure of one complex, [Yb(1c)(NO3)3(DMF)]·DMF·0.5H2O, was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The ligand is found to coordinate in a bidentate fashion, and this is compared against lanthanide coordination chemistry observed for the related ligand, [Ph2P(O)CH2] C5H4NO.
Effect of a peri fluoro substituent on the conformation of dihydrodiol derivatives of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Abstract Trans -3,4-, 5,6-, 8,9-, and 10,11-dihydrodiols formed from the metabolism of 7-fluorobenz[a]anthracene by rat liver microsomes were isolated by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Ultraviolet absorption, mass, and NMR spectral analyses indicated that the 5,6- and 8,9-dihydrodiols were preferentially in quasi-diaxial conformations, whereas the 3,4- and 10,11-dihydrodiols were preferentially in quasi-diequatorial conformations. CPK space-filling models suggest that the quasi-diaxial conformation is primarily the result of electronic repulsion between the fluorine and the peri hydroxyl oxygen. These findings provide a structural basis in the interpretation of the carcinogenic potencies of some fluorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
An intermediate state of fertilization involved in internalization of sperm components.

Abstract The pathway of sperm entry during sea urchin fertilization was analyzed by using sperm covalently labeled with fluorescent and radioactive tracers. Sperm that have been covalently labeled on their surfaces with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) or a radioactive congener, diiodofluorescein isothiocyanate (125IFC), transfer labeled components to the egg that persist throughout early development. In order to study the transfer of sperm components and their fate after fertilization, cytochalasin B-dependent inhibition of fertilization, previously shown to permit the cortical reaction of sea urchin eggs but block sperm pronuclear incorporation, was investigated. Under certain conditions cytochalasin B or D (CB or CD) results in about half of the activated eggs having both the sperm nucleus and the fluorescently labeled sperm components arrested apparently at the level of the egg plasma membrane. This arrest of internalization was reversed by removal of CB or CD, and the sperm derivatives entered the egg. When sperm were labeled noncovalently with ethidium bromide or rhodamine 123, fluorescence was transferred to the egg in the cytochalasin-inhibited state in a fashion similar to that found in normal fertilization; in both cases the sperm fluorescence disappeared within a few minutes of fertilization, due to the repartitioning of the noncovalent dyes into the egg cytoplasm. It is concluded that cytochalasin arrests fertilization at an intermediate step in which the sperm has fused with the egg to achieve cytoplasmic continuity, but in which the subsequent internalization of sperm components is inhibited. After removal of cytochalasins the fluorescent sperm components move from the egg surface to an internal site, a process that can be monitored by time-lapse video microscopy with an image intensifier to permit extended observations of sperm fluorescence. The cytoplasmic location of labeled sperm components was substantiated by autoradiography of early embryos fertilized with 125IFC-labeled sperm; transfer of sperm components to an internal site was seen after fertilization of either sea urchin or mouse eggs. Taken together, the data suggest that the fate of the labeled sperm surface components, as well as that of the sperm nucleus, is to be transferred to the egg cytoplasm, and that this transfer is mediated by the actin-dependent cytoskeleton of the egg.
Computer display of reconstructed 3-D scalar data.

This paper addresses the problem of visualizing 3-D scalar data, initially represented as an ordered set of digital images stacked parallel to each other. An observer’s ability to perceive the geometry of the structures in these data fields depends on the methods of reconstructing and displaying 3-D representations. We describe three computer-based visualization methods that share the common goal of displaying the interior structures of 3-D data, and we present the results of applying these methods to a set of fluid-flow data. Interactive peeling of smooth opaque contour surfaces is the best of the three methods: it gives excellent perception cues.
Willingness to engage in a pro-environmental behavior: An analysis of e-waste recycling based on a national survey of U.S. households

Abstract Using concepts from environmental psychology and economics, we investigate U.S. households’ willingness to engage in a form of pro-environmental behavior: recycling electronic waste (e-waste) at drop-off locations. We rely on rich dataset from a 2006 national survey of U.S. households ( N = 2136). Our internal variables include a modified version of the New Ecological Paradigm scale, a moral norm scale based on Schwartz's norm-activation model, and indicators of social pressure for recycling. External variables consist of detailed socio-demographic characteristics. Our logit model shows that external variables do not help characterizing people with e-waste recycling experience, except that they tend to have larger families or to be over 60 years old. However, knowing that e-waste contains potentially toxic materials, recycling conventional materials at work or at school, and especially having strong moral norms helps explain e-waste recycling behavior. Using a generalized ordered logit model, we then show that the most important variables for explaining household willingness to recycle e-waste are internal variables, followed by recycling convenience, knowledge of the potential toxicity of e-waste, prior e-waste recycling experience, as well as gender and marital status; education, age, and ethnicity play only a minor role, while knowledge of e-waste laws, availability of curbside recycling for domestic waste, and income are not statistically significant. Our results suggest that e-waste recycling can be stimulated by promoting moral norms, educating the public about the benefits of recycling e-waste, and making e-waste recycling more convenient but other measures will likely be necessary to tackle the e-waste problem.
Velocity and attenuation of stress waves in GdBa2Cu3O7 near the superconducting transition

Abstract We have measured the Young's modulus (E) and quality factor (Q) using a resonant bar method in the ceramic superconductor GdBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 as a function of temperature and magnetic field. In contrast to previous pulse-echo and resonant ultrasound results for YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ , we find no dramatic stiffening below T c . The associated Q increases smoothly by approximately an order of magnitude from ambient temperature to 100 K. Below T c , Q is a strong function of magnetic field, suggesting significant attenuation from flux motion in the sample.
Underwater blast loading of a composite twisted rudder with FBGs

32 Fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) were embedded in a full size, composite twisted rudder to monitor internal strains during underwater blast loading. During final fabrication, the fibers leading to sensors were broken rendering the embedded sensors useless. Time domain reflectometry located the breaks and suggested a likely approach to avoiding such problems in the future. An additional 8 FBGs were surface mounted on the rudder and used to collect data during the blast loading events. Data were successfully collected at rates up to 9700 Hz during 3 blasts, with strains approaching 4000 μe and strain rates of up to 13 e/s.
Brain Electrophysiological Endophenotypes for Externalizing Psychopathology: A Multivariate Approach

Abnormalities in electrophysiological measures of stimulus-evoked brain activity (including the P3 event-related potential (ERP) and its associated delta and theta time–frequency (TF) components), and intrinsic, resting state brain activity (including EEG in the beta frequency band) have each been associated with biological vulnerability to a variety of externalizing (EXT) spectrum disorders, such as substance use disorders, conduct disorder, and antisocial behavior. While each of these individual measures has shown promise as an endophenotype for one or more aspects of EXT, we proposed that the power to identify EXT-related genes may be enhanced by using these measures collectively. Thus, we sought to explore a multivariate approach to identifying electrophysiological endophenotypes related to EXT, using measures identified in the literature as promising individual endophenotypes for EXT. Using data from our large twin sample (634 MZ and 335 DZ, male and female same-sex pairs), and fitting multivariate biometric Cholesky models, we found that these measures (1) were heritable, (2) showed significant phenotypic and genetic correlation with a general vulnerability to EXT (which is itself highly heritable), (3) showed modest phenotypic and genetic correlation with each other, and (4) were sensitive to genetic effects that differed as a function of gender. These relationships suggest that these endophenotypes are likely tapping into neurophysiological processes and genes that are both common across them and unique to each—all of which are relevant to a biological vulnerability to EXT psychopathology.
A gas chromatography/mass spectrometry assay to measure estradiol, catecholestradiols, and methoxyestradiols in plasma.

Abstract We have developed a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) assay to measure 17β-estradiol (E) and its biologically active metabolites 2-hydroxyestradiol (2OHE) and 4-hydroxyestradiol (4OHE), and 2-methoxyestradiol (2MEOE) and 4-methoxyestradiol (4MEOE) in rat plasma. All analytes are well separated and show a linear relationship between concentration (0.25–5 pg/μl) and signal, and coefficients of variation (CVs) are low. Intra-assay CV for the lowest quality control samples (QCs) (0.375 pg/μl) were on average for 17β-estradiol 20.5%, for 2-hydroxyestradiol 15.6%, for 4-hydroxyestradiol 16.5%, for 2-methoxyestradiol 16.5%, and for 4-methoxyestradiol 11.5%. The inter-assay CVs for the lowest QCs were for 17β-estradiol 12.1%, for 2-hydroxyestradiol 7.1%, for 4-hydroxyestradiol 15.5%, for 2-methoxyestradiol 16.7%, and for 4-methoxyestradiol 9.7%. The highest sensitivity for this assay was observed for hydroxyestradiols followed by the methoxyestradiols and 17β-estradiol. In summary, we describe a convenient, sensitive, and specific assay to measure 17β-estradiol and its biologically active metabolites.
An Exploratory Study to Identify Complementary Resources to the Implementation of Web-Based Applications in a Paint Supply Chain

This study focuses on identifying (a) the complementary resources that influence the successful implementation of Web-based applications for supply chain management, and (b) the degree to which certain types of complementary resources function to support the successful implementation of Web-based applications. An exploratory case study is employed to identify potential complementary resources that are required for the successful implementation of Web-based applications that support various portions of the supply chain management task. The utility of a potential complementary resource to each Web-based application for a supply chain task is evaluated to determine the relative value of the resource to the Webbased application. A matrix is then developed to show the degree to which a particular complementary resource is utilized to implement Web-based applications. The contribution of this study is to enhance our understanding of how Web-based applications and complementary resources can work together to create competitive advantages in supply chains.
Sex bias and language

Recent research has suggested that in certain contexts male terms may fail to be gender neutral (Moulton, Robinson, & Elias, 1978). Stricker (1977) has proposed that even explicitly generic terms such as “adult” and “person” may not be gender neutral. The conclusions of the highly controversial and influential Broverman, Vogel, Broverman, Clarkson, and Rosenkrantz (1970) study were based directly on the assumption that “adult” is a gender-neutral term. The present study consisted of a modified replication of the Broverman et al. study followed by an addendum that asked subjects in the “gender-neutral” condition to indicate whether they had thought of a neutral, male, or female stimulus person. As predicted, subjects did not tend to think of a neutral stimulus person. The implications of this finding for sex-role stereotype research as well as for “guidlines for nonsexist language” are discussed.
Application Of X-Ray Diffraction Techniques To Semiconductor Materials Characterization

X-ray diffraction experiments directly and nondestructively probe atomic scale structural correlations. When the samples are crystalline, x-ray scattering patterns may be obtained quickly and show extremely high sensitivity to variations in structural order. X-ray topography methods are specially arranged so as to cover large sample areas efficiently. All of these features are particularly useful in the semiconductor industry where careful control of crystalline perfection in nearly perfect materials is essential for device fabrication. This report highlights a few basic methods of semiconductor characterization using x-ray diffraction and serves as an introduction to the literature with an emphasis on topics of interest to a semiconductor process development engineer. The topics include double crystal x-ray diffraction, asymmetric crystal topography and Lang topography. In additon, since the use of synchrotron radiation sources is of growing importance for materials research programs in the semiconductor industry, its use in white beam topography is discussed. All of these experiments have been usefully pursued at Hewlett-Packard Laboratories. The references chosen show typical applications, but are far from exhaustive. Except for the synchrotron radiation techniques, the experiments can all be performed with commercially available equipment.
The effect of NaCl on the transcription of SP82 phage DNA by Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase.

Abstract The activity of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase from Bacillus subtilis was stimulated by low concentrations of NaCl and inhibited by elevated concentrations; the concentration of NaCl which provided maximum activity depended on the DNA template and the concentration of nucleotides. Transcription of SP82 DNA in the presence of high concentrations of nucleotides was stimulated by 0.1–0.2 m NaCl and inhibited by concentrations greater than 0.2 m . Under the same conditions, initiations with [γ-32P]ATP were progressively inhibited by concentrations greater than 0.02 m NaCl and approached zero at 0.3 m NaCl. The rate of elongation of RNA chains initiated at low NaCl concentrations was not affected by subsequent addition of NaCl. Analysis of the transcripts by gel electrophoresis showed that the presence of increasing concentrations of NaCl resulted in the synthesis of larger, more discrete RNA species. RNAs synthesized from SP82 DNA directed the synthesis of peptides by an Escherichia coli cell-free extract; the efficiency of translation increased with the concentration of NaCl present during transcription. Analysis by electrophoresis on one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide slab gels showed that the peptides produced by in vitro translation had mobilities matching those of “early peptides” synthesized in vivo. The relative proportions of the “early peptides” produced in vitro varied, suggesting that there are several separate “early promoters” and that initiation from these promoters is differentially affected by NaCl concentration.
Assessment of published literature pertaining to the uptake/accumulation, translocation, adhesion and biotransformation of organic chemicals by vascular plants

Information in the UTAB data base was used to determine the general makeup of published data pertaining to how vascular plants influence organic chemicals in the environment. UTAB contains information on the uptake/accumulation, translocation, adhesion, and biotransformation of xenobiotic organic chemicals by vascular plants. The percentage distribution of data (records) in UTAB among four important fate processes was 58, 16, 7, and 19 for uptake/accumulation, translocation, adhesion, and biotransformation, respectively. The tabulated data show the 30 most frequently reported chemicals, the 30 plants most often studied, and the frequency of examining plants maintained under different experimental conditions (contaminated site, controlled environments, etc.). Sixty-five percent of the 1,047 chemicals in the data base are pesticides, and data (records) pertaining to these compounds account for 90% of the information in the data base. Crop species account for 33% of the plants and 77% of the data in UTAB. These summary values illustrate the imbalance of attention given to agrichemicals vs. industrial and municipal waste compounds, and emphasize the need for additional research addressing the influence of plants on environmental pollutants, with special attention given to industrial pollutants and native plants.
Nourishment of perched sand dunes and the issue of erosion control in the Great Lakes

Although limited in coverage, perched sand dunes situated on high coastal bluffs are considered the most prized of Great Lakes dunes. Grand Sable Dunes on Lake Superior and Sleeping Bear Dunes on Lake Michigan are featured attractions of national lakeshores under National Park Service management. The source of sand for perched dunes is the high bluff along their lakeward edge. As onshore wind crosses the bluff, flow is accelerated upslope, resulting in greatly elevated levels of wind stress over the slope brow. On barren, sandy bluffs, wind erosion is concentrated in the brow zone, and for the Grand Sable Bluff, it averaged 1 m3/yr per linear meter along the highest sections for the period 1973–1983. This mechanism accounts for about 6,500 m3 of sand nourishment to the dunefield annually and clearly has been the predominant mechanism for the long-term development of the dunefield. However, wind erosion and dune nourishment are possible only where the bluff is denuded of plant cover by mass movements and related processes induced by wave erosion. In the Great Lakes, wave erosion and bluff retreat vary with lake levels; the nourishment of perched dunes is favored by high levels. Lake levels have been relatively high for the past 50 years, and shore erosion has become a major environmental issue leading property owners and politicians to support lake-level regulation. Trimming high water levels could reduce geomorphic activity on high bluffs and affect dune nourishment rates. Locally, nourishment also may be influenced by sediment accumulation associated with harbor protection facilities and by planting programs aimed at stabilizing dunes.
Fifty years of population change in the US 1960–2010

Abstract Population change in the United States is traced from over 50 years from 1960 to 2010. Growth and decline by counties are mapped and counties with the greatest change are identified in tables. Change in the rural, urban and metropolitan population is treated. Then the great change in the racial and ethnic diversity of the nation is mapped and reviewed.
Research on early childhood interventions in the confirmatory mode

Abstract Advances in knowledge and opportunities for research in the prevention field of early childhood intervention are discussed. Although significant progress in understanding the effects of early childhood interventions has occurred in the past three decades, questions surrounding the causal mechanisms of change, who benefits most from which program components, and the reliability of effects for large-scale programs deserve special attention. Confirmatory program evaluation is discussed as a method for addressing these and other questions in research on early intervention and in other social interventions. Confirmatory program evaluation is a theory-based impact assessment that emphasizes the explication and testing of a priori program theories in determining effectiveness. Greater emphasis is given to identifying the causal mechanisms or active ingredients of intervention effects. Examples from the Chicago Longitudinal Study are highlighted to show how confirmatory approaches can help validate the effects of a variety of social programs and policies.
Alcohol Availability and Intimate Partner Violence Among US Couples

Objectives: We examined the relation between alcohol outlet density (the number of alcohol outlets per capita by zip code) and male-to-female partner violence (MFPV) or female-to-male partner violence (FMPV). We also investigated whether binge drinking or the presence of alcohol-related problems altered the relationship between alcohol outlet density and MFPV or FMPV. Methods: We linked individual and couple sociodemographic and behavioral data from a 1995 national population-based sample of 1,597 couples to alcohol outlet data and 1990 US Census sociodemographic information. We used logistic regression for survey data to estimate unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios between alcohol outlet density and MFPV or FMPV along with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and p-values. We used a design-based Wald test to derive a p-value for multiplicative interaction to assess the role of binge drinking and alcohol-related problems. Results: In adjusted analysis, an increase of one alcohol outlet per 10,000 persons was associated with a 1.03-fold increased risk of MFPV (p-value for linear trend = 0.01) and a 1.011-fold increased risk of FMPV (p-value for linear trend = 0.48). An increase of 10 alcohol outlets per 10,000 persons was associated with 34% and 12% increased risk of MFPV and FMPV respectively, though the CI for the association with FMPV was compatible with no increased risk. The relationship between alcohol outlet density and MFPV was stronger among couples reporting alcohol-related problems than those reporting no problems (p-value for multiplicative interaction = 0.01). Conclusions: We found that as alcohol outlet density increases so does the risk of MFPV and that this relationship may differ for couples who do and do not report alcohol-related problems. Given that MFPV accounts for the majority of injuries related to intimate partner violence, policy makers may wish to carefully consider the potential benefit of limiting alcohol outlet density to reduce MFPV and its adverse consequences.
Foliar susceptibility of eastern oak species to Phytophthora infection

Summary Seven different Phytophthora species were used to test the foliar susceptibility of the common eastern US oak species and understory plants to Phytophthora infection. The Phytophthora species employed were Phytophthora cambivora, Phytophthora cinnamomi, Phytophthora citricola, Phytophthora europaea, Phytophthora quercetorum, Phytophthora quercina-like and Phytophthora sp1. Inoculation of detached-leaves with agar plugs containing mycelia of Phytophthora provided an estimate of their relative susceptibility. Lesions were always greater when foliage was wounded and young. On deciduous plants, lesion sizes were considerably reduced with the increasing foliar age, although with evergreen plants lesion sizes remained similar regardless of foliar age when more aggressive isolates were tested. Infections seldom resulted when foliage was not wounded. With young and mature foliage, P. citricola usually produced the largest lesions. Young foliage of Quercus rubra was the most susceptible to infection followed by Castanea dentata for both wounded and non-wounded inoculations. Mature foliage of Hamamelis virginiana, Kalmia latifolia and Quercus alba were the most susceptible to wound and non-wound inoculations.
Small angle scattering from ampholytic styrene ionomers

Diffusion des neutrons par un ionomere prepare a partir de perdeuterostyrene et de sulfonate de methacrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium-3 acrylamido-2 methyl-2 propane
The MIDAS System: A Service Oriented Architecture for Automated Supply Chain Management

The MIDAS system that we have developed is an automated supply chain management system based on the Service Oriented Architecture and Web Services. MIDAS provides a loosely-coupled distributed environment that allows customers, manufacturers, and suppliers to cooperate over the Internet and World Wide Web. It aims to reduce inventory carrying costs and logistics administration costs, yielding a more efficient supply chain, by supporting just-in-time manufacturing. It eliminates, or substantially reduces, human intervention on both the customer/manufacturer side and the manufacturer/supplier side. It allows a manufacturer to select, dynamically from the MIDAS Registry, suppliers of components, based on the price, availability, and delivery time of those components. A manufacturer can use one of several strategies to aggregate customers? orders before it processes them and to accumulate suppliers? quotes before it decides on a particular supplier. The use of a Service Oriented Architecture, such as MIDAS, can substantially improve the efficiency of a supply chain.
Design of microresonators under uncertainty

A methodology for robust design analysis of microelectromechanical systems is presented by considering the example of comb microresonators and uncertainty in parameters governing the resonant frequency and the transconductance values. Analytical models for the variability in the resonant frequency and transconductance are developed as function of the parameter uncertainty, and used as objective functions sought to be minimized in a robust design endeavor. An enumeration search over the design space is utilized to determine the optimal design of microresonators that minimize the variability subject to constraints on performance requirements. The results are presented over a wide interval of operating resonant frequency, and can be used in the robust design of microresonators.
CHEMISTRY OF SO2 AND DESOX PROCESSES ON OXIDE NANOPARTICLES.

On bulk stoichiometric oxides, SO{sub 2} mainly reacts with the O centers to form SO{sub 3} or SO{sub 4} species that decompose at elevated temperatures. Adsorption on the metal cations occurs below 300 K and does not lead to cleavage of the S-O bonds. In bulk oxides, the occupied cation bands are too stable for effective bonding interactions with the LUMO of SO{sub 2}. The effects of quantum confinement on the electronic properties of oxide nanoparticles and the structural defects that usually accompany these systems in general favor the bonding and dissociation of SO{sub 2}. Thus, nanoparticles of MgO, CaO, SrO, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and CeO{sub 2} are all more efficient for sequestering SO{sub 2} than the corresponding bulk oxides. Structural imperfections in pure or metal-doped ceria nanoparticles accelerate the reduction of SO{sub 2} by CO by facilitating the formation and migration of O vacancies in the oxide surface.
Complementary care: Alternatives for the neonatal intensive care unit

Abstract This report presents a variety of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities that may expand the conceptual framework and the evolution of the field of neonatology. This brief overview provides evidence-based support of CAM therapies and suggests areas for future expansions. The National Center of Complementary Medicine (NCCAM) categories of lifestyle and biomechanical therapies guide the discussion. The catalyst for exploring complementary care is a desire to identify and expand the nuturants newborns require, such as intense care. The fundamental philosophy of intense care emphasizes the infant and family and inspires a fresher, clearer vision of relationships. Knowing that infants are amazingly responsive organisms, health care providers are faced with the realization that the environment must be thoughtfully designed. The holistic medical movement has increasingly challenged the health care profession to broaden the definitions of care and maximize the awareness of the mother-infant bond and parent competency. Copyright © 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company
Using k -nearest-neighbor classification in the leaves of a tree

We construct a hybrid (composite) classifier by combining two classifiers in common use--classification trees and k-nearest-neighbor (k-NN). In our scheme we divide the feature space up by a classification tree, and then classify test set items using the k-NN rule just among those training items in the same leaf as the test item. This reduces somewhat the computational load associated with k-NN, and it produces a classification rule that performs better than either trees or the usual k-NN in a number of well-known data sets.
Gender of the patient may influence perioperative and long-term complications after restorative proctocolectomy.

Aim Gender-related differences in preoperative characteristics and early and long-term outcome for patients undergoing ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) have not previously been well studied. Method All male and female patients undergoing IPAA at a single centre between 1983 and 2008 were compared for perioperative variables and long-term outcome. Statistical tests were used as appropriate. A multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of gender on pouch failure. Results Female patients (n = 1495) were younger than male patients (n = 1912) (P < 0.001). Surgery type and pouch configuration were similar, although male gender was associated with a higher use of ileostomy (P < 0.001) and a higher incidence of 30-day anastomotic separation (P = 0.001). During a median follow up of 9.9 (female) and 9.3 (male) years, female patients were more likely to develop bowel obstruction (20.8 vs 16.7%, P = 0.02) and pouch-related fistula (10.9 vs 7.6%, P = 0.001). Women had a higher number of daily bowel movements than men (P = 0.001), and more frequently had urgency (P = 0.001), daily seepage (P = 0.01) and pad use (P < 0.001). A higher percentage of female patients reported dietary (P < 0.001) and work (P = 0.022) restrictions and lower mental component of the Short-Form 36 quality of life score (P = 0.018). On multivariate analysis of perioperative variables, female gender was associated with pouch failure (P = 0.05). Conclusion The gender of the patient seems to be associated with specific differences in preoperative variables and postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing IPAA.
X-ray Excited Optical Luminescence Studies of ZnO and Eu-Doped ZnO Nanostructures

Pure (ZnO) and Eu-doped ZnO (Eu:ZnO) nanostructures have been grown in different morphologies by thermal evaporation. The growth of the structures depends on the temperature and concentration gradient during material deposition as well as on the doping species. X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) from nanostructured ZnO and Eu:ZnO shows a correlation of optical properties with morphology on a nanoscale. In particular, the relative intensity of band gap and defect emission (green light) changes drastically in Eu:ZnO and ZnO nanostructures with different morphology. In this Article, we present experimental results from Eu:ZnO and ZnO nanostructures, using synchrotron radiation-based XEOL, time-gated XEOL, and element specific XANES with partial and total photoluminescence yield (PLY). Our results suggest that the rare earth dopant most likely affects the energy transfer and structural changes by nucleation, rather than direct radiative decay from Eu sites.
Geometric mapping of yarn structures due to shape change in 3-D braided composites

Abstract The internal yarn structure in 3-D braided preforms possesses a certain topological character which is unique to the braiding method used. Hence, preforms of different shapes but braided by the same method have topologically similar yarn structures. This unique property offers the possibility that the yarn structure in preform of one shape may be geometrically mapped to that in another shape, and vice versa. This study discusses a geometric mapping methodology, the objective of which is to obtain the appropriate mapping which analytically links the yarn structures in two preforms of different shapes; if the yarn structure in one preform is known, the yarn structure in the other can be determined by the derived geometric mapping. Two broad classes of mapping are discussed. The first concerns mapping between two preforms that are braided directly in two different shapes; the second concerns mapping between the initial and final shapes of one single preform which is deformed after braiding. In each case, the mathematical forms of the desired mapping functions are obtained, satisfying the geometric constraints imposed by the internal yarns in the respective preforms. The determined mapping functions are then used to investigate the braidability and/or deformability of the considered preforms. Specifically, limiting windows for the braiding parameters that insure the braidability and/or deformability of the preforms are obtained using the appropriately derived mapping functions. The 4-step 1 × 1 braiding method is used throughout this paper to illustrate the general mapping procedure; rigorous and explicit geometric relationships are derived leading to mapping functions between preforms of rectangular and curvilinear cross-sections. Numerical examples involving mapping between preforms of rectangular and tubular cross-sections are investigated in detail, along with examination of the preform braidability and/or formability.
Institutional requirements for influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel: results from a nationally representative survey of acute care hospitals--United States, 2011.

Background Many health professional organizations now endorse influenza vaccination as a condition of employment in healthcare settings. Our objective was to describe institutional requirements for influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel (HCP) among US hospitals during the 2010-2011 influenza season. Methods A survey was mailed in 2011 to a nationally representative sample of 998 acute care hospitals. An institutional requirement was defined as "a policy that requires HCP to receive or decline influenza vaccination, with or without consequences for vaccine refusal." A weighted analysis included univariate analyses and logistic regression. Results Of responding hospitals (n = 808; 81.0%), 440 (55.6%) reported institutional requirements for influenza vaccination. Although employees were uniformly subject to requirements, nonemployees often were not. The proportion of requirements with consequences for vaccine refusal was 44.4% (n = 194); where consequences were imposed, nonmedical exemptions were often granted (69.3%). Wearing a mask was the most common consequence (74.2% of 194 requirements); by contrast, 29 hospitals (14.4%) terminated unvaccinated HCP. After adjustment for demographic factors, the following characteristics remained significantly associated with requirements: location in a state requiring HCP to receive or decline influenza vaccine, caring for inpatients that are potentially vulnerable to influenza, use of ≥9 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices-recommended, evidence-based influenza vaccination campaign strategies, and for-profit ownership. Conclusions Influenza vaccination requirements were prevalent among hospitals of varying size and location. However, few policies were as stringent or as comprehensive as those endorsed by health professional organizations. Because influenza vaccination requirements are a viable alternative for hospitals unable to achieve high coverage through voluntary policies, there is still substantial room for improvement.
Transmitter Architectures Based on Near-Field Direct Antenna Modulation

A near-field direct antenna modulation (NFDAM) technique is introduced, where the radiated far-field signal is modulated by time-varying changes in the antenna near-field electromagnetic (EM) boundary conditions. This enables the transmitter to send data in a direction-dependent fashion producing a secure communication link. Near-field direct antenna modulation (NFDAM) can be performed by using either switches or varactors. Two fully-integrated proof-of-concept NFDAM transmitters operating at 60 GHz using switches and varactors are demonstrated in silicon proving the feasibility of this approach.
Transurethral resection of muscle-invasive bladder cancer: 10-year outcome.

PURPOSE: To determine the 10-year outcome of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated by transurethral resection (TUR) alone. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of 432 newly evaluated patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, 151 were treated by standard radical cystectomy or by definitive TUR, if restaging TUR of the primary tumor site showed no (T0) or only non–muscle-invasive (T1) residual tumor. Patients were followed-up every 3 to 6 months thereafter for a minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years. Primary end points of the study were disease-specific survival, survival with a bladder, frequency of recurrent invasive tumors in the bladder, and survival after salvage cystectomy. RESULTS: The 10-year disease-specific survival was 76% of 99 patients who received TUR as definitive therapy (57% with bladder preserved) compared with 71% of 52 patients who had immediate cystectomy (P = .3). Of the 99 patients treated with TUR, 82% of 73 who had T0 on restaging TUR survived versus 57% of the 26 patients who ...
Drug delivery systems in urology--getting "smarter".

Urology holds the most enviable position in the medical firmament. Unique among specialties in bringing the surgeon in contact with humans throughout the spectrum of human life—from newborn to geriatric patients—urologists need to be adept at both medical and surgical therapies alike. In this context, drug delivery in urology has had a long, and sometimes far from illustrious, history. Traditionally, many genitourinary conditions have been treated with medications administered orally, which requires larger doses, with the concomitant side effects. The popularity of localized delivery systems, in contrast, has been determined by the ease of system implantation, objective treatment efficacy, patient-reported treatment satisfaction, and observed side effects. The genitourinary tract presents a unique opportunity for local drug delivery. The kidney, bladder, and prostate are easily accessible for minimally invasive interventions. Nanoparticles, microparticles, or small-scale implants can simply be deployed and retrieved using percutaneous or endoscopic systems in outpatient settings with minimal patient discomfort and maximal therapeutic benefit. This review describes genitourinary therapies of the past, present, and future, with particular emphasis on the emerging state-of-the-art biopolymer and drug delivery systems in urology and their potential to shape the future of urologic science and practice.