cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Martian noble gases

Noble gas studies have been done on well-documented samples from two very different solar system bodies, the Earth and Moon. There is one other planet, Mars, from which we have samples, but those samples are nearly 20 (at the start of 2002) Martian meteorites, rocks from unknown locales on Mars. Even from those, though, we have learned enough to realize that Mars is a fascinating compromise between the Earth and Moon. Like the Earth, Mars has a true atmosphere and interior volatile reservoirs, and it has been generating volcanic rocks throughout most of its history. Like the Moon, Mars has a surface that is exposed to enough galactic cosmic rays to generate abundant spallation reactions in surface rocks, and impact is likely one of the most common sources of heating for metamorphism. In reviewing noble gas studies of Mars, we will touch on topics that are covered for the Earth, Moon or more common meteorites in several other chapters. In most cases, Mars provides another place to apply the techniques developed for the Earth and Moon, and gives intriguingly different results. The first measurement of noble gas on Mars came not from a Martian meteorite, but from a spacecraft. The Viking landers carried mass spectrometers that were able to measure the composition of noble gases in the Martian atmosphere well enough to determine that the 129Xe/132Xe and 40Ar/36Ar ratios are considerably higher than in the terrestrial atmosphere (Owen et al. 1977). On the other hand, the relative elemental abundances of the non-radiogenic noble gases are very similar to the terrestrial atmosphere, although the absolute abundances are all roughly a factor of 100 lower than in the Earth’s atmosphere. The 15N/14N ratio is also higher than that in the terrestrial atmosphere. In …
Nutrition—Phase one of the edentulous patient

Many edentulous patients are "sick patients." Often geriatric considerations are involved, as well obesity and postmenopausal problems. These patients have deficient tissues on which to build dentures. The degenerative processes which initiate the loss of teeth continue after extraction and cause further shrinkage of supporting tissues. Repeated relining and rebuilding of dentures can be avoided and happier and healthier patients maintained by (1) saturating patients with therapeutic dosages of vitamins and minerals prior to surgical intervention, (2) using scientifically evaluated liquid and semisolid diets containing the maximum quantities of nutrients and the minimum number of calories during the preoperative and postoperative periods, and (3) thereafter maintaining the patient on a high-protein, high-vitamin, high-mineral diet.
Tardive Dyskinesia and the Pineal Gland

(1988). Tardive Dyskinesia and the Pineal Gland. International Journal of Neuroscience: Vol. 43, No. 1-2, pp. 111-114.
Experimental studies on the mechanisms of closure of cardiac valves with use of roentgen videodensitometry

Dilution curves of roentgen contrast medium sampled just upstream to the mitral or aortic valves at a rate of 60/sec by means of a roentgen videodensitometer have been used to detect and study the phasic relations of retrograde flow across the valve orifice. Normally, vigorous ventricular systoles produce competent closure of the anatomically normal mitral valve irrespective of the presence or absence of atrial contractions. The rapid increase in ventricular pressure and the decrease in size of the annulus of the valve at the onset of ventricular systole are the major factors producing efficient closure of the atrioventricular valves. Vigorous ejection of blood by way of the aortic valve also aids in the closure of the aortic valve.
Constant-Activity-Rate Infusions for Myocardial Blood Flow Quantification with 82Rb and 3D PET

Quantification of myocardial blood flow (MBF) can be performed using dynamic 82Rb PET imaging. However, the small dynamic range of some 3D PET systems can prevent accurate measurement of the first-pass activity with standard 82Rb bolus infusions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of slow constant-activity-rate infusions to optimize MBF quantification with 3D PET. Methods: Dynamic 3D PET imaging was performed in a normal dog with 150 MBq of 82Rb infused over 15, 30, 60, 120 and 240 s. Left ventricular mean MBF was quantified using a one-compartment model of 82Rb kinetics, and compared to standard values obtained using 13N-ammonia with a two-compartment model. Results: Peak deadtime and coincidence count-rates decreased by almost 50% and 70% respectively with 240 vs. 30 s tracer infusion, but integral true coincidences (prompt - delayed) were maintained. Mean MBF values remained accurate (1.4 vs. 1.3 mL/min/g) using 240 vs. 30 s infusions, and vs. standard 13N-ammonia MBF values (1.3 mL/min/g). Precision of the MBF estimates was also improved by a factor of 3.5. Conclusion: Constant-activity-rate infusions reduce the dynamic range needed for MBF quantification with 82Rb and 3D PET imaging. Using a one-compartment model, the precision of MBF estimates are also improved with slower infusions. This may permit improved MBF quantification using 3D PET, with high integral counts maintained for conventional perfusion imaging.
Magnetohydrodynamic simulation of coronal magnetic fields

Abstract The application of supercomputers and advanced numerical techniques to problems of coronal structure and dynamics is described. Numerical methods appropriate for the long time scale simulation of nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic systems are discussed. Three specific examples of the application of these techniques to the solar corona are given. These are magnetic energy storage and conversion, a model for steady coronal heating, and calculation of stable force-free equilibria from given boundary data, such as that obtained with a vector magnetograph. It is suggested that the continued application of these methods will result in substantial advances in the understanding of coronal dynamics and structure.
Modeling exposure close to air pollution sources in naturally ventilated residences: association of turbulent diffusion coefficient with air change rate.

For modeling exposure close to an indoor air pollution source, an isotropic turbulent diffusion coefficient is used to represent the average spread of emissions. However, its magnitude indoors has been difficult to assess experimentally due to limitations in the number of monitors available. We used 30−37 real-time monitors to simultaneously measure CO at different angles and distances from a continuous indoor point source. For 11 experiments involving two houses, with natural ventilation conditions ranging from 5 air changes per h, an eddy diffusion model was used to estimate the turbulent diffusion coefficients, which ranged from 0.001 to 0.013 m2 s−1. The model reproduced observed concentrations with reasonable accuracy over radial distances of 0.25−5.0 m. The air change rate, as measured using a SF6 tracer gas release, showed a significant positive linear correlation with the air mixing rate, defined as the turbulent diffusion coefficient divided by a squared length scale representing the roo...
Model of Piezoelectric Power Harvesting Beam

Piezoelectric materials can be use as mechanisms to transfer mechanical energy, usually ambient vibration into electrical energy ahtat can be stored and used to power other devices. With the recent advances in wireless and MEMS technology, sensors can be places almost anywhere necessary. Since these devices are devices are wireless it becomes necessary that they have their own power supply. This power supply in most cases is the conventional bettery, however problems can occur when using batteries bacause of their finite life span. When the battery is extinguished of all its power, the sensor must be retrieved and the battery changed. Because wireless sensors are developed so that they can be placed in remote locations such as structural sensors on a bridge or GPS tracking devices on animals in the wild, obtaining the sensor simply to replace the battery can become a very expensive task. Therefore, if a method of obtaining the untapped energy surrounding these sensors was implemented,significant life could be added to the power supply. One method is to use piezoelectric materials to obtain energy lost due to vibrations of the test specimen. This captured energy could then be used to prolong the life of the power supply or in the ideal case provide endless energy for the sensors lifespan. The goal of this study is to develop a model of the piezoelectric power harvesting device. This model would simplify the design procedure necessary for determining the approapriate size and vibration levels necessary for sufficient energy to be produced and supplied to the electronics devices. An experimental verification of the model is also performed to ensure its accuracy.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Tumors of Blood Vessels

Tumors of the blood vessels are perhaps as common as any form of neoplasm occurring in the human body. The greatest number of these lesions are benign angiomas of the body surfaces, small elevated red areas which remain without symptoms throughout life and are not subjected to treatment. Larger tumors of this type which undergo active growth after birth or which are situated about the face or oral cavity, where they constitute cosmetic defects, are more often the object of surgical removal. The majority of the vascular tumors clinically or pathologically studied fall into this latter group. Benign angiomas of similar pathologic nature occur in all of the internal viscera but are most common in the liver, where they are disclosed usually at autopsy. Angiomas of the bone, muscle, and the central nervous system are of less common occurrence, but, because of the symptoms produced, a higher percentage are available for study.
Binding between Bixin and Whey Protein at pH 7.4 Studied by Spectroscopy and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry

Bixin is the major coloring component of annatto used in manufacturing colored cheeses, but its presence in liquid whey causes undesirable quality of the recovered whey protein ingredients. The objective of this work was to study molecular binding between bixin and three major whey proteins (β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, and bovine serum albumin) at pH 7.4 using UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, and circular dichroism. These complementary techniques illustrated that the binding is a spontaneous complexation process mainly driven by hydrophobic interactions. The complexation is favored at a lower temperature and a higher ionic strength. At a lower temperature, the binding is entropy-driven, while it changes to an enthalpy-driven process at higher temperatures. The binding also increases the percentage of unordered secondary structures of proteins. Findings from this work can be used to develop whey protein recovery processes for minimizing residu...
Circum-Pacific arc flare-ups and global cooling near the Eocene-Oligocene boundary

Explosive eruptions from subaerial arc volcanoes can have significant environmental impact because of the discharge of ash and volatiles directly into the atmosphere and oceans. The link between climate cooling and voluminous volcanic eruptions has remained speculative due to a lack of supporting evidence. A compilation of 2814 K-Ar and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar age determinations from four circum-Pacific arcs indicates that periods of high volcanic output (i.e., flare-ups) have been episodic and, in some cases, synchronous. Peak periods and subsequent lulls in arc magmatism over the past 50 m.y. have occurred coeval with major fluctuations in global climate, including the Eocene-Oligocene transition, one of the most prominent global climate reorganizations in the Cenozoic. Hundreds of intermediate to silicic eruptions occurred during an extremely vigorous period of circum-Pacific volcanism beginning in the late Eocene, which likely led to the production of sulfur aerosols in the stratosphere and fertilization of surface waters of the Pacific Ocean. We provide a mechanism that may have been partly responsible for the climatic preconditioning that must have preceded and ultimately promoted Antarctic ice sheet growth ~34 m.y. ago.
Ensemble vs. time averages in financial time series analysis

Abstract Empirical analysis of financial time series suggests that the underlying stochastic dynamics are not only non-stationary, but also exhibit non-stationary increments. However, financial time series are commonly analyzed using the sliding interval technique that assumes stationary increments. We propose an alternative approach that is based on an ensemble over trading days. To determine the effects of time averaging techniques on analysis outcomes, we create an intraday activity model that exhibits periodic variable diffusion dynamics and we assess the model data using both ensemble and time averaging techniques. We find that ensemble averaging techniques detect the underlying dynamics correctly, whereas sliding intervals approaches fail. As many traded assets exhibit characteristic intraday volatility patterns, our work implies that ensemble averages approaches will yield new insight into the study of financial markets’ dynamics.
Chlamydia Trachomatis infections and correlations with health disparities in HIV infection and infant mortality rates (IMR) in South Carolina

the PPD-positive and anergic cohorts. Among PPD-positive subjects, the relative risk of AIDS progression with INH alone was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.68-1.32); with 3HR, 0.83 (95% CI, 0.59-1.17); and with 3HRZ, 0.76 (95% CI, 0.52-1.08, compared with placebo after controlling for significant baseline predictors. Among anergic subjects, the relative risk of AIDS progression among those treated with INH was 0.81 (95% CI, 0.56-1.15) compared with placebo. The length of survival did not differ among the treatment arms, but the subjects with anergy had a higher mortality rate than the PPD-positive subjects. CONCLUSION: Even though the tuberculosis preventive therapies were effective in reducing the incidence of TB for HIV-infected adults, they did not show any benefit of delaying HIV disease progression to AIDS or death.
Why Scientists Should Talk to Economists

This essay explains how economics plays a key role in enhancing the value of publicly funded agricultural research. Economics provides research institutions with the tools they need to be accountable to society and better able to set research priorities and design research programs that are consistent with public policy objectives while meeting the standards of good science. We first describe a multidisciplinary approach to setting research priorities and assessing research impacts. A systematic framework is required, so that economic data and data from other scientific disciplines can be collected and integrated using common units of measurement. Second, we address research designs needed to meet the standards of good science while also satisfying the standards of accountability and policy relevance. As scientists become involved in the priority setting process, they become aware of the ways that their research can contribute to the mission of publicly funded research. Finally, we address the problems that arise in valuing the economic, environmental, and human health impacts of agricultural production systems for priority setting and impact assessment. As with the priority setting and design stages of research, multidisciplinary collaboration is also a critical element of the valuation stage of impact assessment.
“Chanter en yaourt”: Pop music and language choice in France

(2000). “Chanter en yaourt”: Pop music and language choice in France. Popular Music and Society: Vol. 24, Global Popular Music: The Politics and Aesthetics of Language Choice, pp. 117-133.
Cointegration, unbiased expectations, and forecasting in the BIFFEX freight futures market

The relationship between freight cash and futures prices is investigated using cointegration econometrics. Results illustrate that the BIFFEX futures market is unbiased, and hence efficient for the current, one, two, and quarterly contract horizons. Since the futures contract is based on an index of various shipping routes, which has undergone several changes since its inception, stability in the relationship between the spot and futures rates is investigated using rolling cointegration techniques. Results indicate that the futures contract appears to have become more efficient over time in predicting the spot rate, and that the decrease in trading volume found in the BIFFEX market is not driven by a lack of efficiency in this market. Rather, the decrease in futures trading might be attributed to the growth rate of the freight forward market. This article incorporates the long‐run cointegrating relationships between cash and futures prices in a forecasting model and compares the forecasting performance of this model with several alternatives. It is found that while the futures price is the best predictor of future spot rates for the current‐month contract, time‐series models can outperform the futures contract at longer contract horizons. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 20:545–571, 2000.
Racing behavior technological evolution in the high-end computer industry

Abstract In a thirty-year period, firms in the high-end computer industry compete for technological leadership with select subgroups of firms. A clustering technique is used to identify these subgroups of firms. In each of the three such ‘races’ that I identify, a firm's racing rivals influence the evolution of its own technology frontier. This approach complements life-cycle and other models of technological evolution. A central role is assigned to strategic interactions between firms. Different kinds of strategic interactions lead to intra-race and inter-race behavior. I demonstrate how such inter-firm interactions map into technological evolution at the industry level and suggest that the patterns seen here can help us understand technological evolution in a range of environments.
Trials that matter: can patients with venous thromboembolism be treated with fixed-dose subcutaneous unfractionated heparin?

There were few questions about the advantages of subcutaneous unfractionated heparin (UFH) relative to low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) for venous thromboembolism until publication of the Fixed ...
Applications of Multigrid Software in the Atmospheric Sciences

Elliptic partial differential equations from different areas in the atmospheric sciences are efficiently and easily solved utilizing the multigrid software package named MUDPACK. It is demonstrated that the multigrid method is more efficient than other commonly employed techniques, such as Gaussian elimination and fixed-grid relaxation. The efficiency relative to other techniques, both in terms of storage requirement and computational time, increases quickly with grid size.
Sapphire window statistical thermal fracture characterization using a CO 2 laser

The carbon-dioxide laser provides an effective, inexpensive method for simulating aerodynamic heating in sapphire seeker windows for thermostructural testing. It has been shown, for flat, side-mounted windows, that the window edges are design controlling for two reasons. Peak stresses occur in the window edge from aerodynamic heating, and the edge strength is degraded from subsurface machining damage during window fabrication. Window edge flight stresses can be approximately replicated in small laser-heated sapphire coupons that are geometrically similar to the seeker window edge. A 3-kW carbon-dioxide laser at The Aerospace Corporation Mechanics and Materials Technology Center has sufficient power to produce flight-like thermal stresses that occur in theater missile defense (TMD) interceptor seeker windows, with ample power to produce thermal stress fracture for statistical strength margin determination. The laser approach offers several advantages over alternative methods for thermostructural testing. These include its low test cost per sample, which permits many samples to be thermally fractured to obtain statistical strength data; its repeatable, well- defined thermal loading conditions; and the absence of contamination of the window surface.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Comparison of teen and adult driver crash scenarios in a nationally representative sample of serious crashes

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and acquired disability during the first four decades of life. While teen drivers have the highest crash risk, few studies examine the similarities and differences in teen and adult driver crashes. We aimed to: (1) identify and compare the most frequent crash scenarios-integrated information on a vehicle's movement prior to crash, immediate pre-crash event, and crash configuration-for teen and adult drivers involved in serious crashes, and (2) for the most frequent scenarios, explore whether the distribution of driver critical errors differed for teens and adult drivers. We analyzed data from the National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey, a nationally representative study of serious crashes conducted by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration from 2005 to 2007. Our sample included 642 16- to 19-year-old and 1167 35- to 54-year-old crash-involved drivers (weighted n=296,482 and 439,356, respectively) who made a critical error that led to their crash's critical pre-crash event (i.e., event that made the crash inevitable). We estimated prevalence ratios (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to compare the relative frequency of crash scenarios and driver critical errors. The top five crash scenarios among teen drivers, accounting for 37.3% of their crashes, included: (1) going straight, other vehicle stopped, rear end; (2) stopped in traffic lane, turning left at intersection, turn into path of other vehicle; (3) negotiating curve, off right edge of road, right roadside departure; (4) going straight, off right edge of road, right roadside departure; and (5) stopped in lane, turning left at intersection, turn across path of other vehicle. The top five crash scenarios among adult drivers, accounting for 33.9% of their crashes, included the same scenarios as the teen drivers with the exception of scenario (3) and the addition of going straight, crossing over an intersection, and continuing on a straight path. For two scenarios ((1) and (3) above), teens were more likely than adults to make a critical decision error (e.g., traveling too fast for conditions). Our findings indicate that among those who make a driver critical error in a serious crash, there are few differences in the scenarios or critical driver errors for teen and adult drivers.
Expression of Ca2(+)-ATPase isoforms in denervated, regenerating, and dystrophic chicken skeletal muscle.

Abstract The expression of fast and slow isoforms of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase was studied in denervated, regenerating, and dystrophic fast and slow avian skeletal muscles. We found that both fast and slow Ca 2+ -ATPase isoforms were expressed in most myofibers following denervation of adult fast-twitch muscle, but only the slow Ca 2+ -ATPase isoform was found in slow-tonic muscle which had been denervated. Regenerating myotubes in normally innervated and previously denervated adult fast-twitch or slow-tonic muscle expressed both Ca 2+ -ATPase isoforms. Expression of the slow Ca 2+ -ATPase isoform was found to persist in dystrophic fast-twitch muscle, long after it had disappeared from normal fast-twitch muscle. However, the fast Ca 2+ -ATPase isoform disappeared from slow-tonic muscle similarly in normal and dystrophic birds. These results demonstrate that the appearance of myosin heavy chain isoforms characteristic of developing muscle is correlated with similar changes in the expression of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPases.
Fine-Mapping of Sequences That Suppress Splicing in the E3 Complex Transcription Unit of Adenovirus

Abstract Complex transcription units encode multiple mRNAs that arise by alternative processing of a common pre-mRNA. Some mechanism must exist that maintains the balance among the various mRNAs. The E3 complex transcription unit of adenovirus encodes four major mRNAs (termed a, c, f, and h ) and several min or mRNAs ( d, e, i ) mRNAs a and c account for about one-half of E3 mRNAs. Using virus deletion routants we have identified a region (termed Region I) which, when deleted, leads to the formation of doubly spliced mRNAs f and h at the expense of singly spliced mRNAs a and c. Region I consists of at most 129 nucleotides. Deletions as small as 24 nucleotides markedly abolished the splice-suppressing function of Region I. We propose that Region I normally functions to suppress splicing in the E3 pre-mRNA and thereby allow mRNA a and c to be formed in abundance We have also identified another region, designated as Region IA, that appears to specifically suppress splicing to form the doubly-spliced minor mRNAs d and e. Neither Region I nor Region IA include a conventional splice site or cleavage/polyadenylation site. We speculate that Region I and Region IA probably suppress splicing by binding a trans -acting factor.
Laryngectomees' and nonlaryngectomees' perceptions of three methods of alaryngeal voicing.

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to compare the proficiency ratings made by laryngectomee and nonlaryngectomee judges when evaluating videotaped samples of laryngeal and alaryngeal speakers. A group of laryngectomee judges and three groups of nonlaryngectomized judges completed proficiency ratings for the following speakers: (1) laryngeal ( n =10); (2) electrolarynx ( n =11); (3) esophageal ( n =12); and (4) tracheoesophageal puncture ( n =10). Significant differences between laryngectomee and nonlaryngectomee judges were found when rating alaryngeal speakers, but not when rating normal, laryngeal speakers. Differences in judge group ratings varied according to the voicing method of the speakers and according to the vocal parameter being rated.
Myoendothelial gap junction frequency does not account for sex differences in EDHF responses in rat MCA

Previous findings from our laboratory have shown that dilations to endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) in rat middle cerebral artery (MCA) are less in females compared to males. Myoendothelial gap junctions (MEGJs) appear to mediate the transfer of hyperpolarization between endothelium and smooth muscle in males. In the present study, we hypothesized that MEGJs are the site along the EDHF pathway which is compromised in female rat MCA. Membrane potential in endothelium was measured using the voltage-sensitive dye di-8-ANEPPS and in smooth muscle using intracellular glass microelectrodes in the presence of l-NAME (3x10(-5 )M) and indomethacin (10(-5 )M). Electron microscopy was used to assess MEGJ characteristics. In endothelial cells, the di-8-ANEPPS fluorescence ratio change to 10(-5 )M UTP was similar in males (-2.9+/-0.5%) and females (-3.2+/-0.2%), indicating comparable degrees of endothelial cell hyperpolarization. However, smooth muscle cell hyperpolarization to 10(-5 )M UTP was significantly attenuated in females (0 mV hyperpolarization; -31+/-1.5 mV resting) compared to males (8 mV hyperpolarization; -28+/-1.7 mV resting). Ultrastructural evidence suggested that MEGJ frequency and area of contact were comparable between males and females. Taken together, our data suggest that in rat MCA, MEGJ frequency does not account for the reduced EDHF responses observed in females compared to males. We conclude that reduced myoendothelial coupling and/or homocellular coupling within the media may account for these differences.
Synthesis of [NH 4 MnCL 2 (OAc) and [NH 4 ] 2 MnCL 4 (H 2 O) 2 by Solvothermal Dehydration and Structure/Property Correlations in a One-Dimensional Antiferromagnet

The utility of the solvothermal dehydration strategy whereby superheated acetonitrile reacts with water of hydration to form ammonium acetate is demonstrated in the synthesis of [NH(4)]MnCl(2)(OAc), I, and [NH(4)](2)MnCl(4)(H(2)O)(2), II, from MnCl(2).4H(2)O. The structure of I is shown to crystallize in the monoclinic space group C2/c (No. 15) with a = 15.191(6) A, b = 7.044(2) A, c = 13.603(6) A, beta = 107.31 degrees, V = 1389.7(9) cm(-)(1), and Z = 8. The structure of II crystallizes in the space group I4/mmm (No. 139) with a = 7.5250(5) A, b = 8.276(2) A, V = 468.6(1) cm(-)(1), and Z = 2. Both structures exhibit extensive hydrogen bonding that controls both local Mn-Cl bonding and the interchain organization. I is shown to be a one-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet with an intrachain exchange constant J/k = -2.39 K. This structure exhibits exchange coupling intermediate between the well-studied triply and doubly chloride-bridged one-dimensional manganese Heisenberg antiferromagnets. The structure/property correlation demonstrates a linear dependence of the exchange constant on the Mn-Cl-Mn bond angle, alpha, for alpha < 94 degrees.
Smoking Behaviors in a Community-Based Cohort of HIV-Infected Indigent Adults

We conducted a longitudinal study of a community-based cohort of HIV-infected indigent adults to examine smoking behaviors and factors associated with quitting. We assessed "hardcore" smoking behaviors associated with a low probability of quitting. Of the 296 participants, 218 were current smokers (73.6 %). The prevalence of "hardcore" smoking was high: 59.6 % smoked ≥15 cigarettes per day, and 67.3 % were daily smokers. During the study interval, 20.6 % made at least one quit attempt. Of these, 53.3 % were abstinent at 6 months. The successful quit rate over 2 years was 4.6 %. Illegal substance use (adjusted odds ratio, AOR 0.2, 95 % CI 0.1-0.6) and smoking within 30 min of waking (AOR 0.2, 95 % CI 0.1-0.7) were associated with lower likelihood of making a quit attempt. Interventions that reduce nicotine dependence prior to smoking cessation and those that are integrated with substance use treatment may be effective for this population.
Components of a network operating system

Abstract Recent advances in hardware interconnection techniques for local networks have highlighted the inadequacies in existing software interconnection technology. Though the idea of using a pure message passing operating system to improve this situation is not a new one, in the environment of a mature high speed local network it is an idea whose time has come. A new timesharing system being developed at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory is a pure message passing system. In this system, all services that are typically obtained directly by a system call (reading and writing files, terminal I/O, creating and controlling other processes, etc.) are instead obtained by communicating via messages with system service processes (which may be local or remote). The motivation for the development of this new system and some design and implementation features needed for its efficient operation are discussed.
Reducing resistance and denial by exercising ambivalence during the treatment of addiction

Stage change models and motivational enhancement therapies have significantly influenced the therapeutic tactics clinicians employ in the treatment of addictive behaviors. While motivational enhancement strategies have addressed client ambivalence to increase motivation to change, this article suggests that focusing on ambivalence during treatment has even wider clinical utility than previously thought. Resistance reduction concentrates on exercising ambivalence without an investment in clients changing, thereby strengthening client tolerance for ambivalent thoughts and feelings. Exercising ambivalence reduces resistance to treatment and change by validating a wide array of possible outcomes through detailed exploration of how a behavior pattern works for a client. Since resistance reduction does not require clients to want to change for therapy to progress, exploring the decision-making process becomes paramount. A general discussion of the resistance reduction model, ambivalence, and how clients present for treatment precedes clinical case examples.
Adequacy of hospital discharge summaries in documenting tests with pending results and outpatient follow-up providers.

BACKGROUND Poor communication of tests whose results are pending at hospital discharge can lead to medical errors.
Conrad Grebel, The Founder of Swiss Anabaptism

The age of the Reformation, as one of the creative periods in the history of the Western church, was rich in great personalities. The challenge of the time brought some men to heroic heights, while it took scores of lesser men out of their small corners and flung them into the great stream of movement and action which was remaking the world, where they were compelled to assume places of leadership. The names, and often the life stories, of many of the characters of four hundred years ago are still familiar to us today. Some of them are household names. But there are no Anabaptist names among them, even though the Anabaptist movement represents a distinct type of continental Protestantism. Menno Simons, the sturdy leader of Dutch Mennonitism, is perhaps most widely known of the Anabaptist leaders, although the quadricentennial of his conversion from Catholicism to the Anabaptist movement, which was celebrated last year by Mennonites round the world, passed scarcely noticed. But Menno was not the founder of Anabaptism, and ten years before he appeared on the theatre of action most of the original founders and leaders of Anabaptism in its birthland in Switzerland and South Germany were numbered among the martyrs. The careers of these Swiss leaders were so short that even among their present-day Mennonite descendants most of them had been totally forgotten until they were revived in recent years by modern historical research; and today there is no living tradition attached to their names. It is true that as long ago as 1910 Adolph von Harnack could say in his History of Dogma: “Thanks to the research of recent years we have been presented with figures of splendid Christian leaders from among the circles of the Anabaptists, and many of these noble and reverend characters come nearer to us than the figures of an heroic Luther and an iron Calvin.”
Consultation with the Specialist: Diagnosis of Inguinal Hernia and Hydrocele

Inguinal herniorrhaphy is the most common operative procedure performed by the pediatric surgeon. Inguinal hernias, indirect by classification in the majority of cases because they originate at the deep inguinal ring lateral to the inferior epigastric artery and vein, are common. The incidence is 1% to 5% in a large pediatric series and may be as prevalent as 7% to 30% in newborns weighing less than 1000 g. The incidence in males outnumbers that in females 8:1 to 10:1, and 50% to 60% of hernias are right-sided, 30% are left-sided, and 10% to 20% are bilateral. There often is a family history of inguinal hernias. The term "congenital" is applied to the etiology of pediatric inguinal hernias based on the pathophysiology of patency of the processus vaginalis. Embryology and Inguinal Hernias After the appearance of the gonads along the ventromedial aspect of the urogenital ridge by the sixth week of gestation, differential growth brings the gonads to the internal inguinal ring by the twelfth week. The processus vaginalis in the male (or the canal of Nuck in the female) begins at this time as a peritoneal outpouching at the deep inguinal ring. As the testes move from their internal location to begin their external descent during the twenty-eighth to thirty-sixth weeks of gestation, the processus vaginalis is pushed ahead into the scrotum.
Recruiting MIS Minors: The Impact Of In-Depth Database Exposure In The Accounting Information Systems Course

This study empirically examines the possible relationships between the accounting majors’ indepth exposure of database knowledge and their willingness to expand their knowledge beyond the required Accounting Information Systems (AIS) course by taking additional classes leading to a Management Information Systems (MIS) minor. Our empirical results suggest that in-depth database exposure in AIS classes has a positive impact on accounting students’ interest in pursuing an MIS minor. The findings of this study encourage the collaboration between MIS and accounting faculty in developing AIS courses to include in-depth database knowledge content. Such collaboration can benefit both accounting and MIS programs.
Strong intranucleoid interactions organize the Escherichia coli chromosome into a nucleoid filament

The stochasticity of chromosome organization was investigated by fluorescently labeling genetic loci in live Escherichia coli cells. In spite of the common assumption that the chromosome is well modeled by an unstructured polymer, measurements of the locus distributions reveal that the E. coli chromosome is precisely organized into a nucleoid filament with a linear order. Loci in the body of the nucleoid show a precision of positioning within the cell of better than 10% of the cell length. The precision of interlocus distance of genomically-proximate loci was better than 4% of the cell length. The measured dependence of the precision of interlocus distance on genomic distance singles out intranucleoid interactions as the mechanism responsible for chromosome organization. From the magnitude of the variance, we infer the existence of an as-yet uncharacterized higher-order DNA organization in bacteria. We demonstrate that both the stochastic and average structure of the nucleoid is captured by a fluctuating elastic filament model.
Blood product storage: does age really matter?

Red blood cell transfusion therapy has been used with the ultimate goal of enhancing oxygen delivery to vital organs and tissue beds, thus enhancing cellular function. Red blood cell transfusion therapy is also a long-standing practice, and since the 1950s it has only grown in utilization, especially within the United States. Recently, transfusion therapy has come under increased scrutiny with a desire to develop evidence-based therapeutic guidelines that not only decrease undue risk to the patient but also decrease the overutilization of this high-cost, low-availability product. Despite the development and implementation of these guidelines, significant complications associated with red cell therapy persist and may be related to storage of blood products. Recently, within the transfusion literature, there has been a renewed focus on red cell storage lesions and their contributions to perioperative outcomes. Several meta-analyses, and now a recently launched, multinational randomized controlled trial, hav...
Imaging of Conductive Hearing Loss With a Normal Tympanic Membrane

OBJECTIVE. This article presents an approach to imaging conductive hearing loss in patients with normal tympanic membranes and discusses entities that should be checked as the radiologist evaluates this potentially complicated issue. CONCLUSION. Conductive hearing loss in a patient with a normal tympanic membrane is a complicated condition that requires a careful imaging approach. Imaging should focus on otosclerosis, and possible mimics and potential surgical considerations should be evaluated. The radiologist should examine the ossicular chain and the round window and keep in mind that a defect in the superior semicircular canal can disturb the hydraulic integrity of the labyrinth.
Cryptococcal osteomyelitis: Case report and review

Cryptococcosis is a disseminated infection of man and animals caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. The most commonly involved sites are the lungs and the central nervous system. Isolated osteomyelitis due to C. neoformans is a rare complication of disseminated cryptococcosis. Herein we report a case of isolated osteomyelitis due to C. neoformans. A review of the English-language literature has been made and shows 40 cases (including this present report) with detailed data available since 1956. Most of the cases occurred between the ages of 21 and 59. Seventy-five percent of cases involved only one single site of bone infection, with vertebrae being the most common site. Sarcoidosis is the most common underlying disease, followed by tuberculosis and previous steroid therapy. Most of the cases (>60%) reported were treated successfully with medical treatment alone or the combination of medical treatment and surgical curettage.
Learning to Play, Playing to Learn: FL Learners as Multicompetent Language Users

In line with recent critiques of communicative language teaching (Byrnes and Maxim 2004; Byrnes 2006), this paper considers how instances of spontaneous, creative language play can afford access to a range of linguistic practices that are often devalued or ignored in classrooms. To this end, it examines how university students in an advanced Spanish conversation course jointly manipulate linguistic forms, semantic units, and discursive elements for the amusement of themselves and others. The analysis suggests that these humorous moments provide opportunities for new and more varied forms of participation and language use, contributing to the expansion of learners’ overall communicative repertoires. That is, it illustrates how co-constructed episodes of unscripted language play can destabilize institutionally-sanctioned assumptions about what counts as a meaningful or legitimate act of language use, momentarily reconfiguring the definition of linguistic expertise and broadening the possibilities for acceptable language use. Following Hall et al. (2006), the authors advocate a view of learners as multicompetent language users (V. Cook 1991, 1992, 1999), whose language knowledge is grounded in the actual linguistic practices in which they engage.
Synthetic mimics of mammalian cell surface receptors: prosthetic molecules that augment living cells

Specific receptors on the surface of mammalian cells actively internalize cell-impermeable ligands by receptor-mediated endocytosis. To mimic these internalizing receptors, my laboratory is studying artificial cell surface receptors that comprise N-alkyl derivatives of 3β-cholesterylamine linked to motifs that bind cell-impermeable ligands. When added to living mammalian cells, these synthetic receptors insert into cellular plasma membranes, project ligand-binding small molecules or peptides from the cell surface, and enable living cells to internalize targeted proteins and other cell-impermeable compounds. These artificial receptors mimic their natural counterparts by rapidly cycling between plasma membranes and intracellular endosomes, associating with proposed cholesterol and sphingolipid-rich lipid raft membrane microdomains, and delivering ligands to late endosomes/lysosomes. This “synthetic receptor targeting” strategy is briefly reviewed here and contrasted with other related cellular delivery systems. Potential applications of artificial cell surface receptors as molecular probes, agents for cellular targeting, tools for drug delivery, and methods for ligand depletion are discussed. The construction of synthetic receptors as prosthetic molecules, designed to seamlessly augment the molecular machinery of living cells, represents an exciting new frontier in the fields of bioorganic chemistry and chemical biology.
Branchial acid‐base transfers in the euryhaline oyster toadfish during exposure to dilute sea water

Sea water dilution (to 5% and 1% of sea water) induced a reversible, plasma metabolic acidosis in a euryhaline teleost (the oyster toadfish, Opsanus tau). Net H + transfer between the fish and the water decreased in both low salinity exposure (LSE) groups during the first week of exposure and ΔH + returned to normal after ∼10 days of 5% LSE, but not during 1% LSE.
Using GPS-enabled cell phones to track the travel patterns of adolescents.

Background: Few tools exist to directly measure the microsocial and physical environments of adolescents in circumstances where participatory observation is not practical or ethical. Yet measuring these environments is important as they are significantly associated with adolescent health-risk. For example, health-related behaviors such as cigarette smoking often occur in specific places where smoking may be relatively surreptitious. Results: We assessed the feasibility of using GPS-enabled cell phones to track adolescent travel patterns and gather daily diary data. We enrolled 15 adolescent women from a clinic-based setting and asked them to carry the phones for 1 week. We found that these phones can accurately and reliably track participant locations, as well as record diary information on adolescent behaviors. Participants had variable paths extending beyond their immediate neighborhoods, and denied that GPS-tracking influenced their activity. Conclusion: GPS-enabled cell phones offer a feasible and, in many ways, ideal modality of monitoring the location and travel patterns of adolescents. In addition, cell phones allow space- and time-specific interaction, probing, and intervention which significantly extends both research and health promotion beyond a clinical setting. Future studies can employ GPS-enabled cell phones to better understand adolescent environments, how they are associated with health-risk behaviors, and perhaps intervene to change health behavior.
Tuning of neural oscillators for the design of rhythmic motions

Neural oscillators are an elegant solution that exploits the linking between biomechanics and neuroscience. Having a highly nonlinear dynamics, their parameters are difficult to tune, and current methods are based on simulation programs. This paper proposes an innovative analytical analysis of neural oscillators, both in isolated and coupled situations, by using multiple input describing functions that allow the designer to select the parameters using algebraic equations, therefore simplifying significantly the analysis of the system motion. Furthermore, nonlinear systems are easily handled using this methodology, as well as the analysis of the oscillator internal dynamics.
A computerized method for accurately predicting fetal macrosomia up to 11 weeks before delivery.

Abstract Objective To improve the prediction of birth weight and fetal macrosomia by combining sonographically derived fetal biometric data with routinely recorded pregnancy-specific information. Study design Retrospective data were obtained for 218 normal gravidas who had obstetrical ultrasonography performed within 11 weeks of delivery. Multiple regression was employed to derive a set of equations for predicting birth weight that used different combinations of ultrasonographic and pregnancy-specific variables. Results A set of 38 unique combination equations was derived to accurately predict birth weight up to 11 weeks before delivery. The equations use different combinations of ultrasonographic and pregnancy-specific variables, so that predictions are still possible in the face of missing data. When ultrasonographic measurements are taken within 3 weeks of delivery, fetal macrosomia is predicted with 75% sensitivity, 93% specificity, and 67% and 95% positive and negative predictive value, respectively. The equations are equally as accurate for primiparous and multiparous women from all racial groups. A jackknifing procedure was used to validate the predictive accuracy of the equations for use with new subjects. Conclusion The combined approach of predicting fetal macrosomia using ultrasonographic fetal measurements and pregnancy-specific characteristics is superior to pre-existing approaches that rely on either method alone. The method can be used up to 11 weeks before delivery, allowing fetal macrosomia to be predicted reliably in low-risk populations sufficiently early for prospective clinical intervention to be undertaken.