cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Postmortem Analysis of Structural Heart Defects in Fetuses and Children by Magnetic Resonance Imaging An Alternative to Autopsy

Malformations of the heart are the most complex and common human congenital anomalies. Knowledge gained by autopsy has been essential for understanding congenital heart defects and for devising and perfecting surgical and interventional treatments.1 New defects continue to be uncovered even in the current era.2 Most often the basis of our knowledge of heart defects is careful examination of the gross specimen. Microscopic examination of the heart can be important as well for ascertaining patterns and mechanisms of injury resulting from the natural history of heart defects or their treatment, or from inflammatory diseases (myocarditis) or in-born errors of metabolism (storage diseases). Article see p 1937 Despite the longstanding primacy of autopsy in the study of childhood heart disease, many cases do not undergo expert autopsy analysis. This is, in part, a result of decreasing acceptance of autopsy by families for cultural or religious reasons.3 Autopsy rates have fallen dramatically in the last half century, even at specialized academic medical centers.4 This trend accelerated in 1971 when a minimum autopsy rate was eliminated by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (now, the Joint Commission) as a requirement for hospital accreditation. Since then, increasing costs and lack of reimbursement have further diminished autopsy rates, now performed in <10% of hospital deaths in many US academic medical centers and even fewer in community hospitals.4 Further, many of the autopsies performed are done by pathologists with insufficient expertise in the analysis of structural heart disease. Effective, realistic alternatives to autopsy that are acceptable to families and can be performed or overseen by experts are needed to ensure that deceased patients with childhood heart disease are accurately diagnosed. In this regard, a study by Taylor et al5 in this issue of Circulation , comparing postmortem cardiovascular MRI …
Moles and Site-Specific Risk of Nonfamilial Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma in Womene

We examined the relationship between self-reported mole counts and cutaneous melanoma with respect to anatomic site in 110 case and 231 control female nurses. Counts of moles on the lower leg were better predictors of melanoma risk than were counts of moles on the arm. The relative risk for the highest quintile of lower leg mole counts versus no lower leg moles was 4.2. Mole counts at each site (arm, thigh, and lower leg) were associated with risk of melanoma of the trunk and lower leg, but none were associated with the risk of melanoma of the upper extremity. The absence of direct site-specificity suggests that mole counts primarily indicate systemic melanoma risk, rather than direct risk from the moles themselves.
First principles dynamics of Li He collisional excitation using atomic core potentials

Abstract A first principles description of electronic excitation in Li–He colliding pairs is developed introducing l -dependent pseudopotentials and including two- and three-body polarization terms. The treatment combines an eikonal approximation and time-dependent molecular orbitals to provide interatomic potentials, their non-adiabatic couplings, and state populations during interactions. We discuss the effects of the basis set size on the calculations, and compare our results with experiment and other calculations. Our integral cross-sections obtained with a large basis set are in excellent agreement with experiment.
Responses of aortic depressor nerve-evoked neurones in rat nucleus of the solitary tract to changes in blood pressure

1. Using electrophysiological techniques, the discharge of neurones in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) receiving aortic depressor nerve (ADN) inputs was examined during blood pressure changes induced by I.V. phenylephrine or nitroprusside in anaesthetized, paralysed and artificially ventilated rats. 2. Various changes in discharge rate were observed during phenylephrine-induced blood pressure elevations: an increase (n = 38), a decrease (n = 5), an increase followed by a decrease (n =4 ) and no response (n = 11). In cells receiving a monosynaptic ADN input (MSNs), the peak discharge frequency response was correlated to the rate of increase in mean arterial pressure (P < 0.01) but was not correlated to the absolute increase in blood pressure. The peak discharge frequency response of cells receiving a polysynaptic ADN input (PSNs) was correlated to neither the absolute increase in blood pressure nor the rate of increase in mean arterial pressure. 3. Diverse changes in discharge rate were observed during nitroprusside-induced reductions in blood pressure: an increase (n = 3), a decrease (n = 10), an increase followed by a decrease (n = 3) and no response (n = 6). Reductions in pressure of 64 ± 2 mmHg produced weak reductions in spontaneous discharge of 1.3 ± 0.9 Hz and only totally abolished spontaneous discharge in one neurone. 4. These response patterns of NTS neurones during changes in arterial pressure suggest that baroreceptor inputs are integrated differently in MSNs compared to PSNs. The sensitivity of MSNs to the rate of change of pressure provides a mechanism for the rapid regulation of cardiovascular function. The lack of sensitivity to the mean level of a pressure increase in both MSNs and PSNs suggests that steady-state changes in pressure are encoded by the number of active neurones and not graded changes in the discharge of individual neurones. Both MSNs and PSNs receive tonic excitatory inputs from the arterial baroreceptors; however, these tonic inputs appear to be insufficient to totally account for their spontaneous discharge.
Free to Work: Labor Law, Emancipation, and Reconstruction, 1815-1880

In this intriguing and innovative work, James D. Schmidt examines federal efforts to establish "free labor" in the South during and after the Civil War by exploring labor law in the antebellum North and South and its role in the development of a capitalist labor market. Identifying the emergence of conservative, moderate, and liberal stances on state intervention in the labor market, Schmidt develops three important case studies--wartime Reconstruction in Louisiana, the Thirteenth Amendment, and the Freedmen's Bureau--to conclude that the reconstruction of free labor in the South failed in large part because of the underdeveloped and contradictory state of labor law. The same legal principles, Schmidt argues, triumphed in the postwar North to produce a capitalist market in labor.
Enhanced growth of intermetallic phases in the Ni–Ti system by current effects

Abstract The effect of direct current upon interfacial reactions in the Ni–Ti system was investigated. Isothermal diffusion couple experiments were conducted under varying current densities to de-couple Joule heating from intrinsic effects of the current flux. Current densities of up to 2546 A cm−2 were used in the temperature range of 625–850 °C. All of the intermetallic compounds (NiTi, Ni3Ti and NiTi2) present in the equilibrium phase diagram were identified in the product layer. In addition, β-Ti solid solutions formed in samples annealed above the α→β temperature, 765 °C. The growth of all product layers was found to be parabolic and the applied current was found to significantly increase the growth rate of the intermetallic layers. Using Wagner’s analysis the present results were compared to published results on current-free diffusion couples. The intrinsic growth rate constant of the NiTi2 intermetallic was found to be 43 times higher under the influence of 2546 A cm−2 than that obtained without a current at 650 °C. The effective activation energy for the formation of all phases was found to decrease with increasing current density. The effect was strong for all phases but the decrease was most marked for Ni3Ti. In this case, the activation energy decreased from 292 kJ mol−1 under the influence of a current density of 1527 A cm−2 to 86 kJ mol−1 when the current density was 2036 A cm−2. The results are explained in terms of current induced changes in the growth mechanism arising from changes in the concentration of point defects or their mobility.
Prostate seed implant quality assessment using MR and CT image fusion

Abstract Purpose: After a seed implant of the prostate, computerized tomography (CT) is ideal for determining seed distribution but soft tissue anatomy is frequently not well visualized. Magnetic resonance (MR) images soft tissue anatomy well but seed visualization is problematic. We describe a method of fusing CT and MR images to exploit the advantages of both of these modalities when assessing the quality of a prostate seed implant. Methods and Materials: Eleven consecutive prostate seed implant patients were imaged with axial MR and CT scans. MR and CT images were fused in three dimensions using the Pinnacle 3.0 version of the ADAC treatment planning system. The urethra and bladder base were used to “line up” MR and CT image sets during image fusion. Alignment was accomplished using translation and rotation in the three ortho-normal planes. Accuracy of image fusion was evaluated by calculating the maximum deviation in millimeters between the center of the urethra on axial MR versus CT images. Implant quality was determined by comparing dosimetric results to previously set parameters. Results: Image fusion was performed with a high degree of accuracy. When lining up the urethra and base of bladder, the maximum difference in axial position of the urethra between MR and CT averaged 2.5 mm (range 1.3–4.0 mm, SD 0.9 mm). By projecting CT-derived dose distributions over MR images of soft tissue structures, qualitative and quantitative evaluation of implant quality is straightforward. Conclusions: The image-fusion process we describe provides a sophisticated way of assessing the quality of a prostate seed implant. Commercial software makes the process time-efficient and available to any clinical practice with a high-quality treatment planning system. While we use MR to image soft tissue structures, the process could be used with any imaging modality that is able to visualize the prostatic urethra (e.g., ultrasound).
Early Onset of Overweight and Obesity among Low-Income 1- to 5-Year Olds in New York City

Early-childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions, particularly among low-income, minority, urban children. Understanding the progression of obesity prevalence rates from infancy through early childhood can inform public health efforts to combat this epidemic and create developmentally appropriate strategies. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of overweight and obesity among urban 1- to 5-year olds and estimated risk by age and gender. We surveyed the medical records of a random sample of 1,713 children seen at a New York City primary-care network. Outcome measures were weight-for-length for <2-year olds and body mass index for 2- to 5-year olds. Overweight was defined as percentiles ≥85% to <95%, obesity ≥95%. Analysis utilized chi-square, logistic regression, and z tests. Between 1 and 5 years of age, overweight increased 3.7% to 20.8% and obesity 7.5% to 29.8% (p < 0.01). Risk increased with age: compared with 1-year olds, 5-year olds were 8.2 times as likely (95% confidence interval (CI) = 5.5–12.21) to be overweight or obese. Boys were more likely to be obese than girls (adjusted odds ratio = 1.3; 95% CI = 1–1.64). Significant increases in overweight and obesity occurred between ages 1 and 3 years (overweight, 3.7% to 16%, p < 0.01; obesity, 7.5% to 30.2%, p < 0.01). Among urban children, more than half were overweight or obese by age 5. Overweight and obesity rates increased dramatically between the ages of 1 and 3 years. Interventions aimed at this age period may have the greatest impact at preventing childhood obesity.
Ab Initio Study of the Formation and Degradation Reactions of Semiquinone and Phenoxyl Radicals

Abstract Calculations of the energetics of formation, stability, and reactivity of o -semiquinone, p -semiquinone, and phenoxyl radicals have been performed using B3LYP/6-31G(d,p), BHandHLYP/6-31G(d,p), BHandHLYP/6-311++G(d,p), BHandHLYP/aug-cc-pVDZ, and QCISD(T)/6-31G(d,p)//BHandHLYP/6-31G(d,p) model chemistries. Formation of these radicals from potential molecular precursors catechol, hydroquinone, and phenol is readily achieved under combustion conditions through unimolecular scission of the phenoxyl–hydrogen bond or abstraction of the phenoxyl hydrogen by a hydrogen atom or hydroxyl radical. The resulting radicals are resonance stabilized and resist decomposition and oxidation. Activation energies for the decomposition of the radicals through concerted elimination of carbon monoxide range from ≈55 to 75 kcal/mol. Activation energies for the addition of molecular oxygen to the most reactive carbon atom (in all cases at the para -position) range from ≈8 to 22 kcal/mol. The calculations strongly suggest that combustion-generated semiquinone and phenoxyl radicals are sufficiently stable and resistant to oxidation to be persistent in the atmospheric environment.
Kierkegaard’s case for the irrelevance of philosophy

This paper provides an account of Kierkegaard’s central criticism of the Danish Hegelians. Contrary to recent scholarship, it is argued that this criticism has a substantive theoretical basis and is not merely personal or ad hominem in nature. In particular, Kierkegaard is seen as criticizing the Hegelians for endorsing an unacceptable form of intellectual elitism, one that gives them pride of place in the realm of religion by dint of their philosophical knowledge. A problem arises, however, because this criticism threatens to apply to Kierkegaard himself. It is shown that Kierkegaard manages to escape this problem by virtue of the humorous aspect of his work.
Coesite from the Richat Dome, Mauritania: A Misidentification

The "shattered sandstone" from Richat reported to contain coesite is a tectonic breccia and probably represents a shear zone developed during the structural doming. An optical and x-ray examination of concentrates from this breccia demonstrated that the supposed x-ray reflections of coesite are actually due to barite, introduced into the permeable crushed zone by groundwater.
Antonín Švehla: Master of Compromise

For observers of Czech and Slovak politics between the two world wars, Antonin Svehla (1873–1933) was an enigma. For historians he has retained that distinction. Svehla’s reserved demeanour, his avoidance of the press and his aversion to publicity pushed him into the background, but even a cursory view of modern Czech history reveals the crucial role he played in political life. Svehla led the Czech Agrarian Party in the closing years of the Habsburg monarchy, when it was the strongest Czech party in the Vienna Reichsrat.1 He was one of the ‘men of 28 October’ who engineered the peaceful revolution in Prague in 1918.2 From the birth of the republic until his withdrawal from public life in 1929, Svehla led his party, known as the Republican Party after 1919, in all political coalitions, with the exception of Edvard Benes’ (1884–1948) government of 1921–22, and served three times as prime minister.
Bio-inspired cyber security for smart grid deployments

Smart Grid technologies are transforming the electric power system in ways that will significantly impact electric distribution systems and result in greater efficiency. However, the increased scale of the grid and the new types of information it will transmit introduce security risks that cannot be addressed by traditional, centralized security techniques. We propose a scalable approach inspired by the complex-adaptive control systems of social insects, such as ants and bees. These systems emerge from inter-agent communication and the collective application of simple rules. The Digital Ants framework is a bio-inspired framework that uses lightweight, mobile agents. The agents communicate using digital pheromones which enable the agents to alert each other of possible cyber security issues. All communication and coordination is both localized and decentralized thereby allowing the framework to scale across the large numbers of devices that will exist in the Smart Grid. Furthermore, being lightweight makes the agents suitable for implementation on devices with limited computational resources. This paper will provide a brief overview of the Digital Ants framework and then present results from testbed-based demonstrations that show how Digital Ants can identify a cyber security attack scenario against smart meter deployments.
Experimental evidence for saltational chromosome evolution in Calycadenia pauciflora gray (Asteraceae)

The fertility of the F1 structural heterozygote formed by crossing two aneuploid chromosome races of Calycadenia pauciflora is high despite the fact they are differentiated by the equivalent of three chromosome translocations. This and the fact that ancestral and derived structural homozygotes were recovered in experimental F2 and F3 progenies support the hypothesis that the derived race could have originated directly from the ancestral race in nature through a single saltational event involving multiple chromosome breaks. Two individuals with structurally unique, recombined chromosomes were also recovered in the F2 and the evolutionary potential of such products of meiosis in structural heterozygotes is considered to be significant.
Semi-batch absorption and regeneration studies for CO2 capture by aqueous ammonia

Carbon dioxide transfer capacities of aqueous ammonia solution and monoethanolamine (MEA) solution were compared. The ammonia process for CO2 capture was simulated using a semibatch reactor, where the flow of gas is continuous. The CO2 carrying capacity in g CO2 per g of NH3 solution (8 wt.%) circulated is 0.07 as compared with 0.036 g CO2 per g MEA solution (20 wt.%). The energy requirement for liquid mass circulation of ammonia solution is approximately 50% of MEA solution for equal weight of CO2 carried. In another comparison, the thermal energy required to regenerate CO2 from the rich solution is substantially less as compared to the MEA process. A 3-cycle absorption–regeneration test was conducted in the semibatch reactor to simulate an approach-to-steady state in a flow system. pH values of the absorbent solution was found to oscillate between 9.6 (CO2-lean) and 8.8 (CO2-rich) under the test conditions. Thermodynamics study shows that ammonium bicarbonate required the least thermal energy among the ammonium compounds for CO2 regeneration.
Modeling as a determinant of alcohol consumption: effect of subject sex and prior drinking history

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of modeling as a determinant of alcohol consumption by both male and female subjects who were classified as either light or heavy social drinkers. College student subjects (N = 64) were assigned to eight groups in a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design. Male and female subjects, half of whom were classified as light drinkers and half heavy drinkers, were exposed either to a light drinking or heavy drinking model of the same sex during the course of a wine-tasting task. The taste-rating task served as an unobtrusive measure of alcohol consumption. The modeling factor was a significant determinant of drinking in this task: subjects exposed to the heavy drinking model drank more than subjects who observed the light drinking model. While all subjects drank a minimal amount in the light drinking model condition, an interaction effect was obtained in the heavy drinking model condition: heavy social drinkers, particularly the male subjects, drank significantly more wine in the presence of the heavy drinking model than did the light social drinkers. The results were discussed in terms of their implications for understanding the social determinants of drinking behavior in young adults.
Tangle Surgeries Which Preserve Jones-Type Polynomials

Using an argument from statistical mechanics, V. Jones has given a new method for constructing pairs of links with identical skein polynomials. We give a more general construction and use it to provide a simple proof of a theorem of Traczyk's involving rotors of links. Several examples are given of pairs of knots with coincident skein polynomials and small crossing number.
On the sensitivity of cooperative caching performance to workload and network characteristics

A rich body of literature exists on several aspects of cooperative caching [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], including object placement and replacement algorithms [1], mechanisms for reducing the overhead of cooperation [2, 3], and the performance impact of cooperation [3, 4, 5]. However, while several studies have focused on quantifying the performance benefit of cooperative caching, their conclusions on the effectiveness of such cooperation vary significantly. The source of this apparent disagreement lies mainly in their different assumptions about workload and network characteristics, and about the degree of cooperation among caches.To more comprehensively evaluate the practical benefit of cooperative caching, we explore the sensitivity of the benefit of cooperation to workload characteristics such as object popularity distribution, temporal locality, one time referencing behavior, and to network characteristics such as latencies between clients, proxies, and servers. Furthermore, we identify a critical workload characteristic, which we call average access density, and show that it has a crucial impact on the effectiveness of cooperative caching.In this extended abstract, we report on a few important results selected from our extensive study reported in [6]. In particular, assuming an LFU-based cache management policy, we arrive at the following conclusions. First, cooperative caching is only effective when the average access density (defined as the ratio of the number of requests to the number of distinct objects in a time window) is relatively high. Second, the effectiveness of cooperative caching decreases as the skew in object popularity increases. Higher skew means that only a small number of objects are most frequently accessed reducing the benefit of larger caches, and therefore of cooperation.
Hemoglobin S Travis: a Sickling Hemoglobin with Two Amino Acid Substitutions [β6(A3)Glutamic Acid → Valine and β 142(H20) Alanine → Valine]

Hb S Travis is a previously undescribed sickling hemoglobin with two amino acid substitutions in the p chain: p6 Glu-Val and p142 Ala-tVal. The p6 Glu-Val mutation imparts to HbS Travis the characteristic properties of sickling hemoglobin, namely its association with erythrocyte sickling, the insolubility of the hemoglobin in the reduced form, and a minimum gelling concentration value identical to Hb S. Unlike Hb S, Hb S Travis exhibits an increased oxygen affinity and a decreased affinity for 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate and inositol hexakisphosphate. In addition, the variant hemoglobin’s tendency to autoxidize and its mechanical precipitability suggest that there are conformational differences between Hb S and Hb S Travis. Most common human hemoglobin variants arise from a single mutation with the substitution of one amino acid residue for another. Rarer mutational events resulting in deletion, insertion or addition of amino acids, or fusion of parts of different globin chains have also been documented [l]. In addition, two different substitutions in the chain have been described for Hb C Harlem [2], Hb C Ziguinchor [3], and Hb Arlington-Park [4]. These mutants could have been derived either from a second mutation or from homologous crossing over between genes, each carrying one of the mutations. The appropriate fl chain substitutions (S, Korle Bu, Dhofar, and N Baltimore [l]) occur at relatively high frequency in several black populations and crossing over to produce a fl chain with two substitutions could have occurred from random matings. In this report we describe the structural characterization and some of the functional properties of Hb S Travis, a variant with both the sickle mutation at p6 and a new substitution, p142(H20) Ala+Val.
Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation on the Eye

In humans, the eye has evolved into an incredibly sophisticated organ whose neurophysiologic responses to photons in a certain portion of the electromagnetic spectrum provide a constant detailed map of our immediate environment. The action spectrum for this response lies primarily within the 400–700 nm wavelength range, which has therefore been labeled the visible spectrum, or “light” The maximum of the eye’s spectral response corresponds roughly to the maximum of solar spectral irradiance. Because solar UV radiation is present during most of the daylight hours, the eye may be exposed daily to some amount of solar ultraviolet radiation throughout life.
Cloud detection from MODU and AIRS

The EOS space platform Aqua carries both the Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instruments. The MODIS measures Earth reflected and emitted radiation in 36 spectral bands at spatial resolutions between 250 and 1000 meters. The AIRS is a high spectral resolution infrared sounder with an unprecedented 2378 bands and a spatial resolution of 13.5 km.
Chemical effects of 1,2,4-trimethyl benzene addition in counterflow gaseous diffusion flames

Abstract The structure of gaseous counterflow diffusion flames perturbed with the addition of hundreds of ppm of prevaporized 1,2,4-trimethyl benzene (TMB) is studied in two distinct flame environments: a blue methane flame and an incipiently sooting ethylene flame. The two flames provide well defined temperature-time histories and chemical environments to investigate the behavior of complex fuels and complement other reacting environments lacking the coupling of kinetics and transport that is typical of flame environments. Profiles of critical pyrolysis products and of some stable soot precursors are determined from GC/MS analysis of gas samples extracted from the flames and compared with results from the OPPDIFF model using a semi-detailed chemical mechanism. Experimentally, because of the presence of aliphatic fragments, TMB reactivity is enhanced in these flames with the onset of TMB decay beginning at relatively modest temperatures, on the order of 800 K. The dominant path to stable species is driven by H radical attack. It leads in sequence to xylenes, toluene (through benzyl radical) and benzene formation. This enhanced reactivity is captured reasonably well by the model in the methane flame, but not in the ethylene flame, in the presence of a richer, more complex mixture. The model does not reproduce accurately the pathway yielding C3 and some C4 species from TMB cracking. Aromatic ring opening is the bottleneck in the TMB cracking process in the methane flame but not in the ethylene one. Indene, an important soot precursor for monoaromatic fuels since the second aromatic ring formation is considered to be a bottleneck in the process, is measured in the ethylene flame in poor agreement with the model predictions. The dataset presented here and available supplemental data online may help identifying improvements to the chemical kinetic mechanism of this reference fuel.
A review of insect survival in frozen soils with particular reference to soil-dwelling stages of corn rootworms

Abstract Survival mechanisms of insects that may be subjected to freeze–thaw processes in cold climates are reviewed with particular reference to soil-dwelling stages of corn rootworms. Diapause in corn rootworms is discussed in relation to their origin from tropical regions and adaptation for survival in colder climates. Cold-hardiness in insects is reviewed and discussed in relation to existing knowledge about cold-hardiness in corn rootworms during postdiapause development. Current knowledge of soil temperature effects on corn rootworm overwinter egg survival is summarized. Overwinter mortality to eggs of corn rootworms from the effects of subfreezing soil temperature varies with depth of egg placement, which varies within the top 30 cm of the soil profile in response to availability of soil moisture and presence of drought cracks as oviposition sites. Implications of spatial variability in corn rootworm populations for research on corn rootworm management are discussed in relation to spatially variable environmental factors.
Hybridoma cell growth and anti-neuroblastoma monoclonal antibody production in spinner flasks using a protein-free medium with microcarriers

The main disadvantages of foetal calf serum as the world-wide common serum supplement for cell growth are its content of various proteins of variable concentrations between batches as well as its high cost. The use of serum-free and protein-free media is gradually becoming one of the goals of cell culture especially for standardizing culture conditions or for simple purification of cell products like monoclonal antibodies. The mouse hybridoma cells 14/2/1 were cultivated either in protein-free UltraDOMA medium or in serum-containing RPMI medium with and without microcarriers to generate high quantities of monoclonal antibodies against neuroblastoma tumour cells. Cell growth rate, IgG production, viability, glucose and lactate concentrations, attachment rate and doubling time have been used as investigation criteria. Modifications of culture procedures (static or stirred), inoculum density, and microcarrier concentration caused an improvement of monoclonal antibody production. The kinetics of antibody synthesis was best in spinner culture with 2 ml of microcarriers in protein-free medium. These results of short-term microcarrier culture in stirred spinner flasks indicate that IgG yields in protein-free medium 2.5-fold higher to those in serum-supplemented medium can be achieved.
Hypertension in Special Populations: Chronic Kidney Disease, Organ Transplant Recipients, Pregnancy, Autonomic Dysfunction, Racial and Ethnic Populations

The benefits of appropriate blood pressure (BP) control include reductions in proteinuria and possibly a slowing of the progressive loss of kidney function. Overall, medication therapy to lower BP during pregnancy should be used mainly for maternal safety because of the lack of data to support an improvement in fetal outcome. The major goal of hypertension treatment in those with baroreceptor dysfunction is to avoid the precipitous, severe BP elevations that characteristically occur during emotional stimulation. The treatment of hypertension in African Americans optimally consists of comprehensive lifestyle modifications along with pharmacologic treatments, most often with combination, not single-drug, therapy.
The effects of ethical climate on organizational identification, supervisory trust, and turnover among salespeople

Abstract This study examined how an ethical work climate influences salespersons' organizational identification, supervisory trust, organizational commitment, turnover intentions, and turnover. Using a sample of 393 salespeople, the results found that facets of an ethical work climate are related directly to supervisory trust and organizational identification. One aspect of an ethical work climate, ethical norms, was related directly to turnover. These results indicate that an ethical work climate can directly affect salespersons' job attitudes and outcomes. The results indicate the importance of measuring ethical work climate from a multi-dimensional perspective.
#70 Health care access & exposure to domestic violence screening in battered women

Abstract PURPOSE: National policies promoting health care screening for domestic violence (DV) are widespread. However, such screening is effective only if DV victims have access to health care. This study describes the prevalence of health care access, medical care use and exposure to DV screening in a community sample of battered women. METHODS: Data collected from misdemeanor DV incidents reported to criminal justice authorities in Memphis, Tennessee were analyzed. Results are based on 1,615 female victims reporting between 1/15/02 and 3/15/02. Health information was available on ~900–920 cases. RESULTS: Insurance was available to a majority of victims, with 53% covered by Tennessee's Medicaid-waiver insurance and 34% by private insurance; approximately 13% were uninsured. Over half (55%) of DV victims did not see a health care professional (HCP) in the past year. Of those seeing a HCP in the past year, 41% were seen in either a public or private clinic, and 11% in an emergency room. While 50% of victims reported being previously injured in a DV incident, only 21% reported seeking medical care for the injury, and even fewer (16%) sought supportive counseling for DV. Overall, only 17% of victims reported being asked about DV by a HCP in the last year, while 39% of victims seen by a HCP in the last year reported being asked about DV by a HCP. CONCLUSION: To increase the effectiveness of health care screening programs in communities, access of DV victims to primary care requires dramatic improvement. Despite access to health insurance, barriers to utilization of services by DV victims appear prevalent. Program dissemination and training of HCP are needed to increase the rate of exposure to screening for those women who do utilize care.
The Jail and the Community Comparing Jails in Rural and Urban Contexts

Most of the available research on jails focuses on large institutions, located in urban areas. In this study we empirically consider whether this emphasis shortchanges our understanding of jails by comparing 2,638 rural and urban jails on four dimensions: jail size and use, inmate characteristics, staff characteristics, and inmate services. Our results reveal several important cleavages between rural and urban jails. Based on our findings and a conception of jails as influenced in meaningful ways by their social, political, and organizational contexts, we suggest avenues for future research on local incarceration.
Slow light based on stimulated Raman scattering in an integrated liquid-core optical fiber filled with CS2.

We demonstrate a fiber-based slow light system using a carbon disulfide (CS2) filled integrated liquid-core optical fiber (i-LCOF). Using 1 meter of i-LCOF we were able to delay 18ps pulses up to 34ps; a delay of 188% of the pulse width. This experimental setup serves as a foundation for slow-light experiments in other nonlinear liquids. Numerical simulations of pulse-propagation equations confirmed the observed delay and a simplified method is presented that can be applied to calculate induced delay for non-cw Stokes pulses. The system is all-fiber and compact with delays greater than a pulse width, indicating potential application as an ultrafast controllable delay line for time division multiplexing in multiGb/s telecommunication systems.
On certain carbohydrases in Aplysia Juliana (Mollusca), and in Thalamita crenata, and Procambarus clarki (Crustacea)

Abstract 1. 1. The mid-gut gland of Aplysia juliana produces a strong amylase, a weaker saccharase, but no lactase. Maltase production is questionable. No lactase was found in the mid-gut gland extracts of Thalamita cremata and Procambarus clarki . 2. 2. pH optima of amylase, maltase, and saccharase produced by Thalamita cremata are much lower than those reported on by van Weel (1960) in the same species.
A Serially Complete U.S. Dataset of Temperature and Precipitation for Decision Support Systems

The effect of missing data can result in errors that exhibit temporal and spatial patterns in climatological and meteorological research applications. Many climate related tools perform best with a serially complete dataset (SCD). To support the National Agricultural Decision Support System (NADSS), a SCD with no missing data values for daily temperature and precipitation for the United States was developed using a self-calibrating data quality control (QC) library. The library performs two primary functions: identifies outliers and provides estimates to replace missing data values and outliers. This study presents the development of the SCD and the QC library in detail. An in-depth evaluation in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) for the SCD for the period of 1975-2004 is provided. The study shows an impressively low average RMSE in the range of 2.27 to 3.58Â°F for temperature and 0.07 to 0.23 inch for precipitation for the whole country for 30 years. The goal of this study is to enhance drought risk assessment and environmental risk analysis.
Respiratory failure due to retained esophagus: a complication of esophageal replacement.

Abstract Recurrent fistulas occur in about 10% of infants treated for esophageal atresia with distal tracheosophageal fistula. Failed repair of a recurrent fistula rarely requires esophageal replacement and removal or diversion of the native esophagus. We present a patient who underwent multiple operations for recurrent tracheosophageal fistula whose native esophagus was eventually replaced with a colonic interposition graft. Over the subsequent 9 years he experienced failure to thrive, respiratory distress, and repeated pulmonary infections attributed to chronic aspiration. Eventually, he developed respiratory failure and required endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. He became increasingly difficult to ventilate and, in spite of aggressive efforts, suffered a cardiac arrest from which he could not be resuscitated. At postmortem, a ditated blind segment of native esophagus, which was compressing and obstructing the malacic trachea, was found in the posterior mediastinum. Death was caused by massive air embolus, which was in turn attributed to the high airway pressures needed to ventilate the patient. Tracheal compression by a remnant of native esophagus should be considered in the differential diagnosis of respiratory failure after esophageal replacement.
Modeling Space System Architectures with Graph Theory

Current space system architecture modeling frameworks use a variety of methods to generate their architecture definitions and system models but are either too manual or too limited in scope to effectively explore the architecture-level design space exploration. This paper outlines a method to mathematically model space system architectures using graph theory, which provides a simple mathematical framework that is flexible enough to model many different system architecture options, such as lunar, asteroid, and Mars missions. Multiple lunar system architectures were considered in NASA’s Exploration System Architecture Study mission modes comparison. These system architectures are modeled within this framework to demonstrate the ability to rapidly compare the performance of different system architectures within a single framework. This capability is crucial in order to explore the system architecture-level design space and make informed decisions on the future of a human space exploration program.
Entrance effect on heat transfer to laminar flow through passages

This paper presents an accurate methodology to determine heat transfer coefficients near the thermal entrance region of ducts. These include parallel plate channels, circular pipes and rectangular passages. The solution technique uses a classical Airy differential equation when the thermal penetration is small. The validation and verification of these solutions are the essential part of this presentation as they are compared with available solutions. The results show a high degree of accuracy when the thermal entrance distance is very small. Also, this paper discusses the range of validity of this solution since its accuracy reduces at a larger distance from the thermal entrance location.
The matricellular protein CCN5 regulates podosome function via interaction with integrin αvβ3

CCN proteins play crucial roles in cell motility, matrix turnover, and proliferation. In particular, CCN5 plays a role in cell motility and proliferation in several cell types; however, no functional binding proteins for CCN5 have been identified. In this study we report that CCN5 binds to the cell surface receptor integrin αvβ3 in vascular smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, this interaction takes place in podosomes, organelles known to degrade matrix and mediate motility. We show that CCN5 regulates the ability of podosomes to degrade matrix, but does not affect podosome formation. The level of CCN5 present in a podosome negatively correlates with its ability to degrade matrix. Conversely, knockdown of CCN5 greatly enhances the matrix-degrading ability of podosomes. These findings suggest that the antimotility effects of CCN5 may be mediated through the direct interaction of CCN5 and integrin αvβ3 in podosomes and the concomitant suppression of matrix degradation that is required for cell migration.
PCL Nanopillars Versus Nanofibers: A Contrast in Progenitor Cell Morphology, Proliferation, and Fate Determination†

The role of nanotopography on the long-term response of progenitor cells is explored using polycaprolactone (PCL) nanopillar and nanofiber surfaces seeded with plastic-adherent rat multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). After 4 weeks in culture under normal expansion media conditions, MSCs cultured on nanofibers exhibit better adherence, increased proliferation, and maintain increasingly dense fibroblast-like morphologies. In contrast, MSCs seeded on nanopillar surfaces display lowered adherence, reduced proliferation, and adopt highly elongated cellular morphologies. Immunofluorescent staining of MSCs on PCL nanopillars reveals the presence of two bone marker proteins, osteopontin and osteocalcin, providing evidence for surface induced differentiation into osteoblast-like cells. Unlike the nanopillar topography, MSCs cultured on nanofiber and smooth PCL surfaces did not appear to undergo osteogenesis. Observed differences in cellular response to the PCL nanotopographies offer strategies to direct progenitor cell populations solely based upon submicron surface modifications. This study provides a foundation for future work exploring variations in PCL nanopillar topography with the goal of optimizing adherence and osteogenic response of MSCs.
Carcinogenic potential of o-nitrotoluene and p-nitrotoluene.

The potential of o-nitrotoluene and p-nitrotoluene to cause cancer in mammalian species was studied in male and female F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice. These chemicals are on the EPA list of high production chemicals and there is potential for human exposure (High Production Volume Chemical List (2000) http://oaspub.cpa.gov/opptintr/chemrtk/volchall.htm.). o-Nitrotoluene, administered in the feed for up to 2 years, caused clear evidence for cancer at multiple sites in rats and mice. Male rats, receiving o-nitrotoluene in the feed ( approximately 0, 25, 50, or 90 mg/kg per day), developed treatment-related mesotheliomas, subcutaneous skin neoplasms, mammary gland fibroadenomas, and liver neoplasms. By 2 years, mesotheliomas, skin, liver, mammary gland and liver tumors also occurred in 'stop-study' male rats that received o-nitrotoluene at 125 or 315 mg/kg per day for only the first 3 months of study. These 'stop-studies' showed that the critical events leading to tumor formation occurred after 3 months of dosing, and these events were irreversible and eventually led to cancer at multiple sites. o-Nitrotoluene given in the feed to female rats (approximately 0, 30, 60, or 100 mg/kg per day) and to male and female mice (approximately 0, 150, 320, or 700 mg/kg per day) also caused a carcinogenic response. In female rats, treatment-related subcutaneous skin neoplasms and mammary gland fibroadenomas occurred. Hemangiosarcomas and carcinomas of the large intestine (cecum) were seen in treated male and female mice. In contrast to o-nitrotoluene, p-nitrotoluene given in the feed over approximately the same exposure levels caused only equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity in male rats (subcutaneous skin neoplasms); some evidence of carcinogenic activity in female rats (clitoral gland neoplasms); equivocal evidence of carcinogenic activity in male mice (lung neoplasms); and no evidence of carcinogenic activity in female mice. Differences in the o-nitrotoluene and p-nitrotoluene carcinogenic activity may be due to differences in the metabolism of the parent compound to carcinogenic metabolites.
Maximum-likelihood-based cepstral inverse filtering for blind speech dereverberation

Current state-of-the-art speech recognition systems work quite well in controlled environments but their performance degrades severely in realistic acoustical conditions in reverberant environments. In this paper we build on the recent developments that represent reverberation in the cepstral feature domain as a filtering operation and we formulate a maximum likelihood objective to obtain an inverse reverberation filter. We show analytically that the optimal inverse filter can be approximately obtained under certain assumptions about the corresponding clean speech signal. We demonstrate that our approach reduces the relative gap in word error rate by 30 percent in large as well as small reverberation times.
Alternative RNA processing: determining neuronal phenotype

On the basis of an analysis of the human and rat calcitonin genes and of a related gene, alternative RNA processing represents a developmental strategy of the brain to dictate tissue-specific patterns of polypeptide synthesis. This regulation allows the calcitonin gene to generate two messenger RNA's, one encoding the precursor of a novel neuropeptide, referred to as CGRP, which predominates in the brain, and the second encoding the precursor to the hormone calcitonin which predominates in thyroid C cells. The distribution of CGRP in the central and peripheral nervous system and in endocrine and other organ systems suggests potential functions in nociception, ingestive behavior, cardiovascular homeostasis, and mineral metabolism.
Optimal multiuser spread-spectrum data embedding in video streams

In this paper, we intend to hide multiuser data in a given host video stream with imperceptible spread-spectrum embedding. First, host video frames are picked in the original given video stream according to a frame selection pattern. We partition each host video frame into many small blocks. Based on a two-dimensional transformation of each small block and zigzag scanning, we construct the host video vectors. The embedded message for each user will be spread out with a signature and added to the host vectors. We present the orthonormal signature set of embedding carriers that achieves maximum sum signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (sum-SINR) at the linear filter output for any fixed embedding amplitudes. Then, for any given total embedding distortion constraint, we give the optimal multi-signature assignment and amplitude allocation pair that maximizes the sum capacity of the concealment procedure. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed optimal data embedding methods in video streams.