cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Palatine Tonsil Stenting of the Airway as Determined by Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy.

Objective. To demonstrate lateral pharyngeal wall collapse and increased apnea-hypopnea index in a child posttonsillectomy. Background. Some children have worsening of their sleep symptoms after tonsillectomy for obstructive sleep apnea. This case report demonstrates an open airway on drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) in a child with tonsillar hypertrophy followed by more pronounced airway obstruction related to lateral pharyngeal wall collapse after tonsillectomy. Case Presentation. A 7-year-old boy presented with obstructive sleep apnea and underwent workup with DISE. Following adenotonsillectomy and subsequent lingual tonsillectomy with epiglottopexy, the patient’s sleep apnea symptoms and polysomnogram results worsened. Subsequent DISE showed a more narrowed oropharyngeal airway space as compared to his preoperative DISE. Discussion. Palatine tonsillar tissue may splint open the airway and prevent airway obstruction in a subset of pediatric patients. Further clinical studies are necessary to determine which children experience this phenomenon. Clinical examination using DISE can be useful in making clinical decisions prior to tonsillectomy.
A layer tracking approach to buried surface detection

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) devices use sensors to capture one-dimensional representations, or A-scans, of the soil and buried properties at each sampling point. Previous work uses reciprocal pointer chains (RPCs) to find one-dimensional layers in two-dimensional data (B-scans). We extend this work to find two-dimensional layers in three-dimensional data. We explore the application and differences of our technique when applied to vehicular mounted systems versus handheld systems and their distinct detection sequences. Not only can this work be used to display subsurface structure to a system operator, but we can also use changes in the subsurface structure of a local region to help identify buried objects within the data. We propose distinguishing buried objects from layers can reduce false alarm rates and may help increase probability of detection.
Natural extensions for p-adic β-shifts and other scaling maps

Abstract The p -adic β -shift can naturally be thought of as an isometry on the p -adic integers (multiplication by a unit), followed by an iterate of the one-sided shift. We show that all ( p − n , p n ) -locally scaling maps have such a decomposition into an iterate of the one-sided shift composed with an isometry. We then use this decomposition to give a formula for the natural extension.
Comparison of Trends, Mortality, and Readmissions After Insertion of Left Ventricular Assist Devices in Patients <65 Years Vs ≥65 Years.

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) use in treatment of stage D heart failure (HF) has evolved and expanded in the past decade. There is paucity of data on LVAD utilization in patients with age ≥65 years with multiple co-morbidities. We aimed to investigate utilization trends, outcomes, and rates and predictors of readmissions in patients receiving LVADs with age ≥65 years (AO) and comparing them with patient age
Integral molten salt reactor neutron physics study using Monte Carlo N-particle code

Abstract This study highlights Integral Molten Salt Reactors and models a beginning-of-life Integral (core assembly and primary loop components inside the core vessel) Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) in Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) particle transport code and compares fundamental neutronic and thermal performance characteristics against known MSRs such as the ORNL MSRE and FUJI-MSR. Evaluations of core fast and thermal neutron flux, basic thermal performance, and core lifetime will be compared to known performance benchmarks. This study utilizes the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) High Performance Computing (HPC) facility, including the Falcon 2 SGI ICE-X distributed memory system with 34,992 cores to complete the necessary computations. This study will inform follow-on work on the IMSR molten salt and fuel cycle alternatives. Conceptual designs evaluated in this study preserve the inherent safety and economic benefits associated with proliferation risk and safeguards in reactor control, cooling, and containment. Recommendations for further study include conducting fuel burnup analysis using Serpent code, completing a parametric analysis on fuel cycle performance, and coupling INL’s MOOSE object oriented applications to predict steady state and time-dependent neutronics, thermal-fluids, and fuel material performance in MSRs.
3D Numerical Analyses of Column-Supported Embankments: Failure Heights, Failure Modes, and Deformations

AbstractDesign of column-supported embankments (CSE) requires the evaluation of global stability using the conventional limit equilibrium method (LEM). Yet, for CSEs using unreinforced concrete col...
Radiation Dose during Transarterial Radioembolization: A Dosimetric Comparison of Cone-Beam CT and Angio-CT Technologies.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the radiation dose differences for intraprocedural computed tomography (CT) imaging between cone-beam CT and angio-CT acquired during transarterial radioembolization (TARE) therapies for hepatocellular carcinoma. Materials and Methods A retrospective cohort of 22 patients who underwent 23 TARE procedures were selected. Patients were imaged in both cone-beam CT and angio-CT rooms as a part of their conventional treatment plan. Effective dose contributions from individual CT acquisitions as well as the cumulative dose contributions from procedural 3D imaging were evaluated. Angiography dose contributions were omitted. Cone-beam CT images were acquired on a C-arm Philips Allura system. Effective doses were evaluated by coupling previously published conversion factors (effective dose per dose-area product) to patient’s dose-area product meter readings after the procedure. Angio-CT images were acquired on a hybrid Canon Infinix-i Aquilion PRIME system. Effective doses from angio-CT scans were estimated using Radimetrics. Comparisons of a single patient’s dose differential between the 2 technologies were made. Results The mean effective dose from a single CT scan was 6.42 mSv and 5.99 mSv in the cone-beam CT room and the angio-CT room, respectively (P = .3224), despite the greater field of view and average craniocaudal scan coverage in angio-CT. The mean effective dose summed across all CTs in a procedure was 12.89 mSv and 34.35 mSv in the cone-beam CT room and the angio-CT room, respectively (P = .0018). Conclusions The mean effective dose per CT scan is comparable between cone-beam CT and angio-CT when considered in direct comparison for a single patient.
Localized Arc-Plasma Phenomena for High-Voltage Photovoltaic Power Systems

Photovoltaic (PV) system certifications and codes have been modified to allow 1,500 V products onto the market which facilitate the plant engineering, procurement, and construction; however, the codes inadequately address the increased hazards to people and equipment in a high-voltage, photovoltaic plant that emanate from the rapid release of thermal energy, pressure waves, and electromagnetic interference of an arc-fault event. Existing calculations can contradict one another and are rooted in theory, not in physical testing. For this investigation, a localized arc-plasma model for a cylindrical geometry arc was developed from coupled electrodynamic, thermodynamic, and fluid mechanics equations, that were convolved together based on previous arc-discharge models [1]. The model was developed to assess incident energy, used for determining appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), as a function of spark-gap current. To validate the model, preliminary experiments were performed at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) with voltage levels as high as 1,500 V. Further utility-scale PV experiments were also conducted with current levels as high as 1,607 A to provide further data. Arc-stability, plasma column spectral features and radiative temperature rise were all evaluated during each respective test to provide radiated power values for validation. Overall preliminary results suggest a logarithmic increase in radiative power between 250 and 2800 W/cm for a current increase from 100 to 300 A.
Administrative Law Overview

This article provides an overview of federal administrative processes as they relate to the regulatory professional. The author reviews and emphasizes the importance of understanding the impact of the administrative process on federally regulated industry, with a focus on federal administrative law under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA). She reviews the APA impact on federal agencies, particularly on the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which must adhere to the Act’s prescribed provisions in terms of legal procedures when publishing proposed rules which includes public participation in the rulemaking process by submitting comments about a proposed rule.
Empirically Validating Citation Metrics for Legal Scholars: A Market Approach

Citation counts are a common quantitative metric used by researchers and analysts to assess scholarly output. When U.S. News & World Report announced in 2019 that it was developing a citation-based ranking for law schools, it brought new attention to debates about citations counts in legal scholarship. Supporters of citation metrics argue that they are superior to alternative measures of scholarly reputation, such as surveys. Critics are skeptical that citations serve as a meaningful proxy for scholarly quality and raise concerns that citation metrics could distort the incentives of law professors and faculties. We examine the validity of citation metrics by examining how well they correspond to a “market valuation” of legal scholars in lateral hiring. We consider two outcomes: whether professors make lateral moves and the rank of the institution where they are hired. Using citation counts derived from the HeinOnline database, we find that citation metrics have a weak association with lateral outcomes. Metrics that mitigate the effect of the highly skewed distribution of citations, such as log citations and the h-index, perform slightly better. Article placements are stronger predictors of lateral outcomes. In particular, articles in top law reviews, top peer-reviewed journals, and online law reviews are all associated with moving to higher-ranked faculties, even after controlling for citations. This implies that citation rankings undervalue these kinds of publications. The divergence between citation counts and professors’ market valuation suggest that citation rankings could significantly distort publication and hiring in the legal academy.
Insulating axons via NF-kappaB.

The transcription factor NF-κB, increasingly recognized as a key regulator of developmental and adult neural plasticity, is now reported to be essential for axon myelination as well.
Bulk Misdemeanor Justice

This short essay responds to Alexandra Natapoff’s article Misdemeanors, which shines a much-needed spotlight on the mass production of criminal justice and injustice in millions of low-level cases. The prime culprit in Natapoff’s story is the hidden, informal discretion that police officers enjoy to arrest, charge, and effect convictions, abetted by prosecutors’ and judges’ abdication and defense counsel’s absence or impotence. The roots of the problem she identifies, I argue, go all the way down to the system’s professionalization and mechanization. Given the magnitude of the problem, Natapoff’s solutions are surprisingly half-hearted, masking the deeper structural problems that demand wholesale reforms. Systemic change, I argue, is a worthwhile ideal even though it is unlikely to happen any time soon.
The Very Model of a Modern Iraqi Dissident

LONDON-- Once Iraq9s chief nuclear chemist, Hussain Al-Shahristani endured torture and 10 years of solitary confinement after refusing to work on the bomb. He now keeps close tabs on his former boss from London. Shahristani is also precisely the sort of individual whom United Nations weapons inspectors hope to contact now that they are back in Baghdad.
On approximating complex quadratic optimization problems via semidefinite programming relaxations

In this paper we study semidefinite programming (SDP) models for a class of discrete and continuous quadratic optimization problems in the complex Hermitian form. These problems capture a class of well–known combinatorial optimization problems, as well as problems in control theory. For instance, they include Max–3–Cut where the Laplacian matrix is positive semidefinite (in particular, some of the edge weights can be negative). We present a generic algorithm and a unified analysis of the SDP relaxations which allow us to obtain good approximation guarantees for our models. Specifically, we give an $(k sin(\frac{\pi}{k}))^{2}/(4\pi)$ –approximation algorithm for the discrete problem where the decision variables are k–ary and the objective matrix is positive semidefinite. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first known approximation result for this family of problems. For the continuous problem where the objective matrix is positive semidefinite, we obtain the well–known π/4 result due to [2], and independently, [12]. However, our techniques simplify their analyses and provide a unified framework for treating these problems. In addition, we show for the first time that the integrality gap of the SDP relaxation is precisely π/4. We also show that the unified analysis can be used to obtain an O(1/log n)–approximation algorithm for the continuous problem in which the objective matrix is not positive semidefinite.
Toward a Psychological Study of Class Consciousness: Development and Validation of a Social Psychological Model

While social class has recently become a prominent topic in social psychological research, much of this effort has focused on the psychological consequences of objective and subjective indices of class (e.g., income, perceived status). This approach sheds light on the consequences of social class itself, but overlooks a construct of central importance in earlier theorizing on class: class consciousness, or the extent to which individuals acknowledge and situate themselves within class relations. The current paper offers a psychological model of class consciousness comprised of five elements: awareness of social class, perceptions of class conflict, beliefs about the permeability of class groups, identification with a class group, and personal experience of being treated as a member of one’s class. We offer a measure assessing those central dimensions and assess differences in these dimensions by age, gender, indices of social class, political ideology, and among different class groups. Finally, we offer suggestions for how an awareness of class consciousness may enrich social psychology and ultimately foster political change.
On the concept of a representative elementary area in catchment runoff

A qualitative discussion is presented on the concept of a representative elementary area (REA) proposed by Wood et al. (1988). Their work represents a systematic effort of looking at spatial variability as functions of scale, and over the past few years has stimulated new thoughts and research findings. However, it is argued here that the REA concept has limited utility in catchment hydrology for the following reasons. Firstly, the method of finding the REA using distributed modelling appears flawed. In estimating local runoff, point-process models are applied to elements of 30 x 30m2 or larger, but the effect of this particular upscaling on the calculated REA has not been addressed. This causes the REA to be relative to the resolution of the modelling. Secondly, an REA does not seem to exist in a natural environment because of its relativeness in the presence of multi-scale heterogeneity and its dependence on individual storm events. Based on the above arguments and following a discussion of the hydrological implications of REA, it is pointed out that the REA does not provide a definite and robust measure of the inherent spatial variability in runoff and that its utility in formulating large-scale hydrology is not as clear as it was first envisioned.
Up a Hydrophobic Creek with a Short Paddle

The mechanism by which voltage-dependent ion channels sense membrane potentials has been the most intensively studied and debated topic in modern ion channel research. In this issue, Xu et al. (2010) provide new insights into the minimal topological and physicochemical features required for voltage sensing.
Relation of regional function, perfusion, and metabolism in patients with advanced coronary artery disease undergoing surgical revascularization.

BACKGROUND Imaging of myocardial glucose metabolism using [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) with positron emission tomography (PET) has been proposed for identification of tissue viability in patients with advanced coronary artery disease. This study was designed to evaluate the predictive value of flow and metabolic imaging for functional recovery after revascularization in myocardial segments of varying degrees of dysfunction. METHODS AND RESULTS Thirty-seven patients (mean age, 59 +/- 11 years) with coronary artery disease and impaired left ventricular function (ejection fraction, 34 +/- 10%) were studied with PET using FDG and [13N]ammonia before surgical coronary revascularization (3 +/- 1 grafts per patient). Tissue was scintigraphically characterized as normal, nonviable (concordant reduction of perfusion and FDG uptake), viable without discordance of perfusion and metabolism (mildly reduced perfusion and metabolism), or ischemically compromised (mismatch of reduced perfusion and maintained FDG uptake). Functional outcome was assessed by serial radionuclide ventriculography before and at 13 +/- 13 weeks (median interval of 8 weeks) after coronary revascularization. Preoperatively impaired regional wall motion improved significantly in ischemically compromised (mismatch) revascularized segments but not in nonviable myocardium or in viable myocardium without discordance of perfusion and metabolism. The negative predictive value of PET for functional recovery was 86%, whereas the positive predictive value in revascularized regions ranged from 48% to 86% depending on severity of baseline wall motion abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS PET identifies metabolically active tissue, which benefits from revascularization. Although the negative predictive value of PET for recovery was high, functional improvement of viable but ischemically compromised tissue was less frequent than previously reported. The predictive value of PET was highest in left ventricular segments with severe dysfunction and a mismatch or reduced perfusion but preserved metabolism. Integration of PET, angiographic, and functional data is necessary for the optimal selection of patients with advanced coronary artery disease and impaired left ventricular function for revascularization.
Rainfall Trends in Hawaii

Abstract A recent study in Queensland, Australia, associates long-term downward trends in rain amount with the productivity of the sugarcane industry. The relationship is attributed to an increasing colloidal stability in the clouds caused by additional cloud condensation nuclei shown to be present in the smoke coming from local cane-harvesting fires. As an additional test of the hypothesis, the rainfall records of several sugar-producing areas in Hawaii are examined where burning prior to harvesting is also practiced. Two physically similar leeward coastal areas were selected for comparison, one because it is downwind from a major cane-growing region and the other because it is not. The data suggest a downward trend in rainfall over periods of 30–60 years at both areas, but the trends are not statistically significant. However, the records for areas along the windward coastal regions of the two northwesternmost islands indicate an upward trend. It is concluded that factors other than cane-fire smoke are ...
Megakaryocytopoiesis in the rat with transfusion-induced thrombocytosis.

SummaryThe effect of transfusion-induced thrombocytosis on megakaryocytopoiesis in the rat was evaluated from (1) labeling of megakaryocytes after a single dose of 3HTdR and (2) differential count ...
Crossover from three-dimensional XY to tricritical behavior for the nematic–smectic- A 1 phase transition

A high-resolution ac calorimetric technique has been employed to study the nematic\char21{}smectic-${\mathit{A}}_{1}$ (N\char21{}Sm-${\mathit{A}}_{1}$) phase transition in liquid-crystal binary mixtures of octyloxyphenyl-nitrobenzoyloxy benzoate (${\mathrm{DB}}_{8}$${\mathrm{ONO}}_{2}$) and decyloxyphenyl-nitrobenzoyloxy benzoate (${\mathrm{DB}}_{10}$${\mathrm{ONO}}_{2}$). The existence of a tricritical point on the N\char21{}Sm-${\mathit{A}}_{1}$ transition line has been reconfirmed in this study. This tricritical point occurs at mole percent X\ensuremath{\simeq}51 of the decyl homolog in the mixture. Heat-capacity measurements characterizing the N\char21{}Sm-${\mathit{A}}_{1}$ transition have been carried out for three samples in the vicinity of the tricritical point (X=47.0, 48.7, and 50.0) and for one sample with X=31.5. The results reveal a complete crossover behavior for the critical exponent \ensuremath{\alpha}, which changes from the three-dimensional XY value (${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{\mathit{X}\mathit{Y}}$=-0.007) for X=31.5 to a value \ensuremath{\alpha}=0.422 close to tricritical (${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{\mathit{t}}$=0.50) for x=50.0. The amplitude ratio ${\mathit{A}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$/${\mathit{A}}^{+}$ for the X=31.5 sample conforms to that expected from the noninverted XY model. In addition, heat-capacity measurements on one sample with X=53.7 indicate that near the termination point of the Sm-${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{d}}$\char21{}Sm-${\mathit{A}}_{1}$ transition line the phase sequence Sm-${\mathit{A}}_{\mathit{d}}$\char21{}${\mathit{N}}_{\mathit{d}}$\char21{}${\mathit{N}}_{1}$\char21{}Sm-${\mathit{A}}_{1}$ occurs, in accordance with theoretical predictions.
Self-Talk of Group Counselors: The Research of Rex Stockton

ABSTRACT Rex Stockton and his research team have had a strong influence upon the research examining the self-talk of group leaders. Stockton recognized a need for such research from both his experience training group leaders and his reviews of relevant literature. As a result, he conducted a number of studies that examined the content of group leader self-talk, the role of experience and other factors in determining self-talk, the impact of self-talk on leader intervention selection, the role of leader intentions in intervention selection, and the manner in which leaders identify critical incidents. The major findings of the studies conducted by Stockton will be discussed, as will implications for training and future research.
Active-sterile neutrino transformation solution for r -process nucleosynthesis

We discuss how matter-enhanced active-sterile neutrino transformation in the ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e}\ensuremath{\rightleftharpoons}{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{s}$ and ${\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}_{e}\ensuremath{\rightleftharpoons}{\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}_{s}$ channels could enable the production of the rapid neutron capture $(r$-process) nuclei in neutrino-heated supernova ejecta. In this scheme the lightest sterile neutrino would be heavier than the ${\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e}$ and split from it by a vacuum mass-squared difference of $3 {\mathrm{eV}}^{2}\ensuremath{\lesssim}\ensuremath{\delta}{m}_{\mathrm{es}}^{2}\ensuremath{\lesssim}70 {\mathrm{eV}}^{2}$ with vacuum mixing angle ${\mathrm{sin}}^{2}2{\ensuremath{\theta}}_{\mathrm{es}}g{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}.$
Class, Race, and Gender Dimensions of Child Rearing in African American Families

African American family scholarship uniformly attests to the immense importance of children in Black families (Anderson, 1991; Billingsley, 1992; Burton, 1990; Nobles, 1985; Staples & Johnson, 1993). More than one third of the 30 to 35 million Black Americans in the United States are children younger than age 18 (Pinkney, 1993) and, as Nobles (1985) has pointed out, they are the very heart of the African American family:
Tracking transmitter-gated P2X cation channel activation in vitro and in vivo

We present a noninvasive approach to track activation of ATP-gated P2X receptors and potentially other transmitter-gated cation channels that show calcium fluxes. We genetically engineered rat P2X receptors to carry calcium sensors near the channel pore and tested this as a reporter for P2X2 receptor opening. The method has several advantages over previous attempts to image P2X channel activation by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET): notably, it reports channel opening rather than a conformation change in the receptor protein. Our FRET-based imaging approach can be used as a general method to track, in real time, the location, regional expression variation, mobility and activation of transmitter-gated P2X channels in living neurons in vitro and in vivo. This approach should help to determine when, where and how different receptors are activated during physiological processes.
Intraoperative balloon angioplasty of aortic coarctation in infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Abstract During a 1-year period, 9 children, aged 3 to 18 months, underwent intraoperative transluminal balloon angioplasty of coarctation of the aorta. Each patient had previously undergone palliative surgery for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. In 1 patient the angioplasty catheter was introduced into the ascending aorta during surgery to correct Intracardiac defects. In the other 8 infants the catheters were inserted directly into the descending thoracic aorta via thoracotomy because the catheter size precluded percutaneous insertion into the femoral artery. In each case, after measuring the systolic pressure gradient across the coarctation, the angioplasty catheters were advanced over the guidewire across the coarctation site. The balloons were then inflated 2 to 3 times with an internal pressure of 3 to 6 atm. After the dilation sequence the angioplasty catheters were removed and the pressures were again measured above and below the coarctation. Preoperative gradients across the coarctation site ranged from 26 to 85 mm Hg (mean 45). Immediately after the procedure the gradient decreased in each case, ranging from 0 to 12 mm Hg (mean 4.3). There were no signs of disruption of the aortic wall. Relief of the pressure gradient persisted in the 7 patients who underwent follow-up cardiac catheterization after the procedure. The patients have been followed for as long as 18 months after the procedure and none has shown physical or echocardiographic evidence of recurrent aortic obstruction. The method of introducing an angioplasty catheter directly into the aorta may greatly simplify treatment of coarctation of the aorta for patients in whom other intracardlac defects require repair and in small infants who are poor candidates for percutaneous transluminal aortic angioplasty.
A case of neuroleptic malignant syndrome in a mentally retarded adolescent

The neuroleptic malignant syndrome is an uncommon but occasionally fatal reaction to antipsychotic medication characterized by fever, movement disorder, and stupor. A case is reported of a 16-year-old retarded male who progressed into coma after an injection of fluphenazine. The syndrome is discussed, and new pharmacological treatment approaches are reviewed. Brain-damaged patients are thought to be more susceptible to this syndrome. As recognition of the syndrome grows, there may well be more cases identified in the mentally retarded population.
Insights into dendritic cell function using advanced imaging modalities

The application of advanced imaging techniques to fundamental questions in immunology has provided insight into dendritic cell function and has challenged dogma created using static imaging of lymphoid tissue. The history of dendritic cell biology has a storied past and is tightly linked to imaging. The development of imaging techniques that emphasize live cell imaging in situ has provided not only breath-taking movies, but also novel insights into the importance of spatiotemporal relationships between antigen presenting cells and T cells. This review serves to provide a primer on two-photon microscopy, TIRF microscopy, spinning disk confocal microscopy and optical trapping and provides selective examples of insights gained from these tools on dendritic cell biology.
Cochlear implants in children

Children with such profound deafness that they are not helped by hearing aids are now candidates for cochlear implantation. This technology permits us to provide these children with a significant degree of useful hearing. The degree of improvement in speech perception and spoken language in pediatric cochlear implant recipients varies. However, the younger the children and the less time they have been completely deprived of auditory stimuli, the more likely they are to make significant progress. The evaluation of the deaf child for implantation is best done by a multidisciplinary team who understands the needs of hearing-impaired children and who can work with the family, the child, and classroom teachers, as well as other school professionals. The decision to proceed with cochlear implantation in a child is one that requires long-term commitment on the part of the family and the cochlear implant team.
Toxicity of acenaphthene and isophorone to early life stages of fathead minnows.

Flow-through 96-hr and early-life-stage toxicity tests were conducted with acenaphthene and isophorone, using fathead minnows (Pimephalespromelas) as test animals. The 96-hr LC50's were 608μg/L for acenaphthene and 145 and 255 mg/L for isophorone, depending on fish age. No-effect concentrations from early-life-stage exposures were 413μg acenaphthene/L and 14 mg isophorone/L; these showed good agreement with published toxicity data.
Basic Concepts in the Determination of vascular Volumes by Indicator-Dilution Methods

In this paper, we have considered some of the basic concepts underlying the measurement of vascular volumes by indicator-dilution methods. Granting the assumptions of stationary flow and homogeneous labeling of flowing blood, the classical Stewart-Hamilton prescription, V = Qt, provides a valid estimate of central volume. Although the boundaries of this volume can be precisely defined in terms of "time distances," the anatomic description is less definite. The classical treatment did not provide a theoretical model from which the form of the indicator-dilution curve could be deduced but a number of such models have now appeared. These include the mixing-chamber model of Newman and the stochastic models of Sheppard. The slope-volume based on Newman9s model measures some fraction of the classical central volume, but precise anatomic boundaries probably cannot be assigned to it. We have attempted to show that so long as we deal with a linear system, the indicator-dilution problem, including recirculation, can be conveniently treated in terms of a block diagram-transfer function approach. Finally we have considered some of the theoretical and practical aspects of the measurement of ventricular volumes. In conclusion, it might be appropriate to say something about mathematical models in general. Every such model is an abstraction which deliberately neglects certain features of the prototype in order to make possible the rigorous treatment of others. We should therefore not be disappointed to find that "no thoroughly defined system can be expected to mimic completely all of the phenomena of physiological importance." 5 What we should demand of a model is that it mimic enough of these phenomena to make it useful, and that it point the way to its own continuing improvement. If it does these things, it cannot help but be a contribution to the advancement of both theory and practice.
A 13C NMR study of two alpha-picolines

Abstract The structures of two previously unreported alpha-picolines are assigned by 13C NMR and the spectral parameters for these two compounds are presented and discussed. Evidence for intramolecular hydrogen bonding is presented.
Fatigue properties of high strength-low alloy steels

High strength-low alloy (HSLA) steels are a relatively new group of alloys similar to hot rolled low carbon steel (HRLC) but having higher strengths as a result of composition and processing variations. Because these steels are of potential use in a variety of structural applications involving cyclic loading a knowledge of their fatigue behavior is important. Fatigue experiments were performed on several 80 ksi yield strength HSLA steels and on conventional HRLC steel for comparison. The HSLA steels were all found to exhibit similar fatigue resistance, and were superior to HRLC steel at longer lives. The effects on fatigue behavior of two types of plastic prestrain were determined. While prestrains caused large increases in monotonic strength properties, such improvements were largely lost in fatigue due to cyclic softening. Tensile prestrains are more detrimental to fatigue resistance than compressive prestrains. Finally, it was found that HSLA steel has a higher fatigue notch sensitivity than HRLC steel, however its notch fatigue resistance is still superior to that of HRLC steel.
Distribution of Diatoms and Development of Diatom-Based Models for Inferring Salinity and Nutrient Concentrations in Florida Bay and Adjacent Coastal Wetlands of South Florida (USA)

The composition and distribution of diatom algae inhabiting estuaries and coasts of the subtropical Americas are poorly documented, especially relative to the central role diatoms play in coastal food webs and to their potential utility as sentinels of environmental change in these threatened ecosystems. Here, we document the distribution of diatoms among the diverse habitat types and long environmental gradients represented by the shallow topographic relief of the South Florida, USA, coastline. A total of 592 species were encountered from 38 freshwater, mangrove, and marine locations in the Everglades wetland and Florida Bay during two seasonal collections, with the highest diversity occurring at sites of high salinity and low water column organic carbon concentration (WTOC). Freshwater, mangrove, and estuarine assemblages were compositionally distinct, but seasonal differences were only detected in mangrove and estuarine sites where solute concentration differed greatly between wet and dry seasons. Epiphytic, planktonic, and sediment assemblages were compositionally similar, implying a high degree of mixing along the shallow, tidal, and storm-prone coast. The relationships between diatom taxa and salinity, water total phosphorus (WTP), water total nitrogen (WTN), and WTOC concentrations were determined and incorporated into weighted averaging partial least squares regression models. Salinity was the most influential variable, resulting in a highly predictive model (r apparent 2 = 0.97, r jackknife 2 = 0.95) that can be used in the future to infer changes in coastal freshwater delivery or sea-level rise in South Florida and compositionally similar environments. Models predicting WTN (r apparent 2 = 0.75, r jackknife 2 = 0.46), WTP (r apparent 2 = 0.75, r jackknife 2 = 0.49), and WTOC (r apparent 2 = 0.79, r jackknife 2 = 0.57) were also strong, suggesting that diatoms can provide reliable inferences of changes in solute delivery to the coastal ecosystem.
Confucius Institutes: Distributed leadership and knowledge sharing in a worldwide network

– The purpose of this paper is to focus on Confucius Institutes and assess the applicability of theories of leadership and knowledge sharing to multinational organizations and worldwide networks. Growth of multinational trade and decrease in international tension have facilitated the globalization of both profit‐seeking and non‐profit organizations. Changes in economic and political environment have also blurred the divide in management practices between these organizations., – The research applies recent theoretical developments to analyze leadership and knowledge sharing of the highly successful Confucius Institutes. Operational similarities and differences between this global learning organization and multinational businesses are evaluated., – Many similarities exist between the operations of the Confucius Institutes and multinational businesses. For both, strategic goals are achieved through the promotion of global expansion and the management practices of distributed leadership and knowledge sharing. The study makes clear the successful application of distributed leadership to a worldwide network. The Confucius Institutes reflect the cultural and social changes in China, combined with influences of global cultures. Findings suggest that distributed leadership is a suitable management style for coping with variant cultural and socio‐political conditions globally. This leadership style, combined with a knowledge‐sharing network, is also suitable for the situational variables encountered in making thousands of decisions across hundreds of global locations by both learning institutions and business organizations., – The paper explores a relatively new area of the similarities and differences between global non‐profit and business networks as learning organizations. The study is of value to both those managing and those studying such organizations.
TH-C-BRD-02: Analytical Modeling and Dose Calculation Method for Asymmetric Proton Pencil Beams

Purpose: A dynamic collimation system (DCS), which consists of two pairs of orthogonal trimmer blades driven by linear motors has been proposed to decrease the lateral penumbra in pencil beam scanning proton therapy. The DCS reduces lateral penumbra by intercepting the proton pencil beam near the lateral boundary of the target in the beam's eye view. The resultant trimmed pencil beams are asymmetric and laterally shifted, and therefore existing pencil beam dose calculation algorithms are not capable of trimmed beam dose calculations. This work develops a method to model and compute dose from trimmed pencil beams when using the DCS. Methods: MCNPX simulations were used to determine the dose distributions expected from various trimmer configurations using the DCS. Using these data, the lateral distribution for individual beamlets was modeled with a 2D asymmetric Gaussian function. The integral depth dose (IDD) of each configuration was also modeled by combining the IDD of an untrimmed pencil beam with a linear correction factor. The convolution of these two terms, along with the Highland approximation to account for lateral growth of the beam along the depth direction, allows a trimmed pencil beam dose distribution to be analytically generated. The algorithm was validated by computingmore » dose for a single energy layer 5×5 cm{sup 2} treatment field, defined by the trimmers, using both the proposed method and MCNPX beamlets. Results: The Gaussian modeled asymmetric lateral profiles along the principal axes match the MCNPX data very well (R{sup 2}≥0.95 at the depth of the Bragg peak). For the 5×5 cm{sup 2} treatment plan created with both the modeled and MCNPX pencil beams, the passing rate of the 3D gamma test was 98% using a standard threshold of 3%/3 mm. Conclusion: An analytical method capable of accurately computing asymmetric pencil beam dose when using the DCS has been developed.« less
To speak with an accent: Effects of nasal distortion on stuttering under delayed auditory feedback

The main question in this study was whether Ss stuiter less under DAF when speaking with an accent such as a nasal twang. The hypothesis was verified: A group of 21 Ss stuttered less under DAF when speaking with a nasal accent than when speaking normally. This effect was shown to be due to: (1) The change in the acoustic output as a result of speaking with the accent. A passively produced distortion of the returning feedback (after Held, 1961), which was similar to the actively articulated nasal accent, also caused the Ss to stutter less than normally. (2) Paying less attention to the disruptive feedback. The Ss were shown to pay less attention to nasal feedback, probably because producing a nasal accent requires greater attention to articulation. These results were not due to a reduction in the intelligibility of the nasal feedback, which was just as intelligible as the S’s normal voice, even in noise. The significance of these findings for general theories of DAF and pathological stuttering were discussed.
Complete complex series expansions of near-tip fields for steadily growing interface cracks in dissimilar isotropic materials

Abstract An analytic study of the complete near-tip fields for steadily, yet dynamically, growing interface cracks in dissimilar isotropic bimaterials is reported. Solutions of the crack tip stress and displacement fields are put in the form of complex power series, which are obtained with Radok's complex function formulation for steady plane motion problems, and with a two-term complex eigen-expansion technique.
CLASS Reliability Training as Professional Development for Preschool Teachers

Use of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) is increasing across the United States as an important indicator of the quality of programs for young children. Professional development is required to facilitate teachers’ understanding of the instructional behaviors upon which they will be judged. This study investigated the use of the CLASS reliability training process as initial professional development for preschool teachers participating in an Early Reading First project. Findings reveal that this use of the CLASS reliability training process did jumpstart changes in teachers’ behavior across the domains of emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support, though the domains in which individuals were able to demonstrate the most improvement varied by teacher. These findings have implications for preschool teachers’ professional development as they strive to meet new standards built into many quality rating systems for programs in early childhood.
Survivin-driven and fiber-modified oncolytic adenovirus exhibits potent antitumor activity in established intracranial glioma.

The poor prognosis of patients with malignant gliomas necessitates the development of novel therapies. Virotherapy, using genetically engineered adenovectors that selectively replicate in and kill neoplastic cells, represents one such strategy. In this study, we examined several oncolytic vectors with modified transcriptional and transductional control of viral replication. First, we incorporated the survivin promoter (S) to drive E1A gene expression. We then modified the adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) fiber protein via genetic knob switching or incorporation of peptide ligands to target the following glioma-associated receptors: the Ad3 attachment protein, or CD46, αv β3/αvβ5 integrins, or heparan sulfate proteoglycans. The three conditionally replicative adenoviruses, CRAd-S-5/3, CRAd-S-RGD, and CRAd-S-pk7, were then examined in vitro with respect to transduction efficiency and tissue specificity. The most promising virus was then tested in vivo for evidence of tumor growth inhibition. CRAd-S-pk7 provided ...
Effects of cholinergic stimulation on levels and fatty acid composition of diacylglycerols in mouse pancreas.

Abstract 1. 1. During 15 min after intraperitoneal injection of 1 mg pilocarpine in vivo in the mouse, the level of diacylglycerol in the pancreas rose from 0.47 to 0.80 μmol per g wet weight. There were increases in the levels of all of the individual fatty acids which were measured in the diacylglycerol pool. The major increases were in palmitic and linoleic acids. These accounted for 65% of the total increase. 2. 2. After in vitro incubation of mouse pancreas for 80 min, the levels of diacylglycerol (expressed in μmol/g wet weight) in unstimulated tissue and in tissue incubated with 10 μM or 100 μM acetylcholine (plus 100 μM eserine) were, respectively, 0.51, 1.30 and 3.73. Increases in palmitic, oleic and linoleic acids in the diacylglycerol pool accounted for 75% of the total increase. With 100 μM acetylcholine, the proportions of individual fatty acids in diacylglycerol showed a significant enrichment of stearic and arachidonic acid at 40 min and of linoleic and arachidonic acids at 80 min. With the exception of an enrichment of stearic and arachidonic acids, the fatty acid composition of the new diacylglycerol resembled that of the triacylglycerol pool more closely than that of other classes of lipid in the pancreas. 3. 3. After addition of atropine to acetylcholine-stimulated tissue, the level of diacylglycerol fell so that, after 40 min, the levels and proportions of all individual fatty acids in the diacylglycerol were not significantly different from those in unstimulated tissue. 4. 4. In both the in vivo and in vitro experiments, the changes in levels of stearic and arachidonic acids in diacylglycerol indicated that only a small proportion of the total increase in diacylglycerol level could have been derived from the breakdown of stearoyl, arachidonoyl phosphatidylinositol which occurs in response to cholinergic stimulation in the pancreas. The major effect of acetylcholine in diacylglycerol metabolism in mouse pancreas is separate, therefore, from the effect on phosphatidylinositol metabolism.
late manifestation of chronic liver disease in adults with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency

A review of 19 adult patients with alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (A1AT deficiency) and chronic liver disease revealed a late onset of symptomatic hepatic abnormalities in this condition. Thirteen patients (68%) were 60 years or older when the liver disease was discovered. The mean age of the patients with the ZZ, SZ, and MZ phenotypes was 58, 66, and 72.5 years, respectively; this suggested a later onset of the liver disease in the heterozygotes. At the time of diagnosis, the hepatic condition usually was advanced; in eight patients (42%) the survival was less than two years. The most important associated condition was chronic obstructuve lung disease which was found in 10 patients (53%). We conclude that advanced age and the high incidence of obstructive lung disease make it unlikely that liver transplantation will become a common therapeutic option for adult patients with A1AT deficiency and associated liver disease. Periodic screening of liver function may be indicated in patients with A1AT deficiency so that chronic liver disease can be diagnosed early, particularly if current attempts to develop effective medical therapy for this condition are successful.