cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A 3D image analysis tool for SPECT imaging

We have developed semi-automated and fully-automated tools for the analysis of 3D single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images. The focus is on the efficient boundary delineation of complex 3D structures that enables accurate measurement of their structural and physiologic properties. We employ intensity based thresholding algorithms for interactive and semi-automated analysis. We also explore fuzzy-connectedness concepts for fully automating the segmentation process. We apply the proposed tools to SPECT image data capturing variation of gastric accommodation and emptying. These image analysis tools were developed within the framework of a noninvasive scintigraphic test to measure simultaneously both gastric emptying and gastric volume after ingestion of a solid or a liquid meal. The clinical focus of the particular analysis was to probe associations between gastric accommodation/emptying and functional dyspepsia. Employing the proposed tools, we outline effectively the complex three dimensional gastric boundaries shown in the 3D SPECT images. We also perform accurate volume calculations in order to quantitatively assess the gastric mass variation. This analysis was performed both with the semi-automated and fully-automated tools. The results were validated against manual segmentation performed by a human expert. We believe that the development of an automated segmentation tool for SPECT imaging of the gastric volume variability will allow for other new applications of SPECT imaging where there is a need to evaluate complex organ function or tumor masses.
Reynolds Number Effects on a Supersonic Transport at Transonic Conditions

A High Speed Civil Transport configuration was tested in the National Transonic Facility at the High Speed Research Program. The primary purposes of the tests were to assess Reynolds number scale effects and the high Reynolds number aerodynamic characteristics of a realistic, second generation supersonic transport while providing data for the assessment of computational methods. The tests included longitudinal and lateral/directional studies at low-speed high-lift and transonic conditions across a range of Reynolds numbers from that available in conventional wind tunnels to near flight conditions. Results are presented which focus on both the Reynolds number and static aeroelastic sensitivities of longitudinal characteristics at Mach 0.90 for a configuration without an empennage.
World peat occurrence and the seasonality of climate and vegetation

Abstract The climatic controls on present-day peat formation are examined in order to develop a uniformitarian tool for refining paleoclimate studies, and to create a retrodictive model for the coals of the geologic record. A peat database has been compiled for the world and the resulting patterns are compared with aspects of precipitation and temperature drawn from a gridded data set. Precipitation continuity through the annual cycle is important for biologic productivity in the terrestrial realm. It is expressed in terms of the number of months with average precipitation above 40 mm. Temperature is limiting at higher latitudes where the potential growing season may be defined by the number of months with mean temperature exceeding 10°C. A map predicting the growing season has been constructed from these rainfall and temperature statistics which compares very well with actual vegetation persistence through the year as measured directly from satellite instruments. However, biologic production will not result in peat accumulation unless groundwater levels are maintained through the growing season. Our peat prediction map therefore shows the percentage of time that precipitation occurs during the potential growing season. Present-day peat accumulations are well predicted by this map.
Uroporphyria caused by acetone and 5-aminolevulinic acid in iron-loaded mice.

We report that acetone caused a massive uroporphyria and decreased hepatic uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity in iron-loaded mice given 5-aminolevulinic acid in their drinking water. Although acetone is a highly effective inducer of cytochrome P450 of the IIE and IIB subfamilies in the rat, we found no evidence that the uroporphyria in acetone-treated mice was due to uroporphyrinogen oxidation catalyzed by these forms of cytochrome P450
Charlson Comorbidity Index Adjustment in Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose—Previous studies of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) outcome prediction models have not systematically included adjustment for comorbid conditions. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was associated with early mortality and long-term functional outcome in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods—We performed a retrospective analysis on a prospective observational cohort of patients with ICH admitted to 2 University of California San Francisco hospitals from June 1, 2001 to May 31, 2004. Components of the ICH score and use of early care limitations were recorded. Outcome was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale to 12 months. The CCI was derived using hospital discharge International Classification of Diseases, revision 9 codes and patient history obtained from standardized case report forms. Results—In this cohort of 243 ICH patients, comorbid conditions were common, with CCI scores ranging from 0 to 12. Only 29% of patients w...
Kidney Biomarkers Associated with Blood Lead, Mercury, and Cadmium in Premenopausal Women: A Prospective Cohort Study

Certain metals are harmful to the kidney and liver at high levels, but associations with functional biomarkers at low exposure levels among premenopausal women apparently has not been evaluated. Healthy, regularly menstruating women (n = 259) were followed for up to 2 menstrual cycles with up to 16 visits. Renal and liver biomarkers were measured in serum at each clinic visit. Cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) were measured in whole blood at baseline. Linear mixed models were adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), race, average calories, alcohol intake, smoking, and cycle day. Median levels of Cd, Pb, and Hg were 0.31 μg/L, 0.88 μg/dl, and 1.1 μg/L, respectively. One-third of women had diminished glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (<90 ml/min/1.73 m(2)). Each twofold increase in Cd was associated with a negative 4.9% change in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and bilirubin. Each twofold rise in Pb was associated with decreased eGFR and increased creatinine. A twofold elevation in Hg was associated with higher protein and reduced alkaline phosphatase. In healthy, predominantly nonsmoking women, low levels of Cd, Pb, and Hg were associated with changes in select biomarkers of kidney and liver function.
MEMS-based single-cell penetration force sensor

The rapid development of reproductive biology has created a need for quantifying penetration forces during artificial fertilization. It has been demonstrated that the success of such procedures heavily depends on the mechanics of penetration of the egg's zona and membrane. To quantify the forces during intracytoplasmic injections we have developed a MEMS based force sensor. Deep RIE and fusion bonding are used to fabricate a variable capacitance type sensor. It is designed to measure the penetration force during intracytoplasmic injection of egg cells as well as other applications in the 1 - 500 micrometers N force range. The sensor measures tri-axial forces using a system of flexible beams subjected to bending and torsion. The process is relatively simple and allows for easy modification of the force range. A penetration pipette tip is attached to the sensor body using a low temperature bonding technique. Calibration, sensitivity and initial experimental data is provided.
Electric space cruiser for high-energy missions

Systems description of a spacecraft to be powered by a 500 kw nuclear turboelectric power plant for high energy missions
Validation of cable models for simulation of transients in shipboard power systems

Careful analysis of transients in shipboard power systems is important for future all-electric ships to achieve long life times of its components. In order to accomplish results with high accuracy it is recommended to validate cable models as they have significant influence to amplitude and oscillation frequency of voltage transients. The authors propose comparison of model and measurement using scattering parameters. They can be easily obtained from measurement and simulation and deliver broadband information about the accuracy of the model. The measurement can be performed by means of a vector network analyzer. The process to extract scattering parameters from simulation models is explained in detail in this paper. Two different simulation models of a 5 kV XLPE power cable have been validated and compared. The chosen approach delivers an efficient tool to quickly estimate the quality of a model.
Biogeochemical implications of levee confinement in the lowermost Mississippi River

With the recent formation of the Center for River-Ocean Studies (CeROS) at Tulane University in Louisiana (see http://www.tulane.edu/~ceros) and the emerging state-federal partnership that is creating river diversions to combat coastal land loss, increased attention is being paid to the lowermost Mississippi River, from Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico, as a critical juncture and storage area for sediment particles and bio-active compounds. CeROS scientists, working with the US. Geological Survey and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, have undertaken a detailed re-assessment of the channel floor and water column of this region using geophysical and biogeochemical data collection, combined with historical data sets.
Mass yields from thermal-neutron induced fission of 245CM

Abstract The fission yields of 21 mass chains were measured for the thermal-neutron induced fission of 245Cm. Fission product gamma activities from 245Cm were determined relative to those from 235U with a high resolution lithium-drifted germanium detector. The measured errors ranged from 1 to 10% over a mass number range of 85–147. No significant fine structure in the mass yield curve was apparent.
TU‐E‐ValB‐02: Using Magnetically Collimated Electrons and Narrow Intensity Modulated Tangential Photons for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation

Purpose: Previous studies have shown that enface magnetic collimation lowers entrance dose and reduces lateral scattering for electron beams. However, dose uniformity is limited at depth for single beam delivery. This study investigates whether adding narrow intensity modulated tangential photonbeams would solve the problem and create a new technique for accelerated partial breast irradiation.Method and Materials: Magnetically collimated electron beams were measured and modeled empirically for treatment planning and combined with photonbeams on a commercial treatment planning system (Pinnacle 7.6, Philips Medical System). Treatment plans were generated for conformal irradiation of the partial breast using a pair of intensity modulated tangential photonbeams plus enface magnetically collimated electron beams. The photonbeams were planned via inverse planning with the beam weights of the electron beam adjusted simultaneously. The first MLC segment of the photonbeams was fixed to cover the entire planning target volume in the beam's eye view to minimize the effect of target motion. Final treatment plans were analyzed for dose uniformity, for the conformity of the target volume and also for the dose to normal tissues including the skin.Results: The combined beam approach significantly improved dose conformity, e.g., narrower separation between peripheral isodose lines, as compared with using either electron beams or a pair of tangential fields alone. The use of enface electron beams significantly improved the target dose uniformity to better than 10%. Due to magnetic collimation, the skin dose was on average lowered by 18% over the use of conventional electron beam for the technique. Conclusion: Intensity modulated tangential photonbeams combined with magnetically collimated electron beams offers a new technique for accelerated partial breast irradiation.
Latino gay men and depression.

Edited by Jacquelyn H. Flaskerud, RN, PhD, FAANSchool of Nursing, University of California—Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USAAny discussion of Latino gay men must begin with several caveats....
In vitro cytotoxicity of human recombinant tumor necrosis factor α in association with radiotherapy in a human ovarian carcinoma cell line

It has been speculated that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) may decrease the cytotoxicity of radiotherapy by increasing the scavenging of toxic superoxide radicals. Because of the possible clinical implications, the cytotoxicity of TNF-alpha in combination with radiotherapy (RT) was compared with that of RT alone in a human ovarian cancer cell line. NIH:OVCAR-3 cells were incubated with TNF-alpha at 10.0, 1.0, 0.1, and 0.01 microgram/ml. Plates were divided into two groups; one received 150 cGy of radiotherapy and the other received no further therapy. Seventy-two hours later, supernatants were aspirated and viable cells were stained with a 1% solution of crystal violet. Survival of cells treated with RT plus TNF-alpha was expressed as a percentage of surviving irradiated controls. Analysis of results revealed minimal additive cell killing effect between TNF-alpha and radiotherapy at all concentrations of tumor necrosis factor, with the greatest difference noted in the group treated with 10 micrograms/ml TNF-alpha. A continued radiotherapy dose-response study with TNF-alpha showed a similar additive, not radioprotective, effect. This may have implication as a potentiator of RT in some human tumors.
Separation of proteins via multicolumn pH parametric pumping

Fractionation of protein mixtures by multicolumn pH parametric pumping is investigated theoretically and experimentally. The parapumps considered consist of a series of columns packed alternately with cation and anion exchangers. Various methods of operation of the parapumps are discussed. Two separation problems are examined: enrichment and splitting. Experimental data were obtained for two-column systems and compared with the calculated results based on an equilibrium theory.
Effect of corticosteroid excess and of bilateral adrenalectomy on metabolism of Mg28.

Summary(1) The plasma disappearance and soft tissue uptake of a single i.v. dose of Mg28 was studied in normal rats over a 2 hour period. These results were compared to identical studies in rats given large doses of cortisol and rats made adrenal insufficient. (2) No deviation from normal could be detected in cortisol treated or adrenal insufficient rats.
On the formation of LaFe5Hn

We explore the formation of a LaFe5Hn hydride by means of density functional theory. Enthalpies of formation ΔH with respect to the elemental metals and H2 are calculated for various hydrogen configurations in four prototype crystal structures. We find ΔH < 0 in many cases, suggesting the existence of LaFe5Hn, as does Miedema's semi-empirical model. ΔH is a minimum for the LaFe5H7 stoichiometry with hydrogen occupying the 4e, 8g, and 16m sites in the orthorhombic Cccm structure. Phonon dispersion relations and elastic constants computed for that structure exhibit no anomalies, demonstrating vibrational stability. Similar results for LaFe5 indicate the possible formation of that compound under pressure.
The Effect of Electronic Medical Record Adoption on Outcomes in US Hospitals

The electronic medical record (EMR) is one of the most promising components of health information technology. However, the overall impact of EMR adoption on outcomes at US hospitals remains unknown. This study examined the relationship between basic EMR adoption and 30-day rehospitalization, 30-day mortality, inpatient mortality and length of stay. Our overall approach was to compare outcomes for the two years before and two years after the year of EMR adoption, at 708 acute-care hospitals in the US from 2000 to 2007. We looked at the effect of EMR on outcomes using two methods. First, we compared the outcomes by quarter for the period before and after EMR adoption among hospitals that adopted EMR. Second, we compared hospitals that adopted EMR to those that did not, before and after EMR adoption, using a generalized linear model. Hospitals adopting EMR experienced 0.11 (95% CI: -0.218 to −0.002) days’ shorter length of stay and 0.182 percent lower 30-day mortality, but a 0.19 (95% CI: 0.0006 to 0.0033) percent increase in 30-day rehospitalization in the two years after EMR adoption. The association of EMR adoption with outcomes also varied by type of admission (medical vs. surgical). Previous studies using observational data from large samples of hospitals have produced conflicting results. However, using different methods, we found a small but statistically significant association of EMR adoption with outcomes of hospitalization.
Delivering Legality on the Internet: Developing Principles for the Private Provision of Commercial Law

The development of commercial trade on the Internet has generated a demand for commitment services not met by publicly provided law. In this environment, privately provided means of delivering legality to support trade have emerged, supplying "trust" and "assurance" services through digital certificates and digital seal programs. I survey these developments and from them generate a set of principles to guide economic analysis of privately provided commercial law. Copyright 2004, Oxford University Press.
The Effects of Moist Convection and Water Vapor Radiative Processes on Climate Sensitivity

Abstract The primary interest of the present study is to examine the sensitivity of climate to radiative perturbations such as increases in CO2 and solar insolation for surface temperatures warmer than present day global averaged values (Ts> 290 K). The climate sensitivity, defined here as the change in Ts, is examined with the aid of a one-dimensional radiative-convective model. The solar insolation in the model is varied from 880 to 1840 W m−2 to obtain a wide range of Ts, from 255 to 325 K. We examine in detail the dependence of the computed ΔTs, on the following processes which are known to be important in the warmer regions (e.g., tropics) of the present day atmosphere: convective parameterizations (fixed lapse-rate, moist-adiabatic adjustment and cumulus adjustment); H2O vertical distribution; and H2O longwave radiative treatment. The climate sensitivity is shown to vary nonlinearly with Ts and to depend strongly on: (i) convective processes; (ii) H2O continuum absorption; and (iii) upper tropospher...
Prevention of venous thromboembolism in patients with stroke—enoxaparin vs unfractionated heparin

Prevention of venous thromboembolism in patients with stroke—enoxaparin vs unfractionated heparin
A Bibliographic Guide to the History of Computer Applications, 1950–1990

Preface Introduction: Issues in the History of Computer Applications Applications, 1950-1965 Applications, 1966-1990 Author Index Subject Index
Patient-Centered Research: A Novel Method of Screening for Alcohol Use Disorders in a Primary Care Clinic.

PURPOSE: Alcohol use disorders are common and poorly detected in most primary care settings. We implemented a new method of screening for alcohol use disorders among primary care patients. METHODS: A health screening Interactive Voice Response (IVR) interviewing system (respondents answer pre-recorded questions via touch tone telephones) that includes the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was developed and administered in an urban primary care practice housed in a county hospital. Patients were contacted for screening approximately two weeks prior to their next scheduled visit. At the conclusion of the interview, patients heard on-line feedback advising them on safe-drinking behaviors (appropriate to their AUDIT score). Each patient's primary care physician was faxed a report of the screening results, clinical management recommendations, and referral resources. RESULTS: Of 6035 eligible patients contacted, 86% (5174) agreed to begin the interview, resulting in 2997 interviews in which all necessary alcohol-related questions were answered (58% completion rate). Seventy-one percent of respondents were female; 58% white, 32% black, and 6% Hispanic; the mean age was 49 ± 14.8; insurance status was: 26% uninsured, 24% private, 17% managed care, 17% Medicaid, 16% Medicare. Screening results for 7.9% of respondents were within the hazardous range (AUDIT = 8–10) and 14.1% screened in the harmful range (AUDIT = *11). As expected, increased AUDIT scores (*8) were more prevalent among men (29.3% of men and 10.8% for women). After controlling for gender, the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test was used to compare AUDIT level across age groups (p = 0.001) and racial groups (p = 0.018). Hazardous drinking rates were similar across age groups (range: 4.9–7%) and racial groups (range; 4.1–7.9%). A larger proportion of respondents with AUDIT scores indicating harmful use of alcohol were between the ages of 26–55 (range: 14.4–19.8%), with the highest proportion falling within the 36–45 age group. Hispanic and Black respondents were most likely to report harmful drinking/dependence—16.6% and 16.4%, respectively. However, when rates of hazardous and harmful drinking behaviors are considered together, there was little difference among races (18.5 to 22.9%). CONCLUSION: Using a computerized interview allowed us to screen many more patients for alcohol use disorders than would normally be screened in most primary care settings. The finding that 20% of our patients reported hazardous or harmful drinking behaviors alerts us to how common this stigmatized problem is. IVR systems should be considered as effective tools to screen patients for a prevalent, sensitive issue such as alcohol misuse. We are in the process of examining the effects of novel treatment approaches for alcohol use disorders in primary care.
Effect of dietary factors and environmental chemicals on intestinal drug metabolizing enzymes

The liver is the major site of metabolism of foreign chemicals, but contribution from intestinal biotransformation can influence the overall disposition of chemicals. The intestinal drug‐metabolizing enzymes are located in the endoplasmic reticulum and they possess biochemical properties similar to those of the hepatic system. In general, the rate of in vitro metabolism of drug substrates in intestines is lower than in the liver. There seem to be differences in regulation and induction of hepatic and intestinal drug‐metabolizing enzymes. The in vitro intestinal metabolism of foreign chemicals is affected by several factors including the nutritional status of the animal. Dietary components such as vitamins, lipids and vegetables can modify the activities of intestinal drug‐metabolizing enzymes. Phenobarbital or 3‐methyl‐cholanthrene (3‐MC) pre‐treatment induces the hepatic metabolism of a wide variety of drug substrates in a number of species, while the stimulation of intestinal enzymes is both substrate a...
One‐Stage Synthesis of Raffinose Fatty Acid Polyesters

Liquid polyesters of raffinose (raffinose polyesters, RPE) were synthesized by a one-stage solvent-free interesterification of raffinose un-decaacetate (RUAC) and fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) of salad oils, long chain fatty acids and blends thereof. Interesterification was essentially a low temperature, low pressure process consisting of forming a homogenous melt of RUAC and FAME in the presence of an alkali metal catalyst (2% sodium). RPE were formed with 95.8–99.3% yield based on initial weight of RUAC. Formation of RPE was evaluated with thin layer chromatography (TLC) and RPE composition determined by transesterification with 1.0 M methanolic NaOH, followed by TLC and gas liquid chromatography (GLC). The structure of RPE was confirmed by both infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (C-13 NMR) spectroscopy. Physical properties of the synthesized RPE were similar to physical properties of sucrose polyesters (SPE), conventional salad and vegetable oils. Synthesis of RPE catalyzed by sodium metal appeared to be a deacetylation-acylation process.
Nonisothermal bubble growth in polymeric foams

The dynamics of a large number of bubbles separated by distances of the order of their radii in highly viscous fluids with specific application to foams is investigated. The growth of bubbles is due to diffusion of gas from the fluid and the momentum transfer between the fluid and the bubbles. Equations governing the growth of a single bubble in a shell of fluid containing limited dissolved agas are coupled with the transport equations for the fluid under non-isothermal conditions. The resulting set of equations are solved numerically for a system of bubbles growing along the axial direction in a mold. The results predict a bubble size distribution along the axial direction with large bubbles close to the melt front and smaller bubbles close to the gate, which results in a density distribution in the molded article. Experimental studies on structural foam under nonisothermal conditions are performed. The transient bulk foam density is measured by monitoring the melt front as the foam expands. The predicted values of the foam density are compared with the experimental results and the sources of error are discussed.
Power and Authority: Moral Consensus and Conformity in Sport

This study examined the moral rationales of 109 male and female coaches, athletes and non- athletes. Subjects read a series of sport scenarios in which a conflict arose between an athlete and a member of the athletic establishment. Five categories of moral rationales emerged from the data, two of which, the ethic of care and of self-interest, predominated. Females employed the ethic of care significantly more often than males, while males used the self-interest rationale significantly more often than females. Results are discussed in terms of the asymmetrical power relationship which characterizes athletics and the different moral orientations men and women bring to sport.
Male-female differences in sexual fantasy

Abstract A questionnaire about thoughts and ideas during sexual activity was returned by 51 females and 50 males in a random sample of college undergraduates. A high response rate (91%) and the similar sexual experience of male and female respondents make possible a strong conclusion about the college population sampled: Males are thinking more about past experiences and current behavior, while females are thinking more of imaginary experiences. This difference occurs for thoughts during masturbation as well as for thoughts during heterosexual activity. It appears that females prefer a different kind of sexual fantasy than males, rather than being generally less interested in sexual fantasy as claimed by Kinsey, Pomeroy, Martin, and Gebhart (Sexual behavior in the human female, Philadelphia: Saunders, 1953 ).
An Improved Method for Preparation of Nitric Oxide Myoglobin

We developed an improved method for preparation of bovine nitric oxide myoglobin using the following starting materials: 0.1 mM purified metmyoglobin; 0.1 mM (7 ppm) sodium nitrite; and 1.76 mM (350 ppm) sodium ascorbate. The method requires complete deoxygenation of the reacting system. NOMb prepared in this manner is a source of cured meat pigment which contains a minimum of impurities, since the nitrite reacts quantitatively with the myoglobin in this method.
Repating developmental expression of G-Hox 7, a novel homeobox-containing gene in the chicken

Abstract Here we describe the isolation and characterization of a new chicken homeobox-containing gene, G-Hox 7, which is related to Drosophila msh . The deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA shows greater than 96% homology to the homeo domain of other vertebrate msh -like genes. As for other species, the amino and carboxy termini of the protein are, however, greatly divergent when compared phylogenetically. In situ hybridization studies revealed the early and widespread expression of G-Hox 7 during chick development. This includes its expression in the primitive streak and extraembryonic cells undergoing epiboly, and its expression along the neural axis, including the forebrain. Expression was also observed in the neural crest, neural crest-derived facial and branchial structures, the otocyst, limb, and heart valves. This widespread and recurrent expression of the transcript suggests that the gene may play an essential role at multiple sites during the initiation of new developmental pathways.
The Effect of Punishment of Expectancy to Stutter on the Frequencies of Subsequent Expectancies and Stuttering

Subjects were 12 stutterers who were assigned to experimental, shock-control, and time-control groups in order to investigate the effect of punishment of signaled expectancies to stutter on the fre...
Science, Power, Bodies: The Mobilization of Nature as State Formation

Abstract This paper brings together recently developed perspectives in science studies and the historical sociology of state formation. It focuses on how scientific and government practices together construct the relationalities, identities, natures, and material environments of the bodies that constitute the modern state. The paper argues that the modern state is an effect of these practices, a techno-scientific political formation in which political government and scientific practice are woven together in a heterogeneous yet definitive network.
Endothelium, Nitric Oxide, and Atherosclerosis: From Basic Mechanisms to Clinical Implications

The discovery of nitric oxide as an essential effector of many biological phenomena surely stands out as one of the most important achievements of 20th century biomedical investigation. As a cardiovascular clinician and investigator, the earliest studies of endothelium-derived relaxing factor and nitric oxide in vascular biology are especially gratifying in that they established the scientific infrastructure on which the much broader scope of nitric oxide biology was ultimately based. Understanding the many roles of nitric oxide in cardiovascular biology and pathobiology, in particular, has shed light on basic mechanisms of cardiovascular function, on fundamental mechanisms of cardiovascular disease, and on conventional and novel approaches to cardiovascular therapeutics. With this background, I was not surprised to learn that 53 books have been published on nitric oxide biology and chemistry in the last 10 years, and 10 of these have …
The development of heterojunction integrated injection logic

The development of heterojunction integrated injection logic (HI/sup 2/L) since 1982 is described. The baseline process that uses AlGaAs/GaAs emitter-down HBTs (heterojunction bipolar transistors) as the switching element is presented. Two sets of design rules, one using a 7.0- mu m collector and 8.0- mu m metal pitch and another using a 5.0- mu m collector and 5.0- mu m metal pitch, have been developed for the pilot line circuit fabrication. Typical propagation delays obtained for a fan-out=4 HI/sup 2/L gate using the 7.0- and 5.0- mu m collector processes are 250 and 150 ps, respectively, at a power dissipation of 5 mW per gate. LSI and VLSI circuits as complex as 4 K-gate arrays and 32-bit MIPS microprocessors have been fabricated successfully using the HI/sup 2/L technology. >
Voiding Function in Women with Orthotopic Neobladder Urinary Diversion

Purpose: Most long-term morbidity after radical cystectomy is related to the urinary diversion or reconstruction. While there are benefits to an orthotopic neobladder, there can be a substantial risk of voiding dysfunction in women. We examine the prevalence of postoperative voiding complications in women who underwent orthotopic neobladder diversion.Materials and Methods: We identified all women who underwent radical cystectomy and orthotopic neobladder for bladder cancer at our institution from 1996 to 2011 (51) and included patients with regular clinic followup (49). The presence and severity of incontinence and hypercontinence were evaluated at routine clinic visits. Unadjusted analyses were performed to measure the association between patient variables and voiding symptoms, with p <0.05 considered significant.Results: Daytime incontinence, nighttime incontinence and hypercontinence were reported by 43%, 55% and 31% of women, respectively. A neobladder-vaginal fistula developed in 3 women (6%). On una...
All Together Now: Degree Completions!

The Complete College America (CCA) forces have swept across the nation and firmly landed in Georgia with the Complete College Georgia (CCG) initiative, supported by the Governor and led by the University System of Georgia’s Office of Educational Access and Success in partnership with the Technical College System of Georgia. Founded in 2009, the nonprofit CCA aims to increase college completion rates, to increase job-related credentials, and to narrow the gap in college attainment for traditionally underserved populations. The Georgia initiative will build partnerships to focus on data and metrics, transforming remediation, restructuring delivery, and decreasing time to completion (see the url under resources). CCA is supported by heavy hitting foundations including the Gates Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation of New York, the Kellogg Foundation, and Lumina. Georgia is one of 29 states to join CCA and is a recipient of a $1 million grant for remediation projects at four institutions. Complete College America is aligned with the federal emphasis on college completion and with LuminaTM Foundation’s strategic direction to increase access to and success in college (postsecondary education). Lumina has identified this as its “big goal—to increase the percentage of Americans with high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 % by the year 2025.” Achieving GOAL 2025 will require an additional 23 million degrees over the next 12 years. The goal is premised on the need for an educated populace to succeed in the knowledge economy and to compete in the global economy. In the U.S., the percentage of population with a postsecondary credential or degree has held steady for 40 years, which yields a larger and larger gap between employment needs and individual preparation. Policy makers, governors, and educators all agree that we must do more to see that young adults graduate, gain skills to participate in the economy, and contribute to society and to their families and communities. In Georgia, an estimated 42 % of the adult population has some level of college education. Reaching the 60 % goal of attainment for certificate, associate, or baccalaureate degrees will require 250,000 additional degrees. Data from the report Time is the Enemy by Complete College America (2011), show that six-year graduation rates across the states range from just around 35 % to 72 %, while the rates for part-time students are significantly lower (approximately 8 to 39 %). Of great concern, and key to higher levels of completions, is the extremely low rate of completion for the population of part-time students, who now make up the bulk of college attendees. There Innov High Educ (2012) 37:167–169 DOI 10.1007/s10755-012-9220-5
Multiple bile‐duct hamartomas

Six cases of multiple bile-duct hamartomas are reported as incidental findings in 875 autopsies (0.69%). All of the patients were Negroes; there were 3 males and 3 females, ranging in age from 46 to 93 years. One patient had associated bilateral congenital polycystic kidney and hemangiomas of the liver. Another patient had associated unilateral congenital cysts of the kidney and a cortical hamartoma of the ipsilateral kidney. Gross and microscopic variations of bile-duct hamartomas are illustrated and their significance is discussed. To avoid possible oversight of the lesions, reexamination of the liver after fixation in 10% neutral formalin is recommended. It is also emphasized that the histology of the lesions may be clear-cut hamartomas or may suggest neoplastic growths. The relationship of bile-duct hamartomas to polycystic disease of the liver is discussed. Its association with congenital hepatic fibrosis and congenital dilatation of the intrahepatic bile ducts is presented.
Developing a measure of health-related quality of life for women with cervical dysplasia resulting from human papillomavirus infection:

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the USA, and has major physical and psychological consequences including fear, anxiety and stigma. To date, there is no measure of health-related quality of life specifically designed to assess symptoms and functioning for people with cervical dysplasia resulting from HPV infection. In the present study, we set out to develop a disease-specific measure of health-related quality of life among women with low-grade cervical dysplasia. We conducted literature reviews, open-ended interviews with patients, clinician surveys and cognitive interviews which guided item development. The result is a preliminary 36-item measure, the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Cervical Dysplasia (FACIT-CD), which sets out to assess the physical and psychological health-related quality-of-life aspects of cervical dysplasia and will be validated in an upcoming study.
A dynamical model of two-level selection

Question: How do continuous-time evolutionary trajectories of two-level selection behave? Approach: Construct and solve a dynamical model of two-level selection capable of predicting evolutionary trajectories and equilibrium configurations. Mathematical methods: Evolutionary birth–death processes, simulation, large population asymptotics, numerical solutions of hyperbolic PDEs. Key assumptions: Environment composed of distinct groups of individuals. Individuals’ birth and death rates are differentiable functions of the state of the environment. Groups’ fissioning and extinction rates are integrable functions of the state of the environment. Main results: A continuous-time, discrete-state, stochastic model of two-level selection that can be simulated exactly. A continuous-time, continuous-state, deterministic (PDE) model of two-level selection that can be solved numerically. A mathematical connection between the stochastic and deterministic models. Equilibrium configurations of the environment in models of the evolution of cooperation by two-level selection often consist of complicated mixtures of groups of varying sizes, ages, and levels of cooperation.
Carbon dioxide partial pressures in arctic surface waters1

Seasonal changes in the CO, partial prcssurc (PCO,) regime for an arctic freshwater pond and lake near Barrow, Alaska, were measured by infrared gas analysis by determining the CO, concentration of air in equilibrium with the water. These waters were generally supersaturated in CO, with respect to air throughout the period of open water and constitute a CO, source to the arctic atmosphere. Meltwater standing on the bottomfast ice of the lake in spring and water beneath the newly formed ice in fall also had COz partial pressures greater than ambient air. The seasonal mean COz partial pressure gradient between the water and the ambient air was 3972185 ppm for the pond and 115283 ppm for the lake. PC02 was inversely rclatcd to wind speed and water temperature but directly related to sediment tcmpcrature. Evasion rate cocfficicnts calculated for the lake, based on in situ rate expcrimcnts, indicated an average transfer of 0.3450.17 mg COz cm-” atm-l min-l to the atmosphcrc. Surface water is a significant part of the landscape of the arctic coastal plain of Alaska during the summer thaw period, comprising up to 50-80s of the land arca (Brown and West 1970) and conceivably influencing the atmospheric levels of C02. The sizes of these water bodies form a continuum from pools only a few meters in diameter to lakes 8-16 km or more long (Britton 1967). We have determined CO2 exchange rates between an arctic pond and lake and the atmosphere. Data reduction assistance by M. A. Coyne and technical assistance by B. JI. Core11 arc acknowledged. We thank G. Weller for providing wind speed data and R. Lewellen for providing area measurements for the pond and lake. Theory The interaction be twcen the atmosphere an d surficial water with respect to the di
Fluency in initial reading instruction: A reading recovery lesson

(1991). Fluency in initial reading instruction: A reading recovery lesson. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 30, Fluency in Oral Reading, pp. 201-210.
Suicide Acceptability is Related to Suicide Planning in U.S. Adolescents and Young Adults

The association between adolescents’ and young adults’ attitudes toward suicide and their own suicidality across five racial-ethnic classifications was studied in a nationally representative sample of 3,301 youth ages 14 to 22 years from the National Annenberg Risk Survey of Youth. Results indicate that adolescents and young adults who most strongly believe that it is acceptable to end one’s life are more than fourteen times more likely to make a plan to kill themselves as those who do not have such beliefs (p < .001). Future behavioral prevention and intervention research should take into consideration adolescents’ and young adults’ approval of suicide as a risk factor for taking their own lives.
A Server Side Caching System for Efficient Web Map Services

In this paper, we propose a new server side caching system that supports efficient storage and retrieval of cached map image tiles. The efficiency is achieved by organizing the map image tiles of the same layer in the same file with the relationships between corresponding map image tiles on different zoom levels, combined with the use of a main memory resident data structure and hard disc indices to facilitate the process for finding the pointers to the required map image tiles. Performance evaluation shows that the new caching system can significantly reduce the hard disc access times needed to process a Web map service request.
FAILURE TO INDUCE MALIGNANT HYPERTHERMIA IN MYOTONIC GOATS

Six goats with myotonia congenita were exposed for 1 h to 1% halothane and a single injection of suxamethonium i.v. in an attempt to induce malignant hyperthermia. No evidence of malignant hyperthermia occurred. Suxamethonium did produce a myotonic response in each goat, lasting 10–20s, which was accompanied by a transient increase in aerobic metabolism as indicated by a decrease in PvO 2 from 6.6 to 5.7 kPa, an increase in PaCO 2 from 5.1 to 6.1 kPa and an increase in PvCO 2 from 5.5 to 6.3 kPa. There was no evidence of any metabolic acidosis since the transient changes in pH and buffer base were consistent with the increase in carbon dioxide tension. It is concluded that in goats myotonia congenita does not predispose to susceptibility to malignant hyperthermia
Development of Novel Microsatellite Markers for the Secret Cave Cricket, Ceuthophilus secretus

The secret cave cricket, Ceuthophilus secretes Scudder (Orthroptera: Rhaphidophoridae), is an obligate trogloxene endemic to central Texas, USA, and is a primary source of energy and nutrients for sensitive cave ecosystems. In this study, nine polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed from genomic DNA of C. secretes. Genotypes of 120 individuals sampled from four localities on the Fort Hood Military Reservation, Killeen, Texas, were analyzed to characterize the polymorphism at each locus. The number of alleles ranged from 19 to 46. All paired loci were in linkage equilibrium. Four loci had significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Observed heterozygosity varied from 0.793 to 0.959. These loci provide a means of characterizing population genetic structure in this species.
Paleomagnetism of Upper Triassic continental sedimentary rocks from the Dan River-Danville rift basin (eastern North America)

A magnetic polarity stratigraphy and a corresponding paleomagnetic pole position are reported from 113 sampling sites representing 3000 m of Upper Triassic continental sedimentary rocks that crop out in the Dan River‐Danville basin of North Carolina and Virginia. Characteristic magnetizations isolated by thermal demagnetization for either the hematite-bearing red siltstones or the interbedded magnetite-bearing gray to black mudstones of the Leakesville Formation are indistinguishable in mean direction and pass reversal tests. The magnetic polarity sequence consists of 11 magnetozones that vary from ∪100 m to 800 m in thickness and can be uniquely correlated within biostratigraphic constraints to magnetochrons E9n to E14n of the Newark geomagnetic polarity time scale. According to this correlation, the sampled section is the age equivalent of the uppermost Stockton, the entire Lockatong, and the lowermost Passaic formations of the Newark basin, and represents ∪7.5 m.y. of deposition. The late Carnian Dan River‐Danville paleopole is located at 55.4°N 100.1°E (A 95 = 1.9°), which is not significantly different from paleopoles reported from essentially coeval rocks in the Newark basin. Considering that the Dan River‐Danville and Newark basins are ∪600 km apart, the close agreement of the coeval paleopoles argues strongly for the overall tectonic coherence of these rift basins with respect to each other and, most probably, with respect to cratonic North America. Discordant latest Triassic paleopoles from the southwestern United States, which have tended to be attributed to fast apparent polar wander for North America in the Late Triassic and predict anomalously high paleolatitudes for eastern North America, are best accounted
Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Motor Symptoms in Parkinson Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

revealed a pooled SMD of 0.46 (95% CI, 0.29-0.64), indicating an overall medium effect size favoring active rTMS over sham rTMS in the reduction of motor symptoms (P < .001). Subgroup analysis showed that the effect sizes estimated from high-frequency rTMS targeting the primary motor cortex (SMD, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.46-1.08; P < .001) and low-frequency rTMS applied over other frontal regions (SMD, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.13-0.87; P = .008) were significant. The effect sizes obtained from the other 2 combinations of rTMS frequency and rTMS site (ie, high-frequency rTMS at other frontal regions: SMD, 0.23; 95% CI, −0.02 to 0.48, and low primary motor cortex: SMD, 0.28; 95% CI, −0.23 to 0.78) were not significant. Meta-regression revealed that a greater number of pulses per session or across sessions is associated with larger rTMS effects. Using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria, we characterized the quality of evidence presented in this meta-analysis as moderate quality.
Searching quality data for municipal solid waste planning

Effective waste reduction and recycling is predicated upon credible data on refuse generation and disposal. Despite improvements in the quality of data for municipal solid wastes (MSW) disposal, dependable generation and recycling statistics to support planning, regulation and administration are lacking. The available aggregates on national waste production from two sources do not conform to each other and fail to serve the requirements of local solid waste planning. As recycling estimates will be difficult to discern, the collection of generation data based on weighing waste samples at generator sites has been portrayed as the key for developing sustainable local databases. The coefficients developed from the databases for the various categories of residential, commercial, industrial and institutional wastes can be used as variables for waste generation models.