cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hamstring muscle length and lumbar lordosis in subjects with different lifestyle and work setting: comparison between individuals with and without chronic low back pain.

Background and objectives Shortened hamstring muscle length has been noted in persons with low back pain (LBP). Prolonged sitting postures, such as those adopted during different work settings and sedentary lifestyle has been associated with hamstring shortness and LBP. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of lifestyle and work setting on hamstring length and lumbar lordosis in subjects with and without LBP and to identify the relationship between hamstring muscles length and lumbar lordosis in individuals with different lifestyle and work setting. Material and method A total of 508 subjects between the ages of 20 and 65 were selected. Subjects were categorized into two groups of individuals with and without LBP. A questionnaire was used to obtain information about the subjects' lifestyle and work setting. Hamstring muscle length and lumbar lordosis were measured in all subjects. Results The results showed no significant difference in the number of subjects with different work setting or lifestyle in individuals with and without LBP. Hamstring muscle length or lumbar lordosis was not affected by type of work setting and lifestyle. Our data showed significant difference in hamstring length and no significant difference in lumbar lordosis between subjects with and without LBP in all categories. Lumbar lordosis was not different between individuals with and without hamstring tightness in normal and LBP subjects with different work setting and lifestyle. Conclusion The findings of this study did not support the assumption that work setting and sedentary lifestyle would lead to hamstring tightness in subjects with LBP. It seems that work setting and lifestyle was not a contributing factor for hamstring tightness in subjects with LBP.
A Note on the Potential of a Vertical Electric Dipole Over the Interface Between Two Lossy Media

The method of steepest descents has been used to evaluate solutions for the potential of a vertical electric dipole over an interface, wherein the characteristics of both media have been expressed in generalized (nonmagnetic) terms. The nature of the propagation is found to depend upon the relative loss tangents of the two media, and to consist of spherical waves and (in the more lossy region) two additional waves with surface bound properties, independently of the location of the dipole.
Classwide Curriculum-Based Measurement: Helping General Educators Meet the Challenge of Student Diversity:

This study examined the effectiveness of innovative curriculum-based measurement (CBM) classwide decision-making structures within general education mathematics instruction, with and without recommendations for how to incorporate CBM feedback into instructional planning. Forty general educators, each of whom had at least one student with an identified learning disability for math instruction, were randomly assigned to three groups: CBM with classwide reports that summarized information and provided instructional recommendations, CBM with reports but without recommendations, and contrast (no CBM). Results indicated that only the CBM teachers who received instructional recommendations designed better instructional programs and effected greater achievement for their students.
There are uncountably many universal topological planes

We prove the existence of uncountably many nonisomorphic topological projective planes, each ‘universal’ in the sense that it contains an isomorphic copy of every pseudoline arrangement.
Uncertain Legacies: Federal Budget Policy from Roosevelt Through Reagan

An analysis of modern U.S.budget policy. It presents a balanced appraisal of the causes and cures of deficits than found in current ideological and partisan diagnoses. By analyzing the evolution of spending and tax policy during the period of "modern budget policy" - from the New Deal through the Regan administration - it provides a necessary perspective on the policy conflicts that have frustrated a long series of budget-control efforts. This book has several distinctive features. First, it places the current deficit-control issue in the context of long-term alterations in the size and composition of the budget. Second, it argues that effective, lasting deficit control cannot be achieved without significant and unpopular changes in entitlement programme, such as social security and medicare. Third, it proposes a procedural reform in the budget process; presidential reconciliation, which would provide the president with an integrated annual budget, enhancing the opportunity for presidential leadership on difficult budget-control issues. Ippolito's analysis does not assume that deficit control is the only legitimate budget policy concern. Other policy choices are debated fully and openly in the political process. The author's goal is to contribute to that debate by providing perspective and clarifying choices.
Polarization dependence of holographic surface relief gratings recorded on azobenzene polymers

We report our investigations of polarization dependent recording of surface relief gratings on azobenzene containing polymer films. The experimental results indicate that the localized variations of magnitude and polarization of the resultant electric field and the existence of a nonzero component of the resultant electric field along the light intensity gradient direction in the film are essential to the formation of the surface relief gratings. Large surface modulation (> 6500 angstroms) were obtained under optimal recording conditions. It has been found that under optimal recording condition, the diffraction efficiency of the surface relief grating is dependent only on the total light energy incident on the film surface and the diffraction efficiency increase rate is proportion to the intensity of recording beams.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Near-Inertial Energy Propagation from the Mixed Layer: Theoretical Considerations

Abstract Wind-generated inertial currents can radiate from the mixed layer as horizontally and vertically propagating new-inertial internal gravity waves. To study the timescale of the decay of mixed layer energy and the magnitude of the energy transfer to the ocean below, the authors developed a numerical, linear model on a β plane, using baroclinic modes to describe the velocity field. The model is unforced-wave propagation is initiated by specifying the mixed layer currents that would he generated by a moving atmospheric front. The numerical results are interpreted using concepts of modal interference and modal departure that can be evaluated analytically, thereby permitting predictions Of some features of wave field evolution without the need to run the numerical model. The energy exchange with the pycnocline and deep ocean is explored as a function of the propagation speed and direction of the front, the horizontal extent of the storm, and the background stratification. The timescale of energy transf...
Optoelectronic properties of transparent and conducting single-wall carbon nanotube thin films

Optoelectronic characterization of transparent and conducting single-wall carbon nanotubethin films is reported. By eliminating the influence of voids and bundle-bundle interactions within the effective medium theory, we show that the complex dielectric response of the individual nanotube varies with its density in the film. Specifically, the absorption peak assigned to the maximum intensity of π - π * transitions was found to decrease from E π = 5.0 eV at low nanotube density to E π = 4.2 eV at intermediate densities and increased again at higher densities to E π = 4.5 eV . Furthermore, the Drude background was found only above a critical density ( Φ o ) of nanotubes. These results unequivocally demonstrate that the optical processes are not confined only to in-tube transitions and that the absence of confinement in nanotubenetworks profoundly affects the electronic behavior of the individual tube.
Release of dopamine from mesencephalic neurons in aggregate cultures: influence of target and non-target cells

Spontaneous release of [3H]dopamine (DA) was observed from reaggregates of dissociated cells from fetal rostral mesencephalic tegmentum (RMT) containing DA neurons cocultured with their axonal target cells from striatum (CS) or frontal cortex (FCx), or with non-target cells from occipital cortex (OCx), or tectum. Such release increased in response to 50 mM K+. Tetrodotoxin (TTX) suppressed the spontaneous release from RMT-CS and RMT-FCx reaggregates by 42%; from RMT-tectum reaggregates by 24%, and did not significantly inhibit the release from RMT-OCx cocultures. Since TTX blocks spontaneous neuronal activity, these results suggest that the presence of axonal target cells enhances the activity of the dopamine neurons. DA neurons within RMT-FCx reaggregates released significantly more [3H]DA in response to 50 mM K+ than in RMT-CS cocultures. This result is in accord with the findings in vivo that inhibitory feedback mechanisms on DA release, present in the striatum, are lacking in the frontal cortex.
Effects of Combination Estrogen Plus Progestin Hormone Treatment on Cognition and Affect

Context: Some studies of hormone treatment in postmenopausal women suggest benefits on specific cognitive functions, particularly memory. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether hormone therapy influences changes in specific cognitive functions and affect in older women. Design: This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Setting: Participants were women from 14 of 40 clinical centers of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI). Participants: Postmenopausal women (1416) aged 65 yr and older, free of probable dementia, and enrolled in WHI and the WHI Memory Study (WHIMS) trial of combination estrogen and progestin for a mean of 3 yr and followed for a mean of 1.35 yr, were studied. Intervention: Intervention was conjugated equine estrogen (CEE; 0.625 mg) with 2.5 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in one daily tablet (CEE + MPA) or placebo. Main Outcome Measures: Annual rates of change in specific cognitive functions and affect, adjusted for time since...
Secondary metabolite uptake by the Aristolochia-feeding papilionoid butterfly Battus polydamas

Abstract Many species of the Papilionidae are unpalatable and protected from natural enemies by aristolochic acids (AAs) sequestered from their Aristolochiaceae food plants. Battus polydamas (Papilionidae, Troidinii) is an Aristolochia -feeding papiloinoid butterfly. The uptake of AAs and other secondary metabolites by B. polydamas larvae from Aristolochia c was examined. The AA composition of larva, pupa and imago of B. polydamas was determined by HPLC-PDA, HPLC-MS-MS and comparison with authentic samples. The plant is rich in AA-II which is accompanied by minor amounts of AAs I, III, IV, Ia, IIIa, IVa and IVb. All eight AA analogs plus four O-glucosides from the phenolic AAs Ia, IIIa, IVa and IVb were present in the insect extracts. The AA-analogs IVb, Ia O-glucoside, IVb O-glucoside are described for the first time. The larval haemolymph qualitatively reflects the AA-pattern of the plant and is also rich in AA-II. Analysis of the larval tissues and the osmeterial secretion shows that the phenolic AAs are significantly O-glucosylated. Except for AA-I, all the AAs are gradually catabolized into unknown compounds throughout the life stages of B. polydamas , being therefore much less abundant or absent in the imago. In the imago AA-II becomes undetectable whereas AA-I remains as the major AA. Results suggest that predominance of AA-I in the adult may be due to repressed degradation of this acid rather than selective sequestration from the plant or de novo synthesis by the insect. Some aspects related to aristolochic acid uptake and metabolism are discussed.
A frog virus 3 gene codes for a protein containing the motif characteristic of the INT family of integrases.

Abstract The integrase (INT) family of bacteriophage coded integrase-recombinase proteins are responsible for catalyzing strand exchange between DNA molecules and play an important role in the DNA replication of many bacteriophages. Within the frog virus 3 (FV3) genome we have identified an open reading frame (ORF) of which the deduced amino acid sequence contains a motif characteristic of the INT family of integrases-recombinases. The ORF consists of 825 by which codes for a protein of 275 amino acids with a predicted M r of 29,945. RNA transcribed from this ORF during virus infection was detected by Northern blot analysis and it is a delayed early message of approximately 1100 bases. The 5′ and 3′ ends of the putative FV3 integrase-recombinase transcript were mapped. The transcriptional start site is preceded by a presumptive TATA box, and a region of hyphenated dyad symmetry is present at the 3′ end of the message. A protein with an M r of approximately 30,500 was synthesized by a rabbit reticulocyte lysate programmed with capped runoff transcripts from the cloned gene, indicating that the ORF can be transcribed into a message coding for a viral protein. In the FV3 life cycle, DNA replication occurs in a large complex formed through the recombination of small viral DNA molecules. Thus, at this stage, DNA replication and recombination are interlinked. Resolution of concatameric DNA is required for the packaging of genomes into virus particles. The putative FV3 INT gene may be involved in one or more of these functions.
Comparison of elastic-plastic and rigid-plastic implicit FEM simulations in sheet forming applications

Abstract A general formulation for numerical finite element simulation of complex sheet forming processes with arbitrary tools is briefly introduced. An incremental displacement (“solid”) approach is assumed. Special attention is drawn to the choice of material models. The performance of the reviewed elastic-viscoplastic and rigid-viscoplastic algorithms is documented and the numerical results are compared to the experimental measurements. Test problems as well as deep drawings with complex irregular die geometries are simulated. Direct comparisons of the results obtained for identical tool-sheet sets from elastic-plastic and rigid-plastic models are presented and discussed. Provided that the overall numerical model is properly derived, it is shown that both approaches are accurate for many typical applications in sheet forming. Consequently, additional criteria to aid in the choice of material models are proposed and discussed. These include robustness, efficiency, and type of resulting information sought.
LOGICAL CONSISTENCY OF THE ANGOFF METHOD OF STANDARD SETTING

Standard setting on licensure and certification tests is difficult both to execute and to defend. There may, however, be certain minimum standards for standard setting on which most everyone may be able to agree. One such standard is logical consistency. Kane (1984, 1986) has suggested an approach to evaluating the logical consistency of one widely used method to set passing scores–the Angoff procedure (Angoff, 1971). This approach is applied here to the standard setting data obtained in a study of the NTE Specialty Area Test for School Psychology.
Paramagnetism at Ambient Temperature, Diamagnetism at Low Temperature in a Ru26+ Core: Structural Evidence for Zero-Field Splitting

Variable temperature magnetic studies of the Ru(2)(6+) guanidinate compounds Ru(2)(hpp)(4)Cl(2) (1) and Ru(2)(hpp)(4)(CF(3)SO(3))(2) (2) show that they are paramagnetic with two unpaired electrons at room temperature and that they appear essentially diamagnetic at 2 K. In neither compound do the Ru-Ru distances vary by more than 0.008(1) A from 27 to 296 K. This argues strongly that the ground state electronic configuration remains constant over this temperature range and that the decrease in magnetism as the temperature is lowered must be attributable to zero-field splitting of the (3)A(2g) ground state arising from the electronic configuration sigma(2)pi(4)delta(2)pi(2). The Ru-Ru distance in 1 is about 0.04-0.05 A longer than that in 2 which indicates that the Ru(2)(hpp)(4)(2+) core is quite sensitive to the nature of the axial ligands. The electronic spectra show three absorption bands for each compound.
Usage Versus Ownership: Suggestions for Refining Studies of Time Savings and Wives’ Employment

Considers the mixed results of studies linking between wives′ employment and time‐saving behaviours. Argues that a possible explanation is found in limited conceptual frameworks, inconsistent use of concepts, and insufficiently sensitive research measures. Concludes that both studies, and product development and promotion, should utilize a broadened conceptual framework of consumer time restraints, rather than just wives′ employment.
Real time simulation of power flow control strategies for fuel cell vehicle with energy storage by using Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS)

Power flow control strategy is very important for fuel cell (FC) vehicle (FCV) with energy storage (ES) to improve the system dynamic performance and increase system efficiency. The design of power flow strategy will also affect the size of ES and life cycles of FC and ES. Traditionally, power flow control strategies are studied either using hardware power train test bed or using pure software (PC based) simulation. The former method is costly and time consuming. The latter method suffers from lack of accuracy since large simulation time-step has to be adopted because of limited computation capability. This paper presents a new solution to study power flow control strategies for FCV with ES by using Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS). In particular, a proton exchange membrane (PEM) FC system dynamic model and an ultra-capacitor (UC) dynamic model are integrated in the FC vehicle power train to study the power flow control. A unified averaged model of proposed three-phase bidirectional dc-dc converter is developed. Two power flow control strategies of two FCV power trains are proposed. The FCV power trains are simulated in real time on RTDS and two power flow control strategies performances are compared through simulation. The simulation results confirmed that this approach provided a fast, accurate and flexible method for studying FCV power management strategies and performance.
The Optical Flow of Planar Surfaces

The human visual system can recover the 3D shape of moving objects on the basis of motion information alone. Computational studies of this capacity have considered primarily non-planar rigid objects. With respect to moving planar surfaces, previous studies by Hay (1966), Tsai and Huang (1981), Longuet-Higgins (1984), have shown that the planar velocity field has in general a two-fold ambiguity: there are two different planes engaged in different motions that can induce the same velocity field. The current analysis extends the analysis of the planar velocity field in four directions: (1) the use of flow parameters of the type suggested by Koenderink and van Doorn (1975), (2) the exclusion of confusable non-planar solutions, (3) a new proof and a new method for computing the 3D motion and surface orientation, and (4) a comparison with the information available in orthographic velocity fields, which is important for determining the stability of the 3D recovery process.
Supercritical extraction with carbon dioxide and ethylene of poly(vinyl butyral) and dioctyl phthalate from multilayer ceramic capacitors

Abstract Supercritical extraction with carbon dioxide and ethylene at 35–75 °C and 10–40 MPa was used to remove binder and plasticizer from multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCs) having BaTiO3 as the dielectric and Pt as the electrode material. The organic phase consisted of poly(vinyl butyral) (PVB) and dioctyl phthalate (DOP) in the weight ratio of 55:45 present as 10% initial body weight. With supercritical CO2 or C2H4 at 75 °C and 40 MPa, 50.2 and 41.4% by weight of the total organic phase, respectively, were extracted from the MLC substrates in 3 h. Use of methanol as an entrainer at the same conditions led to almost no change in extraction in CO2 and to 50% extraction in C2H4. When films of PVB and DOP (without BaTiO3 and Pt) were subjected to the same extraction conditions with methanol, 63.4% of the organic phase was removed in supercritical C2H4 as compared to 52.6% in supercritical CO2. Evidence is also presented for interactions between DOP and PVB and BaTiO3. The degree of swelling of DOP+PVB films in both the supercritical solvents was also examined as a function of temperature and pressure.
β-2-THIENYL-DL-ALANINE (Thi) AS AN INHIBITOR OF PHENYLALANINE HYDROHYLASE (PheH) AND PHENYLALANINE (Phe) INTESTINAL TRANSPORT, IN VITRO AND IN VIVO

Thi inhibits phe tubular resorption and alao causes malabaorption of Phe in animals. Structural similarities between Phe and Thi suggested Thi may be a good inhibitor of PheH and hence reproduce the biochemical lesion in PKU. The effects of Thi on rat liver (Lv) and kidney (Kd) PheH were assessed in vitro and in vivo, and on intestinal transport of Phe. The Km for Lv PheH changed from 0.54 mM in the absence of Thi, to 6.6 mM in the presence of 24 mM Thi with no significant change in Vm. For Kd the respective Km were 0.60 and 3.0 mM, both cases inSicating competitive inhibition. Ki were similar in both tissues: 3.2 and 3.4 mM. Hill coefficients close to 1 showed PheH in Lv and Kd was not an allosteric enzyme. No inhibition of PheH in vivo was observed in Lv and Kd, 1 or 24 hr after an i.p. dose of Thi (2 mmolea/kg). When injections were repeated daily for 4 days, only a marginal inhibition of PheH (14% in Lv and 23% in Kd) was observed. In other experiments, when 24 mM Thi was perfused in vivo together with Phe through a 20 cm jejunal segment, it produced a moderate inhibition of Phe intestinal transport. Kinetic studies also indicated competitive inhibition. The elevated Ki for Thi (80 mM)makes it unlikely that oral Thi could effectively decrease Phe absorption and hence provide an alternative to low Phe diets in the management of PKU.
Letter to the Editor---Optimum Preventative Sampling Via Dynamic Programming

In an interesting paper entitled “Optimum Preventative Sampling,” Whittle Whittle, P. 1954. Optimum preventative sampling. J. Opns Res. Soc. Am.2 197--203. has discussed the general problem of carrying out a sampling operation---not for the customary purpose of estimating a characteristic of a population but for the purpose of discouraging the arising of defectives. In general the more intense the sampling is, the greater is the deterrent effect on a potential transgressor. We wish to show how the optimization problem to which Whittle's model leads, and which is typical of a large class of related problems, may be treated advantageously by the functional equation technique of dynamic programming Bellman, R. 1957. Dynamic Programming. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey..
Pigment-Specific Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Single Antenna Complexes in Solution

Oligomerization plays a critical role in shaping the light-harvesting properties of many photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes (PPCs) in vivo, but a detailed understanding of this process at the level of individual pigments is still lacking. Here, aiming to study the effects of oligomerization in vitro, we designed a single-molecule approach to probe the emissive properties of individual pigment sites as a function of a PPC's different oligomerization states. Our method, based on the principles of anti-Brownian electrokinetic trapping of single fluorescent molecules, step-wise photobleaching, and multi-parameter fluorescence spectroscopy, allowed pigment-specific spectroscopic information on single PPCs to be recorded in a non-perturbative aqueous environment with unprecedented detail.In particular, we focused on the monomer-to-trimer transformation of allophycocyanin (APC), which is the core antenna complex of cyanobacteria and red algae. At the monomer level, we found that the two phycocyanobilin (PCB) pigments (α and β) show similar but non-degenerate emission properties with asymmetric FRET. Interestingly, β acts as an emissive trap that quenches the emission from α on an intact monomer and can continue to act as a non-radiative trap for α after photo-damage. In the assembled trimers, two sets of emissive properties, one resembling the β site on the monomer and the other significantly red-shifted from either of the two sites on the monomer, were revealed at the single-pigment level. These observations suggest that the bathochromatic shift that accompanies trimer assembly of APC is localized on the α pigment site, which, in the pre-assembled (monomeric) state of the protein, is shielded and protected by the β pigment.
Malignancy and chronic wounds: Marjolin's ulcer.

Abstract Malignancy in chronic wounds is not uncommon and has been reported as occurring in chronic scars of diverse causes. We report an unusual case of bilateral thermal injuries of the lower extremities that 40 years later presented as very large, painful, fungating wounds of both lower legs. After histologic confirmation of squamous cell carcinoma, eradication of the disease required amputations of both the lower extremities and reconstructive procedures. In addition, we discuss current theories regarding the mechanism of malignant degeneration in chronic wounds and evaluate treatment on the basis of information currently available in the literature.
Stress analysis in electronic packaging

Abstract Stress analysis is of crucial importance in the design of components and systems in the electronic industry. The common problems are those of thermal stress and fatigue, handling, shock and vibration; adhesion must be adequate to insure composite action. Finite element methods predominate among the computational tools and must go hand-in-hand with experimental procedures to verify the results. Examples for analytical treatment are presented for various levels of packaging structures.
A Hypergraph-Based Reduction for Higher-Order Binary Markov Random Fields

Higher-order Markov Random Fields, which can capture important properties of natural images, have become increasingly important in computer vision. While graph cuts work well for first-order MRF’s, until recently they have rarely been effective for higher-order MRF’s. Ishikawa’s graph cut technique [1] , [2] shows great promise for many higher-order MRF’s. His method transforms an arbitrary higher-order MRF with binary labels into a first-order one with the same minima. If all the terms are submodular the exact solution can be easily found; otherwise, pseudoboolean optimization techniques can produce an optimal labeling for a subset of the variables. We present a new transformation with better performance than [1] , [2] , both theoretically and experimentally. While [1] , [2] transforms each higher-order term independently, we use the underlying hypergraph structure of the MRF to transform a group of terms at once. For $n$ binary variables, each of which appears in terms with $k$ other variables, at worst we produce $n$ non-submodular terms, while [1] , [2] produces $O(nk)$ . We identify a local completeness property under which our method perform even better, and show that under certain assumptions several important vision problems (including common variants of fusion moves) have this property. We show experimentally that our method produces smaller weight of non-submodular edges, and that this metric is directly related to the effectiveness of QPBO [3] . Running on the same field of experts dataset used in [1] , [2] we optimally label significantly more variables (96 versus 80 percent) and converge more rapidly to a lower energy. Preliminary experiments suggest that some other higher-order MRF’s used in stereo [4] and segmentation [5] are also locally complete and would thus benefit from our work.
Vasodentine and mantle dentine in teleost fish teeth. A comparative microradiographic analysis.

Abstract The structure and mineral distribution of vasodentine and mantle dentine in the teeth of five species of the teleost fish families Gadidae and Pleuronectidae were studied in contact microradiographs. The X-ray source used had an emission wavelength (λKα) of 1.54 A which is strongly absorbed by calcium atoms ( K absorption = 3.07 A ). Microradiographs of thin sections of mineralized teeth showed the distribution of calcium salts in relation to tooth structure. Vasodentine occupied a circumpulpal position in all the teeth. In the gadids; vasodentine accounted for 80 per cent of tooth wall thickness in the European hake, 77 per cent in cusk, 73 per cent in cod and 62 per cent in white hake. In the summer flounder vasodentine occurred only in the lower half of the teeth and in the base, and accounted for 80 to 90 per cent of the wall thickness. The number of radial vascular canals varied, 120 in flounder, 55 in cusk, 50 in European hake, 35 in cod and 24 in white hake. The diameter of vascular canals varied from 10 μ average in summer flounder and European hake, to 20–50 μ in cusk, cod and white hake. A hypercalcified rim surrounded the vascular canals and could help prevent erosion of matrix by reducing diffusion from the blood capillaries. Bands of variable calcification, similar to lines of Owen, occurred in the vasodentine matrix concentric to the pulp chamber. These may represent variations in metabolism during deposition. Teeth of all five species showed a highly-calcified enameloid surface layer. In the gadids, a radial fibre layer was subjacent and appeared to blend into the surface layers, the fibres are probably related to von Korff fibres. In the flounder, the surface enameloid layer and the orthodentine were separated by a less-heavily, calcified intermediate layer. The possible evolutionary significance of vasodentine in teeth is discussed.
Optic neuropathies for the neurologist.

Before embarking on expensive ancillary testing, it is crucial for the neurologist to distinguish visual loss due to optic nerve dysfunction from other causes of visual loss. This can usually be accomplished based on specific features of the history and bedside examination. Once it has been established that a patient has some form of optic neuropathy, several clinical features are helpful in determining the etiology. The most important of these is the time course. Other factors include presence or absence of pain, pattern of visual loss (particularly visual field defects), and funduscopic appearance. In most cases, by using this information it is possible to differentiate among the common forms of optic neuropathy: papilledema, ischemic optic neuropathy, optic neuritis, compressive lesions, toxic/nutritional deficiencies, and hereditary forms. This article also reviews recent information concerning the evaluation and treatment of optic neuritis, how to recognize conditions that mimic optic neuritis (e.g., neuroretinitis, papillophlebitis), distinguishing arteritic from non-arteritic AION, and new developments in the genetics of Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy. There is also a discussion of various forms of toxic/nutritional visual loss including Cuban Epidemic Optic Neuropathy and visual loss due to commonly prescribed medications.
Screening for Barrett's Esophagus.

Barrett's esophagus (BE) increases the risk for development of esophageal adenocarcinoma. Because of the rapid rise in incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma, screening for BE with subsequent surveillance when found has been proposed as a method of early detection. Sedated endoscopy, however, is too expensive for widespread screening. As a result, other techniques, including unsedated transnasal esophagoscopy and capsule esophagoscopy, have been proposed to expand screening programs.
Sonography of occult rib and costal cartilage fractures: a case series.

Objective The purpose of this case series is to describe the use of diagnostic ultrasound (US) in the detection of occult rib and costal cartilage fractures presenting as chest wall pain to a chiropractic clinic.
The Dulles Airport Acoustic-Microwave Radar Wind and Wind Shear Measuring System

Abstract Wind shear has been recognized as a major aviation hazard in the airport environment. A dual, acoustic Doppler microwave Doppler radar system has been installed at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., to measure the vertical profile of wind from the surface to 510 m in 30 m height increments. The acoustic system gathers data under clear-air conditions, and the microwave radar takes over automatically when precipitation is present. System performance is being assessed by comparing its output with National Weather Service radiosondes and with balloon-borne anemometers and by intercomparing the acoustic- and microwave-measured winds under light precipitation conditions. The dual-sensor system has been operating for several months, registering the passage of fronts, some with potentially hazardous wind shears.
Synthesis of a potent β-lactamase inhibitor-1,1-dioxo-6-(2-pyridyl)methylenepenicillanic acid and its reaction with sodium methoxide

Abstract 1,1-Dioxo-6-(2-pyridyl)methylenepenicillanic acid ( 6 ) was prepared and found to be a potent β-lactamase inhibitor. Its reaction with sodium methoxide was studied to provide insight into its mechanism of enzyme inactivation.
Optical Emission Characteristics of Helium Breakdown at Partial Vacuum for Point to Plane Geometry

In general, power devices and systems operating in vacuum or space environment are more susceptible to partial discharges, corona, or volume discharge due to the partial vacuum conditions. Partial discharge and breakdown measurements have been performed on electrical equipment operating in such environments for over decades. In spite of all the studies, fundamental understanding of partial discharge or corona initiation has not been understood completely. Various means of detection have been used over the years, including the detection of electromagnetic emissions using antennas or by observing the current through the ground cables to obtain a better understanding. The measurements are usually analyzed together with other techniques like visual inspection, transient voltage/current measurements and acoustic/optical characteristics. In this paper we present our work on optical emission characteristics of breakdown events at partial vacuum for point-to-plane electrode configuration, operating at DC and 20 kHz frequency in helium. A DC-offset-AC voltage source for the high frequency experiments and a pure DC power supply for DC breakdown experiments were used. Preliminary data of voltage and current waveforms along with the light emission data are presented. The optical signal detection of this set-up includes a photomultiplier tube (PMT) and a digital pico-ammeter. Optical data collected by a PMT as a function of time is presented. Presence of optical emission was also recorded by a video camera and frame-by-frame images were used for data analysis.
Electro-Optical Image Intensifier System To Study Lattice Rotation In Nonstop Uniaxial Tensile Tests On Aluminum Single Crystals

A new X-ray system developed by Reifsnider and Green is used in this work for cine recording of Laue transmission X-ray diffraction patterns. This system incorporated a cascaded image intensifying tube and permits direct viewing and recording of Laue transmission X-ray diffraction patterns produced on a fluorescent screen, with exposure time as short as 1/220 sec. The tube used was RCA type C70021A, three stage, cascaded and magnetically focused. It was surrounded by a water cooled magnetic coil which supplies a uniform axial field of about 300G. The tube had 1:1 magnification and the diameter of both input and output screens was 3.8 cm. The fluorescent screen was positioned at a distance of 3 cm on the side of the specimen mounted on Instron testing machine opposite the X-ray source. A Super-Farron, f:0.87, 72 mm, wide angle, coupling lens corrected for 4 to 1 demagnification demagnified Laue transmission X-ray diffraction pattern of about 15.4 cm size from the fluorescent screen and projected it on to the 3.8 cm. photocathode of the image intensifying tube. Cine recording of changing Laue patterns in non-stop tensile testing of aluminum single crystals up to fracture revealed details of lattice rotation hitherto unnoticed in conventional deform, stop and shoot the picture tests.© (1978) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Elections as Focusing Events: Explaining Attitudes Toward the Police and the Government in Comparative Perspective

Traditional views hold that citizens' attitudes toward the police are driven by local concerns. We contend that public attitudes toward the police are responsive to systematic and periodic national-level political factors. In particular, we show that national elections as a focusing event alter periodically the determinants of attitudes toward the police. Using a logistic regression model and diachronic data from Costa Rica, Mexico, and the United States, we find that attitudes toward the police and the national government are linked, and this linkage is responsive to the influence of national election campaigns in varying degrees. In addition, we find that attitudes toward the Mexican police are sensitive to partisan changes in the composition of the national political government. We find no such sensitivity in the police attitudes of Costa Rican and U.S. citizens. This suggests that police attitudes are not only affected by the performance of the national political government but also by the character (consolidated versus unconsolidated) of the national political government. In short, police attitudes in new democracies are an indication of the unconsolidated nature of the state apparatus.
MPEG-4 coding of ultrasound sequences

MPEG-4 is a new standard for compressing and presenting many types of multimedia content, such as video, audio, and synthetic 2D and 3D graphics. New features include support for user interaction and flexible display of multiple video bitstreams. The basis of these new capabilities is object- based video coding, in which a video image is represented as a set of regions of interest, or video objects, that are coded independently. At the decoder, users decode, compose and manipulate video objects from one or more bitstreams in a single display. In this work, we examine the feasibility of using MPEG-4 for coding ultrasound sequences. In preliminary results, the compression performance of MPEG-4 was comparable to H.264 and a bit savings of at least 15 percent was possible when coding static objects as sprites. The flexible compositing capability of MPEG-4 was demonstrated by dividing an ultrasound machine's display into video objects and encoding each video object as a separate bitstream. Video objects form different bitstreams were decoded and composited on a single display using an MPEG-4 decoder to demonstrate side-by-side comparisons of ultrasound scans. Until now, these compositing capabilities were only available using proprietary PACS display systems. Using MPEG-4 to deliver ultrasound allows any MPEG-4- compliant decoder to perform these functions.
Mechanism of action of platelet activating factor in the pulmonary circulation: an investigation using a novel isotopic system in rabbit isolated lung.

1. Rabbit isolated lungs were perfused via the pulmonary artery with Tyrode solution containing 4.5% Ficoll and 0.1% bovine serum albumin at a constant rate of 20 ml min-1. Lung perfusate was drawn for alternating 5 min periods from two reservoirs, one containing 125I-albumin and the other unlabelled albumin to wash out the intravascular label. Microvascular 125I-albumin leakage was determined from the count remaining at the end of the washout phase with an external gamma scintillation probe. In addition, perfusion pressure was monitored continuously. Each experiment comprised 6 cycles over a total period of 60 min. 2. Infusion of platelet activating factor (PAF, 3 nmol min-1 for 10 min) resulted in microvascular 125I-albumin leakage, whereas lyso-PAF was without effect. During PAF infusions there was also an increase in perfusion pressure. Both the permeability and pressor effects of PAF were inhibited by the PAF antagonist L-652731. 3. Infusion of the thromboxane analogue U-46619 (0.6 nmol min-1 for 10 min) caused an increase in perfusion pressure but protein accumulation was not significantly different from that observed with control infusions. 4. Bolus injections of PAF (1 nmol) caused increases in perfusion pressure which were reduced by indomethacin, dazmegrel and BW 755C. Bolus injections of PAF, repeated at 30 min intervals caused reproducible pressor responses; however, repeated injections at 60 min intervals resulted in augmented responses. This augmentation did not occur in the presence of indomethacin. 5. Retrograde perfusion of PAF via the pulmonary vein induced increased perfusion pressure and microvascular 125I-albumin leakage. The observed increase in leakage when compared with forward perfusion suggests that PAF produces predominantly arteriolar constriction i.e. proximal to the site of leakage during forward perfusion. 6. These results indicate that PAF is a vasoconstrictor in the rabbit pulmonary circulation and augmented responses occur with repeated injections at 60 min intervals. Cyclo-oxygenase inhibition abolished this vascular hyperresponsiveness induced by PAF. PAF also caused protein accumulation in the lungs. Both these actions of PAF appear to be receptor-mediated because they were inhibited by PAF antagonists. Another pulmonary vasoconstrictor, U-46619 did not cause protein accumulation suggesting that the extravasation of protein with PAF is not merely secondary to changes in vascular tone.
Analysis of homogeneity of treatment effect in adaptive multicenter clinical trials

In this paper, an exact test for analyzing the homogeneity of treatment effect in adaptive multicenter clinical trials is proposed. Extensive simulation studies are performed to investigate the large sample behavior of a commonly used test statistic for testing homogeneity of treatment effect. When the sample size in each center is large relative to the number of centers the asymptotic null distribution of the test statistic is reasonable. On the other hand when the data are relatively sparse the proposed exact test should be used to incorporate the adaptive nature of the design.
A green membrane functionalization method to decrease natural organic matter fouling

Cellulose acetate (CA) ultrafiltration membranes were functionalized using a green chemistry approach. In the functionalization, an enzyme, Porcine pancreatic crude type II lipase (PPL), was used to polycondensate poly ethylene glycol (PEG) to the surface of the CA membranes. Modification was verified using structural and morphological analyses. The unmodified and the modified membranes displayed similar initial flux values, flux decline curves and rejection efficiencies when dextran and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were used as feed solutions. This was likely due to the high degree of hydrophilicity and similar charge characteristics between the modified and unmodified membranes. However, when natural organic matter (NOM) was filtered through the membranes, it was determined that modification led to lower cake accumulation on the surface of the modified membrane, to lower flux declines during operation, while NOM rejection remained unchanged. Furthermore, after backwashing, the modified membrane regained nearly 97% of its initial flux value within 40 min of filtration, while the unmodified membrane recovered only 85%. This improvement is possibly due to the high flexibility of the PEG chains grafted. Therefore, the use of PPL to polycondensate PEG to a CA membrane was deemed a successful functionalization process to decrease NOM fouling.
TIME SPENT WITH CHILD AND PARENTAL AGREEMENT ABOUT PRESCHOOL CHILDREN'S BEHAVIOR

Although there is a common core of agreement in parental perceptions of their preschool-age sons' problem behavior, perceptions of 107 parents became more concordant as fathers increased the amount of time they spent with their sons. At least within the context of a sample who were at risk for developing abuse of alcohol or other substances and antisocial behavior, fathers who spent less time with their sons perceived them to be less troubled than mothers perceived them to be.
Identification of a Type III Thioesterase Reveals the Function of an Operon Crucial for Mtb Virulence

Rv0098 is part of an operon, Rv0096-Rv0101, from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) that is essential for Mtb's survival in mouse macrophages. This operon also contains an acyl carrier protein and one of the only two nonribosomal peptide synthases in Mtb. Rv0098 is annotated in the genome as a hypothetical protein and was proposed to be an acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) dehydratase. The structure of Rv0098, together with subsequent biochemical analysis, indicated that Rv0098 is a long-chain fatty acyl-CoA thioesterase (FcoT). However, FcoT lacks a general base or a nucleophile that is always found in the catalytic site of type II and type I thioesterases, respectively. The active site of Mtb FcoT reveals the structural basis for its substrate specificity for long-chain acyl-CoA and allows us to propose a catalytic mechanism for the enzyme. The characterization of Mtb FcoT provides a putative function of this operon that is crucial for Mtb pathogenicity.
Separation of hydrogen from syngas using a regenerative system

Abstract A method of separating hydrogen from syngas for use as a carbon-free energy carrier is reported. The overall process consists of a hydrogen enrichment step and a solids regeneration step in a lab-scale, fixed-bed reactor under atmospheric pressure. During the enrichment step, syngas and steam are passed through iron oxide and calcium oxide beds where multiple reactions occur simultaneously to yield a stream of hydrogen. The syngas and steam feeds are then replaced by air to regenerate the solids, releasing sequestration-ready carbon dioxide. The effects of moderate temperatures (600– 800 ∘ C ), steam concentration, syngas concentration, residence time, and solids composition on hydrogen purity were studied. The information obtained was used to optimize the process and achieve a 99% hydrogen stream. Ten cycles using the same solids were completed with a minimal loss in performance observed.
The prognostic significance of MIB-1, p53, and DNA flow cytometry in completely resected primary meningiomas

BACKGROUND Despite the availability of clinical and pathologic parameters of prognosis, the behavior of an individual meningioma may be difficult to predict. In a recent review of gross totally resected (GTR) meningiomas, the authors found strong associations between microscopic brain invasion, increased mitotic rate (≥4/10 high-power fields), the presence of at least 3 of 4 morphologic variables (sheeting, hypercellularity, macronucleoli, and small cells), and decreased recurrence free survival (RFS). In this study, they assessed the prognostic value of three ancillary techniques: DNA flow cytometry, MIB-1 labeling, and p53 protein expression. METHODS The authors evaluated primary GTR meningiomas from 425 patients with DNA flow cytometry, immunostaining for MIB-1, and determination of p53 protein expression. The patients were followed until death or for a median of 8.9 years. RESULTS An MIB-1 labeling index (LI) of ≥4.2%, identified in 8% of cases, was strongly associated with decreased RFS in univariate analysis (P = 0.0001). Fourteen percent contained aneuploid cell populations, and 48% exhibited a p53 LI of >10%. Neither variable was associated with decreased RFS. Further analysis revealed a close association between MIB-1 LI and mitotic index, the latter being the parameter of greatest significance in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS MIB-1 LI is a useful adjunct to routine histologic evaluation of meningiomas and appears to be of greatest value in the evaluation of tumors exhibiting borderline atypia. In contrast, our data suggest that, regarding patients with primary GTR meningiomas, neither flow cytometry nor p53 immunohistochemistry provides useful prognostic information. Cancer 1998;82:2262-2269. © 1998 American Cancer Society.