cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-Cirrhotic Intrahepatic Portal Hypertension Induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Is it More Prevalent than we Think?

Introduction Porto-Pulmonary Hypertension (PoPH) belongs to WHO group I, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH). It has a prevalence of 0.5-5% and is potentially curable with liver transplant. Non-cirrhotic intrahepatic portal hypertension (NCIPH) is a rare cause of PoPH that shares clinical features of advanced right heart failure. Based on review of the literature and Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) registries, most studies report the prevalence of patients with the liver cirrhosis with little to no data on the incidence of PoPH amongst the non-cirrhotic patient population. In this report, we describe the two cases of “missed” NCIPH and PoPH who were diagnosed in our institution within the span of six months. Case Reports The first patient was a 36 year old African American female who carried an initial diagnosis of SLE and ITP. She was on combination therapy with prostacyclin and endothelin receptor antagonist for the treatment of PAH. Her recurrent epistaxis from thrombocytopenia was refractory to therapy with prednisone, Rituximab, Romiplostim requiring multiple PRBC transfusions. Abdominal imaging revealed splenomegaly while liver biopsy demonstrated Nodular Regenerative Hyperplasia (NRH) without cirrhosis. The second patient, a 44 year old Chinese female, was initially diagnosed with idiopathic PAH. She was also identified to have ITP and showed no significant response to dexamethasone. On hospital admission, both patients presented with large volume ascites, splenomegaly and dependent edema. While in the ICU, they underwent RHC with assessment of Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient (HVPG) demonstrating severely elevated pressures at 14 mmHg (Normally ≤ 5 mmHg) (Table 1). Liver biopsy was performed during the same procedure without complications. The pathology was consistent with NCIPH. Summary Our report illustrates the importance of considering the diagnosis of NCIPH in patients with PH and refractory ITP, particularly in the setting of splenomegaly and lack of overt cirrhosis. Due to an estimated 50% of patients with NCIPH that go on to develop portal hypertension, it is important to consider this diagnosis when evaluating patients with PH as the treatment strategy differs from idiopathic and connective tissue disease-associated PAH. Given the limited risk of HVPG measurement as part of the evaluation of patients with PAH, our single center experience would suggest screening for NCIPH in select patients and embracing this etiology in the differential.
A Novel Approach for Maximizing Regenerative Braking Energy Extraction of Electric Vehicles Using Motor Performance Lookup Table

This paper proposes a new approach for determining the low-speed boundary at which regenerative braking capability of Electric Vehicles (EVs) is still effective. The regenerative braking boundary at low speeds depends on many different factors influenced by driver behavior and driving conditions that are challenging to measure and predict. Thus, utilizing a lookup table, which covers various operating conditions, can be an effective method to dynamically determine this boundary. In the proposed method, the performance of the electric motor and its controller are extracted for different operating points and the results are stored in a lookup table. The motor performance curve obtained from this lookup table is then utilized in the vehicle brake controller to define the regenerative braking boundary and accurately adjust the blending of regenerative-and friction-based brakes with the goal of maximizing energy extraction. A MATLAB/SIMULINK model that represents the vehicle electric motor and road-load conditions is utilized to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The results show an increase in the harvested energy compared to a case where a constant low-speed threshold is taken into account in the brake controller.
Abstract P3016: High Glucose Induced Diabetic Dementia is Mediated by Mitochondria Dysfunction

Diabetes is an important risk factor for dementia. We previously reported that cognitive dysfunction is associated with impaired cerebral vascular function in our diabetic rat model. Hyperglycemia ...
Assessing the usability and efficiency of a smartphone-based class attendance tracking system

Many studies have shown a strong correlation between a student's academic performance and attendance rate. This paper presents the results of evaluating the usability and efficiency of a newly-developed smartphone-based class attendance tracking system in two undergraduate Computer Science classes at New Mexico Tech. The smartphone application of the system was used by the students for attendance recording. The time spent taking attendance using four different authentication methods was determined with the application. Entry and exit surveys were also distributed to evaluate the user acceptance of the application. The results show that the system can greatly reduce the attendance recording time compared to the traditional sign-in sheet method. The survey results indicate that the application is generally considered useful by students in terms of three vectors of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM): Utility, Ease-of-Use and Behavioral Intent to Use.
The Handmaid of Justice: Power and Procedure in the Federal Courts

This essay sketches a story of federal procedure writ large: it tells how federal procedure morphed from being the essence of federal power to being a mere instrument of power, from the instantiation of Justice itself in the Marshall Court’s telling to the mere handmaid of Justice as Charles Clark described it. Along the way, I hope to do three things: 1) point out a few tantalizing gaps in our knowledge, should other researchers wish to pursue them, 2) provide a guide to the often puzzling sources of procedural law, especially across the nineteenth century, and 3) wrestle with the question of how federal jurists have defined "procedure" over time.
Os lugares onde os estudos de audiência e os estudos de produção se encontram

Audience studies and production studies have had largely separate trajectories in research, despite their shared grounded theory agendas and research methods. Drawing on a larger ethnography of media audiences and producers, this article shows how the human subjects of audience studies and production studies might be studied together to reveal the power relations involved in mass media production processes. In this particular case study, fans and extras for the television series Treme (2010-2013) shared a discourse around the place of viewing and making which strove to articulate a common culture despite the real hierarchical barriers between audiences and production personnel.
Designing Solute-Tailored Selectivity in Membranes: Perspectives for Water Reuse and Resource Recovery

Treatment of nontraditional source waters (e.g., produced water, municipal and industrial wastewaters, agricultural runoff) offers exciting opportunities to expand water and energy resources via wa...
A Deployable and Reconfigurable Origami Reflectarray Based on the Miura-Ori Pattern

This paper presents a novel origami reflectarray unit-cell based on the Miura-Ori pattern. This origami unit-cell allows for efficient folding/unfolding, high packing efficiency and easy deployment. The unit-cell is composed of 4 parallelogram patches that can achieve 560° phase shift. A 20 × 20 element Miura-Ori reflectarray is optimized and designed to radiate a beam toward direction θ=20° and φ=0° at 8.425 GHz. A maximum realized gain of 26 dBi is obtained. The proposed antenna's main advantage is its ability to efficiently pack itself at its fully folded state to occupy 4 to 5 times smaller volume than the one at its fully deployed state. This is very important for small satellite applications.
Silicone resin emulsion coatings: The strength profile of the silicone resin network in paint microstructures

Since their introduction in 1963, silicone resin emulsion paints (SREP*) have developed into a modern facade coating system. Silicone resin emulsion paints combine the good properties of mineral and synthetic resin-bound facade-coating systems in an ideal way. The strength of the silicone resin within the paint microstructure stems from its three-dimensionally cross-linked, modified-quartz structure, the silicone resin network. High-resolution SEM (scanning electron microscopy) demonstrates how silicone resins form nanoscale network structures that can envelop fillers and perfectly line pores without sealing them. The silicone resin network strengthens the pores and renders them water-repellent. The high affinity of the silicone resin for polar, mineral fillers, even for calcium carbonate substrates, results from its unique molecular structure of inorganic/organic hybrid nature.
Multisensory Interaction: Real and Virtual

Human physical interaction is inherently multisensory, using vision, touch, hearing, and other senses. We discuss the constraints and opportunities for constructing computational models for multisensory interaction. Such models could be used to develop better robots and human interfaces, and to understand human interaction.
Actin up in the nucleus.

Scepticism regarding the existence of actin in the nucleus is finally giving way to the productive investigation of its functional roles. The identification of actin in several nuclear complexes implicates it in diverse nuclear activities including transcription, chromatin remodelling and nucleocytoplasmic trafficking. A major challenge is that actin does not seem to form large filamentous structures in the nucleus and might adopt unique conformations, the elucidation of which would greatly assist our understanding of its functions.
Quasiparticle motion in superfluid 3He and Kapitza resistance of 3He A-B phase boundary.

In this paper we investigate the motion of quasiparticles in superfluid $^{3}\mathrm{He}$. The Bogoliubov--de Gennes equation is generalized to an arbitrary type of pairing. For the case of a unitary p-wave state, the ballistic description of Greaves and Leggett is shown to follow when the spatial variation of the order parameter is slow on the scale of a coherence length. We also investigate the equation of motion of the excitation spin in this case. We apply our equations to investigate the transport of energy across the $^{3}\mathrm{He}$ A-B phase boundary, where in particular we show that a Kapitza resistance exists. The feasibility of measuring this resistance is discussed.
A carboxy-terminal peptide of the alpha 1-subunit of the dihydropyridine receptor inhibits Ca(2+)-release channels

Excitation-contraction coupling in skeletal muscle is thought to involve a physical interaction between the alpha 1-subunit of the dihydropyridine receptor (DHPR) and the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR...
Aging of quenched polypropylene

Structural changes occurring during the aging of polypropylene quenched from the melt have been investigated by measurements of gas transport parameters and mechanical properties. Major changes in diffusion and sorption behavior during the first 30 hr of aging at room temperature were found to be strongly dependent on the atomic size of the inert gas penetrants. Tensile mechanical properties increased with aging time, while resilience and mechanical damping showed more complex behavior. The interpretation of the combined results suggests that the aging process may involve molecular rearrangements generally comparable to those for secondary crystallization processes, but within domains comparable in size to that of the smaller penetrant species. The relaxation of a residual stress distribution related to nonuniform plastic flow during quenching may be superimposed on the rearrangement phenomena.
Effects of scopolamine on spontaneous alternation following free and forced trials.

Abstract Spontaneous alternation of rats following free trials was significantly reduced with doses of scopolamine of 1.2 mg/kg or higher. At no dose level was significant response perseveration found. Both controls and scopolamine-injected rats alternated 100 per cent of their free trials after either 1, 3 or 5 forced trials. Scopolamine-injected rats alternated significantly more when the choices were visually discriminable than when they were similar. The reduction of alternation following free trials produced by scopolamine cannot be explained solely in terms of deficits in habituation or by response perseveration tendencies. The deficit produced by scopolamine, and its interpretation, are related to the stimulus properties of the test situation.
MOD_FreeSurf2D: A MATLAB surface fluid flow model for rivers and streams

MOD_FreeSurf2D is an open source MATLAB code that simulates fluid velocities and depths in rivers and streams. Although this model was designed for a specific purpose, MOD_FreeSurf2D can be employed in general scenarios when the depth-averaged, shallow water equations apply. The model approximates the depth-averaged, shallow water equations with a finite volume, semi-implicit, semi-Lagrangian representation. This numerical solution method provides accuracy and stability when using model time steps that exceed the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) restriction. An additional benefit of the numerical representation is the ability to simulate moving land/water boundaries. Model results were shown to be accurate when compared to published data from a dam-break experiment in a 21m flume and from velocity and depth measurements along a 400m river reach in Idaho. Results from the dam-break experiment simulations demonstrate the model's ability to simulate wetting and drying. Additionally, sensitivity analyses conducted on the two scenarios show model convergence and demonstrate that the model can employ time steps that exceed the CFL restriction.
Optical Trapping on Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystal and Cell Viability Characterization

We demonstrate higher trapping efficiency for cells on a two-dimensional photonic crystal. The viability is measured using yeast cells and the result shows exponential dependence on laser intensity.
Issue Attention and Legislative Proposals in the U.S. Senate

Legislative institutions play a central role in establishing the relative importance of numerous public concerns. Every two years, members of Congress introduce several thousand bills and collectively whittle these down to a few hundred public laws, elevating some issues while lowering others. The earliest stages of this process require legislators to shape policy alternatives through effort-intensive activities: gathering information, drafting bills, building coalitions, and keeping pace with the actions of various interests. Bauer, de Sola Pool, and Dexter emphasize the importance of the early stages of legislating compared to the final roll-call stage: The decisions most constantly on [a member’s] mind are not how to vote, but what to do with his time, how to allocate his resources, and where to put his energy. There are far more issues before Congress than he can possibly cope with. (1972, 405)
Regulation of UHMWPE biomaterials in total hip arthroplasty.

This manuscript provides a brief history of the development of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHWMPE) biomaterials and how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates medical devices. The flowchart used to decide whether a device is medium or high risk, known as the 510(k) flowchart, is illustrated by taking several examples through the flowchart. In order to demonstrate how changes to UHWMPE material used in the acetabular liners of total hips have been regulated, two major modifications to UHMWPE, highly crosslinked polyethylene and Vitamin E polyethylene, are taken through the flowchart. This manuscript describes the testing that has been provided to demonstrate safety and effectiveness of these modifications, as well as an explanation why the testing was supplied to the FDA. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 101B: 400–406, 2013.
Influence of eccentric valves on the vibration of fluid conveying pipes

Abstract The dynamic stability of motion of fluid conveying pipes has been the subject of numerous studies. Theoretical interest was stimulated by the non-conservativeness of these systems. Design requirements for pipelines and nuclear related systems provided the additional impetus. Recently, the assessment of the probable influence that large, rigid valves frequently encountered on piping systems might have on the behavior of the overall system was required. In spite of the above mentioned wealth of literature, a great paucity of information was found on the influence of lumped masses. Consideration of rotatory inertia is apparently non-available. The motivation and contents of the present study stem from these facts. A variational formulation is followed by a Galerkin approximation that is applied to simply supported and cantilever pipes. Lumped translational and rotatory inertia are introduced. The results are reported for values of dimensionless parameters selected in a representative manner. Substantial modifications on the magnitudes of the frequencies are shown. The influence of the eccentricity is found of greater importance than that of the mass for constant eccentricity factor. The character of the equilibrium configurations associated with vanishing frequencies is a function highly dependent on the mass and eccentricity of the valve. The need for ensuing research on coupled out-of-plane bending and twisting of the pipe system is also established.
Knowledge-based processing of multicomponent signals in a musical application

Abstract We show how conceptual and architectural tools from AI may be incorporated into the solution of a complex signal processing problem in a musical application. Signals in this application have multiple components with possible overlap in the time–frequency plane. The challenge here is to carry out time–frequency analysis in a manner that allows the various components to be separated from each other. Such time–frequency analysis may be performed by using a filterbank in which the analysis filters are adapted in a data-dependent fashion to separately resolve individual signal components. While there exists a numerical solution for performing analysis filter adaptation through the use of a time–frequency energy concentration measure, this solution suffers from the drawback that it is computationally very inefficient. Furthermore, this solution also does not incorporate knowledge about the time–frequency properties of musical signals. We present a novel solution to the filter adaptation problem that while incorporating higher-level knowledge about musical signals also results in at least an order of magnitude computational savings over the numerical solution. Our solution has been designed on the basis of the IPUS architecture that allows the easy integration of musical knowledge with numerical signal processing algorithms. We have also carried out an implementation of our IPUS-based solution within ICP, a C++ platform for building IPUS applications. The performance of our implementation in separating individual components from musical signals containing a mixture of two notes illustrates its potential for use in a variety of applications.
Experimental Measurements of Local Axial Gas Velocity and Void Fraction in Simulated PWR Steam-Generator Rod Bundles

A dual spherical tipped optical fiber probe is used to obtain new data on local axial gas velocity and void fraction in a 4 × 3 rod bundle simulating a PWR steam generator. The average volumetric fluxes used were Jg = 1.52 - 2.44 m/s and J, = 0.47 - 0.68 m/s. Significant variations of Vg and α were found to exist downstream from the support plate. However the α range did not show any significant change between the flow holes and that downstream position, while Vg showed a more substantial variation. Values of Vg and α were very different between locations in the clearance gap around the tubes and that in the main flow holes. The gas flow rate was estimated to be only between 1–2.0% of that in the flow holes which could explain in part the existence of deposits in the clearance gap, due to decreased liquid velocity, leading eventually to tube denting in a PWR application.
Speed of Processing and Face Recognition at 7 and 12 Months

This research examined developmental and individual differences in infants' speed of processing faces and the relation of processing speed to the type of information encoded. To gauge processing speed, 7- and 12-month-olds were repeatedly presented with the same face (frontal view), each time paired with a new one, until they showed a consistent preference for the new one. Subsequent probe trials assessed recognition of targets that either preserved configural integrity (Study 1: 3/4 profile and full profile poses) or disrupted it while preserving featural information (Study 2: rotations of 160° or 200° and fracturings). There were developmental differences in both speed and in infants' appreciation of information about faces. Older infants took about 60% fewer trials to reach criterion and had more mature patterns of attention (i.e., looks of shorter duration and more shifts of gaze). Whereas infants of both ages recognized the familiar face in a 3/4 pose, the 12-month-olds also recognized it in profile ...
Khat use and appetite: An overview and comparison of amphetamine, khat and cathinone

Ethnopharmacological relevance To understand the role of khat (Catha edulis) use on the aberrations in appetite and weight which are common comorbidities for khat and other amphetamine users.
Matrix formulation of the Picard method for parallel computation

The increasing availability of computing machines capable of parallel computation has accelerated interest in numerical methods that exhibit natural parallel structures. In particular, the parallel structure of the Picard method of successive approximations for the numerical solution of ordinary differential equations allows straightforward adaptation of the method for use on parallel computers. A matrix formulation of the Picard method for parallel computation is presented here in which the numerical solution is obtained in truncated Chebyshev series. The application of the formulation to parallel processing computing machines is discussed.
Wind/WAVES observations of high‐frequency plasma waves in solar wind reconnection exhausts

[1] This paper studies high-frequency plasma waves during 28 encounters of the Wind spacecraft with solar wind reconnection exhausts. We use measurements by the Thermal Noise Receiver (TNR) and Time Domain Sampler (TDS) experiments on Wind/WAVES to survey characteristics of electron plasma waves and the most common regions where they are found. TNR spectrograms showed intense emission bursts ∼4 kHz (corresponding to the ion acoustic range) during 79% of the events while around the local electron plasma frequency intense emission bursts were recorded for 39% of the events. The TDS instrument, operating at 120,000 samples per second, detected three kinds of electric waveforms: Langmuir waves, electron solitary waves (ESW), and wave packets with frequencies between ion and electron plasma frequencies typically interpreted as Doppler-shifted ion acoustic waves. Except for one very intense ESW event, the average amplitudes for all these three waveform types were similar, below 1 mV/m. We found an increased probability to observe intense plasma wave activity when the reconnection X-line region was approached. Wave activity may be present anywhere in the reconnection exhaust, although the boundary region of the exhaust appears to be the most dynamic region for wave activity. In particular, the majority of the captured ESW occurred near the exhaust boundaries.
An efficient code update solution for wireless sensor network reprogramming

We present an incremental code update strategy used to efficiently reprogram wireless sensor nodes. We adapt a linear space and quadratic time algorithm (Hirschberg's algorithm) for computing maximal common subsequences to build an edit map specifying an edit sequence, required to transform the code running in a sensor network to a new code image. We then present a heuristic-based optimization strategy for efficient edit script encoding to reduce the edit map size. Finally, we present experimental results to demonstrate the reduction in data size to reprogram a network using this mechanism. The approach achieves reductions of 99.987% for simple changes, and between 86.95% and 94.58% for more complex changes, compared to full image transmissions --- leading to significantly lower energy costs for wireless sensor network reprogramming. We compare the results with reductions achieved by other incremental update strategies described in prior work.
Association of Tumor Size, Location, R.E.N.A.L., PADUA and Centrality Index Score with Perioperative Outcomes and Postoperative Renal Function

Purpose: Multiple scoring systems have been proposed to standardize the description of anatomical features of renal tumors. However, it remains unclear which of these systems, if any, is most useful, or whether any performs better than simply reporting tumor size or location in patients undergoing partial nephrectomy. To clarify these issues we evaluated the association of tumor size, location, R.E.N.A.L. (Radius/Exophytic/Nearness to collecting system/Anterior/Location), PADUA (Preoperative Aspects and Dimensions Used for an Anatomical classification) and centrality index scores with perioperative outcomes.Materials and Methods: Patients undergoing partial nephrectomy with available preoperative imaging were identified from 2005 to 2011. R.E.N.A.L., PADUA and centrality index scores were assigned according to the described protocols for those systems. Associations between each variable and ischemia time, estimated blood loss, total operative time and change in estimated glomerular filtration rate were ex...
Minimax optimization of a unimodal function by variable block derivative search with time delay

Abstract A minimax search plan is developed for locating the maximum of a unimodal function with a sequence of blocks of simultaneous evaluations of the derivative of the function. The search strategy permits any number of blocks and any number of experiments in each block. Further, any time delay is permissible where the time delay is the number of blocks placed after the m-th block but before the results of the m-th block become known. The proposed variable block search plan is optimal in the sense that for a required final interval of uncertainty, known to contain the point where the function attains its maximum, and for any given value for time delay and the number of experiments in each block, it has the largest possible initial interval. A method of optimizing the number of experiments per block is given. An extension to non-linear programming algorithms is given.
Ceria as a Thermochemical Reaction Medium for Selectively Generating Syngas or Methane from H2O and CO2

Doped CeO_2 with a low specific surface area is thermochemically cycled between MO_2 and MO_(2-δ) using H_2O and CO_2 as oxidants. The system rapidly and selectively produces syngas in the absence of a metal catalyst, and CH_4 in the presence of Ni. The Ni catalyst, which permits intermediate C to form on its surface, is proposed to shift the product from syngas to CH_4.
Influence of copper contamination on contact quality between gold wire and Nickel-Palladium bond pad through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Wire bonding failures were observed on the copper bond pad with Nickel-Palladium (NiPd) surface. To understand the copper effect on the bondability of gold wire onto the NiPd pad, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis was carried out. Results showed that significant presence of Cu 2p (in relative concentration) on the pad surface can potentially introduce adverse effect on wire bondability. Sputter depth profiles indicated that determining Cu 2p layer thickness on the bond pads is crucial in eliminating poor gold wire adhesion. It is also observed that the thickness of copper oxides at the surface of the bond pad may not attribute to the non-stick failures but the relative concentration of copper oxide at the respective surface depth may influence the contact quality between gold wire and the pad. Relative to well bonded pads, the sputtering rate for copper on the non-stick pads' surface were lower. Copper impurities from plating process potentially adhere onto the surface of the bond pads and subsequently inhibit the attempt of wire bonding.
African American father involvement and preschool children’s school readiness

A developmental ecological model was used to identify child attributes, father characteristics, and familial factors associated with multidimensional father involvement with preschool children enrolled in Head Start. The relations between father involvement and children’s school readiness were also investigated. Eighty- five African American fathers and father figures were surveyed about their involvement in child care, home-based educational and school-based educational activities. Children’s school readiness competencies were evaluated via teacher report or direct assessment. Father involvement in child care and home-based educational activities were predicted by different contextual factors and child attributes. Fathers were more involved in child care activities when they lived in a child’s home and when a child was highly emotional. Fathers who perceived the existence of a strong parenting alliance reported more involvement in home-based educational activities. Father involvement in child care and home-based educational activities was associated with higher levels of children’s emotion regulation. Findings are consistent with a contextual, multidimensional perspective of African American fathering and hold policy implications for fatherhood initiatives in the early childhood education field. Efforts to increase father involvement may be most effective when addressing the multitude of influences on fathering behavior and focusing on father-child activities that occur outside of the preschool setting.
Costs of abandoned coal mine reclamation and associated recreation benefits in Ohio

Two hundred years of coal mining in Ohio have degraded land and water resources, imposing social costs on its citizens. An interdisciplinary approach employing hydrology, geographic information systems, and a recreation visitation function model, is used to estimate the damages from upstream coal mining to lakes in Ohio. The estimated recreational damages to five of the coal-mining-impacted lakes, using dissolved sulfate as coal-mining-impact indicator, amount to $21 Million per year. Post-reclamation recreational benefits from reducing sulfate concentrations by 6.5% and 15% in the five impacted lakes were estimated to range from $1.89 to $4.92 Million per year, with a net present value ranging from $14.56 Million to $37.79 Million. A benefit costs analysis (BCA) of recreational benefits and coal mine reclamation costs provides some evidence for potential Pareto improvement by investing limited resources in reclamation projects.
Language skills in low-SES rural Appalachian children: normative development and individual differences, infancy to preschool

This longitudinal study compared low-socioeconomic status (SES) rural Appalachian children with normative populations on standardized measures of language skills. At 15 months, language skills were similar to those of normative populations, but at 4 years and prior to kindergarten entry, a majority of children had low language skills. Within-group individual differences were predicted by contextual, child, and maternal interaction variables, with more variance accounted for at the preschool assessments than in infancy. Maternal interaction, child temperament, infant language skills, and number of books discriminated children with higher language scores at 4 years. Entering kindergarten, children with higher language scores were distinguished by higher infant and 4-year language skills, more books, and greater likelihood of secure infant attachment.
Resonance Theory of Termolecular Recombination Kinetics: H+H+M→H2M

A theory is formulated for atomic recombination reactions which is based upon the identification of the set of transition complexes, X2i, as specific quasibound states or orbiting resonances. The conventional “energy‐transfer mechanism” is assumed, since it has been justified under many experimental situations. Calculations, based on a modified distorted‐wave approximation, demonstrate that the main contribution to the rate is that arising from rotational (rather than vibrational) transitions downwards from the quasibound to the bound states. Computations were carried out for the reaction H+H+M→H2+M for M = He, H2, and Ar making use of detailed ab initio knowledge of the spectrum of quasibound states and their wave‐functions. Good agreement was found between the experimental rate constant and that calculated by the present resonance theory. The theory predicts a maximum in the rate in the temperature range between 65° and 100°K, attributed mainly to one particular quasibound state: υ = 14, j = 5. This suggests a promising region for further experimental investigation which could provide a critical check of the present theory.
CCD-Based Site Certification Imaging System For Mars Sample Return Mission

ABSTRACT A "time dilation" push-broom imaging CCD sensor is being considered for certification of landing and roving sites for the Mars Rover/Sample Return Mission. It would be used to certify several candidate sites of 10 km by 10 km. Rocks and holes of size 1 m and larger will be identified using an optical sensor with 0.25 m resolution. This requires a large aperture camera and a camera pointing control system designed for high accuracy and stability. The imaging time is stretched out by a factor of 8 over the time required to fly directly over the imaged site to reduce the data rate and to increase the exposure time. Six parallel data strings are used to reduce the data rate through each string to a manageable 25 Mbps. 1. Introduction Launch of the Mars Rover Sample Return Mission (MRSR) Imaging Orbiter is planned for 1996 or 1998. The imaging orbiter will map several scientifically interesting areas and certify them if safe for a lander containing a roving vehicle or a sample return vehicle. The Rover will leave its lander and explore and sample the surface of Mars. When the rover has finished collecting samples, they will be returned to Earth.Scientists are interested in obtaining samples from the surface of Mars and bringing them back to Earth for analysis.1 "3 In contrast with the Viking missions, where only two sites were studied,4^ the MRSR mission is designed to study different geologically relevant areas on the martian surface. The rover will have two cameras for viewing the scene in stereo; it will see the obstructions and intelligently chart its own way around them. It will also have the capability to collect the samples of scientific interest and store them for return to Earth for later analysis. The scales of the rover and the lander are such that both are concerned with 1 m obstacles.Prior to rover landing, several geologically interesting sites will be surveyed with a very large aperture camera (VLAC) to determine the sites which are indeed safe for landing. Additionally, the site survey will provide information on traversable, obstruction-free paths for the rover to follow during its exploration phase.2. Mapping2.1 Orbital ConfigurationIn the concept under study, the surface of Mars is mapped from a spacecraft in an elliptical orbit prior to the landing of the Mars Rover.6 Orbital parameters were selected to facilitate the mapping process. The orbital period is equal to one third of the solar day on Mars - the Sun illumination angle at the mapping site is nearly constant. The orbit is shown in Figure 1. (Tic marks show time intervals of 5 minutes.) Mapping is performed near periapsis, when the spacecraft is closest to the surface.2.2 Mapping RequirementsThe landing site is an area of 10 x 10 km which is certified for safe landing and which is traversable by the semi-autonomous rover. The orbiter will map a minimum of five areas in succession. The operations team will select from these areas the site which best meets the safety and scientific requirements.
Controversies in the management of hepatitis C virus infection after liver transplantation

Recurrence of hepatitis C virus infection after liver transplantation is universal. A significant percentage of these patients develop progressive graft injury and cirrhosis. Those factors that modulate disease progression in liver transplant recipients with recurrent hepatitis C virus infection remain controversial and are poorly understood. Treatment of recurrent hepatitis C virus after liver transplantation with either interferon or interferon and ribavirin has yielded only limited success. Regardless of this, treatment is instituted. Peginterferon is more effective than standard interferon for treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection in the nontransplantation setting when used either alone or with ribavirin. The effectiveness of peginterferon, both with and without ribavirin in the posttransplantation setting, is currently being explored. In this review those factors thought to affect disease progression in patients with recurrent hepatitis C virus will be discussed, strategies that have been used to treat recurrent hepatitis C virus will be reviewed, and the impact that peginterferon may have on hepatitis C virus infection in the pretransplantation and posttransplantation setting will be explored.
Support for Women's Rights Policy: An Analysis of Local Politicians

This study examines the commonly held view that women are different from men as political actors. It focuses on local representatives in Connecticut and inquires whether women politicians express m...
The social determinants of health, care ethics and just health care

Political theorists generally defend the moral importance of health care by appealing to its purported importance in promoting good health and saving lives. Recent research on the social determinants of health demonstrates, however, that health care actually does relatively little to promote good health or save lives in comparison with other social and environmental factors. This article assesses the implications of the social determinants of health literature for existing theories of health care justice, and outlines a new approach that can justify publicly subsidized comprehensive health care despite its limited contribution to good health. Even if health care plays a relatively limited role in promoting good health, it remains morally important because of the care it provides to individuals. As such, it can be justified in terms of care ethics. When health care is justified primarily in terms of care rather than health, however, the goals of a just health-care system shift. The measure of a just health-care system is no longer strictly its ability to generate good health outcomes but also its ability to provide individuals with accessible, good quality daily care. This different focus has important consequences for the way we think about the institutions of a just health-care system as well as for the delivery and allocation of medical goods and services.
Extent of Clinical Improvement After Surgical Treatment of Hypertrophic Obstructive Cardiomyopathy

Background A subgroup of patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy remain severely symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy. Septal myectomy reduces or eliminates left ventricular outflow obstruction and produces marked symptomatic improvement. With the recent advent of alternative methods for treatment of this disorder, such as dual-chamber pacing, it is necessary to establish the risks and benefits of septal myectomy in the modern surgical era. Methods and Results The clinical, ECG, echocardiographic, cardiac catheterization, and surgical data were analyzed for 65 patients 20 to 70 years old with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy who had surgical treatment between 1986 and 1992. Specific symptoms and overall functional status were evaluated before surgery and at the end of the first postoperative year. Subsequent long-term clinical postoperative follow-up was also obtained. The extent of postoperative improvement was measured by the presence and severity of persistent symptoms, over...
Exposure to trauma: a comparison of cocaine-dependent cases and a community-matched sample.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to examine rates of traumatic events and PTSD in cocaine-dependent cases and a community comparison sample. Methods Participants were interviewed as part of the Family Study of Cocaine Dependence. A cross-sectional case-cohort design assessed a total of 918 participants: 459 cocaine-dependent cases recruited from chemical dependency treatment and 459 community-based participants. Community-based comparison participants were matched to cocaine-dependent cases on year of birth (within 1 year), ethnicity, gender, and neighborhood (zip code). Participants completed a personal interview modeled after the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism (SSAGA). Results Compared to community-based individuals, cocaine-dependent cases recruited from treatment experienced higher rates of assaultive events including rape or sexual assault in women (58% vs. 33%) and threatened with a weapon in men (75% vs. 52%). Cocaine-dependent cases endured significantly more types of trauma than the community-based participants (4.64 vs. 3.08) and PTSD (22.4% and 12.2%). The number of traumatic exposures, witnessing trauma to others, experiencing violent trauma, and being female were predictive of conditional risk of PTSD, even after controlling for cocaine dependence and other demographic factors. Conclusions Cocaine dependence is strongly associated with an increased risk of exposure to traumatic events and PTSD, and experiencing multiple, violent traumas increases the risk of PTSD, regardless of cocaine dependence. The high prevalence of trauma seen in our community-based participants emphasizes the role of violence in the neighborhood and the connection between drug dependence, trauma exposure, and PTSD.
P2P research and reality: some preliminary thoughts

In this paper, we start by recounting some of the myth and truth of P2P systems. We perform researches that understand the fundamental properties, and that actually build the environment and forester the creativity of new applications
Mass transfer effects in isocratic non-linear elution chromatography

Abstract In large-scale liquid chromatography, solute competition for sorbent sites (interference) coupled with mass transfer effects can result in complex solute distribution patterns and concentration dependent migration of solute bands. A rate equation model, which accounts for axial dispersion, film mass transfer, intraparticle diffusion, size exclusion and non-linear isotherms, was used to simulate the effluent histories of multicomponent ion-exchange systems. The method of orthogonal collocation on gradient-directed moving finite elements developed by Yu and Wang in 1989 was used to solve the model equations. The theory was verified by comparing the model predictions with data on amino acid and protein ion exchange and good agreement was obtained. Dimensionless groups were used to identify the local equilibrium regime, in which the effects of axial dispersion, film mass transfer and intraparticle diffusion are negligible. Mass transfer effects were pronounced for systems with small pulse sizes and for solutes with long retention times. For a system with a pulse size about 20 pore volumes C /Ci = 103, and α (separation factor of a solute against eluent) = 1.6, mass transfer effects were negligible at Np103. For low affinity solutes (α The dimensionless groups were also useful for studying the combined effects of designed and operating parameters. The effects of these parameters on band shape and band spreading were examined for non-linear systems with various solute affinities. The dimensionless groups were also used to establish simple scaling rules for non-linear chromatography. The scaling rules suggest that one can achieve the same degree of separation but significantly higher throughputs by using small particles, short columns and rapid cycles.
Coupling Characterization of Multiple in a Rectangular Cavity: Part Ii - Thick Wire Approximation

This paper continues to discuss the coupling characterization of multiple wires of arbitrary dimensions in terms induced on currents on them enclosed in a rectangular cavity. The formulation of this problem also makes use of the Fourier Series method to compute currents induced on each wire. In the thick wire approximation, the current is still assumed to reside on the wire axis, but the boundary condition is enforced on four generatrices spaced around the circumference of the wire. Selected numerical results are included for a variety of diversified situations in the cavity environment.
Cleft palate, retrognathia and congenital heart disease in velo-cardio-facial syndrome: a phenotype correlation study.

Objective Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS) is caused by a microdeletion of approximately 40 genes from one copy of chromosome 22. Expression of the syndrome is a variable combination of over 190 phenotypic characteristics. As of yet, little is known about how these phenotypes correlate with one another or whether there are predictable patterns of expression. Two of the most common phenotypic categories, congenital heart disease and cleft palate, have been proposed to have a common genetic relationship to the deleted T-box 1 gene (TBX1). The purpose of this study is to determine if congenital heart disease and cleft palate are correlated in a large cohort of human subjects with VCFS.
A Novel Carboline Derivative Inhibits Nitric Oxide Formation in Macrophages Independent of Effects on Tumor Necrosis Factor α and Interleukin-1β Expression

Neuropathic pain is a maladaptive immune response to peripheral nerve injury that causes a chronic painful condition refractory to most analgesics. Nitric oxide (NO), which is produced by nitric oxide synthases (NOSs), has been implicated as a key factor in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. β-Carbolines are a large group of natural and synthetic indole alkaloids, some of which block activation of nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), a predominant transcriptional regulator of NOS expression. Here, we characterize the inhibitory effects of a novel 6-chloro-8-(glycinyl)-amino-β-carboline (8-Gly carb) on NO formation and NF-κB activation in macrophages. 8-Gly carb was significantly more potent than the NOS inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester in inhibiting constitutive and inducible NO formation in primary rat macrophages. 8-Gly carb interfered with NF-κB-mediated gene expression in differentiated THP1-XBlue cells, a human NF-κB reporter macrophage cell line, but only at concentrations severalfold higher than needed to significantly inhibit NO production. 8-Gly carb also had no effect on tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)-induced phosphorylation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in differentiated THP1 cells, and did not inhibit lipopolysaccharide- or TNFα-stimulated expression of TNFα and interleukin-1β. These data demonstrate that relative to other carbolines and pharmacologic inhibitors of NOS, 8-Gly carb exhibits a unique pharmacological profile by inhibiting constitutive and inducible NO formation independent of NF-κB activation and cytokine expression. Thus, this novel carboline derivative holds promise as a parent compound, leading to therapeutic agents that prevent the development of neuropathic pain mediated by macrophage-derived NO without interfering with cytokine expression required for neural recovery following peripheral nerve injury.