cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using a standardised patient assessment to measure professional attributes.

Introduction Professionalism is an important topic in medical education today. While much work has focused on defining professionalism and teaching medical students the appropriate interpersonal behaviours, relatively little research has looked at meaningful ways of assessing the relevant attributes. Method The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) clinical skills assessment (CSA®) uses standardised patients (SPs) to evaluate the readiness of graduates of international medical schools to enter accredited graduate training programmes in the USA. Doctor interpersonal skills, including professional qualities such as rapport, are evaluated as part of the CSA. Attentiveness, attitude and empathy, all facets of professional behaviour, are specifically targeted as part of the assessment. Results To date, over 35 000 candidates have been assessed, encompassing more than 370 000 individual SP encounters. Based on a 1-year cohort of examinees, the reliability of the individual professionalism-related component scores ranged from 0.61 to 0.70. Doctors who had graduated from medical school more recently, or were younger, generally obtained higher ratings. Professional qualities were only marginally related to measures of basic science and clinical science proficiency. Female candidates were rated significantly higher than male candidates on all dimensions. Conclusions While some professional behaviours are probably best measured using formats such as surveys, self-assessment and critical incident techniques, certain aspects of the domain can be reliably and validly measured in SP examinations.
A KNOWLEDGE-BASED SELECTION MECHANISM FOR STRATEGIC CONTROL WITH APPLICATION IN DESIGN, DIAGNOSIS AND PLANNING

This paper describes a generic, knowledge-based mechanism for selecting among a fixed set of alternatives. The mechanism, termed sponsor-selector has been used as a control mechanism in a number of different knowledge-based systems including problem-solver integration applications in routine design, diagnostic problem-solving, and navigational planning. For design, the DSPL language uses sponsor-selectors to select between alternate, fixed plans to determine the best approach for the design of an artifact. For diagnosis, the Peirce and TIPS system used sponsor-selectors as the overall control mechanism, determining which problem-solver, out of a group of problem-solving agents, to select under particular problem solving conditions. For navigation planning, the Router system used the sponsor-selector mechanism and the TIPS architecture to select between alternate problem-solving strategies. problem-solving approaches. We describe in this paper the general architecture of the sponsor-selector mechanism and how this mechanism was used in the 4 described systems, along with some performance measures and results.
Parametric statistical analysis of repeated measures experiments

Abstract This paper provides an examination of some of the experimental and statistical properties of repeated measures designs. Emphasis is placed on the relative merits of four parametric statistical procedures for testing a repeated measures hypothesis. The tests that are compared are three univariate procedures—the conventional, modified and conservative F-tests—and one multivariate test—Hotelling's T2. Two criteria are recommended for deciding which of these procedures to use in various experimental situations.
The bridge method for measuring the wire tension of multiwire chambers

Abstract A high-sensitivity practical circuit for measuring wire tension is described. Test measurement results are shown for 43 cm long wires of 25 μm and 75 μm diameter. There is an excellent correlation between the measured and the applied tensions. The deviations are within the range of a few percent up to a tension of 250 g. A detailed mathematical formulation of the basis of the method is presented.
WEB INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND ITS APPLICATION TO ELECTRONIC COMMERCE

This paper describes various aspects of web information management with particular emphasis on its application to electronic commerce. We first provide a brief overview of the web. Then we discuss concepts for web database management, as database management is a key part of information management. These include data models and architectures, query processing, transaction management, metadata management, storage issues, and integrity and security. Then we discuss various web information management technologies such as multimedia, visualization, data mining and warehousing, and knowledge management. Then we discuss emerging standards such as Java Database Connectivity, Extended Markup Language (XML), and middleware standards such as Object Request Brokers (ORB) and Remote Method Invocation (RMI). Finally we discuss how web data management technologies can be applied to the important area of electronic commerce.
Fast Data Retrieval in Cloud Storage Systems

We are in the midst of a major data revolution. The total data generated by humans from the dawn of civilization until the turn of the new millennium is now being generated every two days. Driven by a wide range of data-intensive devices and applications, this growth is expected to continue its astonishing march, and fuel the development of new and larger data centers. In order to exploit the low-cost services offered by these resource-rich data centers, application developers are pushing computing and storage away from the end-devices and instead deeper into the data-centers. Hence, the end-users' experience is now dependent on the performance of the algorithms used for data retrieval, and job scheduling within the data-centers. In particular, providing low-latency services are critically important to the end-user experience for a wide variety of applications. Our goal has been to develop the analytical foundations and methodologies to enable cloud storage and computing solutions that result in low-latency services. In this talk, I will overview some of the recent research efforts at fast data retrieval in these large-scale data center systems. Specifically, our focus will be on the new tools and techniques required to address these complex issues, the progress made, and the open challenges that remain.
Hand Therapy for Dysfunction of the Intrinsic Muscles

Intrinsic muscle dysfunction can be devastating. Patients often have difficulty using the affected hand for most daily activities. Physicians, occupational therapists, and patients have to work together to enable the patient to regain functional use of the hand to perform activities that are a part of their life roles. Occupational therapists play an important role in the rehabilitation process to regain motion, strength, and dexterity so that patients can use the hand more functionally. Patient education and active participation in their therapy is also essential in the functional recovery of the hand.
Detectors For The 1.1 To 1.6 µm Wavelength Region

The current state of the art of photodetectors, both PIN and avalanche, for 1.1 to 1.6 um operation is reviewed. The devices are compared as components of optical receivers using several different types of amplifiers. GalnAsP/InP PIN and avalanche photodiode (APD) detectors are shown to be clearly superior to Ge devices with respect to dark current and other sources of noise. Receivers with performance within a few dB of the quantum limit appear to be possible with current technology.
Phenomenological and cosmological consequences of gauge singlets in superstring theories

Abstract Superstring theories contain a large number of massless singlet fields. In this paper we examine their phenomenological and cosmological implications. In particular from the general constraints on their couplings we argue that many of them couple very weakly to matter fields. We further examine their impact on the big bang nucleosynthesis and derive a constraint on the number of gauge singlet fields that can be tolerated. We also consider the effects of decaying singlets on the overall mass density of the universe, entropy production and light element abundances.
RISKS OF ABNORMAL GLUCOSE TOLERANCE IN TEENAGE PREGNANCY

Routine screening for gestational diabetes (GDM) is recommended for all pregnant women, but is unusual in clinics for adolescents. We performed a 50 g glucola loading test in 138 patients age 12-18 years at 24-34 weeks gestation. A 1h plasma glucose ≥ 150 mg/dl was an indication for a 3h OGTT. The study group was multiracial (38% Hispanic, 32% White, 22% Black and 8% other). Results: Mean 1h plasma glucose value for all patients was 103 mg/dl ± SD 22. 94 (68%) teenagers were ± 1SD of the mean while 21 (15%) were > 1SD below and 23 (17%) were > 1SD above the mean. GDM was confirmed in 2 girls (1.5%). Both gained excessive weight, had preeclampsia, large placentas and macrosomic infants. Girls with a 1h glucose > 1SD below the mean ( 4000 g, three had mothers with a 1h glucose 2SD below the mean while 2 others had levels > 2SD above the mean. Frequency distribution curves for 1h glucose values differed markedly in the four racial groups. The mostly Indochinese group had significantly lower 1h glucose levels than all other groups (p <0.008). Conclusions: All pregnant teenagers should be screened for GDM because this problem occurs in young as well as older women. Higher perinatal morbidity occurs in infants of mothers with low as well as high plasma glucose values.
The bed bug problem: Past, present, and future control methods

Abstract Bed bugs are wingless hematophagous ectoparasites that have co-existed with humans since they first appeared in the caves of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions approximately 65 million years ago. Bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases, most probably due to the lack of sylvatic cycles. Historical control methods include some remedies, but also many useful control methods such as community-wide eradication efforts, insecticidal powders, fumigation, and rigorous cleaning. These intense eradication efforts combined with newly developed synthetic insecticides, such as DDT and malathion, almost eliminated bed bugs during the 1950s. However, there has been a resurgence in bed bug populations during the past 15 years. Recent molecular evidence suggests that bed bugs did not experience a genetic bottle neck, but rather existed in isolated populations. Today, bed bugs are found to have multiple modes of insecticide resistance including reduced cuticular penetration and up-regulation of ABC transporters (ATP-binding cassette protein transporters). Currently available chemical treatments are based on pyrethroid insecticides that are not effective against many insecticide resistant bed bugs, but fumigation and dust formulations have been found to be more effective. Non-chemical control methods are most useful in community-wide integrated pest management. Future bed bug control will most likely to rely on refining the currently available methods and focusing on the research with cooperative efforts.
Seismic wave speed structure of the Ontong Java Plateau

Abstract The Ontong Java Plateau (OJP) represents the result of a significant event in the Earth's geologic history. Limited geophysical and geochemical data, as well as the plateau's relative isolation in the Pacific ocean, have made interpretation of the modern day geologic structure and its 120 Ma formation history difficult. Here we present the highest resolution image to date of the wave speed structure of the OJP region. We use a data set that combines Rayleigh waves extracted from both ambient noise and earthquake waveforms and an iterative finite-frequency tomography methodology. The combination of datasets allow us to best exploit the limited station distribution in the Pacific and image wave speed structures between 35 km and 300 km into the Earth. We image a region of fast shear wave speeds, greater than 4.75 km/s, that extends to greater than 100 km beneath the plateau. The wave speeds are similar to as observed in cratonic environments and are consistent with a compositional anomaly that resulted from the residuum of eclogite entrainment during the plateau's formation. The combination of our imaged wave speed structure and previous geochemical work suggest that a surfacing plume head entrained eclogite from the deep mantle and accounts for the anomalous buoyancy characteristics of the plateau and observed fast wave speeds.
Assessment of complement binding by anti-D and anti-M antibodies employing labelled antiglobulin antibodies.

Summary The presence of small amounts of C3d on freshly obtained normal red blood cells (RBC) was demonstrated by a radio-labelled antiglobulin technique; this increased 1·5-fold after incubation in fresh normal serum. No significant further increase in bound C3d was demonstrated for cDE/cDE, CDe/CDe, -D-/-D- RBC maximally sensitized with any of three potent anti-D antibodies. When anti-c, anti-D and anti-E antibodies were used in combination to sensitize cDE/cDE RBC, bound C3d increased by approximately 22%; however, a similar increase occurred with cde/cde RBC and was therefore considered non-Rh specific. Umbilical cord RBC from four infants severely affected by anti-D haemolytic disease of the newborn did not exhibit more bound C3d than cord RBC from normal controls. One serum containing IgM anti-M bound a small amount of complement in vitro; two IgG anti-M sera did not.
Bounds on time-to-collision and rotational component from first-order derivatives of image flow

Abstract A moving rigid object produces a moving image on the retina of an observer. It is shown that only the first-order spatial derivatives of image motion are sufficient to determine (i) the maximum and minimum time-to-collision of the observer and the object and (ii) the maximum and minimum angular velocity of the object along the direction of view. The second or higher order derivatives whose estimation is expensive and unreliable are not necessary. (The second-order derivatives are necessary to determine the actual motion of the object.) These results are interpreted in the image domain in terms of three differential invariants of the image flow field: divergence, curl , and shear magnitude . In the world domain, the above results are interpreted in terms of the motion and local surface orientation of the object. In particular, the result that the minimum time-to-collision could be determined from only the first order derivatives has a fundamental significance to both biological and machine vision systems. It implies that an organism (or a robot) can quickly respond to avoid collision with a moving object from only coarse information. This capability exists irrespective of the shape or motion of the object. The only restriction is that motion should be rigid.
Preschool education in China and the United States: a personal perspective

In this article the preschool education in China and the United States are compared, based on the factors that influence the preschool education in each country as well as the characteristics of the preschool education in each culture. The preschool education in both countries has its strengths and weaknesses, which result from their respective cultural tradition, philosophical doctrines and educational system. But if preschools in different cultures can learn from each other and avoid its weaknesses, our children will be more healthily nurtured, motivated and developed.
War-Proneness, War-Weariness, and Regime Type: 1816-1980

Previous empirical research has demonstrated that war-weariness is not a universal characteristic of na tion-state behaviour. But a scholarly consensus agrees, for reasons originally advanced by Ka...
Granular-cell myoblastoma of stomach and colon.

1. Two cases of granular-cell lesions (myoblastoma) involving stomach and colon, respectively, are reported.
Social Class and Voting Choices in Middletown

Based on analysis of ecological data from the midwestern city of "Middletown," it is argued that the influence of social class on people's voting choices has not diminished in recent years, as has been suggested by a number of recent studies. The class-based pattern in vote returns from Middletown's precincts in the 1976 presidential election is compared to the results found by Robert and Helen Lynd for the 1936 election. An increase in the level of class voting is found, primarily attributable to a shift in the voting choices of blacks. Possible problems stemming from the use of aggregate data are discussed, and the generalizability of the findings is considered. Some reasons are offered for the failure of previous studies to reveal the persistence of class-based voting in the United States. This paper adds a cautionary note to those voices loudly heralding the decline of class-based voting in the United States. I am engaged in a study of recent voting patterns in the midwestern community described by Robert and Helen Lynd in Middletown and Middletown in Transition. This work is being conducted in conjunction with a comprehensive restudy of that community currently in progress. My initial results suggest that the degree of class voting in Middletown has been strikingly stable over the last four decades. Recent studies of political attitudes and voting behavior in the United States indicate that voter loyalties have undergone a radical restructuring since the first large voting studies were conducted in the 1940s and 1950s (see Dennis; Nie et al.; and the review essay by Braungart). Trends identified by these studies include (1) a decline in the proportion of adult citizens who identify with the two major political parties, (2) a decrease in the proportion who cast their presidential vote in accordance
Preputial skin free graft as dorsal onlay urethroplasty: Our experience of 73 patients.

Objective: To present the outcome of dorsal onlay urethroplasty in 73 patients for stricture urethra over a period of eight years. Materials and Methods: Seventy-three patients of stricture urethra have undergone dorsal onlay urethroplasty from July 1998 to February 2006. Age distribution: 14-58 years. Etiology: Trauma 20/73 (27.39%), Balanitis Xerotica Obliterans 2/73 (2.73%), Iatrogenic 26/73(35.61%), Infection 3/73 (4.10%), Idiopathic 22/73 (30.13%). Site: Penobulbar-25/73, bulbar-38/73, membranous-8/73 and long length-2/73. Suprapubic catheter was inserted preoperatively: 21/73 patients. Preputial / distal penile skin was used in all patients. Buccal mucosa was not used in any patient. Hospitalization was for four to five days. Catheter was removed after 21 days. All patients had their first endoscopic checkup after three months. Subsequently they were followed up by uroflometry. Routine imaging of urethra for follow-up was not carried out. Results: 63/73 (86.30%) patients had satisfactory outcome not requiring any further treatment, 8/73 (10.95%) developed anastomotic stricture (3/8-optical internal urethrotomy, 5/8 dilatation alone). 2/73 (2.75%) developed external meatal stenosis. None had urinary fistula and required repeat urethroplasty. Follow-up ranged from three months to eight years. Conclusion: Dorsal onlay urethroplasty using preputial/distal penile skin is a satisfactory procedure. Preputial/distal penile skin is devoid of hair and fat and hence an ideal graft material. Even in circumscribed patients distal penile skin can be harvested. Long-term follow-up is required in judging results of patients with stricture urethra.
Variable Transmission Compliance With an MR Damper

This paper presents a novel transmission design that consists of a parallel combination of an MR damper and a compliant element together acting in series with an actuator. By adjusting the magnetic field to vary the amount of damping, the transmission can be switched between compliant and effectively rigid modes. Transmission compliance between an actuator and its load has several benefits: It enables (1) storage of elastic energy to improve efficiency, (2) filtering of shocks acting on the load that would otherwise be transmitted to the actuator, and (3) facilitation of force control by converting it to a position control problem. Despite these benefits, the design objective for most robotic systems remains to minimize transmission compliance to improve transmission bandwidth, improving the ability to control the position of the load with high precision. With the new transmission presented in this paper, compliance becomes a tunable quantity allowing joint stiffness to be optimized based upon the task requirements.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Low Temperature Dielectrics And Surface Passivation Of InP

Low temperature Silicon Dioxide, deposited on InP at temperatures as low as 120°C, shows improved interfacial quality as judged by quasi-static and high frequency CV measurements. These films are highly resistive and have potential applications in a MISFET technology. Results with sulfur and selenium passivation prior to deposition of SiO2 at higher temperatures show similarly improved interfaces on InP.
The immature monkey as a model for studies of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

Summary The monkey is a potential model for BPD since there is considerable background information on the normaldeveloping lung, the prematurely delivered infant is viable, HMD can be produced, the infant is large enough to permit physiologic measurements, and it should be possible to test the effects of positive pressure, oxygen, and pharmacologic agents. Clearly further information is needed on the cellular and subcellular changes occurring during the acute and recovery stages of HMD. The monkey has already proven to be of value in this inquiry. Studies on mechanisms of altered lung repair by various injurious agents are needed, and will require an animal model as well as in vitro systems. Basic understanding of the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia with establishment of the relative importance of the contributing factors should help in our efforts to prevent or minimize chronic lung disease in the newborn infant.
Cobalt requirement of symbiotically grown alfalfa

Alfalfa was grown in purified culture solutions to which different amounts of radioactive Co were added. Treatment effects were evaluated by measuring the yield, N and Co content of the plant tops; and the weight, volume and leghemoglobin content of the root nodules. The Co requirement of symbiotic N fixation was met with 10 ppt of the element in the rooting medium; this amount gave plants containing 0.0005 ppm of Co in their whole tops and 0.0008 ppm of Co in their leaves. Leghemoglobin was found in measurable amounts only in nodules which were fixing N at the time of harvest. The level of added Co had no effect on the weight or volume of root nodules formed, nor were the Co levels supplied related to the leghemoglobin content of the nodules.
Transient anlaysis of a store-and-forward computer-communications network

This paper presents the results of a study of transient behavior in a store-and-forward, computer-communications network. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the nature of network performance during severe loading of a network previously operating at steady state conditions. This knowledge is critical since networks are generally designed for a maximum steady state message load. When a transient situation develops, the network may not perform as originally intended and may produce excessive message delay.The primary problem addressed in this paper is the unknown and mathematically intractable relation between the occurrence of a transient traffic load and the resulting performance. The network design and topology are fixed with the experimental factors being the type of transient and the distribution of transient traffic precedence.A five-node, computer-communications network is simulated under two types of transients: first, the effect of a sudden burst of message traffic and second, the effect of a sudden reduction in the interarrival time for a specified period. Also, the effect of the combined transients is investigated. The data is analyzed using ANOVA techniques for a two factor experiment design with four replications per experimental unit.It is concluded that transient message loads have a significant and severe effect on network performance. The degradation in performance persists for a significant period of time. The transient effect is not consistent across each precedence level and erroneous conclusions on average network performance result if the interaction of transient traffic precedence and type of transient are not considered.
High Carbohydrate Diets in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Excerpt To the editor: Angelillo and coworkers (1) tried to show that the low carbohydrate diet was associated with a significant decrease in arterial PCO2and that spirometric results were signific...
Book Discussion Course: Timely Topics for Medical Students

Several library faculty members at the Louisiana State University Health Shreveport Health Sciences Library offered a book discussion course as an elective for first-year medical students. This article provides details on how the librarians developed, taught, and evaluated this elective. The librarians took a team-teaching approach, required the students to read two books, and outlined the criteria for participation. At the end of the course, the students completed an evaluation, commenting on positive and negative aspects of the course. The elective proved to be successful, and the librarians look forward to offering the course again in the spring of 2014.
Clinical laboratory test standards for a sample of schizophrenics.

The normal ranges for 15 clinical laboratory tests for a pooled sample of 325 schizophrenics, largely chronic and hospitalized, are presented. Laboratory data came from pretreatment blood samples of subjects who were all participants in clinical psychotropic drug trials conducted through the Early Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit (ECDEU) Program of the National Institute of Mental Health. Both parametric means and ranges (mean ± 2 standard deviations) and nonparametric medians and percentile ranges (2.5 and 97.5 percentiles) are reported. The results generally confirm the finding of increased variability in schizophrenic laboratory test data noted in the past. This, and implications of the method are discussed.
Albumin Microbubble Persistence During Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography Is Associated With Microvascular Endothelial Glycocalyx Damage

Background —We hypothesized that the persistence of albumin microbubbles within the myocardium during crystalloid cardioplegia (CP) infusion and ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) occurs because of endothelial injury. Methods and Results —The myocardial transit rate of albumin microbubbles was measured in 18 dogs perfused with different CP solutions and in 12 dogs undergoing I-R. Electron microscopy with cationized ferritin labeling of the glycocalyx was performed in 9 additional dogs after CP perfusion and in 3 additional dogs undergoing I-R. Microbubble transit was markedly prolonged during crystalloid CP perfusion. The addition of whole blood to the CP solution accelerated the transit rate in a dose-dependent fashion ( P <0.05), which was greater with venous than with arterial blood ( P <0.05). The addition of plasma or red blood cells to CP solutions was less effective in improving transit rate than addition of whole blood ( P <0.05). Microbubble transit rate was independent of the temperature, K+ content, pH, Po2, osmolality, viscosity, and flow rate of the perfusate. Similarly, a proportion of microbubbles persisted in the myocardium after I-R, which was related to the duration of ischemia ( P <0.01) but not of reflow. Crystalloid CP perfusion and I-R resulted in extensive loss of the endothelial glycocalyx without other ultrastructural changes. This effect was partially reversed in the case of crystalloid CP when it was followed by blood CP. Conclusions —Sonicated albumin microbubbles persist within the myocardium in situations in which the endothelial glycocalyx is damaged. The measurement of the myocardial transit rate of albumin microbubbles may provide an in vivo assessment of endothelial glycocalyx damage.
The Ends of Life and the Rise of Modernity

According to Keith Thomas in The Ends of Life: Roads to Fulfilment in Early Modern England, the social value system defining what constituted a life well lived changed dramatically in the period between the Reformation and the Enlightenment, becoming more individualistic and secular, as well as less aristocratic and hierarchical. Although Thomas' subtly argued and beautifully written study draws on a vast array of sources and demonstrates his vast expertise in the fields of early modern intellectual and cultural history, it does contain a number of conceptual and methodological problems that serve to undermine aspects of the argument. Ultimately, a more comparative approach would have proven beneficial, although it is certainly easier to make a case for secularization over time if one chooses to leave out religion.
Hierarchal gene trees and molecular phylogeny of the Rotifera: use of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to dissect ecological and evolutionary patterns

The study of rotifer phytogenies and the analysis of population-level processes historically have been disjunct. This is despite a growing recognition that there are many ways in which rotifer population biologists and ecologists might profit from the availability of a comprehensive phylogeny of the group. New molecular methods which can be applied to a wide range of genetic systems and systematic grades will shortly eliminate the methodological (and perhaps conceptual) distinction between these fields. Of particular importance is the development of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a technique of synthetic DNA amplification which produces concentrated preparations of selected genes from complex mixtures of nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Analysis of PCR products can provide hierarchal genetic comparisons from the level of local rotifer populations through broad evolutionary (at least molecular) phylogenies.
Ground-State Properties of Solid Helium-4 and -3

Previous Monte Carlo computations of ground-state properties of solid helium using a correlated trial wave function are extended in several directions. A generalized wave function which includes a simple model for "phonon" correlations is tested; no significant lowering of ground-state energies is obtained. Detailed results for bcc ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ and hcp ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ are tabulated in the low-density region. The extension of the variational computations to considerably higher densities (10 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{3}$/mole) stresses the need for inclusion of short-range correlations over a wide density range and clearly reveals the inadequacy of the commonly used Lennard-Jones 12-6 potential with the de Boer parameters. Various other recently proposed interaction potentials are investigated in conjunction with known three-body forces. Reasonable agreement with experimental energies, pressures, and compressibilities follows from the use of a potential due to Beck. The relation between the melting properties of helium and two "hard-core" models is discussed and the possibility of Bose-Einstein condensation in the solid is investigated in conjunction with a theorem due to Reatto.
Su1539 Is Dilation Necessary to Complete EUS Staging for Esophageal Cancer

studies from 1/2008 to 9/2012 to identify patients who subsequently underwent EUS. EUS reports were reviewed and measurements were made of esophageal wall thickness and muscular propria (MP) thickness at both 12.5 and 20 MHz (normal values: lower esophageal sphincter (LES) MP 0.85 0.23 mm; distal esophagus MP 0.75 0.25 mm from Barthet M, et al. European Journal of Gastro & Hep 1998). Measurements were made at the thickest radial segment of the abnormal segment of the esophageal body and LES. A second, experienced endosonographer independently made measurements and an average was taken. Clinical outcome data were extracted from 6month follow-up. Results: During this period we performed 3353 HRM studies of whom 58 patients (1.7%) were included. The primary complaints were dysphagia (n 51) or chest pain (n 7). HRM diagnoses in these patients were: achalasia or suspected achalasia variant (33); spasm (6); hypercontractile (jackhammer) esophagus (6); EGJ outflow obstruction (11) and hypotensive peristalsis with suspected extrinsic compression (2). EUS identified 6 significant lesions not identified endoscopically (infiltrating cancer (2), vascular compression (2), esophageal sarcoid (1), congenital esophageal ring (1)). Among these, the working diagnosis had been EGJ outflow obstruction (3), achalasia variant (1), and achalasia (2). Wall thickness was greatest in patients with jackhammer (7.94 mm) and least in patients with hypotensive peristalsis (3.75 mm) Wall thickness at the LES was greatest in achalasia variants (5.98 mm) and least in patients with hypotensive peristalsis (2.4 mm). Consequent from the EUS study, directed Botox injection was the most common therapy (26/58). In patients with adequate follow up, 8/23 treated with Botox improved. Responders had significantly less wall thickness (5.8 mm vs. 7.7 mm; P 0.02)) and significantly less MP thickness at the LES (1.9 mm v 4.5 mm; P 0.04). Conclusion: EUS altered the HRM diagnosis in 6/57 (11%) patients studied and led to directed Botox injection in an additional 45%. Patients who had greater esophageal wall thickness or greater MP thickness at the LES were less likely to respond to Botox. Further prospective studies are needed to determine whether EUS measurements of regional wall thickness are predictive of outcome after Botox injection or useful to inform other therapeutic options.
The energy dependence of neutron damage in Cu and Nb

Abstract Primary recoil spectra and specific damage energies have been computed for neutron interactions in Cu and Nb at neutron energies up to 32 MeV. The calculations are based on theoretical neutron cross sections and are in good agreement with recent radiation damage experiments using high energy neutrons from the Be(d,n) reaction. The results are particularly relevant to the understanding of radiation effects from high energy deuteron-breakup neutron sources.
A linearized lumped parameter approach to vibration and stress analysis of elastic linkages

Abstract Nonlinear equations of motion resulting from the lumped-mass modeling of mechanism links are linearized and decoupled by using the concept of kinematic influence coefficients. Effect of rotatory inertia of elements and end masses of moving links is investigated. Equations of motion are solved by way of the central finite difference method. The model is applied to a planar four-bar linkage corresponding to an actual mechanism that has been examined experimentally and analyzed by non-linear lumped parameter method. The results show that the error due to linearization is small and that rotatory inertia has significant effect on the elastic response of the mechanism.
Scattering of electromagnetic waves from dense distributions of spheroidal particles based on Monte Carlo simulations

In a dense discrete random medium, the propagation and scattering of waves are affected not only by the individual properties of the particles such as size, shape, and permittivity, but also by group properties such as the statistics of relative particle positions and relative orientations. We use Monte Carlo simulations to investigate the interactions of electromagnetic waves with a dense medium consisting of spheroidal particles for cases of random orientation and for cases of aligned orientation. A shuffling process is used to generate the positions of densely packed spheroids. Multiple-scattering equations are formulated by means of the volume integral equation and are solved numerically. The scattering results are averaged over realizations. Numerical results are presented for the extinction rates and the phase matrices. Salient features of the numerical results indicate that (1) the extinction rates of densely packed small spheroids are smaller than those of independent scattering; (2) for aligned spheroids, the extinction rates are polarization dependent; and (3) the co-polarized part of the phase matrix for densely packed spheroids is smaller than that of independent scattering, while the cross-polarized part is larger than that for independent scattering. This means that the ratio of cross-polarization to co-polarization is significantly higher than that of independent scattering.
MOBI-CLIQUES FOR IMPROVING ERGODIC SECRECY IN FADING WIRETAP CHANNELS UNDER POWER CONSTRAINTS

We consider a cooperative secret communication scenario, in which a group of mobile and power constrained nodes, acting as relays, cooperatively transmit to a destination in the presence of an eavesdropper; both destination and eavesdropper are assumed stationary. The cooperative scheme entails motion control and optimal communication, in order to achieve a prescribed level of ergodic secrecy rate. The group of motion-controlled cooperating relays is here termed as mobi-clique. Under this setting, a novel, decentralized motion control scheme is derived, which effectively drives the relays to a formation configuration, so that a prescribed expected secrecy requirement is met, while at the same time the utilization of network resources is maximized. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified both theoretically and through numerical simulations.
Real-time imaging with a new ultrasonic camera: Part I, in vitro experimental studies on transmission imaging of biological structures

Results are described of in vitro biological experimentation using a new through-transmission ultrasonic camera system developed at the Stanford Research Institute. The camera system produces real-time focused, orthographic images of a 15 times 15 cm field. The in vitro studies, which demonstrate the diagnostic potential of the new technique, include transmission images of selected excised organs such as liver, kidney, spleen, and uterus. In addition, preliminary studies evaluating ultrasonic image quality and the effect of out-of-focus structures are discussed.
Digital Channelized Wide Band Receiver Implemented with a Systolic Array of Multi-Rate FIR Filters

A new systolic array digital channelized wide band receiver (DCWBR) architecture is presented, which eliminates the requirement for demultiplexing and FFT subsystems associated with a conventional DCWBR. The regular systolic array structure of pipelined multi-rate FIR filters in the new architecture presents an opportunity for increased clock frequencies and wider band widths compared to the conventional architecture. A parallel systolic array DCWBR architecture is also presented, which facilitates increased resolution and improved signal arbitration. A FIR filter element of the systolic array has been implemented in 0.13 mum CMOS technology for estimating hardware and power requirements for the new DCWBR architecture.
Distribution and phenotype of Epstein–Barr virus-infected cells in human pharyngeal tonsils

Although Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is often found in human tonsils, it remains to be precisely determined in what cells and microenvironment the virus is present. Although generally regarded as a B lymphotropic virus, EBV is associated with non-B-cell tumors, for example, NK/T-cell lymphoma, carcinoma, and leiomyosarcoma. To provide a basis for understanding the origin and biology of EBV-infected non-B cells, the immunophenotype of all EBV-infected cells in reactive human tonsils was determined by subjecting tonsil sections to dual/triple EBER in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry with monoclonal antibodies to T cells (CD3, CD4, CD8, CCR3), B cells (CD20), plasma cells (CD138), natural killer (NK) cells (PEN5), and epithelial cells (cytokeratin), as well as frozen section immunostaining with antibodies to EBV latent proteins EBNA1, EBNA2, LMP1, and EBV early protein BZLF1. Most tonsils contained nearly equal numbers of EBNA1- and LMP1-positive cells (latency program) while only a few contained EBNA2-positive cells (growth program). More than 1000 EBER-positive cells from six tonsils were detected in the interfollicular zone (59%), tonsillar crypts (26%), and follicles (15%). Most (82%) EBER-positive cells are CD20-positive B cells, 7% are CD3-positive T cells, and 11% are cells of indeterminate lineage, often with plasmacytoid morphology. However, no EBER-positive plasma cells were identified. Rare EBER-positive NK cells and EBER/BZLF1-positive epithelial cells were identified. The direct demonstration of EBV within rare T cells, NK cells, and epithelial cells in reactive human tonsils provide a basis for further understanding of the origin of EBV-associated tumors of non-B-cell type.
Electric pulse induced impedance and material degradation in IC chip packaging

A method for measurement of electric circuit conduction path by Scan Electron Microscopy (SEM) has been developed. It shows that current conducts through the whole surface layer of solder joints when subjected to high frequency pulse loadings, but only half of the surface layer when subjected to AC loading. The Electrical Pulse Induced Resistance Change (EPIR) profile of a symmetric solder bump thin film structure of a typical IC chips packaging is studied. EPIR is found to be frequency, duty factor and current density dependent. An average current density model is proposed to approximate duty factor and the current density induced EPIR effects.
A Histopathologic Study of Retinal Arterial Aneurysms

Although retinal arterial aneurysms were first reported by Raehlman 1 in 1889, they have been described infrequently 2-4 and usually in association with other lesions of the retinal vascular system such as occur in Leber's miliary aneurysms (retinal telangiectasis), Coats' disease, and von Hippel's angiomatosis. Recent reports suggest that isolated retinal arterial aneurysms are a distinct clinical entity that occur in older, often hypertensive patients and follow a characteristic clinical course. 5-9 Although clinical studies of isolated retinal arterial aneurysms have appeared with increasing frequency, histopathologic studies are rare. 9 We describe the histopathologic features of isolated retinal arterial aneurysms in two enucleated eyes.
Inertia as a zero-point-field force: Critical analysis of the Haisch-Rueda-Puthoff inertia theory

In the article by Haisch, Rueda, and Puthoff (HRP) [Phys. Rev. A 49, 678 (1994)], an explanation of inertia as an ``electromagnetic resistance arising from the known spectral distortion of the zero-point field in accelerated frames'' is proposed. In this paper, we show that this result is an error due to incorrect physical and mathematical assumptions associated with taking a nonrelativistic approach. At the core of HRP's theory is a calculation of the so-called magnetic Lorentz force, which can be represented in terms of a correlation function of zero-point field (ZPF) radiation and a form factor of a small uniformly accelerated oscillator. To consider this force, the authors use a nonrelativistic approach based in fact on two main assumptions. (i) A nonrelativistic approximation of the correlation function exists. (ii) In the force integral expression, contributions of the integrand for large differences in time are damped and can be ignored. We show that their implicit nonrelativistic implementation of the correlation function is incorrect, and present as the correct expression a proper nonrelativistic limit of the exact correlation function offered earlier by Boyer. We also show that the second assumption is misguided, and the force exerted on even a slow moving accelerated oscillator ``remembers'' the entire history of the accelerated motion including times when its velocity could have any large value. A nonrelativistic approximation of the force leads to a contradiction. The force is fundamentally a relativistic one, which we show is equal to zero. Consequently, the interaction of the accelerated oscillator with ZPF radiation does not produce inertia, at least not for the component of the Lorentz force that HRP considered. Finally, several other calculation errors are discussed in our paper: the sign (which is of paramount importance for HRP's theory) of HRP's final force expression should be positive, not negative, and the high-frequency approximation used is not justified.
Effect of Activated Carbon on Elimination of Organochlorine Pesticides from Rats and Cows

Mature rats were fed a diet containing 5 μg/g DDT for 14 days. The inclusion of 5% activated carbon with DDT reduced DDT retention (P < 0.01). When DDT feeding was followed by 14 days of activated carbon feeding the retention of DDT was 62.4 for the control and 62.6% for the treated group. Activated carbon had no effect on feed intake but significantly reduced the 14-day weight gains from 10.2 to 3.6 g (P < 0.05). Four of 8 cows previously contaminated with dieldrin, DDD and DDT were fed 1 kg/day activated carbon for 14 days. There were no significant effects on the pesticide concentrations in the milk fat. The activated carbon resulted in nonsignificant reductions in milk (17.8 to 16.3 kg/day) and fat (.84 to .77 kg/day) production. In a second experiment 4 of 8 cows previously contaminated with dieldrin, DDE and DDT were fed 1 kg/day activated carbon for 26 days. The activated carbon had no significant effect on the milk and body fat concentrations of the pesticides. Milk production (20.4 to 18.5 kg/day) and fat production (0.82 to 0.72 kg/day) were reduced (P < 0.05) by the activated carbon. Activated carbon had no effect on feed consumption.
Structural proteins of bacteriophage T4

Abstract The protein composition of purified T4 phage, phage heads and capsids was examined by sodium dodeoyl sulfate-acrylamide gel electrophoresis. The virion contains at least 21 unique proteins which range in molecular weight from 10,000 to 150,000. Both heads and capsids contain eight of these proteins. However, two of the eight proteins are partially released from heads by freeze-thaw or osmotic shock treatment. Thus, they are probably internal proteins. Capsids purified from cells infected with mutants defective in tail assembly can be separated into three fractions by cesium chloride equilibrium centrifugation. About 10% of the capsids have an unusually high density of from 1.35 to 1.40 g/cm 3 . Some of these capsids contain a collar. Below the collar are several 20 by 500 A fibers (whiskers). The two other capsid fractions have densities of about 1.30 and 1.33 g/cm 3 . The capsids in these two fractions lack collars and whiskers. As a result of head assembly the major head structural protein, the gene 23 product, is converted from 55,000 to 46,000 molecular weight. The gene 23 product is not converted in cells infected with any of the head-defective amber mutants in genes 20, 21, 22, 24 and 31.
Signed graph coloring

Coloring a signed graph by signed colors, one has a chromatic polynomial with the same enumerative and algebraic properties as for ordinary graphs. New phenomena are the interpretability only of odd arguments and the existence of a second chromatic polynomial counting zero-free colorings. The generalization to voltage graphs is outlined.
Parametric Design of Parallel Force/Velocity Actuators: Force Balance Analysis

This paper adds to the analytical work done in a companion paper [3]. In that work, the power analysis for a Parallel Force/Velocity Actuator was carried out. In this work, we present a force balance analysis of the same actuator. In so doing, we consider a link driven by a Parallel Force/Velocity Actuator and study the balance of static and inertial forces in this system. The results from this study include design maps for the PFVA including the effects listed above. We also present five specific design examples of the PFVA using commercial off-the-shelf components to illustrate our force balance analysis.Copyright © 2008 by ASME